The Chester Historical Society has in its collection the original Yo-Semite secretary’s ledger, which includes 19th-century meeting minutes and some fires. The men mentioned below are known to me. After you read the minutes, I will offer some of what I know.
“Chester Depot Vt. May 26th 1883
“Regular monthly meeting of Yo-Semite Engine Co at their Hall at 8 PM. Foreman J R Richardson in the chair. Roll called. Records of last meetings were read and approved, collection of fines were then attended to, no committees to report. Motioned by J O Smith that this company buy 3 rubber coats & caps, the motion was carried unanimously. Motion by R Gowing that the foreman buy the coats & caps immediately, motion was carried unanimously. Foreman gave notice that regular monthly meetings would be called at 8 PM till further notice. A 8 PM Roll called and adjourned.
“Attest
“P H Robbins Clerk”
P. H. Robbins
Philemon Robbins is well known to me. In 1858, Robbins and Mr. Marsh built what we know as Cummings Hardware today. I have encountered Robbins’ name many times in old records. From everything I’ve read, he was a good and honest man.
See the Robbins & Marsh sign upstairs at Chester Town Hall. Chester Historical Society purchased this sign. It had to stay in Chester.
Robbins Hardware’s location right next to the tracks made deliveries easy. Robbins sold coal, farm machinery, along with all the other hardware products. These goods came by rail. Move once saves money.
R. Gowing
R. Gowing ran the gristmill, later known as Waterman’s. A fire at Gowing’s destroyed his mill. He rebuilt it to the building we see today.
J. R. Richardson
J. R. Richardson is a familiar name as a property owner in the Depot area. His name appears in early Yo-Semite records and Town Hall records.
In 1868, 1870, and 1871 were three devastating fires smack dab in the middle of Chester Depot. Here you’ll read about Richardson’s losses.
“CHESTER. Oct 29, 1870
“Tuesday morning, October 25th, between four and five o’clock, fire was discovered issuing from the second story of Richardson’s new Block. Before the fire had gained much headway, a crowd of people had collected, and the Pail Brigade went promptly and energetically to work. [Author’s note: water for the pail brigade came from the well on the island in front of Salon 2000.] For nearly two hours, hope of saving this fine building inspired the citizens, and superhuman daring and exertion were put forth, but finally the flames burst through the roof, and the business of saving that was transferred to the others adjoining.
“The elegant residence of F. W. Marsh, a few feet south, was only saved by the greatest courage, hardship and perseverance. The furniture warerooms of Mr. G. A. Hall was next in order, and was licked up by the greedy flames like straws in a whirlwind. His residence adjoining his warerooms next fell a prey, and was entirely consumed; here the fire was stayed, having irreparably disfigured our little business center known as Depot Square, and causing a loss of some $30,000, on which amount was the following insurance: On Richardson’s Block, $10,000, Hall’s warerooms, $2,000, his dwelling, $1,500. The 44 Pail Brigade before spoken of, did nobly, but I honestly believe if there had been a moderately good fire engine on the ground, at the time of the discovery, the fire could have been put out, with a loss of not more than $500; but as it was, the loss was immense.”
Richardson sold the town the land for our 1884 town hall.
1871 Depot fire
Another major fire devastated the Depot in March of 1871. Again, Richardson lost another building and inventory. There was talk around that this fire was the work of an arsonist. Norman Shedd had lost his place in the 1870 fire, and blamed Richardson. Shedd told anyone who would listen that he knew Richardson started the 1871 fire.
These accusations led to a lawsuit, Richardson v. Shedd. Shedd lost the suit. From everything I know about Richardson, he, too, was an honest man. This would have been an interesting time to have lived in Chester. Much was going on.
This week’s old saying. I’ve always had facial hair. Years ago, I was buying antiques from an old Vermonter when he said, “What grows cultivated on your face grows wild on my butt.”