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JANUARY -  Vermont History & Independence Month
 
 1    1917  Outbreak of Scarlet fever.  Kids quarantined at home.
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 4    1776  Gen Richard Montgomery interred in Quebec with military respect.
 5    1933  Calvin Coolidge dies (Northampton, MA).
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 8    1998  Major ice storm hits northeast and Canada.
 9    1975  Hutchins and Longley Covered Bridges placed on NRHP
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 13    1794  Pres. Washington approves adding two stars to U.S. flag, VT and KY.
 14    1874  William J. Wright born in Montgomery.  Owned large store (site of Lutz's) and served as Town Treasurer 1901-1908.
 15    1777  VT Independence day.  Originally called “New Connecticut”
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 22    1835  Pratt Hall consecrated as Union Church by Bishop John Henry Hopkins.  First consecration.
 23    1975  Fuller and West Hill (Creamery) Covered Bridges placed on the NRHP.
 24    1833  Bishop John Henry Hopkins visits Montgomery and preaches to the Episcopal congregation.  Notes framed structure of church under construction.
          1861  Rev.Joel Clapp dies.  Buried in Woodstock next to his first wife Abigail (Peckham).
 25     1776  Plaque at what would become the monument to General Richard Montgomery erected at St. Paul's Church in NYC by order of Congress.
          1866  Montgomery voters agree to buy into the area poor farm located in Bakersfield.
 26     1897  Regular Thursday services at St. Bartholomews canceled due to so many ill.  Enosburg Standard.
 27     1897  Twenty two below zero and "hurricane" winds.  Dry firewood scarce and commands a good price.  Enosburg Standard.
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          1934  First ski tow, a rope tow, operates in Woodstock, VT.
          1820  Ithiel Town granted patent for lattice covered bridge.
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 31     1775  General Richard Montgomery killed at the Battle of Quebec.  
          1867  Baptist Church dedicated.
          1986  Mike and Harry Dutchburn beaten and robbed at their home.
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FEBRUARY

 1    1927 Railroad collision with car  in  Enosburg Falls (Sampsonville) kills one Montgomery man, injures two.
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 4     1955  Village Water System freezes,  ninety families without water.  St. Albans Daily Messenger.
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 9    1865  Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley born in Jericho, VT.  First photography of snowflakes.
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 11    1751  Joshua Clapp born Sudbury, MA.  Montgomery's first white male settler.
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 15     1987  Cherry Garcia introduced to the public.
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 18     1861  Charles L. Martin born in Montgomery.  Served as Superintendent of Schools, Selectman, School Director, Justice of the Peace, Town Clerk, and he represented Montgomery in the    General Assembly.
 19     1776  State (U.S.) memorial service IHO Richard Montgomery's death.     
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 23     1862  Charles Taylor Hall born in Montreal.  Owner, President and Business Manager of Montgomery mills (Nelson and Hall) and land.  Known as "Vermont's Lumber King".  Largest butter tub mill in the U.S.
         1979  MHS Federal  Tax Exempt Status Approved, 501.c.3.
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 26    "1902  Entertainment given on a Victrola talking machine at the hall"  Pudvah diary
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MARCH
      MHS Membership Drive this month.
      1897  Union Church renamed and consecrated as St. Bartholomew's.
      1859  Received parts of Lowell and Avery's Gore.
      1793  Spring Joshua & Naby Clapp arrive in Montgomery.
      1993  Students move to recently completed new elementary school
 
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 3    1778  Elections for first VT General Assembly.
       1955  Vt Senate votes 14 to 12 to annex Avery's Gore to Montgomery
 4    1791  VT becomes the 14th state.
 5    1895  Town votes to establish a library, elects commissioners, and applies to State.
 6    1895  Kiss Party at Henry Baker's
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 8    1862  Natt Parker born in Elmore, VT.  Proprietor of the Village store.  Postmaster.  Also served as School Director.
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 12    1778  First VT General Assembly convenes at Windsor.  House and Gov/Council elected.
         1802  Montgomery organized as a Town. First Town officers elected.
         1808  Embargo Act prohibits commerce with Canada.
 13    1973  Workers purcahse Lowell asbestos mine incorporate as Vermont Asbestos Group.  
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 15     1780  Montgomery Granted By VT Legislature.  Ira Allen among the 34 grantees.  Town named after General Richard Montgomery.
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 18     1820  Montgomery Baptist parish organized, ten people.
 19     1804  First known school appropriation, $22, approved at Town Meeting.
 20     1909  Independent Telephone Company created (organized) serving (between and in) Montgomery, Richford, East. Berkshire.
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 26     1776  Washington orders blazing of trail that would become the Bayley-Hazen Military Rd.
           1989 Chunky Monkey flavored pints released
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APRIL

 1     1865  Moris Braman dies.  Last Montgomerian to die in/during the Civil War.  11th Inf Vt Vols.   POW 7/21/64, paroled 2/22/65.  Buried in Center Cemetery.
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 9      1865  Gen Lee surrenders.
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 11    1829  Rufus Hamilton Quit Claims the land for the Episcopal Church.
 12    1850  Carlos Parker born in Elmore, VT.  Proprietor of Village Store.  Postmaster for 20 years.  Selectman, State Representative and Senator.
 13    1974  Kilgore Trout's Saloon Grand Closing.
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 18    1982  Flood
 19    1775  Start of Revolutionary War.
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 22     2008   Governor Douglas cuts ribbon officially opening new Montgomery Water System. Includes new municipal well, treatment plant and distribution system serving approximately 220 households and businesses. Costs over $4 million dollars of which the Town Pays (bonds for) nearly $900,000.
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 26   1984  Village Store (formerly Parker's, next to Pratt Hall) has severe fire, total loss.
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MAY

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 4     1958  Town votes to remain "wet",  beer 98-29, liquors 98-54
 5     1957  Largest and longest Town Meeting.  Over 6 hours.  Voter unhappy about purchase of grader without their consent.  "rabid debates"
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 9      1775  Ethan Allen captures Ft. Ticonderoga.
          1803  First Montgomery cemetery (Clapp) established.
          1865  President. Jefferson Davis formally ends cesession , dissolves the Confederacy
 10     1993  Montgomery House (Black Lantern) placed on the NRHP
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 12     1897  Mansfield House (Black Lantern) reports extensive renovation complete.  Entire interior painted.  Plate glass windows installed.  Enosburg Standard.
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 17    1819  Organization of first Episcopal  congregation completed by elections.
 18    1982  Flash flood.
 19    1802  First Post Office. Weekly service from Lowell via Hazen's Notch Road.
          1904  First day of a two day conference hosted at the Baptist church for the Women's Christian Temperance Union.  "Well attended"
 20    1886  Charles Hail GAR Post 95 formed.  Named after first Montgomery's casualty of the war.
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 27     1877  Fred Campbell born in Montgomery.  Lawyer & teacher.  Served as Assistant Town Clerk, School Director, Superintendent, and Chairman of the Board of Listers.
          1897  Town experiences an earthquake.  "shook the house quite a bit and rattled the doors".
 28     1887  First GAR Post 95 sponsored Town-wide Memorial Day ceremony / celebration.
 29     1951  Montgomery schools children put on first music festival at the Crescent Theater.  Packed house.  Proceeds used towards purchase of a movie projector for the schools.   
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JUNE - MHS Annual Meeting this month
1821 Bishop Griswold visits the Episcopalian congregation
1822  Episcopal conventions report Montgomery parish has 14 families and 27 communicants
1983  Montgomery FAST Squad established

 1    1733  Moses Hazen born in Mass.  (Bayley-Hazen Military Rd)
       1801  Brigham Young born Whitingham, VT.
       1923  Modern VT Flag (Coat of Arms on a blue field) adopted by the VT General Assembly.
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 4     1777  Named changed from New Connecticut to Vermont.
        1833  Town votes 'seven farms equal one school district'
 5     1896  Fire destroys the Nelson and Hall mill.
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 8      1816  Frost & Snow part of "Cold or Famine Year"
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 10     1977  Building dedicated / renamed as Pratt Hall.
           1868 or 69.  Free Mason charter granted to Montgomery Oriental Lodge 88.  Otis L. Kelton first Master.  Charter surrendered and Lodge went extinct in 1888.
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 12     1958  B-47 bomber enroute Maine from Georgia crashes in Cold Hollow, E. Enosburg area.  Montgomery men report tremendous flashes in early morning.
 13     1983  Six year old boy lost in Black Falls area,  walked out on his own to Route 242 on the 14th.  No serious injury.
           1956  Formal ground breaking for Montgomery to Jay highway.
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 15      1950  Vermont State Police find AWOL (French Leave") Army Private Hugh McClaren, at his sister's in Montgomery.  
 16      1957  Ribbon cut opening the new Jay Road (Route 242)
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 20       1903  Orleans Historical Society dedicates marker placed  in Hazen's Notch commemorating  1779 Terminus of  Bayley-Hazen's Military Road.  Over  800 people, cannon fired,  32 "pailsful" of coffee consumed.
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 22       1922 Flooding
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 30       1894  Lottie Baker kills her four children.
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JULY

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 2      1777  VT Constitution presented at Windsor Convention.
         1894   Lottie Baker kills her four children at home in Montgomery Village.  Sentenced to State asylum in Waterbury.
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 4      1872  Calvin Coolidge born in Plymouth ,VT.
         1881  Montgomery's Catholic Parish established.
         1979  Official opening of the Montgomery Rec. Center.
 5      1817  Montgomery Congregational Society formed.
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 7      1777  Battle Of Hubbardton - only Revolutionary War battle entirely w/in VT.
 8      1777  First VT constitution adopted
         1818  Gen Richard Montgomery's body moved and re-interred in New York city St. Paul's Chapel.  Monument funded by Congress and overseen by Benjamin Franklin.  Monument made in France.  Regarded as first national monument.
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 15      1997  “Montgomery Flood”.  Over $8 million in damage in Franklin County, mostly in Montgomery.
            1817  Congregationalist Church organized.  First organized in Town.            
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 19       1726  Jacob Bayley born West Newbury, MA (Bayley Hazen Military Rd).
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 27       1802  Petition submitted to form Montgomery's first government.
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 30       1952  Juvenile Court of Catholic Order of Foresters established.  
 31       1790  First U.S. patent granted to Vermonter Samuel Hopkins for new method for potash manufacture.
             1901  West Hill Post Office re-opened,  closed Nov 14, 1903
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AUGUST - Art Show and Sale This Month
         1954  Montgomery FD organized
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 3       1923  Calvin Coolidge becomes president on death of Pres. Harding.
          1811  Elisha Graves Otis born in Halifax, VT  invented elevator brake.  Otis Elevator co.
 4       1914  Hutchins Mill Burns.
 5       1955  Free fire truck (pumper) delivered from New Rochelle, NY FD.
          1988  NRHP listing nomination  for St. Bartholomew's  submitted.
 6       1897  Percival Shangraw born in Montgomery.  Lived and went to school on West Hill.  Served on Vt Supreme Court from 1958-1974, Chief Justice from 1972-1974.
          1975  Bill Branthoover turns over manuscript for first Town history, 125,000 words, to Sara Taylor for editing.  Board suggests selling price of $2.00
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 11      1895 First religious service in Hectorville under the apple trees.  American Sunday School Union missionaries.
 12      1802  First Town Officers Elected.  Samuel Barnard First Town Clerk, First Selectmen - James Upham, Joshua Clapp (Elijah Larned?), and Stephen Gates, First Listers - Trajan Richmond, James Upham, Jockton Goodspeed
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 15      1881  St. Isidore's Church consecrated.
 16      1777  Battle Of Bennington.
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            1771  Naby Barnard, wife of Joshua Clapp, born Deerfield, MA.  First white female settler.
            1973  First meeting of group to become Montgomery Historical Society
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 27     1981  Board approves project to install new metal roof borrows $4,000 and begins fund raising
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 29     1857  Bakersfield Poor Farm Association formed.  Includes Bakersfield, Fletcher, Richford and Montgomery.  Farm located in northern part of Bakersfield.
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SEPTEMBER 

 1     1988  St Batholomews NRHP listing approved.
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 7     1802  First Montgomery elections for State Officers.
         1901  Fire destroys Nelson and Hall tub mill.
         1819  Joel Clapp ordained an Episcopal priest, Windsor, VT
 8      1908  Hectorville Union Chapel dedicated.
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 11     1958  Immunization clinic held at Center School.  Tetanus, Smallpox, and Polio.  Polio limited to those 40 and younger.  St. Albans Daily Messenger.
           1896  Enosurg Telephone Co. repost 45 subscribers.  Seven instruments in Montgomery Village and 2 in the Center.  Enosburg Standard.
 12     1910  Telephone service est.  Line between St Onge's and Henry Sylvester's.  (Village and Center)  Enosburg Standard.
 13     1973  First MHS officers elected.
 14     1793  Joel Clapp's birthday (first native born Montgomerian).
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 19      1881  President Chester Arthur inaugurated after the assassination of James Garfield.
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 27      1989  MHS granted exemption from State Taxes
            18??  Joel Clapp takes job in Shelburne, VT
 28       1896  Severe Frost.  Enosburg Standard.
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OCTOBER 
      1820  Committee appointed by VT legislature to layout a Farm Market Rd  between Wells River & Berkshire using the Hazens - Notch Rd.
      1971  Montgomery Schoolhouse Toys founded.

 1      1874  Union Church re-consecrated after major construction.
 2      1809  First measures taken to build the Town’s first school building.
         1818  Joel Clapp ordained an Episcopal deacon, Greenfield, MA.
         1896  John Centerbar returns to Montgomery from hospital in Burlington.  Mill accident.  "less one finger" but saved the rest of the hand.
 3      1784  Ithiel Town born in  Thompson, CT
         1898  West Hill Post Office established,  Closed May 15, 1901
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 5      1829  Chester Arthur's birthday.
         1988  Pratt Hall placed on National Register Of Historic Places (NRHP).
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 8       1789  Montgomery Charter approved By Gov. Chittenden / Executive Council.
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 10      1979  First wedding in Pratt Hall.
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 16     1959  Hot lunch committee named.  Goal hot , nutritious, lunch for all school kids.
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 18      1973  First MHS Board Of Directors adopt first bylaws
 19      1864  St Albans Raid.
 20      1820  Gen Geo Stannard born in Georgia, VT.  Pickets' Charge hero.
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 27      1827  Plans begun for building an Episcopal Church in Montgomery.
           1964  Waldorf Lodge built in Alpine Haven
 28      1790  NY give up its VT claims for $30,000 clearing way to statehood.
 29      1784  Republic of VT approves Free Trade Act with Canada.
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NOVEMBER
          1952  Crescent Theater purchased and became of of the Montgomery Grange
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 3        1922  Montgomery's Grace Brooks approved for ordination as Baptist minister (Montgomery Center), beginning a 41 year career.  First woman Pastor in the State.
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 5        1792  Franklin County, Vermont established.
 6        1812  VT legislature raises two brigades for war.  Border with Canada sealed.
           1941  Montgomery Grange # 548 established.
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 10      1851  French Baptist Church organized
 11      1990 Montgomery Veteran's Memorial Monument dedicated.
            1977 Larry Pratt, hall's namesake, dies.
 12      1898  Post Office at Four Corners (West Hill) opens.  Source - Joseph Pudvah diary.
 13       1948  Charles T. Hall , VT Lumber King , dies
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 16       1896  Act creating  "Richford and Montgomery Electric Train Company" approved by the VT General Assembly.
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 19      1794  John Jay Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation.
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 24      1746  Samuel Barnard born in Deerfield, MA.  Moved to Montgomery in 1795.  Father of Naby Clapp/Father-in-law of Jousha Clapp.  First Town Clerk and a County Judge.
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 26      1973  First MHS membership drive letters mailed.
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 28      1901  St. Isidores church bell consecrated.
 29      1898  First electricity at Center store.  Pudvah diary.
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DECEMBER - Candles and Carols this month
1978 - First caroling program in Pratt Hall.

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 2      1738  Gen. Richard Montgomery born Dublin Co. Ireland.
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 6      1811  First Montgomery school tax approved.  Can pay in grain or produce.
         1974  Comstock Covered Bridge placed on NRHP
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 9      1977  St. Bartholomew's renamed Pratt Hall after recently deceased Larry Pratt.
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 13    1792  Joshua Clapp & Naby (nee Barnard) married in Deerfield, MA.
          1905  School house at West Hill four corners burns down.
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 16    1974  Hectorville Covered Bridge placed on NRHP.
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 21    1973  Episcopal Diocese of VT Quit Claims Montgomery property to the Montgomery HIstorical Society.
          2005  Montgomery Historical Society purchases adjacent lot.  Village store site and Jay Heaton's house.
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 23    1805  Joseph Smith, Mormon Church founder, born in Sharon, VT.
 24    1861  Charles Haile dies in Washington D.C. from unspecified disease.  Montgomery's first Civil War casualty.
          1898  Montgomery GAR Charles Haile Post 95 dissolved.
          1909  Fire destroys Nelson and Hall Tub mill.  Mill rebuilt with electricity!!
 25    1959  Hubert and Caroline Daberer open the Carinthia Inn  (formerly The Montgomery Inn, formerly the home of VT lumber Baron C.T Hall).  $8.50/day for a room and two meals.  Purchase building and 7 acres for $13,000.
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 30    1982  Logging truck damages Fuller Bridge, roof collapses truck found with Christmas lights.
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