History of Bennington County Vermont United States of America

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Local History Notes:

BENNINGTON, a county forming the S.W. extremity of Vermont, has an area of about 700 square miles. It is drained by the headwaters of Battenkill, Hoosick, and Deerfield rivers, and other small streams, which furnish abundant water-power. Although some good land is found within the limits of this county, a greater part of the surface is mountainous and unfitted for cultivation. The attention of the inhabitants is in great measure turned to manufactures of cotton and wool. Great quantities of spruce and other lumber are found in all parts of this county. Indian corn, potatoes, and grass are the staples. In 1850 this county produced 150,920 bushels of corn; 200,013 of potatoes; 54,600 tons of hay; 502,786 pounds of butter, and 558,494 of cheese. There were 3 cotton and 4 woollen factories, 4 foundries, 3 grist mills, 2 paper mills, 1 planing mill, 2 powder mills, and 40 saw mills. It contained 29 churches and 2 newspaper establishments. There were 6177 pupils attending public schools, and 205 attending academies or other schools. This county contains quarries of white, gray, and clouded marble, which are extensively worked, and beds of yellow ochre and iron ore; lead is also sometimes found. The railroad connecting Troy with Rutland crosses the N. W. part of the county, and that extending from Rutland to Bennington partly intersects it. Seats of justice, Bennington and Manchester. Population, 18,589.

Biographies:

Lewis Addison Grant, soldier, was born in Bennington county, Vt., Jan. 17, 1829; son of James and Betsey (Wyman) Grant; grandson of Jacob, and great-grandson of Joseph Grant of Wrenthem, Mass. His mother descended from the Wymans of Woburn, Mass. He was educated at Townsend and Chester, Vt., and engaged in the practice of law at Bellows Falls, Vt. In 1861 he organized the 5th regiment, Vermont volunteer infantry, was commissioned its major, Aug. 15, 1861, its lieutenant-colonel, Sept. 25, 1861, and its colonel, Sept. 16, 1862. He took command of the "Old Vermont Brigade" in February, 1863, and continued in command most of the time until the close of the war. The brigade was actively engaged in nearly every important battle of the Army of the Potomac and with Sheridan in the Shenandoah valley, and its losses from killed and wounded in battle were said to have been greater than those of any other brigade of the Federal army. He was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, April 27, 1864, and brevetted major-general, Oct. 19, 1864, for his action at the battle of Cedar Creek, in which battle he was in command of the 2d division of the 6th corps, which included the Vermont brigade. It was this division that checked the advance of Early's army in the morning and alone held it in check for an hour, until ordered back to take a new position. It was this division and Merritt's cavalry that Sheridan found fighting unsupported when he came upon the field, and it was on this division that the line was formed from which the victorious charge was made in the afternoon. After the war he was one of the organizers of the New England loan and trust company and was at the head of that institution for several years. In April, 1890, he was made assistant secretary of war by President Harrison, which position he resigned in December, 1893.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Bennington County Vermont

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