Caledonia

FRENCH, Samuel

Vermont Historical Magazine, No XI, October 1867, p 333 (extracted from a 
section dealing with the history of Hardwick, Caledonia County, Vermont)

Samuel FRENCH was born [no date is given] in Hoosich [Hoosac? Berkshire 
County?], Massachusetts, and came to Harwick [Caledonia County], Vermont, 
about 1800. He [Samuel FRENCH] married Tabitha DOW, a sister of the 
far-famed Lorenzo DOW, a woman of talent, and agreeable and lady-like. "He 
was considered a man of talent, especially in public speaking." [By his use 
of quotation marks to set off this sentence from the text which follows it, 
the author here apparently means Lorenzo DOW.] He [Samuel FRENCH] was one of 
Nature's noblest sons, but was peculiar in his religious feelings; yet it was 
true of him that he entertained no sectarian views. Sectional variances 
delayed the building of a church for worship, and he was led to feel a 
special order from heaven to build a house for the Lord. This he did almost 
wholly unaided in 1820, which was the first church building in town 
[Hardwick] to be occupied by all denominations. He never would sell or deed 
it to any sect; the Congregational Church made repeated efforts to purchase 
it. Although it is conceded that his motive to furnish the town with a 
church was good, yet the result was, contrary to his expectations, 
deleterious to the town. The inscription, "Liberty of Conscience," gave all 
a right of occupancy; but finally it was used in a way foreign to the worship 
of God, and the intent of the builder. He was repeatedly urged to serve the 
town in a public capacity; though a philanthropic man, he always despised 
office. On once being asked to run as a candidate for representative, he 
declared "he would not go if elected." He was very kind in his family, a 
good neighbor and citizen. He [Samuel FRENCH] died in 1848, aged sixty-nine 
years.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly