19th century Ti — Cotton mill workers honor veterans

Women workers at the Ticonderoga cotton mill raised money to cover the expenses of the Grand Army of the Republic Post Alfred Weed Decoration Day ceremony in 1875.

The women also crafted wild flower arrangements in the shapes of wreathes, crosses and bouquets to place on the graves of local soldiers killed during the Civil War.

“Post Weed is deserving great credit for the admirable manner in which they carried out the programme, and kept green the memory of the heroic dead,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on June 11, 1875.

The post decorated graves at the Tuffertown, Chilson Hill, Ingall’s, Catholic, and Street Road cemeteries before gathering in downtown with local residents and the Ticonderoga Cornet Band for a parade up the hill to Mount Hope Cemetery, where a remembrance ceremony was held.

In other June 11, 1875 Ticonderoga Sentinel news:

• The Sentinel, with that issue, began using an engraving of the ruins of Fort Ticonderoga as part of its masthead,

“This cut was made especially for us at great expense. … Fort Ticonderoga is known throughout the world and is visited by thousands yearly, and we take pleasure in placing in the hands of strangers a faithful picture of this noted old place.”

• Ethan A. Allen, grandson of the “Hero of Ticonderoga,” wrote in a letter that he regretted not being able to attend the recent celebration of the centennial of Allen’s capture of Fort Ticonderoga.
• Editor’s wish: “It would be a pleasure to many to see anew hotel going up in this place.”
• Churning feat: “A.M. Bradley recently made twenty pounds of butter from one cow in eleven days.”
• Charlie Thatcher was hired a baggage master on the steam boat Minne-Ha-Ha. — “Charlie can fill the bill.”
• Property improvements: “New steps and a fine fence improve the appearance of the Methodist Church. … George Weed is improving his fine place with a new fence,”
• Quotable: “An eminent printer was once asked what he mixed his paints with in order to produce so extraordinary an effect. ‘I mix them with my brains, sir,’ was his reply.”

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