Page 4 - Taverns Stands in Woodstock - for Flipbook_Neat

In 1788, Captain Richardson granted just over an acre and a half of his land as a site for the county’s public
buildings, a courthouse and a jail. It is believed that this property is located on or near the site of the Lyman
Mower House, across the street from his tavern. The courthouse on the north side burned in 1791 and a cou-
ple of years later, Captain Richardson had gone down to Boston in August 1792 to purchase the glass, paint,
nails, etc. for the new, two-story building on the south side of the common.

In 1793, Captain Jason Richardson opened his tavern (on the site of the Woodstock Inn parking lot) which is
listed in the 1796 Vermont Almanac and Register. “The ware first used on the table was blue. Besides the rum,
ten gallons of brandy and ten gallons of sherry sufficed to begin with for stocking the bar.”

In 1796, Israel moved back into the building as his son was not prospering in business. He lived here until his
death in 1799. The tavern once again fell back into Jason Richardson’s hands until his death in 1803. The tav-
ern passed into the hands of Dr. Stephen Powers who owned it for a year or two. In 1808, Dr. Powers conveyed
the premises to John Briggs who retained possession of the tavern for about four years. During his occupancy of
the place, the hotel was closed to the public.

Richardson’s tavern was used by many local groups during the early years like The Troop, a local volunteer cavalry
group which trained, mustered and paraded in June around town. “Roll being called and everything made
ready, the company on parade-day first proceeded to the Upper Tavern on the Common, where washtubs of
punch had been provided. Here all hands partook freely of the precious drink, preparatory to the morning ride
to the South part, where the company frequently met for parade on Farnsworth’s meadow. After a swift and
cheerful gallop to the South Village, they brought up at the place of destination with throats dry. Having arrived
at the tavern the captain treated the company all round. After this came the parade on Farnsworth’s meadow,
and so the day wore by till about four o’clock in the afternoon, when the company broke up from the parade-
ground, rode back to the upper tavern, stabled their horses till dark, got well-filled sacks, and then went home.”

When the War of 1812 broke out, local enthusiasm for all-things military grew and six or seven different compa-
nies organized in addition to The Troop. These volunteer infantry companies were made up of men who were
exempt, had seen war, and were excluded for other reasons. One of these companies, The Washington Patriot
Company or The Silver Grays, would muster, drill and parade around town. Their headquarters were in the upper
part of the tavern on the Green along with the cavalry troop. The Troop continued to meet at John Pratt’s inn
(Upper Tavern) at Woodstock Green until it disbanded in 1825.

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