This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: cathabes1 Surnames: Bixby Burke Ryan Doolin Sweeney Langdon Sherman Classification: biography Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.vermont.counties.rutland/4813/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I found the following story amusing. It is from an 1881 pamphlet called :"An account of the celebration of the Fourth of July, 1881, at Mason's Point, Lake Bomoseen." The pamphlet explained a monument to a pig on the southeast cape of "Chowder Island", an island in Lake Bomoseen. The story involved several Castleton locals. The pig had been the property of Charles G. Child, Esq., of Sheffield, MA. In 1876, to celebrate the centennial of the US, Child had been part of the "Centennial Legion" formed for a parade in Philadelphia. This legion included members from all the original 13 states, and some of the Northern members arranged to entertain the Southern members. Since this was, according to Child, "the first instance of southern military visiting the north since the war", it was seen as a gesture toward "healing the breach." William Emerson Baker of Boston threw a week long party costing $25,000 at the conclusion of which (for reasons not completely explained) he presented Charles G. Child with two live pigs from his famous piggery. These were Berkshire breed pigs, the offspring of pigs presented to Baker by the Queen of England. Child wrote: "I had these pigs sent by express to Castleton; one was smothered and the other was kept at friend Langdon's. One day W. F. Bixby photographed it for me, after which it died. What was the cause none of us knew. I had it buried up on the Island in the lake." The pamphlet continues: "The remains of the pig were put into a casket and taken to the Island for burial. John Doolin, John P. Ryan, James J. Sweeney and William H. Burke acted as bearers. Their services were paid for in cigars and whiskey." A marble tombstone was carved by T. Smith Sherman. Langdon, who had been out of town when the pig died, later took his prayer book and a bottle of lager over to the Island and read the Episcopal burial service over the pig's grave. My personal comment: it sounds like EVERYBODY in this story must have been influenced by "the spirits" - and I don't mean the spirit of the pig! Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.