The Poultney Area Jewish Community

Organized in 1870 by the Jewish families in the area, Poultney’s community was composed of merchants, tailors and pack peddlers from Poultney, Granville, Middle Granville and Fair Haven.

As more and more people arrived from Eastern Europe, some were advised to seek their fortunes in the country. At that time the area had many small isolated farms in the back country, which is now overgrown with bush and trees. Then, open fields and clean fence lines covered our hills, brushy fields and over grown fence lines were the sign of a poor farmer. “Homely as a hedge row fence” was not only applied to the unfortunate maidens…

The Little Red Schoolhouse

The little Red Schoolhouse was such an important part of our early years. I went to school there from 1925 to 1935. One teacher, Bridget Reagan, taught for over 40 years. What an inspiration she was. Living on East Main Street, near Wescott’s Garage, she walked to the school every morning (winter included). When she got to school it was tend the fire-get the larger boys to “fetch the water” each day from the Landry farmhouse-clear the walks before our lessons started.

No curtains. No running water. No central heating-a large old, stove in one corner of the one room schoolhouse. The stove had a jacket around it-so little ones wouldn’t get burned. On very cold days our desks were moved as close to the stove as possible…