James Otis Follett Explained

James Otis Follett (May 12, 1842 – February 23, 1911) was a farmer, stonemason, and builder of bridges from Townshend, Vermont. He has been described as "an intuitive engineer, a farmer and mason."[1]

He was born in May 1842 in Jamaica, Vermont.[2] [3] He was educated at Yale University,[4] and served in Company D of the 16th Vermont Volunteers during the American Civil War, reaching the rank of corporal.[2]

During the 1890s and 1900s, Follett built as many as 40 bridges and culverts; 11 are known to survive.[4] [5] [6] An account of Follett's work in the Bennington Banner in 1977 called his bridges "engineering marvels and parts of the scenic landscape of the region" and noted:

"Follett excelled in hand-crafted stone masonry – now practically a lost art. The bridges have no arch supports and contain little or no mortar. They are held together by the critical placement of a 'keystone', plus the force of the weight of the materials above the arch."[7]

Follett was married to Clara E. Kimball in 1864 and died in February 1911 in Townshend, Vermont, as the result of acute dilation of the heart.[8] [9] A number of his works are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

In 2005, he was the subject of a theater program the Hooker-Dunham Theater in Brattleboro, Vermont, titled, "Vaulting Achievement - The Remarkable Life of James Otis Follett: Soldier, Farmer and Bridge Builder," by Dan Snow.[10] [11]

Works include:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: East Putney Brook Stone Arch Bridge . Hugh H. Henry . September 20, 1976.
  2. Book: Vermont Legislative Directory. Vermont Office of Secretary of State. 385. 1896. James Otis Follett..
  3. Web site: Sacketts Brook Stone Arch Bridge . Hugh H. Henry . September 20, 1976.
  4. Book: Listening to Stone. Dan Snow, Peter Mauss. 95–99. Artisan Books. 2008. 978-1579653712.
  5. Town Historical commission, reported at biggs
  6. News: Builder of Men. Daily Boston Globe. Mary Smith. August 5, 1940. 10. https://archive.today/20130131224030/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/2047729482.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+05,+1940&author=&pub=Daily+Boston+Globe+(1928-1960)&desc=Builder+of+Men&pqatl=google. dead. January 31, 2013.
  7. News: Story is told of Townshend's historic stone arch bridges. Bennington Banner (Bennington, Vermont). June 6, 1977. (available on-line at newspaperarchive.com)
  8. Death record for James O. Follett, born in Jamaica, Vermont. Ancestry.com. Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008 [database on-line].
  9. News: Death of Deacon James O. Follett. The Vermont Phoenix. March 3, 1911. 8. Newspapers.com.
  10. News: Theater program features stone artists. April 19, 2005 . Rutland Herald (VT) .
  11. News: The art of rock . April 21, 2005 . Brattleboro Reformer (VT) .
  12. Web site: Follett Stone Arch Bridge Historic District . Vermont Heritage Network.
  13. Web site: East Putney Brook Stone Arch Bridge. Connecticut River Joint Commissions.
  14. Web site: Abandoned Vermont: Putney Stone Arch Bridge. Preservation in Pink. December 2, 2011.
  15. Book: Great American Bridges and Dams. 104. Donald C. Jackson. John Wiley & Sons. 1988.
  16. News: Putney seeks state help for stone bridge repairs . Patrick Armstrong. October 25, 2001 . Brattleboro Reformer (VT) .
  17. Web site: Sacketts Brook Stone Arch Bridge. Connecticut River Joint Commissions.

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