"^ f HISTORY OF Windsor County ^^o^ VERMONT I WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS EDITED BY LEWIS CASS ALDRICH and FRANK R. HOLMES SYRACUSE, N. Y.; D. MASON & CO., PUBLISHERS 1891 PREFACE. " ^ ■'rvn"/"'" or so years alter that outbrtak, man)' of tlie stirring events of State liistory were enacted within the borders of this county, and at the ■ 'Uatje I'f Windsor; tliertfcrc it has been found necessary in this work to furnish at some 'lertiJilif a. narrative of the events of that penod. notwithstanding' the /jct tliat they were of general rather than local importance and bearing. But a recital of the early his- tory of Vermont, wherever the events may have occurred, is a thing of which the average citizen never tires, and in which every native of the State has reason to feel a just pride. On account of its geographical location in the State, Windsor county happened to become peculiarly prominent in the alfairs of the commonwealth during the period of the somewhat noted con- trovcrs\' with New York ; and when were formed the unions witii the New Hampshire towns, east of the Connecticut River, this county was made to embrace a much larger area than it at present contains, and was the chief seat ci op'-r,; ions in the political history of the State ''iirmg tha* time. The village of Windsor was the place in whicii tl. iinpottant i. '-mictions occurred, from which fact the reader wiil ob^e ve that a "-^ r.efal outline of the early histor)' of tiie State uecooits a prope- .-.-.ubjecT for disrassion in this volume III '• . pct,.uration of the " History of Windsor County " the ed • , .4ave had access and reference to such of the standard works of r, History of Windsor County. State and lncal history as are extant at the present day; there have been occasions on wliich they have made free use of the language as well as the tl\oughts of past writers, and not always have they been careful to disfigure the present pages with- quotation marks. More than this, the writers have also to acknowledge the generous assistance of a number of the well known residents of the county, among whom mav/ iir.ii.frh' he named the Rev. K. N. Goddard, of Windsor; Fay • Miv I' have contributed to the accomiilishment of the arduous task of edit- ing and compiling this volume Added to the above list, there tt^ be mentioned collectively the ])er.sons who have likewise give- work tlicir luariy and unrestrained sujjport ; who have mad lication not only [jossible but a fact ; and to whom, witii all , who iiave taken an interest in its preparation, directly and indirectly, are due the thanks of he editors and the publishers. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Eorly Explorations and Discoveries— Cartier and Champlain in Canada— John Smith in New Enghind— Dutcli Settlements in New York— Their Conquest by the E^nglish— The English in Virginia, Maine and New Hampshire— The Puritans irJ New England— Tlie French Jesuits among the Indians -English Manner of Treating the Savages— Causes of Indian Hostilities 17 I CHAPTER II. The ijroquois Confederacy— Indian Traditions— War Among the Indians— Tribes Inhabiting the Region of Vermont— The Canadian Indians— Wars Between lingland and France- Their Effect upon the Colonies in America— Various I eace Treaties— Expeditions and Battles in and near Vermont— Erection of Uort Dummer— The First Civilized Settlement in Vermont— Bridgman and S tartwell's Fort at Vernon— Its Destruction by Indians— Final War Between filngland and France— Settlement in Vermont Unsafe— Overthrow of French I ower in America j CHAPTER III. The jLw Hampshire Grants— Charter Rights Granted by Governor Wentworth- tegranted— Uprising of the Settlers— The Green Mountain Boys-Counties Organized by New York— Chester Named as the County Seat of Cumberland County— Changed to Westminster— Gloucester County Created— Sentiment I Divided— The Situation in Cumberland and Gloucester Counties-Counties F ormed Bastof the Mountanis -Boundaries of Albany and Charlotte Counties. 29 IIisToKv oi- Windsor Countv. CHAPTKR IV. The Controversy with New York — Means Employed to Overcome the New Ham])- shire Grantees — Change of Sentiment East of tlie Mountains — Allegiance , New York Disclaimed— The Massacre at VVestminsler — Death of Williai ' French — Meetings held at Westminster — Tlie Settlers Formally Renonnce Al- legiance to New York — The Commencement of the Struggle for State an|l National Independence — The Conventions ai Dorset — Towns East of thk Mountains Asked to Send Delegates — The Conventions at Westminster — In^- dependence of the Slate Declared — Named New Connecticut — Clianged to Ver mont — Conventions at Windsor — State Constitution Adopted — Paul Spoone of Ilartland ' CHAPTER V. "The Pingry Papers" — A Chapter Devoted to the Proceedings of the Committee of the Counties of Cumberland and Gloucester from June, 1774, to September 1777; Together with Such Other flecords of Events as will be of Interest to the Present and Future Generations of Readers of this Work — The Narrative with Explanations, Comprises Extracts Taken from the Book Entitled " Gov ernor and Council, ' Vohuno 1, Appendix A, No. 1 34 CHAPTER VI. The I'eriod ol the Revolutionary War — The Cause of the People on the Grants Be comes United — Allen's Exploits at Ticonderoga and on Lake Champlain — Sin gular Situation of Vermont — .Military Organizations Formed at the Dorset Con- vention — Selh Warner Elected Colonel — The Rangers Organized East of the Mountains — New York Authority Prevails — First Convention at Windsor- Battles at Hubbardton and Bennington — Toryism in Cumberland County- President Chittenden's Proclamation — Council of Safety — Effect of Burgoyne's Surrender- Exposed Condition of the Vermont Frontier — The Ilaklimand Cor- respondence — Negotiations with Canada — Their Effect Upon Vermont and the County — Indiaii Depredations — Attack Upon Barnard— Burning of Royallon. . CHAPTER VII. The Controversy with Now York Resumed — The Situation — Petition to Congress — Its Reception — Governor Clinton's Proclamation — Ethan Allen's Vindica- tion of Vermont — New Hampshire Towns .'-leek a Union with Verniont--The Union Effei-led — Protest by New York — Disaffection in Cumberland County — Withdrawal from the Vermont Legislature— Threatened Union with New CI i^mtm Contents. i i CHAPTER XXIV. History of the town of Ludlow 528 CHAPTER XXV. Hi.'itory of the Town of Bethel 5.58 CHAPTER XXVI. History of tlie Town of Barnard 574 CHAPTER XXVII. Hi.story of tlie Town of Stockbridge 587 CHAPTER XXVIII. History of tlie Town of Bridgewater Gill CHAPTER XXIX. Hi-story of the Town of Andover . 020 CHAPTER XXX. History of the Town of Weston (i^!6 CHAPTIiR XXXI. History of the Town of Rochester 640 CHAPTER XXXII. History of the Town of Chester ()C3 CHAPTER XXXIII. History of the Town of Weathersfield '^07 12 History ok Windsor County. CHAPTER XXXIV. History of the Town of Baltimore 72'{ CHAPTER XXXV. History of tlie Town of Ponifr<'t 72li CHAPTER XXXVI. History of tlii> Town of Slinron 7 Hi CHAPTER XXXVH. History of lliu Town of Koyalton 701 CHAPTER XXXVHI. Biofrraphioal 785 CHAPTER XXXIX. Ol.l Fainilie.'? . !«3 BIOGRAPHIES. Abbott, Solomon S 785 Aldrich, Hon. Joshua M 802 Amsden, Charles 004 Baldwin, Albert F 906 Baxter, Dr. Edward K 853 Billings, Hon. Frederick 876 Bisbee, Aaron 786 Brockway, John 803 Bruce, Capt. Harvey N 860 Burke, Udney 787 Butler, Rev. Franklin 899 - Call, Joseph A 788 Chase, Dr. Rolla M 930 Collamer, Judge Jacob 854 Cook, Selden 805 Coolidge, Gov. Carlos 900 Davidson, John 807 Davis, Hon. Gilbert A 821 Dewey, Hon. Albert G 806 Dillon, William 788 Downer, Cheater .... 896 Durkee, William H 930 Fay, Maj. Levi C 907 Field, Hon. Abner. '. 824 Fletcher, Hon. Ryland 835 Forbush, Hon. Charles A 789 Fullam, Hon. Sewall 864 FuUerton, F. E 893 Gill Family 883 Gill, James S 871 Gillette, B. B. .a.^ 859 Gillette, DaniefO. 834 Graves, Leland J., M.D 790 Green, Dr. George B 868 Green, Dr. Isaac 866 ; Guernsey, Rev. George S 831 Hale, Frank S .'^S7 Hall, Alfred 909 Harlow, Col. Hiram 828 Harlow, Hermoii W 808 Harrington, Edwin 857 Hayes, Francis B 911 HazeltoD, Daniel W., M. D 830 Heald, Daniel A 926 Hill, George S 859 Kenney, Asa W 858 Kidder, Rev. Moses 792 Leramex, W. H 862 Mackenzie Family 844 Marsh, Frederick W 810 Martin, Alonzo A 793 Mclndoe, Lyman J 901 Morgan, Charles 809 Morgan, Harvey D 794 Morrison, M. F 847 Parks, Frederick 808 Paul, Hon. Norman 795 Pingry, Hon. WiUiam M 8S5 Porter, John 911 Potter, Sanford H 797 Powers, Calvin R 853 Powers Family 849 Powers, John D 851 Powers, Dr. John D 850 Powers, Dr. Thomas E 852 Raymond, Judge Isaiah 798 Robbins, Charles 826 Robbins, Otis 839 Robbins, Philemon H 826 Roberts, WiUiam G 811 >4 History of Windsor County. Rugg, David R, M. D 811 Sanders, Coleman 833 Slack, Col. W. H. II 865 Slack, John A 813 Smith. Dr. Charles C 925 Stearns, Daniel 903 Steele, Dr. R B 838 Steele, Hon. Benjamin H 889 Stocker, Samuel Rus-^ell 800 Story, Dr. Dyer 891 Sumner, David II 893 Taylor, James C 839 Tracy, Tlon. Andrew 913 Tiittle, Col. O.'^car S 872 Vail Family 814 Walker, Hon. William 11 842 Wardner, Allan 917 Wardner, Clark 886 Wardner, George S71 Warner, Hiram L . . 843 Warren, John 914 Washburn, Hon. Peter T 817 Washburn, Hon. Reuben 928 Watson, Hon. Edwin C 87'4 Webber, Hon. Sumner Allen 841 Weston, Horace 819 Wheeler, Capt. Daniel Davis 920 ILLUSTRATIONS. /Abbott, S. S facing 784 ■^Aldrich, Joshua M facing 700 ■^Amsden Charles facing 708 /Baldwin, A. P facing 604 /ba.\ter, B. K facing 7.')4 iT)avis, Gilbert A facing 3 1 6 ''bewey, A. G facing 354 i^illon, William facing 460 ''ilowner, Chester facing 774 v4)urkce, William H facing .592 n^&y. Levi C facing 320 v'tield. Abner facing 468 i^letcher, Hon. Ryland. facing 108 "T'orbush, Charles A facing 420 '^^uUam, Hon. Sewall facing 532 >^'\illerton, F. E facing 892 ''Gill, Daniel A facing 408 /Gill, James S facing 540 (Gillette, R. B facing 858 /(rillette, Daniel O facing 344 iKrraves, Dr. Leland J facing 276 i/Green, Dr. George B facing 868 ►(jreen. Dr. Isaac facing 280 ■/Guernsey, Rev. George S facing 652 >4lale, Frank S facing 378 Cq;)JTENTS. 15 »^Hall, Alfred facing 908 / Harlow, Hermon W facing 328 "'Harrington, Edwin facing 564 v41aves, Francis B facing 704 ►4lazelton, D. W., M. D facing 412 /keM, Daniel A facing 926 i^pill, George S facing 516 /k^enney, Asa W facing 768 >^Kidder, Rev. Moses facing 260 /Lemraex, W. H facing 292 /Mackenzie, Justin F facing 844- >^Iarsh, F. W facing 692 'Martin, A. A facing 792 /Mclndoe, Lyman J facing 900 i^organ, Charles facing 65G /Morgan, Harvey D facing 594 nJorrison, M. F facing 376 /Parks, Frederick facing 458 ►^aul, Norman facing 268 i/pingry, William M facing 884 /Porter, John facing 332 i^orter. Judge Samuel W facing 424 /'Potter, S. H facing 348 /Powers Calvin R facing 852 ^Powers, Dr. J. D facing 232 '4'ower.s, Dr. Thomas B facing 228 /Powers, John D facing 23G /Raymond, Judge Isaiah facing 604 /Robbins, Charles facing 826 /Robbins, Otis facing 680 »llobbins, P. H facing 691 /Roberts, W. G facing 810 /Rugg, D. F., M. D facing 812 /Sauders. Coleman facing 732 '^lack, John A facing 448 ■^Slack, Col. W. H. H facing 464 i^mith, Dr. Charles C facing 924 i^ teams, Daniel facing 308 /Steele, Dr. F. E facing 838 /Stocker, Samuel R facing 802 •^tory, Dr. Dyer facing 300 /Sumner, David H facing 364 /taylor, J. C facing 840 ^'racy, Hon. Andrew facing 248 •I'uttle, Col. O-scar S facing 114 '^^1il Homestead 815 »^ail, Joshua 815 /^Valker, William H facing 544 3Vardner, Allan facing 284 Vardner, Clark facing 384 Gardner, George facing 312 i4Varner, Hiram L facing 536 v^Varren, John facing 914 i/fVashburn, Hon. Peter T facing 818 Washburn, Reuben facing 628 v^Vatson, Hon. Edwin C facing 336 /Webber, Hon. Sumner Allen . facing 648 "fWe.ston, Horace facing 304 J^heeler, Capt. D. D facing 920 H I S T O R \ r OF WINDSOR COUNTY. CHAPTER I. Early Explorations and Discoveries — Car'.ierand Champlain in Canada — John Smith in New England — Dutch Settlements in New York— Their Cotuiuest by the English — The English in X'irginia. Maine anil New Hampshire — The Puritans in New l-ng- land — The French Jesuits among the Indians — English Manner of Treating the Sav- THE first explorations and discoveries in the rei;ion of the present State of Verniont, of wliicii there appears an)' record, were made durinij; the year 1609, by Saimiel Champlain, a I'rencli nobleman. This adventurous person made his first visit to the western hemisphere dur- ing the year 1603, and he then followed in the course of James Cartier, who, like Champlain, was a na\igatnr under tiie government of hVance, and the object of whose explorations was to plant a French colony in the then new and comi^arativel)- unknown country. In the main the voyages of these men were confined to the region i>f the St. Lawrence; but it remained to Chamjilain to pursue his investigations in another direction, the result of which was the discovery of the lake now on the western boundarj- of the State of \'ermont, and to which the navigator gave the name of Lake Champlain. This occurred, as has been stated, in the spring of the year 1609. Whether or not the ad\'enturous Frenchman set foot on the soil of Vermont, or the territory tliat afterward became so named, there ap- 3 l8 IllSmuv OK WlNIiSKK ("c.L'NTV. pear*? no record nor tradition, but certain it is tliat lie voyajjed down tlie lake to near its southern extremity and liiscovered and named another though smaller lake, now called Lake Geor<;e, but to wiiich he gave the name St. Sacrament. Hut the I'rench were not alone in endeavoring to plant colonies in America, for during the same period in which their operations were be- ing carried on in the northern region, other nations were making similar efforts in other localities. In the year 1607 the luiglish succeeded in effecting.! [>ermanent settlement in \'irginia, in the neighborhood of the James Ri\'er ; and furthermore, about the same time, planted another small colony in the countrj- that afterwards became a part of the State of Maine. And in this same region, too, it was tliat Captain John Smith, in the year 1614, made a voyage of e.xploration and discovery, reaching from the Penobscot to Cape Cod. He carefully mapped the country covered by his explorations, and gave to it the name of New England. In the year 1609 CajUain Hendrick Hudson, a J^utch navigator in the service of Holland, entered New York B.iy, and thence sailed up the river to which he g.ive his own name, Hudson River, by which it is known to the present day. But it was not until some five \'ears after Hudson's voyage that the Dutch made jiertnanent settlements in the country explored by their navigator. The first Dutch colony was planted on Manhattan Island, now the city of New York, and others soon followed at various places to the northward, up the river as far as Albany and Schenectady. The Dutch ha^'e ever been known as a thrifty and prolific p-.'ople, and their settlements grew and prospereil, and spread out over a considerable region of country; and it is stated on good authority that the)- made settlements and improvements east of the Hudson River, and so far as to reach the territorj- of the present State of Vermont, to a number of the streams of which they "avc the nanie-i by which they are still known. Hut the Dutch were not tlesiined to long enjoy the fruits of their colonization in the New Netherlands, as their new settled country was called, for they became involved in a dis- pute with the English over the right to the possession, which resulted in the overthrow and surrender of the Dutch power in America, and the name of their principal cits-, New Amsterdam, was changed to New Eaki.v Colonization. 19 York Tin's occurred during' the year 1664, and by it. the extinction of IJiitch power in America, there remained only tlie two great nations of Kny;land and France to contend for the supremacy. But in the connection of e.irly settlement and colonization in America there remains at least one other worthy of mention liere, and this by the people, althouL;h of luij^lish nationality, known as the Puritans of New England. They who comprised the baiul of Puritans were Kn Clerks. — July 16, 1766, to April 7, 1768, John Chandler. February 25, 1772, Crean Brush, vice John Chandler, removed. March 7, 1774, Samuel Gale, vice Crean Brush, resigned. August, 1788, Micah Townsend. Sheriffs. — July 16, 1766, Nathan Stone, term expired October 14, 1767. March 31, 1768, John Arms, by appointment. October 13, 1769, John Arms, served six montiis. April 17, 1770, Daniel Whip- ple, by appointment. October 12, 1770, to October 6, 1772, Daniel Whipple. October i, 1773, to July 10, 1775, William Patterson. July 10, 1775, Jesse Burk. May 5, 1777, Paul Spooner, declined. August 18, 1778, to February 18, 1780, Simeon Edwards. June 5, 1782, Tim- othy Phelps. Surrogates. — July 16, 1776, to April 14, 1772, Thomas Chandler. April 14, 1772, Crean Brush. August 18, 1778, James Clay. Attorneys -at- Law. — Solomon Phelps, Micah Townsend, Charles Phelps, Samuel Knight. Civil Officers of Windsor County. State Senators. — Prior to the year 1836 the authority of the Senate was vested in the body known by the name of "Governor and Council," and senators were previously unknown. But in the year named the State constitution was revised, and the office of representative in the State Senate created. According to the provisions of the laws as then established, the county of Windsor was entitled to four representatives in that branch of the Legislature. This was continued for a period of 13 98 History ok Windsor County. something like fifteen years (1862), when tliiee senators were elected from the county, the latter representation being maintained to the pres- ent day. Again, prior to the year 1870, senators were elected annually, but subsequently they have held their offices for a term of two years, thus following the sessions of the Legislature. The senators who, since 1835, have represented Windsor county, with the )'ears of their respective in- cumbency, have been as follows: 1836. — Francis E. Phelps, Samuel W. Porter, William Steele, Julius Converse. 1837. — Francis E. Phelps, Samuel W. Porter, William Steele, Julius Converse. 1838. — Daniel Brown, Ptolemy Edson, William Steele, Julius Converse. 1839. — Daniel Brown, Ptolemy Edson, Andrew Tracy, Julius Converse. 1840. — Abel Gilson, Barnabas Dean, Walter Palmer, Thomas P. Russell. 1 841. — Abel Gilson, Barnabas Dean, Walter Palmer, Thomas P. Rus- sell. 1842. — Hampden Cutts, John Porter, Salmon F. Dutton, Abner Field. 1843 — Hampden Cutts, John Porter, Salmon F. Dutton, Abner Field. 1844. — James Barrett, Thomas S. Barrett, Benjamin Billings, Justin Morgan. 1845. — James Barrett, Thomas S. Barrett, Benjamin Billings, Justin Morgan. 1846 — Artemas Cushman, Harvey Burton, Robert B. Cram, Dearborn H. Hilton. 1847. — Artemas Cushman, Harvey Burton, Robert B. Cram, Dearborn H. Hilton. 1848 — Oliver P. Chandler, Joseph W. Colburn, Solon Danforth, Calvin French. 1849. — Oliver P. Chandler, Joseph W. Colburn, Solon Danforth, Cal- vin French. 1850 — Oliver P. Chandler, Joseph W. Colburn, Daniel L. Lyman, Warren Currier. 185 I. — Oliver P. Chandler, Joseph W. Colburn, Daniel L Lyman, Warren Currier. 1852. — Warren Currier, Daniel L. Lyman, Asa B. Foster, Crosby Miller. 1853. — Carlos Coolidge, Benoni Buck, Harvey, D. C. Dennison. 1854. — Carlos Coolidge, D C. Dennison, Daniel A. Heald, Norman Williams. 1855. — Carhis Coolidge, Norman Williams, Julius Converse, Johnson. 1856. Johnson, Julius Converse, A P. Hunton, Davis. 1857. — A. P. Hunton, Davis, Jo. D. Hatch, Charles S. Ray- mond. 1858. — Charles S. Raymond, Jo. D. Hatch, Orrin C. French, John Wilder. 1859 — Orrin C. French, John Wilder, Daniel Needham, Joshua M. Aldricli. i860. — Daniel Needham, Joshua M. Aldrich, T. S. Hubbard, h'redcrick C. Robbins. 1861 — T. S, Hubbard, Frederick c «^^ Governor Carlos Coolidge. Officials. 99 C. Robbins, Thomas E. Powers, Prosper Merrill. 1862. — Prosper Merrill, James A. Pollard, Noah B. Safford, 1863. — James A. Pollard Noah B. Safford, Wendell W. Williams. 1864.— Hugh Henry, Wendell W. Williams, Clark H. Chapman. 1865. — Clark H. Chapman, Hosea Doton, Merrick Gay. 1866. — Hosea Doton, Merrick Gay, Hiram Har- low. 1867.— W. H. Walker, F. W. Anderson, Albert Brown. 1868. — W. H. Walker, F. W. Anderson, Albert Brown. 1869. — William Collamer, A. G. Dewey, William M. Pingry. 1870. — William Collamer A. G. Dewey, William M. Pingry. 1872. — Charles M. Lamb, Luther Adams, Charles A. Scott. 1874. — James G. Wilson, Joseph C. Parker Merritt C. I^dmunds. 1876. — Artemas Cushman, Ervin J. Whitcomb, Gilbert A. Davis. 1874. — James G. Wilson, Joseph C. Parker, Merritt C. Edmunds. 1876. — Artemas Cushman, Ervin J. Whitcomb, Gilbert A. Davis. 1878. — John F. Deane, William C. Danforth, Nelson Gay. 1880. — Ora Paul, Frederick G. Field, Hugh Henry. 1882. — Justus Dartt, James M. Mcintosh, Elam M. Goodwin. 1884. — Norman Paul, E. A. Howe, Rollin Amsden. 1886. — Chester Pierce, Henry A- Fletcher, D. L. Gushing. 1888.— William E. Johnson, Marsh O. Per- kins, Henry J. Parker. Comity Clerks. — James Wheelock, 1781-1782 ; Briant Brown, 1782- 1789; Lewis R. Morris, 1789-1796; Benjamin Swan, 1796-1839; Nor- man Williams, 1839-1867; George B. French, 1867-1885; Jay Read Pember, the present incumbent. Sheriffs. — John Benjamin, 1778-1779 ; Benjamin Wait,' 1779-1781 ; Briant Brown, 1781-1786; Ebenezer Brewster (appointed April 18, 1781, to succeed Briant Brown, resigned); Benjamin Wait, 1786-17S8; Paul Brigham, 1788-1790; William Sweetzer, 1790-1796; LuciusHub- bard, 1796-1798; William Rice, 1798-1802; William Strong, 1802- 1810; Paschal P. Enos, 1810-1814; Amos Heald, 1814-1815; Solomon W. Burk, 1815-1820; Asaph Fletcher, jr., 1820-1830; Lysander Ray- mond, 1830-1834; Daniel Brown, 1834-1837 ; John Pettes, 1837-1839; JoelLull, 1839-1842; Zenas F. Hyde, 1842-1844; Gilman Henry, 1844- 1850; Lorenzo Richmond, 1850-1868 ; Surry W. Stimson, 1868-1880- Rollin Amsden, 1880-1884; Gardner J. Wallace, 1884-188S; Wilson S. Lovell, 1888, the present sheriff. ' These two sherifTs wtre officers of Cumberland county under V'ennoni. L.ofC. loo History of Windsor County. State's Attorneys. — Stephen Jacobs, 1786; Amasa Paine, 1796-1802; Daniel Buck, 1802-1803 ; Titus Hutchinson, 1803-1813 ; Horace Ever- ett, 1813-1818; Asa Aiken, 1818-1820; Jacob Collamer, 1820-1824; Isaac N. Cushman, 1824-1827; Wyllys Lyman, 1827-1831; Carlos Coolidge, 1831-1836; Oliver P. Cliandler, 1836-1838 ; Edwin Hutchin- son, 1838-1840; Henry Closson, 1840-1842; Sewall Fullam, 1842-1844; Julius Converse, 1844-1847; Sewall Fullam, 1847-1849; Luther Ad- ams, 1849-185 I ; Warren C. French, 1851-1853; Calvin French, 1853- 1854; James Barrett, 1854-1856; John Ward, 1856-1858; Dudley C. Dennison, 1858-1860; William Rounds, 1860-1861 ; Charles P. Marsh 1861-1865 ; John F. Deane, 1865-1867 ; Samuel E. Pingree, 1867-1869; James N. Edminster, 1 869-1 S72; William E. Johnson, 1872-1874 ; Will- iam H. Walker, 1874-1876; Norman Paul, 1876-1878 ; Gilbert A. Da- vis, 1878-1880; Thomas O. Seaver, 1880-1882; William W. Stickney^ 1882-1884; James J. Wilson, 1884-1886; William Batchelder, 1886- 1888; William B. C. Stickney, 1888-1890. Jzidgcs of Probate. — Windsor District. Paul Spooner,' 1 778-1 782; Ebenezer Curtis, 1782-1786 ; Briant Brown, 1786-1787; Elijah Robin- son, 1787-1S02; William Hunter, 1802-1816; Uriel C. Hatch, 1816- 1823; Jonathan Whipple, 1823-1830; Jabez Proctor, 1830-1834; Nom- lass Cobb, 1834-1835; Thomas F. Hammond, 1835-1849; Salmon F. Dutton, 1849-1857; Henry Closson, 1857-1 868; William Rounds, 1868- 1878; William H. Walker, 1878-1884 ; Hugh Henry, 1884, the present incumbent. Hartford District. John Throop, 1783-1793; Paul Brigham, 1793- 1796; William Perry, 1796-1800; Paul Brigham, 1800-1801; Oliver Gallup, 1 801-1803 ; Jesse Williams, 1803-181 5 ; Benjamin Clapp, 1815- 1820; Henry C. Denison, 1820-1826; Isaiah Raymond, 1826-1836; John S. Marcy, 1836-1841 ; Thomas P. Russell, 1841-1843 : George E. Wales, 1843-1848 ; Josiah P. Danforth, 1848-1850; John Porter, 1850- 1886; Thomas O. Seaver, 1886, present probate judge of the district. Present County Officials. — William Rounds and Charles P. Marsh, as- sistant judges. Officers of the Court: Jay Read Pember, clerk; Nor- man Paul, deputy clerk; Wilson S. Lovell, sheriff; W. B. C. Stickney, State's attorney; Lester C. Howe, high bailiff; Jay Read Pember, sten- ' Appointed as an officer of Cuiiil:)eiland county. Officials. joi ographer. Deputy sheriffs : Elliott G. White, Cavendish ; VViUiam P. Dodge, Chester; Lester C. Howe, Ludlow; Samuel A. Armstrong, Norwich; Levi B. Moore, Plymouth; L. G. Coolridge, Reading; Dan- iel C. Jones, South Royalton ; Romaine A. Spafford, Springfield ; O. A. Randall, White River Junction ; Edward D. Harpin, Woodstock; B. J. Mullins, Windsor. County treasurer, Hosea V. French. County audi- tor, Luther O. Greene. County commissioner, George O. Henry. Jail commissioners, Thomas O. Seaver, Enos R. Jennings, Hosea V. French. Road commissioners, Henry Safford, Henry J. Parker, Myron Burnett. County examining board, J. G. Sargent, W. H. Sanderson, Miss Jessie Benson. CHAPTER IX. Town Organizations — Not Affected by Vermont's Admission to the Union — Char- acter of Town Government — Dates of Organization both by Vermont, New Hampshire and New Yorl< — From 1791 to the War of 1812-15 — Events of the War — Peace Re- stored — An Era of Prosperity — Increase of Population — Subsequent Decrease — Causes of the Decline — Emigration Westward. WHEN the State of Vermont was admitted to the Federal Union, in 1 79 1, all that had been previously done by the State toward erecting and maintaining an independent government was confirmed and sanctioned by Congress, while the jurisdiction theretofore attempted to be exercised by New York was withdrawn and declared at an end. At that time the county of Windsor, and others of the State as well, was fairly well organized, the officers of each branch of the local government were in the exercise of their functions, and peace and plenty prevailed on every hand. But the townships of Windsor county, or at least a majority of them, were organizations the creation of which antedated that of the State ' and that of the county, by a number of years. Between the governor of New Hampshire on the one side, and of New York on the other, there was but little of the territory of Vermont that had not in some 102 History of Windsor County. manner been granted and chartered. These grants, of course, were con- flicting in numerous cases, and the grantees and their successors were compelled to pay allegiance to one or the other of the Commonwealths; and instances are not wanting in which the settlers of towns surrendered their original charter from thj one government, and purchased anew from the other. Of the several towns that now comprise Windsor county the first to be chartered was that now known as Chester, but which under the orig- inal grant was named Hamstead. The first grant of this town was made February 22, 1754. However, the charter proprietors failed to comply with the conditions and requirements of the grant, whereupon it was forfeited The second charter of the same territory was made on the 3d of November, 1761, to another set of proprietors, and under an- other name, the latter being New Flamstead. Under this grant settle- ments were made and pioneer improvements commenced. But it appears that during the early years of the controversy between New York and the Green Mountain Boys, the inhabitants of this town were disposed to favor the New York interests, and being imbued with such spirit, yielded up or set at nought the New Hampshire charter and pro- cured another from the former province. Under this last grant, which was made on July 14, 1766, the name of Chester vvas given the town- ship, and by that name it has ever since been known. In 1771, under the New York authority, an enumeration of the town's inhabitants was made, and Chester was found to contain one hundred and fifty-two souls. The next grants of townships now of Windsor county under the authority of New Hampshire were made on the 4th day of July, 1761, by which the towns of Hartford and Norwich were brought into e.xist- ence. Then, following, two days later, on July 6th, Governor Went- worth made grants of the townships of Salt-ish (now Plymouth), Read- ing and Windsor. Pomfret came next, July 8, 1761, and was followed on the loth of the same month by Hertferd (Hartland), Woodstock and Bridgewater. Barnard was chartered on the 17th of July, 1761; Stock- bridge on the 2ist; Sharon on the 17th of August; Springfield and Weathcrsfield on the 20th; Ludlow on September i6th; Cavendish on October 12th; Andover on October 13th. All of these towns were granted during the year 1761 by Governor Benning Wentworth of New Various Township Grants. 103 Hampshire. But not all of these to\yns were organized and continued under the authority of the New Hampshire charters, some subsequently, like Chester, receiving a new grant from the provincial governor of New York. And there were other towns, too, that now form a part of this county that were organized or granted under still another jurisdiction — that of the independent district or State of Vermont, although they were, of course, a later-day creation. Bethel was one of the latter class of town- ships, being the result of an association, which was formed at Hanover, N. H , and which petitioned the Vermont authority for a charter right for the purpose of making a settlement on the White River and its branches. This petition was made to the Vermont Legislature in 1778, and was granted during the month of March of the same year. In substantially the same manner was the town of Rochester brought into existence, the grant therefor being made on the 30th of July, 1781. It contained originally slightly more than twenty- three thousand acres of land, but its township area was materially increased by subsequent annexations from adjoining towns. Royalton was one of tlie townships granted first under the authority of New York, on November 13, 1769, but the claimants under that charter felt insecure in their possession, and were fearful less the con- stantly increasing and arbitrary power of Vermont should deprive them of their believed rights, and were consequently induced to apply for a new charter under the new State, which was granted to the petitioners on December 20, 1781. Next in the order of formation came the township of Baltimore; a small, triangular tract of land, embracing some three thousand acres, which, for the convenience of the residents of that part of the town of Cavendish who lived southeast of Hawk's Mountain, was set ofil' into a separate sub-division of the county, by an act of the Vermont Legisla- ture passed October 19, 1793. This is the smallest by several fold of any of the count\''s sub-divisi jns, but none the less a township, organ- ized and conducted upon the same truly democratic plan of govern- ment so characteristic of all New England towns. The same necessity that led to the formation of Baltimore also induced the erection of the township of Weston out of the lands that formerly I04 History of Windsor County. formed a part of Andover and tlie five thousand acre tract known as Benton's Gore. The extremely high ridges known as Mount Terrible and Markham Mountain extended north and south about through the central part of Andover, thus making it exceedingly difficult for the res- idents of the western part of that township to hold business communica- tion- with the eastern half; and for this reason the western inhabitants betook themselves to the State Legislature, asking that their section be erected into a separate township. Their prayer was heard, and on the 26th of October, 1799, the western part of the town, toge her with the gore, was erected into a separate town and named Weston. The town of West Windsor is the junior of the sub-divisions of the county, its separation from the township of Windsor having been effected first in 1 8 14, but restored during the next year. Again, in 1848, the town of Windsor was divided, and West Windsor set off. The act of the Legislature that effected the last division was passed October 26, 1848. The causes that led to this separation, the restoration and final division will be found in detail in the chapter devoted to the history of the towns affected, which need no further allusion in this place. Likewise, in the history of the several towns of the county, on subsequent pages, there will be found special mention of all the facts relating to the organization, settlement, growth and development of each from the time of its charter to the present day. In the present connection, however, it is proper to furnish to the reader the names of the townships of this county which were organized under the jurisdiction and control of the province and subsequent State of New York ; and this mention, collectively, becomes important from the fact that the preceding pages of this chapter have noted the organ- ization under the New Hampshire and Vermont authority. The towns now forming a part of Windsor county which were chartered or granted by the governors of New York, together with the date of each, are as follows : Bethel. ^ — This town was first chartered or granted to a company of men, most of whom were then, or afterwards became, Tories. The date of this charter is unknown. Cavendish. — This town was chartered by New York June 16, 1772. ' These statements are made upon the authority of Deming's Catalogue. Town Grants from New York. 105 Chester. — Already mentioned ; chartered by New York July 14, 1766. Hai-tland. — Chartered as "Hertferd" by New Hampshire July 10, 1761 ; but charter confii-mcd by New York to other proprietors July 23, 1766. Plymoitth, formerly Saltash. — Town granted by New York to Ichabod Fisher and others May 13, 1772. Reading. — Granted by New York March 6, 1772, to Simon Stevens and others. Royalton. — Chartered by New York November 13, 1769. Springfield. — Granted by New York to Gideon Lyman March 16, 1772. Stockbridge. — Granted by New York to William Story and others in 1761. Weathersfield. — Granted, April 8, 1772, to Gideon Lyman and others. Windsor. — Granted, July 7, 1766, to David Stone, 2d, and others. From what has already been stated in this chapter it will be observed that the greater part of the towns of Windsor county were in existence a number of years prior to the organization of the county itself. When Windsor county was set off by the division of Cumberland county the character of the government of the towns was in no manner changed, and the only effect of that act was to lessen the territory included within the county, and to make its government more convenient for its in- habitants and for the State. And by the e.xtinguishment of the New York authority and jurisdiction there seems not to have been occasioned any material change in any of the towns, and no interests appear to have been adversely affected. The people were merely changed from the jurisdiction of one State to that of another, and all controversy over the rights of States was at once and for all time ended and forgotten. Those of the town that were organized and governed under the New York charters continued for the time being their distinctive character, and the succeeding elections not infrequently found officers chosen under Ver- mont that had previously served under New York. Such became the situation of affairs in this county, and in others, when Vermont was admitted to the Union in 1791. Disagreements and dis- putes were alike compromised and dropped as the result of that consum- mation, and an interest in the general welfare of the whole people took the place of petty strifes and contention among individuals. ■■* io6 History of VVinds(jr County. With the end attained, the people of the several towns of the county entered upon an era of prosperity not before enjoyed in the history of the Commonwealth. And the people of the region were fully able to appreciate the advantages and blessings of peace and quiet, as for forty years prior to that event those who had lived in the State and upon the grants had seen nothing but a succession of combats and misfortunes and strifes and dissensions, and to them in particular was the peace that followed the year 1791 a double blessing. But for only one short score of years were the people to be thus fa- vored, when America found herself on the verge of another war with Great Britain; and again was the farmer to leave the field, the woods- man the forest, and the mechanic his shop, and with sword and musket again join the ranks in the defense of that independence he had so lately fought to gain. During the five years next preceding 1812 the whole country was in a state of nominal peace; but throughout these years there was gathering in the political horizon that dark cloud which was destined to plunge the nation into another foreign war. In 1775, and the years following, America fought for independence, and achieved a recognition among the powers of the earth. In 18 12 she again engaged against the mother country to maintain that independence which in years past had been forcibly acquired. The events which led to the second war with England were numerous. The United States had scrupulously observed the provisions of the peace treaty made with Great Britain at the close of the Revolution. There had been maintained, too, a strict neutrality during the progress of the Napoleonic war with the British kingdom, when perhaps evcrv consideration of gratitude shouki have induced a participation in it as against the mother country. For several years the aggressive acts of the British had been a subject of an.xiety and regret, and feelings of ani mosity increased on this side of the Atlantic. The embargo laid by Congress on the shipping in America ports was found so injurious to commercial interests that it was repealed, and the non- intercourse act passed in its stead. In April, 1809, tlie English ambassador in Wash- ington opened negotiations for the amicable adjustment of existing diffi- culties, and consented to a withdrawal of the obno.Kious "orders in coun- cil," so far as the\' affected the United States, on condition that the War of 1812. 107 non-intercourse act with Great Britain be repealed. This was agreed upon, and the President issued a proclamation announcing that, on the loth day of June, trade with Great Britain might be resumed; but the English government refused to ratify the proceedings and recalled their minister, whereupon the President revoked his proclamation and the non-intercourse act again became operative. Besides the odious acts of the British Parliament, injurious and insult- ing in their character, the English officers claimed the right to search American vessels, seize all who were suspected of being subjects of the king, and force them into their service. Under cover of this claim the greatest outrages were perpetrated, and by it many true and loyal per- sons were pressed into the service of Great Britain, both against their inclination and the well established proof of their identity. On the 1 2th of June, 18 12, President James Madison sent a confiden- tial communication to Congress, in which he recapitulated the long list of British aggressions, and declared it the duty of Congress to consider whether the American people should longer passively submit to the ac- cummulated wrongs and insults perpetrated by the British, and at the same time he cautioned the House to avoid entanglements in the con- tests and views of other powers. War was formally declared on the 19th day of June, 1812, but the measure was not universally sustained throughout all parts of the IVIiddle and New England States. The opposing element was embraced in the Federal party, its chief ground of opposition being that the country was not prepared for war. The Federalists constituted a large and influen- tial minority of the political element of Congress, and had a considerable following in the several States not in active politics. They asked for further negotiations, and met the denunciations made by the ruling party (that is, the Democratic and Republican, for it went by both names) upon the English government with savage and bitter attacks upon Na- poleon, whom they accused the majority witii favoring. To say that there was an entire unanimity of sentiment, regarding the war measures, in Windsor county would be indeed an error. Both par- ties had their advocates, the Federalists being in the minority in the county, and generally in the towns. The subject of the war formed the uppermost topic of conversation at the usual places of resort, and fac- io8 History of Windsor County. tional feeling ran high, especially just preceding the fall elections. But the battles were fought mainly at the polls, although personal collisions were not unknown. Party nominations were made with regard to the factional sentiments, those of P'ederalistic tendencies calling theirs the Peace Party, and denominating their opponents as Screaming War Hawks. The Democrats and Republicans, on the other hand, were in favor of the war, and were content to be called the War Party, while for their opponents they entertained feelings of supreme contempt, charging them with cowardice and being afraid of going to war. But this was not all that was done in Windsor county during the short but decisive struggle that followed. When the governor and the State Legislature called for troops from the counties of Vermont, no locality responded more promptly than the men of Windsor county, and all the various militia organizations were at once prepared for active operations. The events of the war need not be retold here. Men from this county were engaged in the battle at Plattsburgh, and other operations in the re- gion of Lake Champlain, while still others joined the regular army and fought in the battles in the Middle, Southern and Western States. Man)' went with the army who never returned to their homes. The results of the war are written in the conflicts on Lake Erie, the repulse of the invaders on the Delaware, the distressing scenes on tiie Chesapeake, the invasion of New York and the attempt to control the Hudson River and Lake Champlain. The battle at Plattsburgh, the capture of Niagara and Oswego, the burning of Newark, the battles at Black Rock and Lundy's Lane and New Orleans, together with the naval eno-agements in American waters, were the chief events of the war, and were followed by the withdrawal and surrender of the British forces, and the final treaty of peace, which was ratified February 17, 18 15. The Americans had fought their last battle with a European foe. After the close of the second war with England the people entered another epoch of peace, an era of unexampled prosperity in the history of the State, during which the latent and hitherto undeveloped resources of every county were brought to light and utilized to their fullest ex- tent. During these years greater progress marked the history of Wind- sor, and other counties, than had all others combined. Enterprise followed enterprise, manufacture followed manufacture, agricultural \ ^^^^^ SP'''* y^i f^^^y cP^-(^^^ Population. 109 pursuits increased several fold, and all the arts of peace prospered be- yond expectation. The population of the several towns increased with the constantly growing wealth and progress of their people, the maximum of inhabitants of the county being reached in the year 1830, as indicated b>- the Federal census of that year. About this time the vast extent of western country was being opened and prepared for civ- ilized settlement, cultivation and improvement. Western Ohio, Indi- ana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and other territorial lands, were inviting fields for labor and speculation, and drew largely and constantly from the ambitious people of this county and State; in fact from all New England, and from New York, New Jersey and Penn- sylvania as well. Let us Jook for a moment and observe the fluctuations of the aggre- gate population of the towns of Windsor county. In 1771, six years before Vermont declared her independence, while the district was known as the New Hampshire Grants, the province of New York caused to be made an enumeration of the inhabitants of the several towns that after- ward became a part of Windsor county ; and the gross population as shown by that census, ten towns being included by it, was 1,205. Twenty years later, in 1791, the first F"ederal census was taken, and the county was shown to have a population of 15,740, since which time the enumeration made at the beginning of each decade of years has shown as follows: In 1800,26,944; 1810, 34,877; 1820,38,233; 1830, 40,- 625 ; 1840, 40,356; 1850, 38,320; 1860,37,193; 1870, 36,063; and in 1880, 35,196. Vermont is noted for her high and attractive mountains, of which all her counties are possessed to a greater or less extent, Windsor forming no exception to the rule ; and while these grand hills afford a beautiful view to delight the eye of the observer, they have not a specially invit- ing aspect to attract the agriculturist. The lands in the valleys and on the foot-hills are, or might be with little effort, very fertile, but the higher elevations are either unfit for cultivation, or if fit are so difficult of access as to make tillage unprofitable. But in the western country an altogether different condition of affairs exists. There mechanical devices have largely taken the place of "hand " labor, and a more than reasonably good return is generally assured the husbandman with a but no History of Windsor County. comparatively small expenditure of means or muscle. Hence the emi- gration to other States which has told so seriously against the popula- tion and prospects of this region. Other causes than those mentioned may also have helped to contribute to the reduction of the population. It is claimed by some authorities that certain legislative restrictions have been factors in bringing about this state of things, but however that may be, is a subject for discussion not to be debated here. CHAPTER X. WINU.SOR COUNTY DURING THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. WHPiN on that eventful morning of April, 1861, Fort Moultrie's guns spelled upon the political sky of our country, in letters red as blood, the words " Civil War," the lojal sons of Windsor county, and of Vermont, breathing a spirit of patriotism as pure as the air of the grand hills around them, rushed to the Nation's Capital to uphold the honor of the flag, and preserve intact the republic. It was not with them a question what battles were to be fought, what graves filled, or what altars shivered ; but donning the blue vowed, no matter what the cost, that the serpent of secession should find an eternal grave, and gasp its last amid shrieking shell and hissing bullet. The " mystic chord of memory stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave " brings before us, in meteoric brilliancy, the important part performed by Windsor county's soldiery in that great struggle. Loyal citizens only knew that they were needed, and they hastened to respond. They e.xchanged the rippling music of the mountain stream for the thunder of the deep-mouthed cannon and the deafening musketry volley; they went forth from the roof-tree of home to camp on South- ern soil, and stand guard in the pitiless night beneath the sorrowing stars; they went out to be shot to death, if need be ; to be fired at by a concealed and merciless foe; to struggle in delirium in hospitals, or The War of the Rebellion. i i i shiver and starve in loathsome pens, with stones for pillows and vermin for companions, that the flag might be preserved unsullied. This was the spirit that animated the volunteers of Windsor as they sprung into the arena where Titans struggled. Remembering the beautiful sentiment expressed by Colonel Stuart Taylor, it may well be asked : Fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters of Windsor county, can you look up to see the morning furrow all the orient into gold without thinking what sacred graves it gilds ? Or can you watch the slow declining day without wishing it could be always sunlight on the silent mounds of Windsor's patriot dead ? Do you ever see the spring-time daisy, or the purple violet, but that you think of the darling dust which feeds the wild flowers of the Wilderness, of Antietam, of Gettysburg, of Spottsylvania, of Petersburg, and other fields where loved and lost are sleeping? But the martial spirit of Windsor county was not born with the out- break of the Rebellion; it was in being in the days wlien the sturdy pio- neer woodsman first felled the forest, that prosperous towns migiit spring up, agricultural interests be enlarged, and the mechanical arts add to the wealth of the progressive inhabitants; it was in existence when the New York authorities sought to dispossess the struggling settlers from the lands which they had purchased, and to which they were justly entitled under the New Hampshire charters ; it existed when Ethan Allen, Seth Warner, Remember Baker, Robert Cochran, and other brave patriots and their followers organized themselves into the famous band of Green Mountain Boys, for the protection of homes as well as rights; it existed during the dark days of the Revolution, when the inhabitants and loyal people of the State and county found themselves deserted by their sister States, and were compelled, almost single-handed, to combat the com- mon enemy in a battle for self-preservation; it certainly existed when, on the i6th of August, 1777, the British arms received their first decisive defeat on the bloody battlefield of Bennington. That martial spirit ex- isted during the period of uncertainty, after the Revolution iiad passed, when Vermont was seeking admission to the Union, and, being practi cally denied by Congress, was compelled to substantially defy the power of the Federal government, in order to achieve that much desired inde- pendence and statehood for which her people were asking. Had it not 112 History ok Windsor County. b.en for that determined martial spirit, Vermont as a State would never liave been known. That same determined spirit was inherited by a later generation of sons of Vermont, and became patent when, in 1 8 1 2 and the years follow- ing, the government of Great Britain again sought to wrest the contrcjl of America from the people who held it ; for, despite the opposition of the Federalists, and their obstructive measures, the loyal men of the county again marched in the defense of their country, and performed well their part in driving the invaders from the land, thus preserving in- tact our federal institutions. Following the second war with England that spirit slept, and the only manifestation of its being was shov\n on the grand old days of " general training," when the farmer, the mechanic and the woodsman abandoned toil, and hied away to che " muster" for a season of jollification, to eat Yankee gingerbread and drink new cider, and boast of the prowess of the American eagle But the record made by the volunteers of Windsor county from the first blaze of hostile cannon until secession was buried at Appomattox by the surrender of General Lee's sword, forms one of the most brilliant of the many grand chapters of its history. To faintly picture their serv- ices it will be necessary to refer to the regiments to which they be- longed, which forms an unbroken chain of testimony to demonstrate the patriotism of the county's soldiery. It is not to keep alive sectional animosity that the historian recites the acts of a victoiious host. Would the Athenians meeting in the Angora listen to a proposition that no m=",n speak of Marathon ? Would Romans teach nothing but philosophy, and witldiold (rom a rising generation all knowledge of the victory of Scipio over Hannibal, or how Horatius held the bridge? It was not Marathon, but the memory of Marathon, which fixed the home of civilization in Europe instead of in Asia. It was not the surrender at Appoinattox that binds in iron bands the States of this Union, but it is the memory of its cost, kept alive in the hearts of the people which gave to civilization its grandest onward step, and which some future Guizot, in tracing the pathway of human advancement, shall declare to the world the fullest enlargement of iiuman liberty. And as other generations shall know the record of the services of the sons of The First Vermont Regiment. u3 Windsor county, from 1861 to 1865, it will inspire them to preserve sacred the patriotic sentiment of " country first, the citizen afterward." The first considerable contribution of Windsor county volunteers for service was made in response to the call of President Lincoln for seventy- five thousand men, in April, 1861 ; but it was not until the 2d of May that the regiment, the First Vermont, was mustered into the United States service. To this command the county furnished two companies, B and E, known, respectively, as the Woodstock Light Infantry, and the Caven- dish Light Infantry, by which names it will be seen that the greater part of each was from the town for which it was named, although other towns were represented as the company rosters will show. The other towns from which the regiment was made up were Brandon, Middlebury, Rut- land, Northfield, Bradford, Burlington, St. Albans and Svvanton. The First Vermont was under the command of Colonel J. Wolcptt Phelps, of Brattleboro; Lieutenant-Colonel Peter T. Washburn, of Woodstock ; Major Harry N. Worthen, of Bradford ; Adjutant Hiram Stevens, of Enosburg, and others in the several positions, among them Drum-Major Thomas R. Clarke, of Chester. The regiment left Rutland on the morning of May 9, 1861, under or- ders to proceed to Fortress Monroe, Va., at which place it arrived on the 13th of the same month. For nearly a month after their arrival at this place the First was engaged in camp and reconnoissance duty, and it was not until the loth of June that the men were actually under fire. This was the battle at Great Bethel, the only one with which the command stands credited, and that was not a specially severe nor sanguinary en- gagement, the fatigue of hard marches and constant exposure having a more telling effect upon the men than the battle itself After the affair at Bethel the men of the First were kept at garrison duty and marching on scouting expeditions, until the 4th of August, when, the term of en- listment having expired, they embarked on steamers and voyaged to New Haven, arriving at that city two days later, and thence, after hav- ing been paid off and mustered out, proceeded to their several homes. Of the seven hundred and eighty- two officers and men of the First Ver- mont Regiment that went to Virginia, all but five returned to the State ; and of those five only one, Dana H. Whitney, of Company B, was the Windsor county soldier that was killed, and he between Newport News and Hampton, on July 22, 1861. i^ 114 History of Windsor County. Inasmuch as the succeeding pages will make no further account of the three months' men, but will furnish the names, by townships, of the vol- unteers of the county in subsequent regiments, equal justice seems to demand that at least a roll of the members of companies B and E be given. Therefore the following list shows the name of each man and the town of which he was a resident at the time of enlistment. Roster Company B, First Regiment. William W. Pelton, captain, Woodstock ; Andrew J. Dike and Solo- mon E. Woodward, first lieutenants, and William E. Sweet, George Dim- ick and Royal Darby, sergeants, of Woodstock ; Harvey N. Bruce, ser- geant, of Pomfret ; Charles O. Thompson, Edwin C. Emmons, Crayton A. Woodbury, Norman M. Hoisington, corporals, and George H. Mur- dock, musician, of Woodstock. Privates from Woodstock. — Edwin R. Carroll, Sylvanus Chamberlain, Nathan C. Chaflin, George W. Cobb, Homer Darling, Irving J. Faunce, Frederick Fay, Henry H. French, John Gilman, Jesse W. Leonard, Mar- tin A. Lucas, Lewis L. INIarsh, Oliver H. McKenzie, jr., Chauncey L. Murdock, Reuben M. Parker, Edwin R. Payne, George W. Paul, George C. Randall, Chauncey E. Raymond, George L. Raymond, Clifton Rich- mond, Edward L Richmond, Franklin B. Rice, Charles J. Taft, Henry B. Thompson, Dana H. Whitney, Henry Williamson, Seth J. Winslow. From Hartford. — Joseph P. Aiken, Henry P. Hyde, Sumner H. Lincoln, Mahlon M. Young. Barnard. — Milton J. Aiken, Henry F. Buckman, Orlando C. Smith. Plymouth. — Michael H. Barker, James Brown, Daniel P. Cilley, Orville M. Hudson, Luther F. Moore. Mount Hoi ley. '^ — Henry H. Bishop. Ludloiv. — Henry P. Bixb)-, John M. Buckley, Henry C Cleveland, George Levey, John B. Pollard. Hartlaiid. — Horace Brad ley. Fairfield, Me.'^ — Selden Conner. Bridgcwater. — Myron M. Dim ick, John Y. Raistrick, W. Wallace Southgate, Edwin Weeden. Povifret. — Henry H. Harding, Edwin B. Maxhani, Ora Paul jr., Richard A Seaver. Stockbridgc — Albeit B Kimball, Hiram A Kimball. Roch- ester. — Edgar B. Leonard. Acton, Mass.^ — George W. Mason. Bethel _ — George W Packard. Reading. — Edwin Spear. Sherburne.'^ — Wil- ton G. Wood. ' Out of county. •^■%i?<;-^rm»i«r The First Vermont Regiment. 115 Roster Company E, First Regiment. Oscar S. Tuttle, captain, Asaph Clark, first lieutenant, Salmon But- ton, second lieutenant, of Cavendish. George B. French, Cavendish, William H. Thompson, Chester, Geo. M, R. Howard, Cavendish, Ben- oni B. Fullam, Ludlow, sergeants. Nathan G. B. Witherell, Cavendish, Charles Boutin, Windham, Henry C. Williams, Springfield, Lowell B. Payne, Cavendish, corporals. Isaac T. Chase, Andover, Geo. C. Max- field, Chester, musicians. Privates from Cavendisli. — Oliver H. Blanchard, William W. Carey, Fremont C. Conant, Nelson W. Emery, Samuel Fitch, Jason E. Free- man, William H. Ingleston, George S. Miller, Charles A. Shepard, Will- iam J. Sperry, George T. Spaulding, Edmund Stone, Alick Stearns, George D. Taylor, Isaac H. Weston, Jonathan B. Witherell. From Springfield.— ]7s.miis H. Allen, Albert W. Allen, William H. Blodgett, Albert S. Clapp, Ezra M. De Camp, Roswell W. Frost, Benjamin S. Kendrick, Luke Kendall, William H. PerWns, Charles Wheeler. Weathersfield. — Henry Allen, John Hart, Allen D. Russell. Chester. — Perry S. Bridges, Edward M. Carlisle, Martin Chapman, James F. Cor- lis, Riley Deming, Alphonso S. Field, Ira G. Hazelton, Charles A.Mar- shall, Jerold E. Marsdale, Gardner H. Porter, Ransom W. Rand, Henry E. Smith, George S. Spring, Benjamin M. Ware, John E. Willey. Lud- low. — Joseph Barber, Leonard P. Bingham, Charles W. Bishop, William H. H. Buckley, Enos M. Gould, Henry E. Lawrence, Orris Pier, Frank D. Sargent. Andover. — Ira E. Chase, James W. Larkin, Charles W. Larkin. From out of county. — Orrin S. Adams, Troy, N. H., Sewell Barker, Grafton, John Conlin, Rutland, Edward L. Hazelton, Hebron, N. H., George S. Orr, Moses E. Orr, Pawlet, William Scholar, Middle- ton, William F. Williams, Winchendon, Mass. If the reader will but glance at the succeeding pages of the present chapter, especially at the roster of commissioned officers, it will at once be seen that there was scarcely a branch of the military service in which there were not some representatives from Windsor county. Most of the volunteers, enlisted in the companies and regiments subsequent to the First Vermont, were for three years' service, while not a few were among what was known as the nine months' men. Some, however, were en- ii6 History of Windsor County. listed for one year. Taking these subsequent commands in the order of organization, it is proposed to make a brief mention of each, showing their formation, tlie localities in which the companies in whole or in part were reunited, and the battles in which they participated. The Second Regiment. There were comparatively few recruits from Windsor county in this command, it having been raised during the latter part of May and the early part of June, 1861, while the men of the First were away at the front. Those of the Second from this locality were scattered through three companies, C, E, and I, the second named having the strongest representation. None of the field and staff officers seem to have been from this county. The regiment was placed under command of Colonel Henry Whiting of St. Clair, iVlich., but a native of New York State, and a graduate of the United States Military Academy. Upon the resigna- tion of Colonel Whiting, in 1863, James H. Walbridge, formerly captain of Company A, was promoted to the command of the regiment. The otiier original and leading field officers of the Second were Lieutenant- Colonel George J. Stannard, Major Charles H. Joyce, and Adjutant Guilford S. Ladd. The principal company officers from Windsor county were Captain Orville Bixby and Captain Charles C. Morey, both of Roy- alton, who successively commanded Company E; Captain Volney S. Fullam of Ludlow, and Captain Daniel S. White of Cavendish, of Com- pany I. Captain Charles C. Morey was formerly first lieutenant of Com- pany C. During the fall of 1861 the Second was formed with other State regi- ments into what became known as the famous Vermont Brigade, com- posed of the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and, finally, the Sixth Infantry Regiments. After that organization was effected the record history of the Second was that of the brigade, commencing with tlie battle of Lee's Mills and continuing through the years 1862, '63, '64, and to the 6tli of April, 1865. But before the Vermont Brigade was organized the Second was engaged at Bull Run, on the 2 1st of July, 1861. The regiment was mustered into service June 20, 1861, and mustered out July 15, 1S65. Official List of Engagements. — Bull Run, July 21, 1861 ; Lee's Mills, April 16, 1862; Williamsburg, May 5 ; Golding's Farm, June 26; Sav- The Second and Third Vermont Regiments. 117 age Station, June 29; White Oak Swamp, June 30 to July 2 ; Cramp- ton's Gap, September 14; Antietam, September 17; Fredericksburg, December 13 ; Marye's Heights, May 3, 1863 ; Salem Heights, May 4; Fredericksburg, June 5 ; Gettysburg, July 3 ; Funkstown, July 10; Rap- pahannock Station, November 7; Wilderness, May 5 to 10, 1864; Spottsylvania, May 10 to 18; Cold Harbor, June i to 12; Petersburg, June 18; Charlestown, August 21; Opequan, September 13; Winchester, September 19; Fisher's Hill, September 21—22; Mount Jackson, Sep- tember 24; Cedar Creek, October 19; Petersburg, March 25 and April 2, 1865 ; Sailor's Run, April 6, 1865. A total of twenty-eight distinct engagements. The Third Regiment. The Third Regiment of Vermont Volunteeis was raised about the same time as was its immediate predecessor, but was not mustered into service until six weeks later. The author of "Vermont in the Civil War " credits to Windsor county two companies, or parts of two, from the towns of Springfield and Hartford. Just how the companies were made up will be seen by reference to the town enrollments, but there was but one company, G, in the entire regiment that had no officers from this county, while all the others seem to have been pretty fairly represented. The roster of commissioned officers shows that not only Springfield and Hartford contributed to the strength of the regiment, but Pomfret, Cavendish, Royalton, Bethel and VVeathersfield as well, with some representation from other towns. In the organization of the Third this county seems not to have been forgotten, and it is a somewhat noticeable fact that among the officers, field, staff and line, there appears the names of a number from Windsor county who have filled distinguished places in county. State and national affairs. And it is also noticeable that comparatively few of the repre- sentatives from this county were commissioned in their respective offices or positions on the field and staff at the time of organization, but were subsequently raised thereto by promotion, generally for meritorious serv- ices. Wheelock G. Veazey, then of Springfield, now generally known as Judge Veazey, was commissioned captain of Company A, May 21, 1 86 1, but on the loth of August was promoted major, and three days ii8 History ok Windsor County. later to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Afterward, September i6, 1862, he was promoted to the colonelcy of the Sixteenth Vermont Volunteer Militia. Likewise Thomas O. Seaver, now Judge Seaver of Woodstock, was captain of Company F, by commission dated May 24, 1861, and was promoted major August 13, 1861, lieutenant-colonel September 27, 1862, and colonel Januarj' 15, 1863. Horace W. Floyd, ofSpring- field, entered the service as second-lieutenant in Company A, and by a series of promotions, in recognition of meritorious services, was advanced to the rank of colonel, his commission as such bearing date June 4, 1865. Samuel E. Pingree, of Hartford, was first a lieutenant in Com- pany F, but the muster-out found him commissioned colonel. The name of Redfield Proctor is known to every patriotic Vermonter. He was the first regimental quartermaster of the Third, but was promoted in September to major of the Fifth Vermont. Quartermaster Proctor entered the service as a resident of Cavendish. Ten days after the Third was mustered into service it was encamped on Georgetown Heights, six miles from Washington, where for the first time the men saw their regimental commander, William F. Smith, for- merly and then an ofiicer of the United States army. The experiences and vicissitudes of the field and camp- life of the Third need no recital here. The regiment formed a part of the Ver- mont Brigade, the First, and its record is written substantially in the his- tory of that organization. Still, the Third was engaged in many moves and expeditions in which the brigade had no part. A good proportion of the men veteranized, and those who did not were mustered out of service July 27, 1864. Those that were veterans, with recruits, were then consolidated into six companies. The regiment proper was mus- tered out of service July 1 1, 1865. The Third Vermont stands credited with having participated in twenty- eight engagements, as follows : Lewisville, September 11, 1861 ; Lee's Mills, April 16, 1862 ; Williamsburg, May 5 ; Golding's Farm, June 26 ; Savage Station, June 29; White Oak Swamp, June 30 to July 2; Crampton's Gap, September 14; Antietam, September 17; Fredericks- burg, December 13; Marye's Heights, May 3, 1S63; Salem Heights, May 4; Fredericksburg, June 5 ; Gettysburg, July 3 ; Funkstown, July 10; Rappahannock Station, November 7; Wilderness, Mays to 10, The Fourth Vermont Regiment. i 19 1864; Spottsylvania, May 10 to 18; Cold Harbor, June i to 12; Peters- burg, June 18; Ream's Station, June 29; Washington, July 1 1 ; Charles- town, August 21; Opequan, September 13; Winchester, September 19 ; Fisher's Hill, September 21-22 ; Cedar Creek, October 19 ; Peters- burg, March 25 and 27, and April 2, 1865. The Fourth Regiment. The Windsor county contribution to this command was, like that of the Third, scattered through the several companies that composed it, there being scarcely a single company in which some one at least of the county's towns was not represented. But there seems not to have been so great a county representation on the field and staff" in the Fourth as was the case in theThird ; neither is it probable that the county furnished as many men to this regiment as to the former. On the field and staff was Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen M. Pingree of Stockbridge, who was formerly first lieutenant of Company E, but who by several promotions was elevated to the rank named, his commission bearing date April 30, 1864. George B. French of Cavendish was first lieutenant of Com pany C, but when mustered out lie was adjutant of the regiment. Henry W. Spafford of Weathersfield enlisted as regimental commissary ser- geant, but was mustered out as quartermaster. Dr. Samuel J. Allen, of Hartford, was commissioned surgeon August 15, 1861, and served as such until September 30, 1864. The Fourth was mustered into the United States service September 21, 1 86 1, with Colonel Edwin H. Stoughton commanding; Harry N. Worthen, lieutenant colonel; John C. Tyler, major; and Charles B. Stoughton, adjutant. None of the Windsor county contingent figured as original members of the field and staff, e.xcept Surgeon Allen. This regiment was raised during the early fall of 1861, in response to Governor Fairbanks'scall for two regiments in addition to those already at the front, in respect to which call the governor's proclamation, according to Ben- edict, says: "The events of the 21st instant (meaning the disastrous result of Bull Run battle, July 21st), and the retreat of the United States army from the field near Manassas Junction, demonstrated the neces- sity of a greatly increased national force, and although no formal requi- sition has been made upon me by the secretary of war, nor any appor- I20 History of Windsor County. tionment of troops as the quota for this State communicated, yet the events referred to indicate clearly the necessity of exercising the discre- tionary power conferred on me by the aforesaid act for raising and or- ganizing additional regiments. Orders will therefore be issued immedi- ately to the adjutant aud inspector-general for enlisting the Fourth and Fifth regiments of volunteers for three years or during the war, to be tendered to the general government as soon as may be practicable to arm, equip and descipline the troops for service." These, then, were the circumstances under which the Fourth was re- cruited ; and with such promptness was the request of the governor com- plied with, that within thirty days from the time both the Fourth and Fifth Regiments were raised and ready for arms and equipments. Im- mediately after the muster-in the Fourth left their rendezvous at Brattle- boro and proceeded to the national capital, where they arrived on the evening of September 23d. Four days later the men were marched to Chain Bridge, and there joined the preceding Vermont regiments. From that time forth the service of the Fourth was exceedingly active, as will be seen from the appended list of engagements. The muster record of the Fourth Regiment states thus: "Mustered into service September 21, 1 86 1. Original members, not veterans, mustered out September 30, 1864 First, Second and Third Companies of Sharpshooters trans- ferred to Fourth Regiment February 25, 1865. Veterans, recruits and troops transferred from the Sharpshooters consolidated into eight com- panies February 25, 1865. Recruits for one year and recruits whose term of service would expire previous to October 1st, 1865, mustered out of service June 19, 1865. Remainder of regiment mustered out of serv- ice July 13, 1865." Ofificial list of engagements : Total, twenty-six. Lee's Mills, April 16, 1862 ; Williamsburg, May 5 ; Golding's Farm, June 26 ; Savage Station June 29 ; White Oak Sv\ amp, June 30 to July 2; Crampton's Gap, Sep- tember 14; Antietam, September 17; Fredericksburg, December 13- Marye's Heights, May 3, 1863 ; Salem Heights, May 4; Fredericksburg, June 5 ; Gettysburg, July 3 ; Funkstown, July 10; Rappahannock Sta- tion, November 7 ; Wilderness, May 5 to 10, 1864; Spottsylvania, May lo to 18; Cold Harbor, June i to 12; Petersburg, June 18 ; Weldon Railroad, June 23; Charlestown, August 21 ; Opequan, September 13- The Fifth and Sixth Vermont Regiments. 121 Winchester, September 19; Fisher's Hill, September 21-22; Cedar Creek, October 19; Petersburg, March 25, 27 and April 2, 1865. The Fifth Regiment. The contingent of Windsor soldiery in this command was so exceed- ing small as to need but slight mention in this chapter. The regiment may be considered as having been the companion of the Fourth, as it was raised at the same time and under the same call, though mainly from a distant section of the State. It was mustered into service Sep- tember 16, 1 86 1. Redfield Proctor of Cavendish was appointed major, September 25, 1861, while MjTon S. Dudley of Chester, who enlisted as private in Company E, November 28, 1863, was ultimately advanced to the rank of captain of Company K. Whatever of troops were in the various companies of this regiment will be found by reference to the town rolls. The Sixth Regiment. The Sixth Regiment of Vermont Volunteers was raised during the last half of the month of September, 1861, in pursuance of a request made upon Governor Fairbanks by the war department, and received by that officer on the same day that the Fifth was mustered into serv- ice. It would seem that having already at the front four complete reg- iments, all recruited within a very few months of each other, some diffi- culty might be encountered in at once preparing for the field another thousand men, but such was not the case. Immediately upon receipt of the request Governor Fairbanks caused recruiting offices to be estab- lished in various sections of the State for the purpose of organizing the Sixth Regiment. In this county recruiting stations were made at Nor- wich, Royalton and Woodstock, while there was perhaps a dozen simi lar offices in other counties throughout the State. The result of this effort was the enlistment of nearly enough men for a full regiment within the space of twelve days, and the lacking number was obtained very soon thereafter. The men were rendezvoused at Montpelier, where the regimental organization was perfected. On the isth it was mustered into service, and four days later took its departure for Washington, where it lay in camp until the 24th of October, and then marched to 16 122 History of Windsor County. Camp Griffin. Here it was attached to the First Vermont Brigade, the new accession completing the strength of that celebrated military or- ganization. The contribution of Windsor county to the numerical strength of the Sixth seems to have been recognized by the selection of Oscar S. Tuttlc of Cavendish as major. Major Tuttle was subsequently promoted lieu- tenant-colonel, and lastly, on December i8, 1862, to the command of the regiment. Also, Sumner H. Lincoln of Hartford, who was ap- pointed adjutant in February, 1863, was advanced from rank to rank until in June, 1865, when he, in turn, was commissioned as colonel. William J. Sperry of Cavendish enlisted as private in Company E, but June 4, 1865, found him possessed of a commission as lieutenant-col- onel. Hiram S. English of Woodstock, too, was enlisted as private in Company C, in August, 1862, and he was several times promoted, un- til he became adjutant of the regiment. Alonzo Webster of Windsor was appointed chaplain on October 3, 1863. The towns generally of the county contributed to the regiment, no full company, it is understood, being raised in any one town ; and in the same manner were the men assigned, not to a single company, but scattered through several as the squads were reported or as necessity required. On the i6th of October, 1861, the Sixth was mustered into service. Original members, not veterans, were mustered out October 28, 1864. Veterans and recruits were consolidated into six companies, October 16, 1864. Recruits for one year, and recruits whose term of service would expire previous to October i, 1865, were mustered out June 19, 1865. The remainder of the regiment was mustered out of service June 26, 1 865. A total of twenty-five battles are credited to the Sixth Regiment, being those between and inclusive of Lee's Mills, in April, 1862, and Petersburg, on the 2d of April, 1865. See preceding list. The Seventh Regiment. Company G, of Cavendish, and Company H, of Woodstock, com- prised the Windsor county contingent of the Seventh Vermont. The command was raised in pursuance of an act of the State Legislature that authorized the governor to recruit two regiments, one to become a The Seventh Vermont Regiment. 123 part of the division that General Butler was then forming, and the other " to serve in the army of the United States until the expiration of three years from the first day of June, A. D. 1861." Under this latter pro- vision the Seventh was organized, but the crafty Butler soon obtained from the war department an assignment of the regiment to his division, an arrangement not entirely satisfactory to the men of the command ; but, notwithstanding that, the murmurs of dissatisfaction were not loud nor long. The men, of course, would have preferred joining with the other State regiments in the Army of the Potomac, but circumstances took them in another direction. The Seventh Regiment was mustered into service on the 12th of Feb- ruary, 1862 ; and on the loth of March, following, left the rendezvous at Rutland and proceeded to New York city, where the officers were given a public reception. On the 14th the regiment was embarked on two transports and at once began a voyage — a long and tedious one — to their destination, Ship Island, in the Gulf of Mexico, at which place the last arriving steamer landed its passengers on the loth of April. Here the men of the Seventh found themselves in company with the Eighth Vermont, which had been organized and sent to this point, ar- riving a day or two earlier than the first division of their own regiment. In due time the regiment was assigned to the First Brigade, that organ- ization being composed of the Seventh and Eighth Vermont, the Ninth, Tenth and Thirteenth Connecticut, the Eighth New Hampshire, Seventh and Eighth Maine, Fourth Massachusetts Battery, First and Second Vermont Batteries and a company of the Second Massachusetts Cav- alry. The First Brigade was commanded by General Phelps. From the early part of summer, in the year 1862, until the muster- out of the regiment, the men of the Seventh were actively engaged in this southeastern country ; and when not occupied in field duty every exertion was found necessary to counteract the evil influences of the climate and the poor quality of provisions with which they were mea- gerly supplied. The battles in which the regiment participated will be found in the official list appended to this sketch, but they faintly tell of the constant dangers and hardships to which the men were exposed. In the organization of the regiment George T. Roberts, of Rutland, was appointed colonel, while Volney S. Fullam, of Ludlow, was given 124 History of Windsor County. the lieutenant-colonelcy, the latter being the only field officer with which Windsor county was honored. The companies which were recruited in the county, G and H, were officered respectively by Salmon Dutton, of Cavendish, and Mahlon M. Young, of Hartford, captains; George M. R. Howard, of Cavendish, and Henry H. French, of Woodstock, first lieutenants; Leonard P. Bingham, of Ludlow,' and George H. Kelley, of Barnard, second lieutenants. Of course as the regiment continued in service changes were made in the company officers, but the above shows the arrangement of officers at the company organization. List of engagements: Siege of Vicksburg, June and July, 1862; Baton Rouge, August 5th; Gonzales Station, Jaly 15, 1864; Spanish Fort, March 27 to April 11, 1865 ; Whistler, April 13, 1865. The Eighth Regiment. The Windsor county contingent in this command was quite small ; still it was recognized by the elevation of Henry F. Dutton, of Ludlow, to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, in December, 1863. He had formerly been captain of Company H. During the latter part of the regiment's service Henry M. Pollard, also of Ludlow, was promoted to the rank of major, having previously been first lieutenant and then captain of Com- pany L Samuel W. Shattuck, of Norwich, was drafted July 15, 1863, and was appointed adjutant October 20, 1863. This was the entire rep- resentation of the county on the field and staff. The company officers and privates were mainly in Companies H and I, although others had a few members from the county. Company H was re- organized as a Ludlow organization. The regiment was mustered into service Feb- ruary 18, 1862, and mustered out June 28, 1865. It was attached to that branch of the army that operated in the southwest, being a part of General Phelps's brigade, to which the Seventh Vermont was also at tached. The official list of engagements of the Eighth Vermont was as follows: Gotten, January 14, 1863; Bisland, April 12, 1863; Siege of Port Hudson, May 25 to July 9, 1864; Winchester, September 9, 1864; Fisher's Hill, September 21-22, 1864; Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864: Newton, November 11, 1864. To the Ninth Vermont Regiment of volunteer infantry the towns of Cavendish and Weathersfield made a small contribution of men, while The Eighth and Tenth Vermont Regiments. 125 Ludlow and Pomfret are also credited with a slight representation. None of tliem, however, furnished a sufficient number to deserve much remark in this chapter. Those that were from the county were mainly in Company D, with a few in Company H. Charles Jarvis, of Weathers- field, was major of the regiment by commission dated May 24, 1863. He died of wounds received while on scout near Cedar Point, N. C, De- cember I, 1863. Lucius Dickinson, of Cavendish, was chaplain of the Ninth from July, 1862, to June 13, 1865. The Tenth Regiment. In the composition of the Tenth it has been generally understood that Company H was an organization of the town of Ludlow ; and this im- pression has been formed from the fact that the company was recruited in that town. It appears, however, that comparatively few of the mem- bers of the company were residents of the town, for Windsor furnished over twenty, Weathersfield twelve, Springfield eighteen, and other towns less members, while Ludlow furnished only sixteen. Lucius T. Hunt, of Ludlow, organized the company in that town, but he received his men from wherever they happened to come. Other towns than those men- tioned also had men in Captain Hunt's company, and still others, like- wise residents of the county, were in other companies. The Tenth Regiment was mustered into the United States service Sep- tember I, 1862, and on the 6th of the same month left Brattleboro for Washington, at which city it arrived on the 8th. Within a week from that time the Tenth was actively engaged in the operations between Ed- ward's Eerry and Muddy Run, being there brigaded with regiments from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and under command at that time of General Currier Grover. The regiment was marched about from place to place for a considerable time, doing various duties, but it was not until the fall of 1863 that it participated in any set engagement, for which it was then reasonably well prepared. From that time forth until the final muster-out June 29, 1865, the Tenth took part in the following battles: Orange Grove, November 27, 1863 ; Wilderness, May 5 to 10, 1864; Spottsylvania, May loth to 18th; Tolopotomy, May 31st; Cold Harbor, June ist to 12th; Weldon Railroad, June 22-23d ; Monocacy, July 9th; Winchester, September 19th; Eisher's Hill, September 126 HiSTOuY OF Windsor County. 2i-22d; Cedar Creek, October 19th; Petersburg, March 25, 1865 ; Pe- tersburg, April 2d; Sailor's Creek, April 6, 1865. First Artillery — Eleventh Vermont Regiment. Company H, of Royalton, Captain James D. Rich, was the main Windsor county contribution to the formation of the Eleventh Regiment, although the county furnished other men to the command who were in companies other than H. The Eleventh was the largest regiment sent to the front by the State of Vermont, the original members, officers and men, numbering 1,315; and this aggregate was swelled by accessions from all sources to a total of 2,320. The regiment was raised at the same time as was the Tenth, and was mustered into service on the 1st of September, 1862, and on the 7th left Brattleboro for Washington, arriving at the last named city on the even- ing of the 9th, going into camp after one night's rest on Capitol Hill, On the 27th the regiment was divided into detachments among the forts on the line of the northern defenses. Company H being ordered to I<"ort Slocuni. One of the most noticeable events in connection with the early history of the Eleventh was the change made in the character of the duties re- quired to be performed by its members. It was recruited under the ex- pectation of being an infanrry regiment, but, by an order of the secretary of war, on the loth of December, 1862, the regiment was made a heavy artillery regiment, its official designation being "First Artillery, Eleventh Vermont Volunteers." The department of war also authorized that the number of companies be increased to twelve, and that each, both old and new, be increased to one hundred and fifty men. This change and ad- dition required some time to accomplish, but as the winter was approach- ing, no service was really lost by the delay. The regiment was not entirely filled until the expiration of several months. In February its membership reached 1,835, '^he greatest number attained at any one time. The Eleventh remained in the defenses of the capital until the early part of May, 1864, when it was ordered to the front, to join the Army of the Potomac, where they were to meet with and fight beside their old breth- ren of Vermont, the First Brigade. From this time until the regiment was finally mustered out, August 26, 1865, the men were constantly in First Artillery and Twelfth Regiment. 127 active service. Tiieir battles, however, ended with the last Petersburg, April 2, 1865. Official list of battles: Spottsylvania, May 15 to 18, 1864; Cold Harbor, June 1st to 12th; Petersburg, June i8th; Weldon Railroad, June 23d; Washington, July iith; Charlestown, August 21st; Gilbert's Ford, September 13th; Opequan, September 19th; Fisher's Hill, September 21-22; Cedar Creek, October 19th; Petersburg, March 25 and 27th, and April 2, 1865. The following list shows the names of the members of Company H, the Windsor county company, who were captured and died, with the place of their death, in the enemy's hands. All who are here named were captured by the Confederates in the disastrous affair of Weldon Railroad on the 23d of June, 1864. Sergeant George Day died at An- dersonville ; Henry K. Barrett, Charleston ; Wilmoth Ayres, in prison ; John H. Bruce, Andersonville ; Carlos R Bugbee, Goldsboro ; Horace S. Button, Florence; Arthur M. French, James B. Goodrick, in prison; Pembroke S. Grover, Crowell M. Knowles, Andersonville ; Harvey J. Lyman, Florence ; George L. Morse, in prison ; Samuel F. Parker, Flo- rence ; Carlos A. Stowell, in prison ; Edwin W. Weston, in prison ; Levi F. Wilder, Andersonville ; Corporal William E. Willard, in Charleston ; Samuel P. Woodward, Andersonville; Edward M. Ailes, Florence; John Brown, Andersonville; Heman Dole, in prison; Eli Faneuf, Charles W. Gleason, John Graves, jr., David Johnson, Curtis W. Ruscoe and James A. Stone, Andersonville; Carroll V. Kenyon, Goldsboro; Edward F. Smith, Danville ; Jared Blanchard, jr., supposed dead ; Carlos C. Hinck- ley, supposed dead ; Charles Morey. The Twelfth Regiment — (Nine Months). This regiment, as well as those that followed it, was a part of the en- rolled militia-men of the State of Vermont. It was organized for active service early in the fall of 1862, and was mustered in on the 4th of Octo- ber of the same year. Two of the companies were from Windsor county, A and B, known as the West Windsor Guards, Charles L. Savage, cap- tain, and the Woodstock Light Infantry, Ora Paul, jr., captain. On the 25th of September the regiment went into camp at Brattle- boro, where the men were thoroughly drilled preparatory to active serv- ice. On the 7th of October it left camp and proceeded to Washington, 128 History ok Windsor County. where it arrived a few days later, and was soon afterwards attaclied to Casey's division of the Reserve Army Corps for the defense of W'ashing- ton. Here the Eleventh remained for about three weeks, when, on the 30th October, the other Vermont regiments — Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth — having arrived, all were united and formed into the Second Vermont Brigade. The Sixteenth Regiment — (Nine Months). This rei^iment was organized almost wholly from the enrolled militia of Windsor and Windham counties. It had, by far, a stronger contingent of this county's men than any command that was recruited in the vicinity prior to its organization. The companies of the county in the Sixteenth were as follows: Company A, of Bethel, Henry A. Eaton, captain; Com- pany C, of Ludlow, Asa G. Foster, captain ; Company E, of Springfield) Alvin C. Mason, captain ; Company G, of Barnard, Harvey N. Bruce, captain ; Company H, of Felchville, Joseph C. Saw yer, ca ptain ; Com- pany K, of Chester, Samuel Hutchinson, captain. The regiment was mustered into service on the 23d of October, 1862, having field and stafif officers as follows: Colonel, Wheelock G. Veazey, Springfield; lieuten- ant-colonel, Charles Cummings, Brattleboro ; major, William Rounds Chester; adjutant, Jabez D. Bridgman, Rockingham; quartermaster, James D. Henry, Royalton ; surgeon, Castanus B. Park, jr., Grafton- assistant surgeon, George Spafford, Windham ; chaplain, Rev. Alonzo Webster, Windsor. The Sixteenth Regiment was mustered into service on October 23 1862, and on the next day left its rendezvous for Washington, arriving there on the 27th. It was very soon afterward formed with the other nine months Vermont regiments into the Second Brigade. The brigade was then attached to Casey's division of the Reserve Corps. On the 30th of October the brigade broke camp at Capitol Hill and marched to occupy the position formerly held by General Sickel's brigade on the road to Mount Vernon, and in this vicinity it remained during the following month. Here preparations for the winter were made, and "Camp Ver- mont " established, but before all was completed marching orders were received by which part of the brigade — the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Regiments — were sent to the vicinity of Union Mills, to picket The Sixteenth Vermont Regiment. 129 the line of the Occoqiian and Bull Run road, from which the last detach- ment did not return until the 5th of December. On the i ith the brigade was ordered to occupy Sigel's vacated position near Fairfax Court House, to which place they marched on the I2th. The only important event that occurred here during the winter was the movement made by the Confederate cavalry commanded by General Stuart, that crafty officer hoping to find some unguarded or unprepared post upon which to make an attack. As his forces approached they were fired upon by the brigade, and when he withdrew beyond range the ar- tillery opened fire upon them. The enemy, however, did not make an attack, nor remain in the neighborhood very long. During the latter part of January, 1863, the Second Brigade occupied the quarters vacated by General Slocum's Corps at Fairfax Station. On the 2d of February the troops on the defenses of the capital were organized into the Twenty- second Army Corps, under command of Major- General Heintzleman, and to this command the brigade was attached, still forming, however, a part of Casey's division. The events that occurred in this vicinity during the balance of the winter were occasionally interesting, but of no special im- portance. During the latter part of March, the Twelfth, Thirteenth and Fourteenth Regiments were stationed at Wolf Run Shoals, while the Fif- teenth and Sixteenth were sent to Union Mills. On the 20th of April General George J. Stannard succeeded to the command of the brigade. Onthe25thof June General Stannard concentrated his brigade at Union Mills, under orders to follow the main army on the famous northward march that ended in the battle at Gettysburg. This order meant several days of severe marching, but it was accomplished, the brigade covering a distance of one hundred and twenty miles in six days, and reaching Emmitsburg, near the Pennsylvania line, on the evening of June 30. In the arrangement and disposition of the forces massed about Gettysburg, the Second Brigade was attached to the Third Division of the First Corps, the division commander being Brigadier- General Thomas A. Rowley. In an engagement so terrific and long continued as that at Gettysburg, it would seem impossible that any one division or brigade could perform a service so signal as to draw to itself the attention and commendation of the commanders of the whole army engaged, yet such appears to have been the case on the part of a portion of the Second Vermont Brigade. 17 I30 History of Windsor County. This special performance that at once made famous this body of men was the flank movement in the rear of Pickett's charging division of Confed- erates, just at the proper moment, neither too soon or too late, which had the effect of checking that impetuous charge, and finally turning the possibility of defeat into a glorious victory for the Union arms. This was the only engagement of any importance in which the Sixteenth Reg- iment participated, but in the short space of its duration the regiment and the brigade to which it belonged made a record more enviable than that achieved by some others in all their service of years. Four days after the battle three regiments of the brigade, among them the Six- teenth, left Middletown and marched to South Mountain; thence through Boonesboro, at the latter place in plain hearing of the battle then pro- gressing at Funkstown. On the I2th Funkstovvn was passed, not two hours previously having been in possession of the enemy, and the regi- ment then halted and formed near Hagarstown. Here, or not far from this place, a detachment of one hundred and fifty men from the Sixteenth Regiment did the last fighting of the brigade. Then began the homeward march, although the term of enlistment had not quite expired. On the 20th of July New York was reached, and Brattleboro one day later. The regiments that comprised the Second Brigade were mustered out in the following order: The Twelfth, July 14; the Thirteenth, July 21 ; the Fourteenth, July 30; the Fifteenth, August 5; and the Sixteenth, August lO, 1863. The Seventeenth Regiment. This regiment was recruited geneialh' in the State, as many towns be- ing represented in its composition, probably, as could be found in any two previous regiments. The greater part of the Windsor county con- tribution to its strength was in Company D, which was commanded by Captain Henry A. Eaton, of Rochester, but other companies had among their members men from this shire. The regiment was mustered into service, by companies, during the early months of 1864, and at Ale.xan- dria, ivhere it arrived April 22, was assigned to the Second Brigade of the Second Division of the Ninth Corps, the latter being under the com- mand of General Ambrose E. Burnside. The field seivice of the Seventeenth commenced early in May, 1864, Seventeenth Regiment and First Vermont Cavalry. 131 and ended with the last Petersburg battle, April 2, 1865. During this comparatively brief time the regiment took part in thirteen distinct en- gagements, several of which covered a number of days, and many of which were among the most sanguinary of the war. They were as fol- lows : Wilderness, May 6 to 9, 1864; Spottsylvania, May 12 to 15; Spottsylvania, May 18; North Anna, May 25-26; Tolopotomy, May 31; Bethesda Church, June 3; Cold Harbor, June 7-8; Petersburg, June 17; Petersburg Mine, July 30; Weldon Railroad, August 21; Poplar Spring Church, September 30; Hatcher's Run, October 27 and 28; Petersburg, April 2, 1865. The First Vermont Cavalry. This somewhat famous organization was the only one of its kind raised in Vermont during the war; moreover it was the largest com- mand sent out of the State in that time, numbering as it did, from first to last, 2,297 oflficers and men. This cavalry regiment was not recruited under the authority of the State, for the laws made no provision for such an organization. So when its originator, Lemuel B. Piatt, proposed to Governor Fairbanks to raise a regiment of cavalry the latter was com- pelled to decline. Mr. Piatt then turned to the general government and obtained the desired permission. This was at a time when the gov- ernor was recruiting infantry regiments, and it was thought that Mr. Piatt might meet with some difficulty in accomplishing his task, but events proved to the contrary. Within forty-two days his regiment was full. It was mustered into service November 19, 1861. Windsor county representatives were scattered through several companies, but Company E had much the stronger contingent, in fact was considered a Windsor county company. Samuel P. Rundlett, of Royalton, was its first captain; Andrew J. Grover, of Hartford, first lieutenant ; and John C. Holmes, of Springfield, second lieutenant. When their term of en- listment e.xpired many of the men became veterans, and thus served throughout the war. The First Cavalry took to the field about the mid- dle of December, 1861, but did not engage mucli in active service until the succeeding spring. From April 16, 1862, until the muster-out, however, there was no more busily occupied regiment in the service. Seventy-three engagements stand to their credit, commencing with 132 History of Windsor County. Mount Jackson, April i6, 1862, and ending with Lee's surrender at Ap- pomattox Court House, on the 9th of April, 1865. In Other Commands. Among the regiments of Vermont soldiers to which the county of Windsor contributed recruits were those known as the United States Sharpshooters. These were not raised under the direct authority of the State, but of the United States government, the authority therefore being conferred upon Hiram Berdan, of New York. Of the eight States in which men for this special branch of the service were recruited, Ver- mont furnished a greater number than any other, being one-si.Kth of the gross number enlisted. The recruiting station in the vicinity of this county was located at Randolph, and of course the efforts of the officers in obtaining men naturally drew some recruits from this county. The county, however, had no original field or line officers, but Henry E. Kinsman, of Royalton, was raised from private in Company F through several grades, and was eventually commissioned first lieutenant, in the First Regiment. In the Second Regiment William F. Tilson, of Bethel, was, in 1864, promoted to the second lieutenancy of Company E, and Curtis Abbott, of the same town, to the rank of first lieutenant in Com- pany H. Such of the county's men as were privates in either of these or other companies will be found in the town rolls of volunteers on later pages. In the Second, also the Third Battery of Light Artillery, the county was represented by recruits, mainly from the northern towns, Norwich and Rochester, perhaps, furnishing the largest number, while other towns sent a less number. In the Second, Charles H. Dyer, of Roch- ester, was at one time first lieutenant, having been promoted from a lower grade. In the Third Battery, John H. Wright, of Norwich, was second lieutenant and promoted first lieutenant. In the same command John W. Marsh was enlisted as private, and subsequently commissioned second lieutenant. These batteries also had privates from the county, as will be shown by reference to the town rolls. The command known as the Frontier Cavalry also seems to have had at least two commissioned officers from Windsor county. These were George B. French, of Cavendish, captain of the Second Company, and Francis G. Clark, of Chester, a first lieutenant in the same command. Roster of Commissioned Officers. 133 Roster of Commissioned Officers. The following is a complete roster of the field and staff and commis- sioned company officers that enlisted as residents of the several towns of Windsor county; and is arranged with reference to regiment members, the three months' men being first. The same order is followed as is found in the adjutant and inspector-general's report, from which the following is compiled. First Regiment, Three Months' Men. — Peter T. Washburn, lieutenant- colonel ; commisssioned April 26, 1861 ; mustered out of service August 16, 1 86 1. William W. Pelton, captain Company B; commissioned April 27, 1861 ; mustered out of service August 15, 1861. Oscar S. Tuttle, captain Company E; mustered out of service August 15, 1861. An- drew J. Dike, first lieutenant company B; resigned June 18, 1861. Solomon E. Woodward, first lieutenant Company B ; promoted from second lieutenant; mustered out August 15, 1861. Asaph Clark, first lieutenant Company E ; mustered out of service August 15, 1861. Will- iam Sweet, second lieutenant Company. B ; promoted from first sergeant June 19, 1861 ; mustered out August 15, 1861. Salmon Dutton, second lieutenant Company E ; mustered out August 15, 1861. Second Regiment, Three Years' Service. — Augustus A. Atwood, assist- ant surgeon ; resigned June 25, 1863. Orville Bixby, captain Company E ; commissioned second lieutenant May 26, 1861; promoted first lieu- tenant January 11, 1862; captain August 24, 1862; killed in action at Wilderness, Va., May 5, 1864. Charles C. Morey, captain Company E ; private Company E April 22, 1861 ; promoted corporal June 20, 1861; sergeant February 10, 1862 ; first sergeant December 27, 1862 ; re en- listed January 31, 1864; first lieutenant Company C June 20, 1864- promoted captain December 24, 1864; killed in action before Peters- burg, Va., April 2, 1865. Volney S. Fullam, captain Company I May 22, 1861 ; promoted lieutenant- colonel Seventh Vermont Volunteers January 18, 1862. Daniel S. White, captain Company I ; private May 7, 1861 ; sergeant June 20, 1861; first sergeant February 9, 1862 ; sec- ond lieutenant January 8, 1863 ; captain January 26, 1863 ; resigned and honorably discharged October 24, 1864, for wounds received at Wilder- ness, May 5, 1864. Sherman W. Parkhurst, first lieutenant Company 134 History of Windsor County. I; resigned November 9, 1861. Harrison Dewey, second lieutenant Company E; enlisted private April 22, 1861 ; first sergeant June 20, 1861 ; dismissed from the service October 4, 1862, for absence without leave. George S. Adams, second lieutenant Company E ; private April 22, 1861 ; corporal August 28, 1862; re-enlisted December 21, 1863; sergeant October 18, 1864; first sergeant February 7, 1865 ; mustered out as first sergeant July 15, 1865. Isaac N. Wadleigh, second lieuten- ant Company I; resigned December 14, 1861. Albert A. May, second lieutenant Company I ; private Company I May 7, 1861 ; corporal Au- gust 18, 1S62; re enlisted December 21, 1863; wounded May 5, 1864; sergeant January 20, 1865; first sergeant February 15, 1865 ; mustered out July 15, 1865. Third Regiment. — Thomas O. Seaver, colonel ; captain Company F May 24, 1861 ; major August 13, 1861 ; lieutenant-colonel September 27, 1862; colonel January 15, 1863; mustered out of service July 27, 1864. Horace W. Floyd, colonel ; second lieutenant Company A May 21, 1 86 1 ; first lieutenant Company F August 13, 1861 ; transferred to Company A December i, 1861^ captain Company C September 22, 1862; wounded June 21, 1864 ; major August 4, 1864; lieutenant-colo- nel October 18, 1864; brevet-colonel October 19, 1864, for gallantry and good conduct before Richmond and in Shenandoah Valley ; colonel June 4, 1865; mustered out of service July 11, 1865. Wheelock G. Veazey, lieutenant-colonel August 13, 1861; captain Company A May 21, 1861 ; promoted major August 10,1861 ; promoted colonel Sixteenth Vermont Volunteer Militia September 27, 1862. Samuel E. Pingree, lieutenant- colonel ; first lieutenant Company F May 24, 1861 ; captain August 13, 1861 ; wounded severely April 16, 1862 ; major September 27, 1862 ; lieutenant-colonel January 15, 1863 ; mustered out July 27, 1864. Redfield Proctor, quartermaster ; commissioned June 19, 1861 • promoted major Fifth Vermont Volunteers September 25, 1S61. Fred- erick Grain, quartermaster ; first lieutenant Company A May 24, 1861 ; quartermaster September 25, i86i ; mustered out of service July 27, 1864. Daniel A. Mack, chaplain January 1 1, 1862 ; mustered out July 27, 1864. Luke B. Fairbanks, captain Company C; enlisted private May 10, 1861 ; promoted corporal July 16, 1861 ; wounded April 16, 1862; re-enlisted December 21, 1863; first lieutenant Company H June 26, Roster of Commissioned Officers. 135 1864; mustered out of service July 1 1, 1865. Thomas F. Leonard, cap- tain Company I; private Company F May 10, 1861 ; promoted corporal; to sergeant ; re-enlisted December 21, 1863; wounded July 10, 1863, May 6, 1864, and May 12, 1864; promoted second lieutenant Company C August 4, 1864; first lieutenant February 25, 1865; captain Com- pany I May 10, 1865 ; mustered out of service July 1 1, 1865. Leonard E. Bennett, captain Company K: private Company A May 21, 1861 ; first sergeant July 16, 1861 ; captain Company K August 16, 1861 ; wounded June 29, 1862; resigned November 26, 1862. Horace French, captain Company K; private Company F May 10, 1861 ; sergeant July 16, 1861 ; first sergeant; second lieutenant Company F January 15, 1863 ; transferred to Company B by reason of consolidation of regiment July 24, 1864; captain Company K March 26, 1865 ; mustered out of service July 1 1, 1865. Frank E. Rew, first lieutenant Company B; pri- vate Company F May 10, 1861 ; sergeant July 16, 1861 ; quartermaster- sergeant July I, 1862; second lieutenant Company E November 10, 1862; first lieutenant Company B January 15, 1863; mustered out of service July 27, 1864. Orasmus B. Robinson, first lieutenant Company B ; private Company A June i, 1861 ; corporal November i, 1861 ; ser- geant Novemberj, 1863 ; re-enlisted December 21, 1863; sergeant-ma- jor July 24, 1864; wounded September 19, 1864; second lieutenant Company A October 18, 1864; first lieutenant Company B February 25, 1865 ; mustered out of service July 1 1, 1865. Edwin M. Noyes, first lieutenant Company C; second lieutenant May 23, 1861 ; first lieutenant November 7, 1861 ; died August 31, 1862. Gardner C. Hawkins, first lieutenant Company E ; private Company P" January 28, 1864; trans- ferred to Company I July 25, 1864; second lieutenant Company I October 18, 1864; first lieutenant Company E February 25, 1865 ; dis- charged June 2, 1865, for wounds at Petersburg, April 2, 1865. Ed- ward A. Chandler, first lieutenant Company F; second lieutenant May 24, 1861 ; first lieutenant December 5, 1861 ; wounded severely April 16, 1862; mustered out of service July 27, 1864. Hubbard M. Phillips, first lieutenant Company H; private Company A June I, 1861; sergeant July 16, i86i ; first lieutenant August 13, 1861 ; second lieutenant Com- pany E January 15, 1863 ; on detached service from June 20, 1863, to March 31, 1864; first lieutenant Company H July 21, 1863; mustered 136 History of Windsor County. out of service July 27, 1864. John R. Seaver, second lieutenant Com- pany A; private Company F May 10, 1861 ; regimental commissary- sergeant July 13, 1862; second lieutenant Company A September 22 1862 ; resigned February 14, 1863. Willis W. Wood, second lieutenant Company A; private June i, 1861 ; corporal November 7, 1863; re- enlisted December 21, 1863; sergeant May 14, 1864; wounded August 21, 1864; first sergeant May 9, 1865 ; second lieutenant May 10, 1865 ; mustered out July II, 1865. Edmund E. Cushman, second lieutenant Company B ; private Company A July 2, 1861 ; corporal April i, 1863; re-enlisted December 21, 1863 ; sergeant May 14, 1864; first sergeant August 31, 1864; wounded October ig, 1864; second lieutenant Com- pany B March 28, 1865 ; mustered out of service July 1 1, 1865. Louis A. Pierce, second lieutenant Company D ; private Company A June i, 1861 ; sergeant July 16, 1861; second lieutenant Company D October 13, 1862; honorably discharged April 13, 1863, for disability. PhilipV. Thomas, second lieutenant Company F ; private Company F Maj' 10, 1861 ; first sergeant July 16, 1861; second lieutenant December 16, 1861 ; resigned October 18, 1862. Daniel B. Veazey, second lieutenant Company I ; private Company A June 20, 1861 ; second lieutenant Company I November i, 1863 ; mustered out July 27, 1864. Abram J. Locke, second lieutenant Company K ; private Company F October 14, 1861 ; corporal June i, 1863; re-enlisted December 21, 1863; sergeant August 27, 1864; sergeant-major November 13, 1864; wounded May 5, 1864, and April 2, 1865 ; second lieutenant Company K June i, 1865 ; mustered out of service July 11, 1865. Foiirtli Regiment. — Stephen M. Pingree, lieutenant-colonel; first lieu- tenant Company E September 6, 1861; captain Company K April 21, 1862; major November 5, 1862; lieutenant-colonel April 30, 1864; mustered out of service July 13, 1865. George B. French, adjutant; first lieutenant Company C September 3, 1861 ; promoted adjutant July 17, 1862; wounded May 5, 1864; mustered out of service September 30, 1S64. Henry W. Spafford, quartermaster; enlisted as regimental com- missary-sergeant October 25, 1864; promoted quartermaster November 6, 1864; mustered out of service July 13, 1865. Samuel J Allen, sur- geon ; commissioned August 15, 1861; mustered out of service Septem- ber 30, 1864; Joseph P. Aikens, captain Company A; private Company Roster of Commissioned Officers. 137 D August 28, 1861; promoted corporal; sergeant; first sergeant Janu- ary I, 1863; re-enlisted December 15, 1863; first lieutenant Company C May 5, 1864; captain Company A August 9, [864; wounded Octo- ber 19, 1864; honorably discharged March 8, 1865, for wounds. James H. Piatt, jr., captain Company B; commissioned August 30, 1861; pris- oner May 30, 1864; paroled and mustered out of service November 21, 1864. Henry B. Atherton, captain Company C; commissioned Septem- ber 3, 1861 ; resigned August 12, 1862. Henry L. Terry, captain Com- pany E; commissioned September 6, 1861 ; discharged September 22, 1862, for disability. William C. Tracy, captain Company G; second lieu • tenant Company K September 14, 1861; first lieutenant Company H No- vember 5, 1862; captain Company G May 5, 1864; wounded same day; killed in action before Petersburg, Va., June 23, 1864. Daniel Lillie captain Company I ; second lieutenant Company E September 6, 1861 ; first lieutenant April 21, 1862 ; captain Company I August i, 1862 ; died June 6, 1864, at Washington, D. C, of wounds received at Wilderness, May 6, 1864. Francis B. Gove, captain Company K ; commis- sioned September 14, 1861 ; resigned April 13, 1862. George P. Spauld- ing, first lieutenant Company B; private Company C August 20, 1861 i sergeant September 21, 1861 ; first sergeant; re- enlisted December 15, 1863 ; second lieutenant Company K May 5, 1864 ; prisoner from June 20, 1864, to December 2, 1864; transferred to Company E ; first lieu- tenant Company B June 4, 1865; mustered out as second lieutenant Company E July 13, 1865. Harlan P. Page, first lieutenant Company C; private Company E August 23, 1861 ; corporal September 21, 1861 ; sergeant May 18, 1862; first sergeant February 22, 1864; re-enlisted March 28, 1864; first lieutenant January 21, 1865; resigned May 9, 1865. Daniel D Wheeler, first lieutenant Company D ; commissioned April 21, 1862; transferred to Company G March 20, 1862 (see below). Thomas Ensworth, jr., first lieutenant Company D ; private Company K September 2, 1861; first sergeant September 21, 1861 ; second lieutenant Company C June 25, 1862 ; wounded May 4, 1863 ; first lieutenant Oc- tober 20, 1863; died of wounds May 7, 1864. Charles A. Read, first lieutenant Company F ; private Company C August 19, 1861 ; sergeant September 21, 1861 ; sergeant-major March i, 1862; first lieutenant July 17, 1862 ; resigned January 2, 1863. Daniel D. Wheeler, first lieu- 18 138 History of Windsor County. tenant Company G; second lieutenant Company C September 3, 1861 ; first lieutenant Company D April 21, 1862; transferred to Company G January 18, 1863; promoted captain and A. A. G. U. S. Volunteers June 30, 1864. Curtis Abbott, first lieutenant Company H ; private Company H Second U. S. S. S. November 12, 1861 ; corporal Decem- ber I, 1862; re-enlisted December 21, 1863; wounded May, 1864; first sergeant November i, 1864; first lieutenant Company H, U. S. S. S., January 22, 1865 ; transferred to Company H Fourth Regiment Febru- ary 25, 1865; mustered out of service July 13, 1865. Ransom W. Towle, second lieutenant Company A ; private Company E August 24, 1861 ; sergeant September 21, 1861 ; wounded June 29, 1862; second lieu tenant Company A May 17, 1864; died of wounds received at Win- chester, Va., September 19, 1864. Lafayette Richardson, second lieutenant Company C; private Company E August 28, 1861 ; sergeant September 21, 1861 ; first sergeant February 9, 1863 ; second lieutenant Company C October 20, 1863 ; re-enlisted December 15, 1863 ; honor- ably discharged for wounds received at Wilderness, Va., May 5, 1864. James Drury, second lieutenant Company D ; private Company C Au- gust 26, 1861 ; corporal October 27, 1863 ; re-enlisted December 15, 1863; sergeant June 18, 1864; second lieutenant Company D June 4, 1865 ; mustered out as sergeant July 26, 1865. William F. Tilson, sec- ond lieutenant Company G ; private Company E Second U. S. S. S. November 5, 1861 ; sergeant January 3, 1863; re-enlisted December 21, 1863; wounded May 6, 1864; first sergeant; second lieutenant January 22, 1865 ; transferred to Company G Fourth Vermont Volun- teers February 25, 1865 ; discharged September 8, 1865, for wounds received April 2, 1865, at Petersburg, Va. Fifth Regiment — Redfield Proctor, major; quartermaster Third Ver mont Volunteers June 19, 1861 ; commissioned adjutant P"ifth Volun- teers September 25, 1861 ; resigned July i i, 1862. Myron S. Dudley, captain Company K ; private Company E November 28, 1863 ; wounded May 5, 1864; sergeant July i, 1864; first lieutenant Company E Sep- tember 15, 1864; captain Company K November 10, 1864; mustered out June 29, 1865. Sixth Regiment. — Oscar S. Tuttle, colonel; major September 25. 1861 ; lieutenant-colonel September 19, 1862; colonel December 18, Roster of Commissioned Officers. 139 1862; resigned March 18, 1863. Sumner H. Lincoln, colonel; private Company B September 17, 1861 ; corporal October 15, 1861 ; adjutant February 3, 1863; wounded May 5 and September 19, 1865; major October 21, 1864; lieutenant-colonel January 7, 1865 ; colonel June 4, 1865; mustered out of service as lieutenant-colonel June 26, 1865. William J. Sperry, lieutenant-colonel ; private Company E September 26, 1861 ; sergeant October 15, 1861 ; second lieutenant August 21, 1862 ; first lieutenant March 3, 1863 ; captain Company ^C August 8, 1864; major January 7, 1865; brevet lieutenant-colonel April 2, 1865, for gallantry in assault on Petersburg, Va., April 2, 1865; lieutenant- colonel June 4, 1865; mustered out of service June 26, 1865. Hiram S. English, adjutant; private Company C August 14, 1862; promoted corporal; wounded May 4, 1863; sergeant May 20, 1864; first lieuten- ant Company C October 29, 1864; adjutant November 12, 1864; mus- tered out June 19, 1865. Alonzo Webster, chaplain ; commissioned October 3, 1863; mustered out of service October 28, 1864. Alonzo B. Hutchinson, captain Company B; commissioned October 5, 1861 ; honorably discharged July 23, 1863, for wounds received in action at Bank's Ford, Virginia, May 4, 1863. Jesse C. Spaulding, captain Com- pany C; commissioned October 7, 1861 ; resigned January 10, 1863. Thomas R. Clark, captain Company E ; first lieutenant October 19, 1 861 ; captain March 3, 1863 ; mustered out of service October 28, 1864. George C. Randall, captain Company F; first lieutenant Company C October 7, 1861 ; captain Company F August 21, 1862; killed in action at Wilderness, Virginia, May 5, 1864. William W. Carey, first lieuten- ant Company F; private Company E September 26, 1861; corporal October 15, 1861 ; wounded April 16, 1862; sergeant-major January i, 1863; first lieutenant Company F May 15, 1864; mustered out Octo- ber 28, 1864. Benoni B. Fuilam, first lieutenant Company G ; sergeant- major October 15, 1861 ; first lieutenant June 14, 1862; resigned Oc- tober 25, 1862. Hiram A. Kimball, second lieutenant Company C ; commissioned October 7, 1861 ; resigned July 1 1, 1862. John Y. Rais- trick, second lieutenant Company C; private September 23, 1861 ; ser- geant October 15, 1861 ; first sergeant November 20, 1861 ; second lieutenant August 21, 1862; wounded June 6, 1863 ; resigned April 21, 1864. Herman L. Small, second lieutenant Company C; private Octo- I40 History of Windsor County. berg, 1861 ; corporal November 20, 1861 ; sergeant; re-enlisted De- cember 15, 1863; first sergeant October I, 1864; second lieutenant April 22, 1865; mustered out June 26, 1865. John M. Buckley, sec- ond lieutenant Company E; private September 24, 1861 ; sergeant October 15, 1861 ; first sergeant October 31, 1861 ; wounded April 16, 1862; second lieutenant March 3, 1863; resigned August 31, 1863. Seventh Regiment. — Volney S. Fullam, lieutenant-colonel ; commis- sioned January 19, 1862 ; captain Company I, Second Vermont Volun- teers, May 22, 1861 ; resigned August 6, 1862. Salmon Dutton, cap- tain Company G; commissioned January 31, 1862; mustered out of service May 31, 1865. Mahlon M. Young, captain Company H; com- missioned February 3, 1862; tcilled at Marianna, Fla., September 27, 1864. George M. R. Howard, first lieutenant Company G; commis- sioned January 31, 1862; resigned September 6, 1862. Leonard P. Bingham, first lieutenant Company G ; second lieutenant January 31, 1862; first lieutenant September 24, 1862; resigned July 30, 1863. Milton L. Gilbert, first lieutenant Company G ; private November 20, 1861 ; sergeant February 12, 1862 ; second lieutenant March i, 1863; first lieutenant October 22, 1763 ; resigned July 7, 1865. Edward L. Hazelton, first lieutenant Company G; private November 30, 1861 ; sergeant February 12, 1862; first sergeant October 26, 1863; re- enlisted February 17, 1864; first lieutenant July 13, 1865 ; mustered out March 14, 1866. Henry H. French, first lieutenant Company H; commissioned February 3, 1862 ; died of disease at Fensacola, Fla., January 20, 1863. Edwin R. Payne, first lieutenant Company H ; pri- vate December 2, 1861 ; sergeant February 12, 1862; first sergeant October 7, 1862; second lieutenant March i, 1863; first lieutenant December 21, 1863; resigned April 29, 1864. James W. Larkin, sec- ond lieutenant Company G; private November 30, 1861 ; corporal February 12, 1862; re-enlisted February 25, 1864; sergeant June 25, 1864; first sergeant September 12, 1865 ; second lieutenant March i, 1866; mustered out as first sergeant March 14, 1866. George H. Kel- ley, second lieutenant Company H; commissioned February 3, 1862 ; resigned January 27, 1863. Peter F. Riley, second lieutenant Company H; private November 26, 1861 ; corporal February 12, 1862; sergeant October 23, 1862 ; re-enlisted February 14, 1864; first sergeant Feb- Roster of Commissioned Officers. 141 ruary 12, 1865; second lieutenant March i, 1866; mustered out as first sergeant March 14, 1866. Eighth Regiment. — Henry Y . Dutton, lieutenant-colonel ; captain Company H January 17, 1862; major June 12, 1863; lieutenant- colo- nel December 28, 1864; honorably discharged November 16, 1864, for wounds received in action at Winchester, Va., September 19, 1864. Henry M. Pollard, major; first lieutenant Company I July 12, 1863; captain November 7, 1863; major April 6, 1865 ; mustered out of serv- ice June 28, 1865. Samuel W. Shattuck, adjutant ; drafted July 15, 1863; appointed adjutant October 20, 1863; wounded October 19, 1864; mustered out of service June 28, 1865. Edward F. Gould, first lieutenant Company D; private January 3, 1862; sergeant February 18, 1862; re-enlisted January 5, 1864; first sergeant April 22, 1864; first lieutenant July 26, 1864; mustered out of service, June 28, 1865. Kilburn Day, first lieutenant Company E ; commissioned January i, 1862; resigned December 11, 1862. Newell H. Hibbard, second lieu- tenant Compau)' E ; private September 30, 1861 ; corporal February 18, 1862; re-enlisted January 5, 1864; sergeant February 23, 1864; first sergeant June 8, 1864; second lieutenant February 23, 1865 ; re- signed June 12, 1865. Ninth Regiment. — Charles Jarvis, major; captain Company D June 25, 1862; major May 24, 1863; died December i, 1863, of wounds re- ceived while on scout near Cedar Point, N. C, December I, 1863. Lucius C. Dickinson, chaplain; commissioned July 2, 1862; mustered out of service June 13, 1865 Asaph Clark, Company D; first lieutenant June 25, 1862; captain May 25, 1863; mustered out of service June 13, 1865. James T. Gorham, captain Company H ; sergeant-major July 9, 1862 ; first lieutenant March 13, 1863; captain June 4, 1864; mustered out June 13, 1865. Charles W. Haskell, first lieutenant Company D ; private May 27, 1862 ; first sergeant July 9, 1862 ; second lieutenant November 17, 1862; first lieutenant May 25, 1863 ; mustered out June 13, 1865. Justus Dartt, second lieutenant Company D ; commissioned June 25, 1862; resigned November 13, 1862. Asa H. Snow, second lieutenant Company D; private June 17, 1862; corporal July 9, 1862; sergeant December 4, 1862 ; second lieutenant May 25, 1863 ; resigned Decem- ber 11,1 864. 142 History of Windsor County. Tenth Regiment. — Lucius T. Hunt, major ; captain Company H Au- gust 8, 1862; wounded June 3, 1864; major November 2, 1864; hon- orably discharged as captain December i, 1864, for disabihty. Henry G. Stiles, captain Company E ; private company H August 6, 1862; first sergeant September i, 1862 ; sergeant major March 24, 1864; sec- ond lieutenant Company G June 6, 1864 ; prisoner fi-om June i to No- vember I, 1864 ; first lieutenant Company E February 9, 1865 ; captain May II, 1865 ; mustered out of service June 29, 1865. Solomon E. Per- ham, captain Company H ; second lieutenant August 8, 1862; first lieu- tenant January 19, 1863; captain November 2, 1864; mustered out of service June 22, 1865. Ezekiel T. Johnson, first lieutenant Company E ; private company H August 6, 1862; corporal September i, 1862; ser- geant December 28, 1862; wounded July 9, 1864; first sergeant ; sec- ond lieutenant Company E December 19, 1864; first lieutenant Com- pany G March 22, 1865 ; transferred to Company E May 20, 1865 ; mus- tered out as first sergeant Companv H June 22, 1865. Jerome C. Dow, first lieutenant Company H; commissioned August 8, 1862; resigned June 5, 1863. Artemas H. Wheeler, first lieutenant Company H ; private August 7, 1862; sergeant September i, 1862; first sergeant April 3, 1864; second lieutenant Company D December 19, 1864; first lieuten- ant Company H March 22, 1865 ; mustered out of service June 29, 1865. Elevetith Regiment {1st Regt. Heavy Artillcr}'). — Joseph L. Harring- ton, assistant-surgeon ; commissioned March 4, 1865 ; enlisted private Company I Fourth Vermont Volunteers September 14, i 864 ; transferred to Company F February 25, 1865; mustered out August 25, 1865. Ar- thur Little, chaplain ; commissioned March 20, 1863 ; mustered out of service June 24, 1865. George A. Bailey, captain Companj' B ; drafted July 22, 1863 ; entered service as second lieutenant Company M Novem- ber 2, 1863 ; promoted first lieutenant September 2, 1864; brevet cap- tain April 2, 1865, for gallantry in the assault of Petersburg; captain Company K May 13, 1865; transferred toCompanyB June 24,1865; mus- tered out August 25, 1865. James D. Rich, captain Company H ; com- missioned August 13, 1862 ; resigned July 30, 1863. George G. Tilden, captain Company H ; private August 6, 1862; sergeant September i, 1862; second lieutenant September 5, 1862; first lieutenant August 11, 1863 ; captain Company K December 2, 1864 ; transferred to Company Roster of Commissioned Officers. 143 H February 20, 1865; brevet major April 2, 1865 ; mustered out of serv- ice June 24, 1865. Jabez R. Maxham, first lieutenant Company H ; pri- vate August 6, 1862 ; first sergeant September i, 1862; second lieuten- ant August II, 1863; first lieutenant December 28, 1863; wounded slightlyjune 1,1864; honorably discharged August 7, 1864, for disability. Edwin J. McWain, first lieutenant Cornpany H ; private August 6, 1862 ; corporal September I, 1862; sergeant September 6, 1S62 ; second lieuten- ant December 2S, 1863 ; prisoner from June 23, 1864, to March 12,1865; promoted first lieutenant December 2, 1864; honorably discharged May 15, 1865, as second lieutenant. Eli R. Hart, first lieutenant Company M; private August 7, 1862; sergeant September i, 1862; first sergeant October 23, 1863 ; second lieutenant Company H December 28, 1863 ; wounded June i, 1864; first lieutenant May 13, 1865 ; mustered out as second lieutenant Company H June 24, 1865. Edward Blaisdell, second lieutenant Company H ; private August 7, 1862 ; corporal December 12, 1862; sergeant May 22, 1863; first sergeant January 22, 1864; second lieutenant May 13, 1865 ; mustered out as first sergeant June 24, 1865. Charles D. Stafford, second lieutenant Company H ; private August 8, 1862; corporal June 15, 1864; commissioned quartermaster sergeant September 28, 1864; second lieutenant May 13, 1865 ; mustered out as quartermaster- sergeant June 24, 1865. Tivelftli Regiment {Nine Months Men). — Charles L. Savage, captain Company A ; commissioned December i, 1861 ; mustered out of serv- ice July 14, 1863. Ora Paul, jr., captain Company B ; commissioned July 19, 1862 ; mustered out of service July 14, 1863. George E. Dimick, captain Company I; commissioned January 23, 1863; second lieutenant Company B July 19, 1862; first lieutenant December 4. 1862; mustered out of service July 14, 1863. Winslow W. Wait, first lieutenant Company A; commissioned July 12, 1862; mustered out of service July 14, 1863. George L. Raymond, first lieutenant Company B; commissioned July 19, 1862; resigned November 24, 1862 Ed- win C. Emmons, first lieutenant Company B ; private August 19, 1862; first sergeant October 4, 1862; second lieutenant December 4, 1862; first lieutenant January 24, 1863; mustered out of service July 14, 1863. Benjamin Warren, jr., second lieutenant Company A; commis- sioned August 12, 1862; discharged for disability January 17, 1863. 144 History of Windsor County. Stephea F. Hammond, second lieutenant Company A ; private August 19, 1862; first sergeant October 4, 1S62; second lieutenant January 25, 1863; mustered out of service Jul\- 14, 1863. Crayton A. Wood- bury, second lieutenant Company B; private August 19, 1862 ; sergeant October 4, 1862; first sergeant December 4, 1862; second lieutenant January 24, 1863 ; mustered out July 14, 1863. Fifteenth Regiment {Nine Months' Service). — Redfield Proctor, colo- nel ; commissioned September 26, 1862; mustered out of service Au- gust 5, 1863. Sixteenth Regiment {Nine Months' Serviee). — Wheelock G. Veazey, colonel ; commissioned September 27, 1862 ; captain Company A Third Vermont Volunteers May 21, 1861 ; major August 10. 1861 ; lieutenant- colonel August 13, 1861; mustered out of service August 10, 1863. William Rounds, major; comissioned September 27, 1862; mustered out of service August 10, 1863. Harland O. Peabody, adjutant ; private Company C August 29, 1862 ; first sergeant October 23, 1862 ; second lieutenant October 23, 1862 ; first lieutenant Company H December 31, 1862; adjutant April i, 1863; mustered out of service August 10, 1863. James G. Henry, quartermaster ; commissioned September 29, 1862; mustered out August 10, 1863. Aloiizo Webster, chaplain; commissioned October 16, 186^ ; mustered out of service August 10, 1863. Henry A. Eaton, captain Company A; commissioned August 26, 1862; wounded severely July 3, 1863, at Gettysburg, Pa ; mustered out August 10, 1863. Asa B. Foster, captain Company C; commis- sioned October 23, 1862; wounded July 3, 1863; mustered out of service August 10, 1863. y\lvin C. Mason, captain Company E ; commissioned September I, 1862; mustered out August 10, 1863. Harvey N. Bruce, captain Company G; commissioned September 4, 1862; mustered out August 10, 1862. Joseph C. Sawyer, captain Company H; commissioned September 18, 1862; resigned December 26, 1862. Elmer D. Keyes, captain Company H ; first lieutenant September i8, 1862; captain De- cember 31, 1862; mustered out of service August 10, 1862. Samuel Hutchinson, captain Company K; commissioned October i, 1862 ; re- signed January 3, 1863. William Danforth, captain Company K; sec- ond lieutenant October i, 1862; promoted captain January 16, 1863; mustered out of service August 10, 1863. Daniel M. Clough, first lieu- A^ (/ QJ y}^-^^^z..e^ Roster of Commissioned Ofucers. 145 tenant Company A; commissioned August 26, 1862; mustered out August 10, 1863. Luther F. Moore, first lieutenant Company C ; com- missioned October 23, 1862; mustered out August 10, 1863. Joseph SpafFord, first lieutenant Company E ; commissioned September i , 1 862 ; mustered out August 10, 1863. Benjamin C. Dutton, fiirst lieutenant Company G; commissioned September 4, 1862; wounded July 3, 1863; mustered out of service August 10, 1863. Warren E. Williams, first lieutenant Company H; second lieutenant Company E September i, 1862 ; promoted first lieutenant April 2, 1863 ; mustered out August 10, 1863. Francis G. Clark, first lieutenant Company I; second lieu- tenant Company G September 4, 1862; first lieutenant Company I April I, 1863; mustered out August 10, 1863. Lewis Graham, first lieutenant Company K; commissioned October i, 1862; resigned March 12, 1863. Joseph W. Waldo, second lieutenant Company A • commissioned August 26, 1862; resigned March 12, 1863. James Tar- bell, second lieutenant Company A ; private September 15, 1862; ser- geant January 16, 1863; second lieutenant March 16, 1863; wounded July 3, 1863; mustered out August 10, 1863. Adin H Whitmore, second lieutenant Company C ; sergeant-major October 23, 1862; sec- ond lieutenant December 31, 1862; resigned March 27, 1863. Henry A. Fletcher, second lieutenant Company C; private August 29, 1862 ; first sergeant October 23, 1862; sergeant-major March 9, 1863; second lieutenant April 2, 1863; mustered out August 10, 1863. George M. Clark, second lieutenant Company D; private September i, 1862; ser- geant October 23, 1862; second lieutenant December 31, 1862; trans- ferred to Company E April 2, 1863. Gardner Cox, second lieutenant Company G; private September 4. 1862; first sergeant October 23, 1862; second lieutenant, April 2, 1863 ; mustered out August 10, 1863. John C. Sanborn, second lieutenant Company H ; commissioned Sep- tember 18, 1862; resigned December 26, 1862. Jason E. Freeman, second lieutenant Company H; private Companj' K September 15, 1862; second lieutenant Company H December 31, 1862; mustered out Au- gust 10, 1863. Hugh Henry, second lieutenant Company I ; regimental quartermaster-sergeant October 23, 1862; second lieutenant May 12, 1863; mustered out of service August ID, 1863. George O. Hawkins, second lieutenant Company K ; private September 10, 1862; first ser- 19 146 History ok Windsor County. geant October 23, 1862; second lieutenant January 16, 1863; mustered out August 10, 1863. Seventeenth Regiment. — Henry A. Eaton, lieutenant-colonel ; captain Company D March 4, 1864; major August 12, 1864; lieutenant-colo- nel November i, 1864; killed in action before Petersburg, Va., Septem- ber 30, 1864. Ptolemy O'Meara Edson, surgeon; assistant surgeon First Cavalry November 5, 1861 ; surgeon Seventeenth Regiment March 16, 1864; mustered out of service February 27, 1865. Benja- min F. Giddings, Company B; private Company G March 7, 1864; first sergeant April 12, 1864; wounded June 3, 1864; first lieutenant Company B August 24, 1864; captain November i, 1864; mustered out of service July 14, 1865. VVorthington Pierce, captain Company D; second lieutenant March 4, 1864; first lieutenant August 22, 1864; prisoner from July 30, 1864, to March 30, 1865 ; captain November i, 1864; resigned and honorably discharged as second lieutenant June 16, 1865. Gardner VV. Gibson, first lieutenant Company D ; commissioned March 4, 1864; died in General Hospital, Washington, D. C, June 14, 1864, of wounds received in action June 8, 1864. Leonard P. Bingham, first Heutenant Company G ; commissioned April 12, 1864; killed in action before Petersburg, Va , July 30, 1864. Henry B. Needham first lieutenant Company H; commissioned May 19, 1864; died August 6, 1864, of wounds received in action July 30, 1864. Almeron C. Inman, first lieutenant Company K ; private Company D December 30, 1863; corporal March 4, 1864; sergeant July 30, 1S64; first sergeant; wounded September 30, 1864; first lieutenant June 26, 1865; mus- tered out of service as first sergeant Company D July 14, 1865. George E. Austin, second lieutenant Company D ; private Companj" 1*" Feb- ruary 8, 1864; transferred to Company D May i, 1864; corporal No- vember 5, 1864; sergeant May 9, 1865 ; second lieutenant Jul)' 10, 1865 ; mustered out as sergeant Company D July 14, 1865. George W. Kingsbury, second lieutenant Company F; commissioned April 9, 1864; wounded on picket Ma)' 15, 1864; honorably discharged Octo- ber 5, 1864, for wounds. First Regiment United States Sharpshooters — Henry E. Kinsman, first lieutenant Company F; private August 20, 1861 ; first sergeant September 13, 1861 ; second lieutenant May 15, 1863 ; first lieutenant November 5, 1863 ; mustered out September 13, 1864. Roster of Commissioned Officers. 147 Second Regiment United States Sharpshooters. — William F. Tilson, second lieutenant Company E; commissioned November 12, 1864; transferred to Company G Fourth Vermont Volunteers February 25, 1865. Curtis Abbott, first lieutenant Company H ; commissioned Jan- uary 22, 1865 ; transferred to Company H Fourth Vermont Volunteers February 25, 1865. Second Battery Light Artillery. — Charles H. Dyer, fiist lieutenant ; private December 11, 1861; sergeant December 16, 1861 ; sergeant- major May 30, 1862; second lieutenant November i, 1862; wounded August 3, 1863; first lieutenant October 12, 1863; mustered out of service July 31, 1865. Third Battery Light Artillery. — John H. Wright, first lieutenant ; pri- vate Company B Sixth Vermont Volunteers September 7, 1861 ; first sergeant October 15, 1861 ; re-enlisted January 5, 1864; second lieuten- ant Third Battery January 2, 1864; first lieutenant July 26, 1864; re- signed and honorably discharged as second lieutenant May 29, 1865. JohnW. Marsh, second lieutenant ; private November 4, 1863 ; sergeant January i, 1864; wounded August 19, 1864; first sergeant May i, 1865- second lieutenant June 13, 1865 ; mustered out as first sergeant June IS, 1865. First Regiment of Cavalry. — Andrew J. Grover, major ; first lieuten- ant Company E October 16, 1861 ; captain Company A February i 1863; wounded May 5, 1864; major July 7, 1864; mustered out of service November 18, 1864. Ptolemy O'Meara Edson, assistant sur- geon ; commissioned November 5, 1861 ; promoted surgeon Seventeenth Vermont Volunteers April i, 1864 Samuel P, Rundlett, captain Com- pany E; commissioned October 16, 1861 ; resigned March 17, 1863. Oliver T. Cushman, captain Company E ; private October 12, 1861 ; sergeant November 19, 1861 ; second lieutenant April 10, 1862 ; first lieutenant February i, 1863; captain March 17, 1863; wounded July 6, 1863; killed in action at Salem Church, Va , June 3, 1864. Alexan- der B. Chandler, captain Company E ; private September 19, 1861 ; first sergeant November 19, 1861 ; second lieutenant March 17, 1863 ; fiist lieutenant June 4, 1864; mustered out June 21, 1865. Rosalvo A. Howard, first lieutenant Company H ; private Company F September I7i 1861 ; re-enlisted January 28, 1864; transferred to Company Hand 148 History of Windsor County. promoted first sergeant November 19, 1864; to first lieutenant April 14, 1865 ; mustered out June 21, 1865. Richard A. Seaver, second lieutenant Company E ; private October i, 1861 ; sergeant November 19, 1861 ; first sergeant; second lieutenant June 4, 1864; mustered out of service November 18, 1864. Charles N. Jones, second lieuten- ant Company E ; private September 23, 1861 ; commissioned quarter- master-sergeant November 19, 1861 ; re- enlisted December 28, 1863 • second lieutenant April 14, 1865 ; mustered out as quartermaster-ser- geant Company E June 21, 1865. Frontier Cavalry. — George B. French, captain Second Company ■ commissioned January ID, 1865 ; mustered out June 27, 1865. Francis G. Clark, first lieutenant Second Company; commissioned January 10, 1865 ; mustered out June 27, 1865. Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. The following roll of Windsor county soldiers is taken from the reports of the adjutant and inspector-general of Vermont. The town arrange- ment adopted by the compiler of that work is used here, as is also the other systems of classification. The names are arranged alphabetically. The figure and letter following each name indicate the regiment and company to which the person belonged. Town of Andovcr. — Volunteers for three years credited prior to the call of October 17, 1863 : — George W. Baldwin, 7 G, Byron C. Butterfield, 2 I, Ira C. Chase, 3 A, Isaac T. Chase, 6 E, Henry A. Comstock, 2 I, Azro B. Diggins, 9 D, George O. Dodge, 7 G, Wesley M. Dodge, 7 G, Ebene- zer Farnsworth, 4 K, John French, 9 D, Ashbel K. Gould, 4 K, Homer D. Hesselton, 9 D, Rosalo A. Howard, Cav. F, Henry Hutchins, 4 7, Charles H. Larkins, 7 G, James H Larkin, 7 G, James W. Larkin, 7 G, Henry A. Lovejoy, 2 I, Vernon A. Marsh, 2 I, Harland O. Peabody, 2 I, Daniel P. Perkins, 2 I, Olin A. Pettengill, 3 A, Erastus Sargent, 10 H, Hollis W. Sheldon, 4 K, Charles B. Taylor, 9 D. Credits under call of October 17, 1863, and subsequent calls; volunteers for three years: — Julius Cunningham, Cav. F, Philo F. Fuller, 5 E, Samuel S.' Hall, 10 H, Justus Hesselton, Cav. F, Henry M. Marsh, 1 1 G, Warren K. Spaulding, Cav. F, Cyrus S. Tuttle, Cav. F, Norman E. Tuttle, Cav. F. Volunteers re-enlisted : — Charles W. Bishop, Cav. E, Henry C. Cleveland, 6 E, Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. 149 Henry A. Comstock, 2 I, George R. Crosby, Cav. F, George O. Dodge, 7 G, Wesley M. Dodge, 7 G, Benjamin F. Dwinell, 6 E, Hiram and Major Gould, Cav. E, George W. Haskell and William C. Joyce, Cav. F, Charles H. and James W. Larkin, 7 G, Simeon L Parkhurst, 2 I, Orris Pier, 6 E, John A. Thvving and Theodore Witt, Cav. F. Volun- teers for nine months, Sixteenth Regiment, Company C : — Edward O. Carlton, Lorenzo G. Coolidge, Nathaniel P. Dodge, Daniel C. Gould, Richard C. Green, George C. Hesselton, Henry M. Marsh, Harland O. Peabody, Abram Rowell, Joel R. Spaulding. Drafted and paid commu- tation : — George P. Lincoln, Byron Stickney. Procured substitute: — William W. Pettigrew. Entered service : — John S. Marsh. To-wn of Baltimore ^ — Volunteers for three years enlisted previous to call of October 17, 1863: — Sidney F. Remis, Moses C. Rumrill. Vol- unteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863 : — George E. Bemis, Martin V. Bemis. Volunteers for one year: — Jerry Febbor, Newell Wolcott. Volunteers for nine months: — Lowell R. Bemis, William M. Holden. In United States Navy: — John A. Landgris. Town of Barnard. — Volunteers for three years credited prior to call of October 17, 1863: — Austin V. and Edgar Adams, 4 E, Joseph P. Aikens, 4 D, Milton J. Allen, 4 E, Franklin D. Angell, 1 1 H, Sylvester A. Angell, 7 C, Samuel A. C. Atwood, 4 E, Eleazer W. Bartholomew, 4 E, James Biannan, 3 F, Henry F. Buckman, Cav. E, Lyman S. Buckman and Lucien C. Bullard, 4 E, James K. P. Carlin, Thomas Car- lin, 3 F, Willard S. Caswell, 9 G, Benjamin F. Chamberlain, 11 H, George Chase, 4 E, Leander Corbell, 6 C, Josiah C. Dickey, 7 H, Gil- man Dale, Adelbert F. Gates, George M. Goff, 4 E, George W. Good- win, 9 L George A. Inman, 4 E, Edward Kelly, George H. Kelly, 7 H, Albert A. Kendall, Cav. E, Nathaniel Leavitt, Daniel Lillie, Asa- hel H. Merick, George H. Merick, 4 E, Joseph Merick, 3 F, Andrew H. Norton, 3 K, Albert C. Packard, Philander R. Packard, 2 S-S E, Harlan P. Page, 4 E, Charles B. Perkins, 7 H, Benjamin A. Rand, 4 E, Ed- ward O. and Forest E. Richmond, Cav. E, Peter F. Riley, 7 H, Mar- cella T. Russell, 1 1 H, Francis Stone, 9 I, Le Roy F. Stone, Edward Sweet, 4 E, Damon W. Townsend, 7 B, Charles Tupper, 4 E, James H. Turner, 11 H, Charles W. Walcott, 4 E, Alvin L. Walker, 2 S-S E, 150 History of Windsor County. Eldred W. Waterman, 4 E. Volunteers under call of October 17, 1863, and subsequent calls : — Willis C. Adams, 1 1 H, Charles C. and Milton J. Aikens, 3 Bat., James M. Barnes, li H, Ira Bean, Robert H. Brown, 3 Bat., Mason P. and Oscar F. Burke, 8 E, Daniel M., James C, and Joseph E. Chamberlain, 3 Bat., Walter C. Clark, 9 I, Clark C. Cook, 4 E, Simon P. Dean, 6 C, Thomas Fisher, 17 D, John Gleason, 10 -, Orwell N. Harrington, 3 Bat., William Hutchinson. 6 C, George H. Kelly, 3 Bat., Noah Lathrop, 17 H, Martin C. Lazelle, Azro D. Mirick, 3 Bat., Henry B. Needham, 17 H, Alfred E. Rand, 3 Bat., John Russell, jr., 1 1 H, Josiah G. White, 9 D. Volunteers for one year : — George C. Aikens, F"ranklin D. Angell, Cav. -, Hammond B. and Parker I. At- wood, 2 F Cav., Edward H. Bowman, Cav. — , Edwin R. and Oscar F. Campbell, Daniel Coughlin, Alexander Crowell, Emery S. Harrison, James Griffin, Augustus J. Harlow, William P. Henry, John Kelley, Cav. -, Hiram J. Luce, 9-, Ira McCullum, Cav. -, James K. Pangborn, 9 -, Loren W. Pangborn, Cav. -, William L. Stevens, 9 -, Leroy F. Stone, Cav. -, Joseph J. Winslow, 9 -, Eben M. Wilson, Henry A. Wood, 2 F Cav. Volunteers re-enlisted: — James Brannan, 3 F, Lyman S. Buckman, 4 E, Josiah C. Dickey, 7 H, Gilman Gale, Carlton Green, 4 E, Horace Hall, Albert A. Kendall, Cav. ¥^, Harlan P. Page, 4 E, Charles B. Perkins, 7 H, William H. Pond, Cav. E, Peter F. Riley, 7 H. Charles B. Sisson, Cav. E. In United States Navy: — Charles H. Al- drich, Leopold Diedering, Patrick Hayden, Thomas Kelle\', Lewis J. Lull, John Mahoney, Daniel Sweeney. Volunteers for nine months: — Austin Abbott, 16 H, Charles C. Aikens, Cyrus H. Aikens, Charles R. Ashley, 16 H, George A. Atwood, 12 B, Frank J. Bowman, Robert H. Brown, 16 G, Monroe H. Bryant, - A, Alzo Buckman, - H, Chester Cady, Edwin R. Campbell, Oscar F". Campbell, Henry R. and Joseph E. Chamberlain, Gardner Co.x, William H. Crowell, William H. Dan- forth, Charles W. Graves, 16 G, William P. Henry, 16 H, Lucian H. Kieth, Munrcie N. Kendall, Albert Leavitt, L. Dudley Leavitt, George A. and W. Leroy Lillie, Ellis N. Parkhurst, 16 G, Frank Perkins, 16 H, Anthony C. Ray, Loress Topliff, Lucian V. Tupper, Lorenzo Wheelock, Joseph J. Winslow, 16 G, Henry A. Wood, 12 B. Entered service: — Alfred E. Lucas, William W. Mirick, Benjamin A. Rand. Town of Bethel. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. 151 of October 17, 1863 : — Albert and Azro Abbott, 4 E, Calvin B. Ab- bott, 8 B, Curtis Abbott, 2 S-S H, Channing Axdell, 6 F, Archibald Baker, 4 E, Frank Bullard, 6 C, Lewis S. Bundy, 4 D, Patrick Carney, 1 1 H, Constantine Cliadwick, 1 1 H, Albert W. Chapman, 6 F, Zolva W. Chase, 8 E, Amariah C. Crane, 4 E, Kilburn Day, 8 E, Seymour G, Drurj', 6 C, FrankUn B. Dunton, 7 G, Azro Dustin, 3 E, George M. D. Dustin,2 E, Timothy Dustin, First Bat, Ezra H. Emory, 8 E, Alfred D. and Charles Fairbanks, 2 S-S E, John and Luke Fairbanks, 3 F, Curtis O. Fisher and James S. Freeland, 4 E, Levi P. French, 6 C, Daniel Granger, 6 F, John Granger, 6 F, William Greenleaf, 2 H, Carlton Green, 4 E, Newell H. Hebard, S E.Byrm Houghton, 2 -SS H, Charles N. Jones and Orvis F. Kimball, Cav. E, Robert B. Lillie, 4 E, William Magivney and Frederick H. Marks, 1 1 H, Orville Moore, 2 E, Henry E. Moshier, 2 S-S E, George W. Packard, 8 G, Charles L. Page, 4 E, Arthur and Granville Pearson, 2 E, Abel H. Putnam, 3 F, Alonzo D. Ralph, 4 E, Daniel A. Rogers, 6 F, Eugene Rogers, 8 E, James D. Rich, 1 1 H, Harry and Lyman P. Rowe, 4 E, Daniel H. Ryan, Cav. E, Collamer G. Stevens, 8 E, John Spaulding, jr., 3 F, Albert and Irwin Spooner, 4 E, Ernest B. Stuart, 9 I, William F. Tilson, 2 S-S E, James B. Tinkham, 2 E, Andrew W. Turner, 9 F, Benjamin F. Webster, 1 1 H, George Wedgwood, 8 E, Don C. Wilson, 3 F, Thomas R. and Wallace E, Williams, 2 E, William Young, 4 K, Volunteers under call of Octo- ber, 1863, and subsequent calls : — Church G. Ballcu, Horace Bannister, 8 - Lewis B. Bates, 8 E, William L. Dean, 3 Bat., William A. Dun- ham, 8 F, Tracey S. Durkee, 2 S-S E, Freeman Fifield, 9 F, William H. Fisher, 17 D, Roswell Freeman, 4 C, Levi P. French, 6 C, Almon C. Goodell, 8 K, John Granger, 8 G, Henry H. Grow, 8 E, Charles H. Hardy, 6 C, Henry C. Harlow, 17 D, William Huse, 9 H, Almeron C. Inman, 17 D, Nathaniel C. Lynds,8 D, H. Marshall Merrill, 8 E, Henry H. Miner, 8 D, William Newell, 8 E, John Pettis, 11 B, John Rice, 10 F, Loren M. Rice, 10 F, James D. Rich, 8 C, Nehemiah W. Rindge, 9 G, William H. Rollins, 9 E, Horatio N. Scott, 17 D, Ferd. Wheeler, 11 F, Don L. Willis, 17 D, Thomas Flynn, Cav. F, Joseph Lynch, 11 -, John Mack and Thomas O'Donald, Cav. -, George S. Thomas, Cav. F. Volunteers for one year: — Albert E. Abbott, Edwin E. Austin, Ed- ward P. Barnes, Azro B. Bowen, Alonzo E Chadwick, Dennis Coto, 152 History of Windsor County. Jolin H. Harrington, John Lynch, Charles W. Petty, Birney I. Pratt, J.imes M. Preston, Leroy J Sargent, Edward Tatero, Edwin F. Thresher, Lewis W. Turner, George H. Whitney, Paschal D. Whittaker. Vet- erans: — Calvin B. Abbott, Curtis Abbott, Charles Blackburn, Luke B. Fairbanks, Levi B. Goddard, Newell H Hibbard, Charles N. Jones, John Morse, Henry E. Mosier, George A. Parker, Daniel H. R}-an, John Spauldiiig. Nine months' men, Sixteenth Regiment: — D Samuel Thompson (P. M.), Henry Tulliper, C, Nelson Tulliper, C, 20 154 History of Windsor County. Daniel D. Wheeler, Henry P. White, C, William Whitlow, C, Zacheus Blood, C, Henry Rock, C, James Drury, C, Michael Eagan, C, John B. Kenny, C Sixth Regiment : — William W. Cary, E, Luther and Nathan Graves, C, Edward Kingston, C, Orrin J. Lockwood, C, Charles Luther, C, Nicholas Smith, C, Jesse C. Spaulding, C, Joseph W. Sperry, E, George D. Taylor, E, Oscar S. Tuttle, major, Hiram J. Wallace, C, William H. Ingleston, E Seventh Regiment: — Sylvanus S. Barnard, G, John H. Carlton, G, James Dumpy, G, Solomon Dutton, G, Milton L. Gilbert, G, Edward L. Hazelton, G, George M. R. Howard, G, Peter O'Connor, G, Sherman Parkhurst, I, Otto Rimely, G, Charles H. Spaul- ding, G, Charles A. Sperry, G, Lucian A. Wilson, G, Nahum Bemis, G, William P. Brown, G, George W. and William H. Ellis, G, John S. Fitch, G, Ransom G. Fuller, G, Hial W. Holdeii, G, Lowell B. Payne, G, Joseph Richards, G, Levi Rock, G, Austin J. Wilson, G, Seneca A. Wilson, B, Ward D. Wilson, G, Charles L. Adam.s, G, Newell J. Ellis, G, Henry C. Fletcher, E, Horace J. Fuller, G, Lucius A. Hesselton, G, Myron D. Hicks, A, Chancellor Page, G, Henry D. Pierce, G, Elbridge Reed, G, George Smith, A, Joseph P. Tarbell, G, Henry M. H. Thomas, A, F"rederick I'. Walker, G, George J. Wallace, G. Ninth Regiment: — Asaph Clark, D, Lucius C. Dickenson, Chap., William H. Snell, D, William W. Spaulding, D, George Strong, D. Tenth Regiment: — John Smith, H, James H. Webster, H. Eleventh Regiment: — John McNulty, G, William H. Webster, F, Wesley G. Sheldon, L, Wellington Yates, L. Sixteenth Regiment, Companies C, I, and K: — Joseph Ashley, Horace G. Atwootl, Warren Bailey, Isaac E. Barnard, Henry H. Bemis, James Bemis, Marlow Bingham, Zacheus Blood, John Cary, Henry H. Car- lisle, Melvin O. Chapman, Amos F. Grain, William B. Davis, Thomas W. Demary, Edward B. Ellis, William H. Ellis, Henry A. Fletcher, Lyman D. Foster, Jason E. Freeman, Orlow W. Fulliam, Ramson R. Fuller, Samuel A Fuller, Hial W. Holden, Charles H. Elbridge, G., George C. and Walter W. Kingston, Chester and John Langwoithy, Fd- ward F. Morgan, Charles Rice, Charles C. Spaulding, Matthew Stew.irt. Owen B Tufts, Frederick A. Wait, Jonathan B. Witherill, Lucian Wol- cott. Seventeenth Regiment : — John P. W. Barnard, G, William Clu- cas, G, Chester Langworthy, G, Edward McCormick, G, Alexander, Samuel and Matthew Stewart, G, Merritt D. White, G, Henry M., Isaac Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. 155 M. and Martin M. Windsor, G. Sharpshooters: — Merrill Bailey, Charles S. Bond, Alfonzo L. Field, Benjamin F. Giddings, Allen P. Miller, George S. Miller, Samuel J. Williams, Lyman D. Foster, Sanford Lang- worthy, Allen P. Miller. Cavalrymen : — Edmund Stone, Nathan G. B. Witherell, John O. French, George C. Kingston, Josiah T. Lyon Charles C. Spaulding, James A. White, Patrick Cronan, John Lang- worthy. Artillerymen : — Freeman C. Conant, James L. Harrington, Albert B. Adams. Volunteers found on later roll : — George L. Bur- bank, Albert S. Earl, George B. French, Henry Hardy, John L. Hem- enway, Horace E. Needham, Abel Ray, jr., Charles Sperry, Josiah D. Thompson, Joshua Upham, William H. Upton, William Whitlow. Tozvu of Chester. — A roll of the volunteers of Chester under the "calls," without regard to regiment or company. Volunteers for three years previous to call of October 17, 1863 : — Nathaniel O. Abbott, Elmer L. Adams, John S. Adams, Lorenzo Atwood, John C. Balch, PLthan A. Bailey, Sewell Barker, John L. Bemis, James E. Bolles, Charles W. Bridges, Perry S. Bridges, Ambrose O. Bryant, Lewis A. Bryant, Ara M. Carlisle, Edwin M. Carlisle, Martin V. Chapman, Warren H. Chapman, Ira E. Chase, Martin Church, Warner Church, Harvey O. Clark, Thomas R. Clark, James F. CoUis, Amos G. Cook, Henry S. Cook, Jesse Cook, Joseph Cook, Stephen F. Cook, Ezra S. Dean, Ezra M. De Camp, Augustus A. Deming, Riley Deming, James Drury, Frederick E. Duncan, Albert S. Earl, Alfred S. Earl, Ptolemy O. Ed- son, Abner W. Field, John P. Field, Joseph W. Fletcher, Lucius C. Fletcher, Otis F. Fletcher, Martin W. French, Albert W. Gibson, Will- iam O. Gibson, Willard Gilson, Horace J. Glynn, Justinian C. Glynn, Norman L. Gowing, Edmund Grady, Hiland H. Hadley, George W. Harris, George E. Hazelton, James B. Herron, William J. Hulett, Al- bert Jefts, Byron J efts, Daniel S. Johnson, Xenophon E. Lockwood, Gerald D. Marsdale, Charles A. Marshall, John L. Marshall, Myron E. Marshall, George C. Maxfield, Fletcher W. Miller, James Miller, Will- iam A. Miller, Norman A. Morris, Annis C. Noyes, Lewis O. Pierce, Gardner H. Porter, Ransom W. Rand, Alonzo H. Rice, Warren Rich- ardson, Dexter S. Roberts, Rawson .Sherwin, Crean A. Smith, Ambrose A. Stiles, Augustus B. Strong, Walter S. Tarbell, Wyman S. Walker Benjamin M. Ware, Wilber F. Ware, Dana R. Ward, B. Frank Weedon, 156 History of Windsor County. William O. Wilbur, James D. Witherell. Under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863 : — Horace G. Atwood, John Bajoin, William F. Barnes, John P. Bliss, Robert Boyd, Jeff. L. Brimmer, John M. Buckley, Elisha Collins, Robert Cowan, Homer A. Dudley, Myron S. Dudley, Ptolemy O. Edson, George W. Field, Jonas Garlack, 1 liland H. Hadley, David E- Howard, James W. Johnson, Orlando D. Johnson, Luke Kelley, George W. Kingsbury, Walter W. Kingston, John Kingsley, Preston S. Knapp, Frank Ladam, John H. Lord, Michael Lynch, Edward A. Marsh, Nathan Parker, William Powers, Silas J. Smith, Alexis Snow, Cassius M. Stick- ney. Nelson Stone, Michael Sullivan, Eugene A. Thompson, George E. Watkins, Bradlej' L. W'heeler, Edward C. Whitney, John E. Willey, Davis Williams, William Woodworth, Edward Young. Volunteers for one year: — Edward C. Adams, Lorenzo Atwood, Orrin Beard, Rodney L. Benson, Laurin A. Bolles, Azro D. Bradish, Adoniran J. Chandler, Daniel B. Chandler, Harlan W. Chandler, Francis G. Clark, William J. Clark, M. Johnson Conant, Palmetus F. Cook, William H. H. Crane, Henry A. Currier, Norman W. Earl, Francis G. Fassett, Charles H. Hewitt, Frank J. Kelley, William W. Marsh, Patrick Murphy. Clarence L. Ranville, Al- bert E. Reed, Warren W. Richardson, Putnam J. Thompson, Charles J. Tarbell, Webster W. Ward, Sidney E. Weston. Volunteers for nine months: — Albertus Archer, Irving B. Baldwin, Orrin Beard, Warren Beard, Artemas A. Blood, Harlan W. Chandler, Joel B. Clark, Elisha Collins, Palamedus F. Cook, William H. H. Crane, Charles C. Darby, lU- mer_ H. Dudley, Norman W. Earl, Theodore A. Edwards, Oliver Ellis, Andrew J. Farrar, Francis G. Fassett, Frederick J. F'itch, James A. Gould. William O. Gould, Almon M. Gould, Hiland H. Hadley, Hiram F. Hall, Henry Hardy, Thomas W. Heald, Hugh Henry, Albert S. Holbrook, Daniel P. Kingsbury, George W. Kingsbury, Henry W. Knight, Gideon E. Lee, John J. Miner, Henry A. A. Muzzy, Joseph S. Olney, George W. Paine, Joseph Piper, 2d, Arvin E. Pond, Edwin S. Reed, William Rounds, James O. Smith, George L. Spring, Charles J. Tarbell, Renselaer Tar- bell, Foster E. Taylor, Alvin L. Thompson, Putnam J. Thompson, Will- iam M. Tyrrell, Wesley L. Ware, Warren C. Williams, William Williains, Lyman G. Wood. In United States Navy : — Timothy Driscoll, Robert Emerson, Patrick J. Hasson, Michael O'Brien, John N, Young. Town of Hartford. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. 157 call of October 17, 1863: — Nathan A. Abbott, Cyrus A. Adams, Will- iam W. Bailey, Albert and Harvey Bartholomew, George F. Bemis, Ed- ward Blaisdell, Oliver Buell, Joseph Caraway, Charles Carlin, Benjamin R. Clark, Oliver Clement, Robert Courser, George A. and Timothy C. Curtis, John Cuthbert, Henry H. Daniels, Henry Davidson, Levi Dem- mon, jr., William H. Downer, Henry S. Drake, Horace S. Dutton, Will- iam A. Field, Arthur M. and Horace French, Francis Gallagher, James Gallup, James R. Oilman, Isaac Gorman, John F. Greenwood, George W. Hardy, Eli R. Hart, John S. Harvey, Charles H. Hill, Lyman Hunt, Charles, Edward W. and George Kibbee, Crowell M. Knowles, Sumner H. Lincoln, Edward Lyman, Thomas McHugh, IVToses Messier, Alvin N. Niles, Joseph C. Miner, French Morrill, Andrew H. Norton, Joseph W. Norton, Robert Orr, Samuel F. Parker, James H. Piatt, jr., Oscar and Sidney E. Pierce, Samuel E. Pingree, Charles C. Powers, Edward C. Richards, Lucian A. Rider, Daniel M. Robinson, Samuel Robinson, Will- iam H. Rock, Leonard P. Rowland, Delancy Sharp, James M. Sleeper, Martin V. Sleeper, Portus B. and Stillman N. Smith, Leander Spaul- ding, William Stafford, Henry B. Strong, Peter Terrill, Philip V. Thomas, Valorus Thurston, Edward Trask, Engedi B. LJdall, Henry M. Washburn, Charles H. Webb, Bartholomew and James Welch, Edwin W. Weston, Nelson W. Whitcomb, Willis A. Whitcomb, Henry K. White, William E. Willard, Alexis Wright, Mahlon M. Young. Volunteers under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863 : — Abraham Austin, David C. and James M. Babcock, William Baker, Charles H. Beach, Franklin H. and Kingsbury Boyd, William Brown, James Burdett, Oscar F. Burdick, Ben- jamin Chauvain, Chester Z. Cook, Francis Dew, Lewis Douse, Eli Faneuf, George E. Fogg, Joseph Foisia, Solomon B. Franklin, George B. Frost. Joseph Granger, Abram Hagar, Joseph Ham, Jeno C. Hammer, Leslie Hammond, Hial Hill, Thomas S. Hodsdon, William B. Hoyt, John Hunt, Mackson B. Lawrence, George W. Loud, George N. Mitchell, Alonzo D. Moses, Felix Rice, John Robinson, John O'Shea, Patrick Sheehe, Jason Smith, Obed Stanhope, Dexter P. Waterman, Franklin O. Willard, Lewis T. Wills, Warren W. Wrisley. Volunteers for one year: — Lyman Ar- nold, Horace Badger, Thomas Brackett, Nathan Brown, Patrick Burns, Robert Cuthbert, jr., Charles Dean, Lawrence Edwards, Dostie Fan- euf, jr., Milo H. Glidden, Franklin Holt, Albert N. Kibble, Albert J. iS8 HisTOKV OF Windsor Countv. Kimball, William H. McKinlay, Donald McLeod, Francis Monroe, Levi C. and William O. Pitkin, Malcolm H. Pollaid, Carlos S. and William B. Porter, Henry J. StartwcU, Warren Streeter, George Swineburn, George H. Tamblin, John. Thomas, Wallace B Warren, John Williams. Veter- ans: — George F. Bemis, Edward R. Caswell, Timothy C. Curtis, Calvin Dyke, Marshall P. Felch, Edward F. Gould, Thomas McHugh, Lucian A. Rider, Stillman N. Smith, William Stafford, Peter Terrell. Volun- teers for nine months : — Isaac W. Abbott, Alamandcr L. Ball, Reuben N. Barron, Frank Blaisdell, George B. Brockway, Charles Brooks, Will- iam Brothers, Nathan Brown, Charles G. Cargill, John Carlisle, Charles E. Case, Cyrenius W. Dana, Joseph R. Davis, William H. Downing, I5en- jamin C. Dutton, Richard Fisher, Charles S. Gardener, James M. Gil- bert, Loren D. Goss, Lyman O. Gunn, John Hall, Albert E., Harper, and William Hazen, Henry F, Hathaway, Orange T. Hoisington, Alan- son H. Johnson, Albert N. Kibbee, Cyrus W. Morse. James NeAvton, Francis A. R. Packard, Chris. C Pease, Charles Pierce, Amasa H. Pills- bury, Calvin Porter, Daniel W. Roberts, George Russ, Jasper H. Savage, Joseph C. Sawyer, Frank Saxey, Charles J. Sleeper, Lorenzo C. Thurs- ton, David N. Winslow, John Q. Woods. (Entered service: — Joseph Bean, Byron Hunt.) In United States Navy : — John Cane, Peter Cole, Aionzo B. Davis, James Davis, Dennis W. Downing, Joseph Hippolite, Jerry Lee, Alex. McDonald, James McGinniss, John O'Donnell, John J. H. Schmalfeldt, Samuel H. Smith, Theodore H. Smith, John Wiiite, Henry Williams. Tozv9t of Hartland. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863 :— Charles N. Allen, Roderick Bagley, Frederick Blaisdell, George H. Burrows, Charles C. Cleveland, George Colby, Charles E. Colston, 2d, Clarence E. and Oliver T. Cushmaii. Judah W. Dana, Hiram N. Davis, Aionzo Douglas, James P'allon, James French, Peter Green, Henry Holt, Charles Humphrey, Ira E. and James P. Hutchinson, Samuel H Jones, Edgar H. Leonard, Thomas F. Leonard, Allen P. Messer, Charles W. and Daniel Patch. Perry Lamphire, William H. Petrle, Frederick Remington, Austin O. Rickard, Benjamin R. Rick- ard, Benjamin Rogers, George C. Rumrill, John Sabine, Elbridge G. Thompson, Louis O. Vaughn, Zina Walker, Charles C. Warren, John H. Willard, Seneca Young. Volunteers under and subsequent to call of Oc- Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. 159 tober 17, 1863 : — David Barber, Dana Boyd, Alnieron Burnham, Henry Clark, Daniel M. Clough, John Cook, John A. Cutler, Harry Durphey, William H. Durphey, David A. Elkins, Josiah Elkins, jr., William R. Elkins, Charles D. Fairbanks, John Flynn, Robert Gannon, Ira A Had- dock, Francis D. Hale, Austin Hazzard, Benjamin C. Hill, Stephen S. Huntley, George J. Hurley, Joseph Jones, Moses M. La Fayette, James Mack, George Martin, Henry May, Joseph Mayo, John McCartliy, Syl- vester O. Merc, James Murphy, Andrew Nichols, Henry Park, Benjamin F. Rickard, Horace and Roger Sargent, George E. Startwell, Heaton B. Skinner, John E. and Richard Smith, Elisha S. S()aulding, John J. Tem- ple, Henry Tilden, Patrick Tobin, Ransom C. White, David Wright. Volunteers for one year : — Corneliu-^, Cyrus R. and Dwight Bagley, Asa M. Benway, Frederick E. Hlaisdell, John D. Blanchard, John W. Doug- lass, Thomas L. Geer, Allen Gilson, Hiram K. King, Heman C. Orcutt. F"ranklin Parker, William H. Petrie, James M. Sleeper, Gains S. Thomp- son, Andrew J. and Zina Walker, Richard Wheeler, Albert Willard, Thomas A. Willard, Hosea B. Young. Volunteers re- enlisted, veterans: — Allen W. Berry, Henry R. Brannock, Thomas H. Fargo, Henry H. Hast- ings, John Jerlisan, John King, Thomas F. Leonard, William Munger. Martin V. Sleeper, John H. Willard. Volunteers for nine months : — Charles O. Alexander, William J. Allen, Cyrus R. and William W. Bag- ley, Thomas J. Benjamin, John W. Bramble, Sidney W. Brown, John F- Colston, Oscar P and Ozro P. Davis, -William W. Dodge, Ferdinand Fallon, Carlos Fulton, Ethan A. Giles, John S. Hardy, Benjamin F- Hatch, Benjamin D. Hathaway, Lorenzo D. Kidder, Reuben N. Lani- phear, Thomas Leiiahan, Andrew C. and Lewis J. M. Marcy, Joseph Mayo, James P. Nash, Lucian W. Rice, Andrew T. Richmond, Augus- tine W., Cliarles C, Daniel W. and William W. Rogers, James W. Rogers, Daniel Short, James M. Sleeper, George W. Spear, John J. Tem- ple, Thomas Tracey, John B. and Sanford M.Whitney, Clinton J. Willard- Li United States Navy: — Nehemiah L. Angell, Thomas Callahan, James Conway, Frank CrisC'^, David Di.xon, John Dooley, John Gallaghar. John W. Griffith, Andrew Hanson, Peter Hanson, Jeremiah Harrigan' Thomas F. Henway, Erva Johnson, Thomas Kelley, Antonio Lopez. Ned McDonald, Elbert O Rhodes, Thomas Table, John Tower, Horace Watkins, Robert Welch. i6o History of Windsor County. Town of Ludlow. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1S63 : — Daniel O., John W. and Wayland Adams, Ed- ward E. Balcli, James F. BaKluin, John and William J. Barrett, Dorman and Rufus F. Barton, Leonard P. Bingham, Charles W. Bishop, Iliram P. Bixby, John M. Buckley, George B. Burbank, William A. Chapin, jr., Jasper N. Clark, Henry C. Cleveland, William A. Clement, Henry F. Colby, Daniel F. and John T. Coolidge, Thomas R. Cummings, Leander D. Davis, Lorenzo A. Dodge, Charles W. Dow, Erwin M and Jesse B. Dunbar, Henry F. Dutton, Addison F. Eaton, Sewall P2llison, Patrick Finnigan, Benoni B. and Volney S. Fullam, Freeman H. Fuller, Albert and Oscar Gassctt, Michael Gilligan, James T. Gorham, Elbert M. and Enos M. Gould, Hiram Greeley, Josiah M. Green, Martin E. Grover, Artemas W. Hall, Joseph L. Hastings, Lowell W. and Prescott R. Haven, Daniel D. and Henry G. Hemenway, Abner C. and Moses P. Hesselton, Oramel G. Howe, Daniel Keating, Francis Kelley, Patrick C. Kennedy, Henry li. Lawrence, Arthur Little, Henry H. Mandigo, Albert A. May, Alonzo E., Armin E.and Charles W. Moore, Sylvester H. Parker, Sim- eon L. Parkhurst, Salmon E Perham, Orris Pier, Henry L. and John B. Pollard, Augustus H. Pratt, Charles A., Joseph U., and Sullivan E. Reed, Henry H. Riggs, Augustus L. Roberts, Levi Rock, Duane O. and Ulric T. Ross, Frank B. and Henry H. Sargent, Alphonzo and George M. Sawyer, Erastus M. Simmonds, Hiram Snell, Fred B. Stickney, Syl- vester C. Strong, Isaac N. Wadleigh, Freeman Wakefield, Asahel S. Whitcomb, R. Elmore Whitney, Charles H. Wyman. Volunteers under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863: — Marlow and Leonard P. Bingham, William H. H. Chapman, Lucius Ingalls, Samuel Langdon, Horatio S. Lockwood, James Pollard, Charles Snow, George F. Spafford, Freeman Wakefield, Edwin H. Wheeler. Volunteers for one year: — Al- bert N. and Albertus J. Archer, F"red H. Barlow, F"red G. Barnard, Sam- uel Bell, Timothy Daily, jr., Hazen F. Fletcher, James Frazier, Benoni B. Fullam, Edward H. Green, James M. Hastings, jr., John Hayes, Charles H. Horwill, Patrick C. Kennedy, Edgar May, Peter McMorton, Francis A. Moore, Jonathan H. and Joseph U. Reed, Thomas Riley, Asahel J. Root, Lyman K. Sartwell, Byron and Milo Smith, John Snell, Alex, and Moses Snow, Samuel R. Taylor, John Withington, John P. Woodis. Volunteers re-enlisted, veterans : — Daniel O. Adams, Norman Archer, Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. i6i Freeman H. Fuller, Enos M. Gould, Martin E. Grover, Lowell W. Haven, Albert A. May. Volunteers for nine months: — Frederick G. Barnard, Marquis J. Bixby, Martin V. B. Clark, Hazen Fletcher, Charles Horwill, James M. Hastings, jr., Daniel Johnson, Zonal C. Lamb, Orlando S. Os- born, Benjamin F. Pettigrew, Surry M. Ross, Darwin R. Sargent, Milo Smith. John Snell, Michael Sullivan, Leonard R. Warren, Lysander Whitney, John E. Willey. Entered service : — Albert and Alvin Chap- man, James H. Porter, Martin Wyman. Town of Norwich. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October t/, 1861 : — William Bicknell, George Bills, Horace and William H. Blood, Franklin Chamberlain, William H. Colburn, William H. H. Covey, Lewis and Simeon Currier, Lewis H. Dutton, John G. Fowler, Myron D. Gibbs, Charles A Goddard, James B. and Leonard H. Goodrich, Daniel and George W. Hall, Henry H. Hatch, James C. Hebard, Joseph L. Hilton, Allen H. and William H. Hopson, Alonzo B. Hutchinson, Augustus H. Johnson, Henry H. and William A. Kimball, Charles A. and Henry W. Knapp, George Lamphere, Albert, Charles M. and George Messenger, Edwin M. Noyes, Frederick Pennock, Charles A. and James M. Sargent, George W. and Henry Silver, Ransom A. Slack, John G. Smalley, Edward M. Sprout, George W. Taylor, William Tillerson, Silas N. Turner, Martin L. Wallace, Danforth Willey, John H. and Thomas K. G. Wright, Horace and Henry I. Yarrington. Volun- teers for three years under and subsequent to October 17, 1863 : — Cal- vin S. Adams, John Andrews, George E. Austin, Elisha T. Bedle, John Bowker, Albert Buswell, William E. Carpenter, Alonzo D. Clapp, Bur- chard Clough, Almon G. and William H. Coon, Bradford M. Crawford, George Currier, Oscar F. Davis, Joseph Doucette, George M. Eastman, William T. Gammell, l''reeman and George W. Gee, Marshall C. Goff, Charles W. Hartwell, Abel C. and George B Hebard, Peter Hemery, Justin G. Hinds, Charles Holt, William H. Hopson, Seaver Howard, Ben- jamin F. Kimball, Daniel Kimball, Willard Low, Alexis Marcotte, Will- iam McDonald, Seth McNorton, Cliftbrd Menior, George and Robert R. Morey, James R. Neal, George W. Nye, Merrill J. Piper, Edwin R. Ray, George W. Reynolds, Peter Riley, Isaac Shaddick, Henry W. Slate, Henry Taylor, Bernard Thompson, Fred Tracy, Patrick Welch, Charles B. Whitcomb, James H. Wilkey, Alexis B. and John H. Wright, Merrill 21 i62 History of Windsor County. E. and William P. Yarrington. Volunteers for one year : — Charles H. Bartlett, John E. Jenks, James Johnson, Julius Terry. Volunteers re- enlisted, veterans: — George A. Curtis, Erastus Doyle, Joseph Gadbois, Reuben W. Holland, Alpha Kimball, Oscar M. Parkhurst. Volunteers for nine months : — Aaron P. Alger, Edwin L. Ballard, Levi Benson, John B. and William L. Brown, Charles Caswell, Richard A. Colburn, Charles B. Converse, Daniel Currier, Orange P. Outing, William A. Danforth, Lewis H. Fowler, Henry G. Hawkins, Franklin Holt, David H. Huggett, Edson, Samuel and William H. Hutchinson, Lemuel R. Jenney, Michael Kelly, Thomas Marcotte, Benjamin F. Messenger, George S. Morris, Her- bert B. Slack, Charles L. Swazey, George R. and Harrison H. Thurstin, James B. Tracey, Charles H. Waterman, Charles P. and Rudolphus W- Wood (entered service), Samuel W. Shattuck. Town of Plymouth. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863: — Alfred, Foster E. and Norman Archer, Mi- chael W., SethW. and Thomas O. Barker, Moses P. Bates, Eugene F.Bel- lows, Daniel F. Bennett, Henry R. Blanchard, Ormer D. Butler, Henry D. Carpenter, Ira D. Chamberlain, William Coffin, Winslow A. Colb\-, Philip W. Crosby, Andrew A. Edgerton, Willard T. Emery, Henry S. Foster, Daniel H. Gilson, Pembrook S. Grover, Eleazer A. Hall, Al- phonso E., Edwin A. and Joseph F. Headle, Andrew J. Holt, David S. and Luther Johnson, jr., James Kavanaugh, Simon Lesage, Warren S. Leslie, Daniel McKane, Timothy Messer, William H. Munroe, Charles H. Morse, Joseph F. Newton, George W. and Henry M. Parker, Edson and Samuel L. Pinney, Elbridge W. Prior, Eben Rand, Frank Roys, Joseph S. Sawyer, Seneca W. Taylor, Triffley Vansalette, Orick R. Ward, Alonzo and Eben Whitney, Solomon D. Wilder. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863: — Charles Archer, Stephen M. Butler, Smith M. Clay, Nathan Cummings, jr., Joseph A. and Sylvanus Davis, Joseph H. Eaton, Jason Ellis, Abel T. Gates, Alfred Gilbert, ThaddeusS Grover, Philip Hawkins, Nelson D. Knight, Andrew A. Miner, Erwin N. and Marvin Pinney, John Y. Raistrick, Charles C. Sawyer, Amos A. Smith, George D. Stowell, Benjamin Wilder,jr., Charles Williams. Volunteers for one year : — Lewis E. Ackley, Joseph C. Brad- ley, Charles H. Cilley, Lyman H. Cummings, Patrick Fagan, James Hubbard, Henry C. Leslie, Edward S. Morgan, Leroy W. Sawyer, Edwin Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. 163 P. and Peyton Tarble. Volunteers re-enlisted, veterans: — Michael H. and Thomas O. Barker, Ira T. Chamberlain, Winslow A. Colby, Daniel H. Gilson, William Hanley, Nathaniel Hazelton, Joseph F. Headle, An- drew J. Holt, Daniel Macaine. In the United States Navy : — Daniel Barry, Evelyn R. Carpenter, Christopher C. Hall, James Hubbard, Pat- rick Vaughn. Volunteers for nine months : — Abner P. and Franklin L. Archer, Leonard H. Bailey, Moses P. Baldwin, Amos H. Coolidge, Henry O. Cummings, Hezron Day, Volney L. Earl, Thomas Grove, Chris C. Hall, Orville M. Hudson, James C. Johnson, William E. Knight, Lorenzo D. and Henry J. Miner, Alfred T., Levi B. and Luther F. Moore, John W. Pierce, Leroy W. Sawyer, Norman Taylor, Eli M. Ward, Ezra M. Weston. Town of Pomfrct. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863 : — Milo P. Adams, Hollis F. and Joshua Allard, Levi F. Barnably, Allen W. Berry, Austin, Dustin J. and William Boyn- ton, John A. Burbank, Calvin C. Cabot, Alex. B. and Edward Chandler, George Clapp, Ciiarles E. Cowen, John W. Currier, Daniel C. Dana, Antoine Duphany, Joseph Duphiney, Aaron H. Gaige, Edward P. Ha- zen, Joseph Luce, John and Oramell Morse, Edgar Ordway, John W. Perkins, Alonzo C. Reed, Owen C. Riley, Harrison Rodgers, Richard A. and Thomas O. Seaver, Charles W. and Henry O. Smith, Asa H. Snow, Charles D. Stafford, Melvin A. Stevens, William J. Strong, Lucius B. Thomas, John H. Vaughn, Franklin VV. Wallace, Francis R. Wallace. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863: — Tufifield Amlaw, Charles Baraw, Erastus H. Buck, Henry Car- penter, George E. Clough, Chauncey Cronk, Nelson Drown, Henry L. Dike, Thomas W. Elkins, Robert Erwin, Daniel B. French, Dana Fuller, Mark Harrington, Eber H. Jenkins, Ellis T. Lamberton, John La Marsh, James N. Leach, Warren B. Layton, William Martin, Edgar Ordway, Edgar Petit, Joseph A. Pilkin, Horace Rollins, Joseph Ward, Chester C. Wheeler. Volunteers for one year: — Collamer P. and Ira A. Abbott, John M. Barron, Lewis Blair, John H. Chandler, Lauriston F. Danforth, Rufus Gay, Charles W. Harlon, Alba L. Jillson, John C. Keith, Frank Martin, Edward B. Maxham, John and William R. McCue, Thomas Mee, Charles E. Pilkin, William Pluden, Harrison Rogers, James Scott, Theron A. Thatcher, Harry B. Thomas, Charles H. Wood. Volunteers i64 History of Windsor County. re-enlisted, veterans: — Albert W. Allen, Hollis F. Allard, Franklin P. Flynn, Reuben W. Hayward, John Morse, Sylvester M. Snow. Vol- unteers for nine months: — William H. Adams, William P. Atwood, Ira Bean, Lewis Blair, James C. Bianchard, Harvey N. Bruce, John H. Chandler, Charks L. Clifford, Humphrey W. Colburn, John S. Currier, Henry M. Harding, Edgar and George W. Harrington, Stephen Hewitt, John E. Howland, Seneca B. Howland, John C. Keith, Henry E. King, EUi.T T. Lamberton, Henry O. and Orvis F. Leonard, Edwin B. Max- ham, Crosby P. Miller, Ora Paul, jr., Charles H. Seaver, Hial P. Leavy, Nelson Snow, Greenbush Strong. In United States Navy: — George Baker, Michael Dewey, Dennis Grady, Peter Mellen, John McKenna, Timothy Murphy, Benjamin Robinson, John D. Sullivan. Toivn of Reading. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863: — William E. Amsden, Martin J. Bixby, Alphonzo Powers, Oscar B. Bryant, /\ndrew J. Butler, Anson O. and Frank J. Co- burn, John Crosby, Elmer A., Nelson W. and Norman E. Emerj% Henry E. Giddings, CoUamer E., Forest D. and Henry H. Giddings, Charles C. Grant, Philip Halpin, George O. Hawkins, Henry C. Hoadley, Philemon Holden, Elmer G. Holmes, Orro A. Jenness, Napoleon B. Johnson, Gould D. Keyes, Edmund F. Mahoiiey, Henry T. Marsh, William O. Messenger, James H. Noyes, George W. Pierce, Simon H. Spalding, Edwin S. Spear, Samuel B. Twiss, Henry O. Wait, Kosciusko Whitte- more, Lucius O. Wilkins, Wallace W. Wilkins, Charles M. Williams. Volunteers under and subsequent to call of October 17, l86j: — Alza- man D. Amsden, George E., George S. and James A. Brown, George J. Bundy, Andrew J. and Oliver B. Butler, Joseph Casavant, James F. Collins, John Corcoran, Levi A. Cross, Edward W. Demary, Andrew J. Drownie, Herbert A. Drown, Daniel Dunn, Philip D. Duphinney, Still- man O. Gay, Benjamin F. and Hiram A. Giddings, Noah W. Gray, Henry D. Hagar, John W. Holmes, Henry E.Kellogg,Albert W.Lang, Al- fred G. Lawrence, Hobart J. Marr, John Mason, Lewis W. Merrill*. Henry A. Miner, George Pappineau, Peter Pifer, Nathaniel Pifer, Andrew Rich- ards, John Sharmen, Bryan Shay, FelixValley, Edwin L.Wells, Harry P. Willey. Volunteers re-enlisted, veterans: — Charles C. Grant, James H. Hays, Henry C. Marsh, Edwin S. Spear, Henry O. Wait, Herman J.White. Volunteers for nine months: — Alzaman D. Amsden, Henry N. Bryant, Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. 165 Ambrose D. and Elton F. Buck, George M. Clark, Cornelius J. Cush- man, Edmund P. Davis, Edward W. Demary, Floyd W. and George O. Hawkins, David Hoisington, Elmer D. and William W. Keyes, Moses Nichols, Edward M. North, Edwin M. Paige, Dennison Parker, Lucien Philips, Edgar C. Price, William A. and William D. Wait, Joseph D. Weston, Azro Wliite. In United States Navy: — Declan O'Brien. Toivn of Rochester. — Volunteers for three jears credited previous to call of October 17, 1863: — Erastus S. Austin, Daniel Barkman, Alfred Barkman, Charles C. Beckwith, Horace A. and Truman L. Brink, Henry H. Chaffee, Royal M. Churchill, DauielJ^J. Coolidge, Edward S. Cooper, John and Lucius M. Dutton, Charles H. Dyer, George W. Eaton, Charles B Fiske, Volney R. F"landers, Henry and Roswell Freeman, Austin F. Gillett, Lucius W. Griswold, William C. Henry, Thomas P. Humphrey, Moses C. Hunt, James D. Huntington, John Ingleston, Daniel L., Jared L and William H. Jones, Charles E. and George C. Keith, Albert and Malcom G. Kinsman, Elbridge J. and Herman L Knowlton, George E. Marsh, Burnap A., Charles S. and George H. Mastin, Edgar W. and Ed- win J. McWain, Jacob Messer, Delos Permeter, James M. Pixley, La Fay- ette Richardson, Fred Richmond, David Root, Edward M. Savage, Hi- land H. Shipman, Henry Simmons, Harman C. and Thomas A. Smith, Ira A. Stevens, Henry C. Swan, Henry L. Terry, Hiram E. Thatcher, Fred C. and George D. Tilden, Clarence G. Tinkham, Ransom W. Towle, Erastus W.Ward, Andre M., Harry A. and Henry C.Washburn, John O., Robert B.. Martin D., Varnum B. and William P. Whitney, David L. Willey, Elbridge S. Williams, Benjamin M. Wood. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863 : — Ransom Badger, Darwin A. and Truman L. Brink, Charles W. Brooks, Ira P. Buck, Hiram W. Campbell, Solomon C. Comstock, James M. Grossman, Alfred and Henry A. Eaton, Henry T. Goodyear, Theodore H. Hall, John H. Holton, Joseph Huntington, Huntington M. Lamb, Elmer J. Leonard, Patrick Nally, Henry D. Newton, Luther I. Palmer, John V. Pearson, John F. Pillsbury, Alfred M. Richardson, Thomas J. Ryan, Ed- ward M. Savage, Luther Spencer, jr., Charles F. Van Gilder, Andrew J. Washburn, Joshua Whitney. Volunteers for one year: — George Allen, Charles J. and Willard J. Bisbee, Ira M. Brown, Sylvester Clark, Royal E. Durkee, David and Francis A. Eaton, Dean B. and Julius G. Fas- i66 History of Windsor County. sett, Joseph Flanders, Sherman Harrington, Ira V. Keith, Harry J. Kid- der, Joseph H. Newton, Lyman D. Rhodes, David Root, Nelson J. Thresher, Andre M. Washburn, Orville A. Wiggins. Volunteers re- enlisted, veterans : — Erastus S. and Truman M. Austin, Horace A. Brink, Henry H. Chaffee, John Button, William H. Jones, La Fayette Richardson, Irvin Spooner, Ira A. Stevens, Ransom W. Towle, Cyrus O. Whitney, David L. WiUey. Alfred Tensmyer, recruit. Volunteers for nine months : — Edwin E. and George E. Austin, Merrill Bean, Syl- vester Clark, Henry H. Clough, Milton Crossman, Eugene E. and Henry A. Eaton, Julius G. Fassett, William Gifford, George R. Miner, Charles Morse, jr., Stillman J. Perkins, Joel B. Smith, Wallace W. Towle, Will- iam J. Walker. In Navy: — Daniel B. Ball. Entered service: — Henry Freeman, Edward Morse, Lucius H. Taylor. Toivii of Royalton. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863: — Cyrus and George S. Adams, Joseph W. Bailey, Henry L. and Nahum C. Baker, Mason Barney, Joseph D. Beck- with, Elisha T. and Thomas Beadle, Orville Bixby, Horatio C. and Lancelot K. Blake, James F. Bourne, Benjamin F. Bowman, Edwin H. Chadwick, Fred W. Chamberlain, Charles B. Cleveland, Oscar Coburn, Horace B. Cole, Harrison Dewey, Calvin Dike^ George A. DodgCi Francis P. Ellsworth, William Fallon, George Farmer, William H. Fay, John M. Fish, William S. Foster, Amos Gee, Collins F. Gifford, George N. Harper, Caleb Haynes, Charles E. Holmes, William Hopkins, James Hovendon, Silas W. and Thomas B. Howard, Jesse W. Johnson, Tim- othy Kiley, Henry E. Kinsman, Anzin, Charles A. and George F. Luce, Harvey J., Horace H. and Joel F. Lyman, Daniel A. Mack, Charles C. Morey, Henry H. Osgood, Charles A. Paige, George W. Pierce, Pres- ton A. Rand, Joseph Rollinson, Benjamin A. Root, Samuel P. Rundlett, William H. Sanborn, John F. Shepard, George F. Shettleworth, Henry A. and Henry C. Smith, Alonzo D., Nathan D., Reuben and Richard G. Spalding, Cornelius Stevens, Elbridge A. Stockwell, Luman C. Tenney, Joseph A. Trask, Oramel H. and Owen R. Vesper, Albigence and Dill- ingham Waldo, Alonzo L. Waterman, Wesley Watts, Henry H. Wheeler, Bliss P. and Edward S. Wills, James A. Wolcott. Volunteers under and subsequent to call of October 1 7, i i^l : — Oliver E. Adams, Prosper Allard, Irving H. Atwood, Charles C. and Eugene T. Beedle, Will- Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. 167 iam B. Bement, John A. Cilley, Henry C. Cleveland, John W. Conant, Charles C. and George E. Coy, Seymour Culver, Henry H. Deiinison, Carlos E. Farnham, Amon S. Haney, George S. Harper, John Hatch, Carter Houston, George Kilburn, Julius M. Lathrop, Daniel W. Love- joy, Aurin F. Luce, Joel F. Lyman, Marshall Morey, Marquis L. Met- calf, Lorenzo D. Miller, George W. Smith, George A. Wales, Edward S. Wills. Volunteers for one year: — Harnden W. Benson, George A. Bingham, Frank Blanchard, Abraham C. Bowen, Albert H. Bowman, George S. Bridge, Alonzo Clark, Albert R. Cowdry, Carlos B. and Milo H. Cushman, Charles P. Coy, Pliney E. Davis, jr., George T. Driggs, George W. Ensworth, Lavgas Gee, Gilbert Granger, Harry W. Hastings, Charles H. Johnson, John G. Lasure, Daniel W. Lovejoy, Edward F. Lyman, David Martin, Henry E. Morse, Alfred Paige, George H. Pierce, Frank F. Reynolds, Joseph A. Robinson, Eugene W. Rolfe, Jason S. Royce, Oliver H. Stevens, Myron Fuller, Albert M., Henry R. and Willard G. Waldo, Hastings A. Willey. Volunteers re-enlisted : — George S. Adams, Lancelot K. Blake, Benjamin F. Bowman, William H. Fay, William S. Foster, Daniel B. George, Orville E. Moure, Charles C. Morey, Alonzo D. Spalding, Orrin R Vesper, James A. Wolcott. In United States Navy : — Benjamin F. and George W. Waldo. Volunteers for nine months : — Oliver A. Atwood, Royal F. Baker, Warren F. Ben nett, Henry Clark, William D. Conant, Carlos C. and Charles P. Coy Franklin Dennison, George W. Dewey, Alba M. Fay, John H. Fowler, Frank Hall, Philip Howard, Charles H. Johnson, Kendrick J. Kinney Amos Leavitt, jr., Dwight P. Lesure, Daniel W. Lovejoy, Edgar B Metcalf, William D. Paige, Perry F". Pierce, James E. Riddle, Henry J and Thomas S Russ, John C. Sanborn, Charles P. and Oliver H. Stevens Benjamin F., George W., Joseph W., William and Willard L. Waldo Marvin H. Wheeler. Town of Sharon. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863: — Augustus A. Atwood, Stillman S. Avery, William H. Barron, Hiram K. Blanchard, John H and Samuel B. O. Bruce, Edward W. Dam, George Day, George F. and James A. Dock- ham, George W. Flanders, James Fox, George E. Gardner, Joel Gile, Charles W. Howe, George W. Hubbard, Langdon Kemp, William A. Kneeland, Jefferson M. Ladd, Chester B., George L. and Rufus R. i68 History of Windsor County. Morse, John Munsell, James N. Preston, John C. Quimby, Riley C. Rogers, David VV. Sanborn, Charles H. Sawyer, Francis Y., George P. and Sylvester M. Snow, Elbridge G. Spalding, Albert V. Trowbridge, George J. Walker, Silas H. White, Hiram A., Hollis L. and Joel Willey. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863 : — Harry, jr , and Joseph D. Bruce, John Davelin, William DeWitt, Luther C. Fay, Gardner W. Gibson, Edward H. Joyce, George H. and Oramel Kendall, Michael Murphy, John D. Nelson, Franklin B. and Nelson C. Roberts, Alvora M. Sargent, Henry M. Simmonds, Daniel A- Walbridge, George W. Willey. Volunteers for one year: — Alphonzo A. and William Badger, Charles E. Bent. William H. Eaton, WilberW. Howe, James N. Hunt, Joseph Jordon, George Knapp, Patrick Mona- han, Nathaniel B. Nickerson, Riley G Rogers. Volunteers re-enlisted: — James A. Dockham, Joel Gile, Hiram A. Willey. In United States Navy : — Royal F. Baker, George W. Flanders, Thomas Horn, John Kelley, John Kelley, 2d, Andrew W. and Andrew Lovejoy, Ralph B. Snow, Hi.nry Spalding, Oscar W. Stoughton. Volunteers for nine montl.s: — Alphonzo and George W, Badger, Alonzo Clark, Luther C. Fay, Oscar F. Fowler, George Knapp, William Martin, Charles B. Nor- ton, Daniel L Parkhurst, Albert Preston, Nelson C. Roberts, Don C. Slack, William W. Smith, William W. Stevens, Charles E., George A., George W. and Henrj' S. Willey Entered service: — Hiram K. Blanch- ard, James M. Preston. Totvn of Springfield — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863: — Harrison J. Adams, Albert W. Allen, Andrew A. Bailey, Alonzo Baker, Thomas C. Ball, Lewis J. Barnes, Charles L. and George F. Bates, James E. Bisber, Charles A. Bixby, William H. Blodgett, Harrison H. Brewer, Emerson A. Boynton, John Carmod)', King A. Chilson, Linus O. Chittenden, Albert S. Ciapp, James H. Clark, William N. Cobb, William and James B. Coffin, Henry M., Marvin J. and Seymour O. Cook, Frederick Crane, Charles E. Cut- ler, George M., Hiram, John G. and Olcutt Damon, Frank B. and Seth V. Davis, William L. Dodge, Henry Dunbar, Jasper W. Dutton, Norris Edwards, Samuel H. R. Emery, Jasper L. Esterbrook, George E. Farns- worlh, George E. Farrington, Allen P. and Edwin J. Flanders, Horace W. Floyd, David N. Follis, William Frost, Franklin, Hiram, Major and Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. '69 Norman Gould, Francis and Leighton W. Griswold, Abner B. Hale, William D. Hall, Austin Harlow, Edwin D. Hatch, Edward Hayes, Charles F. Haywood, Elijah J. Herrick, James and Michael Hogan, John C. Holmes, Fry B. Hopkins, George B. Hopkins, Jonathan C. Howe, Lucius T. Hunt, Frank Johnson, George P. Knight, Levi P. Leland, Henry L. Leonard, Ira and Roswell Lockwood, John A. Lyons, Thomas Madigan, Patrick Mallon, Henry E. Marsh, Horace and James M. Martin, Oscar F. Mason, Horace E. Meacham, Theodore Merrill, John E. Miller, Charles Morse, John Murphy, Madison M. Myrick, Julius C. Newton, Wilson L. Nourse, Charles Oliver, Moses Olney, Will- iam N. Parker, Lemister M. Parks, Edwin A. Pease, Marcus L. Perham, William H. Perkins, Hubbard H. Phillips, Loomis A. Pierce, Charles F. Piper, William H. Pond, Benjamin F. Putnam, George H. and Joseph S. Randall, Allen Reed, Benjamin Rice, John Robinson, 2d, Charles F., Emerson M., Henry A., John W. and Joseph P. Rumrill, Daniel L. Shaw, Charles T. Sleeper, Elliott W. and Nathan Smith, Wesley H. Spafiford, George P. Spring, George M. Stanley, John Stevens, John F. Scott, Martin A. Stowell, Oscar E. Taylor, Ransom T. Thompson, Wheelock G. Veazey, Charles Waiteman, Abram J., Benjamin F., Pliny P. and William Walker, Charles Wheeler, Fred D. Whipple, Emerson E., Franklin B. and George H. Whitcomb, John M. White, Edward T. Wil- cox, Henry C. and William F. Williams, Salmon Winchester, George D. Woods, Francis Z. Zuille. Volunteers under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863: — Harrison S. Adams, Silas Albee, RoUa and Sam- uel Barker, Aram Bingham, John Butler, Robert Carlton, Leighton M. Cass, Abram S. and Charles A. Cook, Chauncey L. Corbin, Emerson E. Davis, Jerry B. Emery, Hiram C. Fairbanks, James Fay, George A. French, William Gard, Abel H. Grennell, Thomas Griswold, Charles and Horace Hamilton, Charles Henry, Horatio M. Holmes, Charles P. John- son, Benjamin S. Kendricks, Owen Kenney, Reuben S. Kirk, William A. Kneeland, John O. Knowlton, Corin Ladd, John La France, William Manning, Richard McDonald, Charles Morse, Mark Nugent, Myron E. Parker, Henry Perham, Frank Perry, Samuel C. Powers, Jeremiah Quirk, Michael F. Randall, Robert Robinson, Roswell W. Royce, Luman C. Rumrill, Thomas Shaw, La Forest M. Smith, Almon J. Spaulding, Wesley H. Spaftbrd, Daniel W. Staples, David Stokes, Timothy Sullivan, George 22 I/O History of Windsor County. Turner, Thomas Walwick, William L. Whitcomb, John With. Volun- teers for one year: — Albert R. Ayers, James B. Coffin, Aaron D. Da- mon, Herbert W. Davis, George Demary, George H. Farnsworth, Mar- shall P. Frost, Orwell Fullam, Noah T. Gile, William A. Lee, John T. and William A. Lewis, Leander C. Lockwood, James A. Partridge, James F. Roby, Richard K. Russell, Harley C. Seaver, Thomas Sexton, John C. and William E. Slason, Abner E. T. Smith, John O. and Osmon A. Spring, George A. Walker, Edward P.. White, Charles A. Williams. Volunteers for nine months: — John H. Albee, James H. Allen, Albert Ayers, Henrj' E. Benson, William B. Blanchard, Simon N. Brownson, Horace H. Burbank, Thomas Carmody, Abram S., George S. and Wal- ter Cook, John D. Cutler, Henry C. Davis, Granville S. Derby, Isaac and Londas G. Ellis, David Fairbanks, Lewis Graham, George G. Gregg, Thomas Griswold, Henry Harlow, Walter S. Heminway, Albert D. L., Charles G. and Russell S. Herrick, David A. and Leonard E. Henry, Hannibal L. Holden, Elbridge W. Hewey, Orlando Hutchins, Hilliard P. Jones, Francis F. Kenney, George S. Kingsbury, Dexter B., Frederick A. and Hoyt B. Lockwood, Francis' Long, George J. Martin, Alvin H. Mason, Horace E. Meacham, Horace, John W. and Zimri Messenger, Rossendel J. Messer, Lucian R Nourse, Barney W. and Myron K. Par- ker, David W. Parkhurst, Nathan Perry, Orrin Putnam, Luther W. Ran- dall, Frank F. Rice, Orrin Rice, 2d, William H. Rogers, Levi Rumrill, Charles H. Russell, David F. Safiford, Thomas Saxton, William H. H. Slack, Samuel F. Slade, Hiram D. Spafford, Almon J. Spaulding, Nor- man B. Stone, James Tarbell, Pliny E. Washburn, James P. Way, Bart- lett E. and Marshall B. White, Samuel Whiting, Adin H. Whitmon-, Robert Whitsitt, Henry P. Wilson, Henry A. Wt.od, John P. Woodis. Entered service: — Ryland N. Bullard, Darius and Nelson Parker, Hamblin and Haskell B Rumrill. Volunteers re-enlisted : — William H. Blodgett, Emerson A. Boynton, Warren II. Chapman, Harvey O. Claik, Edwin J. P'landeis, Henry S. Foster, Norman Gould, Abner B. Hale, Joshua N. Holbrook, Levi P. Leland, Ira Lockwood, George H. Mellisli, Lemister M. Parks, Adam B. and William H. Perkins, Oscar Pierce, Charles F., Henry A., John W. and Moses C. Rumrill, Edmund Stone, Willis W. Wood. To7t»i of Stockbridgc. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to Roll ok Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. 171 call of October 17, 1863 : — Amasa and Cyrus Adams, Lyman C. Aldrich, Selden Barnes, Charles and William H. Blackburn, Norman H. Blanch- ard, Francis A. Boutwell, Edward C. and George A. Brown, John Burn- ham, Bingham H. Caswell, Elias B. Claflin, Henry W. Collins, Tliomas R. Cunningham, Edward J. Curtis, Benjamin F. Gearing, Edgar J. Gaffield, Levi B. Goddard, William B. Hepworth, George H. and Hiram A. Kim- ball, Reiiselaer Longly, Jabez R. Ma.xham, John E. Morse, Stephen M. Pingree, Benjamin M. and Fernando L. Rumrill, Myron E. Savage, Franklin S. Sawyer, John A. Scabie, James M. and Lyman J. Smith, Rodney R. Thayer, Charles C. and Joel D. Waller, Edward Wheeler, Jeremiah E. Wilson, Charles Woodbury. Volunteers under and subse- quent to call of October 17, 1863 : — Henry Adams, Tim ithy C. and Ross Aldrich, Wesley F. Baker, William R. Blanchard, Erasmus C. Butterfield, Ezra S. Burnham, Charles W. and William A. Chamberlain, Alfred Cur- tis, William A. Dow, Joseph Flawthrop, Volney R. Flanders, Samuel N. Goldthwait, Walter Green, George Hale, Joseph Hale, David Johnson, Franklin Kimball, William H. Lucas, Rufus S. Mack, Andrew McNuff, Alanson E. Packard, Oscar W. Pain, Timothy Pendergast, Amasa Phil- lips, Periy F. Pierce, Sumner W. Rich, Benjamin, jr., and Hiram A. Rog- ers, Charles B. Rumrill, Allen A. Savage, Ira N. Smith, Michael Tear- ney, Walter Thompson. Volunteers for one year : — Loren Adams, Dustin Bowen, jr., Oliver E. Brewster, Peter H. Brooker, Austin H Dickerman, Joseph E. Goddard, George D. Hale, George O. Hassam, John T. Knowl- ton, Patrick Marr, jr., Isaac and Warren Morse, Warren L. Pierce, Amos L. Stratton, Isaac N. Taggart, James S. Williamson. Volunteers for nine months : — Chauncey L. Angell, Levi H. Blanchard, Elisha P. Boutwell William A. Chamberlain, Waldo S. Fisher, James H. Furber, Charles A Goldthwait, Royal H. Goodell, Sumner A. Hodgkins, Francis E. R. Kid- der, Chester F. Earned, Rufus S. Mack, Oscar W. Paine, F""ranklin Pills- bury, Ira P. Rathburn, Arzo A. Rice, Orlando J. Richardson, Charles B. Rumrill, Joseph J. Smith, jr., Joseph M. Taggart, John White. In United States Nav}': — James E. Bailey, George Baker, Henry W. Bugbee, An- drew Cuthbert, John Gibbons, William Jackson, George Sinclair, James Smith, Henry Stackpole, Lyman Williams. Town of WeatJicrsficld. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863 : — Michael Agan, Thomas Agan, Henry Al- 172 History of Windsor County. len, C. Volton Bailey, Owen Bartley, Fred A. Bates, Calvin H. Bemis^ Francis J., John W. and Leonard E. Bennett, Carlos and Thomas Bry- ant, Eben M. Cook, John Coyn, Arzo Craigne, John Daily, George and Justus Dartt, Isaac N. Davidson, John Deady, Henry E. De Camp, Morti- mer Demary, Levi VV. Field, Byron Fleming, Thomas B. Garry, James H. Goldsmith, Franklin N. Grimes, Thomas Hadley, Charles W. Haskill, Carlos and James N. Hatch, William L. Hobson, Austin S., Henry O. and Theodore L. Hutchinson, Charles Jarvis, Thomas W. Kendall, John B. Kenney, Lysander J. Keys, John A. Kimball, Chris. C. Lee, George L. and Oliver H. Marcy, George W. and Selden A. Nichols, Adam Per- kins, Seymour G. Phillips, William Piper, Orsamus B. Robinson, David W. Sanderson, David B. and Hiland Smith, Joseph Spafford, Orlando C. Spaulding, Leonidas, Lycurgus and Paschal P. E. Strong, Algernon M. Squire, Stephen L.Taylor, Joseph and Joshua Upham, James Weston, Ar- temas H. Wheeler, Willis W. Wood. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863 : — F"red A. Bates, Edward G. Bloxson, James C. Bowen, Rosalro Bradish, John and William H. Brinn, Chas. F. Carlton, James S. and William J. Davis, John R. Dean, F"red H. Hobson, George C. and Richard M. Howell, Dalphus Pelkey, Eugene P. Robinson, Daniel Smithy Arzo B. Stiles, Simon P. and William H. Todd, Horace M. Walker. Volunteers for one year : — Carlos and Thomas D. Bryant, Eben M. Cook, Alba Dart, Robert H. Delano, Silas M. Demary, Jerome B. Douglas, Charles L. Ellsworth, Lewis Greenwood, Eben S. Haskill, Thomas Hobson, jr., Henry Hutchinson, Aaron P. Knight, Jo- seph Leroy, William D. Livingston, Charles W. Mitchell, Joseph Rollin- son, William M. Smith, Henry W. Spafiford, John S. Spaulding. Vol- unteers for nine months : — George P. Bennett, George W. Billings, Otis M. Bowen, Charles H. Boyd, Elliott and Rosalvo Bradish, Charles D. Brink, Austin S. Bronson, Servitus E. Connor, William Danforth, Alba Dart, George H. Dean, Henry E. De Camp, George and Shepard A. Dick- inson, Martin H. Graves, Edward H. Hammond, Piam O. Harris, Eben S. Haskill, Clark Hill, Benjamin F. Johnson, John P. Knight, Bryant N. Lockwood, Lisime Marcotte, Martin H. Newhail, Martin O'Grady, Syl- vester Putnam, Olney F. Qnimby, Carlos C. Roys, Charles F. Sheldon, Joseph Spafford, Harland R., Luzerne R. and Paschal P. E. Strong, Will- iam F. Swift, Arthur C. Taylor, James B. Taylor, William E. Thompson, Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. 173 Barton A. and Wesley W. Walker, Henry C. West, Henry C. White, John M. Wright. In United States Navy : — Wilham H. Strow. Town of Weston. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863 : — Alexander Abbott, David Allen, Harvey K. Aus- tin, Albert D. Beckwith, Leroy A. Britton, Joseph Butterfield, Peter S. Chase, Sumner W. Coburn, John H. Colby, Nelson O. Cook, Austin Fenn, George W. Fuller, James Hale, William W. Hesselton, Adelbert R. Hill, Rosalvo S. Jefts, Willard R. F.Johnson, Frank Larbush, Ransom M. Patch Ambrose, Loren C, Silas H. and William H. Pease, Henry H. Peck, Bur- ton Roberts, Marshall W. Rogers, Henry and James M. Stevens, Joseph Stone, Luther Stuart, Warren P. Tenney, Sidney A. Way. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 1 7, 1 863 : — Will- iam Barry, John P. Bryant, Samuel Draggon, Stephen F. Farr, Almon H. and Freeman J. Hale, Nathan and Sidney L. Holt, William B. Nutting^ James S. Pease, Rollin Perry, Martin V. Robbins, Cileston Sylvester, John J. Tracey, Henry F. West, Jay Wilkinson. Volunteers for one year: — Charles Allen, Milon N. Beckwith, Henry N. Bliss, David W. Bolster, Joseph L. Harrington, David M. Kirk, Rufus B. Kirk, Vernon A. Marsh, Levi Moore, John McAulifF, David Mossey, Jesse Parkhurst, Henry H. Phillips, Frank B. Shattuck, Loren Siiippey, Albra H. Wood- cock. Volunteers for nine months: — Adelbert Allen, William D. Ball, James H. Bryant, Peter Fagan, Alonzo Farley, Asa G. Foster, Hiland H. Hesselton, Sidney L. Holt, Nathan W. Johnson, Thomas O. Moore, Henry J. Parker, Samuel A. Patterson, Clark W. Pease, Harrison C. Shattuck, Judah H. West, Sylvanus Winship. In United States Navy : — Charles Brown, Almon H. Hall, Eldridge Mansfield, Leland H. Perry. Town of West Windsor. — Volunteers for three years credited to call of October 17, 1863: — George Anderson, John Brown, James Burns, Henry R. Brannock, Thomas F. Burnham, Wilbur F. Cady, Edmund E. Cushman, Benjamin D. Gates, Theodore Harrison, Albert S. Lamson, James Livingston, Norman W. Lumbard, William H. H. Ralph, Joseph Robinson, Henry H. and Stillman H. Walker, Herman White, Thomas E. Woods. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call to of October 17, 1863 : — Thomas Adams, Joseph Aldrich, Henry C. Alex- ander, Isaac VV. Batchelder, Seth Blanchard, James Boyle, John D. Brooks, Charles H. Brown, Reuben Chase, Charles J. F. Cushman, Michael 174 History of Windsor County. F"eeley, John Freeman, Thomas Jones, Edward H. and George H. Lane, Henry E. Marsh, James F. Nason, Rufus Noyes, John Railey, John ■Rogers, John H. Rowe, Selim R. Sands, George M. and Joseph F. Savage, John Sowles, Oliver F. SilHngs, Edwin S. Taylor, Andrew G. Tolman, Ward C. Walker, William Weaver, Herbert O. White. Vol- unteers for nine months: — Melvin Bannister, Aretus B. Blood, Dennis A. Borne, Charles B. and James H. Bowers, John W. Cady, Benjamin F. Carpenter, George W. Cook, Eugene Delano, Morris L. Dimick, Henry H., Ira M., Jabez H., Stephen F. and Ulysses H. Hammond, Martin A. and Wilbur A. Herrick, James W. Mansfield, George H. Par- ker, Edgar F., John W. and Norman E. E. Perkins, Gilman S. Parsons, Abel Prince, Erastus and Hosea W. Read, Fred G. Rice, Fred. Robin- son, Edgar M. Ruggles, Charles L. and John A. Savage, FarweJl G. Shedd, Ira C. Small, Charles Spaulding, Edwin S. and James W. Tajlor, Rosto E. Turner, Winslow W. Wait, George and Henry Walker, Ben- jamin Warren, jr., Ira V. White, Daniel W. Woods. Towfi of Windsor. — Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863: — George L. and Henry D. Bates, Wiliner C. Barnard, Joseph S. Bickford, Levi F. Blake, Thomas C. Bond. Zenas C. Bowen, Charles H. Boyd, Brigham Buswell, Samuel A. Cady, Peter Caldwell, Thomas Cass, Duight E. Clement, George L. Colpoyes, Joseph H. Culh'gan. Jerome C. Dow, Thomas Ensworth. jr , William Evans, George and Samuel N. Fitch, John Gauthier, William Green- wood, James Hadley, Byron O. Hoisington, Chester Holcomb, Horace A. Houghton, Hendrick R. Howard, Ezekiel T. Johnson, William M. Jones, John B. Kellogg, Henry M. Lull, Frank Menard, Charles E. Moore, Samuel E. Mower, Franklin W. Newman, John F. Noyes, Lo- renzo D. Partlow, William D. Paul, Francis E. Porter, Richard F. Rich, Truman Rose, Henry T. Seaver, William A. Sloane, Herman L. Small, Joseph A. Smith, Isomer W. Stevens, Henry G. Stiles, Dan. E. and Henry J. Stone, William J. Towne, William C. Tracey, Arthur T. and Daniel Ware, Stillman C. Wheeler, Henry P. Whitcomb, Edward Wil- son, Alvin Woodruff. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863: — Charles E. Ballou, James Brady, James Brown, George H. Bullson, Benjamin F, Carpenter, Michael Carrigan, Philip Darcius, Charles Day, Robert L. Delea, Charles C. Dinsmore, Roll of Windsor County Soldiers. — 1861-65. i75 William Ditmur, Edgar W. Gage, Charles W. Gleason, Alonzo Hall, Prentiss Hibbard, Bailister Horton, Carroll V. Kenyon, Franklin S. Lam- son, Edward Moran, Charles Morey, Edward Newman, Hollis, Horace and J. Henry Norris, William H. Noyes, Orice Oakes, Norman B. Reed, Charles H. Stuart. Charles T. and James A. Stone, Charles D. and Samuel F. Sturtevant, Michael Sullivan, Ephraim Toothaker, Sullivan M. Waldron, John White, George B. and Sias T. Worthing. Volunteers for one year: — George L. Bates, Edward Blanchard, Elbridge M. Don- ahue, William Evans, Charles H Hill, Felix Micott, Julius C. Peck, Alfred Pierce, Simeon W. Pomeroy, Frederick L. and John B. Small, Charles H. and George S Thompson. Volunteers for nine months: — Francis Barron, Elmer F. Benjamin, Henry S. Blanchard, H. Harri.son Brewer, William Brown, Charles F. Butman, Charles H. and William P. Cady, William H. Clayton, Albert and James G. Coates, Charles H. Dake, Urias E. Damon, George R. Dinsmore, John W. Fleming, Will- iam H. Foster, John Gay, Almond Hall, Eleazer B. Haywood, Edward R. Hopkins, Allen E. Houghton, Robert H. Johnson, Harrison L. Marcy, Frederick P. Mather, Edward and Edward D. Moran, Michael Murphy, Augustus Newman, Ezra T. and Lucian Parker, Frederick L. Small, Charles, Charles T., and Guy A. Stone, Otis Thomas, Charles H and Henry B. Thompson, Sullivan Waldron, Roderick R. Williams. En- tered service : — Edwin N. Brown, Owen Raymond, Austin Sloan. In United States Navy: — Samuel Cross, Albert A. Green, John Lawler, John Whipple. TozvH of Woodstock. — Volunteers for three years credited prior to call of October 17, 1863: — William D. AUard, Henry G. Anthony, Austin G. Barber, Lucian Barnes, Andrew J. Beal, William W. Benson, Stephen Bishop, George E. Bridge, Lewis Bumblebee, Morris Burnham, Peter Caldwell, Rush B. Carlton, Thomas Cass, Lorenzo H. Cox, Royal Darby, Edw. W., John and William Davis, Charles, Charles A. and Theo. L. Dean, Hiram S. English, Peter H. Farrell, Irving J. Faunce, George Fletcher, Henry H. French, Francis A., Hartwell, and Hartwell L. P'rink, Moses George, George P. Gilbert, Orlando B. Gillingham, George W. Grow, Samuel N. Hastings, William K. Heath, Rufus A. Holmes, Henry A. Houghton, Charles E. and Leonard L. Hubbard, James H. Huilburt, Charles H. Jillson, Charles D., Henry L. and William Jones, John B. 1/6 History of Windsor County. Kellogg, Jacob Keyes, Elias H. Kidder, Orrin T. Leach, Martin J. Lucas, Mitchell Maney, Alonzo A. Martin, George H. Mellish, Frank and Henry H Metcalf, Michael McGill, John McGowan, Andrew McKain, Jno. A. McKenzie, William Oberly, Ed. N. Ordway, Edwin R. Paine, Edwin H. Perkins, Edward, Jacob and Charles Perry, Charles Pierce, Charles P. and George S. Pratt, Thomas C. and William H. Rahue, George C. Ran- dall, Alfred F. Ray, Chauncy E. Raymond, Martin T. Ricard, Isaac E. Rounds, Charles Royce, P"red M. Saunders, Luther Severance, George W. Shattuck, Charles F. Smith, Charles Staples, Benjamin F. Strong, James F. Stiles, Daniel E. Taft, Aug. Tewksbury, De xAlgeroy Thomp- son, Augustus Troedean, William C. Vaughn, Henry Vondell, James Vondall, Alvin L. and Nathaniel P. Walker, Henry G., Samuel G. and Stephen P. Wiiite, Pardon A. Whitney, Edward Wilson, Charles J. Win- slow, Charles A., Dana C, Edwin S. and George B. Woodward. Vol- unteers for three years under and after call of October 17, 1863: — Ben- jamin B. Allen, William Bliss, Leander Bordeau, Elisha Bradish, Jno. Browe, George Bullard, Silas Burdoo, Edward Carrigan, Henry E. Chad- wick, Edson A. Chamberlain, Francis, jr., and Francis Chenette, William Clark, Henry O. Cummings, George H. Day, Charles F. Fisher, Oscar Gardner, Sabin Gartin, Moses George, William D. Gilbert, Clark M. Hall, Gardner C. Hawkins, James Hazard, David Hewson, Henry E. Howe, John Hurlburt, David Ledue, Henry H. Lewis, Jno. H. Mann, jr., Jno. W. Marsh, Lewis L. Marsh, James Masure, Edward H. Mero, Charles F. Myers, Fred Parkhurst, Worthington, Pierce, Jerome J. and William C. Pratt, Benjamin F. Putney, Leander J. Sanderson, Julius Sault, Charles Scott, Chris. D. Seymour, Asa W. Stowell, George W. Taft, Oscar A. Tyrrell, Charles B., Charles B, jr., and William H. Wentworth, Eli White, Norman B. Williams, George H. and Sylvester Woodward. Volunteers for one year : — Nelson H. Atwood, George E. Bridge, Fred C. Blossom, John Campbell, Nathan C. Claflin, Henry M. Clark, Homer Darling, Carlos B. Dutton, Fred Fallon, Jno. C. Fisher, George C. Hagar, Elbert Hewitt, Henry A. Hill, Thomas Keene, Walter P. Leonard, Newman M. Lincoln, Albert L. McClay. Benjamin S. and Jno. C. Morgan, Addison F. Palmer, Edward A. Perry, Payson A. Pierce, Winfield S. Robinson, Benjamin S. Sargent, Asa A. Shaw, Edwin K. Slack, Albert H. Switzer, Charles Veo, Gideon Vincent, Darwin E. and Henry O. Washburn, John The Bench and Bar. 177 T. Woodward. Volunteers re-enlisted : — Rush B. Carlton, George P. Gilbert. George D. Keyes, Henry L. King, Ichabod W. Mattocks, An- drew McKain, George S. Pratt, William H. Rahue, Alfred F. Ray, Charles F. Smith, Frank H. Stiles, Louis Vaundell, Samuel B. and Ste- phen P. White, Dana C Woodward. Volunteers for nine months : — Horace Bradley, Edwin R. Carroll, Sylvanus Chamberlain, Alonzo D. Clapp, Hiram O. Cobb, Samuel W. Cox, John Defoe, George E. Dimick, Elbridge K. Dodge, Philip Duphinney, Charles H. Eaton, Edwin C. Em- mons, Charles H. English, Friend P. Fletcher, Charles H. French, Will- iam D. Gilbert, Marshall C. Goff, Chris. Grundell, John W. Hagar, Oscar F. Hemenway, Seaver Howard, Fred Howard, James L. Hoyt, Ed- win M. Jaquith, Calvin A. Laws, Ezra H. Lovell, Lorison Lucas, Lewis L. Marsh, Zebb Cobb, Chris. C. Metcalf, Orrin G. Miller, Fred Parkhurst, George W. Perry, Worthington Pierce, Dan F. Pingree, Jos. S. Pratt, Benjamin F. Putney, Lake Ransom, George L., Henry G., Isaac P. and Wallace O. Raymond, Asman W. Richardson, Laurgautis H. Rood, Ed- win H. and Mark E. Slay ton, Orlando C. Smith, Wallace W. Southgate, Elliot Thomas, Harvey and William S. Vaughn, Charles B. White, Seth J. Winslow, Henry C. Wood, Crayton A. Woodbury. Entered service : — George A. Bailey, Eliphalet B. Cram, Henry A. Fairbanks, James Mc- Kain. In United States Navy : — Charles Case, Samuel Cross, Albert A. Green, John Lawler. CHAPTER XL THE BENCH AND BAR OF WINDSOR COUNTY. TO properly understand and fully appreciate the history of the judi- ciary of any nation or commonwealth, and the worth and attain ments of the magistrates and practitioners at its bar, some knowledge of the origin and development of the machinery and spirit of this branch of civil government is necessary. The sentiment is commonly expressed that the judicial system of the State of Vermont is largely copied or derived from the common law of 23 178 History of Windsor County. England, and slightly from the civil law of the Continent. In many- respects this is true, and resemblances may be traced therein ; there are certain changeless principles running throughout the laws of every State and people from the time of Moses to Elizabeth. The statute and com- mon laws of England are the recognized fundamental principles upon which are based the legislative and constitutional enactments of this com- monwealth, although directly the constitution of Vermont was modeled and based upon that of the State of Pennsylvania. But long before the adoption of a constitution forVermont the people of the region were living under a form of government established by the province of New York, by which the district now forming Windsor county was made directly subservient to the laws of the judiciary of that province. Counties were erected and courts organized ; but that judicial authority was questioned and opposed, and finally set aside. It can hardly, therefore, be considered essentially within the province of this chapter to refer at any length to the organization of courts other than those established under recognized and competent authority. An old adage teaches us that " necessity knows no law " ; and it is well-known that necessity — stern necessity — made it indispensable to the safety of the inhabitants of the New Hampshire Grants that some means should be devised by which the opponents to the policy of the majority of the people could be held in check, that the inimical conduct of the Tory element might not become dangerously contagious; for, if once be- come rampant, that clement would certainly have endangered and en- tirely overthrown the institutions of the infant State, and passed its con- trol into the hands of the New Yorkers. And it was stern necessity, too, that impelled Ethan Allen and his compatriots to establish an informal court for the trial and punishmentof the New York officers sent to the grants with warrants of dispossess and arrest; but the penalty and judgment of this court seldom went beyond a severe reprimand, and the not infiequently " impressive " effects of the "beech seal." Necessity, also, made it incumbent upon the authorities of the " separate jurisdiction " to establish courts of confiscation, not alone tliat Toryism might be checked, but that the means might be provided wherewith to defray the expenses of the government in political affairs, and as well to provide and maintain an armed force for aggressive and The Bench and Bar. 179 defensive warfare, which, during that period, was waging against Great Britain. But after the independence of Vermont had been declared, and after the constitution of the State had been adopted, assuming tliese trans- actions to have been absolutely right regardless of the fact that they were not then sanctioned by the general government, the authorities were in a position to organize courts and administer the affairs of the State more " in due form of law." The fourth section of the original constitution of the State of Vermont declared that "Courts of Justice shall be established in every county in this State." This was adopted in 1777, but it was not until the next year that officers were chosen under its provisions. This brought into exist- ence the first courts of the two counties, Cumberland and Bennington, that then embraced the entire territory of the State. The county of Cumberland, of wiiich Windsor county then formed a part, was divided into two shires — Westminster and Newbury — for which judges were chosen as follows: ' Major John Shepardson, first; Stephen Tilden, second; Hubbel Wells, third; Deacon Hezekiah Thompson, fourth; and Nathaniel Robinson, fifth, judges for the shire of Westminster. And General Jacob Bailey, first ; Jacob Burton, second ; William Heaton, third; Reuben Foster, fourth; and Captain John French, fifth,. judges for the shire of Newbury. In June, 1778, Samuel Fletcher succeeded Hubbel Wells, and Joshua Webb succeeded Nathaniel Robinson, in the shire of Westminster ; and Deacon Smalley succeeded Jacob Bailey, John Burnett succeeded Jacob Burton, and Benjamin Baldwin succeeded John French, in the shire of Newbury. The persons above named were judges of what has been termed a Special Court for Cumberland county; and they cannot be said to have been either Supreme, Superior or County Court officers, as those dis- tinctive courts were not then established ; at least no record evidence of any such establishment during that year is to be found. In 1779. 3^t a legislative session holden at Bennington, in February, the General Assembly passed an act "constituting and establishing one Superior Court in the State of Vermont." This court was provided to consist of five judges, and terms of court were appointed to be held 'Journal of the Assembly, March 24, 1778. i8o History of Windsor County. " within and for the county of Cumberland, at Westminster, on the sec- ond Thursday of March next," and for the same county at Newbury on the second Thursday of September next (1779)- And the same Legis- lature, on a later day of the session, passed another act, entitled, "An act regulating Trials and Appeals," which reads in part as follows : " Whereas, no county courts have been established in the State ; which makes it necessary that all such cases or actions as would otherwise be heard before such county courts, should now be heard and determined in the superior court. Be it enacted," etc, — directing County Court actions to be determined in the Superior Court until County Courts be established, etc. But the laws passed at this session (>f the Legislature were declared to be " temporary laws," and remain in force only until " the rising of the General Assembly in October next." In October, however, an act was passed extending the operation of all laws previously passed until the close of the Assembly's business in March, 1780. The October Legisla- ture also passed an act directing that judges of the Superior Court be chosen by the joint ballot of the Governor and Council and the House of Representatives. And further, another act fixed the fees of an at- torney practicing in the Superior or County Court at £G ; but this was repealed November 8, 1780. In the month of February, 1781, the county of Cumberland was di- vided, and out of its territory the other counties of Windham, Windsor and Orange were erected. This was followed by the organization of the new counties for all purposes, among them the establishment of County Courts; and provision was made for the election of one chief judge and four assistant judges, to be chosen by the people of the counties respect- ively. And about this time or a little later there was annexed to this county a considerable body of land east of the Connecticut River, due consideration for the people of which district was at once had in the ap- pointment or selection of Windsor county officials. Whether the first judges for the county of Windsor were appointed or elected is a trifle uncertain, but that the election was held and judges chosen on the day first appointed, the last Tuesday of March, 1781, would appear to be discredited from the fact that a number of officers were taken from the New Hampshire side, while the annexation of the towns from that local- J,/Dc^€^Cg^-<^: The Bench and Bar. i8i ity was not perfected or completed until the 5th of April following. The records bearing upon this subject appear to be silent, and the only reliable evidence regarding the selection of judges of the County Court for the county is found in the proceedings of the Governor and Council for the year ending 1781. From the transactions of that body it ap- pears that on the i6th day of April, while in session at Windsor, Elisha Payne of Lebanon, N. H., was nominated and appointed chief judge, while Joseph Marsh, Benjamin Emmons, Bezaleel Woodward and John Weld were in the same manner chosen side judges. Thus was constituted the first regular County Court of Windsor county, and the above named persons comprised the first bench of justices. It should be stated in this connection that the record of the proceed- ings of the Governor and Council, upon which the above appointments were made, has the qualifying statement "are hereby appointed for the time being," etc., thus confirming the opinion that the judges for 178 1 were not elected by the freemen of the county. Deming, in his catalogue of Vermont officers, does not mention any judges for Windsor during the year 1781. The first term of the County Court for Windsor county was held at Windsor, on the last Tuesday of May, 1781, at which his Honor, Judge Payne, presided, while Joseph Marsh and Bezaleel Woodward served in the capacity of associates. Windsor was continued to be the temporary seat of justice of the new county until the efforts of Benjamin Emmons secured the permanent location for county buildings at Woodstock ; and even after Woodstock became so designated, courts were afterwards held at Windsor, as a half- shire town of the county, for a number of years. In the year 1787 courts were first held at Woodstock. It cannot be said with any present degree of certainty whether or not any of the first judges of the Windsor county courts were sufficiently versed in legal lore as to be deemed " learned in the law," a quality now essential in order to be elevated to the president or chief judgship, but with the associates or side judges it has never been required that they possess a legal education in order to qualify themselves for their duties. Elisha Payne, the first chief judge of the county, was not a lawyer, neither was his successor in office, Joseph Marsh, the school learning of the latter having been only such as was acquired in a single month. 1 82 History of Windsor County. But notwithstanding that, Judge Marsh was a learned man, and pos- sessed such intellectual ability as made him not only an excellent judge, but withal one of the most influential men of his time. His services on the bench continued from 17S2 till 1796, when he was succeeded by Luther R. Morris, the latter serving as chirf judge but two years. The courts which have been mentioned in this chapter — the Superior or Supreme, and the County Courts — were the organized ones of the shire. The revised constitution, which was adopted upon the recom- mendation of the Council of Censors, provided for other courts than those formed under the first constitution ; and the revisions and amendments that have been made at various other times, several in number, have amply provided for the courts of the State and county, and their pow- ers and disposition, ail of which it can hardly be considered within the province of this chapter to discuss, however important and interesting the subject might be. The several changes that have been made, and the courts that have at different times been established and abolished, are within the understanding of every well-informed lawyer, and any further comment upon them would appear to be superfluous. But it will not be considered out of place to here make mention of the judges of the Supreme Court of Vermont from the j'ear 1778 to I 800, both in- clusi\'e, for such a record will bring to the present bar the names of some of the brightest legal minds of Windsor county, whether or not they were recognized as members of the legal fraternity. The follow- ing succession is taken from "Thompson's Vermont " : 1778, Moses Robinson, chief judge, John Shepardson, John Fassett, jr., Thomas Ciiandler, and John Tliroop, associates; 1779, Moses Rob- inson, chief judge, John Shepardson, John Fassett, jr., John Throop, and Paul Spooner, associates; 1780, Moses Robinson, chief judge, Paul Spooner, John Fassett, jr., Increase Moseley, and John Throop, asso- ciates ; 1781, Elisha Payne, chief judge, Moses Robinson, John Fassett, jr., Bezaleel Woodward, and Joseph Cadwell, associates; 1782, Moses Robinson, chief judge, Paul Spooner, Jonas Fay, John Fassett, and Pe- ter Olcutt, associates ; 1783, Moses Robinson, chief judge, Paul Spooner, John h'assett, Peter Olcutt, and Thomas Porter, associates; 1784, Paul Spooner, chief judge, John F"assett, Nathaniel Niles, Thomas Porter, and Peter Olcutt, associates; 1785, Moses Robinson, chief judge, Paul The Bench and Bar. Spooner, Nathaniel Niles, John Fassett, and Thomas Porter, associates; 1786, Moses Robinson, chief judge, Paul Spooner, Nathaniel Niles, Na- thaniel Chipman, and Luke Knowlton, associates; 1787,' Moses Rob- inson, chief judge, Nathan Niles and Paul Spooner, associates; 1788, Moses Robinson, chief judge, Paul Spooner and Steplien Row Bradley as- sociates ; 1789-90, Nathaniel Chipman, chief judge, Noah Smith and Sam- uel Knight, associates ; 1791— 92-93, Samuel Knight, chief judge, Elijah Paine and Isaac Tichenor, associates ; 1794-95, Isaac Tichenor, chief judge, Lott Hall and Enoch Woodbridge, associates; 1796, Nathaniel Chipman, chief judge, Lott Hall and Enoch Woodbridge, associates; 1797, Israel Smith, chief judge, Enoch Woodbridge and Lott Hall, asso- ciates ; 1798-99-1800, Enoch Woodbridge, chief judge, Lott Hall and Noah Smith, associates. Succession of presiding judges of the Windsor County Courts : Elisha Payne, 1781-1782; Joseph Marsh, 1782-1796; Lewis R Morris, 1796- 1798; Stephen Jacob, 1798-1801; Paul Brigham, [801-1802; Jesse Williams (declined), 1803; Elias Keyes, 1803-1814; Ebenezer Brown, 1814-1815; lilias Keyes, 1815-1817; William Strong, 1817-1818; Elihu Luce, 1818-1822; William Strong, 1822-1823; Aaron Love- land, 1824-1825; Abner Forbes, 1825; Titus Hitchinson, 1825-1833; Jacob Collamer, 1833-1S42; William Hebard, 1842-1845 ; Daniel Kel- logg, 1845-1850; Jacob Collamer, 1850-1854; Abel Underwood, 1854- 1857; Isaac F. Redfield, 1857-1860; James Barrett, 1860-1880; Rus- sell F. Taft, 1880-1882; John W. Rowell, 1882-1886. In 1886 a change was made in the judicial arrangements by which it was provided that the courts held in the county should be presided over by the judges alternately. The former practice was that one or more of the judges should be assigned to a district of the State, and hold all the courts of that district. Succession of assistant judges: Joseph Marsh, Benjamin Emmons, Bezaleel Woodward and John Weld, by appointment from Governor and Council, April 16, 1781. Thomas Murdock, 1782-1787 ; Elias Weld, 1782-1790; Elijah Robinson, 1782-1801; Abel Curtis. 1782-1784; Paul Brighton, 1784-1788, and 1790-1796; Jesse Williams, 1786-1803; Asaph Fletcher, 1 801-1805 ; Aaron Leland, 1803-18 17 ; William Hun- 'Atter the revision of the constitution only two associate judges were chosen. 1 84 History of Windsor County. ter, 1805-1816 ; William Strong, 1816-1817 ; Amos Heald, 1817-1818 ; Aaron Leland, 1818-1822; Daniel Dana, 1818-1820; John Bridsje, 182C-1825 ; Abner P'orbes, 1822-1829; Aaron Loveland, 1823-1824; Thomas Emerson, 1824-182S; Samuel W. Porter, 1828-1838; William Steele, 1 829-1 831 ; Royal M Ransom, 1831-1832; Samuel C. Love- land, 1832-1834; Ephraim D. Briggs, 1834-1836; David Pierce, 1836- 1845; Reuben Washburn, 1838-45; Walter Thomas and Thomas Barrett, 1845-1849; Hampton Cutts and Calvin French, 1 849-1 852; Gardner Winslow and Barnabas Deane, 1852-1854; Daniel Woodward and Joseph Dodge, 1 854-1 856 ; Walter Palmer and Napoleon B Roundy, 1856-1859; John S. Marcy, 1859-1872 ; Joseph W. Colburn, 1859- 1863; John Wilder, 1 863-1 866 ; Calvin French, 1866-1879; Crosby Miller, 1872-1882; William M. Pingry, 1 879-1 885 ; William C. Dan- forth, 1882-1886; William Rounds,^ 1885-1889; Nelson Gay, i886- 1887; Charles P. Marsh,' 1887-1889. Of the practitioners at the bar of Windsor county, past and present, many have attained distinction, and some eminence. Among the lead- ing legal minds of this commonwealth this county has furnished her ful] quota. On the bench and at the bar of her courts have been found many lawyers of strict integrity and rare ability; men of worth, men of char- acter, men whose social and mental qualities have made them famous, men whose marked attainments have made for them a high standard in the legislative halls of the State, and in the governmental affairs of the nation; men whose influence has been so salutary and all-pervading that the entire bar seems to have caught something of its spirit, and maintained a freedom from all unworthy methods as can be found in very few communities. Difficult, indeed, would it be to name the pioneer members of the legal profession in Windsor county. It is now more than one hundred years since the first courts were organized, and the earliest dockets disclose but little information throwing any valuable light on this subject ; and the early bar recorded nothing of its own history. Still, from the brief en- tries found ill the court dockets, tiiere appears the surnames of several who are, perhaps, entitled to be placed among the pioneers of the pro- fession ; such names as Stephen Jacobs, Elijah West, Stephen Row Brad- ' Present assistant judges. The Bench and Bar. 185 ley, Jacob Smith, John Hunt, Jonathan H. Hubbard, Reuben Atwater, Nicholas Bayless, Paschel P. Enos, Daniel Farrand, Titus Hutchinson, OUver Gallup, Charles Marsh, Paul Brigham, Amasa Payne, and other worthy counselors, among whom are found the names of Buck, Barrett, Hall, Cady, Bishop and others whose Christian names cannot now be re- called. These were the pioneers of the profession in this county, all of whom are believed to have practiced in the courts prior to the year 1800, and a number of them before 1787. From the meager and unreliable information found among the ancient court records, it would appear that Stephen Jacobs was, perhaps, the leading lawyer of the bar in his time, if the participation or appearance in the greatest number of actions entitles one to be so designated. His name, too, appears on the first dockets as attorney, but where he was admitted and how long he continued practice cannot now be accurately determined. He was State's attorney in 1786, and afterward, 1798-1801, presiding judge of the County Court. And it is something surprising, too, to observe the great amount of ligitation engaged in over a century ago, as disclosed by the dockets, when the population of the county was less than half of what it now has. And it is a fact that before the year 1800 there was a greater number of causes on the docket than the average from year to year of the present day. At that time there was less money, but there were more disputes, as the machinery of business was less perfectly organized, and land titles were not wholly settled. The character of ligitation, say from half to three-quarters of a century ago, has been thus described by an old prac- titioner : "The business of an attorney of those earlier days was largely before justices of the peace, and was chiefly, and so in all the courts, the col- lection of debts, by employing the severe pressure upon debtors which the law then invited. Money being scarce, business was done mainly upon credit, and to a considerable extent in barter. Older lawyers will perhaps remember the obligations made payable in 'good merchantable hollow ware,' 'fulled cloth,' 'grain,' 'neat cattle, bulls and stags excepted,' or ' good New England rum,' and the like. It was not an unusual de- vice of the country traders to make nominal changes in their partner- ships from time to time, or put forth other ostensible reasons for placing their books in the hands of the village lawyer for collection of accounts. 2i i86 History of Windsor County. The temptation of fees and income dependent upon the number of suits brought, which fees were expected to come out of the debtor in the form of costs, and the credit of being reputed a sharp collecting lawyer, was a stimulus to him to push the law to its extremities of coercion. At the same time the creditor might be ready with the instructions, 'put him in jail. He will contrive some way to pay ; or his friends wont suffer him to lie in jail ; or the town will see the debt paid rather than support his family as paupers.' In the case of a debtor who had credit or means of credit, but no present money, the grand economy was to pursue the cause to judgment, execution and commitment, when the debtor would give a jail bond, and generally immediately viohite its provisions. Then would follow a new suit upon the bond, with judg- ment, execution, commitment, and a second jail bond, breach and suit, and so on indefinitely to the increasing profit of the attorney. " After a time the Legislature, envying the lawyer's happy state, ruth- lessly cut off this source of his gain by prohibiting the taking a second jail bond when the judgment was upon a jail bond, a provision now found in the revised laws. Many a village lawyer in Vermont laid the foundation of a fortune for himself and family in these early conditions of practice; and it was not unusual for one to bring several hundred suits, yearly, chiefly before justices, and for small collections. The changes of fifty years in business, societ)', and the law have left the attorney of the present day but little of this class of business, — a change not to be deplored." Since the settlement of the cases arising under the national bankrupt act of 1867, the dockets of the courts have been constantly growing smaller. From a published report it is found that in iSyy-yS, through- out the State, there were 2,581 entfies of civil causes, 181 jury trials, 775 decrees in Chancery, and 209 Supreme Court judgments. In 1882-83 the business had diminished until there were only 1,391 entries of civil causes, 99 jury trials. 318 decrees in Chancery, and 183 Supreme Court judgments. On the other hand the suits tried in recent years have occasionally involved large property interests ; heavy corporate litiga- tion has noticeably increased, and lawyers of established litigation have still enough to do. Still, men will fall into dispute, and honestly and earnestl\' differ upon The Bench and Bar. 187 some business transaction ; but tiiese matters are generally settled by compromise, through the intervention of friends, and occasionally the attorney, and comparatively few of them are carried through the courts. The general tendency seems to discountenance rather than promote liti- gation ; if the debtor is good he generally " settles" in some manner, but he against whom a debt is prosecuted to judgment may be generally considered as execution proof, and "nulla bona" is in most cases found noted in the sheriff's handwriting on the back of his writ of execution. It would indeed be the grossest injustice imaginable to attribute to the whole early bar of Windsor county the qualities described by the quo- tation above from the pen of an' old practitioner. That may have ap- plied to some members of the bar, but not to the whole profession, for the great majority of lawyers, early and late, have been free from any such characterization, or any such indulgences for sordid purposes. The Bar Association. — Societies or organizations among members of the legal profession, similar to that to which the above name has been ap- plied, are not of infrequent formation ; but it is customary that when or- ganized they become incorporated, though it appears that that of Wind- sor county never entered upon such a state of existence. The first and only efifort, of which there appears any record whatever, looking to the organization of a Bar Association in this county, was made at the March term of the County Court, at Woodstock, in the year 1806. It appears that at that term the assembled attorneys associated themselves to- gether, but whether or not they adopted a constitution and by-laws can not at this day be ascertained ; nor can it be learned what the precise object of the society may have been, except to attribute to the legal gentlemen comprising the association a desire to promote a more friendly acquaintance among members, and for the discussion of such legal propositions as would naturally and properly come within the prov- ince of such an organization, and for mutual protection and benefit. Judging from the somewhat singular business transactions, in the nature of " Regulations and Rules " for the ostensible government of the society, it might fairly be inferred that the last suggested object, " mutual protection and benefit," was the controlling element that led to the or- ganization of the association, for one of the many rules required that no practicing attorney should receive any student-at-law into his office 1 88 History of Windsor County. without the payment to the attorney of a tuition fee of two hundred and fifty dollars. Other conditions and restrictions were laid down by the association, some of which, perhaps, were intended to modify or qualify the apparently severe rules, and to provide for exceptional cases or con- tingencies. This association, while it had no controlling power with the courts, did have, nevertheless, a recommendatory authority, at least so far as governing the conduct of an attorney in his relations with his clients ; and there were certainly two instances in which members of the profes- sion were disbarred by the court, at the recommendation of the society, for having engaged in practices prohibited by the rules. Therefore some good did "come out of Nazareth." The exorbitant fee rule did not appear to have worked to the entire satisfaction of all the members of the association, but was kept in force for a period of some eight years, when its rigors were somewhat qualified by an amendment or substitute to the effect that students pay a tuition fee of fifty dollars per year. One of the original rules required that a student not possessing certain prescribed qualifications in the matter of education, should be obliged to remain in an attorney's office for a term of five years, from which fact it would seem that unless the original rule was in some manner abated, the supplementary provision that placed the fee at fifty dollars per year was no substantial modification after all. But it is hardly proper to comment at much length upon the peculiar laws of this legal organization. Like all others, it had its advantages and its faults, which may be said to have been about equal It contin- ued to exist till somewhere about 1840, and then passed naturally out of existence, since which time its rules have been numbered among the " obsolete laws." During his incumbency of the office of county clerk Norman Williams prepared a list of the attorneys who were admitted to practice in Wind- sor county, prior to the year 1839, his compilation in the docket in which it was written being entitled thus : " List of attorneys admitted to the County Court in Windsor county previous to the year 1839. (Imperfect.)" It is believed that Mr. Williams added the word " im- perfect" to indicate that he had not searched the very earliest records to ascertain who were admitted, as Mr. Jay Read Pember, the present The Bench and Bar. 189 clerk, has " gone through " the dockets which were examined by Mr. Williams (subsequent to 1799, and continuing many years), and he makes but one addition to the roll as prepared. But Mr. Williams makes no entries of names of attorneys who were admitted or practiced in the county prior to 1799, which fact may account for what he con- sidered an imperfect list. Further than that above stated, Mr. Williams prepared a roll of the attorneys who were admitted in Windsor county, commencing with the May term of 1839; and this has been continued by his successors in office to the present day. The names that are given in the earlier pages of this sketch, relating to the old attorneys, are the result of Mr. Pem- ber's research. And in addition to the e.Kplanations already made, it should be stated that the following list of attorneys cannot be considered as absolutely perfect, from the fact that there will not appear the names of those who now are or heretofore may have been lawyers of the county, but who were admitted elsewhere, in other counties, and after admission located in Windsor county for the practice of their profession; and there was a time in the history of the bar of this State when an admission to the Supreme Court was not an admission to the County Court, and conversely. Commencing with the year 1799 the roll prepared by the persons heretofore named is as follows: 1799, March term, Luther Mills; Sep- tember term, Cyrus Ware. 1800, March,' Zenas Clark; September, Horace Everett. 1801, March, Eliakim Spooner ; September, Martin Field; December, Stephen Mix Mitchell. 1802, March, David Storrs, Alvin Foot; September, John H. Crane; December, Samuel Whitney, jr. 1803, September, Theophilus Olcutt, Stephen Grant 1805, Sep- tember, Joseph Paine. 1806, September, John Nelson. 1807, Septem- ber, Henry Hutchinson. 1808, March, Job Lyman, Frederick A. Sum- ner; September, John M. Foster, Samuel Sheldon, Thomas Robinson. 1809, March, Henry P. Brown; September, Harvey Chase, James Hutchinson, George Woodward, David Sloan. 1810, March, Samuel Shuttleworth. 1811, March, Jonathan Hunt. 1812, September, Sam- uel Leland. 18 14, March, Simeon Short; September, Carlos Coolidge, Nomlas Cobb. 1815, March, Daniel Wells; September, Titus Brown. 'The word " term " is here.il'ter oiiiitted. iQO History of Windsor County. 1816, March, Isaac N. Chshman, David Pierce. 1817, March, Asa Holton, Jason Steele, Joseph R. Jarvis. 18 18, September, Nathaniel K. G. Ohver. 1820, March, Jeremiah Field; September, Wyllys Lyman, Samuel Shuttleworth, jr. 1822, September, Lyndon A. Marsh. 1825, September, Edwin Edgerton, Thomas S. Fullerton, George P. Marsh. 1826, June, Edwin Hutchinson; December, Jabez Sargent, Elijah Par- ker, Harvey T. Leavitt, Royal M. Ransom, Andrew Tracy. 1827, De- cember, William May, Oramel Hutchinson. 1S2S, June, Alden C. Noble, Henry Hutchinson, Benjamin Swan, jr., William Gordon; De- cember, John S. Marcy. 1S29, May, Solon Grout, Edward P. Harris, Salmon F. Dutton. 1830, June, Josiah Chandler. 1831, November, Charles C. Marsh. 1832, May, Joseph Alexander Swett ; November, Andrew Royce. 1833, May, Philander C. Freeman, Hamden Cutts; November, Nathaniel Sprague. 1834, November, James M. Gates. 1836, November, Sewall Fullam,jr. 1837, May, Calvin French, Luther Adams, Harrison Smith. 1838, May, William E. Smiley, Peter T. Washburne. 1839, May, William H. Duncan, of Hanover ; November, James Barrett, of Woodstock. 1841, May, Sebastian R. Streeter, of Woodstock, Henry E. Stoughton, of Chester, Warren Currier, of Wind- sor ; November, John F. Dean of Cavendish, Josiah O. Hawkins of Reading. 1842, May, Gilbert A. Grant of Windsor, Albert M. Hol- brook of Bethel, Samuel W. Slade and Abel Merrill, jr.. of Woodstock, Dan Tracy of Hartford, Frederick L. Willard of Windsor, Ivory W. Richardson of Chester; November, Lyman Mason of Cavendish, Fred- erick C. Robbins of Ludlow. 1843, May, Charles P. Marsh of Wood- stock, Daniel C. Heald of Chester, Charles Jarvis of Weathersfield ; November, Noah B. Safford of Springfield, Morris A. Cook of Ches- ter, James A. Hall of Reading. 1844, May, Warren C. French of Woodstock, Thomas Hale of Chelsea. 1845, March, Daniel C. Denni- son of Royalton, Charles H. Crosby of Chester. 1S46, March, Lucius C. Boynton of Woodstock. 1847, May, Clark H. Chapman of Caven- dish; November, William Collamer of Woodstock, Ambrose A. Ran- ney of Townshend. 1848, May, Frederick Billings of Woodstock ; No- vember, Reuben H. Washburn of Ludlow, Spencer H. Leonard of Ches- ter. 1849, May, Henry C. Stoughton of Royalton, Dudley T. Chase of Windsor, Rufus F. Andrews of Woodstock ; September, Rufus F. An- Th5 Bench and Bar. 191 dreu's of Woodstock; November, Josiah W. Hubbard of Springfield, John Ward of Woodstock. 1850, May, Jabez C. Crooker of Hartland ; December, Oramel S. Senter of Thetford. 185 1, May, Charles M. French of Proctorsville, William Rounds, jr., of Chester; December, William J. Loveland of Norwich. 1852, May.Volney S. Fullam of Lud- low ; December, Henry B. Hopkins of Chester. 1853, December, John Alonzo Chandler of Woodstock, Charles Carroll Dewey of Woodstock, Austin Adams of Windsor. 1854, May, Dennis N. Cooley of Wood- stock. 1855, May, Lewis A. Grant of Chester; November, John S. Washburn of Ludlow. 1856, December, Jonathan B. Farnsworth of Woodstock, William W. Howard of Plymouth. 1S57, December, Bez- alee W. Lovell of Springfield, Norman Williams, jr., of Woodstock, James Oilman Henry of Woodstock. 1858, May, James J. Wilson of Bethel ; December, Henry Foster Anderson of Woodstock. 1859. May, Gilbert A. Davis of Chester; December. Don H. Woodward of Spring- field, Samuel E. Pingree of Bethel, i860. May, Jacob E. Taylor of Woodstock, Royal B. Roundy of Weathersfield, Redficld Proctor of Cavendish, Stephen M Pingree of Bethel, Henry B. Atherton of Cav- endish ; December, Wheelock G. Veazey of Springfield. 1861, May, George C. Hathaway of Woodstock, Patrick Henry Hutchinson of Ches- ter ; December, Christopher A. Webber of Rochester, William H. Wal- ker of Ludlow. 1862, May, Henry H. Dennison of Royalton, Hugh Henry of Chester, William Wallace Southgate of Woodstock, Daniel B. Dudley of Royalton; December, Norman Paul of Pomfret. 1863, December, Moulton J. Gilman of Bethel. 1864, May, George H Tamb- ling of Hartford ; December, Thomas O. Seaver of Windsor, James N. Edminster of Windsor. 1865, May, William E. Johnson of Woodstock, Fr.mk J. Bowman of Barnard. 1866, May, George B. French of Cav- endish ; December, P"ranklin B. Dennison of Royalton, Frank G. Clark of Woodstock. 1867, May, Edwin J. McWain of Bethel. 1868, De- cember, James K. Polk Chamberlain of Pomfret. 1869, May, Martin H. Goddard of Ludlow, Edwin W. Fitch of Chester, John W. Marsh of Woodstock, Joseph C. Dennison of Royalton, David C. Hackett of Roy- alton; December, Joseph Hiland Dodge of Andover. 1870, May, Ed- win White of Woodstock ; December, Charles A. Wilson of Cavendish. 1871, May, John L. Spring of Lebanon; December, Wallace Van Cor 192 History of Windsor County. of Royalton, Hiland H. Wheeler of Woodstock. 1872, May, William Batchelder of Bethel, Alba N. Lincoln of Woodstock. 1873, May, Madison T. Sawyer of Cavendish. 1874, December, William R. C. Stickney of Bethel. 1875, December, Milo S. Buck of Cavendish, Charles M. Marsh of Woodstock, Charles Williams of Woodstock, William H. Cotton of Hartford. 1876, May, George A.Weston of Ches- ter; December, Robert S. Southgate and Fred C. Southgate of Wood- stock, S. A. Griffin of Ludlow. 1877, May, James C. Barrett of Wood- stock, Josiah W. Dean of Cavendish. 1878, December, Rush T. Barrett of Woodstock, William W. Stickney of Ludlow. 1879, May, Edward T. Hodsden of Hartford; December, John H. Dennison of Roy- alton, Clarence W. Scott of Plymouth. 1880, May, Herbert D. Ryder of Sprini^field, Francis C. Hatch of Woodstock; December, James G. Harvey of Royalton. 1 88 1, May, Frederick Arnold of Bethel ; De- cember, Joseph C. Enright of Windsor. 1882, May, John J. Simonds of Windsor, Edward D. Reardon of Springfield. 1883, May, Warren C. French of Woodstock, Charles H. Mason of Roj'alton. 1884, May, Frank H. Clark of Reading, Elbridge M. Rush of Cavendish. Admit- ted subsequent to 1884, Fiank A. Walker of Ludlow, Sanford E. Emery of Cavendish, Fred W. Cady of Windsor, (1888,) Alba C. Feck of Cav- endish. To the above list may be appended the names of a number of lawyers who were admitted in other counties, and who subsequently came to Windsor county to practice. This list is taken from the com- pilation of George B. French, who was county clerk from 1867 to 1885: Samuel W. Porter, admitted in Windham county, 1814; Julius Con- verse, Orange, 1826; William M. Pingrj', Caledonia, 1832; Oliver P. Chandler, Caledonia, 1832; Augustus P. Hunton, Washington, 1837; Albert M. Albee, Windham, 1843; Charles M. Lamb, Orange, 1850; George L. Fletcher, Windham, 1859; Jerome W. Pierce, Windham, 1862; Charles P. Tarbell, Orange, 1870; William H. Bliss, Orange, 1877. Personnel of the Present Bar — At Bethel, Fred Arnold, Augustus B. Hunton, William B. C. Sticknej', (State's attorney,) James J. Wilson. Cavendish, Milo S. Buck, Alva C. Peck. Chester, George L. Fletcher, Hugh Heni-y, (probate judge, Windsor district,) William Rounds (assist- ant judge). Hartford, Samuel E. Pingree, Stephen M. Pingree. Lud- low, Martin H. Stoddard, William W. Stickney, Frank A. Walker, Will- The Medical Profession. 193 iam H. Walker. ProctorsviUe, Sanford E. Emery. Royalton, Dudley C. Dennison. Springfield, Albert M. Allbe, Jerome W. Pierce. South Royalton, Charles M. Lamb, Charles P. Tarbell. Windsor, William Batch- elder, Fred W. Cady, Gilbert A. Davis, Joseph C. Enright. White River Junction, James G. Harvey, John J. Simonds. Woodstock, Oliver P. Chandler, Warren C. French, William E. Johnson, Charles P. Marsh (assistant judge), Norman Paul, Thomas O. Seaver, (probate judge, Hart- ford district,) Frederick C. Southgate. CHAPTER XII. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION — INSTITUTIONS AND SOCIETIES OF WINDSOR COUNTY. WHEN we consider the importance and elevated character of the science of medicine-— its object, the preservation of the health and lives, and the healing of diseases, and the amelioration of the physical and mental sufferings of our fellow human beings — its e.xtent embracing a knowledge of all science — it is evident that medical education should engage the earnest attention of at least the entire medical profession. The advances made in all the branches of knowledge, and especially in the science of medicine during the past century, have excelled in extent and value those of all past ages; and it is no longer possible to compress its vast domain within the narrow limits of " seven professorships." The present age owes its wonderful progress to experimental and scientific research. Evolution and development are the talismanic watch- words of the nine- teenth century, and the doctrine is being accepted that things in the world do grow, and are not made; it is no longer universally accepted as a matter of religious faith that the world was created by supernatural power, for many of our deepest thinkers, men of the most profound under- standing, believe that it has been gradually unfolded by the action of natural causes. But, not wishing to be accused of heresy, it may be 25 194 History of Windsor County. stated that whether the theory be according to Darwin, or Hackel, or Spencer, or some other philosopher, the law will be the same in any case, and away back, behind "protoplasm," "germinal matter" and " celular germ," there still exists abundant proof of a "First Great Cause," of an " Infinite Wisdom," for the depth of which language hath not expression. A flood of light on this subject is now pouring forth on the world, but its acceptation as a convincing truth rests in a great measure with the individual. "The world," says Goethe, "is so framed that it cannot keep quiet." All the natural energies are brought into full force by the spirit of enter- prise, by the spirit of progress. The telegraph wires wipe out all terri- torial boundaries, and railways penetrate the utmost confines of the earth, and by them States and Territories are bound fast together in one web. "The Bible," says Gail Hamilton, " is full of excellent precepts, and the world is full of bad examples. If a man smite us on the right cheek, we — knock him down. If a man sues us at law, we stand suit, and if he would borrow of us we promptly turn away, unless he can give ample security." Science and enterprise have spanned the continent with electric wires, cabled the Atlantic Ocean, given us the measurements of revolving plan - ets, spread forth the canvas to the gale, and made the trackless ocean a highway through the world. By the use of scientific and cunningly de- vised instruments bleak skies and rude winds are foreseen, and the navi- gator places himself in safety. The electric light has displaced gas as effectually as the latter did the " tallow dip," and is established upon a secure commercial basis. School-houses, churches, newspapers, and books open up to the poorest the lights and opportunities of knowledge. The wealth of nations increases and we see all the arts of life approach- ing nearer and nearer perfection. In science, art and literature each succeeding generation is wiser than its predecessor. The mistakes of past experience serve as beacon-lights to warn us ofil' the rocks and shoals of error and guide us to the port of truth. The great and wide advancement in the different branches of medical science within the last generation is as much a marvel as the progress made in any other of the arts and sciences. The poorest laborer can now obtain advice and medicine far superior to that which royalty could command one or two centuries ago. The Medical Profession. 195 "The advance in medical knowledge within one's memory," say Sir James Paget, "is amazing, whether reckoned in the wonders of science not yet applied, or in practical results, in the general lengthening of life, or, which is still better, in the prevention and decrease of pain and mis- ery, and in the increase of working power." The dawning of medical science, which now sheds its light through the world, began with Hippocrates nearly twenty-three hundred years ago, and he first treated of medicine with anything like sound or rational principles. He wrote extensively, much of which has been translated and serves as a foundation for the succeeding literature of the profession. He relied chiefly on the healing powers of nature, his remedies being exceedingly simple. He taught that the people ought not to load them- selves with excrements, or keep them in too long; and for this reason he prescribed " meats proper for loosening the belly," and if these failed he directed the use of clj'sters. Three hundred years before Christ, Erasistratus invented and used the catheter, introduced the tourniquet, and produced an instrument for lithotriptic operations. Celsus flourished A. D. 50 to 120, as the greatest of Roman surgeons. Through all the centuries from the beginning of the Christian era down to the time of the discovery of the circulation of the blood by Harvey, 1619, medicine shed but a glimmering light in the midst of the darkness then enshrouding the world, and the greatest strides in the advancement of the various branches of medical science have been made in the last one hundred years, and most of them may be placed to the credit of the last half century. Physiologists no longer believe with Paracelsus in the sixteenth cen- tury, that the planets have a direct controlling action on the body, the sun upon the heart, and the moon upon the brain ; nor do they now be- lieve that the vital spirits are piepared in the brain by distillation ; nor do they admit that the chyle effervesces in the heart under the influ- ence of salt and sulphur, which take fire together and produce the vital flame. On the contrary, modern physiology teaches that the phenom- ena of the living body are the result of physical and chemical changes ; the temperature of the blood is ascertained by the thermometer, and the different fluids and gases of the body are analyzed by the chemist, giving to each its own properties and function. 196 History of Windsor County. While the eighteenth century witnessed greater advancement in the department of medical science than any or all its predecessors, the crowning achievement seems to have been reserved for the nineteenth — the present century. Among the thousands of elements that comprise this century's advance in medical science mention will be made of but one, and that among the first discoveries, /. e., the use of anesthetics, which benumb the nerves of sensation, and produce a profound but transient state of insensibility, in which the most formidable operation may be performed while the patient sleeps and dreams of home and happy hours, and the physician is left to the pleasing reflection that he is causing no pain or suftering. But it appears that as rapid as has been this advance during the last hundred years, so, correspondingly, have there developed new forms and phases of disease to baffle the skill of the most eminent physicians and scientists in the land; and while diseases, malarious in their char- acter, have for a time defied the attempts to overcome them, they have, nevertheless, been subdued and conquered. Medical skill has proven equal to every emergency. There is, to- day, known to botanists over one hundred and forty thou- sand plants, a large proportion of which are being constantly added to the already appalling list of new remedies. Many of these new drugs possess little, if any, virtue, save as their sale adds to the exchequer of some enterprising pharmacist. A drug house in New England recently issued a circular, in which they advertised 33 syrups, 42 elixirs, 93 solid extracts, 150 varieties of sugar-coated pills, 236 tinctures, 245 roots, barks, herbs, seeds and flowers, 322 fluid extracts, and 348 general drugs and chemicals. The ancients were not so well supplied with drugs. It was the cus- tom among the Babylonians to expose the sick to the view of passen- gers, in order to learn of them whether they had been afflicted with a like distemper, and by what remedies they had been cured. It was also the custom of those days for all persons who had been sick, and were cured, to put up a tablet in the temple of Esculapius, wherein they gave an account of the remedies that had restored them to health. Prior to the time of Hippocrates all medicine was in the hands of the priests, and was associated with numerous superstitions, such as sympathetic The Medical Profession. 197 ointments applied to the weapon with which a wound was made, incan- tations, charms, amulets, the royal touch for the cure of scrofula, human or horse flesh for the cure of epilepsy, convulsions treated with human brains. While all this credulous superstition of early ages, born of ignorance, existed to a vastly large extent, it has not been fully wiped out by the generally advanced education of the present day. The latest appeal to the credulity of the masses of the people is an invention to relieve the unfortunate sick, and is known as " the Faith Cure." The persons seek- ing to popularize this means of cure are either deceived themselves, or are deceiving others. Upon this point a popular writer says: " If the disease be an incurable one, all the prayers in the world will not cure it. Filth brings fever; prayer cannot interpose." There is probably no department of medicine at the present time more promising of good results than is sanitary science. While physi- ology and pathology are making known to us the functions of the hu- man body, and the nature and cause of disease, sanitary science is stead- ily teaching how the causes of disease may be removed or avoided, and health thereby secured. Progress during the coming one hundred years, if only equal to that of the past, will more than have accomplished great works in the ad- vancement of sanitary science ; but the accomplishment of this work calls not only for the labor of the physician, but for the intelligent co- operation of the people ; the physician cannot do it alone. If anything reall\- great is to be done in the way of sanitary improvement, and of preventing disease and death, it must be done by the people themselves. This implies that they must be instructed in sanitary matters. They must be taught what unsanitary conditions most favor the origin of dis- eases, how disease is spread, and the means of its prevention. If it is true that that knowledge is of the greatest to us which teaches the means of self-preservation, then the importance of a wide-spread knowledge of how to prevent disease and premature death cannot be overestimated. A number of the towns of Windsor county have already acquired the proportions of municipal being, and with every increase of population there comes an increased demand for sanitary regulations, especially in the more thickly peopled localities ; and it behooves the authorities of 198 History of Windsor County. those towns to look well to the matter of a complete system of sewerage. This is a matter that needs prompt and efficient attention. The expense of course would be considerable, but the outlay might better be made than to defer action until disaster should come that miijht be a greater cost both of means and lives. But what can be said in these pages concerning the history of the medi- cal profession of Windsor county, and who were its pioneer represent- atives ? Upon this question there appears but little of record, and still less of reliable tradition. The oldest living medical practitioner in the county would hardly attempt an enumeration of the practitioners that preceded him; those of the last century that rode the country over dur- ing its pioneer days. They are all gone now and have left no record of their lives ami deeds for succeeding generations. Whoever tlie\' were, and wherever thej' may have lived, the pioneer representatives of the healing art recognized the necessity of associating together for the pro- tection of their craft, and regulating the standard of fitness of aspirants for professional duty. Such a sentiment led to the formation of the " First Medical Society in Vermont," which was incorporated on the 25th of October, 1784. None of the incorporators, however, of that society were residents of Windsor coiuity. The second medical society of the State was formed in October. 1794, in pursuance of an act of the Legislature by physicians of Windsor county. The third was an organization of Franklin county, incorporated February 6, 1804; and the fourth was a Windsor county society, incor- porated on the 27th of October, 1812, but not fully organized by its members until the succeding year. These societies were county organi- zations. The first State society was incorporated by an act of the Legis- lature passed November 6, 1813, and was known as the "Vermont Medical Society." Among its incorporators were a number of Windsor county residents, as follows : Josiah Goodhue, Joadam Gallup, Moses Cobb, Stephen Drew, Nahum Trask, Silas Bowen, Eldad Alexander, Asaph Fletcher, Henry Gray, Erastus Torrey, Isaac Parker, Joadam Dennison, Joseph Winslow, Silas Brown, Nathaniel Pierce, Benjamin A. Dennison, Luther Fletcher, Charles Wolcott Chandler, John Burnell. The incorporators named in the act from the several counties, or any five from a single county, were autliorizcd to form themselves into a The Medical Profession. 199 county society for tlie same purpose as that for which the State society was created, that is : " The improvement of the theory and practice of the different branches of the heahng art," etc. It is not essentially im- portant to refer at any length to the powers and duties prescribed in the act as belonging to the State society, other than to note the fact that under it county societies were authorized, and out of which the " Medi- cal Society of the County of Windsor" was created and organized dur- ing, or immediately after, the year 1813. The minutes of proceedings and constitution of this old society are un- questionably lost, and nothing remains that in any manner relates to its existence except a book of charges found in the possession of Dr. Edwin Hazen, of Woodstock. This book purports to contain a record of the medical works loaned by the society to its members. The library com- prised forty volumes, physiological and pathological, which were held for the use and instruction of members, and loaned to them upon proper oc- casion. From this book is taken the names of the physicians who were members of the society, as follows: Joseph A. Gallup, Joseph A. Deni- son, Nahum Trask, Erastus Torrey, John Burnell, John D Powers, A. W. Monger, Elijah W. Alexander, Amos B. Page, Silas Bowen, Thomas Swift, Frederick Ware, James Tracy, Isaac Danforth, Alfred Page, Moses Cobb, Ora F. Paddock, John Anger, Ptolemy Edson, Willard P. Gilson, Samuel P. Page, Dyar Story, W. Bowman, John FLmory, Edwin Hazen. Dr. Hazen was the last physician to become a member of the society ; and he says that even; occurred about 1844 or 1846; and that the soci- ety was then about to pass out of being, in fact, " on its last legs," as the Doctor expresses it. In the year 1837, at a meeting of the society held June 13th, Dr. John Burnell read an address to the assembled members, .which was a review of the history of the organization, with some reference to the events that led to its formation, and the difficulties encountered in accomplishing it. Through the kindness of Dr. Hazen we are enabled to use such extracts from the address as will be deemed of interest to the profession of the present day. "Early in the year 181 2 some four or five of us in this immediate vicinity (Woodstock), who were then young in practice, conceived the plan of associating together and forming ourselves into a kind of club, 200 History of Windsor County. for mutual improvement in our profession. We had understood that an attempt had been made b)- tiie phy.sicians of the county, or some indi- viduals of thcrn, by petitioning the Legislature, to get an act of incor. poration for a medical society for this county. But on account of the extreme jealousy of that body, of all secret societies, it being then the days of 'Washington Benevolent Societies,' ' Hartford Conventions,' etc., the petition was ridiculed out of the House by moving that it be referred to the 'mad-dog committee,' which discouraged any further attempt at assistance from that source. " Feeling tlie want of their aid, and supposing that some of the older practitioners might be willing to unite with us, we consulted with them upon the subject. Their advice was that another attempt should be made upon the Legislature, and recommended that an advertisement for a convention of the physicians of the county should be published, to meet in this place (Woodstock), to concert further measures upon the subject. . . In pursuance of this advice the notice referred to was inserted in the public papers at Windsor, and the convention on the 3 1st of August, 1 8 1 2, was the result. Some fifteen or twenty physicians were present. . . . We were determined to have a society, the Legislature to the contrary nutvvithstanding ; and it was thought best, all concurring therein, to try the Legislature once more, and a commit- tee was chosen for drafting the petition. "At our next meeting, September 23, heard and accepted the peti- tion, and chose Dr. Joseph Winslow agent to present it, and use his en- deavors to get it granted. And it is recollected that on account of the appearance in our political horizon at that time, showing less party ani- mosity and jealousy of the influence of secret societies, and especially as Dr. Winslow was a leading man on the side of the dominant party, we had strong assurance of success, and the event proved we were not dis- appointed. . . At the next meeting, January 7, 1813, our agent reported the act of the Legislature, constituting us a body politic, by the name of the Medical Society of the County of Windsor. And it like- wise appears that at the same time our code of by-laws was reported by the committee which had been appointed for the purpose, and adopted by the society, wliich, with some alterations and amendments, still re- mains as our rules and regulations. At this meeting, January, 1813, a The Medical Profession. 201 full board of officers was chosen, and the society was first fully organized according to law. . . . Fiom that time for several years our meet- ings were held alternately, annual meeting at Woodstock, and semi- annual at Windsor. . . . But we were to feel the influence of those blighting causes, which are more or less unavoidable in institutions of this kind ; and which, but for the exertions of those members who pre- ferred peace and the success of our profession to the gratification of feel- ings of personal animosity, our society must have come to the ground. I allude principally to an attempt which was made, fifteen years since, to introduce within the walls of this society the discussion of the merits of an unhappy law- suit between two of its members, which was then but just terminated. Although it was treated by the members generally as it should have been, after much annoyance by him who made the at- tempt, and one other, who espoused his cause, much injury to our cause resulted from it. " The languishing state and final suspension of all business of our sister county societies, and consequently of the parent State society, are not among the least of the causes against which we have had to contend. Where shall we look for this cause which is operating so generally to paralyze all efforts for the furtherance of medical science and the re- spectability of our profession ? By referring to the records of a meeting of this society in June, 1823, it will be found that the following resolution was introduced, and published in the IVoodsiock Observer, or ordered to be there published : " ' Whereas, the medical literature of our State has its progress im- peded by the public interest and influence being divided between Cas- tleton and Burlington ; Resolved, therefore, by the Windsor County Medical Society, that we recommend the union of those schools, and invite the attention of the Vermont Medical Society, and of the several societies, to this subject.' " If it was thought in 1823, when we had but two medical schools in the State, that they were exerting a bad influence in dividing public in- terest, how much more influence of the same kind will three schools exert, and one having two courses of lectures in each year ? Lest it may be thought that the foregoing resolution had its origin in the prej- udice of members of this society towards those medical schools, or any 26 202 History of Windsor County. of the faculty at the head of them, it may be proper to mention that it was introduced and advocated by two of the gentlemen then connected with the Castleton Academy of Medicine." The reader will at once observe from the tenor of the foregoing ex- tracts that there evidently existed an inharmonious feeling in the pro- fession relating to the system of management of the medical college then in operation at the county seat. This would appear to be the real object of the worthy Doctor's address, to give voice and expression to his sentiment upon the subject, although in so doing he gave something of the history of the old medical society of the county. In another and still later part of his essay, the Doctor says : " But, it may possibly be agreed that if there are too many schools of medicine, it is an evil which will cure itself, cannot be supported, some of them must go down. True, Mr. President, they may, but in the meantime what will become of our medical society, that ought to be the supervisor of these institutions, while all our principal and leading physicians are engaged with all their might in sustaining each his favorite school ? In the meantime, too, we shall be inundated with ' quackery,' which is already making fearful in- roads in our goodly State." It is quite evident that Dr. Burnell was zealously engaged in the laud- able effort of endeavoring to save the medical society from dismember- ment and dissolution; but, notwithstanding that, the society ceased to exist about the year before mentioned The Clinical School of Medicine. — During the latter part of the year 1799 Dr. Joadam, or as he was more commonly styled, Joseph A. Gal- lup, came to reside and engage in the practice of medicine and surgery in the town of Woodstock. He is remembered as being a decidedly eccentric and erratic person, and like all such possessed determination of character to a remarkable degree, a quality that is now commonly termed obstinacy. But, notwithstanding these traits. Dr. Gallup was a man of learning and great medical ability in the special branches he most favored, and of excellent understanding in his profession in gen- eral. And like many men called great. Dr. Gallup possessed a " hobby," it being his greatest desire, that amounted almost to a passion with him, that he might at some day establish a medical school at Woodstock, for The Medical Profession. 205 the thorough training and education of the young men of the region who aspired to membership in the medical fraternity. To this end the doughty Doctor labored earnestly and zealously, but it was not until the year 1826 that his idea began to assume a definite form. By that time he was prepared to announce to the general public the fact of his having established at Woodstock a Clinical School of Medicine, amply provided with a competent corps of instructors and lecturers upon the several topics necessary for the thorough and complete education of all medical students who sought to avail themselves of its benefits. How- ever, some untoward event occurred that compelled a temporary sus- pension of the affairs of the sciiool, and it was not until the early part of March, 1827, that it was in fact opened. The institution was managed during the year almost solely by its worthy founder and such medical gentlemen as he had brought here who constituted the " faculty " ; but the successes of the first series of lectures were not particularly gratifying, while the expenses were con- siderable. But, not dismayed by misfortune. Dr. Gallup the next year succeeded in interesting a large number of the medical profession of the county in the matter of his enterprise, and the result was a numerously signed petition to the Legislature for an act of incorporation, that the school might be established and conducted on a more substantial basis. The matter, in the nature of an act, came before the Legislature, passed through the customary committee, was opposed by some and favored by others, and finally put upon its passage, and defeated. This misfortune, together with other disturbances, had the effect of temporarily disorganizing the economy of the school, and caused a post- ponement of the course of lectures arranged for tlie fall term of 1828' but by the succeeding spring the affairs of the school were resumed un- der more favorable conditions than had previously existed. By this time the friends of the enterprise had provided a suitable building for the lectures and other instruction, and another similar institution had taken this one under its patronage to the extent of conferring such de- grees as were desirable, the adverse determination of the Vermont Leg- islature having left the Woodstock school without such authority. Thus, despite the action of the General Assembly, the enterprise founded by Dr. Gallup became finally established upon a reasonably substantial ba- 204 History of Windsor County. sis, and so it was continued a number of terms and school years. De- grees were conferred upon the quaHfied candidates through the friendly officers of other institutions, and for a time the Clinical School of Med- icine actually appeared to prosper. But during these years, too, there existed and was gradually increasing an element of opposition and dissatisfaction with the management of the institution ; and although the residents of the village of Woodstock and vicinity came to the relief of Dr. Gallup, and promised and gave him substantial encouragement and aid, the opposition at length acquired such strength as to threaten the destruction of the school, and the final result was the founding of another medical institution in the same town, in January, 1834. Two such enterprises of course could not stand. At length friends of both interfered in the interest of harmony and the gen- eral welfare, and a compromise was speedily effected, under which Dr. Gallup was prevailed upon to surrender his interest in the enterprise into other hands and control. His connection thereby ceased, and the affairs of the school at once assumed another form, and the act that brought into being the '" Vermont Medical College " was soon afterward passed by the Legislature. That act was passed by the Legislature on the 26th of October, 1835, and named as corporators David Palmer, Henry H. Childs, Willard Parker, Benjamin C. C. Parker and John A. Pratt; but the name of the institution was left to the determination of these corporators and their associates, to be decided upon at their first meeting. This meeting was held on the 20th of April, 1836, and of which Dr. David Palmer was chairman, and Dr. Willard Parker secretary. After the meeting had been organized the corporate name, " Vermont Medical College," was adopted. Norman Williains was then elected a member of the corpora- tion. Then followed the adoption of by-laws, and the election of ofii- cers, with this result : Henry A. Childs, president ; David Palmer, vice- president; Norman Williams, secretary. These professorships were adopted : The theory and practice of medicine and obstetrics, Henry M. Childs, professor; surgery and physiology, Willard Parker, M. D., pro- fessor; chemistry and materia medica, David Palmer, M. D., professor; anatomy, Robert Watts, M. D., professor. A number of changes and additions were subsequently made in relation to the professorships of The Medical Profession. 205 the college, but those just named were adopted at the first meeting of the corporators. However gratifying to its officers and to the people of this vicinity may have been the successes which crowned their efforts in establishing the Vermont Medical College, it was not destined to enjoy a long life. As has been stated heretofore, the institution was brought into e.xistence in the year 1835, and put into operation during the following year. In 1843 'ts zenith of success was attained, but soon thereafter came a de- cline, a gradual falling away both in interest and patronage that finally ended in a complete abandonment of the enterprise, by the resignation of its faculty in the year 1856, although the real and personal property of the college trustees was not disposed of until the year 1862. Unlike the school founded by Dr. Gallup, the Vermont Medical Col- lege was empowered to confer " all such medical degrees, honors, diplo- mas or licenses as are usually given or conferred in colleges or medical institutions, but shall confer no other than medical degrees." This was embraced in the corporate act. The last exercise of authority under the above quoted provision occured at the annual meeting of the trustees, June 24, 1856. During this unfortunate period an effort was made to revive the institution. Frequent and earnest consultations were held, in which the advice of learned physicians and college professors was asked and given, but to no good purpose; the college failed for lack of mate- rial support. In 1 861 the board of trustees at a meeting held September 9th decided to place the property in the hands of Charles Chapman and Philo Hatch, as agents to sell the same at the best advantage. On the nth of October, 1862, the real estate was sold at public auction, Dr. Ed- win Hazen, of Woodstock, becoming the purchaser for the sum of seven hundred and fifty dollars. The further sum of one hundred and fifty dollars was realized from the sale of the personal property of the corpo- ration. The old college building still stands on the hill, in the southwest part of Woodstock village ; but the character of its occupancy is mate- rially different from that for which it was originally intended, being now a dwelling and boarding-house for summer visitors. During the years of its existence the Vermont Medical College gradu- ated a very large number of students, as will be seen from the appended statement. But it appears that previous to June 6, 1837, there was a 2o6 History of Windsor County. connection between this institution and the Middlebury College, and that the degrees conferred by the Woodstock college was done through the medium of the Middlebury College ; but at the time stated the trustees adopted this resolution: " Resolved, that the connection of this institu- tion with the Middlebury College be and is hereby dissolved, and that in future degrees shall be conferred by and under the authority of this in- stitution." The graduates of the Vermont Medical College need not be named in this sketch, from the fact that very few of them were residents of the county ; but it will be proper to state the gross number of students grad- uated with the close of the school year, each of which graduates car- ried away with him the title of " M. D." In June, 1836, the degree of Doctor of Medicine was conferred by the president of Middlebury Col- lege on eleven graduates; in 1837, on sixteen graduates; in 1838, on seventeen; 1839, on fifteen : in 1840, on twenty three; in 1 841, eighteen ; 1842, thirteen; 1843, fourteen; [844, fifteen; 1845, twenty-eight; 1846, twenty-four; 1847, twent\--five; 1848, thirty; 1849. twent\'-five ; 1850, nineteen; I 85 I, twenty- six ; i 852, twenty-five; 1853, twenty- two ; 1854, ten ; 1855, five; 1856, ten. Succession of officers from time of incorporation to 1856: 1836, Henry W. Childs, president; David Palmer, vice-president; Norman Williams, secretary. 1837, the records of the board of trustees for this year do not disclose an election of officers, but it is understood that those for the preceding year were continued, either by election or omission to elect. 1 838, Henry A. Childs, president ; David Palmer, vice president ; Norman Williams, secretary. 1839, David Palmer, president; Rev. B. C. C. Parker, vice president ; Norman Williams, secretary; John A- Pratt, treasurer. 1840, David Palmer, president ; Rev. B.C. C. Parker, vice-president; Norman Williams, secretary; John H Pratt, treasurer. 1841, Henry H. Childs, president;' Rev. B. C. C. Parker, vice-presi- dent; Norman Williams, secretary; John A. Pratt, treasurer. 1842, Henry H. Childs, president; Rev. B. C. C. Parker, vice-president; Nor- man Williams, secretary; John A. Pratt, treasurer. 1843, Henry H. 'Dr. Childs was chosen president at an adjourned meeting of the board. At the time of the election Dr. Palmer was seriously ill, and the trustees deferred electing a successor until his illness terminated his life. The Press. 207 Childs, president ; Benjamin R. Palmer, vice-president ; Norman Will- iams, secretary; John A. Pratt, treasurer. 1844, Henry H. Childs, president; Benjamin R. Palmer, vice-president; Norman Williams, sec- retary. 1845, no record of any officers being elected. 1846, Benjamin R. Palmer, president; Hon Jacob Collamer, vice-president; Norman Williams, secretary. 1847, Benjamin R. Palmer, president ; Jacob Col- lamer, vice-president; Norman Williams, secretary and treasurer. 1848, Benjamin R. Palmer, president; Jacob Collamer, vice-president; Nor- man Williams, secretary and treasurer. 1849, same as in 1848. 1850, Benjamin Rush Palmer, president; Norman Williams, secretary and treasurer. (No others elected.) The years 1851-52-53 there was no change from the officers of 1850. In 1854 there appears to have been none elected except that Jacob Collamer was chosen vice-president. 185s, Jacob Collamer, president ; William Henry Thayer, vice-presi- dent; Norman Williams, secretary and treasurer. Such organizations as are in the county at the present time, that re- late to the medical profession, and have their membership from among the physicians, are those known as the White River Valley Medical As- sociation and the Connecticut Valley Medical Association, both of which are in active existence. But each has its jurisdiction extending beyond the borders of the county, and beyond the limits of the State ; for the character of each society is such that physicians residing east of the Connecticut may have membership in either association, or both if they choose. CHAPTER XHI. THE PRE.SS OF WINDSOR COUNTY. EDUCATION is the great civilizer, and printing its greatest aux- iliary. Were it not for the aid furnished by the press the great mass of people would still be groping in the darkness of the middle ages, and knowledge remain confined within the limits of the cloister. It is surprising when searching our libraries to discover how little has been written of the " Art preservative of all arts," and the educator of 2o8 History of Windsor County. all educators. While printing has been the chronicler of all arts, pro- fessions and learning, it has recorded so little of its history as to leave even the story of its first invention and application wrapped in m\-stery and doubt We only know that from the old Ramage press which Faust and Franklin used, capable of producing only a hundred impressions per hour, we have now the ponderous machine which turns out one thousand copies per minute. In glancing over the pages of history we discover the gradual devel- opments ill all the arts and sciences. We notice that the\' go hand in hand — one discovery points to another, one improvement in the arts leads to others continually, and the results of the last few centuries show that observations of no apparent use led to the most important discov- eries and developments. The falling of an apple led Newton to unfold the theory of gravitation and its relation to the solar system ; the dis- covery of the polarity of the loadstone led to the construction of the mariner's compass; the observation of the muscular contraction of a frog led to the numerous applications of galvanic electricity ; the observation of the expansive force of steam lead to construction and manifold uses of the steam engine ; the observation of the influence of light on chloride of silver led to the art of photography ; the observation of the commu- nication of sound by the connected rails of a railroad led to the invention of the telephone; the impressions cut in the smooth bark of the birch tree led to the art of printing — the art which transmits to posterity a record of all that is good and valuable to the world There is progress discernible in every successive generation of man. Gradually has he advanced from a state of nude barbarism and total ignorance to a degree of perfection which gives him almost absolute dominion over all elements, and in the pride of glorious and enlightened manhood he can exclaim with Cowper : " I am a monarch of all 1 survey, My right there is none to dispute ; From the center all 'round to the sea. I am lord of the fowl and the brute." So long as mind shall occupy its seat, so long will progress be the watchword of man, and onward and upward will be his march to an endless and limitless ascent — where all the hidden and occult secrets of The Press. 209 creation will unfold their mysteries to his comprehension and crown him master of them all. The printing-office has well been called the Poor Boy's College, and has proven a better school to many ; has graduated more intellect and turned it into useful, practical channels; awakened more active, devoted thought than any alma mater on the earth. Many a dunce has passed through the universities with no tangible proof of fitness other than his insensible piece of parchment — himself more sheepish, if possible, than his "sheep skin." There is something in the very atmosphere of a printing-office calculated to awaken the mind to activity, and inspire a thirst for knowledge. Franklin, Stanhope, Berranger, Thiers, Greeley, Taylor and a host of other names, illustrious in the world of letters and science, have been gems in the diadem of typography, and owe their success to the influence of a printing-office. The newspaper has become one of the chief indexes of the intelligence and progress of the community in which it is published, and its files are the foot-prints of the advancement and refinement of the period of its publication; and the printing-office is now deemed as essential as the school- house or church. It has taken the place of the rostrum and the professor's chair, and become the great teacher. No party, organization, enterprise or calling is longer considered perfect without its " organ " — the newspaper — as a mouth-piece. In journalistic ventures Windsor county has been as prolific as per- haps any in the State, there having been established, and conducted for a greater or less length of time, between the year 1784 and this present, something like sixty or seventy separate newspaper publications, and the majority of them were put in operation prior to i860, and covered a period when there was far less demand or necessity for newspaper infor- mation than has existed since that year. And prior to that time the publication of a newspaper, in all the details of its departments, was at- tended with far greater proportionate expense than at this day; for now news can be gathered from all quarters of the globe and placed before every community within twelve hours from the occurrence of an event, while formerly weeks and sometimes months elapsed before reports of transactions abroad, and the more distant parts of America, reached the newspaper office. This is the result of rapid telegraphic transmission of 27 210 History of Windsor County. news, made possible by the organization of press associations. And dur- ing the years subsequent to i860 the actual expense of obtaining news and interesting selected miscellaneous reading matter has been materially lessened by the invention and distribution of what has been designated " patent sides," for local rural papers. Until within a very few years it was not an unusual thing for some large offices to print certain portions or sides of a paper, to the number of hundreds of thousands, and sell the prepared sheets to rural offices at a very slight advance upon the cost of the blank paper ; but this nieans of providing and disseminating news is not now employed to so great an e.Ktent by far as it was ten or fifteen years ago. Another device that has contributed toward lessening the cost of news- paper publications, and which supplanted largely the " patent sides " sys- tem, is that known as " plate matter," being nothing else than selected literature from the papers of large cities, and establishments designed for the preparation of the matter ; all of which is stereotyped from the orig- inal work, and thus distributed at a very moderate cost to the local offi- ces. The advantages of this system are employed in very many offices throughout the country, perhaps in some in Windsor county. This method of acquiring reading matter is far from objectionable, in fact is highly commendable, for b\- it the publisher of a paper is enabled to fur- nish his readers with carefully selected miscellanj' at a cost far less than was necessary to be ciiarged a dozen or more years ago. The people, not the publisher, derive the greatest benefits from these systems. The press in Windsor county had a beginning quite as humble as that of any other of its institutions, and whether or not it has kept even pace with them in this age of progress the reader must judge. It will not be questioned that, in every respect, as a community, the people of this county have kept even step with the spirit of advancement in human progress that has so signally distinguished the present century. Their churches and schools will compare favorably with those of any other of the several counties of the State ; and as for the general characteristics of the people, whether as to enterprise, industry, morality, or intelligence, it is claimed — and with much show of reason — that Windsor county oc- cupies an advanced position among the others of the State similarh' sit- uated. This is not only true of the present generation, but was the case even before the opening of the present century. The Press. 211 The honor, if it may be so called, of having founded this newspaper in Vermont belongs to Windham county; and the first paper so published was the Veniio?it Gazette, or Green Mountain Post Boy, the production of Judah P. Spooner and Timothy Green. Its first issue appeared in Feb- ruary, 1 78 1, but its publication ceased in 17S3. The second paper of the State was started at Bennington, in June, 1783, by Anthony Hasvvell and David Russell, and its name was the Vermont Gazette, or Freetnans De- pository. This paper was continued through manifold vicissitudes until about the year 1850. But to the count)' of Windsor, and to the village of the same name, is given the credit of having the third newspaper publication of this State • and that the Vermont Journal and Universal Advertiser, founded and established in the year 1783, by George Hough and Alden Spooner. The first issue of this paper made its appearance on the 7th of August of the year named. But unlike its predecessor, the Gazette or Green Mountain Post Boy, the Journal proved to be a prosperous venture, and has continued in publication even to the present day, though having ex- perienced numerous changes in proprietorship and "dress." For its establishment the proprietors, or one of them at least, purchased the materials and press of the defunct Gazette office at Westminster, and moved them to Windsor for the purpose of the new publication. The early years of life of the Journal were not a continued series of struggles and hardships more than any other of the pioneer institutions of the county, nor were the efforts of its enterprising publishers rewarded with any remarkable success in the matter of cash 'accumulations. In fact, this was a commodity at that particular period most noticeable for its absence, and in every branch of business and trade the proprietors were content to receive produce of all kinds in exchange for merchandise; and in the infant days of journalism in this State it was not a rare occur- rence that the publishers advertised to take " clean cotton rags " in pay- ment for subscriptions. The publication of the Journal by its original proprietors was contin- ued without material interruption until the year 1788, but during the month of December of that year Mr. Hough retired from the partnership, and Mr. Spooner became sole proprietor, the first issue of the paper under his exclusive control being made December 29. A little more 212 History of Windsor County. than three years later the pioneer name of Vermont Journal and Univer- sal Advertiser was dropped, and Spooner's Vermont Journal appeared in its stead. No further change in the paper or its proprietorship was made until the year 1817, at which time Wyman Spooner, a nephew of Alden Spooner, purchased an interest. This firm continued until August 10, 18 1 8, when the junior partner became sole owner and proprietor. During Wyman Spooner's control the name was again changed by dropping " Spooner's," leaving the title page simply Vermont Journal ; but on the 12th of August, 1826, Alden Spooner having again entered the office, its previous name was restored, and so continued until the early part of February of the succeeding year, when Enos Folsom became proprietor of the enterprise, Alden Spooner still holding, however, a lien on the property, and under which claim the plant was sold to Simeon Ide during the year 1828. Mr. Folsom, during his brief editorship, also cut from the heading the word Spooner's, and took, for the third time, the name Vermont Journal. On the 1st of August, 1829, the Journal wzs united with the Vermont Republican, a paper of the town, founded in 1809 by Farnsworth & Churchill. This union was followed by the issue of the Vermont Repub- lican and Journal ; and again, on the 5th of January, 1835, Simeon Ide and Charles H. Smith having then succeeded to the ownership of the last named paper, the old journal, the pioneer newspaper of the county, tem- porarily lost its identity entirely, the new firm adopting the name of Ver- mont Republican and Cotcrier. However, during the year 1844, through the energy of Charles F. Merrifield, the old paper was again brought into existence, and the Ver- mont Journal was again in the community ; this time, too, to remain as one of the staunch newspapers of the town and county. Since its revival the editorial management has frequently changed, but finally became firmly established under the control of the Journal Publishing Company, a character of management and ownership of late years having become quite popular. The name of the proprietary company implies that a number of persons are interested in the enterprise, from patriotic or political motives, but who are not directly in charge of the practical work of the office, that duty devolving upon one or more persons whose quali- fications fit them for such service, and who are called either manager or editor, or both. Marsh O. Perkins is the present editor of the paper. yr^m/^t/^ /.DdZyuy^ The Press. 213 The Vermont Journal is to-day, and for years past has been, one of the most influential newspapers of tlie county, and the recognized organ of the Republican party. Its circulation is large, and by no means con- fined to this county ; and it enjoys, moreover, a liberal advertising pat- ronage — in successful newspaper business a sine qua non. The Morning Ray. — This newspaper is understood to have been is- sued during the year 1791, the first number appearing in October. Thompson, however, gives no account of its existence, probably from the fact of its not having a life of more than a few months. Its proprietor was James Reed Hutchins, and its office was in Windsor. The Windsor Federal Gazette. — As its name indicates, the Gazette was one of the newspapers founded in Windsor, the first issue being sent to the readers on March 3, 1801. From the character of the title it may readily be inferred that its proprietor and founder, Nahum Mower, was an adherent to the cause of the Federalists, who were then a minority party in American politics. But whether or not Mr. Mower found that his party's doctrines were not popular with the people, is perhaps uncer- tain, but it is nevertheless a fact that he ceased its publication during the latter part of 1 804, and issued in its stead the Post Boy and Vermont and Nezu Hampshire Federal Courier. Perhaps the doughty publisher imagined that this more formidable title would bring him a goodly sub- scription patronage from the New Hampshire side of the river, but the early death of his enterprise would indicate to the contrary. The paper continued only two short years. A file of the Post Boy, for such was it commonly called, is now in the library at Woodstock, and an interesting little volume it is. The Northern Memento. — The first attempt at founding a newspaper at the county seat was made during the year 1804, when Isaiah H. Car- penter felt the public pulse by making a canvass for subscribers for his contemplated publication. Mr. Carpenter, it»appears, was not a novice in journalism, for he had learned the printing trade at Windsor ; and in addition to that he had " run " a little printing-office in the town of Bar- nard, and there published a few small books. This experience of course fully qualified the enterprising gentleman for general newspaper work — as some people believe before having tried it. But the people of Woodstock apparently desired a paper and gave 214 History of Windsor County. Mr. Carpenter sufficient support to ju.stify him in printing one for them, which he did, the first number appearing May i6, 1805. Whether this support subsequently fell off, or the publisher found the expense account greater than at first estimated, cannot now be determined, but in 1806, some time in February, the Memento was discontinued, and no paper was thereafter started in that town for the space of fourteen years. The Green Mountain Palladium. — Chester was the third town in the county to which came the good fortune of having a home paper. In the year 1808 Charles, William and Henry Spear, brothers, established there the newspaper of which the above was the name. Thompson cor- rectly numbers this among the journals "of which we know but little but their names." However, it is known that the Palladium continued publication for some ten or twelve years. Tlie Vermont Republican. — An earlier- portion of this chapter has already mentioned the union of this newspaper enterprise with the [Vr- mont Journal, on August i, 1829, and the subsequent continuation of both, by Ide & Smith, under the name of Vermont Republican and Journal The Republican was founded at Windsor on January i, 1809, by Messrs. Farnsworth & Churchill, and was continued in existence, hi its separate character, until the association with the Journal, and thence- forth to the time of its sale and transformation into the Republican and Courier, during the year 1835. The Republican, at the time of its founding at least, was published as the organ of the party for which it was named, and favored prosecuting the war with Great Britain, which was then threatening. The opposition, however, were determined not to be outdone in the matter of having a newspaper to advocate their side of the political questions then agitating the pubhc mind ; and to effect the acts of the Loyalists they brought into existence, in the year 1 8 10, The Washingtonian. — The paper was under the management of men who were e.vperienced in newspaper work : Thomas M. Pomeroy, pub- lisher, and josiah Dunham, editor. The Washingtonian first appeared in July, iSio; but the party whose cause it championed seems not to have had sufficient strength in this region to give to it that substantial support so needful for success, and its publication was therefore discon- tinued in July, 18 1 3. The Press. 215 The Woodstock Observer. — The second attempt at founding a news- paper at the county seat, while more successful than that preceding, was not crowned with as gratifying results as were hoped for or ex- pected. The first step toward starting this enterprise were taken during the year 1819, David Watson, a resident of the town, and a practical printer, having charge of the matter. Watson could print, but, strange as it may appear, he was conscious of the fact that he could not edit a paper. After casting about for a time in quest of a suitable person for the editorial department, but without success, Watson concluded to put the Observer before the public without editorial assistance, and this was done in 1820. Several persons contributed to the columns of the Ob- server, chief among whom, perhaps, was Norman Williams. But, notwithstanding Mr. Watson's best efforts, the venture would not pay ; consequently in 1823 he transferred the office to Rufus Colton, a former' employee of Watson's, by whom the paper was published until 1832 and then suspended operations. The Christian Repository. — This publication was hardly of the char- acter that would entitle it to mention among newspapers of the county, as it was nothing else than a quarterly magazine. It was established in the year 1820, under the editorial charge of Samuel C. Loveland, and printed by David Watson of the Observer. In 1825 the enterprise was purchased by Rev. Robert Bartlett, by whom it was edited for about three years, and then resold to Mr. Loveland. In 1829 William Bell became proprietor, and soon after changed the character of the publi- cation into a weekly newspaper, under the title of Uiiiversalist Watch- man and Repository, thus making it a denominational paper. One year later a further change in its management occurred, and the title was again changed, this time appearing Universalist Watchman, Repository and Chronicle. In 1833 the office and material were moved to Mont- pelier. The next venture into the field of journalism at Woodstock was that made in 1821 by Rev. Walter Chapin ; and this, too, was a sectarian paper pub'ished every two weeks, and called the Evangelical Monitor. Its purpose was to promote the growth and welfare of the Congregational church. It was discontinued during the early part of 1823. In 1827 another religious bi weekly paper was started at Woodstock, called the 2i6 History of Windsor County. Gospel Banner, under the editorial charge of Rev. Jasper Hazeii. But one volume of the paper was printed. In the year 1828 David Watson began the pubHcation of the I'eniioiit Enquirer; but this venture appears to have met with still less of success than the worthy editor's former en- terprise, the Observer, and was suspended after a few numbers. The Vermont Chronicle was established at Bellows Falls by E. C. Tracy, in April, 1826, and moved, two years later, to Windsor. Here it continued to e.x'ist until 1875, enjoying a fair degree of success during its stay in the county. Several changes in ownership were made dur- ing these years, Mr. Tracy, however, remaining with the paper through- out. In 1875 the paper was moved to Montpelier, where it is still published. In 1829 the town of Norwich first had a home paper, the name of which was the l^ermont Inquirer, published under the direction of Messrs. Davis and Porter. It was a short lived paper, however, being discon- tinued sometime during the year 183 i. About the same time, or perhaps a little later, 1830, the town of Chester received its second visitation of aspiring journalists, and the result was the starting of the Free- dom's Banner, under the care of the firm of Fellows & Co. It was pub- lished in the town for about ten years, and then dropped. In the same town the Banner was succeeded by the Musical Gazette, a montiily jour- nal published by a Mr. Silsley. Its existence, however tempting may have been its title, was quite brief, and after some three years of publi- cation it passed out of circulation. Since that time no other newspaper has been published in Chester; at all events there appears no record of any. The year 1830 seems to have been an eventful one in the annals of journalism in the county in general, and in Woodstock in particular; for during that year the town's people witnessed the founding of no less than four newspaper publications — Tlie American Whig, by Joseph Hemenway and E. J. W. Holbrook; the Henry Clay, by Benjamin F. Kendall ; Liberal Extracts, by T. E. Powers ; the Workitigman s Ga- zette ; and still another, though a magazine in character, called the Domestic Medical and Dietetical Monitor, or Journal of Health, by John Harding of South Woodstock. It may be remarked, right here, that Woodstock was never outdone in newspaper or magazine publications The Press. 217 by any other town of the county, notwithstanding the fact that no paper of an}' kind was started in the town previous to 1805. The American Whig appears to have been the result of a consolida- tion of the Vermont Ljiminaty, a former paper of Randolph, and the Equal Rights, an embryo paper, the origin of which we know not of, but it is said to have originated in Chester, and the whole united under the combined title of the American IVhig, Vermont Luminary and Equal Rights. Its publishers were Hemenway & Holbrook, above mentioned. The intent and purpose of this formidable journal (so in name at least) was to oppose and crush out Free Masonry, to which object the Wind- sor County anti- Masonic committee was pledged. This committee directed the course of the paper. In its three-fold character the paper struggled against Masonry, and incidentally against fate, for a period of about six years, and then died a martyr to the cause it chiefly espoused ; but Masonry appeared not to have been seriously affected by the on- slaughts of the papers. Other than the original editors, or publishers, these persons were subsequently connected with the Whig: Samuel Hemenway, Samuel Hemenway, jr., Ferdinand Sherwin, and Henry L. Anthony. 'WiQ Henry Clay was first issued in the early part of September, 1830, under the editorial care of Benjamin Franklin Kendall, while David Watson served as publisher. But after a year's continuance the name of the paper was changed to Vermont Courier, and Farmers and Me- chanics Advocate, thus, in name at least, outstripping its cotemporary of the same year. A couple or so years later some changes were again made, by a union with the Windsor Republican, and a new name, Re- publican and Courier, adopted. Still later, a change in proprietorship brought to the paper the more plain and sensible title of Vermont Courier, by which it was known to the time of its demise, in 1838 or there- abouts. The Liberal Extracts was a journal representing the ideas of the Wood- stock Free Reading Society; the latter an organization that now might be called an Infidel Club. Nahum Haskell edited the Extracts during its brief but eventful career. It was a monthly publication, and contin- ued only one year. The Workingman s Gazette was started in 1830, in the interest of the 28 2i8 History of Windsor County. workingmen of the vicinity, as will readily be inferred from its name. The period of its publication was quite brief There were too many so- ciety journals emanating from the county seat, and some must go — event- ually all then in existence departed. The Gazette, however, became merged into the Henry Clay, the latter then being controlled by Mr. Kendall. No further attempt was made to found a paper at the shire town until 1833, when Silas Esterbrook came out with the l^illagc Bal- ance, an anti- Masonic sheet that lasted only through one year's campaign. It was followed, three years later, however, 1836, by a similar publica- tion, The Constitution, edited by Henry S. Hutchinson ; but this, too. died almost "a' bornin." During the same year, 1836, another paper was conducted in Woodstock, called The Hornet. This was an opposi- tion sheet to the Constitution, and was edited by B. F. Kendall and Thomas E. Powers. It eventually shared the fate of its predecessors. During the ten years between 1830 and 1840 the village of Windsor seems to have experienced an epidemic of newspaper ventures, there be- ing started during that decade four journals, nothing, however, in num- ber to compare with the great works accomplished at the county seat. The Windsor papers were : Tlie Journal of Temperance, by Richards & Tracy, a semi-monthly, first number March 30, 1832; The Windsor Statesman, by Talford & Fletcher, started in 1833 and died in 1840; the Spirit of Seventy-Six, started in 1835, t>y Darius Jones, died 1837, t)y the hand of fate ; the Vermont Times, established in 1839, by Charles H. Severance, died in infancy, 1841. No other paper was attempted in Windsor until 1847, when the School Journal and Agriculturalist made its appearance. It lasted just about six years. Thus the old Vertnont Journal, with all its vicissitudes, survived all others ; and who shall say this was not a "survival of the fittest?" Thus far in these pages nothing has been said concerning the " rise and fall " of the press in the town of Springfield Well, there was made no effort to establish a paper there prior to 1833, and tiien the mania of the period did not appear to strike that locality with such severity as was observable in the northern sections of the county. However, in 1833, Messrs. Coolidge & Sprague commenced the publication of the Record of the Times. Three years later the enterprise was dropped, and Spring- field had no local paper thereafter for seventeen years. Then, in 1853, The Press. 219 Mr. Gurnsey commenced the publication of the Springfield Telegraph ; but telegraphic press communications were then infrequent as compared with more recent years, so, after two years of indifferent success, the Tel- egrapJi suspended publication. Next in the succession of evanescent journals in the town came Tlie Record and Farmer ,M\ enterprise established in November, 1866, by D. L. Millikin, and by whom it was published until 1868, and then sold and merged into the Vermotit Journal. Five years later, January i, 1873, Frank W. Stiles started the Enterprise, a monthly journal ; but this proved unsuccessful, and was consequently withdrawn from the public after a year's publication. During the same year, 1873, E. D. Wright entered the field with the Weekly Nezus, but this, too, was an unsuccess- ful venture, and its proprietor sold out to the ll^oodstock Post. In 1875 the Springfield Bulletin was born. O. A. Libby acknowledged its pa- ternity and assumed its support. It proved a weakling, and died, aged about eight months. The Springfield Reporter. — In the year 1878, about two and one -half years after the suspension of the Bulletin, the present Springfield Re- porter was started, under the editorial supervision and control of Frank W. Stiles, the founder of the Enterprise of some years preceding. In 1878 Mr. Stiles found an open field for a good, newsy paper, and by that time the people of the town were also awake to the necessity of a local journal to represent their interests at large. Therefore the Reporter was presented to the reading public, its first issue appearing in the early part of January, 1878. The paper met with a cordial reception in the com- munit)', and increased in circulation and advertising support until it be- came, and still continues, firmly established upon a secure commercial basis. From its founding to the present time the Reporter has been under the control of Mr. Stiles. Returning again to the successions of county newspaper enterprises it is found that in 1837 Nahum Haskell and Augustus Palmer founded the Verjnont Mercitj-y, at Woodstock, the first number being published on April 6th Subsequently two changes were made in the name of the paper, the first to Woodstock Mercury, and the second to Windsor County Advertiser, the name being taken in 1853. Norman Williams and Thomas E. Powers were frequent contributors to the columns of the 220 History of Windsor County. Mercury, especially in that department devoted to the advocacy of the Whig doctrines, of which they, and the proprietors as well, were the local champions. The Mercury was discontinued about 185 i. Tlie Spirit of the Age. — This is one of the established newspapers of the present day, but its founding dates back to the year 1840. Charles G. Eastman was the editor of the Age at the outset, and continued in that capacity until 1845, at which time A. E. Kimball succeeded him. Mr. Eastman, in 1843, changed the name of the paper to the Woodstock Age, but his successor, among his earliest acts in connection with it, restored the old name to the title page, and there it has since remained. In 1847 Mr. Kimball was succeeded by E. M. Brown, and the latter, in turn, by William D. McMaster, the present owner and editor. The Spirit of the Age is the only recognized organ of the Democratic party at present published in this county ; and while, perhaps, its circu- lation it confined mainly to readers of the party's faith, it has, neverthe- less, a large and paying subscription list both within and without the county. That it is well edited and managed is reasonably attested by the fact that Mr. McMaster's long connection with the paper, and his re- ward for long continued party service, lies not only in the extensive pat- ronage of the Age, but also in his elevation to the postmastership of Woodstock village. Subsequent to the founding of the Spirit of the Age, and prior to 1850, three other newspapers were started at Woodstock : The Whig Advocate, a small campaign paper that made its appearance in 1842, with Charles P. Marsh, editor ; the Coon Hunter, also a campaign document, and an auxiliary or supplementary publication of the Age; and the Temperance Herald. The last named paper continued some four or more years. The Vermont Standard. — The unfortunate end that, with a single ex- ception, overtook all previously established newspapers at the county seat, seems not to have had the effect of entirely discouraging all subse- quent efforts in that direction. But on April 29, 1853, when editor Thomas E. Powers and publisher Lewis Pratt, jr., issued the first num- ber of the Vermont Temperance Standard, the prospects for long con- tinued and abundant success were not specially inviting. For had not the Temperance Herald, the immediate predecessor of the Standard, gone to the ground, and that despite the fact that its friends had contributed The Press. 221 five hundred dollars for its early support ? But, notwithstanding that, the proprietors of the Standard had confidence in the enterprise they founded, and subequent events proved their judgment to be correct ; but it is doubtful if even these original founders contemplated the radical change in store for their paper, by its changing from the Temperance Standard, presumably, from its name, an advocate of temperance, to the Vermont Standard, and eventually to become a recognized organ of Re- publicanism in the town and county. But such was not the case. Dr. Powers continued in charge of the editorial department of the pa- per for nearly two years, retiring December 29, 1854, and was succeeded by Rev. G. C. Sampson. The last named editor was succeeded, two years later, January, 1857, by Luther O. Greene and W. P. Davis, both of whom were formerly connected with a paper rit St. Albans. Among the early acts of these proprietors, in connection with their new acquisi- tion, was the change of its name to the Vermont Standard, dropping " Temperance," as a distinguishing feature of the paper's character, but by no means relinquishing temperance advocacy Mr. Davis's connection with the paper continued until the 27th of July, i860, when Mr. Greene became sole proprietor, and has so remained to the present day. Subsequent to the founding of the Standard three attempts have been made at starting newspaper publications at the county town. The first of these attempts brought forth the Nortliern Farmer, a paper intended to be devoted to the agricultural interests of the vicinity in particular, and to current news in general. E. M. Brown and A. B. Crosby were the originators of this enterprise, but their efforts were not rewarded with any special degree of success ; whereupon, in the course of a few months, the office material was removed to West Randolph. It began publication in the early part of 1855. The Otta Qnecliee Post was established by Robert A. I'erkins, and first appeared September 15, 1871. It never prospered in that locality, al- though its proprietor afterwards became sowewhat prominent as a jour- nalist. The /^t'5/' changed its name, in 1872, to the Woodstock Post, and advocated the election of Horace Greeley for the Presidency. It was known, or during that campaign called itself, an Independent Reiniblican paper ; but in following the plan set by the leaders of the memorable po- litical contest, the Post, as well as all other so-called independent papers 222 History of Windsor County. of that period, found themselves fairly landed within the Democratic camp, from which some never afterwards escaped, while others did, and returned to the Republican fold. The Post was discontinued in 1875, the last number being issued June 4th of that year. The Acorn was the result of the latest effort at starting a new paper at Woodstock, the date of its first issue being May i, 1872. It was a monthly publication, under the charge of a number of young journal- istic aspirants of the county seat. It was not a long-lived paper, and withdrew from the field in October, 1873. The town of Hartford, or, more particularly, the village of White River Junction, has witnessed the founding of five separate newspaper enterprises, although but one, The Landmark, long survived the voyage over the ever-troubled waters of the sea of journalism. The first paper established in this town was The White River Advertiser and Ver- mont Faviily Gazette, a creation of October, 1852, and the victim of a destroying fire in 1853. It was published by Davis & South worth. Twenty-five years later, in 1878, on the first of January. Thomas Hale commenced the publication of xhe RepKb/icaii Observer; but two j-ears of experience in the locality seerhs to have satisfied Mr. Hale, as he then moved the establishment to New Hampshire. Third in the succession of papers in this town was the Sun, founded December 9, 1881, by Royal Cummings, but who, in March of the next year, disposed of the plant, Araunah A. Earl becoming the purchaser. On the 13th of March, 1882, Mr. Earl issued the first number of the paper under the name of Landmark, and as such it has ever since been published, and by the same practical, enterprising and competent pro- prietor. No better mention of the character and general purpose of the Landmarh can be made than by quoting from the publisher's own ad- vertisement, as follows : " Devoted specially and entirely to the in- terests of its publisher, who is independent when it will pay, neutral when it don't." The Landmark is one of the present papers of tiie county. The Valley News was the result of the latest effort at starting a pa- per at the Junction, but it was only a feeble effort, and failed of sub- stantial or lasting results. The town of Ludlow has but one home paper, the Tribune, although The Press. 223 five previous attempts were made to establish a publication for that vicinity. The first effort in that direction brought forth the Genitis of Liberty, but the paper proved of short duration. Next appeared The Blotter, \n 1854, under the proprietorship of R. S. Warner and W. A. Bacon. The paper changed owners with frequency, which fact itself was an evidence of non-success, and was finally sold " under the hammer," as the saying goes. The purchaser, Mr. Warner, formerly its owner, endeavored to put the paper again before the public, but it was of no avail. The Blotter lasted from the fall of 1854 to the latter part of 1856- But Mr. Warner was not discouraged by one, or even two, unsuccessful attempts, and in January, i860, presented to the people of Ludlow another paper, called The Voice Among the Mountains. But this publi- cation, like its predecessor, made frequent changes in ownership, and was finally made a monthly. As such its days were ended with its third year, and The Voice Among the Mountains was no longer heard. On the 17th of April, 1866, D. E. Johnson "tried his hand" at journalism, and brought to light TIic Transcript, but during the early days of the paper Mr. Johnson died, and the office and plant were then sold to a former publisher of the Brattleboro Record. It proved unprofitable, and was soon discontinued. The next newspaper of Ludlow was The Black River Gazette, founded in December, 1 866, by R. S.Warner and Moses Burbank. Li March, 1 867, Mr. Burbank died, and another owner succeeded to his place Without attempting to follow in detail ail the changes in ownership of the Gazette, it is sufficient to state that the paper was continued with varying and in- different success until 1884, when the then owner moved the whole plant to Brandon, and thenceforth as a Windsor county journal it ceased to exist. The Vermont Tribune, the present newspaper of Ludlow, was founded in 1876, the first number appearing on November 24th. Its first pub^ lishers were Mott Brothers. The Tribune has continued, with changes, of courst^ in ownership, to the present day, and is now counted among the prosperous journals of the county. Its prosperity is evinced by its general appearance and the character of its contents; and it is no ful- some flattery to say that the Tribune, under the management of Mr. E. G. Allis, is as clean, bright, newsy and interesting a paper as can be found 224 History of Windsor County. in the county to-day. Mr. Allis succeeded to the proprietorship of the Tribune in April, 1881, his predecessor being L. B. Hibbard, who pur- chased from VV. A. McArtluir in July, 1879. The latter bought the pa- per in September, 1877, from F". W. Bacon, who was the successor of the founders, in February of the same year. The Bethel Courier, while it is hardly a newspaper of the county, nev- ertheless circulates as such, is still entitled to at least a passing notice. The paper is printed at West Randolph, and has an edition under the above title ; also it has an editor at Bethel, Walter M. Brooks. Among the other newspapers of the county in times passed was the Patron s Rural, of Rochester, a monthly publication, devoted to the Grange interest, not printed, however, in that town, but at Bellows Falls. It was started in 1882, under the local management of Alpha Messer. The township of Royalton has had three newspapers, the first the Vermont Advocate, publislied by Wyman & Spooner for a time, and then moved to another county ; the Greenbaek Herald, started in April, 1878, by K. D. Pratt, who undoubtedly expected, or at least hoped, to flood the county with greenbacks, through the efforts of the short-lived party of that name, but they did not — more's the pity ; and the South Royalton Gazette, established in 1880, bj' Charles Culver, and contin- ued only about three months. Then, in other paits, was the Citizen Soldier, of Norwich, a paper purporting to represent the militia interests. It opened the " campaign " in July, 1840, and was "commanded" by Major Sweet. In February, 1841, "headquarters" were moved to Windsor, and here, in July fol- lowing, it was " captured " — by the hand of misfortune. The I'erinont Nczc's was started in Springfield in 1879. It ceased publication seven weeks later. Town of Woodstock. 225 CHAPTER XIV. HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WOODSTOCK, AND THE INCORPO- R./VTED VILLAGE OF WOODSTOCK— THE SEAT OF JUSTICE OF WINDSOR COUNTY. THE history of the town of Woodstock has recently been made the subject of a considerable volume, the results of the patient toil and deep research of Mr. Henry Swan Dana ; and it is no fulsome com- pliment to say concerning Mr. Dana's work that it is all that could be desired ; clearly and concisely written, admirably well done, an honor to its editor, to its publisher, and an agreeable and welcome record to the people of the town to which it relates. Therefore it seems that an- other history of Woodstock, following so closely upon that just pub- lished, would be an absolutely useless undertaking, but a history of Windsor county without a history of its shire town would be much like a play minus the leading character. But one fortunate effect of the recent publication is to greatly lessen the bulk or volume of the present chapter, and renders only necessary in this connection the briefest ref- erence to the events of the town's interesting history, for the gratifica- tion and use of the people of those towns of the county in which it is hardly to be expected that Mr. Dana's work will circulate. Town Description and Boundaries. — Among the towns of Windsor county Woodstock occupies a central position, and this fact was one of the strongest arguments in favor of its selection as the county seat. The town is bounded on the north by Pomfret and a small part of Hartford ; on the east by Hartland ; on the south by Reading and West Windsor; and on the west by Bridgewater. In common with the great majority of the county's towns, Woodstock is considered a mountainous district, but there is less of extreme heights than are found in many other localities, while between the broken ranges are extensive interval lands, more, perhaps, of the latter than numbers of other towns can boast ; and in these valleys, as well as on some of the elevated rolling lands, are most excellent farms which produce abundant returns under proper cultivation. 29 226 History of Windsor County. Perhaps the most attractive mountain formation within the town is that commonly known as Mount Tom, lying in the northern portion, on the northwest of Woodstock village. This peak, if such it may be called, possesses no peculiar characteristics that are noticeably absent in the other similar mountains, but yielding to the application of man's labor, it has been made one of the most beautiful and attractive spots within the region of the county. From the main thoroughfare leading northward from the village there has been constructed, even to the mount- ain's greatest height, a comfortable wagon road, while on the summit openings have been made from which there is presented to the view of the beholder a most magnificent panorama of nature. This imjirove- ment upon nature's provision, as well as numerous others, is due to the generosity and public-spiritedness of Mr. Frederick Billings. Other peaks might be made equally prominent and attractive should there be expended in their adornment the same labor and attention as has been applied to Mount Tom. The principal water course of the town is the stream of many aliases, but commonly called Quechee River. To some of the Indians, original visitors to the locality, history tells us that it was known as the " Wtatock Quitchey." Under another authority it is called, evidently from the Dutch, " Wasserqueechc," while to the early proprietors anti settlers it was known as " Waterqueeche." Otherwise it has been called " Otta Quechee," but common consent has abbreviated even this, and the stream is now generally designated, in more simple English, " Que- chee Ri\er." The Quechee enters the town from the southeast part of Bridgewater, and thence has its course generally northeast to the northeast part of Woodstock, touches the corner of Pomfret, returns ag.iin, forms the boundary between this town and Hartford, and thence eastward, but an e.xceedingly tortuous course, and finally discharges its waters into the Connecticut in Hartland Particularly through the val- ley of the Quechee in Woodstock is found the greatest extent of agri- cultural lands of the town, but a close second to that is the valley of the South Branch, a tributary of the main stream that has its source in the southeast part of the town, and drains the entire eastern part thereof Charters and Early Settlements. — The town of Woodstock was Town of Woodstock. 227 brought into existence by virtue of a charter granted by Benning Went- worth, provincial governor of New Hampshire, to David Page and his associates, sixty two persons in all, and dated July 10, 1761, being the same day upon which the other towns of Hertford (Hartland) and Bridgewater were chartered. As provided by the charter the town was to contain "something more than six miles square, and no more," or its equivalent in acres, about 24,900. In nearly every respect this charter was similar to those by which other towns were brought into existence, and the reservations were in like manner substantially the same, in the charter of Woodstock as fol- lows : " His Excellency, Benning Wentworth, a tract of land to contain five hundred acres as marked in the plan B. W., which is to be accounted two of the within shares; one whole share for the incorporated Society for the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts ; one share for a glebe for the Church of England as by law established ; one share for the first (settled) minister of the Gospel ; one share for the benefit of a school in said town." The governor's two shares, five hundred acres, reserved for his own benefit and emolument, were situate in the northeast corner of the town, in the locality where is now situated the hamlet called Taftsville. One of the provisions of the charter designated the time of the first meeting of the proprietors, and was as follows: "Also, that the first meeting for the choice of town officers, agreeable to the laws of our said province, shall be held on the last Tuesday of August next, which said meeting shall be notified by Oliver Witlard, who is hereby also appointed moderator of the said first meeting, which he is to notify and govern agreeable to the laws and customs of our said province," etc. Under the conditions of the charter it is undoubtedly a fact that the proprietors held the prescribed first meeting and elected the several town officers, follovi'ing which was made the usual survey, and possi bly a division of town lots. But the government of these proprietors was not destined to be of long continuance, for, at the time the charter of Governor Wentworth was made, the controversy between the prov- inces of New York and New Hampshire was in progress. In 1764 that controversy took a rather sudden even if not an unexpected turn, and by it the jurisdiction hitherto exercised over this district of territory by 228 History of Windsor County. the provincial government of New Hampshire was vested in the province of New York. Then, again, very soon after the granting of the original charter, cer- tain of the proprietors commenced purchasing the interests and rights of their fellows, and it was not long before a good proportion of the lands of the town were centered in ownership in the hands of a few persons ; and when the king's order of July, 1764, became generally understood, these owners of course at once sought a new charter, or at least a con- firmation of the old, at the hands of the governor of New York. And there were others, too, not previously interested in the lands of the town who longed to become possessed of the same under a new and entirely distinct charter. But it was not until the year 1772 that the New York authorities took decisive action in the premises, and they then made a charter patent for the town, naming as grantees Oliver VVil- lard and his associates, the entire number being twenty-four. The date of this charter was June 3, 1772, and conveyed to the grantees or pat- entees " twenty four thousand arid seven hundred acres of land, and the usual allowance for highways, including a tract of five hundred acres of land granted to Lieutenant William Leslie, and containing, exclusive of the said tract and the four lots of laud hereinafter described, the quan- tity of twenty-three thousand and two hundred acres of land and the usual allowance for highways." The lands mentioned as granted to Lieutenant Leslie referred to the five hundred-acre tract in the north- east corner of the town, originally known as the "Governor's Lands." The other reservations that contributed to the reduction of the chartered lands were the grants for public purposes. The twenty-four grantees named in the patent issued by the New York authorities were these : Oliver Willard, Isaac Corsa, Joseph Bull, John Blagge, William A. Forbes, Benjamin Stout, jr., Cornelius Van- denburgh, Peter Vandevoort, William Talman, George Birks, Henry Gulick, William Clark, John B. Stout, Benjamin Stout, Henry Beekman, John Fowler, Caleb Hyatt, Daniel Goldsmith, Daniel Green, Samuel Stevens, Charles McEvers, James Seagrove, Christopher Blindcli and Adam Gilchrist. These were persons nearly every one of wliom were in no manner identified with the New Hampshire Grants, direct!)- or indirectly, but who were favorites of the governor of the province of Dr. Thomas E. Powers. Town of Woodstock. 229 New York, and as a reward for their political fealty they were made grantees under the charter. But one at least of these, Oliver Willard, seems to have had a double claim upon the good will of the governor, for he was interested in very large tracts of lands on the New Hamp- shire Grants, not only in Woodstock, but elsewhere ; and he was, more- over, an ardent supporter of the cause of New York as against the claims of the inhabitants on the grants, or those claiming rightful pos- session under the New Hampshire charters. Whether or not these patentees had an organization is unknown, but it is quite probable that they did not, for no sooner had the charter been issued than Oliver Willard began possessing himself by purcliase of the riglits and interests of his associates, and within the space of three days from that time he became the absolute owner and sole proprietor of the entire town, exclusive of the reserved tracts heretofore referred to; and it is believed that there was no organization of the town under this patent prior to that of 1773, concerning which mention will be found on later pages. Notwithstanding the unsettled condition of the land titles in the town, growing out of the several attempts at obtaining charters from New York, there were pioneers who had the temerity to make settlements and improvements on the lands of the town, even before the granting of the charter to Oliver Willard and his associates. There are records, traditional or otherwise, tending to show that adventurous pioneers visited the region of the town both before and soon after the issue of the New Hampshire charter, but it is nowhere alleged that there was a permanent settlement effected prior to the coming of Timothy Knox, in the year 1765 ; and it is not understood that Knox made his settlement here under a claim of ownership of the lands he occupied, but rather that his taking up an abode here was the result of a desire to be tem- porarily exiled from the civilized and inhabited regions of the country to the southward of this State. Or, to be entirely plain, Kno.x, who was a student at Harvard, became disappointed in an affair of love, and, desiring to exclude hmiself entirely from society, came into this then wild region and built him a hut on the south branch of the Quechee, in the locality known as the Beaver Meadows, where he employed himself in trapping and hunting. He was a "squatter" on the land, but after- 230 History of Windsor County. ward became a regular settler among the pioneers of the town, and in 1780 was elected as one of the town fence viewers. The second settler in the town was Andrew Powers, who purchased from Oliver VVillard, in the year 1768, a tract of land embracing several himdred acres, and by whom it was divided and parcels sold to William and James Powers, sons of Andrew, and to James Sanderson, who also became settlers in the town during that \ear, 1768. From this time the settlement increased steadily, but not rapidly; and in 1771, the year in which the New York authorities caused to be made an enumeration of the inhabitants of old Cumberland county, Woodstock was found to con- tain a population of forty-two persons, which would at that time be com- prehended by from seven to ten families. In the spring of 1773 the town was found to be possessed of a sufficient number of taxable inhabitants to warrant its organization and the elec- tion of town officers. For this purpose the inhabitants of the town assembled at the dwelling of Joab Hoisington on the third Tuesday of May, 1773, and chose the following officers : Moderator, Lieutenant John Strong; town clerk, Joab Hoisington; supervisor, Benjamin Emmons; overseers of the poor, Joab Hoisington and Benjamin h^mmons ; assess- ors, John Strong and Daniel Waldo ; collectors, John Sanderson and Asahel Hoisington ; commissioners of highway, John Strong, Benjamin Emmons and Joab Hoisington ; surveyors of highways, Joseph Call, Joab Hoisington and Sylvanus Cottle ; constables, Daniel Waldo, Joseph Cottle, Ezra Drew and Joseph Call; fence viewers, John Hoisington and William Powers. Thus there were present at this first town meeting at least twelve dif- ferent persons, each of whom is presumed to have been of full age, and entitled to vote, as well as to hold office under the new town government. But it is also fair to assume that there were some who were entitled to the privileges of freemen who either were not present at the meeting, and if they were there, were not inclined to accept any of the various positions and offices dealt out on that auspicious occasion. Such may have been the case at that period of our history, but it would be considered a somewhat remarkable thing among the people of the present genera- tion. In order to bring to the attention of the reader the names of as many Town of Woodstock. 231 as possible of the pioneers of the town, it has been deemed advisable to extract from the town records the succession of town officers from the time of the above meeting down to and including those chosen for the year 1780, together with such other extracts from the record book of proceedings as are thought to be of interest to the present reader. It should be stated, however, that the proceedings of the town meeting of March, 1777, are nowhere on record. Officers chosen May 17, 1774: Moderator, John Strong; clerk, Joab Hoisington ; supervisor, Asa Whitcomb ; assessors, John Strong and Joab Hoisington ; collectors, Benjamin Burch and Sylvanus Cottle ; overseers of tiie poor, Asa Whitcomb and Joab Hoisington ; commissioners of highways, John Sanderson, James Henwood and Oliver Farnsworth ; overseers of highways, Nathan Howland, Joab Hoisington and Oliver Farnsworth; constables. Lieutenant John Strong, Rufus Carpenter, Jo- seph Darling and Joseph Ripley ; fence viewers, Simon Davis and En- sign William Powers ; " hog drivers," James Sanderson and John San- derson ; "reefe keeper," John Hoisington ; town treasurer, Joab Hoising- ton. At this meeting the people voted to build a pound ; also voted that Benjamin Emmons and William Powers be a committee to build the pound and make a clearing for a burying- ground. At a meeting held September 13, 1774, it was voted to hire Mr. (Rev.) Aaron Hutchinson for five years in connection with Hartford and Pom- fret. This is the first allusion made by the records in the matter of pro- curing a minister to conduct religious meetings in the town. Officers chosen May 16, 1775 : Moderator, Lieutenant John Strong ; town clerk, Joab Hoisington; supervisor, Lieutenant Benjamin P^mmons ; overseers of the poor, Joab Hoisington, Stephen Powers and Phineas Williams; assessors. Lieutenant John Strong and Joab Hoisington; col- lectors, Nathan Howland and Oliver Farnsworth ; constables, John Sanderson, Rufus Carpenter, James Harwood and Ebenezer Kingsley ; commissionersof highways, Simon Davis, Joseph Cottle, Phineas Williams, Joab Hoisington and Elias Thomas ; overseers of highways, John Strong, Benjamin Emmons, Phineas Williams, and Ebenezer Kingsley; fence viewers, Elias Thomas and William Powers ; treasurer, Joab Hoisington ; " hog commissioners," Benjamin Emmons and John Sanderson. At this meeting it was voted to get a town supply of ammunition, one 232 History of Windsor County. hundred pounds of powder, two hundred pounds of lead and four hun- dred flints. Joab Hoisington and James Harwood were chosen a com- mittee to procure tlie ammunition; and it was provided that the treas- urer should sell to each inhabitant " one pound of powder, two pounds of lead, some flints, and no more." At this same meeting, also, Benja- min Emmons, John .Strong and Joab Hoisington were chosen a " Com- mittee of Advice " (Committee of Safetj-). Officers chosen May 22, 1776: Moderator, John Strong ; town clerk, Joab Hoisington ; listers, Ebenezer Kingsley, Stephen Powers and Joab Hoisington ; assessors. Colonel Joab Hoisington, Dr. Powers and Ebene- zer Kingsley; collectors, Joseph Cottle and Elias Thomas; commis- sioners of highwavs. Captain Williams, Colonel Joab Hoisington, Simon Davis, Elias Thomas and Joseph Cottle; overseers of highways, Simon Davis, Asahel Hoisington, Captain Williams and Elias Thomas; consta- bles, Ebenezer Kingsley and Elias Thomas ; selectmen. Dr. Stephen Powers, Deacon (Benjamin) Emmons and Joab Hoisington ; fence view- ers, Amasa Delano and Elias Thomas ; " hog drivers," John Sanderson, Asahel Hoisington and Captain (Ebenezer) Williams ; sealers of weights and measures, John Hoisington and Jonathan Kingsley. At a town meeting held July 13, 1776, Dr. Stephen Powers and Joab Hoisington were chosen a committee to have charge of the ammunition, and deal out to each man having fire-arms one half pound of powder and one pound of lead, and to supply others as soon as they had arms. Officers chosen March 10, 1778: Moderator, " Deacon " Emmons; town clerk, Oliver h'arnsworth ; treasurer. Lieutenant Joseph Safibrd ; first selectman, Benjamin Emmons; second. Ensign Nathan How land; third. Captain I'hineas Williams; fourth, Joseph Safford ; fifth, Oliver Farnsworth ; constables, Nathaniel Killam and Benjamin Burch ; assess- ors, Ebenezer Kingsley, Ebenezer Craine and Joseph Churchill; tithing- man, Rufus Carpenter; overseers of highways, Warren Cottle and Phineas Sanderson; surveyors of highways, Charles Killam, Joseph Darling and Jabez Bennett; "hog rieffs," James Sanderson, Amasa Delano, Elias Tliomas and Elijah Bayley ; fence viewers, Captain Phineas Williams and Oliver Farnsworth. Voted, at this meeting, " to build two pounds, twenty feet square, one at Oliver Farnsworth's and the other at Captain Strong's." John D. Powers, M. D. Town of Woodstock. 233 Officers chosen March 30, 1779: Moderator, Lieutenant Joseph Saf- ford ; town clerk, Oliver Ainsvvorth ; selectmen, Joseph Safford, Phineas Williams, Jabez Cottle, Samuel Button and Ephraim Brewster; treas- urer, Joseph Safford ; constable, Elias Thomas ; collector, Stephen De- lano ; highway surveyors, Jonas Matthews, Josiah Dunham, Asahel Hoisington, Jonathan Kingsley and Samuel Dutton ; listers, Abisha Sam- son, Jabez Bennett and Joseph Cottle; leather sealers, Elijah Field and Josiah Lamb ; grand juror, Nathan Howland ; tithingmen, Samuel Dut- ton and Jabez Cottle ; haywards, John Sanderson and David Slayton ; branders of horses, John Strong and Phineas Powers ; sealer of weights and measures, Jonathan Kingsley; pound keepers, Benjamin Burch and Oliver Farnsworth; deer-reefs, Timothy Rose and Phineas Powers; fence viewers, Joseph Churchill, Jesse Safford and Ainasa Delano; petit jurors, Joel Matthews, Ephraim Brewster, Jabez Cottle, Joseph Safford, John Strong, Phineas Williams. Samuel Dutton and Joseph Churchill. Among other proceedings had at this time it was voted "to build a meeting-house on the road that goes from Samuel Pratt's to the other road, west of Oliver Farnsworth's " ; and at an adjourned meeting held at the house of Dr. Powers, on April 3, 1779, it was "voted to divide the town into districts for the advantage of schooling." For this business Samuel Dutton, Phineas Williams, William Hilton, Jabez Cottle and Oli- ver Farnsworth were chosen a committee. It was also voted at the same time to divide the town into five school districts. On the 24th of July, of this year, the inhabitants voted to divide the town into two parishes, by an east and west center line, and chose Joel Matthews, Phineas Williams, Warren Cottle, Joseph Cottle and Oliver Williams as a committee to make the division. Officers chosen March 6, 1 780 : Moderator, Jabez Cottle ; town clerk, Gershom Palmer ; treasurer, Nathan Howland ; selectmen, Phineas Williams, Jabez Cottle, John Strong, Charles Killam and Oliver Farns- worth ; constable, Nathaniel Ladd ; listers, Rufus Bassett, Stephen De- lano and Oliver Williams ; grand jurors, Joel Matthews and Warren Cottle; collectors, Joseph Darling and Nathaniel Pool ; leather sealers, Elijah Field and Lemuel Harlow ; tithingmen, William Hilton and Amasa Delano ; brander of horses, Joel Matthews ; sealer of weights and measures, Gershom Palmer ; fence viewers, Timothy Knox and Ebene- 30 234 History of Windsor County. zer Kingsley; highway surveyors, EHas Thomas, WiUiam Hilton, Jo- seph Churchill, Gershom Palmer and Jonathan F"arns\vorth. At a meeting of the townsmen held August 14, 1780, it was voted to raise three men for service for three months on the frontier, and to pay them forty shillings per month, payable in wheat at five shillings per bushel, or rye at four shillings, or Indian corn at three shillings ; also, Elias Thomas, John Strong and Phineas Williams were chosen a com- mittee to provide said men. And it was further provided at the meet- ing, probably as an e.xtra inducement for the men to enter the service, that they have the same allowance of rum that the State allows. The foregoing record is a statement of the succession of town officers of Woodstock from the time of its first town meeting in 1773, down to and inclusive of the year 1780, excepting those elected in 1777, for which year no entry appears upon the town records, if, indeed, any were elected during that year. By this succession there is brought to notice the names of many of the pioneers of the town, but it cannot be presumed that all of them are there mentioned. It was the custom of the several towns of the State during the years 1778 and 1779, and at various later periods, to have administered to those who desired it the freeman's oath, a provision of the first constitution of the State of Ver- mont, and in the record-book of proceedings it was the custom to en- ter the names of all who took and subscribed the oath, but this, it appears, was not done in Woodstock, or if it was, no record of the freemen's names was made. When, in 1772, the town of Woodstock was chartered or patented to Oliver Willard and his associates, it was provided by the instrument of patent that the officers of the town should be elected in conformity with its terms, and the several offices to be filled were named specifically. This was for the guidance of the people of the town, and the offices were those that were usual to the towns generally of the province of New York. Conforming to the requirements of the patent, the first town meetings were held and officers chosen under it for several years, but when the new State of Vermont was brought into existence by the declaration of independence in 1777 there seemed to be at once a tendency to elect officers in accordance with the laws adopted and laid down under the constitution of the State. But before the independence Town of Woodstock. 235 of Vermont was declared, and as early even as 1776, there were town officers elected not according to the strict interpretation of the New York charter, but something after the custom of the towns on the grants, and in accord with the manner of choosing officers under the New Hampshire charters. In the year 1776 the people of the town elected both listers and as- sessors, the offices being identical in character of duty of their incum- bents, the former an office named under the law and custom of New Hampshire, and perhaps other New England provinces, while the latter, assessors, was the name of the same office under the prevailing law of New York. What motive may have induced the people to choose in- cumbents under both of these named offices is a question that cannot now be satisfactorily explained, but it was a matter of no great importance, for there could be no conflict of authority between the incumbents, as the same persons, Ebenezer Kingsley, Joab Hoisington, and Dr. Ste- phen Powers, filled both positions. At the meetings held prior to 1776 supervisors had been elected annually, but in the meeting of that year that name is dropped, and in its stead appears the more familiar title of selectmen. In 1778 'assessors" was the word used to describe the office of "listers," but in 1779 listers is restored and thereafter used, with some possible exceptions. But it required no great effort on the part of the townsmen of Wood- stock to change the character of their local government from that pre- scribed by New York to that adopted by the State of Vermont, and this notwithstanding the fact that the town was at that time a part of the county of Cumberland under the New York control, and continued so to be until the admission of Vermont to the LJnion in 1791. And it is a fact, too, that from 1778 until 1791, the town of Woodstock, and the other then organized towns of this State as well, formed a part of two distinct counties, under the authority of two separate States, each contending for the jurisdiction over the same. Every intelligent reader understands that Woodstock was organized under the immediate con- trol of the New York authority, and that that province and subsequent. State continued to exercise control over it, or at least attempted to do so, until Congress finally admitted Vermont to the Union ; and it is a fact, equall)' well known, that in 177S the government of the independ- 236 History of Windsor County. ent State of Vermont was completed, and the territory divided into counties, the part wherein lies this town being embraced by the county of Cumberland. This was continued so until 1 781, when, the county being large in area and population, it was found necessary to divide old Cumberland county, and out of its territory form three new sub-divisions, the counties of Windham, Windsor and Orange. During the period of the controversy between the State of New York and the independent State of Vermont, there was about the same pre- vailing sentiment existing in Woodstock as was found in a majority of the towns east of the mountains. That controversy of coiuse com- menced long years before this town was brought into existence, possibly before it was contemplated ; and it was commenced before Vermont, as a State, was thought of, and while it was yet a part of the New Hamp- shire Grants, so called. When Woodstock was first chartered, in 1761, the proprietors naturally looked for protection and paid allegiance to the mother province. New Hampshire, but when the king's decree of 1764 fixed the western boundary of that province at the west bank of the Connecticut River, and proclaimed this region a part of the province of New York, the proprietors had no alternative than to accept the de- cree and look for a confirmation of their charter at the hands of the new power. They could, however, have joined hands with the settlers in the towns west of the Green Mountains, and fought the New Yorkers with the same weapons and methods as did the famous Green Mountain Boys, had it not been for the isolated situation of the town, and the further fact that the dominant sentiment in this particular region inclined to the New York jurisdiction and control, although there were but compara- tively few of what were termed violent Yorkers in this locality. The person who became proprietor and owner of the lands of Wood- stock, Oliver Willard, was as a matter of course bound to favor the New York control, for, when the king's order was promulgated, he was the owner of large tracts of land under the New Hampshire charters, and to lose them would have taken nearly all of his earthly possessions. In 1763 he was a resident and proprietor of Hartland, and owned extensive tracts in other towns ; moreover he was the friend of the governor of New York. His acquisition of lands in this town did not commence until after the king's order, but he then prosecuted his purchases here John D. Powers. Town of Woodstock. 237 with such vigor that he became its leading proprietor when the patent was issued, and still later acquired the interests of his associates, becom- ing at last sole owner of the entire town, except the reserved lands. His influence was exerted in behalf of the New York jurisdiction, and by it others were brought to the same inclination ; and the town, at one period at least, may be considered as being largely in favor of being governed by the authorities of New York. But as other settlers came to the region, purchased their lands of Wiilard, paid for, occupied and improved them, his interest and influence ceased to prevail, and the town came to occupy a rather neutral position, and, still later, to favor the cause of the new State. Among the persons who by their presence and influence contributed largely to the latter situation of afl'airs in the town, none was more prominent than Benjamin Emmons, concerning whom Mr Dana, in the " Governor and Council," says: In April, 1772, Benjamin Emmons left Chesterfield, and settled with his family in the town of Woodstock. He took at once an active part in organizing the new settlement, and at the first town meeting held in May, 1773, he was chosen supervisor. The duties of this oftice, which he filled for two years, made him familiar witii tiie civil affairs of Cumberland county and with all the political movements of the day, over which his good judgment and his faculty for business must soon have begun to exercise an influence. At the annual town meeting in Woodstock, May, 1775, he was chosen a mem- ber of the Comtnittee of Safety, and he remained on this committee as long as it existed. In August of the same year he was chosen a lieu- tenant under New York, of the upper regiment of Cumberland county, and in June, 1776, a member of the County Committee of Safety. From the outset Emmons's own political sentiments seem to have been clear and pronounced. He was for independence of the colonies as against the mother country, and when in the New Hampshire Grants the break with New York was fairly begun, he was for the independence of the grants. Though not enrolled among the members of the Dorset Convention, at the adjourned session of this convention, held in West- minster, October 30, 1776, he was placed on a conmiittee to canvass Cumberland and Gloucester counties, for the purpose of making the people acquainted with the objects of the convention, and of stirring up 238 History of Windsor County. their minds in favor of a separation from New York. At the next two sessions of this convention, held, the first in Westminster, and the second in Windsor, he was present as delegate from Woodstock. All this active service prepared the way for his beincj returned to the convention which assembled at Windsor on the 2d of July, 1777, and framed a constitu- tion for the new State of Vermont. The people were not unmindful of his services thus far in securing the independence of Vermont, and at the first election held under the constitution elected him one of tlie twelve councilors. Furthermore, when it seemed good to establish a Court of Confiscation, soon after the General Assembly met in March, 1778, Emmons was appointed one of its members. His sound judg- ment and well known patriotism were sufficient reasons why he might be made a member of this court, but in some minds it may have added to his fitness for the post that he could sliow in his own town seven thousand acres of land to be confiscated, formerly the property of Charles Ward Apthorp, of New York. The Revolutionary Period. — During the period of the war of the Rev- olution the people of the town of Woodstock had not the means of per- forming a prominent part in the military aft'airs of tlie State When thai war began the available men of the town numbered hardly more than a "corporal's guard," and their every energy was necessarily di- rected toward the improvement of their lands in order that the common comforts of life might be provided for their families. Then, too, the town was practically under the government of the province of New York, and that jurisdiction was quite tardy in its action in joining with the other colonies in throwing off the allegiance to Great J^ritain. This tardiness was due, in part at least, to tlie peculiar character of the New York government, it being what was termed a royal government, its chief executive being commissioned by the crown, and its other officers re- ceiving their appointments directly or indirectly at the suggestion of the king or his council, and generally as a reward of fealty. In this respect New York difTered from many of the American colonies, and its con- trolling authorities, being so constituted and chosen, were naturally faithful to their creating povver. Therefore it was some time before New York could be brought to join the other provinces in making war against the mother country. Town of Woodstock. 239 This situation of course had its influence in this region, but, notwith- standing that, the people liere were opposed to the policy of Great Brit- ain toward the colonies ; and it must be remembered that the inhabitants of this region were not New Yorkers, but came mainly from the colonies of Massachusetts and Connecticut and New Hampshire, and the slow action on the part of New York received no sanction from this locality, however much the people here may by force of circumstances have been obliged to acquiesce in it by reason of their connection with the province named. But when action was taken in the direction of forming military organi- zations on this side of the mountains no town did more according to its capacity to do than Woodstock. There were a number of men in the town who took a prominent part in organizing companies, among them Joab Hoisington, Benjamin Emmons, John Strong, Phineas Williams, and undoubtedly others whose names cannot be recalled. But there appears to be no record fr<5m which it can be determined who from the town joined the ranks and entered the service. The mihtary companies which were represented by Woodstock men were attached to the " upper regiments" of militia, and their service was confined mainly to duty on the frontier, a service that in more modern warfare is called " guard and picket duty." The first mention of any town action toward providing for military operations is that contained in the records of the meeting of May 16, 1775, when Joab Hoisington and James Harwood were made a commit- tee to procure 100 pounds of powder, 200 pounds of lead and some flints, which the treasurer was directed to sell to the inhabitants, as mentioned in preceding pages. Subsequently, however, a committee was chosen " to deal out" the ammunition to men having fire-arms, and to others when they procured their arms. The first mention in the records of town action relative to procuring men for the service is that in the pro- ceedings of a meeting held August 14, 1780, when Elias Thomas, Jolin Strong and Phineas Williams were chosen a committee to provide three men to do duty on the frontier for three months. The proceedings of the Board of War for this year show that the town had five men in the serv- ice during the year. It has already been stated that the militia organizations of the town 240 History of Windsor County. were formed under the authority of New York, and as a part of the regi- ments of Cumberland and Gloucester counties ; but after the new State had become created and its affairs somewhat settled these commands, or part of them at least, became militia organizations under the Vermont government, and as such were subject to the order of the commander in- chief of tlie State troops. But the militia of Woodstock had their own homes and town to guard, as the Legislature of October, 1780, in session at Bennington, declared Woodstock to be a frontier town. And the same body, at the same session, levied a provision tax on the several touns of the State for the support of tlie military forces thereof, the kind and quantity required of Woodstock being as follows: 3,543 pounds of flour; 1,181 pounds of beef; 59O5 pounds of salted pork; 99 bushels of Indian corn ; and 49^ bushels of rye. But during the Revolutionary war the town of Woodstock was not destined to suffer from the invasions of an armed enemy, and the nearest approach to that realization occurred during the months of August and October, 1780. the occasions of the Indian raids upon the northern towns of Barnard and Royalton, and other towns on the northern frontier. But in each of these cases the invaders made their escape with captives and plunder, and although an organized pursuit was made against the party that attacked and burned Royalton, in which pursuit possibly some of tlie Woodstock militia may have joined, no battle was brought on owing to the fear on the [)art of Colonel House that the Indians would carry out their threat to murder the prisoners in case the militia attacked them. Woodstock made the Shire Town. — The one great cause above all others that contributed to making Woodstock a populous town in the county was the acquisition of the county buildings, its designation as the shire town of Windsor county. Still, by the inaction of the townsmen in their special meetings called to discuss this subject, the town very nearly lost the desired designation, and had a person of less energy and influence than Benjamin Emmons had charge of the project it is quite probable that the seat of justice would have been placed elsewhere than in Woodstock. In 1 78 1 the General Assembly passed an act by which the county of Cumberland was divided, and out of its territory the three counties of Town of Woodstock. 241 Windham, Windsor and Orange were erected. It became necessary- after tliis division that some one town in each of these counties should be selected as the seat of justice, and at once each possible favorable locality put forth every effort to obtain recognition and favor with the appointing power. But the legislative body of the State was not dis- posed to act hastily in the matter ; in fact, measures of possibly greater importance were just then engrossing the public attention; the union with the New Hempshire towns, which, had it become permanent, would un- doubtedly have resulted in fixing the county seat in some town other than Woodstock. On the 5th of April, 1781, the union with the eastern towns was accomplished, and soon thereafter a law was passed by which a portion of them were annexed to Windsor county. But before the Legislature agreed to the union the question of annexation was submitted to the free- men of the several towns of this State, and the result showed a large majority of the towns to favor the project. Woodstock, however, was one of the few towns that voted against the proposition. Very fortu- nately for Woodstock the eastern union was dissolved, and then being near the geographical center of the county, her claims to designation as the county town were worthy of consideration; and, through the efforts of Benjamin Emmons, on the 27th day of October, 1786, the Legislature passed an " act establishing Woodstock the Shire town for the County of Windsor." This subject needs no further mention in this connection. It will be found fully discussed and commented upon in an earlier chapter of this volume ; and there also will be found a complete description of the court- houses and other county buildings that have from time to time been erected in the town. IVar of 1812-15. — In the history of the State of Vermont this was a somewhat exciting period, but in the local history it was not particularly eventful, except as it may have been a season of political discussion be- tween the Loyalists (Democrats and Republicans, for they were of the same understanding at that time) and the Federalists; and it is possible that arguments between *hese contending factions were not entirely con- fined to wordy disputes, although there is no evidence to prove to the contrary. The Loyalists were largely in the ascendancy in point of num- 31 242 History of Windsor County. bers, and the battles between them and the FederaHsts were fought at the polls. It was a customary thing, especially during the early years of the war, for the Federalists to call themselves the " Peace Party," while the opposition was characterized as " Screaming War Hawks." This may not have been known in this particular locality, but was so generally through the State. It was the Loyalist party of the country that prosecuted the war, brought it on, fought it, and succeeded in beating the mother country in a contest at arms for the second time; and the Federalists occupied the same position in regard to the war as did the Tory element during the Revolution, but were less violent only in action, not in argument. They argued that the country was not prep^ired for war, therefore they opposed it. Of the military organizations of the town at that time the leading one was that known as the Washington Patriot Company, or the Silver Grays, but their battles were those of peace, being confined to " muster" and "parade days." Of this company Titus Hutchinson was captain, William Ellis, first lieutenant, Oliver Williams, second lieutenant, and John Anthony, ensign. The company did not enter the service, nor did any other command, as such, from the town. That there were resi- dents of the town who were in the army at some time during the war cannot be doubted, but it would be quite difficult if not impossible to bring all their names to mind. The War of 1861—65. — Without commenting at all upon the events of the brief period of agitation just preceding the actual outbreak of the war, or upon the events tliat followed the news of the attack upon Fort Sumter, the attention of the reader is directed at once to the first com pany that offered its services under President Lincoln's call for seventy- five thousand men to put down the Rebellion. To the First Regiment of Vermont troops this town had the credit of contributing Company H, the second company of the command, to which was accorded tlie second position of honor, the " left of the line." This company was the organization known as the Woodstock Light Infantry; and although known as a Woodstock compan}', a number of its members were from other towns of the county than this. Its officers, however, with a single exception, were men of this town. The roster shows the officers to have Town of Woodstock. 243 been as follows : Captain, William W. Pelton ; first lieutenants, Andrew J. Dike, Solomon E. Woodward; second lieutenants, Solomon E.Wood- ward (promoted first lieutenant), William Sweet; sergeants, William Sweet, George E. Dimick, Royal Darby, N. Bruce (Pomfret) ; corporals, Charles O. Thompson, Edwin C. Emmons, Crayton A.Woodbury, Nor- man M. Hoisington ; musician, George H. Murdock. Peter T. Wash- burn, of Woodstock, was lieutenant colonel of the First Regiment. In an earlier chapter of this volume will be found a brief history of the several regiments of the State in which were volunteers from Wood- stock, or from the county, and as a part of that chapter there is fur- nished a complete roll of all the volunteers from this town, as they are recorded in the reports of the adjutant and inspector-general of the State. During the course of the war tiie town of Woodstock was credited with having furnished the aggregate number of three hundred and thirty-three men, or their equivalent, exclusive of three-months' volun- teers, which were classified as follows : Volunteers for three years cred- ited previous to call of October 17, 1863, 97 ; volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863, 53 ; volunteers for one year, 42; for nine months, 55 ; re-enlisted, 15; furnished under draft and paid commutation, 10; enrolled men who furnislied substi- tutes, 10; procured substitutes, 15; entered United States Navy, 16; entered service, 4; miscellaneous credits, not named, 16. The First Church Society. — The establishment of some sort of a society for holding public services of a religious character was, in early times, a necessary part of town government, and one of the public in- stitutions organized and supported at the general expense ; and after this town had become organized, and its affairs somewhat settled and running smoothly, the people began to stir themselves in the matter of engaging a minister of the gospel to preach for them. The first meet- ing of the inhabitants for this purpose was warned by clerk Joab Hois- ington, upon the application of the overseers of the poor of the town, to meet at the clerk's house on the 13th of September, 1774. The meeting being assembled and organized, it was " Voted to hire Mr. Aaron Hutchinson for five years in connection with Hartford and Pom- fret " ; and further, " Voted Dr. Stephen Powers, Joab Hoisington and 244 HisTouY OF Windsor County. John Strong a committee," probably for the purpose ofcarrying out the first vote. But Rev. Hutchinson did not begin liis labors as "preacher" in the town until 1776, but they were thereafter continued for the five years, and until 1781, when he was succeeded by Rev. George Daman, who appears to have been regularly installed as the first settled minister on the 26th of December of that year. At the annual town meeting held March 30, 1779, it was "Voted to build a meeting-house on the road that goes to Samuel Pratt's to tlie other road west of Oliver Farns- worth's." This building, had it been erected in accordance with the vote, would have stood near the center of the town, but as the pop- ulation was then distributed, the meeting-house would not have been conveniently situated for the majority of the people who would prob- ably attend the services. This condition of things led to a division of the town into parishes, the vote that brought it about being passed at a meeting held July 24, 1779. But even this proved unsatisfactory, and created a division of sentiment in the town, to such an e.xtent that the dividing line was changed somewhat and then allowed to stand. The first society was organized in 1781, about or just preceding the time that Rev. Daman became pastor, but, on account of a feeling of dissension in the society, growing out of matters relating to the ad- mission of members and a difference of opinion concerning the most available and suitable location for the meeting-house, the society failed to make any substantial progress during the first ten or twelve years of its existence. The early meetings under the ministrations of Rev Hutchinson were held in convenient places: if the weather was cold in the house of some of the members, but during the warm months in Joab Hoisington's barn. In 1781 the log meeting-house was built, a short distance west of the upper bridge over the Ouechee. Mr. Daman continued his pastoral relation with the church and society until May 22, 1792, when he asked for and received his dismissal. From this time until 1S09 the society was without a pastor, but, in the year stated, a call was e.Ktended to Rev. Walter Chapin, who accepted and was or- dained on the 25th of April, 18 10. The old log church west of the North Village was required to serve the purposes of the society (with other places temporarily used) from Town of Woodstock. 245 the time of its erection, in 1781, until the erection of the more com- modious church edifice on lands offered for the purpose by Mr. Charles Marsh. This building was commenced in 1806, and was so far com- pleted during that and the succeeding year that services were held in it in October, 1807, although it was not entirely finished until 1808. (For the history of this church and. society subsequent to the year last men- tioned, the reader's attention is directed to that portion of the present cliapter relating to the village of Woodstock.) Small Villages of the Toivn. — Among the small and unincorpo- rated villages of Woodstock town that known by the name of Tafts- ville is perhaps the most important ; and this importance is derived from the fact of its having the benefits of the water privileges of the Oue- chee River, and the shipping facilities afforded by the Woodstock rail- road, on the line of which the village is situate. Taftsville was so named in honor of Stephen Taft, one of the first settlers in the extreme north- east part of the town, where the village is located, and who came there in 1793, constructed a dam across the river, built a small water-power shop, and commenced the manufacture of scythes, axes and other edged tools. In 1794 Daniel Taft, brother to Stephen, came to Woodstock, and in 179S joined with Stephen in building a saw-mill on the river, op- posite the scythe factory. Subsequently another brother, Seth Taft, became interested in the business at this point, and from the initial labors of these brothers the village grew and prospered ; and it is a fact that the industry here established by Stephen Taft in 1793, with numer- ous enlargements both in buildings and manufactured products, has been in operation to the present day, and thar, too, by some of the descend- ants of the founders. Taftsville now forms a part of school district No. 7. A school was built in the locality prior to 1800, but the district has experienced a number of changes since the first town division pro- vided for in 1779. A post-office was established at Taftsville soon after 1840, with Dexter Bates as postmaster. Next in order of importance, perhaps, among the hamlets of the town, is that usually called South Woodstock, or the South Village as formerly known ; a small village situated in the southeast part of the town, on the upper waters of the South Branch of Quechee River, having no railroad, but communicating with the county town by means 246 History of Windsor County. of a stage line. Among the early settlers, and perhaps the first in this locality, was the Cottle family, of which there were several members, some of whom took an active part in the affairs of the town during its pioneer period. A grist-mill was built at the South Village by Jabez and Warren Cottle as early as 1780, possibly before, but after a few years it was changed into a cloth or fulling-mill, and operated by John A. Cottle and Jabez Cottle, jr. About 181 2 Abraham P.Mather be- came proprietor of the mill. In 1781 JabezCottle and Joseph Sterlin built another grist-mill near the village, but farther down the brook ; and still another was erected at the same place about 1806. To the Cottle family also attaches the creditof having furnished the pioneer of the mercantile business at this village, Warren Cottle beingthe founder of it, but he after- ward took Amasa Ransom a partner. This store was opened not far from the year 1793. The firm of Field & Perry, merchants, was estab- lished here in 1796, and two years later the pioneer concern failed. In 1828 a mail route was established to pass through the South Vil- age, and soon thereafter a post-office was established at the place, Richard M. Ransom being the first postmaster. During the fall of the same year Richard Ransom succeeded to the office and remained post- master until 1836, when Oliver Baily was appointed. South Woodstock is the only hamlet of the town that enjoys the ad- vantages of having a church building within its precincts. This is of the denomination of Universalists, and its society was formed in 1834, under the pastorate of Rev. Russell Streetcr. His leading charge was at the North Village, but alter his connection with that society was ended lie continued pastor of the South society until 1847. The present business industries and other institutions of South Wood- stock are less in number and importance than they were half or three- quarters of a century ago. Still it has two hotels, two stores, several shops, saw and grist-mill and some other manufacturing industries, a church and a school. The village is located in school district No. 15. The hamlet known as West Woodstock, but originally as Bennett's Mills, received whatever of distinction it ever had from the fact of its be- ing a manufacturing point of some note at an early day. The water privilege here was sold by Jesse Safford to Jabez Bennett and others in 1778, and soon afterward a saw and feed or grist-mill were built, Mr. Town of Woodstock. 247 Bennett being the leading person in the enterprise, and from him the locality received its name. Mr. Bennett continued here in business for upwards of thirty years. These industries led to the erection of others, among them the cloth-mill of Seth Sylvester, but afterward owned by Ephraim Eddy. The present leading industry of the village, the Daniels Machine Company's works, was established by Reuben Daniels and Thomas E, Blake, under the firm of R. Daniels & Co., in 1831, that be- ing the year in which the property and privilege were conveyed to them. The firm manufactured woolen jacks, wool pickers, and other machines used in woolen manufacture. In 1842 the firm suspended, after which and until 1850 business was carried on by various parties, but in the year named the firm of Daniels & Raymond was formed and business revived. In 1864 the building was burned, but rebuilt during the next year, and operated as the Daniels Machine Company. In 1869 the property again suffered great damage, an extraordinary high water carrying out the dam. Then followed ten years of changes, and until 1879, when the machine company resumed again under the old name, using both steam and water for power, since which it has been so conducted without seri- ous interruption either to property or business. A post-office was estab- lished at West Woodstock on January I, 1885. Within what may be called the village proper are a dozen or fifteen houses. A fine store building is in course of erection at the place. In the extreme northwest corner of the town, having its principal location on the stream called Barnard Brook, is the hamlet known as English Mills; but English Mills " aint what it used to be," and the in- dustries at this point are but wrecks of former greatness. The locality was so named in honor of Joel English, who in 1789 bought a hundred acres of land out of the so-called Spencer tract, and became one of the most enterprising and progressive of the settlers in that locality. The first industry here, however, was established by Simon Davis, by the building of a grist-mill, and very soon thereafter a saw-mill, the latter in company with Samuel Fuller. In 1793 Joel English acquired an interest in the saw- mill, and in 1795 in the grist-mill, in the latter industry Jabez Bennett owning a share. The dam across Barnard Brook was built in 1839, by William S. English, son of Joel English. It was the intention of William to establish a starch factory at this point, but some interfering 248 History of Windsor County. event prevented that plan from being carried out, therefore the building was put to use as a rake factory, the proprietors of the business being Mr. English and Austin Miller, but the firm lasted only a year, when Mr. English became sole owner. In 1884 B. H. Pinney succeeded to the proprietorship and has since continued manufacturing there, but the products comprise other articles than hand rakes. Other than these named industries the locality known as English Mills has no manu- facturing prominence, although some of the old mill structures are still standing. The Incorporated Village of Woodstock. For the purpose of this sketch it is hardly advisable to refer at any len;.,'th to the original buildings on the district of land that is now included within the limits of the corporate village of Woodstock, other than may be necessary to record the history of some of the institutions of the place. In the recently published history of Woodstock the editor, Mr. Dana, has taken each locality and each separate parcel of land, and given its history from the time of the erection of the first structure thereon to a recent date ; and that woric, being so generally circulated throughout the town, renders unnecessary further efforts in that direction as a part of this chapter. And should an attem|)t be made to repeat what has already been written so thoroughly and well, no new facts worthy of publication could be brought to light that would afford the slightest interest to the reader. The lands whereon is situated the main part of the village of Wood- stock were purchased by Joab Hoisington from Oliver VVillard and Jona- than Grout in the \-car 1771. Theentire Hoisington purchase embraced something like one thousand acres of land. The tract to the north and east of Joab's, and which is now partly if not wholly included within the village, was likewise purchased from the same grantors by John Hoising- ton, who is believed to have been Joab's father. But at that time neither of these worthy proprietors could have entertained even the faintest idea that their purchases would ever be the site of a beautiful village, and, above all, the seat of justice of the county; and neither of them lived to see that consummation. Joab Hoisington died in 1777, at Newbury, while performing duties as an officer of one of the regiments of Cumber- land and Gloucester counties militia, during the Revolutionary period ; ^,?y-i^^^ Village of Woodstock. 249 while John Hoisington sold the last of his purchase in 1781, and was no longer known to Woodstock. It is an evident fact that Woodstock as a village would not have had an existence if the county seat had not been located here, but it is equally evident that the village would never have attained that promi- nence it has in the county but for that location ; and the one thing more than all others that contributed to making this a beautiful, thriving and prosperous muicipality, was the designation of Woodstock as the shire town of the county of Windsor, and that brought about through the per- severing efforts of Benjamin Emmons, whom the generations of inhabit- ants of the village and locality will ever hold in grateful remembrance. With the erection of the first court-house and the county buildings the village entered the early stages of municipal being, although more than a score and a half of years thereafter elapsed before any direct measures looking to such an existence were taken. In the year 18 19 the General Assembly passed what is generally known as an "enabling act," by which the selectmen of any town in the State, upon the application of resident freeholders, were authorized to prescribe certain limits within which cat- tle and other animals should not be allowed to run at large. Under the provisions of this act the following petition was presented to the select- men of Woodstock : " To the selectmen of the town of Woodstock in the county of Wind- sor and State of Vermont: — W^e.the subscribers, freeholders of said town, hereby request you to lay out and establish the limits and bounds of the village at and about the court-house in said town, and notify the same according to law ; that cattle, horses, sheep, swine, geese and mules, and other creatures related to mules, may not lawfully go at large in said vil- lage. Woodstock, December 19, 1819. Signed: — Titus Hutchinson, Benjamin F. Mower, Benjamin Swan, Nathaniel Waldron, jr., Joseph Parker, Daniel Dana, Robert Barker, H. C. Dennison." Upon this presentation the selectmen established the boundaries under this order : "Whereas application has been made to the undersigned, selectmen of the town of Woodstock, agreeable to an act of the General Assembly, passed November 11, 1819, entitled ' An act to restrain cer- tain animals from running at large within the villages of the State,' to lay out and establish the limits and bounds of the North Village in said Woodstock. ^" 250 History of Windsor County. " We do, therefore, in pursuance of said application, and the act afore- said, hereby estabhsh the following as the limits and boundaries of said village, viz. : Beginning at the easterly side of the highway at a point opposite tlie northeast corner of the barn nearest the road on tlie Ward- well farm, so called, (being the Blake farm now owned by Benjamin S. Dana,) thence southerly on a straight line by the easterly side of the brick house standing at the corner of said highway and the turnpike, to the south side of said turnpike road, opposite the southeast corner of said brick house — (the brick house on the east side of the road which was re- cently burned belonging to Oliver T. Hatch) — thence southeasterly in a direct line to the large elm tree standing on top of the hill east of the oil- mill brook, (Mount Peg) — thence southerly in a direct line to the south- east corner of Lyman Mower's meadow lot — (now owned by Rufus Townsend) — thence on the southerly line of said lot, across the highway, and on the southerly line of said Mower's pasture to the southeast cor- ner of the same — (now owned by said Townsend) — tiience in a direct line to the southeast corner of the house now owned by Jaud Rickard, (the Hiram Power's house) — thence by the westerly end of said house, and on a line with the same, to the highway ; thence across the river to the two black cherry trees, on the north side of the highway opposite L. & B. F. Mower's mill yard (these trees stood near where the house now occupied by Liberty B Marble stands); thence on a direct line northerly to the northeast corner of the small dwelling house owned by Henry C. Deni- son, esq., nortlierly of the clothier's shop (this house stood on the site, or near by, where Allen Thompson's house now is) ; thence by the north- erly end of said house to the northeast corner thereof; thence on a direct line to the southeast corner of the school-house, near the dwelling house of the said H C. Denison, esq. ; thence easterly in a direct line to the place of beginning." It is indeed doubtful if there are a dozen persons in the village who could follow the boundary lines above described, having no other guide than the description itself In the year 1881 these boundaries were made a part of a pamphlet publication of the village by-laws, and for the purpose of having them properly understood, the portions included within the parentheses were added ; and it is quite possible that the expla- nations then made will not apply to the bounds as now standing. Village of Woodstock. 251 This action, on the part of the selectmen who estabhshed the above boundaries, (Hovvhuid Simmons and Lyman Mower,) was by no means an incorporation of the village, and gave it no form of municipality whatever, but only defined certain limits within which'animals should not be allowed to run at large. This established boundary would not have any particular importance except for the fact of its being substan- tially the village boundary of the present time, and was referred to in the act of incorporation passed November 11, 1836, as the limits of the corporate village at that time established. The inclosed district was the village proper, nothing more. On the iith of November, 183$, the Legislature of the State passed an act entitled "an act incorporating the village of Woodstock," some of the sections of which were as follows : " That part of the town of Woodstock, in the county of Windsor, which has heretofore been estab- lished and recorded as the north village in Woodstock, in pursuance of an act passed on the I ith day of November, in the year of our Lord 1 8 19, entitled ' an act to restrain certain animals from running at large within the villages of this State,' shall hereafter be known by the name of The Village of Woodstock. " The inhabitants of said village, qualified by law to vote in town meeting, shall meet on the first Monday in January next, at two o'clock in the afternoon, at the court-house in said Woodstock, and shall, at that meeting, or an adjourned meeting, to be held in said month of January, elect a clerk, five trustees, a treasurer, and a collector of taxes, who shall hold their respective offices one year and until others shall be chosen in their stead. " The inhabitants residing in said village are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate, by the name of The Village of Woodstock ; and by that name shall have succession and may commence, prosecute and defend suits or actions, in all courts whatever ; may have a common seal and alter the same ; may purchase, hold and convey real estate for the use of said village ; may tax themselves and levy and collect taxes for the purpose aforesaid, or to carry into effect any legal vote or by law of said corporation." Subsequent sections of the same act prescribed the duties of the sev- eral officers of the village, and also provided for the regulations and 252 History of Windsor County. internal government of the municipality. But, while this act of incorpo- ration erected the village into a state of municipal being, it did not entirely separate it from the town, and, in fact, never has been sepa- rated therefrom, but both join together in the election of such officers as are incident to the government of the town, and an officer of the town may be a resident of the village, but an officer of the village cannot be a resident of the town. In this respect the citizens of the village have advantages over those of the town ; but then, whatever of disadvantages this may bring to the citizen of the town, he may find consolation in the fact that he has no village or municipal tax to pay. The last sentence of the ninth section of the act of incorporation reads: "The inhabitants and territory included in the limits of said vil- lage shall belong to the town of Woodstock, in the same manner as though this act had not passed." From the time of incorporation to the present there have been but few amendatory or supplementary acts passed that materially modify the original act. To be sure there have been made some changes, and some lands formerly outside have been brought in, while others inside have in the same manner been voted out. Some matters of interest in connection with the early municipal his- tory of the village could be presented in this place but for the fact that the early records cannot be found ; and the most dilligent search and in- quiry have failed to reveal the slightest trace of their whereabouts. As a result of this misfortune we are unable to furnish even the names of the officers of the village elected at the first meeting appointed to be held in January, 1837, or, for that matter, the names of any of the officers prior to the year 1867. Nearly every one of the institutions of the village of Woodstock had their origin and founding prior to the time of the passage of the corpo- rating act. There were the same church societies and edifices for each, although some of the latter have been rebuilt within the last fifty years. The village, too, had its newspapers, banking house, business blocks, hotels, court-house and town hall, and other public buildings. The vil- lage even had its fire department, and although an unpretentious organ- ization, it was nevertheless effective, and numbered among its members some of the foremost men of the town at that time. Village of Woodstock. 253 The Fire Department. — As early as the year 1820 an organization for the prevention and extinguishing of fires was formed, and that under an act of the Legislature, by which the same was incorporated. On the 26th of October of the year stated there was passed "An Act incorporating certain persons therein named, by the name of the Woodstock Fire So- ciety." The " certain " persons named were Charles Marsh, Benjamin Swan, Titus Hutchinson, Lyman Mower, Isaac N. Cushman, Job Lyman, Norman Williams, Justus Burdick, James Pearl, Solomon Warren, John Pratt, Joseph Churchill, jr , Charles Dana, Benjamin F. Mower, David Pierce, David Watson, Henry B. Dana, Charles Williams, John D. Pow- ers, and their associates and successors, as "a body politic and corpo- rate, to all intents and purposes, by the name of the Woodstock Fire Society, and by that name may sue and be sued ; may purchase and hold property to the amount of two thousand dollars, and land sufficient whereupon to build a house for the safe keeping of an engine and other apparatus necessary for extinguishing fire." By further provisions of the act the first meeting of the society for the election of officers was directed to be held at the house of Robert Barker in Woodstock, on the last Monday in December, 1820. The society was also authorized to appoint not to e.xceed ten fire wardens, who were clothed with supreme authority in cases of fire. The bounds of the vil- lage as laid down by the selectmen were the prescribed limits within which the society was to operate. Whatever became of this old organization, how long it continued, what property it owned, or who its officers were, no citizen of the pres- ent da)' appears to know. It is certain, however, that their organiza- tion must have been completed and become effective, for the corpora- tors were men of character, integrity and worth, and would not allow their names to become associated with any undertaking of a public character not calculated for the public good. The society seems to have left no record behind it, and whatever is known of it is learned from the incorporating act. But this was the germ from which grew the present fire department of the village ; and when the latter became incorporated measures were at once taken to provide for such an organization, but the absence of the records 'prior to 1 867 leaves the history of it a matter of untrustworthy 254 History of Windsor County. tradition. However, in 1847 the Legislature passed an act providing that such persons as sliould be elected fire wardens of the village should be vested with all power at times of fire for the protection of property and the maintenance of peace and order. It is quite probable that that act was an enlargement upon the previous authority of the fire wardens, and that such an office was created by the by-laws of the corporation wlien organized. In 1867 the village fire wardens were Benoni S. Thompson, William C. Barnard, John S. Eaton, Ransom M. Russell and Jasper Hazen, jr. In 1 88 1 an ordinance was adopted establishing a fire department, which was virtually an act of re-organizatioit1to place the department on a proper working basis, and by the provisions of which the wardens were authorized to choose department officers from their own body. The company officers were provided to be elected by the company members. In pursuance of a vote passed February 26, 1883, the old engine- house was replaced by the present substantial structure. The depart- ment long ago passed the "bucket brigade" days, and entered upon the. hand engine period, the latter being, with the hook and ladder appara- tus, the present equipments of the village for extinguishing fire. But the introduction of water into the village has made unnecessary the use of the hand engines, and resulted in again re-organizing the depart- ment, so that at present it consists, according to the last report of the engineers, of one Fire and Hose Company of twenty members, and one Hook and Ladder Company of ten members. The present board of fire wardens is as follows : C. W. Sayward, William Hewitt, Harold S. Dana, W. O. Taylor, Fred Delano, Lewis Bordo, Seth T. VVinslow. and H. F. Dunham ; engineers, O. G. Kimball, N. M. Hoisington, and M. S. Myers. Woodstock Park and Surroundings. — This is one of the most attract- ive of the many beautiful locations of the village ; and, as well, it is one of the most ancient localities of the village, for here, around the green, as it was called, was centered the main business enterprises of one hun- dred or so years ago. Little did Joab Hoisington dream that an acre or two of the best lands of his large estate would ever be converted into a public park, or that on his lands would ever be erected one of the Village of Woodstock. 255 prettiest villages in Vermont. Just how the old village "green" hap- pened to come into e.xistence would be, perhaps, a subject difficult of explanation. Its lands were always a common, and were never called upon to yield to the husbandman's labors. It is said that the tract was originally covered with a growth of pine trees, and that they were de- stroyed by a forest fire that occurred some time after 1770, probably about 1772. In later years this tract became the property of Israel Richardson, and he, when the court-house and jail became fixed insti- tutions of the town, donated lands upon which they should be built, to the extent of a little more than an acre and a half. The deed of the conveyance bore date of May 29, 1788, but the donation in fact ante- dated that time. The court-house was built where the brick house now stands, at the corner of South street, and the jail was located farther west, about in front of where the Methodist church now is. After the old court-house was burned, in 1791, it became necessary to build another, and that the surroundings might be complete. Captain Richardson was called upon to make another donation of land for public purposes, which he at first declined to do, but, under Charles Marsh's threat to erect the county buildings in another part of the village, the doughty Captain yielded and donated the " common " land to the public, to the extent of its present area. Thus, what is now the magnificent Woodstock Park was brought into existence, and around its boundaries was built up the main business part of the village ; but when the avail- able lands here were all occupied, further enlargements for business pur- poses built up the lands east of the common, on what is now Central and Elm streets. An avenue of travel found its way into the park lands by the laying out and building of what is now Central street, being opened during the year 1800. This was followed by other thorough- fares, some parallel and others lateral, in the east part, which resulted in the ultimate transfer of business to that localit}', while around the common the old store buildings were replaced with, or converted into, dwellings and several public buildings. The first attempt at improving the lands of the common was made some time previous to 1830, when they were plowed and graded; but during the year last stated a fund was raised by subscription for the purpose of laying out the park and planting it with maple trees. Then, 256 History of Windsor County. or about that time, wlien this work was completed, the common became, properly speaking, a " Park." But when, after the village had become incorporated, the " city fathers" attempted to build a plain fence about the park for the protection of the young trees, then troubles commenced. Some people did not propose to be denied the use of the old common for all purposes of travel and convenience, and brought the authorities into court as defendants. A long litigation followed and was termi- nated in the success of the local go\'ernment. The last fencing, the pres- ent iron and stone structure, was built during the year 187S, under the direction of Oliver P. Chandler, Justin F. McKenzie and George W. Paul, committee, with a fund raised by voluntary contributions on the part of generous citizens of the village. After the destruction, in 1791, of the old court-house a second was built, but not on the same site. Fur the new structure land on the north side of the park was used, at the corner where the road crosses the cen- ter bridge This was a more pretentious structure than its predecessor, but a plain frame building, with a tower on its front, and in the tower a bell was placed. But on the 4th of July, 1854, the court house fell a victim to the flames, the result of the carelessness of some over-enthu- siastic person who was celebrating on that day. The third, the present court-house, was erected on the lot where stood, in early times, the dwelling of the sisters Myrick, spinsters and garment makers, queer characters, in a way, of the village. The Norman Williams Public Library. — Here is the most beautiful public building of Woodstock ; a perfect gem, an ornament to the vil- lage, and a fitting tribute from a grateful son to the memory of kind and loving parents. The site whereon this building now stands was the home of Norman Williams, one of the substantial and worthy men of the village ; and in the "story and a half" house here standing he dwelt for fifty years, from 1 818 to 1868. The original house on the site was built for the widow of Josiah Cleveland in 1798. In 1883 the old house was removed, and in its place Dr. Edward Higginson Williams caused to be erected, at his own expense, the stone library building. The exterior and interior design and finish of the library are so well known that no description is necessary here; that it is one of the most ornamental and useful institutions of the village, is all that need be said ; Village of Woodstock. 257 that it is fully appreciated, every person in the region understands. The library has a capacity for about fifteen thousand volumes, and on irs shelves are now nearly seven thousand, gifts from all sources. In the reading-room are elegant portraits of Norman Williams and his wife, and in the reception-room is a similar portrait of their son, the founder of the institution. Dr. Edward H. Williams. Of the ancient structures that once had a being on the park front, but few remain. The locality has lost much of its appearance of three- quarters of a century ago, and could the resident of that period now return he would discover no familiar landmarks to assure him of his whereabouts, unless, perhaps, the old Hutchinson and Churchill home- steads might appear natural; or the residence wherein dwelt Dr. Gal- lup, or the old brick school- house on the opposite side of the park, might revive familiar scenes. Another of the ancient landmarks still lives, the old Eagle Hotel, but that has been so frequently remodeled and enlarged as to have lost all semblance of its former self. And should one go to the corner of Elm and Central streets there would no more be seen the famous Barker Hotel, with its spacious back yard ; and on the opposite side of Central street the old frame row now has dis- appeared, and on its site is built the substantial two and three-story brick blocks. On the signs, too, over the several places of entrance, there appear names that were unfamiliar to the townspeople fifty years and more ago. "Church buildings," it is said, "never change." This is a rather doubtful statement, or one, at least, that requires a deal of explanation to make its truth readily understood. The Congregational Chiircli. — The society of this church was un- doubtedly the pioneer of the religious institutions of the village, or of the town and has its origin in the primitive gatherings to which Rev. Aaron Hutchinson occasionally preached in Joab Hoisington's barn, or, if in cold weather, the dwelling house of some member of the society. After that the society " worshipped " in the little log meeting- house, on the road west of the (now) Woodward mills, under the pas- toral charge of Rev. George Daman. But the society at length out- grew this old structure and, in 1 807-08, built a new frame meeting-house on Elm street, on lands donated by Mr. Charles Marsh, on part of which his law- office stood. The edifice here has twice been thoroughly re- 33 258 History of Windsor County. paired: first, in 1859, and again in 1889. The last improvement was made through the generous contribution of Mr. Frederick Billings, the whole expense being borne by him. More than that, in 1880 he caused to be erected, adjoining and annexed to the church edifice proper, a beautiful and appropriate memorial chapel. The property now owned by the society of the Congregational church is perhaps more extensive and valuable than that of any of the several societies of the village, consisting as it does of the present elegant edifice and chapel, with a large and commodious pastor's residence, the latter being on the east side of Elm street. In September, 1774, tlie people of the town voted to hire " Mr. Aaron Hutchinson " to preach for them, but no society was then organ- ized, neither were the gatherings at all denominational ; but at the same time a majority of the townspeople inclined to Congregationalism, and the teachings of the first minister were supposed to be of that order. The first settled pastor of the society was Rev. George Daman, who was or- dained December 26, 1781, and continued his relations until the 22d of May, 1792, and was then dismissed. Following the retirement of Mr. Daman from the pastorate, the soci- ety had no settled minister until i8ro, but during the interval had occa- sional or supply preaching a part of the time and otherwise united with the B.iptist society, which had then been formed. On the 25th of April, 1 8 ID, Rev. Walter Chapin became pastor of the Congregational church, and remained such until the time of his death in 1827, and was succeeded b\' Rev. John Richards, he being ordained November 27, 1827, retiring, however, February 11, 1831. Rev. Robert Southgate came to the pas- torate January 4, 1832, and was dismissed in October, 1836. In February, 1828, Rev. Worthington Wright was ordained pastor of the church, and continued in that relation for a period of more than twelve years, retiring in .September, 1850. Rev. Dr. Jonathan Clement next succeeded, July 14, 1852, and remained nearly fifteen years, until June 16, 1867. when he was dismissed upon his request. Rev. A. B. Dascomb became pastor in December following Dr. Clement's dismissal, and continued such until February 3, 1874. In September of the same year Rev. Lewis A. Hicks was ordained pastor, and was dismissed July 13, 1 88 1. The last pastor, now recently retired. Rev. James F. Brodie, was ordained February 21, 1882, his pastorate ending in 1889. Village of Woodstock. 259 The Universalist Church. — Universalism in Woodstock became first rooted in the withdrawal or rumored secession of Benjamin Emmons from the Congregational society, which is said to have taken place somewhere about the year 1786. Benjamin Emmons was not only one of the lead- ing men of the town and State, but one of the earliest and most influen- tial members of the first church society, and his acceptance of the doctrines of a new and then pronounced unorthodox belief was the cause of much confusion in the old society. About the same time other former mem- bers of the parent church left the fold and became identified with the new society, among them Captain John Strong, Dr. Stephen Powers, Judge William Perry. The new societ)-, too, had converts from other denominations than the Congregationalist, and there were some few of the townspeople who, perhaps, had leanings toward Universalism at the time of their coming here. Considerable accessions to the ranks of the society from the Baptist church were also noticeable at about this period. The Rev. Hosea Ballou was the first minister of the society in this lo- cality. He became a preacher of Universalism by ordination in 1794, but prior to that time he had been a Calvinistic Baptist. He became minister in charge of the Woodstock society, in connection with other similar organizations, in the year 1803, a relation that was continued until August, 1809, when he left the State and accepted a call to the church at Portsmouth, N. H. After Mr. Ballou's departure the society had no settled minister for manj' years, but services were frequently held during the period, the desk being su]:>plied by various ministers of the church, among whom were Joab Young, C. G. Persons, Uriah Smith, Jacob Holt, William Bell, and possibly others. But during this period, the society having no established leader or minister, it suffered severely and became somewhat disorganized. The work of again building up and re-organizing fell upon the next settled minister. Rev. Russell Streeter, who came to the charge in 1834. As well as firmly re-establishing the society, to Mr. Streeter belongs the credit of having brought about the erection of a convenient chapel on Church street, during 1S35. The parsonage property of the society was formerly the home of Dr. Thomas Powers, and was purchased for a min- ister's residence in 1877. 26o History of Windsor County. Rev. Russell Streeter severed his connection with the village society in 1839, and was succeeded in June, 1840, by Rev. Mr. Fay, since which time the succession of pastors and supply ministers has been as follows: Rev. O. H. Ti'lotson, 1841 to 1847; Rev. D. M. Reed, four years; Rev. Jonathan Douglass, 1852; Rev. Chapman, six months; Rev. J. S. Lee, 1854; Rev. J. D. Cargiil, 1859 to 1S61 ; Rev. William H. Pattee, 1862; Rev. Moses Marston, 1862 to 1866; Rev. J. T. Powers, 1867 to July, 1870; Rev. Elmer Hewitt, April, i87i,to October, 1876; Rev. O. K. Crosby, April, 1877; Lucian S. Crosby, two years; Rev. B. M. Tiilott- son, and the present pastor, Rev. J. F. Simmons, who moved to the village during the year 1889. The Christian Church. — The society of the Christian church in Wood- stock had its organization somewhere about the year 1806, and drew its membc rship generally from the growing population of the town and par- ticularly from the old Baptist society. The first minister of the Christian church appears to have been Elias Smith, who preached here some six weeks and made considerable additions to the society. Still greater work was done by Uriah Smith, under whose ministrations, it seems, two soci- eties were in existence in the township. One of the most effective min- isters of this church was l'"rcderick Plunimer, who first visited Woodstock in September, 18 10, and through whose labors the society was greatly increased, and numbered among its members some of the leading fami- lies of the locality. The meetings in the village were usually held at the court-house, but the worthy and zealous elder prosecuted his labors throughout the township and vicinity, wherever a field presented for fruitful results. Mr. Plummer continued his missionary labors in the vicinity until 18 13. • The court-house continued to be used as the principal house of the society until the year 1826, at which time Elder Jasper Hazen generously purchased for the society the lot of land on Pleasant street, whereon was erected, that same year, the commodious brick edifice, in which the first service was held in January, 1827. In the tower of this edifice, in 1827, Elder Hazen also caused to be placed a clock, which did service until 1859, but then became worn out and was subsequentl}' sold. However, in 1876, another clock was procured to replace the former. This was provided through the generosity of l-'rederick Billings, who, on the 14th ^..^zyZ-v-^ G^ c/tLe^aLc/^^ri^ Village of Woodstock. 261 of July, 1889, executed a quit-claim deed thereof to the village of Wood- stock. (The remodeled Congregational church is likewise possessed of a clock, the gift of the same person.) I'he Christian church edifice has been twice thoroughly repaired : first in i860 and again in 1876. Rev. Moses Kidder became minister of the society soon after 1846, and has continued for a period of upwards of forty years, and is still engaged in that capacity. Prior to Rev. Kidder's coming Elder Jasper Hazen was the officiating minister, and his immediate predecessor was Elder Rand. To Jasper Hazen attaches the honor of having virtually founded the church. The lot on which the building stands he bought, and the edifice was erected almost wholly through his personal efforts, and largely with his means. And it is said, too, that lie manufactured the brick used in its construction. Elder Hazen was born in Hartford, this county. Mr. Dana has written at length concerning his life, which see. The Methodist Episcopal Church. — The seed of Methodism was sown in Woodstock during the closing years of the eighteenth century, by the somewhat sudden and une.xpected visit of Lorenzo Dow. He preached in the court-house, but his lectures could not have been considered de- nominational at that time, for some of the people, even of that church, did not look upon Dow as the advocate of Methodism. The )'oung cleri- cal aspirant was finally denied the use of the court-house for his meet- ings, and left the place in disgust. Many years afterwards he returned to Woodstock and again preached, and then formed the nucleus of the present society of the town. The first meetingTiouse was built in what was known as the South Parish, about the year 1807, but none was erected at the North Village until 1835-36, when lands were purchased from General Lyman Mower, where the present church building now is, and upon which a small frame edifice was erected. In 1865 such radi- cal repairs were made that the building was practically reconstructed, and was dedicated with appropriate services on the 9th of November, 1865. The Methodist parsonage on the hill was built in 1852, Prior to the time of the erection of the meeting-house, and perhaps for some time thereafter, this was but a station or a mission society, and the services were conducted by circuit or local preachers. From the time of building the first edifice, 1836, the succession of pastors in charge of the society of the Methodist Episcopal church has been as follows: 262 History of Windsor County. Rev's. S. Ouimby, A. G. Button, T. Twitchell, R. H. Spaulding, Copeland, W. J. Kidder, Lewis Hill, A. V. Howard, I. H. Patterson, J. W. Spencer. C. Kellogg, D. Field, S. G. Kellogg, Z. Haynes, C. Fales, L. C. Dickinson, A. L. Cooper, Albert L. Pratt, Joshua Gill, Ira La Barton, P. Merrill, A. C. Stevens, N. VV. Wilder, A. M. Wheeler, J. W. Gurnsey, O. M. Boutwell, T. P. Frost, L. L. Beman, A. J. Hough, A. H. Webb, Joseph Hamilton, L McAnn. 5/. James's Clinrch, Protestant Episcopal. — The parish of St. James's church was organized during the early part of the year 1827, through the efforts and influence of a number of the leading citizens of the village and vicinity. The church did not experience the vicissitudes incident to the early life of some other of the institutions of the place, but was estab- lished and built up at a time when the people were prepared for it and able to accomplish its work. The early services of the church were usu- ally held in the court-house, and occasionally the Congregational edifice was placed at the disposal of the new society. Rev. Joel Clap seems to have been the missionary laborer in this field, his services commencing during the latter part of 1S25. The ne.xt year measures were taken for the erection of the church, which, according to the original design, was to have been of stone, but the plan was afterward changed and the structure built of wood. The stone, which were delivered on the ground, were used for the building of the double houses standing east of the li- brary building, facing the park. The church was completed and occupied for services in December, 1827, and was consecrated in September of the next year by Bishop Griswold andassistants of the diocese of Vermont. The parish purchased the rectory property in 1854. Rev. Joel Clap continued as rector of the parish until 1832, and was succeeded by Rev. Benjamin C. C. Parker in October, 1833. and the latter in turn in 1839 by Rev. John Grigg. On June 12, 1840, Mr. Clap returned to the church, and continued until 1847, retiring on December ist, and being immediately succeeded by the Rev. M. A. Herrick, the latter remaining until February, 1861. Next came Rev. Joseph N. Mcllwaine, in October, 1 861, who officiated as rec- tor until July, 1866, when he was sent to another field. The Rev. Roger S. Howard was next sent to this parish, July, 1867, and remained until June, 1869. Following the retirement of Mr. Howard the parish Village of Woodstock. 263 was supplied for a few years by James O. Drtimm, a deacon in orders, commencing in 1870 and until 1872, and from that time to October, 1873, by James A. Hughes, also a supply. In December, 1874, Rev. N. G. Allen succeeded to the rectorship, and remained until 1877, being followed November 1st, of that year, by the present rector. Rev. Francis W. Smith. Schools of Woodstock. — The village of Woodstock is as well provided with school buildings, and with the proper facilities for affording an ex- cellent high school education, as can be found in any municipality of the State having no greater population than this. Three commodious school -houses now exist in the village for the accommodation of pupils, and these are respectively known as the primary, intermediate and the high schools. The primary school, as the schools are now arranged, is on River street; the intermediate on Lincoln street; and the high school, "on the hill," has both primary and high school departments. Education in Woodstock, or in the immediate vicinity, had a begin- ning as humble as that of any other of its institutions. The first school- house was built in what is now the east part of the village, where stands the present residence of Prosper Merrill, about the year 1797. But the district soon outgrew this ancient building and the provision for another became a matter of necessity. For the purpose, during the year 1812, the building committee, comprised of three men, Lyman Mower, Sylves- ter Edson and Eben King, selected lands on the common, just west of where the court-house then stood, and here caused to be built the first really substantial school-building of the village. This was a plain, substantial two-story brick building and answered the purpose of prin- cipal school from the time of its erection down through the years of the village's early growth to the time of incorporation, 1836; and thence until the time of its sale or exchange for the present high school land, which exchange was made on April 7, 1853, between the com- mittee of District No. 8 and Lyman Mower. The old school building was converted into a dwelling house and is now the residence of W. L. Daman. Soon after the exchange with Mr. Mower the village caused the pres- ent elegant and commodious high school building to be erected. These, of course, have been the public schools, those established and supported 264 History of Windsor County. at the general expense ; but, in addition to tliem, there have been started in the village at various times select or private schools, and some of these were institutions of considerable prominence during the period of their existence. Banking Institutions of Woodstock. — As long ago as the year 1806 the Legislature passed an act that brought into existence the Vermont State Bank, an institution to be directly under the control and patronage of the State, but provided with officers and directors in the several localities in which its branches were established. The Vermont State Bank at first consisted of two branches, one at Middlebury and the other at Woodstock. The first officers of the bank were Titus Hutch- inson, [jresident, and Job Lyman, cashier for Woodstock branch. The directors appointed for the Woodstock branch were John Mattox, Titus Hutchinson, Elias Lyman, Mark Richards, James Tarbox, Benjamin Swan and Alex. Campbell. "The next year (1807) '^"'o additional branches were established, one at Burlington and the other at Westminster. All the stock of the bank, and all the profits arising therefrom, were to be the property of the St.ite, and all the concerns of the bank were to be under the control and direction of the Legislature forever. The immediate management of the bank was to be committed to thirteen directors, to be chosen an- nually by the Legislature, and who were to elect one of their number president of the bank." It was under these provisions that Titus Hutch- inson was elected president, as above stated. "The bank at length went into operation, but the anticipations of the people were not to be realized. What had appeared so fair and plaus- ible in theory was found to work very badly in practice, and, although a history of the Vermont State Hank would afford an instructive lesson to the present and future generation, we have neither materials nor room for it here. Suffice it to say, its affairs were soon found to be in inexplicable confusion, and the institution insolvent. Various acts of legislation were resorted to for sustaining it, notwithstanding which its condition grew worse and worse, and within five j'ears from its estab- lishment affairs were put in train for winding up its concerns. The Legislature in iSi [ passed an act directing the removal of the West- minster branch to Woodstock, and the next year for the removal of the Village of Woodstock. 265 branches at Burlington and Middlebury to the same place, and also or- dering all bills of said bank to be burned, except what were necessary for the payment of checks due from the bank-. In 1814 an act was passed ordering the treasurer of the State to burn all the bills of the State bank in his possession, excepting such as he deemed necessary to meet demands upon the treasury." ^ The Bank of Woodstock. — The unfortunate ending of tlie old Vermont State Bank did not Seem to have any lasting effect upon the people, who one time declaimed against such institutions in general, for, when the Bank of Woodstock was incorporated, November 9, 183 i, and the stock books opened at Barker's Hotel, more by far than two thousand shares were subscribed for and the requisite cash paid into the hands of the committee. On the 5th of April the stockholders elected a board of di- rectors as follows : Lyman Mower, Charles Dana, George W. Rice, Si- mon Warren, and John Pettes. The directors then elected Lyman Mower president, and Lyndon A. Marsh, cashier of the bank. Thus the old Bank of Woodstock was brought into existence and commenced business, but never was known as a highly prosperous concern. But without any comment on the vicissitudes it experienced during the pe- riod of its existence, it is sufficient to state that its affairs were wound up and it passed out of being with the e.xpiration of its charter, being succeeded, merged into, or absorbed by The Woodstock Bank. — On the 26th of October, 1844, the Legisla- ture of Vermont incorporated an institution by the name of Windsor County Bank, to have its principal place of business at Woodstock; but one of the conditions of the charter was that the bank should not begin its business operations before the 1st of January, 1847, and not later than the ist of May of the same year. Its capital stock was fixed at $60,000 in two thousand shares. But on the 22d of October, 1845, the Legislature passed another act, by which the former was amended, and the name changed to Woodstock Bank, by which name it was known when its doors opened for business in January, 1847. This bank was well managed and did a successful business under the presidency of Oliver P. Chandler, and the cashiership of Eliakim Johnson. Before the charter of the Woodstock Bank expired the National banking act had I" Thompson's Vermont." 3i 266 History of Windsor County. gone into effect, and the directors of the bank decided to avail them- selves of the provisions of the act, and not ask for a renewal of their charter under the State law. Tlie Woodstock National Bank. — This bank was the direct outgrowth of the Woodstock Bank, just mentioned, and was incorporated April 17, 1865, witli a capital stock of $100,000. Its first officers were: Presi- dent, Oliver P. Chandler ; vice-president, Philo Hatch ; cashier, Elia- kim Johnson; directors, Oliver P. Chandler, John Porter, Philo Hatch, Julius Converse and Eliakim Johnson. Mr. Chandler resigned from the presidency and direction of the bank in January, 1869, and was suc- ceeded by Frederick Billings, who still remains in that office. The orig- inal cashier, Mr. Johnson, continued in the position of cashier until his death, October 21, 1862, upon which Henry C. Johnson was elected cashier, and has so remained to the present. On January 14, 1873, William E. Hazen was appointed assistant cashier, and in August, 1875, was succeeded by the present incumbent, Frederick W. Wilder. As has been stated, the original capital stock of the bank was fixed at $100,000, but on the 14th of July, 1865, it was increased to $150,000, and, again, on January 11, 1867, to $200,000. On June 10, 1872, the stock was still further increased to $300,000. The Woodstock National Bank has a present surplus of some $60,000, and is officered and man- aged as follows : President, Frederick Billings ; vice-president, Oliver P. Chandler ; cashier, Henry C. Johnson ; assistant cashier, Frederick W. Wilder ; directors, Frederick Billings, Oliver P. Chandler, Frank N. Billings, William E. Johnson, William E. Dew-ej'. Tlic Ottauqitcchee Savings Bank. — This institution, the only savings bank ever established in the village, was incorporated November 13, 1847, and opened its doors for business in January, 1848, under the manage- ment of the following board of trustees and officers : Trustees, Thomas E. Powers, Thomas Russell, Owen Taft, Joel Eaton, Lyndon A. Marsh, Henry W. English, Charles S. Raymond, Nahum Haskell, Charles W. Warren, Oel Billings, Reuben Daniels and Otis Chamberlin. Officers : John Porter, president; Amnii Willard, vice-president ; I-llihu Johnson, treasurer ; Norman Williams, secretary. The Ottauquechee Savings Bank has ever been looked upon and re- garded as one of the substantial business institutions of the village, one Village of Woodstock. 267 that has ever been well managed, and a source of profit to its managers and depositors as well. When started, and for a number of years thereafter, it was usual to open the bank for business on but two days of the week, but the business of the concern at length became so extensive, and de- positors to numerous, that the doors were opened every business day of the week. The bank, too, owns the building at present occupied, having acquired the same by conveyance from Morris Fairbanks. The deposits of the bank at present amount to about $530,000. The present officers are as follows : James B. Jones, president ; Crosby Miller, vice-president ; Charles F. Chapman, secretary and treasurer; trustees, James B.Jones, Alvin Hatch, Edwin Hazen, Norman Paul, Crosby Miller, Charles H. Maxham, Henry W. Walker, William S. Dewey, J. Walker Parker, Frank S. Mackenzie, William S. Hewitt ; board of investors, James B. Jones, Alvin Hatch, Edwin Hazen, Norman Paul, Charles F. Chapman. Industries. — As a manufacturing center Woodstock has never attracted any considerable attention, nor does there seem ever to have been a great desire on the part of the people here to build up such enterprises, al- though the facilities for cheap and abundant water-power along the Que- chee and South branches are all that could be desired for manufacturing purposes. But however inconsiderable may have been the manufactur- ing industries of the village, the place has by no means been entirely de- void of them, and those that have been carried on were of some impor- tance and extent. Manufacturing in the vicinity of the village, or what afterwards became the village, may be said to have commenced when Joab Hoisington put into operation a saw and grist-mill, somewhere about the year 1776. But the product of these mills was used entirely in the home market. The first considerable industry of prominence was the oil-mill of Jacob Wilder, which was established during the latter part of 1792, and had its seat of operation on the South branch- of the Ouechee, not far from the village proper ; but this old establishment experienced all the vicissitudes any industry could well be subjected to ; passed through various owners, and was the seat of various munufactures, being finally converted into a foun- dry by R. D. Granger, and by him sold to Daniel Taft, and then moved from the locality to become a part of the Taft industry at Taftsville. This was about 1836. 268 tiistoRY OF Windsor County. In the west part of the village, on the north side of the river, stands a large brick building, a monument to past prosperity and subsequent ad- versity, and which is generally known as the old Woodstock woolen- mills, or the Woodward Mills. In former times this location was known as Mower's Mills, although the water at this point was first diverted and utilized about the year 1790, when Dr. Powers built the dam and erected a saw and grist-mill. This property passed to the ownership of Henry Mower & Co. in 1803, and five years later to Samuel Chandler. From this time forward, for some twenty-five years, the property underwent many changes in proprietorship as well as manufactures, and finally, in 1835, was purchased by the Woodstock Manufacturing Company, a cor- poration having an authorized capital stock of large proportions, and, what was still better (for certain purposes), a shrewd manager named Samuel Ford, by whose persistent efitbrts a number of local capitalists were induced to make investments in the enterprise. This company erected the extensive brick factory building and others in the neighbor- hood, for the use of the company and its employees. The company, however, never developed manufactures to any great extent, but did suc- ceed in building up an indebtedness of splendid proportions, upon which the property was sold to Solomon Woodward in 1847 to be used as a woolen factory. Extensive alterations and repairs to the building and adjoining property were made, among which was the removal of the old saw and grist-mills, and the erection of more substantial structures in their places. Mr. Woodward continued business here until about the year 1877, but the returns were not particularly gratifying, especially during the later jears of operations, and the property finally passed into the estate of the late A. T. Stewart, of New York, and then into the charge of Judge Hilton, and now the whole Stewart- Hilton property, here and elsewhere, is the subject of litigation, cannot be transferred or perfect title given. Near the site where now stands the e.xtensive tannery buildings and works of B. F. Standish, Elder Jasper Harvey, in 1832, located the building formerly known as the West meeting-house, which he had pur- chased and moved here, and converted into a tannery. It was operated by Clement & Stillson for a few years, changed hands frequently, and finally became the property of Perkins & Standish. The buildings were iTi/^yi^ iSt.-j-'v^ Village of Woodstock. 269 destroyed by fire in September, 1873, but a new and more commodious tannery was soon afterwards built by Mr. Standisli, who has carried on the business ever since. Concerning tiie Standish tannery, it may be said to be about tiie only present industry of the village, the product of which is shipped to and sold in other than local markets. The Woodstock Gaslight Company, one of the two local imorovement companies of the village, was chartered by an act of the Legislature on the 9th of November, 1855. During the succeeding year the company was in full operation, although a number of years passed before the street and service pipes were laid to their present extent. The first board of directors was composed of Thomas E. Powers, Solomon Wood- ward and George Mellish. Mr. Powers was cliosen president of the company. Hotels. — The history of hotel life and business in Woodstock- village commenced when Joab Hoisington procured an inn or tavern-keeper's license from the Cumberland County Court in 1772, and arranged his humble log cabin for the accommodation of the traveling public. This worthy resident must have recognized the necessity for such a house of entertainment and rest for the wayfarer, but just how long he acted in the capacity of host or landlord is not known, but it was only for a short time, a few years, perhaps. In 1787 Captain Richardson erected a tavern on the park tract, but the building was afterwards moved to a location further north, off the common, and is still standing, ne.xt east of the Hatch House. Its use for tavern purposes was discontinued about 1822. In 1793 two hotel buildings were put up in the village, one on the corner where now stands the Churchill dwelling, but which was only used as a tavern for a short time, and the other on the site of the present Eagle Hotel ; in fact, the same building, although during the nearly hundred years of its exist- ence it has been so frequently repaired and remodeled as to have lost all of its original appearance. It was built by Captain Richardson, and was a plain, two-story frame building with a single story extension. It afterward became the property of Titus Richardson, who, in 1822, built the brick addition on the east end of the house. In 1830 Cutting & Phillips were proprietors, under whom the piazzas were built and the house enlarged by building a third story. Under their ownership, also, ij6 History of Windsor County. the house was christened " Eagle Hotel," and a gilded eagle " hung out" for a sign. In 1867 another story was added to the main part of the house. In 1848 the brick addition on the east was sold to the Sons of Temperance for a liall, and was so used until the early part of 1885, when it was destroyed bj' fire. Mr. F. B. Merrill tiien bought the property, rebuilt the burned part, and made it a part of the hotel. He retired from the proprietorship of the hotel in 1889, being succeeded by Arthur B. Wilder, who is now its proprietor. Another of the old hotel buildings of the village was that which was erected at the corner of Elm and Central streets, by Elisha Taylor in 1796, and known as the Village Hotel. In 1S19 this became the prop- erty of Robert Barker, and was one of the most popular resorts in the town. In 1835 it was sold to Samuel Whitney, and by the latter, in 1856, to Oilman Henry, both of whom were proprietors of the hotel during the periods of their ownership. Tiie old building experienced nearly as many changes as did the rival house, the Eagle, for one land- lord seldom allows himself to be outdone by a competitor. But, un fortunately for the old Village Hotel, and possibly for its owner, too, the whole concern was, in March, 1867, destroyed by fire, and in its place there was erected the present substantial business block. The "Park Cottage" Hotel, now owned and managed by "Landlord " Fales, is one of the later-day institutions of the village, having been made over into a hotel in 1884. The old building here has been vari- ously used: was erected early in the century, and occupied as a store, saddler's shop, school-house, dwelling, and finally put to its present occupancy by Mr. Fales in 1884. T/tf Woodstock Acqiieduct Company. — The subject of supplying the village of Woodstock with pure and wholesome water from some of the outlying streams of the town began to be agitated about the )-ear 1878, and the matter was made the subject of consideration at the vil- lage meeting held in January, 1879. At that meeting Oliver P. Chand ler, Justin F. Mackenzie and Charles Chapman were chosen a commit- tee to " inquire as to the feasibility of obtaining a supply of water from Blake Hill, or other hills of the vicinity." The committee made diligent examination into the matter of their duty, and on January 5, 1880, re- ported to the meeting the results of tlieir investigations, together with Village of Woodstock. 271 an estimate of the probable expense of the entire enterprise, which they placed at seventeen thousand dollars. The report was accepted and ordered to lie on the table. It may be stated, further, that the report remained on the table, and the village made no further discussion of the project. In the year 1880 a number of enterprising citizens of the village pro- cured from the Legislature an act of incorporation of the Woodstock Acqueduct Company, having a capital stock of $36,000, in shares of $50 each. The company, however, did nothing in the matter of carry- ing out the object of its incorporation until the year 1887, when a reser- voir was built on Thomas Brook, and water mains laid from that point to and through the streets of the village, under the management and direction of the following persons: J. J. Randall, designing engineer; T. William Harris, constructing engineer and subcontractor; con- tractors, R. D. Wood & Co. The main pipe from the reservoir is of eight-inch iron, while the street pipes are six and four inches in diam- eter, the latter size predominating. The company now has about seven miles of main laid, and is patronized by about one hundred and sixty water takers. The village is supplied with twenty-eight hydrants, located at convenient points, ready for instant use in case of fire. The company is under the following management : President, Frank N. Billings; vice-president, Frank S. Mackenzie; secretary, H. C. Phillips ; treasurer, Frederick W. Wilder. The Windsor County Agricultural Society. — While this organization may be, perhaps, one of the institutions of the county rather than of the village, it has always had its chief seat of operation and its location for annual exhibitions in or near Woodstock, and has come to be regarded as one of the established institutions of the locality; and, so being, it is proper that some mention be made of it in this connection. As far back as the year 1820 there was organized what was known as the Agricultural Society for the County of Windsor ; and in that year officers were chosen as follows: President, William Jarvis; vice- presidents, Zebina Curtis.Jabez Proctor and Titus Hutchinson ; secretary, Norman Williams. The first exhibition given under the direction of the society was that of September 20, 1821. The society held one or two annual exhibitions and then quietly passed out of existence. 272 History of Windsor Countv. In 1846 a new society, tlie present one, was organized, and from that time to the present has given an annual exhibition. In 1855 the present "fair grounds" were purchased, and here the society liave erected buildings sufficient for the accommodation of all stock and other exhibits, of every character, that may be offered. It has been the great aim of the gentlemen that comprise the society to offer to exhibitors as good inducements by way of accommodations and premiums as docs any similar organization in the State ; and that their efforts in this direction have been entirely successful is attested by the fact that the attendance and display at the annual meetings of the society are not inferior to those of any other county. The premises and buildings, too, are kept in the best condition possible, and premiums are paid in full, without con- ditions. During the year 1889 various improvements were made, at an expense to the society of three or four thousand dollars. The officers of the society are as follows: President, Joseph C. Parker of Hartford ; first vice-president, Edwin C. Emmons of Woodstock; second vice- president, ^^omer \V. Vail of Pomfrct ; secretar)', Henry B. Reed of Woodstock; treasurer, Norman Paul of Woodstock. Masonic. — The first Masonic organization that found a resting place in Woodstock is understood as having been Warren Lodge, which was instituted in the year 1804; and of which Alexander Hutchinson was master; Benjamin Emmons, senior warden; William Perry, junior war- den; l?enjamin Swan, treasurer ; and William Strong, secretary. The lodge dissolved its organization and surrendered its cliarter in the \'ear 1827. This was followed by another similar organization which has been called " Washington Mark Master's Lodge," and which was in existence for some ten or fifteen years prior to 1829 Woodstock Lodge, No. ^i, F. and A. M., was granted a dispensation by the Grand Lodge on the 13th of January, 1853, and was chartered on the 1st of January, 1854. The lodge was organized under the dispen- sation, and the following were its first officers: Luben Putnam, W. M.; O. H. McKenzie, S. W.; Eben Tracey, J. W.; John A Pratt, secretary ; Joel Eaton, treasurer; Augustus Palmer, S D.; Daniel Taft, jr., J. D. Past Masters. — Luben Putnam, O H. McKenzie, Ebenezer Tracey, Augustus Palmer. Edwin llutchinson, Edwin Hazen, Joseph S. Rich- mond, OwcnT. Marsh, Rtbcrt S. Southgatc J>ihn S. Eaton, Orlando \V. Town of Woodstock. 273 Sherwin, Ezra H. Lovell, Joseph S. Richmond, Charles M. Marsh, E. P. Tewksbury, George H. Moss, James W. Hazen, J. K. Hoadley. Present Officers. — C. R. Montague, W. M.; George W. Marble, S. W.; George Aitken, J. W.; W. S. Hewitt, treasurer; F. R. Jewett, secretary; C. F. Merrill, S. D.; F. B Dana, J. D.; M. E. Hapgood, S. S.; W. H. Brown, J. S.; A. B. Jaquith, tyler. Ottanqiiechee Chapter, No. 31, R. A. M. — An application for a dispen- sation for a chapter of Royal Arch Masons was made to the Grand Lodge of this State in March, 1867 ; and on the i8th of October follow- ing a charter was granted that established Ottauquechee Chapter, No. 2i- The petition was signed by D. L. Howe, Nathan Gushing, Edwin Hazen, J. S. Richmond, Ira Wood, Nathan Woodbury, O. E. Ross, Norman Williams, Julius Converse and Lyman Mower. The first officer^ were J. S. Richmond, H. P.; Edwin Hazen, K.; O. E. Ross, scribe; Luben Putnam, C. H ; D. L. Howe, P. S.; Nathan Gushing, R. A. C; Lyman Mower, M. 3d V.; Ira Wood, M. 2d V.; Daniel Taft, M. 1st V.; Julius Converse, treasurer; Nathan Woodbury, secretary; Joseph Churchill, tyler. Past High Priests. — Joseph S. Richmond, Edwin Hazen, Owen T. Marsh, O. VV. Sherwin, W. J. Boyce. Officers for 1889: W. J. Boyce, H. P.; E. P. Tewksbury, king; O. L. Richmond, scribe; C. VV. Say- ward, treasurer; G. H. Mass, secretary; A. N. Logan, C. H.; C. R. Montague, P. S.; O. L. Seaver, R. A. C; W. H. Seaver, M. 3d V.; George Aitken, M. 2d V.; W. F. Jones, M. ist V.; I. C. Mower, senti- nel. Present membership, 70. Grand Army of the Republic. — The first steps in the matter of organ- izing a post in Woodstock were taken during or about the year 1S81, and the result was the grantingof a charter by the State Department, G. A. R., to Sheridan Post, of Woodstock. This post was at one time a flourish- ing organization, at least so far as membership was concerned; but on ac- count of certain regulations that required too much time, it was thought to become a full member, (passing through the several degrees — recruits, soldiers, and veterans,) the post became unpopular, lost its organization, and finally passed out of existence. George C. Randall Post, No. 82, Department of Vermont, G. A. R., was organized at Woodstock, December 15, 1884, with the following of- 35 274 History of Windsor County. ficers: Colonel Thomas O. Seaver, commander; William C. Whipple, S. V. C; Edwin C. Emmons, J. V. C; Dr. Henry Boynton, surgeon ; John S. Eaton, officer of the day ; Lucius W. Wilson, officer of guard ; Henry H. Woodbury, adjutant; John Oilman, Q. M ; George W. Paul, Sergt.-Maj.; Charles H. English, Q. M.-Sergt; Rev. H. A. Van Dusen, chaplain (appt. January, 1885). Randall Post has a present membership of one hundred and sixteen persons, which includes nearly every ex-soldier of the village and vicin- ity. Regular meetings are held each month, on the Saturday before the "moon fulls." An annual camp-fire is held on the 22d of February, and Memorial Day is regularly observed. Present Officers. — Henry Boynton, M. D., commander; E. C. Em- mons, S. V. C; W. C. Vaughn, J. V. C; H. H. Woodbury, Adjt; Na- than Cutting, O. M ; Lucius W. Wilson, O. D.; Andrew McKain, O. G.; Henrj' B. Reed, surgeon; George W. Paul, Sergt. -Major ; Charles H. English, O. M.-Sergt. Connected with the post is a Relief Corps known as "Randall W. R. C, No. 26," comprising about forty ladies of Woodstock and adjoining towns. The Town Representatives. — The position of Representative in the General Assembly is without doubt the principal town office ; and as other chapters have contained the succession of incumbents of this office, it is proper that the same be given in this connection, that is, the names of the several persons who have been elected to the General Assembly from the town of Woodstock, as follows: 1778, (March) John Strong, Joseph Safford ; 1778, (October) John Sirong, Phineas Williams ; 1779, Phineas Williams, John Strong ; 1780, John Strong, Warren Cottle ; 1781, Jesse Safford, Warren Cottle; 1782, John Strong, Jabez Cottle ; 1783, Jesse Safford, Phineas Thomas ; 1784, Jabez Cottle, Jesse Safford ; 1785, Jesse Safford; 1786-7, Benjamin Emmons ; 1788, Jesse Safford ; 1789, War- ren Cottle; 1790, Jesse Saftbrd ; 1791, Jesse Safford (January), Benja- min Emmons (October); 1792-94, Benjamin Emmons; 1795, Jabez Cottle; 1796, Benjamin Emmons ; 1897-8, Jesse Williams ; 1799, Jabez Bennett; 1800-1803, Benjamin Emmons; 1804, Titus Hutchinson; 1805, Jabez Cottle; 1 806-10, Titus Hutchinson; 181 1, Joseph Wood ; 1812, Titus Hutchinson; 1813-15, Henry C. Denison ; 1816-17, Ste- Town of Windsor. 275 phen Farnswortli ; 1818-19, Daniel Dana; 1820, Rowland Simmons; 1821, Titus Hutchinson; 1822-3, Jasper Hazen ; 1824-5, Titus Hutch- inson; 1826, Richard M. Ransom; 1827, Billy Brown; 182S, Richard M.Ransom; 1829, Sylvester Edson ; 1830, Lysander Raymond ; 1831, Billy Brown ; 1832-33, Jason Kendall; 1834, Daniel Taft ; 1835, Lysan- der Raymond ; 1836, Tracy Brigham ; 1837-8, John Moulton ; 1839- 41, Oliver P. Chandler; 1842-4, Andrew Tracy; 1845-6, Nathan T. Churchill; 1847-9, Julius Converse; 1850-52, Thomas E. Powers; 1853-4, Peter T. Washburn; 1855-6, Thomas E. Powers; 1857-9, George R. Chapman; 1860-61, Eliakim Johnson; 1862-3, Oliver P. Chandler; 1864-5, Lewis Pratt ; 1866, Charles Marsh; 1867-8, Julius Converse; 1869-71, Lorenzo Richmond; 1872-5, Henry Boynton ; 1876-7, Warren C. French; 1878-9, Horace C. Lockwood ; 1880-81, Justin F. Mackenzie; 1882-3, Larnard C. Kendall ; 1884-5, George B. French; 1886-90, Charles P. Marsh. CHAPTER XV. HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WINDSOR, AND OF THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF WINDSOR. DURING that period of our country's history that has always been referred to as the period of the early French wars, the valley of the Connecticut River was a prominent and frequently traveled thoroughfare for the passage of troops and other smaller bodies of armed men be- tween the New England colonies on the soutli and the upper Connecti- cut country, the Canadas, and the Champlain region on the north and northwest. Thus the vicinity wherein is situate the present town of Windsor became known to the pioneers of New England long before any settlement was made in the locality, and before any provincial gov- ernor had assumed to make grants of towns in the region of Vermont east of the Green Mountains. In 1724 the New England colonies had become sufficiently large to warrant an extension of settlement in various localities, to the northward, and some of the venturesome spirits moved up the valley of the Connec- 276 History of Windsor County. ticut and planted a settlement and built a fortress, which they called Fort Diimmer, under the belief that the location lay within the provincial boundaiies of Massachusetts. This action opened anew a controversy that had previously existed between the authorities of the provinces of New Hampshire and Massachusetts relative to the boundary- lines be- tween them ; and this dispute was finally terminated by the royal decree of 1740, by which the north line of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, as it was called, was fixed upon as being somewhat to the southward of the Dummerston settlement, and the latter was therefore brought within the jurisdiction of New Hampshire, and has ever since been conspicuous in history as the first civilized settlement within the borders of what afterward became the State of Vermont. In the year 1741 Benning Wentworth became governor of the prov- ince of New Hampshire. He must have known of the controversy be- tween his own province and Massachusetts, and of its determination the year before his appointment ; and there are very good reasons for the belief that he understood the provincial government of New York to claim the right of jurisdiction over the lands north of the Massachusetts north line, and eastward as far as the Connecticut River, although the governor of New York had made no considerable grants in this territory, and therefore, not being occupied, no direct acts of jurisdictional exercise could well be made. But Benning Wentworth, if his biographers' state- ments are to be relied upon, loved gain as he loved power ; performed acts sometimes questionable in character and took the chances of results, and made grants of towns for consideration and reserved to himself considerable tracts in each for his own personal emolument. But it must in no manner be assumed that his grantees were parties to his methods, for such was not the case ; but that he enriched himself at their expense cannot be disputed. On the 3d of January, 1749, Governor Wcntwortli made a grant of a town of land on the extreme western boundary of what he assumed to be his territory, making a contmuation of the Massachusetts west line the western boundar\' of the tract, and this he named "Bennington," in allusion to his Christian name. This being done, he acquainted the governor of New York with his action, asking that officer in brief what he thought about it. This was followed by a controversy between these Town of Windsor. 277 provinces that was continued until the year 1764, at which time the decree of the king fixed the eastern boundary of the province of New Yorlc at the west bank of the Connecticut River; and from that time forth Benning Wentworth took no part in the controversy that ensued between the actual settlers under his charters and the aggressive prov- ince of New York. He offered them no protection or assistance ; gave them no advice nor comforting assurance ; but left them to work out their own salvation as best they could After the charter of Bennington town, Governor Wentworth made occasional grants of other towns, but not many until about 1760 or 1761, when, fearing the influ- ence of New York with the king, he went boldly and rapidly into this business, chartering towns right and left, despite the protests from New York, so that, by the time the king's order of 1764 was promulgated, nearly all the then inhabitable lands west of the Connecticut had been granted by him. Charter of Windsor. — On the 6th of July, 1761, Governor Wentworth issued cliarters for three towns of land on what was then and for years afterward known by the general name of New Hampshire Grants, which three towns were respectively named Windsor, Reading and Saltash, the name of the latter, however, being subsequently changed to Plymouth. These towns embraced a strip of land approximately six miles wide, north and south, and extended from the west bank of ;he Connecticut River to the mountainous region of the interior, for of such is the charter of Plymouth. The charter by which the town of Windsor was brought into exist- ence was not materially different from the great majority of the towns granted by Governor Wentworth, and contained the customary reserva- tions of land: the five hundred acres for the use of the grantor himself, which was to be accounted two shares; one whole share for the incor- porated society for the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts ; one whole share for the first settled minister of the gospel ; one share for a glebe for the Church of England as by law established ; and one share for the benefit of a public school in said town. In the charter fifty-nine grantees were named, and the lands of the town were to be divided into si.\ty-five shares, inclusive of those reserved for the purposes set forth above. Another provision of the charter was to the effect that the first 278 History of Windsor County. meeting of the proprietors "for the clioice of town officers, agreeable to the laws of our said province, shall be held on the first Wednesday of August (1761), which said meeting shall be notified by Samuel Ashley, esq., who also is appointed moderator of the first meeting," etc. The first movement on the part of the worthy proprietors after re- ceiving their charter was to meet and organize and choose town officers according to the grant; but it is hardly thought that the first meeting was held as directed b)- the charter, for there is no record of such meet- ing, and the general tenor of the records of a meeting held in September, 1761, would lead to the impression that this was the first meeting. And these old prorietors had a rather loose manner of recording the trans- actions of their meetings, the minutes being made on any sheet or scrap of paper that happened to be most convenient, and it was not until the year 1 769, or about that time, that the proprietors made any move in the matter of procuring a record book in which to enter their proceed- ings ; and it was not procured then, apparently, as the minutes are found on pieces of paper until the year 1771, after which and well on toward 1789 no records of proprietors' or town meetings are to be found. The first meeting of the proprietors, just referred to, was held at the house of Hilikiah Grout, innholder, in Winchester, New Hampshire, " agreeable to an act passed in said pro^/ince of New Hampshire, em- powering proprietors to call meetings." Upon this occasion the as- sembled proprietors chose Colonel Josiah Willard, moderator; Dr. Thomas Frink, proprietors' clerk; Lieutenant Joshua Lyman, Lieuten- ant Samuel Ashley and Dr. Thomas Frink, assessors ; Colonel Josiah Willard, collector; and Lieutenant Samuel Ashley, treasurer. Also, Colonel Josiah Willard, Captain Zedekiah Stone, Lieutenant Samuel Aslile)', Philip Mattoon. Josiah Willard, jr., Josiah Willard, Samuel Stone and Simeon Alexander were chosen a committee " to view and lot out said town." And it was voted to pay Colonel Josiah Willard three dollars on each right to defray tlie charges of the charter and plan ; also voted to raise three dollars on each right to defray the charges of " lotting out said land and other incident charges." The next meeting of the proprietors was held at the house of landlord Hilikiah Crouton the I2th of April, 1762, at which time Lieutenant Samuel Ashley was chosen moderator. From the fact that it was then Town of Windsor. 279 voted "to draw house lots and meadow lots as laid out on the plan," it is to be assumed that the committee chosen at the former meeting had completed the work of viewing and laying out the town, at least far enough to permit the first drawing of lots. But at this meeting Captain Zedekiah Stone and David Page were added to the committee " for the building of mills and laying out roads," which committee was the same referred to as authorized to view and lay out the first division of town lots. At a meeting held August 24, 1763, at Hilikiah Grout's house. Seth Field was chosen moderator. The principal business of this meet- ing was the proceeding by which it was voted " to grant Israel Curtis fifty acres of land adjoining the Mill Brook, so called, in the town ol Windsor, in what form he thinks best, leaving the common land in good form ; and leaving ten acres between said brook and house lot number forty-one for a meeting-house place, training field and burying yard ; reserving suitable roads in said land for the use of the town, six rods wide. Said ten acres to be left adjoining the south side of the house lot number forty-one. This done in case the above named Israel Curtis shall give a bond to the committee to see that mills are built, of one hundred pounds sterling money of Great Britain, to build a saw-mill in said town of Windsor by the ist day of August, 1764, and to build a grist mill as soon as there shall be twenty inhabitants that shall raise one acre of grain apiece in said town ; and that said Curtis shall have the privilege of said Mill stream, so called." Thus the reader will observe that the proprietors were industriously engaged in preparing the way for settlement in the lands of the town, by laying out lots, cutting roads, constructing bridges and building mills, even before there was a single occupant upon the soil, holding under color of title. During this and the preceding year these pre- liminary measures were arranged for, and the work of carrying them into effect was performed as soon as practicable. In 1764 the first set- tlement in the town is generally understood as having begun ; and that by the arrival of Captain Steele Smith and his family. This is accord- ing to the statements of nearly all past writers of the town's history ; and since the most recent publication on the subject no new facts are de- veloped that would incline to a different view of the matter. It may be remarked, however, that a recent authority has stated that Captain Steele 28o History of Windsor County. Smith was accompanied by two other pioneers, one of wliom was Joab Hoisington and tlic other Solomon Emmons, and that tlieir coming here was in company ; that on arriving, Captain Smith did leap from the canoe and cut the proverbial first tree in tlie town. But it is quite questionable whether the honor, if such it be, of cutting the first tree properly belonged to the worthy captain, for the proceedings of the proprietors' meetings would tend to show that the committee must have made some improvements before 1764, that in their performance would have necessitated the cutting of a number of trees. But the tradition of Captain Smith having cut the first tree is so long established that it is come to be looked upon as a fi.xed fact, and we are not disposed to de- stroy so romantic and pleasant an allusion by the advocacy of an oppos- ing theory, however strong may be the facts in support thereof On the subject of pioneer settlement Zadock Thompson, a recognized anthorit)', says: "The first permanent settlement in the town was com- menced by Captain Steele Smith, who removed his family from Farm- ington, Conn., to this town, in August, 1764. At that time there was no road north of Charlestown, N. H. The next season Major Elisha Hawley, Captain Israel Curtis, Deacon Hezekiah Thompson, Deacon Thomas Coojier, and some others, came on and began improvements. Tiiere was, however, a man by the name of Solomon Emmons, and his wife, who had erected a hut, and were living here when Captain Smith arrived, but had not purchased the land, or made any improvements with a view to a permanent settlement. Mrs. Emmons was the first and for some time the only white woman who resided in the town." Whether or not Joab Hoisington and Solomon Emmons weie with Captain Smith when he came to the town is a question that cannot be settled at this time; nor is it a matter of any considerable importance. Joab Hoisington, whenever his coming may have been, was at all events a pioneer, and as such one of the foremost 6f the town and county. During his stay in the town, it is said, there occurred an unfortunate ac- cident, in this manner : He and a companion named Bartlett were hunt- ing in the forest, and for the purpose of covering as much ground as pos sible they separated. After a time Hoisingl:on heard a rustling among the leaves and branches in the dense woods, and saw what he supposed was a bear, at which he fired with fatal result, but the victim of his shot SL/5"^^<-^-^ ^>vt-^-*-x^ Town of Windsor. 281 was his companion, Bartlett. About the year 1771 Joab Hoisington left Windsor and took up his abode in Woodstock, where he purchased lands to the extent of something like a thousand acres, and on which the pleasant village of Woodstock is now situated. His log house stood on the corner at the east end of the park, where is now the large white dwelling known as the Major Nathan Churchill house. Hoisington was an officer of the upper regiment of militia, and stationed at Newbury, where, in 1777, he died. Returning briefly to the proprietors' proceed- ings relating to the town, it is found that on the 25th of July, 1764, a meeting was held at the house of Samuel Stevens, in Charlestown, N. H., at which time nothing of importance was done, and the meeting ad- journed until the 28th of August, of the same year, then to assemble at the house of Captain Israel Wyman, innholder, at Keene. But it ap- pears that on the 29th of July another meeting was held, at which time Dr. David Taylor was chosen proprietors' collector, and Lieutenant Sam- uel Hunt, Steele Smith and Enos Stevens, assessors. A Change of Jurisdiction. — As is already very well understood, the town of Windsor was brought into existence by the charter of Governor Wentworth, of date the 6th of July, 1761 ; and under the authority and power of that charter the proprietors acted and did all that has been re- ferred to and narrated on the preceding pages. But at the time that charter was made, and prior and subsequent thereto, the province of New York had claimed the ownership in and right to jurisdiction over all the lands and territory of the Green Mountain region west of the Connecti- cut River. This claim was of course disputed and contested by the pro- vincial authorities of New Hampshire, and the result was a long and bit- ter controversy, a war of words between the governors of the respective provinces, with the final result of an appeal to the king by the governor of NewYork, which proceeding was consented to and acquiesced in by the governor of New Hampshire. As far as these provinces were concerned the controversy was terminated by the royal decree of July 20, 1764, by which the west bank of the Connecticut River was determined upon as the eastern boundary of the province of New York. This action of itself would have worked no injury to the proprietors of Windsor, for it could not be a matter of much importance to them whether they belonged to the jurisdiction of New Hampshire or to that 36 2'82 History of Winusur County. of NevvYork, but had the preferences been consulted they unquestionably would have pretcrred remaining a part of the former province, as they were largely from that locality, accustomed to its forms of government, and bound to its people by the ties of relationship and affection. But, upon the receipt of the royal determination, the governing authorities of New York took it upon themselves to attempt to annul and set aside the New Hampshire charters, and to make new grants and patents of the lands to parties allied to the New York interest, without any offer even of compensation to the original proprietors, without consulting their wishes or inclinations, and having not the slightest regard for them, or for their grantees, in actual possession of the chartered lands. This extraordinary procedure it was that led to that famous organiza- tion known as the Green Mountain Boys — a band of determined men, who refused to yield to the New York authority and allow themselves to be dispossessed of their lands without paj'ment therefor, or for the im- provements put upon them at the expense of years of toil and hardships. But we have little or nothing of the deeds of those men to record as transpiring within the limits of this town. That was a part of the his- tory of the region of the State west of the mountains, for the localitj" of the Connecticut valley country was so far removed from the scenes of actual strife and contention that its inhabitants were not called upon to participate in the events then transpiring, nor were the people here di- rectly attacked in their possessions. Be it said, however, to the honor of the proprietors of the town of Windsor, that they were in full sympathy with the cause for which the Green Mountain Boys were battling, al- though they were powerless to render that cause any substantial assist- ance ; and being so singularly situated, they were compelled to resort to more peaceful methods in order to secure to themselves and their grant- ees the quiet and peaceable possession and enjoyment of the lands of the towns. For the purpose of accomplishing this object some of the leaders of the proprietors at once began to bestir themselves, with the result that on the 29th of October, 1765, a petition signed by Zedekiah Stone, Nathan Stone and David Stone, in " behalf of themselves and twenty other persons," says Governor Tryon's charter, was " presented unto our trusty and well-beloved Cadwallader Colden, Esquire, our Lieutenant- Town of Windsor. 283 Governor, and then our commander-in-chief of our said province of New York, and read in our council for our said province of New York, on the 29th day of October, wliich was in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty-five," etc. And further this formidable docu- ment, relating to the matter of the petition, says: " That the petitioners and their associates held the same by the said pretended grant of the government of New Hampshire, and thinking their title good, settled about sixteen families thereon. That they were willing and desirous to secure their property, possessions and improvements, by holding the same under the government of our said province of New York, and make further settlements upon the said tract ; and therefore the petitioners did, in behalf of themselves and associates, humbly pray that our said Lieut. - Governor would be probably pleased by our Letters Patent to grant to the petitioners and their associates, their heirs and assigns, the said tract of land containing upwards of 23,600 acres, and that the same might be erected into a township by the name of Windsor, and vested with the same powers and privileges as other towns in our said province of New York had and did enjoy. Which petition having been thus referred to the committee of our council for our said province of New York, our same council did, afterwards, on the same day, in pursuance of the report of the said committee, humbly advise our consent that our said Lieut-Gov- ernor should by our Letters Patent, grant to the said petitioners, associ- ates and their heirs, the tract of land aforesaid, under the Quit-rent pro- visos, limitations and restrictions prescribed by our royal institutions." But it appears that letters patent were not issued to Zedekiah, Nathan and David Stone, in behalf of themselves and their associates, as contem- plated by the petition presented on the 29th of October, 1765; nor were any letters patent granted, that became operative, until the 28th of March, 1772. By an indenture deed bearing date the 9th day of October, 1776, the lands of the town of Windsor were conveyed by the associated pro- prietors and their grantees to Nathan Stone, which conveyance, It is un- derstood, was in the nature of a deed in trust to Nathan Stone, that he might act as sole owner of all except the reserved rights in the town, in the matter of procuring the charter from the provincial governor of New York ; but nowhere in the body of the instrument does it appear that Colonel Stone became vested with a title other than one in fee simple 284 History op Windsor County. absolute. This deed was signed and sealed by Enos Stevens, Martha Stone, VVillard Stevens, David Stone, Joshua Willard, Samuel Hunt, Israel Curtis, Zedekiah Stone, Samuel Stone, Thomas Cooper, Joab Hois- iiigton, Joel Stone and Steele Smith ; and it purports to have been signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of Andrew Norton, John Evarts, John Benjamin, Benjamin Wait and Caleb Stone. The deed was ac- knowledged by John Benjamin, one of the subscribing witnesses before Joseph Lord, one of the judges of the Court of Common" Pleas of the county of Cumberland, and one of his majesty's justices of the peace. Martha Stone and Willard Stevens signed the deed, but are not named in the acknowledgment. In addition to the conveyance itself the receipt of the consideration money, ten pounds, is acknowledged to have been paid by Colonel Stone to tiie persons following, each signing for iiimself, or herself, viz.: Andrew Norton, John Evarts, John Benjamin, Benjamin Wait, Caleb Stone, Will- iam Shepard, Thomas Sargeants, Samuel Stone, Joel Stone, Joab Hois- ington, Israel Curtis, Zedekiah Stone, Steele Smith, Samuel Hunt, Martha Stone, David Stone, Joshua Willard, Enos Stevens and Willard Stevens. Thus clothed with a deed in fee simple of all of the town's lands, Col- onel Nathan Stone again paid court to the government of New York, joined hands with William Swan and others, and finally succeeded in ob- taining letters patent for the township of Windsor, which bore the date of March 28th, 1772, and were issued to said Nathan Stone and William Swan, and their associates, as follows : " Waldron Blair, John Abel, Will- iam Puntine, Michael Nan, John McGinnis, Richard McGinnis, Robert McGinnis, Patrick Walsh, James Abel, Edward Collum, Marinus Low, Edward Patten, Andries Reigher, George Klein, Thomas Lupton, Dun- can Robertson, Samuel Stevens, John Pessenger, George Luncom, Fran- cis Groome and James Cobham." The area of the town as mentioned in Governor Wentworth's charter was 23,500 acres, while according to the New York charter the entire area was placed at 24,500 acres, or 23,000 acers exclusive of all allow- ances and reservations. Subsequently in making a survey of the town, in order to acquire the prescribed acreage, it was found necessary to overlap the lands of the town of Reading on the west. This led to a dispute between the icspective proprietors, which was finally terminated W. M. HUNT, PINX. W. J. LINTON. DEL. ET SC. PORTRAIT OF MR. ALLAN WARDNER Original in the Possession of Mrs. W. M. Evarts, New York. Town of Windsor. 285 in the acquisition to Windsor of a considerable tract of Reading's ter- ritory. The charter granted by Governor Tryon reserved what was known as "the Governor's lot," a parcel of five hundred acres, which was distin- guished by the name of the " first lot" ; also a lot "for the use of the incorporated society for the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts," known as the "second lot," containing three hundred acres of land with the usual allowances ; also a lot " for a glebe for the use of the minister of the Gospel," to be known as the " third lot," containing three hundred acres and allowances ; also a lot to be known as the " fourth lot," for the use of a school-master, but the poor pedygogue was cut off with a single hundred acres, with allowances; also a lot for the first settled minister, the " fifth lot," having an area of three hundred acres. These public rights were designed to be chosen from the average lands of the town, but there came a time when one plan or survey was missing, and another substituted in its place ; and on the latter the reserved tracts were found to be located on the almost inaccessible heights, Ascutney Mountain, in a locality noted for the general worthlessness of its lands. On the 31st of March, 1772, three days later than the date of Gov- ernor Tryon's letters patent of the town, Colonel Stone secured a deed of conveyance of the interests held by his associates under the charter, all of whom were residents of the city of New York. The moving con- sideration of this conveyance was the sum of ten shillings paid by Stone to each of the grantors And on the 19th of April, 1774, Goldsboro Banyar executed to Nathan Stone a lease of a tract of land in the north- west corner of the town, embracing eleven hundred and forty-five acres. This lease is believed to have been in the nature of a contract for the sale of the land to Stone, for the rental consideration was but a nominal sum, five shillings and one pepper-corn, the latter if demanded. On the next day, April 20th, Goldsboro Banyar deeded this rented tract to Nathan Stone, the consideration of the conveyance as expressed in the indenture being the sum of four hundred and thirty- five pounds. It will be seen that the conveyance from the New York proprietors to Nathan Stone vested in the grantee the greater part of the lands of the town of Windsor, the same lands that had been previously deeded to Colonel Stone by the associated proprietors under the New Hamp- 286 History of Windsor Countv. shire charter ; which last named conveyance was understood as being a trust deed for tlie benefit of the grantors therein ; in fact an instrument that virtually made Colonel Stone the trustee or agent of the proprietors for the purpose of enabling him the better to obtain the New York patent, which was finally executed and issued on the 28th of March, 1 772. Then, true to the trust reposed in him, Nathan Stone reconveyed to those interested in the lands of the town, either as proprietors or as grantees of the proprietors, and to others, actual settlers on the lands of the town, various parcels according to tiie several and respective inter- ests of each in the lands. These conveyances were made during the month of November, 1772, and the names of the persons to whom the deeds were executed were as follows: Caleb Benjamin, Jeremiah Bishop, Samuel Patrick, Joseph Woodrufif, Benjamin Bishop, Levi Stevens, Samuel Seers, Peter Levens, Isaiah Burk, Ebenezcr Curtis, Solomon Burk, Samuel Root, Watts Hubbard, George Sto(w)e, Andrew Blant, Lazarus Bannister, John Benjamin, Samuel Chase, Rev. James Wellman, Dudley Chase, Phineas J^ean, Benjamin Wait, Ebenezer Hoisington, Captain William Dean, Elnathan Storey, Hezekiah Thompson, Benjamin Spaldwin (or Spaulding), Elisha Haw- ley, jr., Timothy Stanley, Thomas Wilson, Elisha Hawley, sr., Asa Smeed, Ebenezer Davis, Elihu Burk, Nehemiah Lincoln, William Smeed, sr, William Smeed, jr., Joseph Barrett, Jacob Hastings, Asaph Butler, Nathan Atkins, Joseph Patterson, Thomas Cooper, John Chandler, Andrew Norton, Alexander Parmlcy, Steele Smith, Mary Hubbard, Elisha Hubbard, David Cook, Samuel Cook, Samuel Stone, Dr. David Hale, Elizabeth Curtis, Solomon Emmons, Ebenezer Hayward, Fisher Gay, Joseph Bull, Thomas Fearsall, Goldsboro Banyar (of New York), Henry Crieger (of New York), Dr. David Taylor, Colonel Nathan Stone, Willard Dean, Isabel Patrick, Zedekiah Stone, esq., and Barnabas Dunham. As has already been stated, the deed from the proprietors and set- tlers of the town of Windsor to Nathan Stone bore the date of October 9, 1766, and by that conveyance the grantee became vested with all and singular of the right, title and interest therein of the grantors ; but not- withstanding that, the proprietors seemed to have moved right along in clearing, developing and improving the lands of the town, in the same Town of Windsor. 287 manner as if the title still remained in their respective selves. There appears to be no record of the proceedings of the proprietors for the years 1765 and 1766, and for that loss there can be no comment in this chapter upon what was done during those yeais, although it is quite probable that the first meeting within the town was held in one or the other of them. Certainly would the settlers have been entitled to have the meetings held here if the statement in proprietors' petition to New York's governor was correct, for it was there stated that under the New Hampshire charter there were settled in the town "about sixteen families," while had there been the representatives of the sixteenth part of the original shares of the town, that would have been sufficient to warrant the holding of meetings in the territory. The first record evidence of a meeting in the town (which can be found) is that contained in the proprietors' minutes for 1767, when, on the 3d day of November, a meeting was held at the house of Thomas Cooper, at which time Mr. Cooper was chosen clerk. The business of the occasion was not of special importance, relating to the laying out of lots in the town. Another meeting during the same year was held, also at Thomas Cooper's, on the 17th of December, when Benjamin Wait was chosen moderator; Captain Samuel Stone, Israel Curtis, and Ser- geant Andrew North, assessors; Thomas Cooper, treasurer; and Colonel Nathan Stone, collector. At this time it was voted to give Joseph King twenty pounds, to be paid in day's labor, to build a bridge across " Mill Stream," between the dam of the grist-mill and saw-mill. The building of this bridge was not done, apparently, by Mr. King, for the proceedings of a meeting held October 3, 1768, show that Andrew Nor- ton and Joab Hoisington were appointed a committee to build the bridge over Mill Brool:. One fact is established by the above " vote," and that, that a saw-mill and a grist mill were built in the town as early at least as the year 1768; and earlier extracts from the proprietors' pro- proceedings show that in August, 1763, Israel Curtis was appointed to build the saw and grist-mills, and was obliged to give a bond for the faithful performance of the work. In 1769, at a meeting held April 6, the proprietors voted "to buy a book " in which to record the proceedings of their meetings ; and they charged Israel Curtis with the duty of procuring the book, he to take 288 History of Windsor County. pay in a lot of land, the price of the book to apply on his contract of purchase, and he to pay the difference, wiiich the minutes recorded as "boot money." Whether or not the worthy settler, Israel Curtis, ever procured the book is not known ; neither is it known whether the pro- prietors ever obtained one from any source. The records, such as now exist, of the transactions of the proprietors, even down to and including the year 1 77 1, are written upon separate sheets of paper, and are tied in a single small package; and they are so old and worn as to make their ready handling almost impossible. The}' stop with the year 1771 ; and subsequent to that time, and until 1786, there appears to be no records of the proprietors' or inhabitants' meetingsof any kind that throw any light on the proceedings had during the interval. The record of conveyances, however, of the town are exceedingly well kept and pre- served. The most interesting period in the history of the town of Windsor was that in which occurred the Re\olutionary war, and the struggle, during the same time, on the part of the people living on the so-called New Hampshire Grants to establish for themselves an independent gov- ernment or State, that eventually became known by the name of Ver- mont. But it was not that the citizens of this particular locality took a more active part in the occurring events of that period than did any other towns of the State, for such is not understood to have been the case; but, at the same time, the town of Windsor was destined to be- come prominent in the affairs of the State, and to occupy a position of singular notoriety, the result of circumstances alone, and not that the town possessed political leaders and statesmen of distinguished ability, although she was not whoU)' destitute of men of that mark. The town of Windsor first began to attract attention from the other regions of the grants when the petition was made and presented that re- sulted in the New York charter; and that action was presumed to be prima facie evidence, in some minds, at least, that the people of the town considered themselves allied to the interests of New York. It was so looked upon in certain cpiarters, but it was an altogether mistaken belief, for there was no town east of the mountains whose people were more in- terested in the cause for which the Green Mountain Boys were contend- ing than those of Windsor, but from this remote locality it was not ex- Town of Windsor. 289 pected that the people of the town would become active participants in the struggles then enacting, and what was more to the point, the peti- tioners did not receive their charter until after many of the more impor- tant events had occurred. But when it became an understood fact that the people on the grants were organizing with the intention of forming a new and independent State, the residents of Windsor joined with the move and actively participated in all that occurred tending to the end sought to be accomplished. At the convention held at Dorset on the 26th of July, 1775, and on the i6thof January and the 24th of July, 1776, the town of Windsor does not appear to have been represented, but at the adjourned session held at Dorset on the 25th of September, 1776, Ebenezer Hoisington appeared as a delegate from the town ; and as such he is found to be upon the com- mittee appointed to prepare the covenant or compact by which the dele- gates pledged themselves and their constituents for the " security of their common liberties and properties in conjunction with the free and inde- pendent States of America." Besides this Ebenezer Hoisington was on other important committees, among them one chosen for the purpose of preparing a "citation to send to the State of New York to know if they have any objection against our being a separate State from them." And at the Westminster conventions of October 30, 1776, and January 15, 1777, Mr. Hoisington was present representing his town ; and on the latter occasion was chairman of the committee appointed to examine and report the feeling in the towns east of the mountains relative to the for- mation of the new State, which report was that " We find by e.Kamina- tion that more than three-fourths of the people in Cumberland and Gloucester counties, that have acted, are for a new State ; the rest we view as neuters." More than this, the town was honored by having its rep- resentative on the committee chosen " to prepare a draught for a decla- ration for a new and separate State." When the business of this con- vention was finished, it was adjourned to meet at the meeting-house in Windsor on the 4th day of June, 1777. That the reader may have a clear understanding of the sentiment that prevailed in the town relative to the subject of forming a new and inde- pendent State, it is quite proper that a slight digression be made from the general narrative in order to sufficiently explain the situation at that 37 290 UrsTOKY ()!• Windsor County. time. It is well known that this town, in 1777, and even prior thereto, formed apart of Cumberland county under the jurisdiction of New York; that there was not an entire unanimity of sentiment in this region gen- erally, in favor of the new State ; and that New York was using her every art to induce the people of the region to oppose the measures then being taken looking to the new formation, and, as a part of the New York pro- ceeding, ihe inhabitants of all the towns had been warned against the participation in the conventions of the people on the grants. The duty of keeping the people "straight " toward New York was incumbent upon the Cumberland County Committee. How well this committee suc- ceeded in inducing the people of Windsor to be faithful to New York will be observed from the following: " At an Annual Town Meeting held at the Town house in Windsor on the twentieth Day of May past, (1777) after the Choice of a Moderator it was put to Vote whether the Town would proceed to Act according to the Orders from the State of New York ; Voted in the Negative by a great Majority. " Ebenezer Curtis, Toxvn Clark. "To the Chearman of the County Committee." And further : "Whereas I the Subscriber are the member of the County Committee of Cumberland to represent the town of Windsor in Conven- tion this third day of instant, June, Do now in behalf of sd town Enter my protest against any proceeding under the State of New York either directly or indirectly as to any Jurisdiction over sd town. " Ebenezer Hoisington." At the meeting-house in Windsor on the 4th of June, 1777, the ad- journed convention assembled, as provided by the resolution previously adopted. From the records that exist, it appears that Ebenezer Hois- ington represented the town in the capacity of delegate, but it is entirely probable that the greater part of the townspeople were also present as interested spectators on this most auspicious occasion. The principal business of this convention was to revise the declaration of State inde- pendence, adopted at Westminster, setting forth " the reasons which im- pelled the inhabitants to such separation," (omitted from the former declaration,) and changing the name of the new State from NEW CON- NECTICUT to Vermont. Further than this it is said, on the authority Town of Windsor. 291 of the Vermont Historical Society's collection, that a committee was appointed to make a draft of a constitution. At this convention the new State, by its representatives assembled, as- sumed e.xclusive jurisdiction over the entire territory of the New Hamp- shire Grants, and, as a part of that proceeding, resolved that the Com- mittees of Safety of the counties of Cumberland and Gloucester desist from the further exercise of their authority under the direction of the State of New York. The chairman of this convention was Joseph Bow- ker of Rutland, and the secretary was Dr. Jonas Fay of Bennington. Lieutenant Martin Powel of Manchester was the assistant clerk. This convention of June 4th, according to the resolution adopted at Westminster, was appointed to reconvene at the " meeting-house " in Windsor, the published account in the Connectiait Coiirant of April 14, 1777, stating to that effect ; but the proceedings of the convention itself, as published in the " Governor and Council," referred to the meeting as " being all convened at the town house in Windsor." This may be ex- plained by the fact that it was usual to refer to the meeting-house as the town house, as the first meeting-house in nearly all the towns was erected at the public expense, and instead of being the property of any church or other society, it was the property of the town ; and therefore its designation as town house was entirely natural and proper, it being a town house as well as meeting-house. But the resolution of the June convention that provided for the next assembling of a similar body, said : " That it is hereby recommended to the freeholders and inhabit- ants of each town in this State to meet at some convenient place in each town on the 23d day of this instant June and choose delegates to attend a general convention at the incciing- house in Windsor, within the said State, on the 2d day of July next, to choose delegates to attend the gen- eral Congress, a Committee of Safety, and to form a Constitution for the State." In accordance with the resolution the delegates assembled at Windsor on the 2d of July, 1777, and upon that occasion the first constitution of the State was adopted ; but not without some interruption, for while the convention was considering the provisions of that important subject, news was received of the evacuation of Ticonderoga and the threaten- ing invasion of the British army under General Burgoyne. This intel- 292 History ok Windsor Countv. ligence threw the convention into complete disorder, and many of the delegates, especially those from the western towns, were for instantly set- ting out for their homes before completing the business in hand. But the intervention of a severe thunder-storm prevented their departure, thus giving them time to reflect upon their hasty determination. They then resumed consideration of the constitution, discussed it, "paragraph by paragraph," says Ira Allen, " for the last time." Then, after the ap- pointment of a Council of Safety to administer the affairs of the State for the time being, th.e convention adjourned. In this memorable as- sembly Ebenezer Hoisington is understood as having represented tiie town of Windsor. Thus was the town of Windsor prominently associated with some of the most interesting and important events connected with tlie early his- tory of the State of Vermont. But it was not that the town or its rep- resentatives were more forward in this business than other towns, but rather tliat those events happened to be enacted in the town. This con- stitutional convention was appointed to be held in the meeting-house at Windsor, but it is conceded to have been assembled in the building that stood at the corner of what is now Main and Depot streets. And tlie old building still stands, though moved a few rods eastward of its origi- nal location, and to this day is known as the " Constitution House.'' Some of the older residents of the present day are of the opinion that it was built for a hotel, and was completed in time to receive the conven- tion, or at least the delegates; that the convention was held within its walls, from wliich fact it was christened the " Constitution House." But tiiere appears to be a lach of positive understanding concerning the true origin and purpose of the building. Can it be that this was the "meeting-house," or the " town house," referred to in the resolutions quoted heretofore ? Can it be a fact that its lumber was sawed at the old mill built by Israel Curtis in pursuance of the contract made witii the proprietors in 1763 ? Who knows? While the subject of the old Constitution House is one of no great im- portance, and one that needs no extended comment in this chapter, it is proper to say that it was a hotel building, and was for a number of years, and during this particular period, under the management of Elijah West The early legislative sessions weie hjld here, and as late as 1786 Town of Windsor. 293 there appears on record an order for payment for its use by the State, viz.: " Resolved that the Treasurer be and he is hereby directed to pay Mr. Elijah West of Windsor for the use of his room, firewood, etc., for the use of Council this Session, the sum of one pound out of the hard Money Taxes." Perhaps an impertinent inquiry, but what can the above " etc." refer to ? After Elijah West, the next landlord was worthy Samuel Patrick, and the latter was succeeded by his son, also Samuel by pame, but better known as the "Captain." Then, about 1840, Captain Patrick retired and Thomas Boynton became host. Subsequent to his turn other land ' lords succeeded to its management, but the old building as a hotel be- came unprofitable ; was put to use for various mercantile and mechani- cal purposes; and, finally, was moved to the rear of the lot, now being occupied for tenements. It can hardly be considered essentially within the province of this chapter to discuss at length the proceedings of the various executive and legislative bodies of the State that held their sessions at Windsor. Those were affairs of general rather than local history. The reader must therefore be content with a mere mention of the dates upon which those assemblages were called together at the town. Prior to 1808 the execu- tive and legislative bodies of the State had no fi.Ked habitation, and it was customary for them to meet at such places as best suited the gen - eral convenience, most frequently, however, at Windsor and Bennington. In 1808 Montpelier became the State capital, since which the seat of government has been at that place. Other than upon the occasions al- ready mentioned, the sessions of the Governor and Council with the General Assembly of Vermont iiave been held in Windsor as follows : In 1778, on March 12th and October 8th; 1779, June 2d ; 1781, Feb- ruary 8th and April 4th ; 1782, June 13th ; 1783, February 13th ; 1785, October 13th; 1786, March 25th; 1791, October 13th; 1793, Octo ber loth ; 1795, October 8th; 1797, October 12th; 1799, Octo- ber lOth; 1804, January 26th. During the Revolution. — The part taken by the people of Windsor during that period of its history that was known as the Revolutionary war, was an important one, but the records are so meager that nothing of value can be found by which the names of the soldiers of the town 294 History of Windsor Countv. can be accurately ascertained. That there were men of the town, and a good number of them, too, who were actively identified with the mili- tarv history of the period cannot be questioned, but nothing appears of record by which they can be singled out and mentioned. For the pur- pose of bringing the names of some at least of them to mind, the writer makes free to copy from the historical address of Rev. Dr. Cutting, de- livered upon the occasion of the Windsor centennial celebration of the 4tli of July, 1876, as follows: "The military history of Windsor belongs among the essential themes of this day. The fame of Seth Warner's regiment was shared by men of this town. After the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, after the capture of Ticonderoga by Allen, Captain John Grant of that regiment came in the summer of 1775 to Windsor for recruits Among those who enlisted under him were Asahel Smith, Jolin Heath, Zenas Lull, Joshua -Slayton, and William Hunter, the last named enlisting as a ser- geant, and becoming the orderly of the company. Laying down their sickles, — for an old narrative says it was 'reaping time,' — they proceeded to join their regiment at Crown Point, and descending the Lake to Can- ada, took part in the brilliant operations which resulted in the capture of St. John's and Montreal, and in the flight of Carlton to Quebec. Young Hunter, then twenty-one years of age, was attached to the per- son of General Montgomery, and for his good conduct at the siege of St. John's received a commission as first lieutenant. The time for which the men had enlisted having ex]jired. Hunter came back to Wind- sor in December of that year for more recruits. There were already militia companies in the town, and there is a record of the drill of one of them by Lieutenant Hunter after his return at that time. His mission was successful. Early in January, 1776, on the broad easte.n slope of 'the Hill,' of the West Parish, then at the house of Samuel Root, Hunter mustered his recruits, of whom are preserved the names of Ebenezer Hoisington, Phineas Killam, John Heath, Joel Butler, Asa Smead, Jona- than Hodgman, and 'an elderly man named Emmons.' These, with perhaps as many more, he marched away on snow-shoes to Skenes- borough, now Whitehall, whence descending the lake on the ice, they reached the army destined to Quebec, and finally encamped on the Plains of Abraham. In the disastrous retreat of the ensuing spring, Warner's Town of Windsor. 291; regiment was the last on the field, and kept the rear. It was on this re- treat that Lieutenant Hunter, discovering a sick Cornish soldier who had laid down to die, inspired with hope the despairing man's heart, and lift- ing him on his back, carried him three miles to the bateaux and saved his life. During the remainder of the war the militia of Windsor were perpetually on the alert, and were frequently called into service. Under Captain Benjamin Wait and Major Joab Hoisington they were of the troops who kept back the English and Indians from the northern towns, and when Royalton was attacked and burned, marched in such numbers as to repel and punish the invasion, that most of the women of Windsor, left unprotected, fled with their children to Cornish until the return of the men. Declining a captaincy in the Continental service. Hunter be- came lieutenant of the Windsor company, under Captain Samuel Stow Savage, and succeeded liim as captain in the year 1789." Wiiuhor as a Coiutty Seat. — In this connection it will not be consid- ered necessary to refer more than incidentally to the erection into coun- ties of the territory of the new State, which erection was made one of the first duties of the General Assembly at its early meeting at Windsor, as such proceeding had no special relation to the town's history. But in February, 1781, at a session of the Governor and Council with the General Assembly at Windsor, the counties which were created in 1778 were divided, and out of old Cumberland were erected Windham, Wind- sor, and Orange counties. Each of these was soon thereafter organized by the election of county officers ; and by virtue of an act passed at the same session, Windsor was designated as the shire town of Windsor county. But this designation was intended to be more for temporary purposes than otherwise. At that particular time there was considerable agitation and discussion concerning the formation of a union with certain towns of New Hampshire, which, should it be consummated, would place the town of Windsor in a nearly central position incase the towns east were annexed to the county. This was done subsequently. As the lines of the county then stood, Windsor could justly lay claim to the county buildings. But this union was soon dissolved, and then this was a border town ; and so being, the chances of its being designated as the permanent shire town were decidedly lessened. All this time Woodstock, through its leading men, and it had not a few of them, was claiming the 296 HisTOKY OF Windsor Countv. county buildings, and upon good grounds, too, for it was near the geo- graphical center of the county, and a town of considerable population and importance. The result of this was the division of the county into half shires, and Windsor and Woodstock the half shire towns. But in 1786 the latter town was designated as the county seat ; and in 1787 the Legislature enacted " that the court should sit alternately at Wind- sor and Woodstock." In 1791 the Legislature passed another act by which the half-shire character of Windsor should be continued in force for three years from that time. The court- house in Windsor was built during the )-ear I 784, although the town as a shiie was then three years old. And it was built at the expense of the townspeople and not a charge against the county. The old building still stands on State street, having been moved from its original location near where the high school building now is ; and it does duty to-day as a place of residence. Town Organization. — It is a lamentable fact, but nevertheless a truth, that the first record book of the town, that which should contain the proceedings of the town and freemen's meetings, is missing from the clerk's office, and no person appears to be able to account for its where- abouts. And it is no more than probable that this record has been out of the office for many years. This loss renders it quite impossible to determine the date of town organization. The town must, however, have been organized about the time of the granting the letters patent from New York, which was in 1772. It is a fact, too, that the old records and documents of the town were loosely and carelessly kept, without any system. Tiiis is shown by the fact that in the oldest record now in existence, that commencing with the year 1786, there are proceedings on the [lart i>f the inhabitants by which committees were chosen to wait on certain persons and treat with them relative to the return to the clerk's office of books and papers tliat properly belonged there. The first town meeting of which theie is any record was held on the 17th of February, 1786, and was warned by Briant Brown, then the town clerk. The officers chosen at that meeting were as follows : Moderator, Stephen Jacobs ; town deck, Briant I^rown ; selectmen, Briant Brown, Colonel Benjamin Wait, Stephen Jacobs, esq.. Lieutenant Charles Leav- Town of Windsor. 297 ens, and Thomas Cooper, esq.; treasurer, Briant Brown ; constables, Benjamin Cady, Oliver Barrett; collectors, Benjamin Cady, Oliver Bar- rett; listers, Briant Brown, Benjamin Wait, Stephen Jacobs, Charles Leavens, Thomas Cooper; grand jurors, Joel Ely and Alden Spooner; tithingmen, Stephen Cady , Josiah Hawley, George Hough and Asahel Smith; leather sealer, Colonel Nathan Stone; sealer of weights and measures, Deacon Joseph Farnsworth ; brander of horses. Captain Jeralil Cumings; hay wards, David Lombard, Samuel Bayley, Abijah Capron, Jonathan Hall, Captain Steele Smith, Isaiah Burke, and Captain Asahel Smith ; surveyors of highways, Nathan Stone, Caleb Stone, Thomas Wilson, Captain Matthew Patrick, Solomon Emmons, Daniel Thurston, Deacon Richard Wait, Colonel Benjamin Wait, Charles Leavens, Will- iam White, William Slack, William Lazell, John Capron, and Israel Aiken ; fence viewers, Solomon Emmons, Isaiah Burke, Richard Wait, Lazarus Banister; deer reefs, Ebenezer Hoisington, jr., and Samuel Fletcher ; key keepers, Benjamin Cady and Captain Asahel Smith. It will be seen from the above record that the officers of the town for this time were chosen in accordance with the laws of the State of Ver- mont; and it is probably a fact that they were so chosen from and after the formation of the State and the adoption of the constitution. But it is also probably a fact that the officers elected at the organization meet- ing of the town were chosen as provided by the laws and customs of New York, as the last named was the organizing and then controlling jurisdiction, and it would be only natural that the customs of that prov- ince should prevail, at least for the time being. In that case, instead of selectmen, the town would have elected a supervisor; in place of listers were assessors, a difference only in name, but there would have been but one supervisor and three assessors elected. Now, for the purpose of bringing to the attention of the reader the names of as many as possible of the ancient inhabitants of the town for the purpose of making the names of the pioneers of Windsor as conspic- uous as possible, it has been deemed appropriate in this connection to place on these pages a record — a list — showing who were the taxable inhabitants of the jurisdiction during its pioneer period. And, in ex- planation of the list here given, it may be said that from the very earliest settlement of the town there was a practical division of the town, or at 298 History of Windsor County. least of its people (a subject that will be discussed hereafter), into what was known as the East and West Parishes, meaning the east and west portions of the town, wliich were separated by a considerable mountain elevation ; and it was the practice of the authorities to divide the people, in making lists, at tiiat early day, although the entire town was one juris- diction and elected a single set of officers. The list here copied is headed as follows: "A Tax of three pence half penny on the pound, made on the list for the year 1785, for the purpose of schools in the several school districts in said town, agreeable to a vote of said town, passed March 7, 1 786." (The names of taxable inhabitants only, and not the list and rate, are copied.) East Parish. — David Atkins, Perez Antizzle, Israel Aiken, Ebenezer Burnham, Joseph Barrett, jr., Solomon Burke, Isaiah Burke, Benjamin Bishop, Briant Brown, Moses Barrett, Stephen Conant, John Cady, Zebe- diah Coburn, Peter Currier, Benjamin Cady, Zebina Curtis, Ebenezer Curtis, Manassah Cady, Thomas H. Cady, John Curtis, Willard Dean, John Drew, Solomon Emmons, Clark Eastman, John Gill, David Hilton, Daniel Hastings, Jacob Hastings, Ebenezer Hoisington, Ebenezer Hois- ington, jr., Elias Hoisington, Matthias Hammond, Jonathan Hammond, David Hammond, William Hilton, Jonathan Hall, Jonathan Hodgman, Elisha Hubbard, Eldad Hubbard, Darius Houghton, George Hough, Josiah Hawley, Elisha Hawley, William Harlow, David Hall, William Jewett, Stephen Jacob, Daniel King, James Langvvorthy, Isaac Mason, John Marcy, John Marcy, jr., Samuel Messer, Alexander Parmalee, Sam- uel Patrick, Clothier Prior, Elijah Payne, John Packard, Matthew Patrick, Elisha Perkins, Samuel Ruggles, Eleaser Spaulding, Leonard Spaulding Zedekiah Stone, Caleb Stone, Elnathan Storey, Jacob Stowell, Jonathan Shepard, Seth Sabin, T^phraim Stone, Simeon Stoddard, Zephaniah Spicer, Joel Smead, Alden Spnoner, Steele Smith, Reuben Smith, Nathan Stone, Nathan Stone, jr., Samuel Stone, Nichenor Temple, Hezekiah Thompson, Joseph Thompson, Hezekiah Thompson, jr., Seth Tinkham, Daniel Thurston, Elisha Turner, Nahum Trask, Joseph Willis, Thomas Wilson, Joshua W'ilson, Jacob Wilson, Silvanus W'atriss, Elijah West, Paul Wood, William Wood, Robert Grandy, David Orvis, Jonathan Russell, James Wilson, Nathaniel Weeks, Tyler Spaftbrd, Joseph Grandy, Robert Whitcomb. Town of Windsor. 299 West Parish. — Thomas Adams, Abel Adams, William Abbott, Joseph Barrett, Oliver Barrett, Silas Banister, Lazaius Banister, Caleb Blood, John Blood, John Bishop, Jeremiah Bishop, Levi Bishop, Jeremiah Bishop, jr., Frederick Burnham, Elihu Beach, Stephen Besch, Jonathan Burt, John Brown, Andrew Blunt, Joshua Bayley, WilHam Bean, Ed- mund Capron, John Capron, Abijah Capron, Jerahmeel Cummiiigs.Silva- nus Chapin, Zebulon Chandler, Thomas Cooper, Stephen Cooper, John Dake, Joseph Dake, Benjamin Dake, Samuel Danforth, Joel Ely, Joel Ely, jr., James Fletcher, Samuel Fletcher, Joseph Fuller, Nathan Fish, Elnathan Hubbard, Ephraim Hubbard, Jesse Hawley, Silas Hale, Benja- min Hale, David Hale, Israel Hale, Thomas Hunter, William Hunter David Hunter, Abijah Hurd, Ezekiel Hawley, Phineas Hemenuay, John Hulett, Ichabod Hatch, John Lumbard, John Lumbard, jr., Stepiieii Lumbard, Solomon Lumbard, David Lumbard, Charles Leavens, Will- iam Lazell, Zenas Lazell, Nehemiah Lincoln, Joseph Moulton, Aaron Miner, Israel Meacham, Obediah Noble, John Neil, Joseph Powers, Jo- seph Powers, jr., William Porter, William Parson, William Parson, jr., Samuel Parson, Samuel Parson, jr., Joseph Parmeter, Benoni Patrick^ Samuel Root, Rufus Root, Henry Rumriil, Simeon Rumrill, Behi Rogers, Abiah Rice, Jesse Slack, William Slack, George Stow, John Smead, Asa Smead, Samuel Savage, Nathan Savage, Benjamin Stone, Samuel Savvin, Ashel Smith, Roswell Smith, Thomas Sherman, Andrew Spaulding, Elihu Smead, George Stow, jr., Joseph Sawyer, Jonas Taylor, Simeon Taylor, Leonard Taylor, Abraham Taylor, Josiali Fooley, Archibald White, jr., William White, Asa Worcester, Joseph Woodruff, Benjamin Wait, Joseph Wakefield, Scottaway Whitcomb, Oliver Willard, Daniel Woods. The above list appears in the books of record of the town during the clerkship of Briant Brown, and in the clear and distinct handwriting of that most worthy citizen. But clerk Brown did more ; he prepared and entered on the record a statement of the condition of the town, by parishes, showing the number of taxable inhabitants, extent of lands cultivated, and the aggregate of stock, for the year 1786, as follows: East Parish, polls, 112; horses, 72; oxen, 79; cows, 153; three year olds, 5 ; two year olds, 59; one year olds, 80; swine, 59; acres in land, 1,70414 ; faculty, 240. West Parish, polls, 132 ; horses, 58 ; oxen, 64; 300 History ok Windsor County. cows, 175 ; three year olds, 17 ; two year olds, 86 ; swine, 34 ; acres in land, 1,303; faculty, 20. Division of the Town. — The town of Windsor as described in its sev- eral charters possessed decidedly singular topographical characteristics. Through the central portion of the town, running nearly north and south, was and is a considerable range of mountains, and b\' it the east and west portions of the territory to all practical Intents and purposes were separated and divided. During the pioneer period of course incom- ing settlers preferred to purchase lands in the more level or bottom re- gions, and naturally avoided the more elevated or mountain districts. The legitimate result was that the eastern and western sections of the town were occupied and settled, while the central part was a comparative!)' un- broken forest ; but, as a matter of course, with the rapid increase of popu- lation there came a time when even the less desirable lands were settled and cleared for agricultural purposes so far as they were susceptible of settlement and cultivation. But this singular formation had the effect of dividing and separating the people of the east and west parts of the town, and occasioned much inconvenience, especially in regard to some of the early public and town institutions. As is well known, it was the custom in early days for the town to erect and maintain a meeting-house for public worship on Sun- day and other occasions; and it was also the custom to make this erec- tion, as nearly as practicable, in the center of the towji, that the people in all parts might equally enjoy the benefits offered by such meeting- house. In Windsor, however, the people in the east part of the town were desirous of having the meeting house in their locality, while those on the west side naturally desired the same erection in their locality. Neither party, it appears, favored its erection on the ridge lands, for by that action both sides would have been placed at inconvenience. The result was an appeal to the Legislature, at the June session of 1785, at Norwicli, and that body passed an act, which was concurred in by the Governor and Council, entitled, "An Act for the establishing Two Eccle- siastical societies in the Town of Windsor." This was a division of the town only for the purpose of establishing and maintaining two meeting-houses in the town, and not such a divis- ion of the territory as would contemplate the election of the two sets of Dr. Dyer Story. Town of Windsor. 301 town officers. The division of the latter character was a subsequent creation, brought about in part by the remote location of the west from the east district or parish, and in part by the fact of there having been bred a sentiment of discord and jealousy growing out of the selection of town officers, the one parish claiming they were not re- ceiving their share of local offices. The subject of dividing the lands of the district into two towns was one of frequent discussion, but it was not formally brought before the people until the year 18 14, at which time, in a "warning" dated September 14th, the following ap- peared as one of the articles: "To see if the town will agree to divide the same into two separate towns." In accordance with the warning a meeting was held in the West Par- ish on the loth day of October, 1814, at which time the subject of di vision was made paramount, and what the result was will be best told by the following : " In Town meeting, October 10. 18 14. "Resolved, that the town of Windsor is satisfied with its present boundaries, and that the inhabitants of said town in meeting assembled consider every attempt to divide it as derogating from the best good and interest of the same. "Resolved, that the Representative from this town (Oliver Farns- worth) be presented with a copy of the proceedings of this meeting, with instructions to lay them before the Legislature, together with the accompanying remonstrance, if the petition which produced it should be presented and acted upon by the Legislature." But, despite "the will of the majority in meeting assembled," the proposition to divide the town seems to have found favor in the legisla- tive mind, and the result was an act passed at the session of that year, by which the old historic town of Windsor, the home of the very name Vermont, and the birthplace of the constitution, was divided in twain, and of its territory on the west there was erected the new town of West Windsor. The opponents to the division, while they by no mean-; were satisfied with the determination of the question, they were nevertheless resigned and reconciled to the inevitable, and, at a meeting at the court- house in Windsor, on the 25th of January, 1815, expressed themselves after this manner : " Resolved by the freemen of the East and West 302 History of Windsor County. Parishes of the town of Windsor, legally assembled in town meeting at the court-house in said town this 25th day of January, 1815 : That not- withstanding we still continue to regard the act of the Legislature en- titled, An Act to divide the East and West Parishes in two separate and distinct towns, with concern and deep regret, we hereby recommend to the individuals of each parish respectively to organize as towns in the month of March ensuing, agreeably to what appears to have been the intention of the Legislature as implied by said act." The act of 18 14 that divided the town took from its lands about the same territory that is included by the bounds of the present town of West Windsor. But this separation from the mother town proved to be of but temporary duration, for no sooner had the new district become organized than a movement was formed looking to a union. By the latter part of the summer, or the early part of the fall of 1815, the dif- ferences that led to the separation were adjusted, and there were circu- lated petitions asking for legislative action and a consolidation of the dis- tricts into a single town. But this proposition had many opponents, and the result was another meeting at the court-house on the 25th day of October, 1815, at which a number of resolutions were otfered, to the effect that, whereas petitions from Windsor and West Windsor were cir- culating in the interest of consolidation ; that the town of Windsor was satisfied with its present limits and extent; that hills intervening be- tween the towns rendered union impracticable ; that the distance be- tween the places at which elections were alternately held was an objec- tion to the union ; that said union was taking from the people of Windsor their just rights and privileges; that the petition was contrary to the voice and will of the town, and was calculated to injure the peace and happiness of said town; therefore, "Resolved, that the town of Windsor would deem an act of incorporating the towns of Windsor and West Windsor into one town a violation of the rights and privileges of the inhabitants of the town of Windsor, and a subversion of the laws and constitution of the State." These resolutions were adopted by the meeting, and in addition thereto there was chosen' a committee, consisting of William Hunter, Jabez Delano and Joel Lull, to represent the meeting and the opponents to union at the succeeding session of the Legislature. But, notwithstand- Town of Windsor. 303 ing the "sense " of the meeting, so clearly expressed, and the presence of tlie chosen committee, the Legislature in 1815 passed an act re- uniting the parishes into one town. Following this the next annual town meeting was held at Hubbard's Hall, in "West Parish," on the 19th of March, 1816, at which time officers were chosen for the whole district, the town was united in fact, and the differences and animosities of the period were buried, and passed into history. With the reunion there came a renewal of all the incon- veniences that had formerly attended the holding of elections. It was the custom of the time to hold the meetings alternately, first at Windsor and next over in the West Parish, The journey from Windsor village and the river region to Sheddsville was one of nine miles, and when an election was held at the latter place but comparatively few of the people of the East Parish generally attended. And the same may be said of the occasions on which the meetings were held in the East Parish, that the people from the west side seldom attended in considerable numbers. This led to another division of the town, by an act of the Legislature passed and approved October 26, 1848, by which the town or Windsor was reduced to its present limits. The act of division, should the reader desire to peruse its provisions, will be found in the chapter that relates to the history of the town of West Windsor. ]]^ar of 1812-15. — This was not an eventful period in the history of the town; neither did the town occupy a different position at the time from other similar districts. The events of the war, so far as the town is concerned, are briefly stated, and most aptly, too, in Dr. Cutting's ad- dress, thus : "In the War of 1812 this town contributed its share of officers and men to the armies who fought our battles. Churchill, already referred to, and Matthew Patrick remained in the public service to the end of their lives. . . . The Jefferson Artillery, significant, politi- cally, by its name, came into being in 18 10, amid the omens of the com- ing war. Its organization was not. however, complete till the ensuing year. William Tileston was its first captain. My father's commission as lieutenant bears the date of 181 1. About 1S20 there were four com- panies in the town, one of artillery, one of light infantry, and two un- uniformed, reproachfully termed ' floodwood.' Harry White was one of the village captains, the brilliant and popular merchant whom Windsor 304 History of Windsor County. lost by a sudden calamity. Captain Black commanded the light in- fantry of the West Parish. Training days were holidays, and general musters were great events. The boys caught the military infection of the time, and under the command of John A. Spooner, now (1876) a venerable and honored clergyman, marched beneath a banner which bore a patriotic and impressive legend." The War of 1861-65. — The part taken b}- the town of Windsor dur- ing the war of the Rebellion was certainly a prominent and important one; but one whicli requires no mention in this connection, having been discussed and presented at length in an earlier chapter of the volume. The voluiiteeis of Windsor formed a part of the great body of soldiers sent out from this section during the war, and there was scarcely a regi- ment raised in the State but had at least a few of Windsor's recruits among its numbers. In the chapter referred to will be found a com- plete roster of the officers of the town, in connection with those of the county ; a record of the services of each command that had any con- siderable complement of troops from the town, together with a com-, plete roll of the volunteers enlisted or recruited here. Schools of the Toivn. — Of the schools and other like institutions of the town of Windsor there cannot be much said. Their beginning was quite as humble as that of any other of the institutions of the district, but gradually have they advanced from their primitive condition to a degree of excellence that places them on an equal level with those of any other town in the county, and far in advance of many. The sub- ject of organizing the town of Windsor into school districts appears to have been first presented and discussed at the annual town meeting held on the 7th of March, 1786, although the same question may have been agitated and acted upon at an earlier date, the loss of the town records of years prior to that named making the subject of what pre- viously occurred one wholly of speculation. But, from the general character of the proceedings had at that time, it is fair to assume that the occasion referred to was the first on which the matter of schools throughout was tiie subject of general discussion and town action. At the March meeting of 1786 it was voted by the inhabitants to raise the sum of eighty pounds for the benefit of schools in the town, to be paid, the record says, " in money, or good wheat at five shillings per n yyU^^-iZc^ ^^^^^^ Town of Windsor. 305 bushel " ; the fund thus created to be divided in as many equal parts as there were districts in the town. About the same time the town was divided into school districts, eleven in all, by a committee appointed for that purpose. And at the meeting above, the inhabitants elected trustees for the several districts respectively, as follows: First district, Amasa Paine ; second district, Benjamin Bishop ; third district, Stephen Jacob ; fourth district, Samuel Patrick ; fifth district, Jacob Stowell ; sixth district. Deacon Joseph Thomson; seventh district, Stephen Cady ; eighth district, George Stowe ; ninth district, Simon RumriU; tenth district, Cal- vin Chapin ; eleventh district, Oliver Barrett. This was practically an organization of the schools of the districts on what was known as th.e town plan; that is, the schools receiving their support at the general expense of the town, and not each district main- taining its separate school at its own cost, as is now the custom. Nor was it an unusual proceeding at that period for the schools in many towns in the State to be established, as were those of Windsor, from the gen- eral fund raised by tax upon the whole territory of the town. The dif- ferent custom, that by which each district provided for its own school and maintained it at the district expense, was a hnter creation, and one that soon became popular; and it is a fact, too, that a great majority of the towns of this State have accepted and are working under the provisions of the district system. But it would be a thing next to impossible to furnish a complete and reliable record of the several changes made in the school districts of the town from the first creation of them until the present day. Changes in boundaries, and changes in the number of districts, have occasionally been made, though these have not been frequent. The final division of the town, that by which West Windsor was set off, in 1848, necessitated something of a change in the district government of Windsor as it then remained ; and other than this such alteration in district boundaries, and such increase and decrease in number of districts, has been made as was best calculated to suit the convenience of the people, or as circumstances required. The present operating school districts, or schools, of the town of Wind- sor are seven in number, although in number four no school has been kept regularly for several years ; and one district of the town proper is annexed 39 3o6 History (jk Windsor County. to the town of West Windsorfor the convenience of the few families resid ing in the same. The report of the superintendent of schools of the town for the last fiscal year .show that in District No. i school was kept for twenty-eight weeks; number of pupils, 15; expense for the year, $143.30. In District No. 2 school was kept for thirty-two weeks; number of pupils, 24; expense, $200. District No. 3, village of Wind- sor, weeks of school, 36; total expense, $3,754.42. District No. 4, no school. District No. 5, number of pupils, 2 ; weeks of school, 24; ex- pense, $116. District No. 6, number of pupils, 21; weeks of school, 32 ; expense, $240; District No. 7, number of pupils, 21 ; weeks of school, 26; expense, $19078. Record of Old and Prominent Fainilies. — It was one of the require- ments of the early as well as of a later period that there be kept in each town a record of the births, marriages and deaths of the members of the various families of each town. Such a record is found in the office of the clerk of the town of Windsor ; and in that record is to be found the names of many of the pioneers and their families, showing a compliance with the requirements referred to. From that record is taken whatever mention is made concerning the families hereafter named. But it cannot be stated that records are in each case complete, or altogether reliable, for some families were negligent in the matter, and possiblv some clerks were re- miss in the performance of their duties. But, as disclosed by the record, and occasionally substantiated by other authority, so the following pur- ports to be. And it is designed to be a genealogical statement rather than biographical, and furnished for the purpose of bringing to the at- tention of the reader the names of some of the more prominent pioneer families of the town, and their immediate descendants as well. Dr. Joseph Whiting and Azubah Stow, both of Windsor, were married March 31, 1789, by Asaph Flitcher, esq. Children: Clary, born De- cember 29, 1790; Mirandy, born May 26, 1792 ; Abial, born May 26, 1794; Salomy, born July 2, 1797. Briant Brown and Molly Dunbar married November 13, 1766, at Had- dam. Conn. Children: James, born August 9, 1767; Rebekah, born- February 24, 1769; Lot, born April 8, 1771, died February 16, 1774; Prosper, born May i, 1773; Deliver.mce, born June 17, 1775; Return Briant, born September 23, 1777 ; Remember Molly, born July 1 1, 1780; Town of Windsor. 307 Thankful, born December 28, 1782; Fanny, born July 24, 1786. Briant Brown died at Windsor, February 15, 1798, aged fifty-four years. Molly Brown, widow of Briant, died at Windsor, September 27, 1802. Colonel Nathan Stone and Mrs. Mary Spafford married at Charlestown. N. H., July 16, 1764. Children: Relief, born'May 3, 1765; Polly, born at Windsor, April 26, 1767; Zedekiah, born July 17, 1769; Sarah, born August 21, 1 77 1 ; Dorotha, born August 26, 1773 ; Susanna, born May 19, 1776; Hannah, born November 14, 1778 ; Elizabeth, born October 16, 1781 ; Nathan, born June 4, 1784. Mary, wife of Colonel Stone, died May 27, 1785. Colonel Nathan Stone died October 27, 1795. Ebeiiezer Burnham and Betsey Packard, both of Windsor, married September 7, 1784. Children : John, born May 23, 1785 ; Samuel, born May I I, 1787 ; Betsey, born February 24, 1789; Philander, born July 18, 1791 ; Ebenezer, born June 30, 1793; Allen, born July 11, 1796; L_\-man, born August 17, 1798; Billy, born August 28, 1800; Cyntha, born September 20, 1803; Rosanna, born December 29, 1808. Joseph Woodruff and Phebe Norton married at Windsor, November 5, 1772, by James W'ellman. Children: Cyprian, born May 16, 1773, died March 13, 1776; Rebekah, born November 3, 1775, died September 18, 1777; Andrew Norton, born January 14, 1778 ; Bela, March 22, 1780; Martha, January 14, 17S2; Huldah, April 16, 1784; Anna, August 7, 1786; Susanna, December 31, 1788 ; Rebekah, April 17, 1791 ; Alvan, January 14, 1794. Silas Banister and Thankful Ely married January 25, 1779. Children : P'anny, born January 25, 1780; Warren, July 26, 1781 ; Bathsheba, Oc- tober 28. 1782; Lucy, January 21, 1784; Osmond, February 7, 1786; Heman, May 11, 1788; Pliny, February 5, 1790; Roderick, December 15, 1791 ; Wayne, January 21, 1794; Theodosia, March 9, 1796; Anna, August 23, 1798 ; Roena, September 19, 1801. Alexander Parmele and Mary Davis married at Walpole, February 18, 1766. Children: John, born August 14. 1767 ; Anna, January 14, 1769; Rosamond, February 18, 1771 ; Josiah, born at Windsor, April 18, 1773 ; Samuel, May 10, 1775; Sarah, December 18, 1777; David, July 27, 1780; Phineas, February 13, 1783. Mary, wife of Alexander Parmele, died December 15, 1788. Alexander Parmele and Mrs. Elizabeth Dana married March, 1790. Alexander Parmele died April 20, 1798. 3o8 History ok Windsor County. r Samuel Burnliam and Lucy Hawley married December 4, 1788. Chil- dren : Riley, born August 24, 1789 ; Horace, March 25, 1791 ; Marnava, February 24, 1793 ; Polly, April 2, 1795 ; Ofen and Oren, sons, born July 12, 1797. John Blood and Asenath Powers, both of \\ indsor, married February 28, 1781. Children: Asenath, born July 8, 1782; Polly, March 25, 1784 ; Samuel, March 3, 1787; Marshall, April 27, 1791 ; Marvin, Jan- f uary 8, 1793; Sylvester, June 17, 1797. Thomes Cooper and Peace Dean married November 17, 1767. Chil- dren: Abigail, born September i, 1768; Sarah, February 3, 1770 ; Ruth, May 17, 1772; Rhoda, January 22, 1775; Lucy, October 16, 1776; Thomas, August 13, 1778; Fbenezer, May 8, 1780; Jabez, January 25, 1783, died January 28, 1785 ; Ezra, January 25, 1786. John Curtis and Patty Hannars married December 29, 1793. Chil- dren : Joseph, born November 20, 1794; Patty Ruggles, Ma}' 24, 1797 ; Simeon, September 23, 1799. Children of Jacob and Rosamond Choate: Mary Ann, born June 29, 1800; Catharine, March 17, 1804; Harriet, December 30, 1805. " Be it remembered that at Windsor, in the county of Windsor, and State of Vermont, on the evening of the 20th of March, in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and ninety-one, Nathan Coolidge of said Windsor, and Elizabeth Curtis of Windsor aforesaid, having produced a certificate from the clerk of said town, that their intention of marriage had been legally published, and receiving the consent of the mother of said Elizabeth, were legally joinetl in marriage by" — " Stephen Jacob, justice peace." The children of this union were Carlos Coolidge, born July 25, 1792; Mary Coolidge, born October i 5, 1793; Betsey Coolidge, born November 17, 1801. Children of Zebina and Martha Curtis: Lucia, born March 3, 1784, and died May 5, 1785; Israel, January 19, 1786; Lucia, March 10, 1788; Joseph Wait, April 8, 1790; Charles, April 23, 1792; William, March 9, 1794; Isabella, March 3, 1796; Timothy, December 7, 1797; George, September 19, 1799 ; Edward, October 25, 1801 ; Susan, August I, 1805. Sylvester Churchill was born August 2, 1783 ; married Lucy Hunter, daughter of William and Mary. Children : Helen Susan, born at Fort Daniel Stearns. / TuWN OF Windsor. 309 Columbus, on Governor's Island, May 29, 181 7, died September 27, 1818; William Hunter, born on Bedloe's Island, N. Y., July 8, 1819; Mary Helen, born in Windsor, August 30, 1821 ; Franklin Hunter, born at Fort Lewis (Fort Hamilton), April 22, 1823; Charles C, born at Allegheny Arsenal (near Pittsburgh, Pa.), July. 1825. Sewall Cutting, son of Jonas and Sally Cutting, married Mary, daughter of William and Mary Hunter, on August 3, 1806. Children: William Jonas, born May 27, 1807; Franklin Hunter, May 27, 1809; Mar- sellas Trask, born June 14, 181 1, died December 25, 181 1 ; Sewall Syl- vester, born January 19, 1813 ; Andrew Jackson, born March 14. 1815, died April 17, 1816; Wallace, born March 31, 1817; Mary Hunter, August 4, 1818; Lucy Churchill, born May 5, 1820. died August 9, 1828; Dan Smith, born May 23, 1823; Guy Hunter, born April 11, 1826, died March 18, 1827; Guy Hunter, born February 8, 1828. Children of Jabez antl Anna Delano: Clarissa, born February 25, 1803; Laurenda, August 29, 1804; Albourn, September 4, 1808. Abner Forbes, son of Absalom and Martha, was born in Sutton, Mass., February 29, 1772. Elizabeth West, daughter of Elijah and Hannah, was born in Windsor, January 29, 1776. Abner Forbes mar- ried Elizabeth West September 24, 1797. Children: Cliarles, born November 24, 1798; Elizabeth West, born November 14, 1800. Eliza- beth, wife of Abner Forbes, died January i, 1801. Abner Forbes married Sarah, daughter of Alden and Sarah Spooner, September 4, 1805. Children: Sarah S, born March 20, 1807; Edward, October 22, 1808; Martha Hall, April 23, 1810; Frances, June 24, 1812; Maria, June 7, 1814 ; Arabella, April 18, ;Sl6 ; Spooner, May 26, 1818; Susan, August 9, 1820; Abner, December 10, 1822. Page 214 of the first record book has this entry: "In memory of Mrs. Elizabeth, wife of Capt. William Dean, died Dec. 22, 1764, in the 64th year of her age. The first death in Windsor." Dr. Isaac Green married Anna Barrett, January 17, 1792. Children: Samuel Barrett, born December 17, 1792; Eliza Salisbury, May 17, 1794; Charlotte, May 17, 1796; George, April 14, 1798; Harriet, February 16, 1800; Charles, September i, 1803; Caroline, September 26. 1811. Elisha Hawley and Azubah Russell married November 19, 1767. 310 History of Windsor County. Children: Thomas, born September 28, 1768; Lucy, March 2, 1770; Erastiis, December 26, 1772; Rebckah, March 8, 1774; Polly, Novem- ber 23, 1775. Aziibah, wife of Elisha llawley, died April I, 1777. Elislia Hawley and the widow Hannah Sayles married July, 1777. Children: Azubah, born May 26, 1778; Sayles, December 14, 1780; Elisha. August 30, 1781 ; Ira, January 5, 1783; George, Eebruary 17, 1785. William Hunter and Mary Newell married January 31, 1777. Chil- dren : Guy, born Octubcr 21, 1777; William, February 5, 1781 ; Mary, August 16, 1782; Jonathan, July 16, 1784; Lucy, July 17, 1786; Mary, F"ebruary 27, 1788; Franklin, F'ebruary 11, 1790; Sally, Febru • ^■'y 7> '794! Rebekah, April 3, 1796; William Gu)', September 27, 1798. Jabesh lluntcr and Mary Savage married November i, 1795. Chil- dren: Horace P., born August 30. 1796; Galen, January 21, 1800; David, April I, 1803; John, August i, 1804; Emil)', March 4, 1807; Mary, February 25, i S09 ; William, February 13, 1812 Thomas Hunter married Abigail Powers Februar)- 10, 1777. Chil- dren: 'Ihomas, boin September 13, 1777; Nabb\-, November 30, 1779; Rebekah, October 25, 1781 ; Richard. June 14, 1784; Thankful, Sep- tember ID, 1786; Millison, March 12, 1788. Abig.iil, wife of Thtmias Hunter, died June 12, 1790. Thomas Hunter married Tryphena Thacher January 27, 1791. (Children: Mary, October 1 3, 1794; Henry, March 14, 1795; Eli, August 22, 1796; Maria, December 20, 1798; George, February 13, 1801. Samuel Hedge married Miriam Parsons Ma\' 23, 1793. Children: Samuel, born July 30, 1794; FVank, Jul\' 5, 1795; William, July 11, 1796; George, April 11, 1799; Luc\-, June 2, 1800. Jeremiah Hubbard, son of Elnathan and Sybil Hubbard, married Nancy, daughter of Watts and Lois Hubbard, on December 6, 18 10. Their child, Haniet. was born December 6, iSii. Children of Captain William and Lucretia Leverett : Mary, born July 14, 1792; Elizabeth Hallam, July 10. 1796; Lucretia Ann Coit, Ay>n\ 30, 1805. Cliildren of Thomas and Susan Leverett : John, born March 3 i, 1792 ; Charles Johnson, October 12, 1793; William, July 6, 1797; Susan, Town of Windsor. 311 March 8, 1800; George, January 17, 1802; Caroline Hallam, March 5, 1804; Thomas, February 12, 1806 Joel Lull and Thankful Dodge married April 27, 1794. Children : Joel, born December 20, 1796; Laura, September 2, 1798; Lyman, March 4, 1801. " Captain Steele Smith, the settler of the town of Windsor, died April 5, 18 I 2, in the eighty third year of his age." Samuel Patrick and Anna Spicer, of Windsor, married April 15, 1773 Progeny: Labjl, barn November 30, 1773; Sarah, November 5, 1775; Lemuel, July 24, 1779; Samuel. August 10, 1781 ; Freedom, May 21, 1784; Fanny, August 22, 1786; Reuhama, March 4, 1789 Anna, wife of Samuel, died March 28, 1789. Samuel Patrick and Isabel Alex- ander married October 27, 1790. Children; Harriet, born June 5, 1792; Matthew Alexander, April 13, 1794; Nancy, October 22, 1796; Sophia, March 15, 1799. Samuel Smith, the first male child, was born in Windsor, July 2, 1765, the son of Steele and "Louis" (Lois) Smith. Samuel Smith married Lucy Woods, September 1. 1784. Children: John Spooner, born Au- gust 25, 1790; Betsey, March 18, 1792; Cyllinda, September 15, 1794; Samuel Newell, October 30, 1796; Lucy, February 22. 1799; Sophia, February 14, iSor; Miry, December 25, 1802; Hart, October 14, 1804. Children of Samuel Stow Savage and Mary Cole Savage, his wife: Samuel Stow, born June 23, 1770; Cyprian, June 4, 1772; Mary, July 27, 1774; Lemuel, November 19, 1776; Ruth, December 13, 1778; Prudence, January 25, 1781 ; Sally, May 26, 1783; Joseph, De- cember 28, 1785. Silvanus Watriss and Rhoda Field married August 2, 1780. Chil- dren: Asa, born June 10, 1781 ; Henry, October i, 1782; Martha and Rhoda, (twins) February 7, 1786; Charles. December 31, 17S8. Children of John and Susanna (Powers) Dake : Sophia, born Febru- ary II, 1775 ; Susanna. October 26. 1777; John, September 23, 1779; Mary, December 16, 1782; Abigiil, March 22, 1786; Keziah, Au- gust 22, 1790. John Dake, the pioneer, died March 22, 1791. Leonard Taylor and Funice Parker married January 21, 1779. Chil- dren: Leonard, born October 31, 1779; Eunice, April 12, 1782; Eunice, 2d, May 14, 1784; Esther, March 29, 1789; Parker, Decern- 312 History of Windsor County. ber 21, 1790; Peter, February 2, 1793 ; Polly, June 16, 1797; Sally, August 7, 1800; Laura, June 13, 1802. Children of Phineas and Elizabeth Hemenvva)-: Betsey, born Se[)tem- ber (, 1776; Pliineas, January 23, 1781 ; Joshua, December 26, 1792. James Lanp;worthy and Anna Dean married April 13, 1775 ; moved to Windsor, I'cbruary 5, 1776. Children: Sarah, October 29, 1776; Stephen, October 4, 1777 ; James, April 20, 1779; Anna, October 3, 1780; Phineas, February 7, 1782; Jonathan. October 5, 1783; Han- nah, November 10, 1784; Laura, January 9, 1786; Reodolphus, July 12, 1787; Augustus, November 29, 1788; Benjimin, January 27, 1790. Children of Stephen and Jane Cady : Jane, born April i, 1781; Sarah, February 23, 1783 ; Anna, November 4, 1784; Matthew Patrick, October 16, 1786; Betsey, September 19, 1788; Polly, August 9, 1790; Lucy, November 24, 1792. Jane, wife of Stephen Cady, died Febru- ary 6, 1794. Stephen Cady married Esther Parker, September 23, 1794. Children: Pluma, September 7, 1795; Esther, January 28, 1797; Laura, April 16, 1798; Stephen P., January lO, 1805. Children of Jerahmeel and Deborah Cumings: Jane, born Febru- ary 28, 1777; Jerahmeel, January 24, 1779; Joseph, January 15, 1781 ; John, October 20, 1782; Asa, August 9, 1784; Bera, April 9, 1786; Hannah, November 15, 1787; Polly, August 17, 1789. Children of Solomon and Keziah Burke: Caleb, born May 7, 1773; Benjamin, February 21, 1775; Rachel, March 5, 177S; Jonathan, July 7, 1780; Solomon Wait, July 11, 1782; Alice; Moses; Nahum, July 13, 1789; Abel, March 27, 1792. Children of Solomon and Mary Emmons : Patty, born January 27, 1770; Eunice, born May 9, 1774. Children of Joseph and Rhoda Thomson: Daughter, born Febru- ary 13, and died February 14, 1775; Joseph, June 26, 1776; Rhoda, May 25, 1778; Thurza, March 19, 1780; Sibbille, August 25, 1782; Seth, May 17, 1784; Samuel, June 18, 1786; Annas, July 25, 1788; Claria, February i, 1791 ; Hannah, October 31, 1792; Joseph, Janu- ary 17, 1796. Children of Charles and Lydia Leavens: Mary, born March 15, 1774; Penuel, April 25, 1777; Ira, February 28, 1779; Charles, March 13, 1781 ; Calvin, August 18, 1784; Darius, June 17, 1786; John Grover, A^^c Thi^^Jiy^ — ^ Village of Windsor. 313 March 2, 1788; Chloe, November 3, 1789; Jacob, January 7, 1792; Mason, December 8, 1793. The Village of Windsor. So much has already been said that pertains to the history of the vil- lage of Windsor, as well as to the town at large, that it appears exceed- ingly difficult to separate the municipality from the town for the purpose of further narrative. In fact, it cannot be told with certainty when the history of the town ceased and that of the village commenced. The latter cannot be assumed to have been in existence when Steele Smith and his handful of pioneer associates commenced their improvements during 1764 and 1 765, but when the first convention of delegates from all parts of the New Hampshire Grants met in the town in June, 1777, there was a considerable settlement, a tavern, at least one store, and dwellings to the number of a score or more. At all events, it is nowhere recorded that the visiting delegates were permitted to suffer for want of accom- modations, or on account of any lack of generous hospitality on the part of the inhabitants of the village or town. And the location of the village seems to have been made with refer- ence to the greatest convenience of the people of the whole town, and upon lands especially suited to the purpose. The topographical situation of the land is somewhat peculiar, being a succession of elevations back to the westward from the Connecticut ; and each of these elevations has a considerable area, that farthest west being, perhaps, the most extensive, and any of them sufficiently large to accommodate buildings for a popu- lation of three or four hundred. When Windsor was fixed upon as the shire town of the county, soon after the latter was erected, there was a considerable influx of people, for that designation not only assured the erection of a court-house and other county buildings, but brought to the town a number of lawyers, who were, of course, desirous of locating at the county seat. By 1783 the population of the place had so in- creased that George Hough and Alden Spooner felt assured of success b)' the establishment of a newspaper at Windsor, the Vennoiit Journal; and this paper, although it has experienced all the vicissitudes known to journalism, is still in existence as one of the enduring institutions of the region. In 1787 the independent State of Vermont, knowing the neces- 40 314 History of Windsor Countv. sity of having the means of ready communication between the more important points of the State, established therein several post-offices, one of which was at Windsor. But each of these, and other of the early institutions of the village, have been frequently and sufficiently alluded to in this and preceding chapters, therefore need no further presentation in these pages. With the close of the first score of years of the present century the village proper was estimated to contain a population of some five or six hundred souls, and had, besides, all the attributes and essential elements of a flouiishing municipality of the lesser class, there then being, according to a statement in the Vermont Journal of March 1 7, 1 823, " about eighty dwelling houses, mostly well built and commodious; and the shops, stores, etc., are many of them of brick, and large, so that the business part of the town has an air of dignity rarely met with in the country. Here are employed three physicians, eight attorneys, two printers, three booksellers, two book-binders, several merchants and druggists, three cabinet-makers, one chairmaker and painter, four boot and shoemakers, one hatter, one coach and chaisemaker, one wheelwright, two coopers, two tin-plate workers, one watchmaker, one jeweler, two tailors, one milliner and mantuamaker, two masons and brick-layers, one barber, one grist-mill, carding- machine and woolen manufactory." The churches then in the village are still here, with some added, as also may be said of other public buildings. But, while not wishing to invite comparison, let the citizen of Windsor of the present day look at the population, busi- ness enterprises, industries and other institutions of the place, compare records with the year 1823, and then observe how much Windsor is now in advance of the situation as it then existed. To be sure, in the south part of the village, along the stream Mill Brook, there stands a number of splendid, large buildings, but the noise of machinery is no longer heard in many, too many, of them; they are mostly but "wrecks of former greatness." And their idleness is not by any means the fault of the people of Windsor, nor of the people of the locality ; but it is the re- sult of over-production and the vast extent of competition noticeable in almost every branch of trade and manufacture in the land. And Wind- sor, being unfortunately remote from large manufacturing centers, hav- ing no advantage in the way of cheap labor, having no ready shipping Village of Windsor. 315 facilities without unwarrantable expense, cannot compete with the vil- lages in the southern New England States, nor with those in the eastern and middle Atlantic States. Therefore her factories have become un- profitable and are no longer operated. Windsor became and was of the character of a village when, in 1786, or thereabouts, the inliabitants in meeting laid out the territory of the town into school districts, under which proceeding the lands here were formed into district number three. This was for school purposes only, but the name District No. 3 was destined to play a prominent part in the affairs of the subsequent village. It so happened that during the early years of the present century this locality suffered seriously from the ravages of fire, and the inhabitants were powerless to resist the de- struction. Therefore, that the proper measures might be taken to pro- vide means and apparatus for fighting fire, the people of the hamlet had recourse to the Legislature, with the result of an act of incorporation, by which it was declared " That the freeholders and inhabitants within the present bounds of the Third School District, in Windsor, in the county of Windsor, and their successors forever, are hereby constituted and appointed a body politic and corporate, in name and in fact, by the name of the WINDSOR Village Corporation ; and by that name shall be capable, in law, of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, answering and being answered unto, defending and being defended, in all courts and places whatever," etc. The same section and others subsequent provided for the property and government of the corporation, which was intended and understood as being a corporation for fire purposes only, but which was, in fact, a municipal corporation, with powers of electing officers and fully con- trolling the fire department. But the corporation was not clothed with the powers of government for all purposes, independent of the outside town, and from that body the village has never become entirely sepa- rate, although the act of 1884 increased the municipal power and regu- larly incorporated the village as such. The effect of the latter act was to permit the village to control itself, its schools, its highways, and its in- ternal institutions of every kind ; elect its own officers and make such improvements as the people were pleased to vote for ; but, at the same time, the village and town join in electing town officers. The electors 3i6 HisTOKv OF Windsor County. of the village still retain the right to vote on town affairs in town and freemen's meetings, but the townspeople have not the right of a voice in village affairs. Under the corporate act of 1832 the power of the village was vested in its officers and nine fire wardens authorized to be elected, the wardens being the power, the legislative body of the mu- nicipality; but under the act of 1884 the wardens have charge exclu- sively of the affairs of the fire department, and are in control at times of fire, and the legislative power of the village is vested in the board of trustees, the latter having, with the corporation officers, supreme control of the municipality and its government. In January, 1833, the village of Windsor was organized agreeable to the provisions of the act of incorporation, and the officers chosen at that time were these: President, Thomas Emerson; vice-president, Ed- ward R. Campbell ; secretary, Charles Hopkins ; treasurer, Caleb Ken- dall ; collector, William Colston ; wardens, Allen Wardner, Samuel Patrick, William Tileston, Francis E. Phelps, Isaac W. Hubbard, Darius Jones, John P. Skinner, Shubael Wardner, and Albert G. Hatch. These officers of the fire corporation immediately caused to be fur- nished a complete outfit of fire apparatus and other needful equipments for the extinguishing of fires, and organized a trained fire department, and one that showed its efficiency on more than one occasion. The en- gine-house was erected on Main street, about midway between what is termed the north and south villages. The south part of the village was the manufacturing district, while the north part was more used for mer- cantile and dwelling purposes. And the old fire department continued an active and useful organization until within a couple of years, when the village purchased the water supply company's property and rights, and so increased the system in efficiencj' that the necessity of hand-engines was no longer required, and they were therefore replaced with hose companies ; and these, with the hook and ladder company, comprise what there is of the present village fire department. Schools. — Whatever of causes may have had the effect of changing the municipal character of the old Third School District, so far as per- tains to village corporations, none of these have ever caused the district to lose its identity for the purposes of schools, although the limits of the district may have been enlarged or curtailed agreeable to the wishes of G. A. Davis. Village of Windsor. 317 the people. The old district was created by the committee appointed to divide the town about the year 1786, and soon after that time, but just when, from the loss of the records, we are unable to state, a school was built in the district, and at the village as the most central part. A fair description of the old building we have not, but it is known to have continued in use until about the year 1810, when, the village having become too large for the school to accommodate the pupils of the place, it was necessary to erect another and larger building. This matter was the subject of considerable discussion in the school meetings, and the result was that Luther Mills was chosen agent of the prudential com- mittee,' and of the district, to cause the new brick school-house to be erected. It was in time done, and stood on the site now occupied by the high school. The building was of brick, a plain though substan- tial structure, and cost the district something like twenty-five hundred dollars. Among the early teachers in the old brick school the names of some are disclosed by the records. In 181 1 Eunice Hawley taught there ; in 1S12, and for a number of years, Mary Robinson ; in 18 16, Dr. J. Forbes; in 1817, John Smith; 1818, Richard M. Ely ; 1820, Harriet Fox, Laura Craige, Lydia A. Spooner, Mr. Edgerton, and prob- ably others. In 1 841 the town district voted to lease the brick school to Sweet & Jackman for two years, and in 1843 extended the term for three years more. In 1847 ^^- Prouty kept singing school in the building, which some of the older citizens of the village will probably remember. In 1838 it was found advisable to divide the schools of the district, that the younger pupils might be separated from the older. This led to the es- tablishment of what in later years has been known as the South Primary and the West Primary schools of the district, both of which are among the present institutions of the village. But, at last, the day of usefulness of the old brick school house was at an end. The village had become of sufficient importance to justify the erection of a larger and more pretentious school building ; one that would not only accommodate the probable school population for years to come, but one, as well, that would be an ornament and an honor to the place. During the early years of the present decade this subject was much dis- cussed, but it was not until the year 1885 that definite action was taken. History of Windsor County. At a meeting held October 6 a committee, consisting of Hiram Harlow, Dwight Tuxbury, L. W. Stocker, Rev. Edward N. Goddard, H. P. Mc- Clary, Mrs. Abbie Butler and Mrs. Mary L. Paine, was appointed for the purpose of erecting or causing to be erected a high school building, sub- stantially in conformity with plans then adopted, and as the building now appears. That this committee performed well their part is evidenced by the large and elegant structure that now adorns the " common." Its pro- portions and appearance are so well known as to need no description in these pages ; and it is a common remark that Windsor has a high school which is not inferior to any in the State, though there may be others of greater size. Its entire cost, including furnishings, was about $17,000. It was built during the year 1886. The re]iort of the district superintendent for the current year ending 1789 shows the total expense of the district schools to have been $3,- 754.42 ; that the attendance at the high school was 62 pupils ; the gram- mar, 59; intermediate, 81 ; Center Primary, 61 ; South Primary, 58 ; West Primary, 39. Village Water Supply. — For the purpose of supplying the village with pure and wholesome water a company was organized in pursuance of an act of the Legislature passed in 1 849. The name of the Windsor Aque- duct Company was adopted, and of it Roswell Smith was chosen presi- dent, and Samuel R. Stocker, secretary. The company at once com- menced operations by constructing a reservoir and stopping the water of a small mountain stream, a short distance west of the village ; and from the reservoir a main pipe was laid to the village, and thence distributed through the principal streets. Tlie first stream was found to afford an insufficient amount of water, to remedy which the company soon took measures to secure an additional supply from a reservoir on what was known as the Ely farm. In the year 1888 the village acquired the rights, property and inter- ests of the old company, and at once undertook and accomplished a com- plete re-organization of the whole system, under the immediate direction of commissioners appointed for the purpose. " The village voted to con- struct a distributing reservoir on the land of R. F. Ely, and also a stor- age reservoir on land of Thomas Sears, at the head of the Dudley Brook," from the combined capacity of which reservoirs an abundant supply of Village of Windsor. 319 an excellent qaaiay is asauied. The work of the commissioners has been by no means confined to establishing a source of supply, for additional street mains have been laid in various localities, and fire hydrants placed at convenient points, so that not only an ample water supply is secured for domestic uses, but the heavy gravity pressure affords excellent pro- tection in cases of fire. The work of the commissioners is not yet wholly completed, although enough is already done to assure the people of the village of the wisdom of their course in acquiring the franchise and property of the old company and holding the plant as one of the in- stitutions of the corporation. The expense of the enterprise when com- pleted is estimated at something like thirty-five thousand dollars, possi- bly a little more. Tlie Tozvn Hall. — This building can hardly be considered as one of the public properties of the village, but it is within the corporation limits and was brought into existence largely through local influence and a tax upon local property. And, withal, it is an ornament to the place and a building to which the people may point with just pride. Prior to its erection the old court-house was made to answer the purpose of a town hall, besides beifig but to numerous other uses; but the old struct- ure was hardly a thing of beauty, nor was it suitable for the require- ments of the village and town. It was therefore sold and removed, and in its place was erected the town hall, — a beautiful structure, elegant in design and complete in finish. It is not over-large, nor yet too small ; admirably adapted for the uses of the town and village, and so arranged and provided as to afford an excellent hall for all classes of entertain- ment. The building rests upon a solid granite foundation, the latter in- closing a large, well ventilated and well lighted basement, while the superstructure is of brick with a slated roof. The rear portion of the basement is arranged admirably, and is used by the Windsor Library Association. The upper part is divided so that the town ofiicials have a convenient room for meetings, the room being thirteen by fourteen feet in size, while the general hall or auditorium is forty- five feet square, aud twenty-two feet in height. Besides, there is a spacious gallery at the west end, over the entrance. The stage is at the east end of the building, and is seventeen by twenty- two feet in size, with convenient rooms on either side. ^ 320 History of Windsor County. As is indicated by a tablet in the entrance, the " W'indsorTown Hall " was built during the years 1881-82; building committee, Charles C. Beaman, jr., Hiram Harlow, Henry D. Stone, RoUin Amsden, Horace Weston ; architects, Appleton & Stephenson ; builder, Hira R. Beck- with. The building complete cost the town the sum of twelve thousand dollars. The Windsor Library Association. — This institution of Windsor was organized under the general laws of Vermont, in December, 1882. At that time the remnant of the former social library known as the Athe- naeum was about to be dissolved. This coming to the knowledge of Hon. William M. Evarts and C. C. Beaman, esq., these gentlemen proposed that a new library be organized, to which should be sold at a low price the old AthenzEum books; and thaf a starting subscription of $1,000 be raised in the town, to which they would add another $1,000; and would also meet a yearly subscription of $ioo with an equal sum, for five years. This generous proposal was accepted. The $2,ooo was provided ; the Athenaeum books were bought for $100. There were about 1,800 vol- umes, of which 1,110 were United States public documents, mostly of little value, though some of them were very desirable. The town offi- cers allowed the use of a large light basement in the town hall. The town meeting voted the association the tax allowed by law for public library purposes, which vote has been annually repeated, conditioned on tlie free use of the library to all Windsor people. On the 23d of June, 1883, the library was opened to the public, then having on its shelves 3,235 volumes, all of which have been catalogued on the plan of Dewey's Decimal Classification, the work being done by Rev. E. N. Goddard. From that time to the present the library has been increased continually, so that its present number of volumes reaches 5,670. The rooms are open for loaning books on Wednesdays and Sat- urdays, in all seven hours a week. The number of volumes loaned has averaged 8,500 yearly, four- fifths of which are fiction and juveniles. In August, 1886, the trustees were advised that the late Hon. Hiram Har- low, then just deceased, had by his will bequeathed to the association, " for the purposes of said association," the sum of $20,000. Litigations and other complications of the estate have thus far prevented the trust- ees from receiving the benefits from this generous bequest. No ques- p Village of Windsor. 321 tion is raised, however, of the vahdity of the bequest, so that it will eventually come to the association. The present officers of the association are as follows: President, Mil- ton K. Paine ; vice-president, W. H. Fullerton ; secretary and treasurer, Horace P. McClary ; trustees, C. C. Beaman, E. N. Goddard, Arthur W. Harris, Horace P. McClary, Marsh O. Perkins, Charles Tuxbury, Luther C. White; librarian, Edward N. Goddard; assistant librarian, Miss F, G. Tuxbury. The State Prison. — This is by no means an institution of the village or town, but of the State, and being located within the corporate limits of the village, requires at least a brief mention in these pages. Be it said, however, to the credit of this locality that the population of the prison has been augmented but very little by reason of convictions and commitments from Windsor county. The act under which the State prison was erected was passed on the 3d of November, 1807, and by it Ezra Butler, Samuel Shaw, John Cameron, Josiah Wright and Elihu Luce were constituted a commission to select a site and superintend the erection of the prison building, for which work of construction the commission was authorized to draw against the State treasury not exceeding $30,000. Windsor was desig- nated as the location for the building, and work was at once commenced and so far completed during 1809 that convicts to the number of twenty- four were sent here. The original prison, thirty-six by eighty-four feet in size, was built wholly of stone, and is a part of what is now known as the east wing. In 1809 a workshop and keeper's residence were built; and subsequent to that year, there have twice been made extensive additions and enlargements, first in 1830, and again in 1882. As is the custom in many other States, so it is here, by which the services of the prisoners are sold to manufacturing contractors. In the Windsor prison Messrs. Brackett & Co. of Boston employ the prisoners, paying the State fifty cents per day for the work of each inmate. The prison, however, has not a sufficient convict population to perform all the work of manufact- ure carried on by the firm, and this has necessitated the erection, by the firm, of a large frame building adjoining the prison, in which is employed a number of persons from the village. The entire prison institution is under the superintending charge of Mr. E. W. Oaks. 41 322 History of Windsor County. The First Congregational Church of Windsor, or as more commonly known, The Old South Church, is by many years the senior of tiie re- ligious societies of the village, its organization and origin dating back to the j'ear 1768, at which time it was called the "Church of Cornish and Windsor." Of its early history the historical sketch published in the church manual says: "The Covenant was adopted at Windsor, Septem- ber 21, 1768, four years after the settlement of the town was commenced, and at Cornish one week later; at which time an Ecclesiastical Council publicly recognized the church according to Congregational usage, and installed Rev. James Wellman as its pastor. The church consisted of ten members, fourof wiiom were residents of Windsor" — (Israel Curtis, Ebenezer Hoisington, Joab Hoisington, Hezekiah Thompson). " It was arranged that the pastor should preach one-third part of the time in Windsor, and the remainder in Cornish. He received as a set- tlement two hundred acres of land, and his annual salary was forty pounds, in the currency of New Hampshire, one- third part of which was to be paid by the people of Windsor. To secure the payment of this sum a bond was given to the pastor, signed by the citizens of Windsor. The payment was to be made in October, eitlier in money or ' in Graine, or Pork, or Beef, or Day's Labor.' This engagement was to expire in five years. " On the third of April, 1774, eleven members of this ciiurch requested and received letters of dismission for llie purpose of forming a church in Windsor. Two of these were original members; the others had united with it subsequently. Soon afterward we find the church of Windsor in existence, but we have no record of its organization, and there is no evidence that a council was convened for that purpose. It is not improbable that it was assumed that the church of Cornish and Windsor had now become two distinct churches, and that no further organization was thought to be necessar}-." The year in which was erected the first church edifice, or meeting- house, for this county is not known ; neither does there appear to be any existing record to determine the time of building the first house of worship under authority of the town, which, whenever done, was probably in accordance with the then prevailing custom of building at the public e.xpense. The first church, however, is believed to have been Village of Windsor. 323 built prior to the year 1779. It was nearly square, with a pointed roof, and had no steeple. It was the only meeting-house in the East Parish for about twenty-five years. The present church building, that known as the Old South church, was erected in 1798, at an expense of about $5,000. In 1844 the building was substantially remodeled at an expense of about $3,000. Still further improvements, costing about $1,400, were made in 1852, among them the purchase of an organ for the church. The succession of pastors of the Congregational church has been as follows: James VVellman, David Tullar, Benjamin Bell, Bancroft Fowler, John Wheeler, George S. Wilson, Thomas Kidder, F"ranklin Butler, Ezra H. Byington, S. P. Cook, Rev. Searles, William Greenwood, S. S. Martyn, the latter being the present pastor. The First Baptist Church of Windsor. — The history of this church and its society carries back into the eighteenth century, having been organ- ized, according to best information obtainable, on the 3d of Decem- ber, 1785, by eleven persons who were members of the Woodstock Bap- tist Association, so called. But the society seems not to have acquired sufficient strength to build a church home before the year 1802, and this was u-ed by it until 1815, at which time the first building, a frame structure, was replaced by a more substantial one of brick, both being located on the General Forbes property, now a part of the Evarts prop- erty. But it appears that in 18 13, and the year following, the society of the Baptist church underwent a substantial and radical re-organization according to the society records, and the result was the signing by forty- two persons of articles of association, bearing date December 30, 1813, and taking the name, " First Baptist Society of the East Parish of Wind- sor." The society at this period became quite strong in point of mem- bers, so that the expense of the erection of the brick church was a burden easily borne. Its cost was nearly forty- four hundred dollars. The building committee was composed of Israel Tewksbury, Thomas Lever- ett and John C. Thompson. Rev. Leland Howard became first pastor of the new church in 18 16. Of the old church. Rev. Roswell Smith was first pastor. In 1874 the society built and occupied the handsome church edifice at the corner of Main and River streets, on land purchased from Dr. Edward Phelps. It cost $16,000. The new church was formally dedicated in 324 History of Windsor County. July, 1874. Its seating capacity is about three hundred. The present pastor, Rev. William C. Carr, assumed charge as such on the first of June, 1887. Sf. Paul's Church {Protestant Episcopal). — The records of the town clerk of Windsor preserve a copy of a certificate, or rather a letter, dated 22d of August, 1785, in which the Rev. Ranna Cossitt, " clerk by virtue of my ecclesiastical office which I hold by lineal succession from our Lord Christ," appointed Alexander Parmalee to be warden of the Church of England for the towns of Windsor and Reading. There are also sev- eral certificates that certain persons named in them are members of the Church of England. These were given, it is presumed, to protect the holders from taxation for supporting a minister or preacher and build- ing a meeting-house at the general expense. The first point of history of the Protestant Episcopal church in Wind- sor, of which there appears a record, is that in September, 18 16, the biennial convention of the Eastern Diocese (including the whole of New England except Connecticut) was assembled here. Divine service was celebrated in the Baptist edifice, which then stood on what is a part of Senator Evarts's lawn, and the business sessions were held at Judge Hub- bard's residence. The acting members of tiie convention, representing the church in these five States, seem to have been eight besides Bishop Griswold. How the convention came to be here, where there was no church organization, rather than at Claremont, is not understood. Immediately after the close of this convention a correspondence was opened with the Rev. James Morss of Nevvburyport, Mass., by Mr. Thomas Thomas of Windsor, in behalf of himself and some of his fiiends, urging Mr. Morss to come to Windsor and inaugurate church work here, and make it his home. In response to these letters Mr. Morss did come and spend two Sundays, November 30 and December 6, 1816. During this time he baptized about thirty persons, celebrated the Holy Com- munion, and organized the [)arish of St. Paul's church, and arranged for continuing the services under the care of a lay-reader, Colonel Alexan- der Dunham. These services were had in the old court-house on Com- mon Hill, and the congregations assembled were large. The letters to Mr. Morss continued and urged his return, with sug- gestions that if he should do so they would be able to have Vermont Village of Windsor. 325 and New Hampshire set off in a diocese by themselves, of which Mr. Morss would surely be the bishop. The letters contain curious notes of the " odium theologic7ti)i which the new movement experienced from their neighbors of the 'Standing Order' " as well as of the newly invented stoves, and the cost of living in Windsor, etc. Though Mr. Morss was not persuaded to move here, yet he did spend two more Sundays here in August, 1 8 17, strengthening and encouraging the new parish. The Rev. G. Leonard was made the first minister of the parish in the fall of 1817 or early in 181 8. During his ministry the church was built, and was consecrated by Bishop Griswold in November, 1822, and Mr. Leonard was formally instituted as its rector the next day The church is said to have cost about $7,000, a large part of which was contributed by the Hon. Jonathan H. Hubbard, who became the senior church warden and so continued to his death in 1848. Bishop Griswold, in his Episcopal address of the next year, on reporting the consecration of the church, adds : " We have rarely, if ever, seen more laudable efforts of pious liberality and united zeal than that which has added to the num- ber of our churches, this beautiful edifice." And it still remains a sub- stantial and venerable and respectable place of worship, though very plain and old fashioned. Mr. Leonard's rectorship extended to 1829, when he was succeeded by the Rev. W. Horton, since which time the succeeding rectors of St. Paul's have been as follows: W. Horton, 1829-35; Darius Barker, 1836-38; O. H. Staples, 18J8-41 ; W. D. Wilson, 1842-45 ; O. H. Staples officiated occasionally in 1845-46; Josiah Perry, 1848-51; W. R. Johnson, 1851-55 ; T. L. Randolph, 1856-58 ; Malcolm Doug- lass, 1859-72; J. B. Trevett, 1872-74; T. J. Taylor, 1874-78; E. N. Goddard, 1879, and now the officiating rector of the church. St. Francis's Chiircli [Roman Catholic). — The first missionary labors among the Roman Catholic families of this locality are believed to have been begun by the Rev. Father Daly, of Boston, who visited here every four or five months, and in a regular way, some forty or more years ago. Succeeding Father Daly's visits. Rev. Charles O'Reilley came to the locality, and after him the Rev. Father Pigeon. The latter was suc- ceeded by Rev. Daniel O'SuUivan, during whose ministry the parish w^as fully organized and St. Francis's church built, the latter in 1882. 326 History of Windsor County. Rev. Patrick Cunningham next came to the pastorate, and was in turn succeeded by the first resident priest, Father Robert F. Higgins. Father Higgins died June 23, 1888. The next resident priest, the present in- cumbent, the Rev. Father William N. Lonergan, came to the parish January 20, 1888. Tliere was a time when th.e congregation of St. F"rancis's parish was as strong in numbers as any of the church societies of the town or vil- lage, for, when the cotton-mills were in operation, a very large part of the employees were Catholics ; but with the decline of manufacturing in the village these persons have many of them been compelled to seek employment in other places. Thus has the strength of the parish been greatly reduced. At present it numbers between one hundred and fifty and two hundred persons. All Souls Church. — Under the name just mentioned there was quite recently united the persons and families that formerly comprised the Unitarian and Universalist societies of the village and locality ; a union not of formal compact, but of common consent, and one organized upon a liberal basis of thought and action, for a conmion purpose — the spir- itual and moral welfare of all interested persons. It so happens that the more recent ofificiating ministers of this society and church have been Unitarians, but the services can be, and have been, so ordered as to be wholly acceptable to those who were formerly identified with what was known as the Universalist society. And the church building, too, which was erected in 1847 ('' still earlier one having been built in 1838), is the property of the Unitarian Association of Boston, having become so by transfer from the local societj- t .at was too few in point of num- bers to maintain and support it and its minister. And the association also makes an annual donation of $350 for the support of services in the church, the balance of expense being borne by the resident congrega- tion. The present officiating minister is Rev. Joseph Wassail, who, in addition to his regular pastoral duties, also acts as chaplain at the State prison. The Methodist Episcopal Church and society of Windsor was formed on April 25, 1870, and placed under the pastoral charge of Rev. David Megahy ; and although the society at one time numbered one hundred members, it has never been strong enough to build a house of worship, Village of Windsor. 327 but holds meetings in halls and such other places as can best be secured. For a time the society leased and occupied the Unitarian church building. Banking Institutions of JVindsor. — " In 18 16," says Zadock Thomp- son's "Gazetteer," "applications were made from Burlington and Windsor for the incorporation of a bank in each of those towns. After consider- able discussion the matter was referred to the ne.xt session of the Legis- lature. At the session in 1817 the subject was called up and an act passed incorporating a bank at Windsor ; but for some reason it did not go into operation, and at the session ol the Legislature in 1818 a new act of incorporation was obtained for a bank in Windsor, and a bank was also incorporated in Burlington. The Bank of Windsor became in- solvent and failed." The foregoing extract refers to what was known in local banking cir- cles as the old Windsor Bank, which is understood as having continued in business until the year 1838, or about that time, before its affairs were finally wound up by the insolvency of the concern. Then for a period of nearly ten years Windsor had no banking institution of any kind, but in 1847 the Ascutney Bank was charted, with a capital stock of $50,000, and opened its doors for business early in 1848. Allen Wardner was president, and Jason Steele, cashier. The Ascutney Bank continued in operation, with a fair degree of success, until after the passage of the National banking act, when, in 1865, its officers at once accepted the provisions of the law, and procured for it an act of incorporation, under the style of The Ascutney National Bank of Windsor, with a capital stock of $100,000. The Ascutney National Bank was in all respects a profitable concern, and succeeded, by the year 1881, in piling up as surplus the splendid sum of $70,000, and that after paying large semi-annual dividends. But the bank never lived out the term of its charter ; and why, there appears to be no satisfactory explanation, unless it was that the stockholders were anxious to divide the accumulated surplus. However this may be is not a matter of much concern ; sufficient it is to say that the bank went into voluntary liquidation during the latter part of 1881. TAe Windsor National Bank was incorporated under the provisions of the National banking act, in the month of September, 1884. Its 328 History of Windsor County. capital stock is $I00,000. There has been but little change in the offi- cers or board of directors of the bank since its organization. On the death of Hiram Harlow, the first president, Ripley Clark, the then vice- president, was advanced to the vacancy, and the vice-presidency was filled by the election of H. P. McClary. L C. White succeeded at the same time to the vacancy in the board of directors. Although having been doing business only five years, the Windsor Bank has been a reasonably successful institution, from a financial stand- point, and now has an accumulated surplus of $3,600. The present officers are these : President, Ripley Clark; vice-president, H. P. Mc- Clary; cashier, J. S. Walker, jr. ; directors, H. P. McClar\', Ripley Clark, RoUin Amsden, Alvin Weston, John S. Walker, S. N. Stone, and L. C. White. The Windsor Satnngs Bank. — This institution was incorporated by the Legislature of Vermont on the 13th of November, 1847, ^^'^ opened its doors for business in January, 1848 ; first in a building on Main street, which is not now in existence, but was moved some years ago to the present location on State street, the building and property belonging to the bank. The first officers of the Savings Bank were Sluibael W'ardner, president; Israel Hall, first vice president; S. H. Price, treasurer. The bank now shows a total deposit account of about $640,000, and has an accumulated surplus of $27,000. The rate of interest on paid de- posits is liable to vary, according to circumstances, but it averages about four and one- half per cent. The present officers are as follows: Henry D. Stone, president ; CD Penniman, first vice-president ; L C.White, treasurer; Alfred Hall, T. B. Winn, Henry D. Stone, Harvey Miller, Charles Stone, C. D. Penniman, E. C. Howard, E. W. Oaks and L. C. White, trustees. Manufacturing Interests. — There was a time in the history of this lo- cality when Windsor enjoyed the honor of being one of the manufactur- ing centers of Vermont, but that time is now passed, and of the extensive industries that formerly had their place here but half a dozen, perhaps less, remain ; and where once were employed hundreds of men and women, there stand idle factory buildings; the employees now engaged in the manufactories of the village may almost be counted on one's fin- gers. The waters of Mill Brook have furnished the capitalists of this Z'' Village of Windsor. 329 locality with one of the best and most powerful privileges in the county, but even that stream w,is taxed beyond its capacity by the press of factory enterprises thirty and less years ago, and steam-power was in- troduced into many of the buildings that continuous labor might not be retarded. The lower village of Windsor owed its existence to the manu- factories built up along the brook, but with the decline of industries there has been a corresponding loss of population in the locality. There undoubtedly still live in the village some persons who remem- ber the organization and incorporation of the Windsor Manufacturing Company, which occurred in November, 1823, and of which Jonathan H. Hubbard was an active member. Tlien there was the old Windsor Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company that was brought into ex- istence by an act of the Legislature passed October 30, 1828, and of which Abner Forbes, Jonathan H. Hubbard, Allen Wardner, and E. R. Campbell were proprietors. And another of the old industries of the village was the Windsor Car and Rifle Company, afterwaids known as the Robbins & Lawrence Company, the originators of the former being Samuel E. Robbins, Richard S. Lawrence, Shubael Wardner, Joseph D. Hatch, and Warren Currier. The first named company was incorpo- rated November 7, 1849, and its name changed to the Robbins & Law- rence Company November 6, 1850. This whole enterprise had its ori- gin in the industry established in 1845 by the firm of Robbins, Kendall & Lawrence, for the manufacture of fire arms. But in 1859, in the vain attempt to enlarge the works and extent of manufacture, the company met with serious reverses and failed. In 1856 the plant passed by purchase to Lamson, Goodnow & Yale, who, about the time of the outbreak of the Rebellion, resumed the manu- facture of fire-arms, which business was carried on actively and with suc- cess. In 1870 Jones, Lamson & Co. took the main building, put in new machinery, and commenced manufacturing cotton sheetings and other fabrics of cotton. The business of this firm was very extensive, furnish- ing employment to some four hundred persons; but, finally, reverses came, the business was no longer profitable, the firm suspended, and the machinery was sold and moved out of the village. The machine shops of Jones, Lamson & Co. were transferred to the Jones & Lamson Ma- chine Company, and were continued some time longer. However, in 42 330 History of Windsor County. 1888, some of the former employees of the shops, with the assistance of tlie local capitalists, organized the Windsor Machine Company, by which latter the business is at present conducted. Another of the operating industries of the village is that owned by George W. Hubbard and Horace P. McCIary, the firm being Hubbard & McClary, and their manufactures, novelties, principal among which are glazers and drivers. The firm was established and commenced business in 1877. Atwood & Sons is the name of a firm that occupies the old Lamson & Co. fork shop, and which is engaged in the manufacture of chair stock. The old village grist-mill is still in operation, the property being owned by the Harlow estate, and managed by William Tandy. These that have been mentioned, together with the shoe manufacturing indus- try conducted by Bracket! & Co. at the prison site, comprise substan- tially all there is of the manufactures of Windsor of the present day. Masonic Societies. — Vermont Lodge, No. 18, F. and A. AT., was organ- ized under a charter of date January lo, 1850^ It has now a member- ship of I 50 persons, and was officered in 1 889 as follows : Daniel Payson, W. M.; Deane Richmond, S. W.; George S. Blake, J. W.; Henry S. Williams, treasurer; J. C. Enright, secretary; J. Russell Brewster, S. D.; Charles E. Hoffman, J. D.; James Wassail, chaplain ; B. James Mullins, marshal; Frank E. Willis and Francis E. Monroe, stewards; Seymour S. Ashley, tyler. Regular meetings are held on each first Tuesday of the month. Windsor Chapter, No. 6, R. A. M., was chartered August 14, 1851, and the charter members were as follows : Oliver C. Baker, William C. Dodge, Charles E. Colston, Calvin Spaulding, Seth Johnson, Josiah Perry, I. W. Hubbard, Jonathan Wood, Thomas Hammond, Charles Muns. The chapter has a present membership of 13 i, and was officered for the year 1889 as follows: J. S. Fairman, H. P.; W. H. Fullerton, king; J. R. Brewster, scribe; G. E. Williams, secretary and treasurer; C. H. Ingalls, C. of H.; W. W. Jones, R S.; C. E. Hoffman, R. A. captain ; George H. Sisson, M. 3d V.; F. F. Munroe, M. 2d V.; W. H. Bradley, M. ist V.; L. C Parkhurst, chaplain; S. S. Ashley, tyler. Windsor Council, No. 8, R. and S. Masons, was originated at Hart- land, but the main seat of the organization was subsequently moved to Windsor. The charter was dated March 17, 1856, and the original per- Village of Windsor. 331 sons to whom it was granted were as follows : O. G. Woodbury, thrice illustrious G. M.; Samuel J. Allen, I. D. G. M.; Lewis Emmons, prin- cipal conductor. The present number of members is eighty- one, and the officers are as follows: J. R. Brewster, T. I. G. M.; W. H. Fullerton, Dep. M.; L. C. Parkhurst, P. C. of W.; G. E. Williams, treasurer and recorder; Daniel Payson, C. of G.; H. Gilchrist, conductor of council ; S. R. Bryant, marshal; Deane Richmond, steward; S. S. Ashley, sentinel. Vermont Commandery, No. 4, K. T., was chartered January 13, 1857. The membership of this organization numbers 130, and was officered for the year 1889 as follows: Sir Marsh O. Perkins, E. C; Sir H. S. Will- iams, generalissimo; W. H. Fullerton, C. G.; John H. Humphreys, P.; Daniel Payson, S. W.; Deane Richmond, J.W.; Geo. E. Williams, treas- urer ; Joseph C. Enright, recorder; Samuel Putnam, standard bearer; Charles 11. Ingalls, sword bearer; Stanley Bryant, warder; Joseph S. F"airman, J. Russell Brewster and Edgar H. Austin, captains of guard; Seymour S. Ashley, sentinel. Windsor Lodge of Perfection, A. A. S. Rite, was chartered August 18, 1875. Its present membership numbers eighty-one persons. Stated meetings are held the last P>iday of July, October, January and April. Present officers : John H. Humphreys, T. P. G. M.; Orlando N. Logan, H. of T. D. G. M.; Hugh Gilchrist, V. S. G. W ; George F. Flanders, V. J. G. W.; J. S. Fairman, grand orator; James H. Kinirj', G. K. S.; Milton K. Paine, grand treasurer; Marsh O. Perkins, grand secretary; J. Russell Brewster, G. M. of C.; William W. Jones, G. C. of G.; S. S. Ashley, grand tyler. Past T. P. G. Masters, Milton K. Paine, Marsh O. Perkins, Charles J. Jones. Ascutney Cliapter, No. 2,0. E. S., has a membership of sixty-four, and is officered as follows : L. C. Parkhurst, worthy patron; Mrs. H. Mc- Cormick, worthy matron ; Mrs. Jane P. Palmer, assistant matron ; Mrs. P. K. Whitney, treasurer; W. W. Jones, secretary ; Mrs. W. W. Jones, conductress; Mrs. F. F. Munroe, assistant conductress ; H. McCormick, warder ; S. S. Ashley, sentinel ; Mrs. Emma Veasey, Ada ; Myrtie Hoffman, Ruth; Mrs. L. C. Parkhurst, Esther; Lizzie Chadbourne, Martha ; Mrs. J. C. Smith, Electa. S32 History of Windsor County. CHAPTER XVI. HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF H.A.RTFORD. HARTFORD is one of the few exceptional towns of the count)' of Windsor; and exceptional in this particular: it is one of the very few towns in the locality that has shown an uninterrupted and continu- ous advancement in population, enterprise and development from the time of its first occupation and settlement to the present. This condi- tion does not arise from the fact that the town has a location in the county specially superior to a number of others, nor are its farming lands of any better quality than can be found in a number of the in- terior towns and some on the river ; but there has ever been shown on the part of the people of Hartford a spirit of enterprise, a spirit of progress, of which the majority of the towns cannot boast nor lay claim to possessing. At the same time Hartford does enjoy advantages of situation not possessed by some others of the county's sub-divisions, and this has been and still is an important factor in contributing to the building up and maintaining the large population and important industries with which the town is supplied. And the splendid water-courses — the Con- necticut, Otta Ouechee and White Rivers — are auxiliaries that, too, have materially contributed to the town's wealth of resources, and brought affluence to the citizens in every quarter. All these elements combined have placed Hartford in the front rank of Windsor county's towns. How could it well be otherwise, with these streams crossing or border- ing on the town ? The Connecticut River forms the eastern boundary ; the White River enters at the northwest corner, flows thence southeast and east and discharges into the Connecticut at White River Junction ; and the Otta Quechee, or more commonly called Quechee, enters at the southwest corner, and thence flows an exceedingly tortuous course, draining the entire southwest section of the town, and finally leaves the same about midway the south town boundary. No town in the whole county, or even the State, possesses natural water privileges superior to Hartford, and but few, if any, utilize these resources to a greater e.vtent or with better results. ,s^^^ ^' < i/cy^^ Town of Hartford, 333 And no town in eastern Vermont has better or greater railroad facili- ties than has Hartford ; and to state that this has not been an element of prosperity in the town would indeed be an error. From White River Junction direct and speedy communication is had in every direction — north, south, east and west. This village is joined with the county seat by means of the Woodstock Railroad, and the Central Vermont likewise connects it with the State capital, Burlington and Lake Champlain In the same manner, and by other railroads, the large cities of southern New England are reached, while northern and eastern routes and connections reach to northern Vermont, Canada and New Hampshire. In the light of all these facts it cannot be a thing surprising that the population of Hartford should increase from nine hundred and ninety-eight, as shown by the census of 1791, to twenty-nine hundred and fifty-four, according to the census of 1880. Hartford was chartered in 1761. Ten years later, in 1771, under the authority of the province of New York, as a part of her claimed jurisdic- tional authority, a census enumeration of inhabitants was made by which this town was found to contain 190 souls. In 17-^1, the time of taking the first authorized census in the State, Hartford had a population of 988 ; and from that time forth each succeeding enumeration has shown as follows : In 1800, 1,494; 1810, 1,881; 1820, 2,010; 1830, 2,044; 1840, 2,194; 1850, 2,159; i860, 2,396; 1870,2,480; 1880,2,954. Allowing the subsequent population to have increased in the same ratio as shown during the last thirty years, it is safe to estimate that Hartford has a present population of from thirty- five to thirty-eight hundred. A glance at the census compilations of Vermont will show but few cases parallel with this. The town of Hartford is one of the few of the counties to enjoy the benefits and advantages of a thoroughly written histor)' of its events in detail and at full length, and by a writer well prepared and equipped for that duty. In this volume, therefore, it will not be necessary, nor would it be expedient, to furnish more than a synopsis of the events of the town's history, for the reason that the people of Hartford can find no new historical facts recorded here, and the great majority of the readers of this work, who live in other towns than Hartford, would hardly be ex- pected to find much interest in the minute detail of the history of a town, other than their own. 334 History op' Windsor County. Of the several towns that now form a part of Windsor county, Hart- ford was the second to be chartered under the authority of New Hamp- shire, the only previously granted town being Hamstead (now Chester), tiie original charter for which was made in 1754, about seven years ahead of Hartford. This town, Hartford, was brought into existence on the 4th day of July, 1761, by a charter executed by Governor Benning Went- worth of the province of New Hampshire, to sixty-two proprietors, and the lands divided into sixty-eight shares. The conditions and provisions of the charter were substantially the same as those by which a majority of Governor Wentworth's grants of land west of the Connecticut were made ; but some of the conditions are of sufficient interest and import- ance to demand some comment or a reproduction in these pages, and are as follows : That every grantee, his heirs and assigns, shall plant and cultivate five acres of land within the term of five years, for every fifty acres contained in his share, and shall continue to cultivate and improve the same under a penalty of the forfeiture of his grant. The second provision had rela- tion to the preservation of all the white and other pine trees on the land of the town for use of masting the king's royal navy ; and any violation of this provision rendered the person so cutting or destroying the timber or trees so reserved amenable to any laws which Parliament might pre- scribe, together with a forfeiture of the destroyer's rights. The fourth and fifth conditions of the charter provideii for the annual payment of the proverbial ear of Indian corn, and the shilling of proclamation money if iawlully demanded. In addition to the conditions of the charter were the usual other res- ervations of " rights " and shares for various purposes — one share for the society for the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts; one share lor a glebe for the Church of England, as by law established ; two shares for his excellency the governor ; one share for the first settled minister of the gospjl in the town ; and one share for the benefit of a school in the town. Thus vested with the rightful ownership and proprietary control of the town of Hartford (for it was so named in the charter) were the grant- ees named therein, the recipients of the worthy governor of New Hamp- shire province. For more than a year prior to the date of this charter Town of Hartford. 335 Governor Wentuorth had made no grants or charters of towns on what was known as the New Hampshire Grants, the last preceding having been made January 8, 1760, by wiiich the town of Pownal was created. In the order of their granting Hartford was the eighteenth of those of the entire district. No sooner had the proprietors become fully vested with authority over their town than they began to bestir themselves in the preliminary arrangements necessary to be completed before the town was ready for occupancy. To this end a proprietors' meeting was warned to be held at Windham, in the colony of Connecticut, on the 20th of August, 1761 ; which warning being duly published, the meeting was convened at the time and place stated above. The charter had provided for the meeting and had also designated John Baldwin as its moderator. The proprie- tors chose Prince Tracy proprietors' clerk and treasurer; and further, voted that the selectmen. "William Clark, Prince Tracy and John Bald- win, be the assessors for the proprietors"; also, chose Major Joseph Blanchard, Silas Phelps and Moses Hebard collectors of taxes ; also voted that they will choose "a committee to go and view said town, and lay the first division of land to each proprietor by lot, and that said committee shall consist of six men to be chosen for that purpose." This committee comprised " Captain William Clark, Lieutenant Prince Tracy, Silas Phelps, James Flint, Benjamin Wright and Elijah Bingham, who were directed to go and view the said town and lay out a town plot, or the land ordered in the charter to be laid out for town lots, and also to lay out convenient roads, or highways, so wide as said committee shall judge convenient, and so many as they shall judge necessary for the present use of said town ; then to proceed to lay out as many lots as there is (are) proprietors or equal shares, the least of which to contain fifty acres, and so to enlarge the quantity so as to make them as equal as they can ; having regard to the quality and situation of the land, and make a proper plan of their doings on good parchment, with the quan- tity, description and number of each lot therein contained." After vot- ing a tax of twenty shillings against each proprietor, lo pay the charges of the committee, the meeting was adjourned to meet again on the third Tuesday (17th) of November, 1 76 1. Without referring at any length 10 the proceedings of the committee 336 History of Windsor County. charged with the duty of laying out the lots and lands, suffice it to say that the division was made and the shares awarded by lot, at a subse- quent proprietors' meeting. The lands of the town parceled out by this division amounted to slightly more than thirty-three hundred acres, whereas tlietown contained an aggregate of twenty- seven thousand acres; but subsequent divisions and allotments were made from time to time until the whole territory of the town was allotted. Proprietors' meetings, as distinct from town or freemen's meetings, continued to be held until well along into the first quarter of the present century ; but at a meet- ing held in Windham, Connecticut, on March 19, 1765, the proprietors voted to hold their future meetings in the town of Hartford, this town, in accordance with a request made by the settlers therein. This was a right to which the settlers became entitled at that time, by virtue of there being a sufficient number of them in the town to own or represent one- sixteenth part of the grantees under the charter of the town. It seems to be a generally conceded fact that the first settler to make his abode within the limits of this town was Benjamin Wright, and that he came to the locality during the year 1763. This question was the subject of considerable discussion at one time, but the patient research of a recent historian seems to have established the fact, beyond reasonable doubt, that to Benjamin Wright must be accorded the honor of having been the pioneer of Hartford. The same writer was at one time con- fronted with a statement purporting to be a jiart of a request of certain of the pioprietors of the town upon the authorities of New York for the purpose of acquiring a charter of Hartford's lands from that province; and it was stated in that document that during the summer of 1763 there were ten persons who entered and labored in the town ; and that " in the year 1761 there were four persons (who) have moved on the said town with their families, and there dwelt ever since. And the said ten continue to improve the said second summer ; and others did enter on; and this present spring the men have gone on to improve, and about ten others intend to go immediately." This petition, however, contained so much that was known to be untrue that the whole of it is considered a "delusion and a snare," and absolutely discredited. But Benjamin Wright did not long remain the sole occupant of the town, for during the ne.xt year other settlers came to the locality, who A >//'? ^/^ ^C /^/'^^^'V/ Town of Hartford. 337 with their famiUes are also entitled to the distinction of being called pioneers. Those of 1763 were Solomon Strong, Elijah Strong, Benajah Strong, Jonathan Marsh and Noah Dewey. It was upon the application of these settlers and Benjamin Wright that the New Hampshire justice called the meeting of proprietors, in December, 1764, in the town of Hartford, the first assemblage of that body in the town. From the proceedings of that meeting it is fair to assume that these men and their families comprised the whole colony of pioneers in the town, for no new names appear among the officers then chosen, and only one, Benjamin Wright, appears not to have been elevated to any office, while some were called upon to fill more than one position. This meeting was held at the house of Solomon Strong, on the 3d of December, 1764, and the officers elected were as follows : Moderator, Noah Dewey ; proprietors' clerk, Elijah Strong ; proprietors' treasurer, Solomon Strong ; collector, Elijah Strong ; proprietors' committee, Noah Dewey, Benajah Strong, Solomon Strong, Elijah Strong, Jonathan Marsh. Again, and in order to bring to the attention of the reader the names of as many as possible of those who were connected with the affairs of the town during the pioneerhood, the following extracts arc taken from the ancient proprietors' records : Israel Gillett, John Gillett and Joshua Hazen were chosen (November 2d, 1772) a committee to size the fifty acre lots. On November 22, 1773, Abel Marsh, Joel Marsh and Amos Robinson were chosen " a committee to lay out in lots that body of pine land that laid near the ' Pine Meadows,' one lot to each right." April 18, 1774, Captain Joseph Marsh chosen moderator of proprietors' meet- ing ; and Captain Joseph Marsh, Stephen Tilden and Elisha Marsh chosen a committee to settle the line between Hartford and Hertford (Hart- land). Meeting in November, 1776: " Voted to accept the return of pitches of acre lots made by Richard Hazen, Israel Gillett, Michael Clark, John Bennett, jr., Beckett Chapman, Joshua Hazen, Benjamin Wright, Joshua Gillett, Shephen Chapman, Stephen Tilden and Simon Chapman." The reader will of course understand that the foregoing extracts are taken from the proprietors' proceedings, and cannot be presumed to have any direct relation to the proceedings of the freemen at the regular or customary town meetings, which were entirely separate and distinct from 43 338 History of Windsor County. the above. It has been generally understood, and so presented by past writers, that. the organization of Hartford was not effected prior to tlie year 1768, but it has remained for Mr. William H. Tucker to correct this error, and, at the same time, to bring to the town of Hartford the dis- tinction of having the first regular town organization of any of the civil districts on the New Hampshire Grants, Bennington, the first chartered town on the grants, not excepted. Had it been the custom of the pro- prietors to organize the town at or about the time they organized their own special body, there would, perhaps, have been nothing singu- lar or remarkable in this early town organization of Hartford ; but, gen- erally, and almost invariably, the town organization was not effected until some years after the proprietors' proceedings had been in progress, and until after the town itself had a sufficient population to justify in- ternal municipal organization. Thus it was a fact that the town organization of Hartford was effected before the town itself had a single rightful occupant; and this proceed- ing was had, not within the town, or on the " grants," but in the prov- ince of Connecticut, on the 26th of August, 1761, on the occasion of the first proprietors' meeting. Of the proceedings relating to the sub- ject, and the officers chosen at the time, the record says : " At a town meeting of the proprietors of the town of Hartford, in the province of New Hampshire, legally warned and holden at Windham, in the colony of Connecticut, August the 26th, 1761, pursuant to a charter of said town, dated July the 14th, 1761. In said charter IVIr. John Baldwin wa^ appointed moderator of said meeting. At the said meeting chosen Prince Tracy, town clerk; chosen Captain William Clark, Prince Tracy, and Mr. John Baldwin, selectmen for said town ; chosen Prince Tracy, town treasurer." Had this been the only organizing or preliminary proceeding on the part of the proprietors it might easily be construed into a regular pro- prietors' meeting and not intended to be a town organization within the usual meaning of the term. But it appears, and the fact was, that the proprietors conducted two separate proceedings, and made entries in separate books, the one entitled " a book of town votes for the town of Hartford, in the province of New Hampshire," and the other entitled " Proprietors' Record." Town of Hartford. 339 The next meeting at which town officers were chosen was held on the 9th of March, 1762, at which time these officers were elected : Modera- tor, Elijah Brigham ; town clerk, Prince Tracy ; selectmen, Samuel Will- iams, Prince Tracy and James Flint. Officers elected in March, 1763: Moderator, William Clark; town clerk. Prince Tracy ; selectmen. Prince Tracy, William Clark and Sam- uel Teriy. At this meeting it was voted " That for the future a warning in writing under the iiands of the selectmen of said town, set upon the sign-posts in the towns of Windham and Lebanon, in the colony of Con- necticut, ten days before any town meeting, appointing time, place and business of such meeting, shall be a warning to hold such meeting upon, until such town shall agree otherwise." The records relating to the next meeting state : At a town meeting of proprietors of the town of Hartford in the province of New Hampshire, legally warned and holden at Windham, in the colony of Connecticut, March the 13th, 1764, for the electing of town officers. The officers chosen were : Moderator, Jonathan Marsh ; town clerk. Prince Tracy ; selectmen, Elijah Strong, Jonathan Marsh and Prince Tracy ; constable, John Bennett; surveyor of highways, Benjamin Wright. The ne.xt town meeting was held March I2th, 1765, and these officers were chosen : Moderator, Jonathan Marsh ; town clerk, Benajah Strong; selectmen, Elijah Strong, Solomon Strong and Benjamin Wright; con- stable, John Bennett ; surveyor of highways, Ebenezer Gillett. " Voted, that for the future the town meeting shall be held by the inhabitants of said Hartford, zvitldn said toiun, and that a warning in writing under the hands of the selectmen of said town, appointing time, place and busi- ness of such meetings set up in said town on the sign-post or some other public place six days before said meeting, shall be a legal warn- ing for to hold such meeting, until the town shall agree otherwise." The result, of course, of this " vote " was a transfer of the " town meet, ings " from Connecticut to the territory of this town, and they were subsequently, and for all time, held here. But, unfortunately, Benajah Strong, the worthy successor in the clerkship to Prince Tracy, did not exercise much care in keeping the records of the town meetings during the period of his incumbency, and from this neglect or omission we cannot give the names of the first town officers elected at a meeting held, or 340 History of Windsor County. that should have been held, in the town in March, 1766 and 1767. But Benajah Strong was succeeded in the clerkship by Elijah Stronjj, prob- ably in Marcli, 1768, and the latter made the proper entries in the town meeting books in due form and order. The omission to enter the names of officers elected in 1766, and the succeeding year, together with the oversight on the part of most writers, was tile same that led to the understanding that the town organization of Hartford was not effected before the year 1768 ; and this might have been natural enough, for the records show only that the first town meet- ing held in the town was that recorded for the year named, while in fact the original meeting occurred in 1761, in Connecticut, and subsequently was held there until 1765, and then transferred to the town, the first to be held therein in 1766, of which there is no record. The minute book for the year 1768 shows as follovv.s : At a town meeting warned and holden by the proprietors of the town of Hartford, March the 8th, A. D. 1768. Chosen, Benjamin Wright, moderator; Elijah Strong, town clerk; Christopher Pease, Solomon Strong and John Marsh, selectmen; Daniel Pinneo, constable; Abel Marsh and Solomon Strong, surveyors of highways ; Abel Marsh and Elijah Strong, tithingmen; John Marsh and Benjamin Wright, " Dear Reafs." In 1769 John Strong was elected clerk. The proceedings of the meeting held that year, on account of their unique grammatical and or- thographical construction, are copied literally : " Att a town meting Legally warned anJ Holden. Chosen Mr. John Marsh Moderator. Chosen John Strong Town Clerk. Chosen Christifer Peas John Marsh Israel Gillett Select Men. Chosen Liomy Udall Con- stable, Elezur Robenson Benjamen Burch (Burk) Benjah Strong survaors of the hiway, William Bramble John Bennet, Granjury men. " Voted to Bild a Brig over warter quechy river nere the sawmill and do it as hiway work, and voted that Abil Marsh should be oversere about giting the timber and bulding said Brj'ge." The town officers for the next year, 1770, were as follows : Moderator, John Marsh ; town clerk, John Strong ; selectmen, John Marsh, Christo- pher Pease and Elijah Strong ; constable, Eleazer Robinson ; surveyors of highways, Daniel Pinneo and John Marsh; tithingmen, David Bliss and William Bramble. Town of Hartford. 341 Extracts from minutes of town meeting, March 12, 1771 : Abel Marsh, moderator ; John Strong, town clerl< ; Israel Gillett, Abel Marsh and Lionel Udall, selectmen ; Eleazer Robinson and Thomas Wood- ward, constables ; Thomas Savage, Thomas Miner, Henry Woodward aud Lionel Udall, surveyors of highways ; John Strong, Abel Marsh and Lionel Udall, " comite (committee) for to lay out an alter highways where theay (they) are wanted in said town of Hartford." At a town meeting legally warned and holden on the loth day of March, 1772, at the dwelling house of Elijah Strong, in Hartford, in the '^ county of Cunibcrland and province of Neiv York." Officers: Daniel Pinneo, moderator; John Strong, town clerk; Daniel Pinneo, Lionel Udall and Elislia Marsh, towns men (selectmen) ; Daniel Pinneo and William Bramble, constables; John Strong, Daniel Pinneo and Benja- min Burch, commissioners of highways ; Israel Gillett, Daniel Pinneo, Jonathan Burch and Abel Marsh, surveyors of highways. It will be observetl from the foregoing extracts that the meeting was held in Hartford in the " county of Cumberland, and province of New York," thus recognizing and acknowledging the authorit)' of that province, and its right to divide the territory of tiie " New Hampshire Grants," as it was then called, into counties. In this same year the county of Cumberland was newly erected, and Hartford formed a part thereof " But this was not all. The freemen of the town, in recogni- tion of the authority above referred to, on the third Tuesday of May, 1772, called another meeting, at which officers were chosen in accord- ance with the laws and custom of New York. They were as follows: Moderator, Benjamin Wright; town clerk, John Strong; supervisors, Stephen Tilden and Lionel Udall ; collectors, Samuel Pease and Amos Robinson ; overseers of the poor, Benjamin Wright and Elisha Marsh ; commissioners of highways, Abel Marsh, Elijah Strong and Daniel Pinneo; path masters, Abel Marsh, John Marsh, Thomas Richardson, Israel Gillett and Daniel Pinneo ; fence viewers, Elisha Marsh and Ben- jamin Wright ; constables, Daniel Pinneo, Israel Gillett, Joel Marsh and Thomas Richardson. But it must be stated, in this connection, that it was not that the peo- ple then residing and owning lands in Hartford were particularly friendly to the New York interests, or that they had any special desire to become 342 History ok Windsor County. a part of that province. They held their lands under and by virtue of a charter granted by the governor of New Hampshire, the latter acting under the belief that the lands and jurisdiction of his province carried west to a line twenty miles east from the Hudson River, and that he had perfect authority to grant them at his pleasure. But this right was dis- puted by the provincial authorities of New York, and that dispute was the subject of a deal of correspondence between the two governors ; and, in order to reach an understanding, was finally referred to the royal authority. With this power New York happened to hold the greater in- fluence, which, re-enforced by forged documents, purporting, however, to be signed by numerous residents on the disputed territory and ex- pressing a desire to be a part of that province, the royal decree of 1764 was issued in favor of New York. This was followed, even as it had been preceded, by the granting of lands and towns on the disputed strip, some of them east of the mountains Thus threatend with evic- tion were the settlers in this town and others in the region. Here had they made their homes, and here were all their worldly possessions How else then, in the name of reason, could they hope to remain in quiet possession and peaceful enjoyment of their lands, than by seeking a confirmation of their charter privileges, or the granting of another, at the hands of the New York authorities ? But the efforts of the settlers in this direction were of earlier origin than would appear from the records of the meeting of May, 1773, for no sooner had the loyal determination become known than steps were taken in this matter of procuring a ciiar- ter from New York, and agents even had been sent to treat and arrange for the same; and the meeting referred to, and subsequent and prior ones as well, were but a part, it is believed, of the diplomatic or strategic measures employed b\' the settlers in bringing about the desired con- summation. To be sure there was a well organized and determined opposition to New York on the part of a large number of settlers under the New Hampshire charters, but the power of that famous band — the Green Mountain Boy.s — did not extend east of the mountains, and had it reached to this region the settlers hereabouts had no thought that such few numbers would prevail against so great a power as New York was supposed to wield, nor would it have been so but for the fortunate (for Vermont) interference of the war for American independence, by Town of Hartford. 343 which local strifes were laid aside, and all joined in the common cause against Great Britain. But it can hardly be considered essentially within the province of this chapter to discuss this subject, however important it may have been, at greater length. Although the controlling influence of the tow n pushed the matter of obtaining a charter from New York to a reasonable ex- tent, the document itself was never granted ; but the labors in that di- rection had the effect of leading New York to the belief that this people were wholly devoted to her interests, that they considered themselves her subjects, were submissive to her authority, and, as a consequence, the lands of the town were never granted to another set of proprietors. But it required no great efl'ort on the part of the inhabitants of Hart- ford to throw off whatever allegiance they owed the province of New York, and this they did as soon as the policy of the " new State " be- came fixed, and even before that time, during the progress of the first Dorset convention, although the town was not represented there, nor in any similar gathering prior to that held at Westminster on January 15, 1777. And even before the independence of Vermont was declared, the delegates assembled in the Dorset convention became desirous of learn- ing something of the sentiment existing in the towns east of the mount- ains relative to the State organization ; and in order to obtain an ex- pression from those towns the subject was arranged to be brought before the people in town meeting. The result in Hartford was largely in favor of the new State. In the convention at Westminster on January 15, 1777, Stephen Til- den was a delegate from Hartford. At this time the independence of the State of Vermont was declared. And at the adjourned session held at Windsor, June 4, 1777, upon the occasion of changing the name of- the State from New Connecticut to Vermont, this town was represented by Colonel Joseph Marsh and Mr. Stephen Tilden, both of whose names were signed to the revised declaration there adopted. Also, in the Windsor convention of July 2-8, 1777, the occasion upon which the sub- ject of the first constitution was being discussed, Colonel Marsh repre- sented the town of Hartford. It was during the progress of this con- vention that the disastrous news of the evacuation of Ticonderoga by the American forces was received, and was followed by the information 344 History of Windsor County. that Burgoyne was invading the northern and western frontier of the State, all of which had the effect of disconcerting the convention almost before the constitution was adopted ; but the friendly intervention of a thunder-storm gave the delegates the opportunity of regaining their composure sufficiently to complete the business in hand, after which they adjourned and hastened to their homes. During the period of the Revolutionary war the part taken by the local authorities of Hartford was much similar to that of the other large and comparatively well settled towns in the region of the State west of the mountains. At that time the military authority and power was mainly vested in the Committees of Safety of the counties organized by New York, viz.: Cumberland and Gloucester; and the military supplies, arms and ammunition, were largely furnished by the province or State last named. In this town the men most prominently identified with the military organization, especially during the early part of the war, were Thomas Hazen, Stephen Tilden, Joel Marsh, Joseph Marsh, Joshua Ha- zen and other-, perhaps of less prominence, but whose services were no less valuable. Prior and subsequent to the year 1777 the region of the town was a frontier, and it was necessary to have an established force ready for any emergency of war, whether in aggressive or defensive operations ; and upon occasion the troops were called into other fields for service. In the organization of forces Joseph Marsh was made colonel of one of the regiments, and other men of the town were likewise chosen to offices of rank. In the year named the town had a number of men in the service, among whom were known to be these : Asa Emerson, Jonathan and Eddy Burch, Becket Chapman, Mitchel Clark, William Curtis, Barry Damon, Hezekiah Hazen, Jonathan Hill, Abel Marsh, Elisha Perkins, Phineas Strong, Seth Savage, Elkanah Sprague, Stephen Tilden, An- drew Tracy, Josiah Tilden, William Udall, Benjamin Wright and possi- bly others. But, as the years of the war progressed, nearly every man in every town, capable of "bearing arms," or subject to militia duty, was in some manner connected with a military company, but their serv- ice was mainly confined to guarding the frontier outposts on the north. Once, however, they were threatened with service of a more active char- acter, and that the occasion of the Indian invasion of the neighboring % E>J^' ^^T.GRf^'t^'^-^ qi,0.^:^cZl^ Town of Hartford. 345 town of Royalton, the call to arms in this town being sounded through the medium of Landlord Stephen Tilden's famous " Queen's Arm" gun. The militia were quickly assembled, and at once started in pursuit of the already retreating savages and English soldiers that accompanied them. But. on account of the threatened murder of the captives, prisoners of the Indians, Colonel House, the commander of the mititia forces, did not force an engagement, and soon afterward gave the order to return. Among the militia that participated in that "campaign" was Captain Joshua Hazen's Hartford company, comprised as follows: Joshua Ha- zen, captain; William Bramble, lieutenant; Elkanah Sp rague, ensign ; Elias Chapman, Asa Hazen, Andrew Tracy, David Wright, sergeants; William Dunham, John Gillett, Hezekiah Hazen, Stephen Tilden, cor- porals; and privates: Elnathan and William Allen, Jonathan Bennett, David Bliss, William Burch, Erastus, Joseph and Simon Chapman, John Cheney, Daniel Clark, Neheniiah Closson, Simeon Curtis, Barjom and Levi Damon, John Dutton, Enoch Eaton, Enoch Emerson, Daniel O., Ezekiel and Israel Gillett, Jacob, Jonathan and Willis Hall, Daniel, Sol- omon, Thomas, jr., and Thomas Hazen, Thomas Holbrook, Timothy Johnson, Abel, Samuel, John, Joseph, Joseph, jr., and Roger Marsh, Elijah Mason, David Newton, Christopher and Daniel Pease, Samuel Pinneo, Elliott Porter, Calvin Luther, Rowland, jr., and Rowland Pow- ell, Jonathan Reynolds, Jehial Robbins, F"rancis W. and Seth Savage, Solomon Sitzel, Ashbel Smith, Ignatius Sprague, Benajah, Phineas, Solomon, jr., and Solomon Strong, Josiah Terry, Josiah and Stephen Tilden, 15arnabas Tisdell, James and Thomas Tracy, Lemuel White, Joseph Williams, Benjamin and Jonathan Wright. These militiamen with those who were in other commands, notably Captain Hodge's company, must have comprised nearly the whole able- bodied male population of Hartford at that time. Captain Hodge's company formed a part of Colonel Joseph Safford's regiment. As has already been stated, the principal service of the companies in which this town was represented was along the northern and western frontier, sometimes at stockade forts, such as Fort Fortitude on the site of the flourishing little village of Bethel ; but the men were not infre- quently called to march to the relief of some distressed settlement in New Hampshire, and in this State to the northward as well. As often 44 34^ History of Windsor County. as their services were demanded, so often did they respond, but their service was more a continuous marching campaign than of actual war- fare. But there were men, and a number of them, from the town who were with the armies on the western borders of Vermont and elsewhere, and engaged in actual strife. The war with Great Britain was practically at an end during the year 1782, but it was not until the fall of 1783 that the treaty of peace was signed. Then the peo[jIe of the towns of Vermont were at full liberty to return to the peaceful arts of agriculture and manufacture, the genera building up of homes and villages throughout the length and breadth of the entire State. But, during the period of the war, and especially dur- ing its later years, this State had been shaping a political policy with a view of obtaining admission to the federal Union. This, of course, New York opposed, strenuously and bitterly. The subject was an absorbing one, and in it the people of Hartford took the greatest interest, for it was practically a renewal of the old and long existing controversy be- tween the two States. While this was an interesting and important pe- riod for this State, and its several towns, it is hardly a proper matter for comment in this place, being fully presented in the earlier chapters of this volume, to which the attention of the reader is directed. The second war with Great Britain, that known among Americans as the War of 18 12— [5, was another period of agitation and discussion among the people of this town, for there did not exist, at that time, the greatest possible unanimity of sentiment among the townsmen regard- ing the policy of waging a second conflict against the mother country. There were the Loyalists and Federalists who championed the cause of their respective representatives in Congress, but in this locality the former were in the ascendency. During the war the town was again called upon to furnish troops for the service, and responded nobly. Some went to the front who never returned, but of the whole body we have no reliable record upon which to make a statement of individual or com- pany service, nor would such a recital if made be considered of much interest at the present day. The next event of importance in the military history of the town was the war of 1861-65, but more commonly known as the war of the Re- bellion. A preceding chapter of this work has recorded at length the Town of Hartford. 347 various regiments and commands that were, in whole or in part, raised and recruited in the towns of this county ; and has, furthermore, given the individual names of company members, by towns, who entered the service during that war. Therefore it will not be necessary in this chap- ter to furnish more than a general summary of the number of men en- listed in the town under the several calls, and for the various branches of service. According to the reports of the adjutant-general of the State for the years 1864 and 1865, it is found that the town of Hartford stands credited with having contributed the aggregate number of two hundred and twenty-four men, exclusive of those who were in service for three months under the President's call for 75,000 men in April, 1861 ; and making no account of the "enrolled men who furnished substitutes," of whom there were three; nor of the men who were " furnished under draft and paid commutation," of whom there were three ; nor of those who procured substitutes, of whom there were twenty- five. Of the aggregate number mentioned, one hundred and twenty-seven were enlisted for three years' service, eighty-three of whom were enrolled prior to the call of October 17, 1863, forty- two under that call and subsequent calls, while two more were enlisted for the same term, but for whom no designation is given. For the one year service there were twenty-eight recruits ; for nine months' service there were forty-four ; in the naval service, seventeen ; volunteers re-enlisted, eleven ; entered service, two ; in Veteran Reserve Corps, two. Added to these were thirteen men, not named, who were credited to the town miscellaneously. Churches of Hartford. — The charter by which the town of Hartford was brought into existence made all the necessary and customary pro- visions for setting apart lands for the first settled minister of the gospel in the town; and in 1762, in providing for the second division of the lands, it was directed by the proprietors that a hundred-acre lot be re- served for the first settled minister, all of which was accordingly done. The first recorded disclosure of any steps looking to the erection of a meeting-house in the town is found in the proceedings of a proprietors' meeting held May 17, 1774, at which time it was voted " to build a meet- ing-house as near the center of the town as is convenient for a building spot, and the dimensions of the house to be 35 feet by 50, and two-story 348 History of Windsor County. high " ; also Darius Sessions was chosen to make a survey and find the center of the town ; and further, Darius Sessions, Captain Joseph Marsh and Amos Robinson were made a committee " to set down the stake where the meeting-house shall be." This being done, the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds was voted by the town for the purpose of erect- ing the edifice, and Joseph Marsh, Jonathan Burch and Amos Robinson were made a building committee to superintend the construction of the building, which was to be completed by the 1st of September, 1775, but which was not done ; nor was there a meeting-house erected in the town until a number of years later. But, notwithstanding that, church serv- ices, or preaching, was had in the town soon after the year 1774. Rev. Aaron Hutchinson appears to have been the first minister to officiate, although the minister's lot seems to have fallen to Rev. Thomas Gross, who was said to have been ordained somewhere about the year 17S6. Both of these clergymen were ministers of the Congregational church, and were hired and supported at the public expense. Also the Congre- gational society was the first to be formed in the town, at what was known as the Center. In 181 2 Rev. Austin became its settled pastor and so continued until 1829. The second society of the Congregational church was formed during the year 1827, and a church home was built very soon thereafter at White River village. This society virtually superceded the first organi- zation and the members of the latter became united with the second soci- ety, under invitation, in January, 1829. The White River society first took the name of the Congregational Society of Wiiite River village ; but upon the accession of the former members of the old church the consoli- dation resulted in changing the name to the Second Congregational Society. Rev. Austin Hazen was the first employed minister, but his relation with the church ceased after about three months. Rev. John K. Lord became pastor in 1841, and in 1847 was dismissed, after which, March ist, 1848, Rev. Josiah Merrill was ordained. The latter resigned in 1856, and was succeeded by Rev. Benjamin F. Ray, who continued pastor from February, i860, to July, 1870. Five years later Rev. S. In- gersoU Briant was called and ordained. The next church society of this denomination was the result of pre- liminary meetings commenced in 1829, although it was not until the sue- ^/(<^.^/^^ Town of Hartford. 349 ceeding year that a permanent organization was effected. The result was the formation of the society known as the Congregational church of West Hartford, located, as its name implies, in the western part of the town. Notwithstanding the fact that this society has had an existence covering a period of si.xty years, there has been but one regularly or- dained pastor, Rev. William Claggett, whose ministerial labors com- menced in 1846 and ceased in 1859. Prior and subsequent to the period of Rev. Claggett's pastorate the church has been presided over by a sup- ply minister. The First Congregational Society in Ouechee village was a creation of the year 1830, but never developed into a regular organization. Two years later, in 1832, the Ouechee Village Meeting- House Society was or- ganized as a superceding society, also of the Congregational denomina tion, and continued for some twelve years. In this time a church building was erected, but this was afterward put into use as a school-house, and is now so maintained. Subsequently in 1871 another society of the same name was organized by residents of Ouechee and vicinitv, and a church building for it erected in 1872-73. This last society is still in existence. In January, 1831, the society of the First Congregational church of Quechee village was organized. The church remained the state of amis- sion until 1835, at which time Rev. Luke Wood was called to the pas- torate, but continued only two years. The pulpit was afterward supplied until 1866, when Rev. J. W. Kingsbury was installed as pastor, but in 1869 he retired. Rev. Melvin Ray succeeded to the pastorate in 1874, and remained but one year. Rev. A. B. Chase was ordained in 1876, and continued until succeeded by Rev. N. F. Carter, the latter preaching here several months before he became pastor. He was installed in 1880, and dismissed in 1887 The formation of the society known as the United Church of Christ, at Olcott, is the latest movement in Congregationalism in Hartford, and this was the creation of certain Dartmouth theological students, aided by some of the clergymen of the town and vicinity. The society was formed some time during the year 1887. The seed of Presbyterianism in Hartford was planted as early as the year 1771, by the formation of a society of that denomination at or about that time, having its chief seat of location in the north part of the town 350 History of Windsor County. in the neij^hborliood of Dothan, in regard for which the society was named. After experiencing all the vicissitudes which a church society can well endure, tlie church passed out of existence in 1844. It has been said that the home of the Episcopal church in Vermont is in Arlington, Bennington county. Whether absolutely correct or not matters but httle, but it is true that however old this church may have been in other localities, it was not planted in Hartford until a compara- tively recent date. St. Paul's church, the only one of this denomina- tion in this town, was organized in 1868. Rev. James Houghton was its first rector. The scat of the parish is at White River Junction, where was "erected a comfortable church edifice in the year 1874. The first Universalist Society of White River Junction dates back in organization only to the year 1878. The church building of the society was commenced in that same year, and completed in 1879. During the fjw years of its e.xistence the society has had four pastors : Re\s. J. C. F"arnsworth, William E. Copeland, George W. Barnes and Walter Dole. The society of St. Anthony's Roman Catholic church of White River Junction was formed in this town during the j-ear 1870, although for a few years preceding that missionary work had been done among the Catholic-Irish residents of the locality, of whom there were not a few. The first missionary priest in the town was Rev. Father Pigeon, who commenced his labors in some convenient room, occasionally in a dwell- ing, but in 1870 he purchased what was known as the Moseley house, which was temporarily used for church services, and until the pres- ent edifice was built, in 1873. In connection with St. Anthony's parish there is an established and prosperous parochial school, which has now some sixty scholars. The succession of pastors in charge of St. Antho- ny's parish has been as follows: Rev. M. Pigeon. Rev. Daniel Sullivan, Rev. Dennis Lynch, Rev. James Booth Whitaker. The congregation of St. Anthony's is the largest in the tow n of Hartford. The teachings and doctrines of Methodism were advocated in Hartford as far back as the early years of the present century, but it was not until the year 1845 that the people of this faith were provided with a church home. This building was a plain frame structure, and was erected at the place called Jericho ; but in 1874 the building was sold and moved from the town, and the society became practically extinct. It was Town of Hartford. 351 revived, however, in or soon after the year 1877, having its seat of loca- tion at White River Junction, vviiere a temporary place of meeting was secured. During the next year, 1878, the present church was erected and its society is now numbered among the floursiiing institutions of that village and of the town. Among the number of church or religious societies that have had a past existence in Hartford was that known as the Covenant Baptists> connected with which at one time were some of the prominent families of the town. Another society was that knpwn as Second Adventists, which was brought into existence through the teachings of William Miller. From his name some of the societies of this denomination have been called Millerites. The society in this town has no regular church home, except as their camp-meeting grounds may be so called. The present society was formed in 1887, under the name of White River Junction Camp- Meeting Association. Educational Institutions. — The charter of the town of Hartford made provision as ample for the support of a public school as was made for any town similarly granted ; and this provision was enhanced by the subsequent action of the proprietors in setting apart lots for the benefit of town schools. But there appears to be no record of the establish- ment of a school in the town prior to 179S, when the house of Reuben Hazen, at West Hartford, was used for the purpose. In 1796 Lionel Udall taught school in the same locality. After this time, as the popu- lation of the town increased, other schools were established in various localities as occasion demanded, and in 1807 the town was divided into school districts, and schools were established in each as soon as the people felt inclined or able to do so. The districts were seventeen in number; there are but sixteen at present. The schools of the town have ever been supported on the district system, although of late years an effort has been made to adopt the town plan. One of the most prominent among the comparatively early educa- tional institutions of the town was that known and incorporated under the name of Hartford Academy, at White River village, in the year 1 839. Its career was " brief but eventful," — brief because it proved an unsuc- cessful enterprise, and failed to draw the attendance and consequent support its proprietors had hoped for, and eventful because every effort 352 History of Windsor County. was made to make it successful. In 1848 its ownership passed to the district in which it was situated, number seventeen. Industries. — Manufacturing has been one of the most productive in- dustries of the town of Hartford during the present century ; but had it required the effort to estabhsh each that has been in operation during the last three-quarters of a century, as was necessary to bring into life the first saw and grist-mills on the Ouechee prior to 1770, the whole people of the town would have been resolved into a vast board of trade, and all the lands of the town would have been donated to influence milling operations. But the never failing waters of the Quechee and White Rivers have fortunately been a sufficient inducement for manu- facturers to locate in the town without asking for public donations either of lands or money. Hartford is known to-day as one of the leading manufacturing towns of Vermont, and this branch of business is as much and more a source of profit and benefit to the whole town, as well as to the several propri- etors, as is agriculture or any other calling. The construction of the several railroads across the town has greatly facilitated manufacture, and products can now be transported to market in less than a tenth of the time formerly consumed in shipment, and is attended with far less haz- ard and e.xpense. To enter into a detailed description of each and all the manufacturing enterprises that have so marked the growth and prosperity of Hartford, during the past century, would require more space than is deemed expedient to devote to the subject. Moreover, it is a subject that has been written upon at considerable length, and with much care, by the author of a recent history of the town, which work being, it is hoped, in every family in the town they have the means of sufficient enlighten- ment upon the matter. The present record will therefore show only the names of proprietors and location of the present and more recent manufacturing industries of the town as a part of the description of present villages. Of the villages of Hartford, White River Junction is by far the most important, having the larger popu'ation, the greater diversity of business enterprises, and is, in all respects, the metropolis of th,; locality. It has come into existence, substantially, since the building of the first line of Town of Hartford. 353 railroad along the Connecticut River; and when diverging or branching roads were built the name. White River Junction, was given the place. The village in fact owes its very existence to these railway enterprises. It is a commercial and railway center, distinctively, and in no sense a manufacturing village ; nor can it well become so as long as exist in other portions of the town the desirable water privileges now used as a motive power for driving machinery. And whatever qF aspirations the people of the Junction may have to make theirs a manufacturing as well as a railroad center, that consummation must be reached by the application of steam-power, for the waterways of the locality are ill- adapted for such purposes. In the village proper are four church edifices — Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Methodist and Universalist, all comfortable and commodious buildings, each of which, with the societies that own them, are fully mentioned in an earlier portion of this chapter. The village also has one national bank — the National Bank of White River Junction ; one savings bank — the White River Savings Bank ; a steam grist-mill ; the confectionery and baking establishment of G. W, Smith ; one large and excellent hotel — the Junction House; besides which are two printing establishments and numerous other business and mercantile houses and offices, to the number of thiity-five or forty ; to all of which must be added the representatives of the several professions, of which there are several. All of these combined truly give the Junction the appearance of a prosperous, enterprising little municipality, although this distin- guishing character is not yet come to the place. While unquestionably second to the Junction in point of population, but not second in point of importance as a manufacturing center, is the village of Quechee, situate on the line of Woodstock Railroad and mid- way between the Junction and the county seat. Incredible though it may appear, it is nevertheless a fact, that manufacturing has been car- ried on, possibly with brief intervals, at this point for a period of almost one hundred and twenty-five years ; for here a saw- mill was erected as early if not before the year 1769, and in the course of a few more years a grist-mill was put in operation at the same place. The power for propelling machinery is derived by diverting the waters of the Otta Quechee River, from which stream the town received its 45 354 History of Windsor County. name. Common consent, however, has dropped the first part of the name — Otta — and the stream and village are called simply Ouechee. And the village, besides having considerable prominence as a factory place, has been in the past and is now the home of some of the most distinguished and wealthy men that have been known to the town of Hartford. Enterprise and progress have been the watchwords of the people here from the first settlement to the present day. The village, too, has its church societies and buildings, the Methodist and Congregational. Its leading manufacturing industries are the Dewey mills, established in 1836 by Strong & Co., for the manufacture of satin goods, and succeeded by A. G. Dewey in 1840, who commenced making woolen goods, sometimes called "shoddy." Here, too, are the extensive woolen-mills of J. C. Parker & Co., a large enterprise that had its origin in the saw-mill established by Abel and Elisha Marsh, Benjamin Burch and Joshua Dewey, as far back as the year 1771. From that until the present day the "privilege" and property have changed ownership many times, and almost as frequently have there been changes in the character of business done here. This same firm also operates a tannery at Quechee, and what is known as a wool- pulling fac- tory as well. The saw-mill here is the property of O. H. Chamberlain. Besides these are the customary stores and other business enterprises found in small but flourishing villages such as Quechee. The popula- tion of the village proper is something like five or six hundred. The A. G. Deivey Company. — The woolen factory now occupied by this corporation is situated on the Otta Ouechee River, one mile south of Quechee village. It was erected and opened in 1836 by Messrs. J. P. and C. Strong and Dewey for the manufacture of fine satinets. This firm was in existence from 1836 to 1842, but owing to the financial crisis of 1837 this company suspended operations and the factory re- mained unoccupied until 1840, when it was leased by A. G. Dewej'. About the year 1S40 Reuben Daniel, of Woodstock, conceived the idea of converting or reducing soft woolen rags to fibres denominated rag wool. Following up this idea, Mr. Daniel invented a machine for pick- ing rags into fibre and the first machine was put into operation in the woolen factory at Ouechee village in 1840. This was the first inaugu- ration of shoddy in the United States. In 1841 Mr. Dewey leased the / Town of Hartford. 355 lower factory and commenced the manufacture of rag- cloth, now desig- nated as shoddy. At this time he employed a force of from thirty to sixty operators, and continued in business alone until April 11, 1848, when Urial Spalding became partner, under firm name of Dewey & Spalding. This partnership lasted until October 10, 1854. On April i, 1858, the firm of A. G. Dewey & Co. was formed by the association with Mr. Dewey of Justin F. Mackenzie and William S. Carter. In 1873 Mr. Carter died On the first of January, 1874, John J. Dewey purchased his interest in the firm and on January i, 1876, William S. Dewey was admitted to equal partnership. The elder Dewey and Mr. Mackenzie retained their partnership till their death. The present cor- poration was organized under the general laws of the State of Vermont, January I, 1890, the following being its officers: John J. Dewey, presi- dent; F. S. Mackenzie, vice-president; William S. Dewey, treasurer. In 1858 the mill contained only two sets of machinery, producing about 450 yards of textile fabric daily. This capacity was increased in 1863 to 1,300 yards. In 1870 the firm bought the mill, enlarged it, substi- tuted new and improved machinery, continued improvements have been made, and their present production is now not far from 2,500 yards daily. They have six sets in operation and employ eighty hands. They manufacture two varieties of cloth, one from tailor clippings, the other from soft woolen rags of every description. Their fabrics are made from the same kind of stock used by Mr. Dewey in 1841, and have a reputation in the markets for general excellency, the varieties being known throughout the country as " Dewey's Grays." The motive power of the factory is a Hercules wheel of 150 horse-power, under a fall of twenty-five feet of water. The location of this factory is a very romantic one, being at the head of the celebrated Quechee Gulf, which has become a popular resort for tourists and pleasure seekers. The village of Hartford, or, as formerly known, White River Village (from its location on the stream so named), is a manufacturing point of considerable importance. The chief power for this purpose is obtained from White River. The place, also, is accessible from two railroads, the Vermont Central and the Woodstock, but the latter is little used. The first mill was erected here in or about the year 1795. The village has all the business enterprises usual to such hamlets: a church, — the 356 History of Windsor County. Congregational, — a school, and a number of factories, among them the Hartford Woolen Company, manufacturers of woolen goods and satinets; French, Watson & Co. and W. L. Bugbee, agricultural implements; Isaac Gates, shipping chairs, etc.; Moore & Madden, flour and grist-mill ; E. Johnson, furniture; J. Bugbee, carriages and sleighs; French, Wat- son & Co., saw-mill, and others perhaps of less importance. West Hartford is a hamlet still smaller than any heretofore mentioned, and is located in the extreme northwest part of the town, on what has been termed the Hazen Grant. This name came from the fact of the proprietors having conveyed the land to Thomas Hazen, the pioneer, in consideration of services performed for the proprietois by Joshua Ha- zen, the son of Thomas. The extent of the grant included a thousand acres, but the owner afterward acquired several hundred acres more, and at his death divided it among his children. West Hartford, too, has its contingent of distinguished names of former residents, among them Chief Officer William B. Hazen of the signal service, and who, also, was a brigadier- general during the war of 1861-65 ; Joel Marsh, who was a captain and subsequently colonel during the Revolutionary period ; David M.Camp, who was lieutenant-governor in 1836. This is more of an agricultural than manufacturing locality, notwith- standing the fact of its location on the White River and the Central Vermont Railroad; still the village has a saw-mill, two stores, — F. M. Holt and C. M. Hazen, — and a few other enterprises of less importance. It has, also, a Congregational church and a school-house. The little hamlet called Olcott, or Olcott Falls, is the latest creation in the town in the way of village settlement, although the locality was known for very many years as White River Falls, and was utilized for mill purposes as early as 1785. The village is located on the Connecti- cut River, about two and one-half miles north of the Junction. In 1882 a dam across the river was commenced, and afterward completed, thus diverting the waters on both sides for mill privileges. This is the enter- prise of the Olcott Falls Company, manufacturers of printers' news paper. At this village is the United Church in Christ Society, mentioned in preceding pages. Centerville is the only other hamlet in the town that can boast of Town of Hartford. 357 much more than a distinguished name. It is located, as its name im- pHes, near the geographical center of the town, on the White River, and also on the line of the Central Vermont Railroad. Its business and other institutions are few, comprising a school-house, a few dwellings, a saw-mill and grist-mill. Other localities that are honored with names, but scarcely anything else, are Jericho and Dothan, understood as having been so named by Rev. Aaron Hutchinson very many years ago. Both are located in the north part vf the town. Russtown is a name, hardly more, applied to the neighborhood in the southeast part of the town, in district number twelve, where dwell several families named Russ. Christian Street is a name applied to a lo- cality in the northeast part of the town, the neighborhood of the Gillett brick-yards. There is perhaps no town in the county of Windsor that has been more productive of prominent men in the executive and legislative branches of National and State governments than has Hartford; and in closing this chapter it is proper that there be furnished the names at least of those who have been the leaders of the town in its civil and political affairs, and who have been exalted to positions of trust and responsi- bility, and who, by faithfully performing each and every of their duties, brought credit and honor not only to themselves, but also to the town in which they had lived. The town of Hartford has furnished the successful candidate for the office of Representative in Congress from this district as follows: William Strong, from 18 10 to 181 5 ; William Strong, from 18 19 to 1821; George E. Wales, 1825 to 1829; Andrew Tracy, 1854 to 1856. In the State government the town has furnished officers as follows : Governor, Samuel E. Pingree, 1885-86; lieutenant-governors, Joseph Marsh, 1778-79, and from 1787 to 1790; David M.Camp, 1836-41; Samuel E. Pingree, 1883-84; secretary of state, Charles W. Porter, 1885-89. As members of the Council of Censors the town was represented in 1785 by Joseph Marsh; 1806 by Thomas Gross; 1813 by Elijah Strong; and in 1834 by William Strong. Members of the several constitutional conventions : 1 793, John Clark ; 358 History of Windsor County. 1 8 14, Frederick Mather; 1822, George E. Wales; 1828, Wyllys Ly- man ; 1836, Andrew Tracy; 1843, Andrew Tracy ; 1850, John L. Lev- ering; 1870, B. F. Ray. State Senate: 1839, Andrew Tracy; 1842-43, John Porter; 1861, Daniel Needham ; 1869 to 1 871, Albert G. Dewey; 1874-75, Joseph C. Parker; 1886-87, Daniel L. Gushing. Representatives in State General Assembly: 1778, Stephen Tilden : 1779, Amos Robinson; 1780-81, Elkanah Sprague ; 1782, Joseph Marsh and Joshua Hazen ; 1783, Stephen Tilden; 1784, Joshua Hazen and Stephen Tilden ; 1785, Stephen Tilden; 1786-87, Joshua Hazen; 1788, Joshua Hazen; 1789, Elisha Marsh; 1790-91, Joshua Hazen; 1792, lilisha Marsh; 1793, Joshua Hazen; 1794-97, John Clark ; 1798- 99, William Strong; 1800, Benjamin Russ; 1801-02, William Strong; I 803-04, William Perry ; 1805-09, Sherman Dewey ; 18 10, Elijah Mason ; 1811-12, Nathan Gere; 1813-14, Abel Barron; 1815-18, William Strong; 1819-20, James Udall ; 1821-24, George E. Wales ; 1825-32, Wyllys Lyman; 1833-37, Andrew Tracy; 1838-41, John Porter; 1842-43, Shubael Russ; 1844, John Porter; 1845-46, Allen Hazen ; 1847-48, John Porter ; 1849, Allen Hazen ; 1850-51, Albert G. Dewey ; 1852-53, George Lyman ; 1854, Lucius Hazen; 1855-56, Daniel Smith ; 1857-58, Daniel Needham; 1859-60, Edward P. Sprague ; 1861-62, Benjamin Porter; 1863-64, Albert G. Dewey; 1865-66, William G. Chandler; 1867-68, Joseph C. Parker; 1869-71, Noah B. Safiford ; 1872-73, Stephen N. Pingree; 1874-75, Edwin C. Watson; 1876-77", William Lindsey ; 1878-79, Noah B. Hazen; 1880-81, Samuel J. Allen ; 1882-83, Daniel L. Gushing; 1884-85, A. L. Pease; 1886-87, W. S. Dewey; 1888-89, Charles B. Stone. CHAPTER XVH. HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF HARTL.-\ND HARTLAND is counted among the largest and more important towns of Windsor county, and its proximity to the town of Wind- sor has likewise placed it among the more historic towns of the county. It was the home and place of death of Doctor Paul Spooner, than whom the whole county produced no one man more prominently identified Town of Hartland. 359 with the early history of this State ; and although a physician by pro- fession, he became a statesman by virtue of his intellectual attainments, and the deep interest he took in the cause of the people on the New Hampshire Grants. And there were others besides Paul Spooner who were also conspicuous in the early political affairs of the State, the county and the town, and of whom mention will be made as this narra- tive progresses. This town, under the name of Hertford, was brought into existence by virtue of a charter granted by Governor Benning Wentworth, of New Hampshire, dated July 10, 1761, to Samuel Hunt and his associates, in seventy-one shares inclusive of reservations for all customary purposes. The similarity in the names of this town and that lying next northward, Hartford, was the occasion of much inconvenience and confusion to the people of the region, and especially to strangers coming to thes? parts. So, at least, one or the other had to change its name, and as this was the junior of the towns, and the more recently named, the change was made here, although the act of the Legislature that accomplished it was not passed until the year 1782. At that time the Legislature was in session at Windsor. The first act changing the name of the town was passed June 15, 1782, and by it the name of Waterford was given, and this act was concurred in and ap- proved by the Governor and Council ; but, on the 17th theieafter, this action was reconsidered, and the name Hartland substituted for Water- ford, as will be seen from the following extract from the journal of the executive body of the State: "The act mentioned in yesterday's jour- nal (meaning Saturday's, for 'yesterday' was Sunday), altering the name of Hertford to Waterford as concurred by this council, was this day re- considered, and proposed to the Assembly by Paul Spooner, esq , from the council, to be altered from Waterford to Hartland." By this name the town will hereafter be designated in this chapter, whether referring to events that occurred before or after the act was adopted. On the 23d of July, 1766, under the authority of the provincial gov- ernor of New York, the New Hampshire charter was confirmed to Oliver Willard and his associates, the result of an application made to New York, for the purpose of quieting in their possession those holding under the original charter; and for the further purpose of preventing New 360 History of Windsor Countv. York from granting the lands of the town to another and independent set of proprietors, which, had it been done, would undoubtedly have re- sulted in an internal controversy in the town. Hartland is one of the six towns of Windsor county that enjoys the benefits of having an eastern frontage on the Connecticut River, which fact implies that the town possesses some of the most fertile and pro- ductive agricultural lands to be found in the county; and further, that the lands, generally, are reasonably level and easy of cultivation, and especially so when placed in comparison with a majority of the towns further to the interior. Still, Hartland is by no means destitute of hill lands, and the fact is that she is abundantly well supplied with them, and some pretentious ones, too, but they are the exception, and not the rule, the reverse of the case with many other localities. The town con- tains 23,350 acres, approximately, or its equivalent in square miles of thirty-nine and sixty-hundredths. It is bounded north by Hartford; east by the Connecticut River; south by the towns of Windsor and West Windsor ; and west by Woodstock. The town has two principal water- courses, the Otta Quechee River in the northern, and the Lull Brook in the southern part, the former much the larger stream. These drain the portions of the town through which tliey pass, and on their course receive the waters of several tributaries. Both discharge into the Connecticut on the east border of the town. The town of Hartland, as has already been stated, was chartered in 1 76 1, but the earliest meetings of the proprietors were held at such places, not, however, in the town, as would best suit the convenience of the majority of them. The first record looking to the holding of a town proprietors' meeting within the limits of Hartland is found among the papers on file in the town clerk's office, and that appears to be an order made by Oliver VVillard, then the proprietors' clerk, based upon the ap- plication of proprietors representing more than the necessary one-six- teenth of shareholders, requesting a meeting in Hertford (Hartland) at the dwelling house of Captain Oliver VVillard, on the 15th day of March, 1763, for the purpose of choosing a proprietors' clerk, town officers, and to ascertain whether the proprietors would raise a sum of money for the purpose of cutting and making roads in the town. The order bears the date of February 21, 1763, and is signed by Oliver Willard, proprietors' clerk. Town of Hartland. 361 From this ancient document, being, as it was, an order based upon the petition of right owners representing more than one-sixteenth part of the proprietors, which was tlie number necessary to en- title the owners to hold a meeting in the town and choose town officers, it would appear that the settlement of the town must have commenced earlier than has been understood and reported by previous writers, or that Timothy Lull and the other first settlers came to the town very early during the year 1763. The meeting called for by Oliver Willard's order was to have been holden on the 15th of March, 1763, but it hardly seems possible that it could have been held in accordance with it. The order itself is written on a half-sheet of paper, and is found inclosed within the pages of the first record, but is not attached to the book. And there is nothing in the town records to indicate that a meeting was held in pursuance of the order, or that there was any town meeting earlier than 1767. It is generally conceded by all writers of Hartland town history that the first settlement in the town was made during the month of May, 1763, and that Timothy Lull and his family were the pioneers. Con- cerning this settlement the present writer quotes from Thompson as fol- lows: "The settlement of the town was commenced in May, 1763, by Timothy Lull, from Dummerston, in this State. At this time there were no inhabitants on Connecticut River between Charlestown, then (Fort) No. 4, and Hartland. A few families had, however, settled in Newbury, about forty miles to the north of this place. Mr. Lull moved into the town in the following manner: Having purchased a log canoe, he pro- ceeded in that up the Connecticut River, with his furniture and family, consisting of a wife and four children. He arrived at the mouth of a considerable brook in Hartland, where he landed his family, tied his canoe, and, breaking a junk bottle in the presence of his little family, named the stream Lull's Brook, by which name it has ever since been known. He proceeded up the brook about a mile, to a log hut which had been previously erected, near the place now called Sumner's village (Hartland). Here he spent his days and died at the advanced age of eighty-one years." And upon this same point, the first settlement by Timothy Lull, an- other and more recent writer, evidently a resident of the town, says : 40 362 History of Windsor County. " The first settlement in Hartland was made in May, 1763, by Timothy Lull, who had previously been living at Dummerston. Having con- cluded to settle in Hertford, as it was then called, he purchased a log canoe, and taking with him his family, which consisted of a wife and four children, and such furniture as they needed, paddled up the Connecticut River. Arriving at the mouth of a stream just north of the south- ern line of the town, he anchored his boat and landed his family. Taking then a junk bottle, he broke it in the presence of his wife and children, and named the stream Lull Brook — the name by which it has since been known. Proceeding up the brook about a mile, he came to a deserted log hut, situated upon the farm now (1882) owned by E. M. Goodwin. Here he commenced a settlement. For many years he suffered privations and hardships, ' but possessing a strong constitution and a vigorous mind he overcame all obstacles, accumulated a handsome property, lived respected, and died at the age of eighty-one years, generally lamented.' He reared a family of nine children, of whom Timothy was the first male child born in the town. This birth occurred in December, 1764, on which occasion the doctress was drawn on the ice twenty-three miles from Charlestown, N. H., on a hand-sled." Aside from the fact that the second account is somewhat more full and extended than that first quoted, there appears to be no material difference in the statements. Both agree in saying that Mr. Lull pro- ceeded up the brook, but the first states that he came " to a log hut which had been previously erected," while the second narrative says " he came to a deserted log hut." From both statements it is fair to assume that somebody had been to the region in advance of Mr. Lull; or how shall we account for the log hut previously erected ? No account asserts that Mr. Lull had ever visited the place before, while the latter infrequently, at least, states that he had not by these words : " Having concluded to settle in Hertford," etc. This is not an important subject for consideration here, but it is apparent that some attempt at effecting a settlement, either temporary or permanent, had been made before the coming of Timothy Lull in May, 1763. The settlement made by the family of Timothy Lull was soon followed by others, and with such expedition that in 1771 the population of the town, according to the enumeration made then by the New York author- Town of Hartland. 363 ity, reached one luindred and forty-four, showing the presence of some- thing hl^4^^ Town of West Windsor. 379 In the fall of 1849 Daniel Read was elected representative in the Gen- eral Assembl)' of the State. But West Windsor has never achieved any special prominence among the towns of the county, nor have her people ever had any desire that their town should become one of great importance ; they desired a sep- arate existence that they might govern the town in their own way and in accordance with their own ideas, and this much accomplished, the summit of their ambition was reached. West Windsor is an agricultural rather than a manufacturing town ; still, some effort has been made in the direction of the latter industry, the waters of Mill River affording excellent mill privileges for the pur- pose, and this has been utilized more in the vicinity of Brownsville than elsewhere. The most important, perhaps, of the industries of the town was the so-called Perkins woolen-mill, which was established by Josiah Perkins in 1831, for the manufacture of woolen and flannel goods. In 1850 this and the grist-mill were about the only industries of the locality. In i860 the woolen-mill was in operation, and A. A. Pierce was en- gaged in manufacturing leather. Ten years later the Perkins mill was running, M. B. & S. W. Perkins, proprietors, and Ira C. Small run the saw and lumber-mill. The latter was afterward converted into a grist, cider and saw-mill, and became quite an industry. In 1880 the Sykes mill was still operating, and L. C. White was making hosiery at the woolen-mill. In 1850 the town of West Windsor had a population of 1,002 ; i860, 924; 1870, 708; 1880, 696; and at present the number of inhabitants cannot vary much from 650. Reference has already been made to the old Congregational society of the West Parish, as this part of the town was then called. Some time after the organization of that society, and probably about 1800, a Bap- tist society was formed in the West Parish, but that, too, is now extinct. Elder Samuel Lawson was its first pastor. The Methodist society, the church of which is at Brownsville, was formed about the year 18 10, with Rev. Chester Leavens as first pastor. The first church edifice was of brick, and built in 1831, and the present frame building in i860. The only other church building in the town is the Union at the hamlet called Sheddsville. 3So History of Windsor County. Representatives in General Assembly from West Windsor: 1815, Jabez Delano ; 1849-50, Daniel Read ; 185 1-52, M. Worcester ; 1853 Daniel Read; 1854—55, Jonas B. Bartlett ; 1856-57, Orange Leavens- 1858-59, D. F. Hemenway; 1860-61, G. H. Shedd ; 1862, M. N. Lin- coln; 1863, Micah N, Lincoln; 1864-65, M. F. Morrison; 1866-67, Gilman H. Shedd; 1868-69, Eugene H. Spaulding ; 1870-71, Daniel Benjamin ; 1872—73, Moses P. Perkins; 1874—75, Eugene H. Spaulding; 1876-77, Allen Savage; 1878-79, Eugene H. Spaulding; 1880-81, M. F. Morrison; 1882-83, Eugene H. Spaulding; 1884-85, F. S. Hale; 1886-87, J. C. Taylor; 1888-89, E. S. Hale. Town officers: Eugene H. Spaulding, town clerk and treasurer ; F. S Hale, G. C. Waite and W. H. H. Ralph, selectmen ; J. H. Hammond, C. S. Worcester and E. C. Cady, listers; E. M. Shurtleft', superintendent ; F. S. Hale, overseer; W. H. H. Ralph, agent. CHAPTER XIX. HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF READING. ON the 6th of July, 1761, Governor Wentworth of New Hampshire issued charters for three towns of land lying west of the Connecti- cut River ; and the towns thus brought into existence embraced a strip six miles wide and extending from the river westward across the entire width of the present county of Windsor. The towns thus incorporated were Saltash (now Plj'mouth), Reading and Windsor, each presumed to be six miles square, and to contain an aggregate of thirty-six square miles with allowances ; but in making subsequent surveys the town of Windsor was made to extend westward six and one-half miles, thus over- lapping the territory supposed to belong to Reading, and occasioning a dispute between the towns concerning the half-mile strip. Although there was an undoubted mistake, susceptible of amicable adjustment, the friends of the Windsor side of the controversy pressed their claims so earnestly that the result was a division of the contested strip, by running a line from the southeast to the northwest corner thereof, each town tak- Town of Reading. 381 ing half. Hence the irregular form of Reading town. The town is bounded north by Woodstock; east by West Windsor; south by Cav- endish ; and west by Plymouth. Among the towns of the county Reading occupies a position nearly central, and is about equally distant from the county seat and the village of Windsor, with both of which trading centers it is connected by reason- ably good wagon roads, over which there passes daily mail and passen- ger stages. The character of the land surface generally in Reading is quite hilly, and in some localities mountainous, although there are less of extreme heights found here than in many other towns on the west and north sides of the county. Associated with the early history of the region of which Reading forms a part, there was at least one thrilling event, — a sad but interesting occur- rence, — the story of which has been told and re- told until it is as famil- iar to every intelligent person of the town as the alphabet itself We refer to the Indian capture of whites at the old Fort Number Four, the site of Charlestown, New Hampshire. It appears that during the period of the French wars a party of Canadian Indians suddenly appeared at the fort and made captives of eight persons — Captain James Johnson, his wife and three small children, and Peter Labaree, Ebenezer Farns- worth and Mirian Willard, the latter a sister of Mrs. Johnson. This oc- curred August 30, I7S4- Having effected the capture, the Indians and captives at once crossed the Connecticut River on the journey to Canada. On the first day the party reached a point near the base of the Little Ascutney Mountain in the town of Cavendish, or what afterward became that town, where prep- arations were made for passing the night. The prisoners were secured according to the savage idea and not with any regard for the personal comfort of the unfortunates. Added to their mental and physical suf- ferings during that night came a still further affliction to one of the captives, Mrs. Johnson ; for during the early hours of the night she gave birth to a child, a daughter. From these extraordinary events — the capture and birth — the child was named Elizabeth Captive Johnson. The next morning, after a light and not very refreshing meal, the jour- ney was resumed, the unfortunate mother being allowed the use of a horse upon which to ride, but this only after having been carried by the 382 History of Windsor County. three white men of the party for a long distance upon a rude Htter until they were completely exhausted. And the use of the horse was allowed only in the savages' expectation of obtaining an additional ransom on account of the child. Once the unfortunate woman was threatened to be left in the woods with her babe, but the tliought of death in such a wilderness nerved her to continue the journey notwithstanding her in- tense sufferings. The route taken by the Indians took the party across the south part of this town into Saltash and to the Black River ; tlience, as is generally understood, up that stream and into the mountains, which being traversed, they made their way to Lake Champlain and Crown Point; thence to Canada and Montreal, where the prisoners were held for ransom. From here several weeks later Captain Johnson was paroled for two months tliat lie might return to New Hampshire to collect the funds with which to purchase liberty for the captives. After considerable delay the provincial government of New Hampshire voted him one hundred and fift)' pounds, with which he at once prepared to return north ; but the rigors of the winter were such as to prevent iiis reaching Canada until the early part of 1755. Upon his arrival he was charged with having violated his parole, his money was taken from him, and the entire party put in prison. Some eighteen months later Mrs. Johnson with her chil- dren, except the eldest, who was detained in a convent of the Jesuit order in Canada, together with Miss Willard were sent to England, and thence returned to Boston ; but Captain Johnson was kept a prisoner in Canada for some three years. In after years the spot of their first night's camp was several times visited by some of the former prisoners, and by whom monuments com- memorative of the events were erected. The above narrative records the first known visit of white people to the district now called Reading, but that was an involuntary and forced errand Under the authority of the provincial government of New Hampshire the town of Reading was chartered on July 6, 1761, but its first settle- ment was not commenced until the year 1772, when Andrew Spear came to the locality and began an improvement in the northeastern part of the town, east of the hamlet called Reading Center. The charter by whicli this town was brought into existence was sub- Town of Reading. 383 stantially the same as those by which other towns were created, and needs no full reproduction here ; still, some of the conditions or obliga- tions imposed upon the grantees will be found interesting, and for that reason are herein given, as contained in the charter on file : I. Every grantee, his heirs or assigns shall plant and cultivate five acres of land within the term of five years, for every fifty acres con- tained in his or her share or proportion of land in said town, and con- tinue to improve and settle the same by additional cultivation, on penalty of the forfeiture of his grant or share in said town, and of its reverting to us, our heirs and successors, to be by us or them regranted to such of our subjects as shall effectually settle and cultivate the same. II. This section provides for the preservation of all white " and other pine trees, fit for masting our Royal Navy," and prohibits their cutting or destruction under penalty. III. That before any division of the land be made to and among the grantees, a tract of land, as near the center of the town as the land will admit of shall be reserved and marked out for town lots, one of which shall be allotted to each grantee, of the contents of one acre. IV. Yielding and paying therefore to us, our heirs and successors, for the space of ten years, to be computed from the date hereof, (July 6, 1761,) the rent of one ear of Indian corn, only on the 25th day of De- cember, annually, if lawfully demanded, the first payment to be made on the 25th day of December, 1762. V. Every proprietor, settler or inhabitant shall yield and pay unto us, our heirs and successors, yearly and every year forever from and after the expiration of ten years from the aforesaid 25th day of December, which will be in the year of our Lord 1772, one shilling proclamation money for every one hundred acres he owns, settles or possesses, and so in proportion for a greater or lesser tract of the said land, etc. The foregoing extracts will serve to acquaint the reader with the char- acter of the provisions and conditions of the charter issued and granted by Governor VVentworth, but in explanation it should be stated that the conditions were not, nor could they be, fulfilled or carried out accord- ing to their strict construction. Governor Wentworth evidently con- templated a lasting continuance of the authority of his province over this territory of land, but the order of the king's Council in 1764 had 384 History of Windsor County. the efifect of substantially terminating the New Hampshire control of the district, and giving it over to the province of New York ; therefore the annual payment of the proverbial ear of Indian corn, and the shilling of proclamation money, was not thereafter demanded or received by New Hampshire. And after that "order in council" of 1764 New Hampshire withdrew from the controversy with New York, and left the settlers then on the grants to contend against the authority of the last named province as best they might, or else to acquiesce in it. The grantees under the charter from New Hampshire were si.xty-tvvo in number, but the shares into which the town was divided numbered sixty- eight, the excess in shares being made to provide for donations for purposes usually specified " first events," etc. From the time of the chartering until the organization of the town its affairs were in the hands of the " proprietors," the original grantees, of whose proceedings there appear no valuable records. But it does not appear that among those grantees there was an ele- ment which was disposed to acknowledge and acquiesce in the authority of New York ; but who they all were, or the extent of their affiliation, cannot now be reliably ascertained. One of the leaders of that element was Simon Stevens, and, if ancient accounts are to be relied upon, he succeeded in making himself exceedingly obnoxious to the friends of the new State — the followers of the famous Green Mountain Boys. In truth evidences are not wanting to show that Stevens was many times guilty of "inimical" conduct, of "Toryism," for all of which he was amenable to the laws laid down by Ethan Allen and his followers. But fortunately for Stevens, he lived iri a locality too far from the seat of government of the Green Mountain patriots for that body to visit their vengeance upon his erring head. This same Stevens succeeded in procuring a grant of Reading's ter- ritory to himself and others, some of whom were of the original grant- ees under Governor Wentworth, but as to who all of them were there is no tangible record to show. Their grant was dated March 6, 1772, but it is understood that no cliarter was ever granted by New York to them. And Andrew Spear, tiie acknowledged pioneer of Reading, received his deed from Simon Stevens, which fact is disclosed by the town records ; also, the conveyance recited that the land was situate in Cl.AKK WaRDNER. Town of Reading. 385 the county of Cumberland and province of New York. The land was, moreover, the same as belonged to David Nims, a grantee under the charter from New Hampshire. This was hardly an exceptional case, as instances were frequent in which the grantors and grantees named in the early conveyances recognized and acknowledged New York au- thority. But it would be unfair and incorrect to assume that Andrew Spear was himself allied to the New York cause, simply from the fact of his purchase from the notorious Stevens, for such was hardly the case. From the meager knowledge obtained from records it appears that Mr. Spear represented Reading in the convention at Windsor, in June, 1777, that gave to the new State the name Vermont, instead of New Connecticut, although he does not appear as one of the signers of the revised declaration adopted at that time. He also was the first repre- sentative of the town in the State General Assembl}', elected in 1779. The only other resident of Reading during the year 1777 was Barakiah Cady, whose pioneership in the town commenced that same year. In 1779 the scanty settlement was re-enforced by the arrival of sev- eral families and persons who aspired to residence in the then wilder- ness region, among whom were James Sawyer, John Weld, David Hap- good, Joseph Sawyer, Jedediah Leavens, Seth and John Sawyer, Samuel Gary, Hezekiah Leavens, and possibly others whose names are lost. Nebediah Cady and Benjamin Buck came in 1780, and also, about the same time, Benjamin Sawyer. These were the pioneers, the very earliest settlers of the town, upon whom fell the burden of labor during the most trying period of its his- tory. Other settlers of course came in from year to year, took their proper lands and at once proceeded to clear and cultivate them. But the early settlement was slow, — e.xceedingly slow, — as was the case in other localities similarly situated. Land titles were in an unsettled con- dition, and there was but little inducement for the sturdy pioneer to in- vest his small means in lands where there was the possibility of subse- quent eviction. In 1 79 1 the town had acquired a population of 748, and in 1800 the number had increased to 1,120. The maximum was attained in 1830, there then being, as shown by the census enumeration of that year, a population of 1,603 souls. From that time there has 4'.) 386 History of Windsor County. been a gradual thougli continuous decrease, as shown by each succes- sive census until that of 1880 was taken, the town then having but 953 souls within its borders, a number exceeding by only 206 the popula- tion it had in 1791. This is certainly a lamentable situation, but is no marked exception to the losses of people in many other towns of the county and State. During the Revolutionary war this town was so weak in population and resources that it could hardly be expected to furnish many men or much means for maintaining the military of the State, but according to its ability so the town did perform. The records of the Governor and Council state that in 1781 the town had one man in service, but his name is not given; and the records of the town for 1782 also disclose the fact that one man was "hired" to enter the service for a period of eight months, but no name is here mentioned. But after the close of the war, when the affairs of the State had become somewhat settled, and her admission to the Union was only a question of time, then the settle- ment increased rapidly, and there came to reside here many who were patriots of the Revolution, and who became prominently identified with the subsequent affairs of the town and county. For the service during the second war with Great Britain, and known as the War of 1812-15, the town of Reading furnished as many men as any town of its population in the county. And during that service there was the same division of sentiment that existed in other towns of the county, the Peace party and the War party alike having their cham- pions, but the latter was largely in the majority. During and prior to the outbreak of this war nearly every well settled town had its militia organizations, as well as its men "subject to military duty," and at this time the militia officers were called upon to furnish the town's quota of armed men for the service. Fourteen were " drafted " from the two Reading companies, as follows: Josiah Gilson, Willard Holden, Joshua Sawyer, Elijah Chandler, Robert Dunlap, Silas Wetlierbee and Samuel Dudley from Captain Aaron Townsend's company ; and Rufus Forbush, Asa Belden, Benjamin and John Grandy, Kendall Boutwell, Abel Gilson, and Amos Lane from Captain Noah Cady's command. These men were in the service at Plattsburgh and in the region of Canada, and were at- tached to Colonel D. W. Dana's Thirty- first Regiment. And of the men Town of Reading. 387 who were subject to military duty, and possibly others, who enlisted as residents of the town, during the same war, were Samuel Johnson, David Burnham, John Hackett, Benjamin Nutting, John Hagett, Jos. Wood, John Y. Sawyer, Henry Giddings, Elisha Sawyer and Abial Persons. The record made by the town of Reading during the war of the Rebel- lion, the war of 1861-65, shows to as good advantage and brings as much credit to the town as that of any other locality of the county, or of the State. A roll of the volunteers who entered the service from Reading will be found by reference to chapter ten of this volume, and therefore need not be copied in this place. And it is a fact that almost every regiment or part of a regiment that was organized and sent from Ver- mont during the course of the war had some Reading volunteers in its ranks. The exceptions to this statement are indeed few. According to the reports of the adjutant- general of the State, Read- ing is credited with having one hundred and eighteen men in the serv- ice in three years', one year's, and nine months' regiments, and one man in the navy. Besides this there were six volunteers re-enlisted, and six men were credited miscellaneously and not named. In the town, also, ten men were enrolled who furnished substitutes ; nine were furnished under draft and paid commutation, and two procured substitutes. There were enlisted in the town, prior to the President's call of October 17, 1863, for 300,000 volunteers, thirty-seven men ; subsequent to that call, but still for the three years' service, thirty-seven men ; for one year's service, three men ; and for nine months' service, twenty- two men ; navy, one man. Returning again, and briefly, to the early events of Reading, it is found that the town was organized and officers elected in 1780, the first free- men's meeting being held March 30th of that year. Concerning the sev- eral officers then chosen the records give no account other than the elec- tion of Jedediah Leavens as town clerk. At that time and before, and for some years after as well, the affairs of the town were in the hands of the proprietors, and the organization was a formal act to arrange for local government independent of the proprietors' proceedings. The town, besides having control over its own civil government, was vested with authority to tax the people for the support and maintenance of a minister of the gospel, and, if need be, to be at the expense of erect- 388 HiSTOKY OF Windsor County. ing a meeting-house. The charter provided, among its reservations of lands, that one whole share be set apart for the " Society for the Propa- gation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts ; one share for the first settled minister of the Gospel ; one share for the benefit of a school in said town ; and one share for a glebe for the Cluirch of England," etc. The society of the Congregational church was the first religious organization to have a being within this town, and was formed on the 26th of June, 1787. Rev. Nahum Sargeant was the first settled minister, and to him was sur- veyed one right of one hundred and seventy-five acres of land, in May, 1789, and another right of one hundred and twenty- five acres in thesame month and year. The first right lay on the western side of the town, and the second near the center. The first meeting-house was a log structure. The services of the resident minister were paid by general town tax, a practice that was kept up until 1797 Of the early residents of the town a majority were Congregationalists, but as new families came to the locality, other societies were orgnnized. The society of the Baptist church was formed December 25, 1788 ; the Reformed Catholic Society December 12, 1796; and another known as the Congregation of the Moral Society in October, 1798. But not all of these societies had a church home ; the early meetings were held at such places as best suited the convenience of members, a dwelling house, and occasionally a barn, or perhaps a grove of forest trees, answering their purpose. In fact, the old log church did service as a place for pub- lic worship until the beginning of the present century, although frequent efforts were made by the town to cause the erection of a more substan- tial building for the purpose ; but on account of a wide diversity of opinion among the freemen, or some other interference, the matter was delayed, or if voted for, was reconsidered, and it was not until the year 1801 that a commodious frame church building was erected in Reading. Unfortunately, however, this edifice was destroyed by fire in 1 8 10. After this disaster the town was without a meeting-house until 1S16, during which year a brick edifice was erected at Reading Center. But this church was burned in i860. The Universalist Society of Reading was brought into existence in 1802, and has remained to the present day, now being the strongest, numerically, of any denomination in the town. The Methodist Society Town of Reading. 389 was a later creation, having been formed about 1820, and this too is in existence in the town. These two, with the Calvinistic Baptist Society, comprise the active working reh'gious societies of the town at present. The Union church, at Felchville, was built through the joint efforts of these denominations. TIic Reading Centennial Celebration. — This was unquestionably the greatest event in Reading's modern history, and was celebrated with such interesting and impressive ceremonies as the occasion seemed to demand. The exercises in full were published in the Woodstock Post of August 30, 1872, the celebration having taken place two days earlier. From the narrative contained in that paper, written by Gilbert A. Davis, and afterward incorporated in his excellent "History of Reading," many facts of importance relating to the early institutions of the town are gleaned, as well as a synopsis of the events of the celebration itself And it is well to state here, parenthetically perhaps, that should the readers of this volume desire access to a full, minute and accurate account of the history of this town, their attention is respectfully directed to Mr. Davis's work, which was published in 1874. The order of the exercises at the celebration was as follows : Address of welcome, by Dr. VV. S. Robinson, president of the day ; prayer, by Rev. J. S Small; historical address, by Gilbert A. Davis, esq.; (from this address, among other things, it is learned that "as early as April 5, 1778, the town" — proprietors would probably be more accu- rate — " voted that Nathaniel Pratt, Asa Wilkin, Samuel Sherwin, John Weld, Elisha Bigelow, Abijah Stone, Solomon Keyes. John Sherwin, Abel Amsden, John Morse, George Clark, and David Hapgood divided the town into (school) districts ";) commemorative address, by Rev. T. J. Sawyer, D. D., of Tuft's College ; dinner and intermission ; histor- ical poem, by Mrs, Frances Raker, of Chester ; recitation of poem, by Stella M. Bryant (less than seven year.s of age) ; address, by Thomas Curley, student of Tuft's College; poem, "One Hundred Years," written by Minnie S. Davis, of Hartford, Conn., and read by Rev. S. A. Davis; address, " On the Changes of a Hundred Years," by Hon. John M. Stearns, of Brooklyn, N. Y.; address, by William Watkins, esq., of Towanda, Pa.; address, by Scwall Fullam, of I.udlow; poem, by Honestus Stearns, esq.; address, by Rev. Samuel A. Davis, of Hartford, Conn.; 390 History of Windsor County. address, by Simeon Ide, of Claremont, N. H.; short addresses, by F. G. Weld, of Greenfield, Wis., John L. Buck, of Lockport, N. Y., Hon. Julius Converse, of Woodstock, ex-Governor Ryland Fletcher, Hon. B. H. Steele, Rev. Horace Herrick. From the address of Sevvall Fullam much valuable information is de- rived relating to the early industries of the town, and some of the early residents as well, from all of which facts it will be unnecessary to pur- sue that subject further in these pages, as being of no particular interest to the people outside of the town, and those that live therein have the facts well before them. The town of Reading has four villages, or trading centers, — Reading Center, or Reading, Hammondsville, South Reading, and Felchville, of which that last named is the largest and most important. Felchville was named in honor of William Felch, a native of Royalton, Mass., born F"ebruary 3, 1797, but who came to this county at the age of fourteen years, and to the locality named for hmi in 1826. He was a generous, public-spirited, and industrious citizen, through whose labors the town was greatly benefited, and to whose energy the village owed its very ex- istence The work begun by him was carried on by others after he re- tired from active life, and to each one who followed in his footsteps is due a share of credit. But Felchville, like very many other villages in the land, has enjoyed its days of prosperity, and has experienced periods of adversity. Industries have come and gone, some flourished while others were less fortunate; but human judgment is not infallible, and mistakes and disasters should never be counted as intentional wrong. Felchville was established as the seat of a school district in 1827, but the school-house was not erected until the next year. In 1S47 a larger and more commodious school building was erected. The other villages of the town also have good school accommodations, while the town out- side is divided into districts, some full and fractional or joint, as best suits the necessities of the several localities and the people that dwell in them. Succession of town Representatives in the General Assembly: 1777 (convention at Windsor), Andrew Spear; 1778, no record; 1779, An- drew Spear ; 1780-81, Thomas Hapgood ; 1782, Andrew Spear ; 1783, Joseph Sawyer; 1784-89, John Weld; 1790-91, Elkanah Day; 1792, John Weld; 1793, Aaron Kimball ; 1794-95, Abijah Stone ; 1796-97, Town of Plymouth. 391 David Hapgood ; 1798-99, Moses Chaplain; 1800, Solomon Keyes ; 1801-08, Elias Jones; 1809, Lemuel Ida; 1 8 10, Solomon Keyes ; 1811, Jonathan Shedd ; 1812, Jonathan Shedd ; 1813-14, William L. Haw- kins; 1815, Jonathan Shedd ; i8i6-20, Sewall Fullam ; 1821-23, Jon- athan Shedd; 1824-25, Samuel C. Loveland ; 1826, Abel Gilson, jr.; 1827-28, Samuel C. Loveland ; 1829-31, Simeon Buck ; 1832-33, Will- iam Felch ; 1834-35, Shubael C. Shedd ; 1836-37, Bridgman Hapgood; 1838-39, Solomon Keyes; 1840-41, Benoni Buck; 1842-43, John Wheeler; 1844-45, Rufus Forbush ; 1846, John Wheeler; 1847-48, Charles Buck ; 1849, Solomon Keyes ; 1850-5 i, Luther Carlton ; 1852, Hiram Goddard ; 1853-54, Charles Buck; 1855-56, Samuel Herrick ; 1857, Samuel Herrick; 1858, Josiah O. Hawkins; 1859, Washington Keyes; i860, Washington Keyes; 1861-62, Willard H.Dow; 1863- 64, Merritt E. Goddard ; 1865-66, Sumner Fletcher; 1S67-68, Prosper Merrill; 1869, William P. Chamberlain; 1870-71, Hiram F. Thomas; 1872-73, Gilbert A. Davis; 1874-75, Gilbert A. Davis; 1876-77, George H. Parker ; 1878-79, none; 1880-81, Eleazer Dexter ; 1882-83, John McCullough ; 1884-85, Azro White ; 1886-87, Orsemor S. Hol- den; 1888-89, William W. Keyes. CHAPTER XX. HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF PLYMOUTH. THE town of Plymouth, as it is now and for nearly a century has been known, was chartered by Governor Banning Wentworth of New Hampshire, on the 6th of July, 1761, and was, therefore, one of the earlier chartered towns. The grantees under this charter were sixty- four in number, and headed by Jeremiah Hall. The town, however, was given the name of Saltash, and by that name it was known and called until February 23, 1797, when an act of the Legislature changed the name to Plymouth. The town also seems to have been among those over which the prov- ince of New York sought to exercise control by specific acts, as well as the general authority she claimed to possess over this whole State ; for 392 History of Windsor County. ill the year 1772, soon after or about the time of tiie erection of Cumber- land and Gloucester counties, the governor of the province of New York made a grant of the lands of old Saltash to Ichabod Fisher and certain associates, the grant bearing date May 13, 1772, but it is not known whether or not the New York governor e\er confirmed the Fisher grant b_\- charter rights and privileges ; probably he did not. And it is not positively known whether Saltash was first settled by persons friendly to New York or Vermont, for when the first pioneer, of whom there is a record, came to the town, Vermont had become an independent State, and had succeeded New Hampshire in extending protection and juris- diction over the people of the districts or separate grants But when the town was organized, in 1787 or about that year. New York had practi- cally lost control of the Vermont towns, although the rights of the latter were not then recognized by Congress, and the first officers were elected by the freemen in accordance with the laws of this State. Geographically, the town of Plymouth occupies a position among the towns of Windsor county on the extreme western border, abutting the Rutland county east line ; in the north and south measurement of Wind- sor county the position of the town is central, being one of the six towns that form the central block in the county. Plymouth is also reckoned among the more mountainous towns of the county, there being perhaps as large a number of peaks and high ridges as can be found in any of the county's towns. And the hills, too, do not appear to form a continuous range, but a series of broken mountain formations, with deep valleys between them, through which course large and small beautiful mountain streams. Many of these peaks have been dignified with distinguishing names, some given in allusion to the surname of an owner or prominent resident of their locality, and others applied from the peculiar characteristics of the mountain itself, as fancy or taste might dictate. In the northeast part are the so-called Blueberry Ledges, on the north side of which were the old Chamberlain cider and saw-mills of years ago. Then, still in the northern section, are the other hills — Allen's Hill, Morgan Peak, Smith's Hill, Mount Pleasant, Wood's Peak, Slack Hill, Plymouth Notch, East Mountain, and many others of equal prominence. In the central part of the town are a number of mountains, to which Town of Plymouth. 393 have been applied respective names, — Mount Tom, Old Notch, Mount Ambrose, South Hudus Mountain and Blueberry Hill ; wliile the south- ern part has its Weaver Hill, Dry Hill, Saltash Hill, Tinney Hill, and others of less prominence. In the southwestern part of the town, and north of Saltash Hill, is a spot that achieved some considerable notoriety many years ago, from having been the supposed general rendezvous and point of manufacture of a band of counterfeiters ; and for their peculiar craft no more favorable location could have been selected, for this region of the town has witnessed no settlement, even to the present day. The general trend of the mountain system of Plymouth appears to be from south to north, with an inclination to the northwest. The town, too, possesses water privileges second to none in the county or perhaps in the State. The Black River is its principal stream, and has its chief source in Woodward's reservoir, although its extreme headwaters are in the towns farther north. From the reservoir the river flows southeast to a point a short distance from the old Ward lime works, where it broadens and forms a body of water known as Black Pond ; thence continues its course to the southeast across the town and discharges into Plymouth Pond. This is a still larger body of water and from its area would be entitled to the more dignified appellation of " lake," should the citizens of the locality feel disposed to so designate it. The outlet of the pond is a continuation of the Black River, which flows thence into the town of Ludlow, crosses the other towns of Cavendish, Weathersfield and Springfield, and discharges its waters into the Connecticut in the town last named. The principal tributaries of the Black River in Plymouth are Patch Brook, Little Roaring Brook, Money Brook, Great Roaring Brook, and Tinker Brook, on the west side ; and Kingston Brook, Read- ing Brook, Grass Pond, and J3uck Pond, on the east side. Hollow Brook and Broad Brook, tributaries of the Otta Quechee River, also have their headwaters in Plymouth town. The several ponds of the town are stocked with fish of different varieties, and this with the other attractions of the locality have combined to make Plymouth a summer resort of some prominence. A large proportion of the rock formation in the town is primitive lime- stone, and fifty and even less years ago the manufacture of lime was one of the important industries of the locality. Some of this stone made .'lO 394 History of Windsor County. excellent marble, and as early as 1834 a factory, capable of operating one hundred and fifty saws, was built and run for a number of years. Some of this marble was of a white color and some was beautifully varie- gated. Near the vicinity of Mount Tom also there existed, and still does, a considerable bed of soapstone, but its production was not carried on to any marked extent. The town of Plymouth abounds in natural attractions, greater than which there is none in southern Vermont, and the greatest and most celebrated of those in the town are what has been termed the Plymouth Caverns. These were first discovered early in July, 1818, and very soon afterward were explored. They are situate at the base of the mountain, on the southwest side of the river, and about fifty rods therefrom. They were caused by water running through the lime rock, thus making considerable excavations. The passage into the main cavern is nearly perpendicular, about the size of a common well, and ten feet in depth. This leads into the main room, oval in form, thirty feet long by twenty feet wide, and about fifteen feet in greatest height. The second room is reached through a broad, sloping passage, and is about half the size of the first. The third room is reached by a narrow passage, and the room is fourteen feet long, eight feet wide and seven feet high. The fourth room is thirty feet long, twelve wide, and eighteen high, while the fifth room of this cave is ten feet long, seven wide, and but four feet in height The sixth and seventh rooms are about the same size, each being about fifteen feet long, seven wide, and four high. From the seventh room there extends a narrow passage into the rocks something like fifteen or sixteen feet, and then seems to terminate. When first discovered the roof and sides of this cavern were beautifully ornamented with stalac- tites, and the bottom with corresponding stalagmites, but curiosity hunters have broken and carried nearly everything away that was most desirable. A few rods to the westward of the cavern just described is another, about one- third less in size. The wealth of history made by the town of Plymouth rests in the record made by the town practically during the present century. To be sure the town was chartered as early, almost, as any other of the county's sub-divisions, but from its somewhat remote and isolated situa- tion there was not the inducement here that attracted pioneers to other Town of Plymouth. 395 towns ; and more than that, a settlement in the district of Saltash or Plymouth meant untold privations and hardships to the family of the venturesome pioneer who should make his abode within its limits. But notwithstanding all this, and in the face of all dangers and trials, the town was settled and peopled, and gained steadily in population and productions from the very first. The record has it that the first settler was John Mudge, and that he came to the town during the year 1777 ; and that he was soon afterward followed by the family of Aaron Hewett, during the same year. William Mudge, the son of John, was the first white male child born in the town, and from that event became entitled to and received the customary hundred- acre lot that was awarded to the first-born male of the town. But pioneer settlement in Plymouth was very slow, more so, perhaps, than the majority of the neighboring towns, but no slower than others similarl)' situated. The first census, that of 1791, gives the town a population of but one hundred and six, which was contained and em- braced by about twenty families. Nine years later, or in 1800, the number of families had increased to nearly one hundred, and the popu- lation to almost five hundred. So near as can be determined, in the absence of any written record, the town was organized about the year 1787, when the number of its families could hardly have exceeded twelve or fifteen. Adam Brown is believed to have been chosen town clerk in that year. The first freemen's meeting, of which there appears a record, was held in March, 1789; and Jacob Wilder was chosen town clerk ; Samuel Page, Moses Priest and John Coolidge, selectmen; Eben- ezer Wilder, Jonathan. Wilder and Nathan Jones, jr,, listers. These men were of course pioneers in the town, but there were others as well, whose names, some of them, can be recalled. John Taylor, Lieutenant Brown and Captain John Coolidge (both patriots of the Revolution), Jonathan Pinney, Isaiah Boynton, Luther Johnson, Nathan Hall, Asa , Wheeler, and undoubtedly others whose names have been lost, together with those mentioned before — Jacob Wilder, Moses Priest, Samuel Page, John Coolidge, Ebenezer and Jonathan Wilder, Nathan Jones, the first town officers, — comprised in the main the little colony of pioneers who had the termerity and determined spirit to attempt the settlement of so uninviting a town as Saltash was at that period. These families are 396 History of Windsor County. believed to have settled in the town as early at least as the year 1800, and a number of them before 1790. But whatever of hardships the pioneers of this town may have en- dured in effecting a permanent lodgment here, they seem never to have directly suffered under the smarting afflictions that attended pioneer- ship in many other localities, on account of the disturbances between New York and the independent State of Vermont; nor were the few settlers in the town at all embarrassed in their possessions by being called upon to furnish men and means with which to prosecute the war against Great Britain, for, at that time, the town had scarce a handful of men within her borders, and not enough to become noticed by the authorities of the State. The first representatives to the State legisla- tive body were chosen in 1778, but the town of Plymouth seems not to have chosen a representative prior to the election of Moses I'riest, in 1795- As the town grew in population, as the various remote localities began to be populated, as the forests gave way to agricultural improvements and development, the fact became disclosed that Plymouth possessed other and richer resources than were contemplated, or even dreamed of, by the pioneers. These vast mountains which were supposed to be of no practical value, except for their forest growth, were found to contain mineral and other deposits that once bid fair to place Plymouth far ahead of any of her sister towns. Explorations brought to light the fact that these hills contained deposits of marble, lime, steatite, iron and gold, and other valuable commodities, but the revelations came by periods, and each was worked and exhausted in its turn, or else similar produc- tions in other States supplied the demand and rendered further opera- tions here unprofitable. The marble and lime producing industries of the town have already been referred to, so we may now refer to the enterprise that founded the village of Tyson Furnace, as formerly known, or Tyson of to-day. The period of the iron excitement and development of Plymouth be- gan in 1835, about which year, or possibly a little earlier, the discovery of its deposit was made. Isaac Tyson was experienced in mining op- erations, and in crossing the mountains discovered by accident an iron deposit in the vicinity of Mount Tom. He examined its quality, and Town of Plymouth. 397 afterward sent to the locality an expert in iron ores, who prosecuted his explorations throughout the region with gratifying results. About the same time other mining operators became cognizant of the supposed in- exhaustible deposits of iron in the town, and they likewise sent prac- tical engineers to the town. In 1837 Mr. Tyson commenced the erec- tion of his works, which were put in operation the same year. They consisted of a large blast furnace, beside a smaller one for convenience. Several excavations were made by which ore was taken, a part proving to be of superior qualit}', such as is called steel ore. As the works became established, and the mining, blasting and cast- ing operations in full progress, a town was built up which was named after its enterprising founder — Tyson Furnace. Stores, a post-office, hotel and innumerable other business enterprises were established at the Furnace, and a large and successful business carried on there for a num- ber of years; but at length there came a decline, one embarrassment followed another, and in a few years more operations ceased and the locality lapsed into its tormer state. A number of the old structures are still standing, relics of a former age of progress and enterprise, but the hundreds of persons who found employment in connection with the mining and foundry enterprises have left the community, or sought other occupations. Scarcely had this great wave of excitement died away and become lost in the past than there appeared another ripple on the surface of affairs within the town, and it continued to grow and increase until the people of the quiet town became almost wholly absorbed in the one subject of the vast deposits of gold that lay concealed in the depths of Plymouth's mountains. Bridgewater lay substantially within the same belt and gold was reported there in great abundance ; therefore, why not in Plymouth ? About this time men, who had seen life in the gold fields of California, were returning to the East, and a party of them no- ticed a striking resemblance in the character of the soil in the two far apart places. Investigation followed, and the result proved that Ply- mouth, too, had gold deposits, but its quantity was unknown, altogether a matter of speculation. The first " claim" was staked out by William Hankinson, in 1858, in the vicinity of Five Corners (in the northeast part of the town), and within the space of a few square rods of land 398 History of Windsor County. more than four hundred dollars worth of the coveted mineral was found. Other operators duf^ in other localities, and even some of the staid and quiet towns-folk took up the pick and shovel and went in quest of sudden wealth But heavy or extensive operators did not seem to take hold of the matter of gold mining in Plymouth to any noticeable extent, though the reports of the field had gone abroad some years before ; and the digging that was done, and the mineral that was found, was due to the efforts of local and some comparatively unknown parties. Still each was rewarded for his labor, but riches none of them ever acquired. At last, to give the field a practical and thorough test, in the year 1880 a corporation was formed, known as the Plymouth Gold Mining Company. This company came to the field well equipped with capi- tal, tools and machinery, and commenced operations in the vicinity of Five Corners. They dug and mined along the streams and in the hills for a considerable time, taking out some gold of good quality. Still later, in 1882, the Rooks Mining Company, comprised mainly of New York capitalists, began operations in the town, along the waters and in the headlands of the vicinity of the streams in the southeast part of Plymouth, the principal scenes of operations being the valleys of Reading Brook and its tributary, Buffalo Brook, also Gold Brook. For a time these companies were reported as having abundant success; but mining operators are a peculiar class of people ; if success is abundant they report to the contrary, thus hoping to keep out other operators and hold the whole field, and if success is indifferent they are not willing that the world should know of their mistakes. But whatever of success the companies and private operators have met with is not at present generally known, but mining in Plymouth to-day is not prosecuted with any great degree of vigor, or at least with such vigor as is usually seen in highly productive gold regions. All these various enterprises, whether permanent or otherwise, have been productive of good results to the people of Plymouth, enabling the lumbermen to realize well frtmi the sale of their manufactures, the farmer on his products, the merchants from their stores, and to the will- ing laborer and mechanic they have furnished profitable employment for many years. And Plymouth, too, has held her population better than most similarly situated towns in the county, there having been less Town of Plymouth. 399 of decline in number of inhabitants than is noticeable in the majority of towns. Manufactures also have been kept up, and are now in as fair condition of prosperity as can be found in any town of the county. L. M. and H. E. Pinney are manufacturers of carriage rims ; Knight & San- derson, E. C. Pinney, of chair stock; E. C. and E. A. Hall, of lime; Parker & Piper and Moore & Clay, of lumber; A. F. Hubbard, of lum- ber and chair stock; VV. M. Cook, shingles and lath; A. A. Sumner, of butter tubs. And within the last five years the following firms, some already named, have been engaged in manufacturing industries in the town : Christopher C. Hall, Horace N. Ward, P. P. & H. P. Crandall and E. A. Hall, lime manufacturers; Frederick A. Butler, grist and saw-mill, and manufacturer of shingles and chair stock; John P. Al- ward, Parker & Piper, Fullam & Adams, S. I'". Pinney, Lyman F. Pin- ney, Henry F. Pinney and Moore & Clay, saw mills; A. A. Sumner, A. F. Hubbard, saw and grist- mills; Sanderson & Sumner and George M. Whitney, chair stretchers; John W. Pierce, pail handles, butter stamps, lath, rolling-pins, etc.; Hubbard & Scott, cheese factory; Francis H. Cook, scythe stones. The merchants of the town, with their places of location, respectively, are as follows : Plymouth Union, L. B. Moore and A. N. Earle; Tyson, A. F. Hubbard; Plymouth Notch, G. M. Moore. There has been, in past and present, five church societies in the town of Plymouth, — Congregational, Baptist, Methodist, Christian and P'ree Will Baptist. The Congregational church was formed in 1806, and over it Rev. Prince Jenne presided for several years. The first Union meet- ing-house was built in the south part of the town in 18 16. Another Union church was afterwards built at Plymouth. The only other church edifice, the Methodist, is at Plymouth Union. Present town officers: Clerk, Mrs. L. B. Moore; treasurer, L. J. Green; selectmen, C. H. Scott, E. H. Pinney, A. A. Sumner; h'sters, Charles Carpenter, A. F. Hubbard, Henry Hudson ; constable, J. C. Coolidge; superintendent, G. M. Moore; town agent, J. C. Coohdge. Plymouth representatives in Vermont General Assembly: 1795, Moses Priest; 1 796-7-8-9-1 800, Asa Briggs ; 1801, Elias Williams; 1802-3-4, Asa Briggs; 1805-6-7-8, Daniel Brown; 1809 to 1817 (inclusive), Ephraim Moore; iSiSto 1821, Asa Briggs ; 1822, Epliraim 400 History of Windsor County. Moore; 1823 to 1825, John Lakin ; 1826, Joseph Kennedy; 1827, none; 1828, John Lakin; 1829, Samuel Page; 1830, Levi Slack; 1831-32, Samuel Page; 1833, Cephas Moore; 1834, Samuel Page; 1835-36, John S. Fullerton ; 1837-38, none ; 1839 to 1842, Levi Slack; 1843-44, Moses Pollard, jr ; 1845-46, Jared Marsh ; 1847-48, Moses Pollard, jr.; 1849, Levi Slack; 1850, Abraham S. Day; 1851-53, John W. Stick- ney ; 1854-55, Jarius Josselyn ; 1856-57, Isaac Pollard; 1858-59, James A. Pollard; 1860-61, Calvin G. Coolidge; 1862-63, James S. Brown ; 1864-65, A. B. Martin ; 1866-67, Alpheus N. Earle ; 1868-69, Thomas Moore; 1870-71, Charles A. Scott; 1872-77, John C. Cool- idge; 1878-81, Alonzo F. Hubbard; 1882-S5, Levi J. Green; 1886-89, C. A. Scott. ' Old Families. It would be impossible within the compass of this work to give a genealogical sketch of each family that has been connected with the town. The remainder of this chapter is devoted to those who feel and have manifested an interest in preserving the records of their ancestors. For sketches received too late for insertion in this chapter please refer to a later chapter of this work. Bailey, Warren, born in Chester, Windsor county, Vt , September 28, 1840, lived at home in Chester and Cavendish until he was nventy-one years of age. On tlie23d of Ootober, 1862, he volunteered as private in Company C, Sixteenth Rei;imeiit Vermont Volunteers, Colonel Wheelock tr. Veasey commanding, and was with the regiment in all of its engagements, notably Gettysburg. He was mustered out August 1(1, 18(53. He married Maich 9, 18G5, Abbie W.. daughter of Andrew and Lydia Maria (Weston) Bald- win. She was born in Lowell, Vt., February 8, 1842. Her father was born March 8, 1805, in Cavendish, died June 5, 1880. His wife, born November 10, 181 1, died April 2, 1S87. Their children: Joseph A., born April 21, 1833; Edgertun, October 17, 1835; Mary E., August 20, 1837; Abbie W.; and Thomas, born August 14, 1845. After mar- rying. Mr. Bailey lived three years in Cavendish, then three years at North Hill, Lud- low. In 1871 he purchased the farm in Plymouth, known as the "Old Ballard Place," in the east part of the town, and has lived there since. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Bailey are Alfred S., born in Cavendish, December 30, 18G0; Elwin A., born in Ludlow, February 20. 18G9 ; Alva W., born November 29, 1872 ; Edson H.. born September 8, 1876; and Mary C, born November 4, 1881. The latter three reside in Plymouth. Cheney, George, was born in Mendon, Rutland county, Vt., November 16, 1828, the fourth in a family of seven children of John \V. and Abigail (Eastman) Cheney. His father moved from Mendon to Shrewsbury, Vt,, where he died in 183G, at the age of forty-two. When six years of age George went to live with Cephas Wilder, at the ■' Notch," Plymouth. He lived there until he was twenty-one years of age. He has been three times married. He married, November 13, 1855, Clara, daughter of Thomas Old Families. 401 and Athelia (Pollard) Moore. Sarah B., wife of Darwin Dow, farmer, living in Chester, Vt., is their only child. Mrs. Cheney died April 12, 1864. He married, April 12, 1866, Roann, daughter of Daniel and .Julia Whitney. George A. Chene}', born May 16, 1868, in Woodstock, Vt., is the only child by this marriage. He live* with his father. Roann Cheney died January 3, 1878. Jane ilaria, daughter of Samuel B. and Eunice (Sawyer) Bradley, was his third wife, whom he married .January 8, 1879. She was born in Beek- mantown, N. Y., September 6, 1830. Her father was born in Great Barrington, Mass., March 13, 1794, her mother in Rochester, Vt.. March 13, 1800. After his flrst marriage Mr. Cheney settled upon the farm now owned by J. R. Sargent in Plymouth. Next he purchased a farm in Woodstock, which he sold m 1871, and purchased the farm in Ply- mouth, between the " Notch " and '' Five Corners," known as the " Headly farm," where he now resides. Dix, Samuel, farmer, living in the .southeast corner of the town of Plymouth, is a de- scendant in the eighth generation from Anthony Dix, who landed m Plymouth, Mass., in the ship Ann, 1623. He was a sea captain ; was captured by pirate Bull in 1632, and after his escape, settled in Salem, Mass. He was wrecked on Cape Cod, December 13, 1636, and drowned. His wife's name was Tabitha. The line from Anthony to Samuel Dix, above named, is as follows: First, Anthony ; second, Ralph; third, John ; fourth, Samuel; fifth, Samuel; sixth, Samuel; seventh, Stephen; eighth, Samuel. Ralph, born December 4. 1643, wife's name Esther, died September 24, 1688. John, born in Ipswich, Mass., March 12, 1658, died in Reading, Mass., May 12, 174.5, was twice mar- ried, and had four children by his first and six by his second wife. His son Samuel, the second child by the last marriage, was born Feb:uary 7, 1705, married Hannah Batchelder, March 17, 1730, by whom he had eight children, of whom Samuel was the third, born March 23, 1736, in Reading, Mas.s.; was graduated from Harvard College in 1758; pastor of Congregational Church of Townsend for thirty-six years. He received a blow from an axe at a raising, and died a few days tliereafter, September 21, 1802. He had seven children, of whom Samuel was the second, born September 5, 1763, and died October 21, 1839, aged seventy-six years. He was married October 31, 1785, to Chloe, daughter of John and Mary Dix, an own cousin. Of his five children, Stephen was born m Townsend, Mass., May 18, 1790, married September 8, 1821, Mary P. Gilson. Mr. Dix died September 11, 1867, and his wife May 1, 1864. His father, Samuel Dix, moved from Townsend, Mass., and settled in Cavendish, Vt., in 1793. He had eight children, all of whom are deceased (1889) except Samuel and Benjamin. Sam- uel Dix was born in Plymouth, Vt., January 24, 1824. His father moved from Caven- dish and settled in Plymouth on the farm now owned and occupied by Samuel in 1827. The house was built by a Mr. Spaukhng in 1797. Samuel Dix married, July 26, 1862, Ellen S., daughter of Thomas and Mary M. (Davis) Cummmgs, who was born in Rock- ingham, Vt.. October 14, 1848. Her" mother died Jmie 10, 1852. Her father died from camp fever in Baton Rouge, La., September 18, 1862. Her brother, Lyman C, also a soldier in the War of the Rebellion, is a resident of Chester, Vt. A sister, wife of Charles Sisson, lives in Keene, N. H. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Dix are John D., born September 18, 1863, married October 2, 1888, Jennie, daughter of Heman and Caroline (Ordway) Gilson, of Wautoma, Wis., born July 27, 1869; Chloe M., born Oc- tober 6, 1870; and Ernest S., born September 9, 1879. Greene, Levi J. — Isaac Greene, grandfather of Levi J., married a Miss Chamberlain, raised a large family, and died in New York. His wife survived him, and died in Cav- endish, Vt. Their son Isaac married Polly Parker, of Cavendish. Their children were Mary, Eliza F., John P., James S., Joshua P., Levi J., Henry C, Hannah M., and Ab- ner F. The first four and Henry C. are deceased. All were married, and, except Henry C, had children. Greene, Isaac, father of Levi, moved from Cavendish and settled on a farm in the southwest part of Plymouth in 1817. He died there May, 1853. His wife survived him 51 402 History of Windsor County. many years. She died in Rutland, at tlie residence of her daughter, Hannah M., now Mrs. Tliomas A. Cheney. Greene, Levi .T., was born in Plymouth, February 25, 1825, and has been a life-lonp resident of the town. He married, April 5, 18.55, Philinda A., daughter of Moses and Hannah (.Sawyer) Hall. Mrs. Greene was born in Plymouth, September 29, 1829. Her father was the sou of Nathan Hall, one of tlie early settlers of Plymouth. The chil- dren of Moses and Hannah Hall were George W., Philinda A., Ellen A., Daniel M., Mary Ann, Sally A., A<62, married March 28, 1889, to Will D. Boyd, now living in Westminster, Mass. Hall, George W., died at the age of sixty-one, leaving a widow and one son, Charles M., now residents of Plymouth Union. Daniel !M. is a farmer living in Min- nesota. Mary Ann is the wife of Levi B. Moore, merchant at Plymouth Union. Ada E. is the wife of Jolin W. Pierce, farmer in Plymouth. Moses Hall was born August 30, 1800, died March 10, 1882. His wife was born January 7, 1802, died March 31, 1886. King, Simeon Hunt. — James King, great-grandfather of Simeon Hunt, Wiis an Eng- lishman by birth. He was taken a prisoner from a merchant vessel, by a French man- of-war, and was brought as a captive to America. Escaping his captors, he enlisted in the English service, and served through the French and English war, subsequently set- tling in Hamstead, N. H. His wife's maiden name was Dilly Harriman. They died and were buried in Sutton, N. H. Of their children Nathaniel, grandfather of Simeon Hunt, was born in Hamstead. When eight years of age his father moved to Sutton, N. H., w-here he resided till he was twenty-one years of age. In 1789 he visited Tun- bridge, Vt., where he purchased a tract of "land upon which he settled. In 1794 he mar- ried Miss Lydia Noyes. Tliey reared a family of five sons and eight daughters. In 1804 he became a Free Will Baptist minister, and was an earnest and succe.igfield Board of Trade \NA.s organized April 25, 1887, and the following officers elected : President, Adna Brown ; vice-president, R. G. Britton ; secretary, H. W. Harlow ; treasurer, B. V. Aldrich. At a meeting held February 7, 1888, the present officers were elected, viz.: Adna Brown, president ; W. H. H. Slack, vice-president ; M. L. Law- rence, secretary ; and C. A. Leiand, treasurer. There has been no meeting held since 1888. Tlie Exchange Bank was incorporated by special act of the Vermont Legislature December 5, 1853. The books were opened to receive sub- scriptions to the stock February 5, 1854, the capital stock being $50,- 000, divided into one thousand shares at fifty dollars each, and the same 452 History of Windsor County. was taken by one thousand different parties. At the first meeting of the stockholders held March 8, 1854, John Holmes, Sylvester Burke, Samuel Alford, jr., Joseph W. Colbiirn, John Perkins, Aaron L. Thomp- son, and Mason C. Richardson were elected directors. The directors at a subsequent meeting chose Joseph W. Colburn, president, and Albert Brown, cashier, who filled these positions until the charter of the bank was surrendered. During the continuance of the bank there was but one change in the board of directors, John Holmes being succeeded by Levi C. Fay. The bank was located in the east side of the brick build- ing facing Main street, and was opened for business June 9, 1854, In the early part of 1865 a proposition was received from the stockholders of the First National Bank of Springfield, to the effect that if the char- ter of the Exchange Bank was surrendered, $50,000 of the stock of the first named corporation would be reserved and subscriptions taken only from stockholders of the latter institution. This was accepted and the two corporations were merged into one, every dollar of stock reserved being taken. This plan being rather a slow way to close up the busi- ness of the Exchange Bank a proposition was submitted on January 29, 1866, by Albert Brown, that on condition of all the assets being turned over to him, he would redeem the capital stock at fifty-seven dollars a share. This proposition was unanimously accepted by the stockholders and Mr. Brown received a vote of thanks for the faithful discharge of his duties while officer of the institution. The dividends paid by the Exchange Bank during the eleven years of its existence averaged eleven and one-quarter per cent, annually. After purcl^sing the assets of the bank Mr. Brown carried on business as a private banker for two years. Sprhigfield Savings Bank. — This institution was incorporated by a special act of the Legislature December 6, 1853, the original incorpora- tors being Samuel W. Porter, George Johnson, John White, Samuel Whitcomb, Henry Barnard, Abner Field, John Farnum, George Wash- burn, James Whipple, Calvin Hubbard, James Lovell, Hamlin Whit- more, John Holmes, and George Kimball. At the first meeting held Henry Closson, Leonard Chase and George W. Porter were added to these incorporators, the minimum being thirty who had rights given them by the charter to choose the officers and who were required to be residents of the county. The following have been elected at different -/^^.^<^yCi::i/}''-^7i^ Village of Springfield. 453 periods to fill vacancies : In 1858, Amasa Woolson, William M. Pingry, Otis B. Litchfield, Jonathan Martin ; 1859, Hyrem Henry, Samuel Rol- lins; 1S60, Charles A. Forbush ; 1863, Daniel Rice; 1S64. John R. Hall, George P. Haywood, George C. Porter; 1869, James B Whipple, Isaac G. Davis, Fred C. Field ; 1872, Charles E. Richardson, Gershom Closson, William H. Wheeler, John C. Loveland ; 1874, Rufus O. For- bush, James E. White, Rodney C. Britton, Horace H. Howe, Franklin P.Bali; 1879, Lucius Streeter, Justus Dartt ; 1880, Fred W. Porter, Benjamin F. Dana; 1881, Edson X. Pierce; 1882, Albert M. Allbe ; 1883, Adna Brown, Daniel O. Gill ; 1884, Samuel Brown ; 1886, George Barrett; 1887, Charles F. Aldrich, Benjamin F. Aldrich ; 1889, Robert M. Colburn, Miles Smith and Albert D. L. Herrick. The first presi- dent was Henry Barnard, who was succeeded by Henry Closson in 1864, who held the position till 1874, when Charles A. Forbush became the next incumbent, he being succeeded in 1879 by Samuel Rollins. Since the organization of the bank there have been only two treasurers — George W. Porter, from 1853 to 1879, and Charles A. Forbush, the present incumbent. This bank is one of the most successful in the State and has a larger surplus than any other institution according to its liabilities. The amount on deposit July i, 1889, was $583,892.38 and the surplus at that date amounted to $60,544. The officers for 1889 were as follows: Samuel Rollins, president; Horace H. Howe, vice-president; Charles A. Forbush, treasurer; George C. Porter, as- sistant treasurer ; Samuel Rollins, Charles A. Forbush, Horace H. Howe, Isaac G. Davis, Lucius Streeter, James B. Whipple, Roger G. Britton, Frederick W. Porter, Albert M. Allbe, trustees. Tlie First National Bank of Springfield was organized May 25, 1863, and received its charter, which was numbered one hundred and twenty- two, November 11, 1863. The capital stock was $200,000 and on Jan- uary 12, 1864, the bank commenced business. Henry Barnard was chosen president ; George W. Porter, cashier ; and the following consti- tuted the board of directors: Henry Barnard, Leonard Chase, Charles A. Forbush, Udney Burke and Daniel Rice. There has been several changes in the presidency of the bank since organization. Mr. Barnard was succeeded in 1870 by Albert Brown, who, being elected cashier the following year, was succeeded by Joseph W. Colburn, whose death occurred 454 History of Windsor County. in March, 1870, and the vacancy was filled by election of Henry Barn- ard, who served till the latter part of 1873. At his decease in Decem- ber, 1873, Samuel Alford, jr., became president and held the office till 1878, when the present incumbent, Amasa W'oolson, was elected. Mr. Porter filled the position of cashier from time of organization of the bank till 1865 ; E. P. Gilson was then elected, but owing to his removal to Rutland, Vt., in 1866, Charles E. Richardson was chosen his successor. The latter gentleman resigned in October, 1870, and at the next annual meeting in 1871 Albert Brown was elected and filled the position till August 6, 1877, when B. F. Aldrich became his successor. He resigned in April, 1887, and the following June Gershom L. Closson became cashier, which position he now holds. At a meeting of the stockhold- ers held July 9, 1878, the capital stock was reduced to $100,000. In 1882 the bank was re-chartered for twenty years. The present board of directors are Amasa Woolson, R. A. Forbush, B. F. Dana, C. E. Richardson and C. A. Forbush. Early Mamifactiires. — In the year 1806 Isaac Fisher, then a resident of Charlestown, N H., purchased the property lying on both sides of the Black River, thereby controlling all of the water privileges. During the following year he came to Springfield to live and made sales to vari- ous parties, giving them the right to use the water. The flat on which the cab shop now stands was bought in 1807 by Stephen Morse, who con-.menced to build a tannery. Mr. Morse was also from Charlestown, and in 1813 sold the works to Levi Carlisle, then a resident of Weathers- field ; the latter carried on the business for a number of years, and after passing through othei- hands, it was finally purchased by David Brown and his son William T. The latter continued the business till I 841, when he was succeeded by his brother Albert, who sold the plant in 1848 and the business was discontinued in 1850. Journeying north on the same side of the river, in 1821, Don Lovell erected a fulling-mill, and upon the brow of the hill a foundry was located, run by Noah Saftbrd ; this latter building was afterwards de- stroyed by fire. Where the cotton- mill now stands in early days was located a machine shop, run by Isaac Fisher, where card machines were manufactured ; this was destroyed by fire in 183 i. On the corner where W. H. H. Slack's mill now is was a two-story building; the upper part ViLLAGfe Of SpriNgMeLC. 455 was used by Horace Hawkins to manufacture furniture as late as 1842; in the lower part John Holmes made lead pipe and pumps. Across the road going north was the old cotton-mill built by Isaac Fisher, jr., pre- vious to 1820, which subsequently came into the hands of the Holmes Brothers as stated elsewhere. The cotton-mill was a two-story build- ing, the upper part being used to manufacture cotton, which was the first made in the State. The yarn was afterwards sent to the State prison, where it was woven by hand. Between the old cotton -mill and the bridge sand-paper was manufactured by Daniel Adams, Vespasian Messinger and Hiram Spafiford. Lucius Page also had a machine shop in the same building. Opposite the old cotton-mill there was erected as early as 18 12 a blacksmith shop by Luke Parsons. Above the mill on the same side of the road Isaac Fiiher, jr., built an oil-mill, which was operated by different parties. The next building above this was a small carpenter shop and still further north a cabinet shop was built in 1820 by Abial Smart, it being a large two-story building, where the Parks & Woolson Machine Co. is now located. The buildings north of the sand- paper shop, and including the Parks & Woolson works and situated on the same side of the road, were destroyed by fire in May, 1859. Besides these buildings, previous to 1830, there were only the residences of Don Lovell, Samuel W. Porter, Samuel, John and Enos Holmes, besides the Methodist church, and card factory of F. A. Porter & Co., on that side of the river till you arrived at the residence of the late Enos Brown, and on the other side of his house there were no buildings till you reached Ginnery Hill. On the opposite side of the river, where the machine shop of Oilman &Townsend now stands, the manufacture of shoe-pegs was commenced in 1835 by Hiram Houghton and Smith K. Randall. This was afterwards purchased by Isaac and Ira Davis, who sold it in 1852 to Alpheus Batchelder, who carried on the business for six years in the building now occupied by George W. Graham. The works were then purchased by John Holmes, who removed them to the tannery flats and afterwards to White River Junction. The last house in the village on the Charlestown road was occupied b}' Noah Safiford, and on the op- posite side of the road in a small shop he manufactured straw cutters. Among the early blacksmiths were John Nourse, George Kimball, Jo- seph Bigelow and Arthur Field, the latter located on a brook west 456 History ok Windsor CouNtY. of the village and made hammers and hoes, being assisted by his son Richard. He gained the reputation of making the best hoes in the country. Tliis constituted the manufacturing of the village previous to 1840, excepting that mentioned in other parts of this work and a few eff(5rts which proved unsuccessful. Cobb & Derby Mill. — In 1774 a saw-mill was built on the site of this mill by William Lockwood. The property passed through several hands and in 1795 was purchased by Lester Fling from Nicholas Bragg and Elisha Rogers. In the conveyances made by these parties there is the first mention made of a grist-mill. Mr. Fling seems to have been un- successful, as in 1798 executions were served against him in favor of Aaron Dean and other persons of Charlestown, N. H. In January, 1799, the property came into the possession of David Houghton, who sold it on March 14, 1802, to Samuel M. Lewis and David Seymour, who in the following year sold to John White, who came from Grafton, Mass. In 1806 Isaac Fisher purchased the property on both sides of the river, and in 18 13 sold to Peter White, reserving the right to the upper part of the buildings, which had been leased to his son, Isaac P"isher, jr., for the purpose of carrying on the carding and clothing busi- ness, there being a dye house in connection with the works. Mr. White ran the grist-mill until 1844, when he was succeeded by Daniel Gush- ing, who sold to Henry Safford in 1857. The mills were destroyed in the flood of 1869, and the property passed into possession of Charles Holt and Granville A. Leland, who built a new mill. Mr. Leland after- wards disposed of his interest to Allen Slade, who subsequently sold to Charles Holt, and on March 16, 1876, the latter sold to Samuel E. and John R. Gowing, who were burned out January 20, 1882. In the spring of that year the present proprietors, William H. Cobb and Granville S. Derby, bought the site and erected the present buildings. They confine themselves to custom work and deal in all kinds of grain. D. M. Smith & Co. — On the site occupied by this firm the Spring- field W'oolen and Cotton Company originally located, and in 1812 con- structed a dam twenty or thirtj' rods farther up the stream than the present one. They also built at the same time the present brick shop. Jonathan Williams was interested in that company, and the business was afterwards carried on by his son, Luke. Among the later occupants Village of Springfield. 457 were Hamlin Whitmore and Luke Williams, under the firm name of Whitmore & Williams, who manufactured woolens. Afterwards Smith, Luther & Shoals made shoddy cloth there, but they suffered by fire. The Vermont Hames Company made hames in one part of the build- ing. The firm of D. M. Smith & Co. was formed in 1853, consistingof Albert Brown, Hamlin Whitmore, D. M. Smith and Henry H. Mason, for the purpose of manufacturing a patent spring clothes-pin invented by D. M. Smith. They occupied the building on the west bank of the river, on the southwest corner of the falls bridge. They afterwards re- moved to the cab shop flat, where they remained till i860, when they took up their present location and built the dam. During the flood of 1869 the bulkhead was destroyed, but it was repaired, and the dam was rebuilt in 1886. The business of manufacturing mop-heads, to which that of Diamond churns was added, has been carried on for a number of years. On May 22, 1875, Mr. Brown purchased the interest of D. M. Smith, and on March 16, 1877, that of Hamlin Whitmore, but disposed of the same to H. H. Mason, November 23, 1887, who now carries on the business. He employs from fifteen to twenty hands, and manufact- ures about 5.000 gross of clothes-pins and 600 gross of mop-heads yearly. He also turns out 1,300 dozen of a jointed wooden doll an- nually ; this doll was invented by Joel H. Ellis, and was formerly made at North Springfield, but in September, 187S, having been purchased by W. H. H. Slack, it was removed to Springfield village. D. M. Smith & Co. attempted to manufacture this doll on a royalty, but it proved unsuccessful, and in April, 1884, H. H. Mason purchased the patent and has continued to manufacture it. Mr. Mason also purchased from A. B. Oaks & Co., in the spring of 1889, their business of manufacturing ox- bows, 500 dozen of which are now turned out annually; a small num- ber of Diamond churns are also made. Jolin C. Holmes & Co. — In November, 1821, Samuel Holmes, a former resident of Peterboro, N. H., purchased of Isaac Fisher a cotton-mill lo- cated on the west bank of Black River. In March, 1S23, his brother John became a member of the firm, and in June of the same year a fourth interest was purchased by another brother named Enos. Samuel disposed of his interest to his brothers April 23, 1827, and they carried on the business together for a number of years. Under date of April 13, 58 45 H History of Windsor County. 1835, the property was sold to a stock company called the Black River Manufacturing Company. The factory up to this time was located be- tween the road and the river, the upper story of a two-story building being used. In 1836 the present brick building was erected on the op- posite side of the street, and the property was consolidated with the Vil- lage Falls Manufacturing Company, but owing to the failure of that con - cern Nathaniel P'ullerton purchased it in 1838, and in 1847 sold a half interest to Frederick E. Fullerton, and in 1848 Jonathan Martin, who had been connected with the factory since 1838, became a partner, under the firm name of Fullerton, Martin & Co. During the year 1865 John Holmes purchased tlie mills, forming the firm of John Holmes & Co., which was changed in 1874 to the present title, John C. Holmes & Co. The wooden addition to the mills was finished October i, 1879, and in i886 an interest was purchased by Wilson S. Lovell. About twenty- two hands are employed, and there are nineteen hundred spin- dles in operation, manufacturing fourteen and eighteen principally, with occasionally twenty-two and twenty six cotton, 200,000 pounds being turned out annually. Springfield Toy Manufactitring Company. — Upon the site occupied by this company there was begun in 1826 one of the most original in- dustries ever carried on in Springfield. The present buildings, except- ing additions built on the north and south of the main building, were erected at that time. Frederick A. Porter, a brother of the late Judge Samuel W. Porter, being attracted to Springfield on account of the resi- dence of the latter, and also by the first-class water-power to be obtained* came from Greenfield, Mass., where he had been employed in helping to manufacture card machines. Mr. Porter was a practical mechanic and conceived the idea of making machines on his own account. A copart- nership was formed by him with his two brothers, Samuel W. and Charles E., under the firm name of F. A. Porter & Co., and prepara- tions were begun for making the machines, the construction of which devolved on F. A. Porter. He personally made sixteen and made many valuable improvements, the most noted of which was an automatic stop by which one girl could attend to twenty machines, while before a girl was required to each one. By this stop the slightest inequality in the setting of the teeth, or in any part of the machine, caused stoppage with- oantha, daughter of Gardiner and Lucy Herrick. Their one child is Mary Edna, wife of Charles H. Moore, of Springfield. Closson, Hon. Henry, of Springfield, was born in Springfield, Vt., February 1, 1799, and was the youngest son in a family of nine children of Ichabod and Sallv (SafTord) Closson. His father died when he was nine years of age and he was placed in charge of his uncle, Noah Safford, to learn the carpenter's trade. Taking a dislike to this occu- pation, young Henry prevailed on his uncle in 1817 to give him his freedom; at this time he was in Rochester, N. Y., engaged on a contract for his uncle. The latter finally acceded to the request and gave the young man ten dollars. With this sum he started to walk to Springfield, which place he reached with his capital reduced to one dollar and a half. He then began the stmiy of law with Lsaac Holton, and pa,ssed the winter in teaching school, but in 1818 was a student in Chester Academy for three terms. The following year he studied law with Judge Asa Keyes, of Putney, Vt., and was admitted to practice at Newfane, Vt., at the March term in 1824. In the same year he began the practice of his profession at Mount Clemens, Mich., where he remained two years, removing to Lodi, N. Y., and in 1828 came to AVhitingham, Vt. In 1835 he returned to his native town, where he practiced law until his death, April 24, 1880. Judge Closson held a number of public offices during his life: he was town clerk from 1836 to 1844, State's Attorney for the county in 1840-42, member of the Vermont Legislature for 1839-40, was appointed by Governor Fletcher in 1855 to fill vacancy of Probate Judge for Windsor District and afterwards elected twelve years to fill that position, was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1870. Judge Closson married on June 1, 1830, Miss Emily Whitney, of Marlboro, Vt., and had a family of five children, viz.: Henry Whitney, a graduate of West Point, at present stationed at Atlanta, Ga., as colo- nel of the Fifth U. S. Heavy Artillery ; Emily Satibrd, wife of Dr. A. M. Fellows, of Parsons, Ivan.; Geishora Lyman, born in Springfield, April 20, 1838, married Lina W. Loveland, has two children, John Henry, a resident of Walla Walla, Wash., and Ger- shom Loveland, of Springfield. Ger.shom Lyman has resided the greater part of his life in Springfield, engaged in mercantile business, but at present is cashier of the First Na- tional Bank of Springfield. The other two children of Judge Closson were Sarah Jane, wife of Henry M. Arms, of Springfield, and Frank Hubbard, who died in infancy. Colburn, Hon. Joseph W., of Springfield, was a son of Simeon and Abigail (Vose) Col- burn, and was born in Claremont, N. H., April 14, 1800. His early life was a constant struggle against adverse circumstances, and at the age of ten years he was thrown upon his own resources for a livelihood. His education was limited to what he could obtain in the district schools, availing himself of this privilege only during two or three months of early _vears, until he was eighteen years of age. Being strongly attracted to agricultural life, he devoted himself to farmimg and was one of the most successful in the State, and created by his own endeavor the beautiful farm " Mont Vale," which he purchased in 1840, and by constant industry and attention made attractive and product- ive. While steadily following the pursuit of a farmer, he was called to occupy honor- able positions in the town, county and State. He was State Senator for 1848-49-50; 47^ History of Windsor Countv. Assistant County Judge four years; was one of the founders and also president of the Exchange Banii I'roui its organization until it was supplanted by the First National Bank of SpiiiiglieUl, and at the time of his death was president of that institution. Judge Col- burn was a well-known agric iltural writer and his articles to the public journals always attracted wide attention. His articles in ISGG and 1SG7 upon " Protection to American Wool Growers" were very generally read and were of great influence in shaping the National legi.'^lation upon that subject. Judge Colburn died at his home in Springfield, February 17, 1871 ; his widow, who was Miss Emily Kdgerton, of Bridgewater, Yt., sur- vives him. Their children were Emily Josephine (deceased), married Dr. R. A. Bacon; and Robert M. The Cook Family. — Thomas Cook came from Johnston, R. I., to Springfield, about 1795. His wife's maiden name was also Cook, but she was Mrs. Betsey Turner when he married her. They had seven cliildrcn, viz.: Hopestill, died at the age of two years; Edward, removed to Canada, where he died; Ohver, died in infano_y ; Oliver; Whipple, emigrated to Canada, where he died; Otis, died in Springfield ; Charlotte, died single at the age of eighty years ; and Thomas, died in New York State. Another Oliver died August 20, 18G3. Cook, Oliver, son of Thomas, born in Johnston, R. I., August 29, 1781, married Polly Bruce, of Baltimore, in 1804, and had eight children, viz.: Barna A., resides in Chester; Selden C; Seym lur A., died in Cheater ; Mary Ann, died single; Franklin B., died young ; Charlotte R., widovir of Rev. Isaiah Shipman, resides in Lisbon, N. H.; Lewis E., died in Springfield ; Susan B., widow of Salmon Winchester, resides in Spring- field. Oliver died August 20, 1863. Cook, Selden O., son of Oliver, born in Springfield, May 4, 1809, married Mary Batch- elder. They had seven children, four of whom died in infancy. The others are Ellen M., widow of 0. S- Tuttle; George S., resides in Bellows Falls; and Everet B. Selden O. died January 16, 1882. Cook, Everett B., son of Selden O., born in Springfield, January 30, 1852, married Jennie O. Wolfe, and has two children, Bernice M. and Bruce. He is engaged in the boot and shoe trade at Springfield village. Cutler, Loammi, was born July 1, 17G3. and came to Springfield in 1790. He was twice married, his first wife being Sally Darling, his second wife. Delight B. Damon. He died October 22, 1837, and had a large family of children, of whom George was the eldest son. He was born in Springfield in 1799, and died in 1859. He married Sophia Allbee, and had seven children, viz.: Sophia (deceased), married George Harlow; Sarah (deceased), married Henry H. Mason; George Lewis; Olive (deceased), married Hi- ram C. Woodward ; Silas A.; John D.; and Charles. Cutler, George Lewis, son of George, was born in Springfield, October 31, 1825, and married for his first wife Harriet Adams, and their five children are : Leon A., who married Mrs. Addie J. Adams, has one son, Roland, and is a resident of Springfield ; Fred A., married Etta J. Brown, has one child, Alice, and lives in Springfield ; Myron, a Universalist minister, resides at East Jatl'rey, N. H.; Charles, lives in Springfield ; and Wilbur, a resident of East JaflVey, N. H. His second wife was Mattie Sherman, and the family consists of six children, viz.: Rose II., Sadie L., Belle M., Carleton, G. Clarence, and Maude E. Cutler, Silas A., son of George, born in Springfield, August 14, 1829, married Maria Woodward, has two chililren, viz.: George and Olive. Eaton, Asa, the son of Benjamin and Lydia Ireland Eaton, was born November 29, 1785, and came to Springfield from New Ipswich, N. H., in 1809. He married Debo- rah Marble, and had the following children : Ellis M.; Emily P. (deceased), mariie d Timothy Putn.im ; Maria, widow of Jonas 13utterfield, lives in Springfield ; Darius, died in Acworth, N. II.: John P.; Tila O., widow of John Tower, resides in Springfield. Asa died August 17, 1866. Old Families. 473 Eaton, Ellis M., son of Asa, was born in As^hburnham, Mass., March S, 1806. He moved from Spiingfield to Rockingham, Vt., in 1830, and died in the town April 22, 1844. He married Bet.sey, daughter of Amos Parker. Their children were Calvin M.- Mary (deceased), married Samuel Stimson ; Ellis M.; Leonard P., of Woodstock, Vt.; Lewis, died at the age of ten years ; and John, died at the age of twelve years. Eaton, Ellis M., son of Ellis M., was born in Rockingham, Vt., October 2, 1832, married Abby Brown ; has one child, Everett H. He has been a resident of Springfield since 185G. Ellis, Joseph, the son of Joshua, wlio was the son of Manoah, was born at Harwich, Mas.?., in 1737, and settled in Springfield in 1797. He married Jemima, daughter of Deacon William Eldridge, and they had five children : Isaac, died at Potsdam, N. Y.- Jacob, was a seafaring man, and the supposition is that he was lost at sea; Thankful, died at the age of eighteen years; Jeremiah; and Ziba, who resided in Springfield a short time, but died at Carlton, N. Y. Joseph died March 25, 1808. Ellis, Jeremiah, son of Joseph, was born in Harwich, Mass., December 8, 1771. He was a seafaring man, but came to Springfield m 1802-3 to take care of his aged parents. His first wife was Bridget Smalley, by whom he had nine children, two of whom died in infancy. The others were Jacob, who died in Springfield ; Jemima, married Harvey Latham, both died in Springfield ; Isaiah, who died in Weathersfield ; Jeremiah, jr., who died in Springfield ; Leonard, who died in Marion, Ohio; Christopher, who died in Springfield Lucy, who was first married to Alden Tyrrell, second to Samuel Tyrrell, but now a widow residing in Stockton, III. His second wife was Mrs. Sarah Clark, whose maiden name was Ellis. Jeremiah died September 29, 1802. Ellis, Jeremiah, jr., son of Jeremiah, born March 24, 1800, married Hannah Whitcomb, and their children were Joseph W., resides at Albany, N. Y.; Hiram; Maria R. (de- ceased), married Eri J. Spaulding; Isaac; Mary S.; and George resides at Rutland Vt. Jeremiah, jr., died December 15, 1856. Ellis, Hiram, son of Jeremiah, jr., born in Springfield, September 19, 1831, married Emily A. Proctor, who died January 21, 1876. There are no children. Fairbanks, Oliver, born in Dedham, Mass., in 1752, came to Stoddard, N. H., and from there to Springfield in 1795. He died in 1839, and was married to Elizabeth Clark ; they had the following family : Oliver Edward ; Moses, who was one of the old tavern-keep- ers in Springfield, and died in Claremont, N. H., he had a son John, who became a prominent citizen of Detroit, Mich.; Lewis; Aaron, died in Springfield; David, died young ; Polly (deceased), married Isaac Whitney ; Sally (deceased), married Simeon Stoddard ; Fanny and Betsey, both died single. Fairbanks, Oliver, son of Oliver, was born in Dedham, Mass., in 1777, and died at Springfield in 1854. He married Polly Powers, and had eight children, viz..- Lucius, died in Chariestown, N. K.; Asahel Powers ; Cynthia (deceased), married, first, Orrin Kendall, second, Jason Kendall ; George, died in Springfield ; Lewis, died in Abington, Mass.; Charles, resides in Whitman, Mass.; and Emehne (deceased), married Oilman Gould. Fairbanks, Asahel Powers, son of Oliver, was born in Springfield, Vt., September 3, 1806, and married Lucretia Whitney. Of their twelve children, six died in infancy. The others are Hiram C, who died from sickness contracted in the army, and left no male issue; Harriet A., twice married, resides at Grafton, Vt.; Mary, wife of George G. Gregg, of Weathersfield ; Eliza, wife of William Westney, of Acworth, N. H.; Franklin, of Springfield; and George H., of Bostonville, Vt. Fairbanks, Edward, son of Oliver, was born in Hubbardston, Mass., June 26, 1786, and died May 7, 1878. He married for his first wife Betsey Stoddard, by whom he had two children, viz.: Eaton ; Harriet (deceased), married Daniel Bowker. His second wife was Sally Parker, and their children were Nathaniel; Lucy, died aged twenty years; John ; Emerancy (deceased), married David Saft'ord ; Amos P., married E. Amelia White, March 26, 1867, resides in North Springfield, Vt., and has three children, John W., Mar- 60 474 History of Windsor County. cella E. and Abbie A.; Parmela (deceased), married John Finegan ; Ellen, widow of Horace Britton. resides in Springfield. Fairbanks, Nathaniel, son of Edward, was born in Springfield, June 8, 1818, and mar- ried Sarah J. Randall, He had three children : Melvin E.; Percy W. (deceased), married A. W. Gilson, who died in California, May 31, 1886; and Lottie E., wife of Ernest Gil- son, of Springfield, Vt. Nathaniel died May 31, 1886. Fairbanks, Melvin E., son of Nathaniel, born in Springfield, December 30, 1850, mar- ried Lestina E. William.?, of Bridgewater, Vt,, and has two children, Fred M, and Mabel P. Fairbanks, Lewis, son of Oliver, born July 29, 1791, and died October 23, 1860. He married Pamelia Parker, and their children were Edward, who died in Springfield; Frederic; Eliza (decea.sed), married Lincoln Field; Jane (deceased), married James Wooley ; David; Lois, widow of Beza F. Wood, resides in Charlestown, N. H.: Maria (deceased), married Richmond Rawson ; Frank, born in Springfield, July 24, 1836, mar- ried Betsey Parker, has no children ; and Harriet, died young. Field Family. — Pardon Field was an early settler of this family in Windsor county, lie came to Chester about 178G. He was born at Cranston, R, I., April 13, 1761, and was a son of James, who was a son of .Jeremiah. His wife was Elizabeth Williams, who was of the fifth generation from Roger Williams. They had the following children : Hannah, married John Kibling; Lydia, married Robert Field ; James; Jeremiah; Ab- ner; Joseph: Sarah, married Stephen Austin ; Welcome; Pardon; and Elizabeth, who died young. Pardon died October 28, 1842. Field, Abner, son of Pardon, was born in Chester, Vt,, November 28, 1793, married Louisa Griswold, and had four children : Walbridge Abner; Cordelia Louisa, died at the age of eight years; Fred Griswolil; and Isadore, wife of Durant J. Boynton, of North Springfield. Abner died December 19, 1S64. Field, Walbridge Abner, son of Abner, born in Springfield, Vt., April 26, 1833 ; grad- uated from Dartmouth College in 185.5; e.K-memberof Congress, and one of the justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Court. He married for his first wife Ellen E. McLoon ; has two daughters, Eleanor Louisa and Elizabeth Lenthal. His second wife was Frances Farwell. He resides at Boston, Mass, Field, Fred Griswold, son of Abner, born in Springfield, Vt., Janu-ary I, 1842, married Anna M. Tarbell, of Cavendish, Vt.; has two children, viz.: Fred Tarbell, born Decem- ber 24, 1876 ; and Bertha Isadore, engaged in the mercantile business at North Springfield. Gilman, Farley B., was born in Unity, N. H., December 16, 1824, and is the eldest son of Jonathan and Mehitable A. (Farley) Gilman. At the age of twenty years he went to Claremont, N. H., as an apprentice at the machinist trade, and in 1847 came to Spring- field to work. He marrieil Emily L. Royse, and has had five children : Ellen A., wife of Dr. Harry Knight, of Belleview, Fla,; Ida L,, who is engaged in teaching in the Freedmen's schools of the South; Wilbur F., who died at the age of three years; Wil- bert F. and Gertrude, who at present are attending Boston University, College of Lib- eral Arts, Griswold, Daniel. — The subject of this sketch (Squire Griswold, as he was familiarly called) was born at Meriden, Conn., December 5, 1762, and was the son of John and Mary (Ward) Griswold. At tl'.e age of si.\teen he entered the army and was employed as a teamster instead of serving in the ranks. He purchased land in Springfield, Au- gust 24, 1784, and worked two seasons in improving it. In .January, 1786, he married Annah Lenthal Ames, a native of Middletown, Conn. With his wife he made a per- manent settlement in Springfield in 1790, traveling the distance from Connecticut with an ox team, taking ten days for the journey. In 1793 he built a frame house now standing at North Springfield. He died August 4, 1836, and is buried in the cemetery at North Springfield. His children were Lenthal, married Amos Hulett; Mary, married Levi Boynton ; Hannah, married Enos Brown ; Joel ; Daniel, removed to Indiana; Lucy, Old Families. 475 married Samuel Stimson ; Martha, married Russell Lockwood ; Louiida, married first Lu- cius H. Cheney, second, Sylvanus Newhall ; Sarah, married Charles Sherwin ; and Louisa, married Abner Field. Daniel married for his second wife Mrs. Abigail Davis Woodbury. Griswold, Joel, son of Daniel, was born at Springfield, Vt., April 25, 1792, and died April 22, 1871 ; married Mar}' Chase. Their children were Daniel C, engaged in the wholesale notion business in Boston, JIass.; Collins S., died at the age of four years; Mary J., married Milton K. Paine, of Windsor, Vt. Hadwen, Oliver R., was born in Danby, Vt., March 25, 1825, and is the youngest son and child of eleven children of Barney and Mercy Vaughn Hadwen. He was engaged in farming in his early life and removed to Poultney, Vt., where he purchased a farm and resided in that town eleven years. After living in Rutland, Vt., he removed to his native town, remaining three years, and came to Springfield in 1872. Of his father's family seven are living, the eldest being eighty-six. The three that died lived to be seventy-seven, sixty-six and eighty-eight years of age. He married Sarah Jane Baker, of Granby, N. Y., and has four children, viz.: Chester B., a resident of Rockingham, Vt.; Emma Jane, wife of George F. Tanner,, of Springfield ; John E., resides in Spring- field ; and William E., in Danby, Vt. Holmes, John, was born in Peterboro, N. H., May 8, 1802, and was the son of Na- thaniel and Catharine (Allison) Holmes. His first wife was Hepsey, daughter of John and Abieail (Demary) Cutter, whose ancestors came from England and settled at Wo- burn, Mass., as early as 1640. Their children were John C; Bmeline Duncan, died aged twenty-one years; and Abigail Demary, died at the age of eighteen years. His second wife was Emeline Woodbury, by whom he liad one child, Nathaniel Cutter, born Janu- ary 20, 1857 ; he was a lawyer, and was admitted to the bar in St. Loui.s, Mo., practiced at Gardiner, Mass., and died at Jaffrey, N. H., June 24, 1887. His third wife was Sybil Eliza Gates, who had one child that died infancy. John died September 24, 1874. Holmes, John C, son of John, was born at Springfield, Vt., April 2, 1827; married for his first wife Marcia A. Kimball; had one child, Otto Kimball, who died at the age of nine years. His second wife was Rebecca, daughter of Noah and Nancy (Tower) Safford. They had one child, Henry Bigelow, born at Washington, D. C, March 12, 1868, and is now interested in the firm of J. C. Holmes & Co. John C. was a resident of Springfield all of his life, excepting from 1859 to 1861, when he was located at White River Junction, Vt. He was second heutenant of Company E, First Vermont Cavalry, and was from 1863 to 1874 employed in the Post-office Department at Washington, D. C. He died July 26, 1884. Huey, James, came from Massachusetts to Springfield in 1790, and died in that town in 1833, at the age of sixty-one years. His wife was Polly Brown, and their children were Rlioda (deceased), married Joseph Perham ; Jeremiah; James, died in Spring- field; Abiel, died in Pennsylvania; Philena (deceased), married Joseph House; and Nancy (deceased), married Noah Bailey. Huey, Jeremiah, son of James, was born in Sprmgfield, April 16, 1797, and married Susan G. Weaver. Their family are George Washington ; Sarah, wife of Charles Cady, of West Windsor ; Jeremiah L.; AVilliam Eldridge, lives in California; Susan (deceased), married Barnum A. Read; James Henry, died at the age of seven years; Leonard E,; John Henry ; and Phix'be P., widow of Morris Newton, resides in Reading, Vt. Jere- miah died October 6, 1878. Huey, Jeremiah L., son of Jeremiah, was born in Springfield, July 28, 1829, and mar- ried Sarah Weston, and has two children : Ella M. and Harold Irving. He was a resi- dent of California from 1850 to 1877. Huey, Leonard E., son of Jeremiah, was born in Sprmgfield, December 22, 1836, and married Frances Maria Dodge. They have five children : Inya, wife of Levi Fairbanks, of Springfield ; Inez, wife of A. J. Crockett, of Boston ; Alice E.; Wallace L.; and Guy Arthur. Some members of the family spell their name " Hewey." 476 History of Windsor County. Kimball, G-eorge, a native of Tetnplfi, N. H., was born January 23, 1800, and came to Springfield in 1821. Having learned the trade of blacksmithing of .John Bales, of Wil- ton. N. li., he engaged in that business and built, in 1824, the present shop now occu- pied by his son, located on the west side of Main street, just north of the covered Ijridge. He was at various times interested in different manufacturing interests of Springfield, and about 1840 began to manufacture horse rakes, making from one thou.sand to two thousand annually, and selling and shipping them all over the country, even as far as California. He continued this business till his death, which occurred November 24, 1875. Four of his brothers learned the trade of blacksmithing at his shop, and one of them, Brooks Kimball, was for a number of yeais associated with him as partner. Mr. Kiml)all was also extensively engaged in building and he erected r.bout si.xty buildings during his life within the corporation limits. He married November IS, 1823, Abigail Bisbee, and had three children : George ; Marcia A. (deceased), married John C. Holmes ; Francis .T., a resident of Chicago, 111. Kimball, George, son of George, was born in Springfield, Vt., October 3, 1S24, mar- ried Rindella M. Cheney, and had three children, viz.: George Eugene, lives in Eve. ett, Mass.; Lillian Louisa, resides at Springfield ; and Alice Appleton, died at the age of three years. Mr. Kimball carries on business at his father's old stand. Ma.son, Henry Hubbard, was born in Unity, N. H., January 31, 1.^21, and was the fourth son of Peter and Abigail (Weed) Mason. At the age of seventeen ye.ars he was apprenticed for four years to Otis Bardwell, of Walpole, N. H., to learn blacksmithing. After serving his time he followed the business one year, l)ut was forced to relinquish it on account of injuries received. He then came to Cliarlestown, N. H., where his father resided, and in 1844 removed to Springfield, and began work for D. M. Smith & Co., who were then manufacturing abdominal supporters, an invention of Dr. Eleazer Crain. He followed this business until 1804, employing at one time as many as sixty girls. During the years 1848-49 he was proprietor of the Black River Hotel. At one time he was a member of the firm of Smith, Mason & Co., formed for the purpose of manufact- uring a spring hook and eye. Mr. Mason married for his first wife Sarah, daughter of George Cutler; has one child, Sarah, wife of Prof. Benjamin, Blanpied, and resides at Albany, N. Y. His second wife was Vesta, daughter of Abe! Gilson, of Proctorsville, Vt_ Smith, Miles, was born in Unity, N. H., April 28, 1.82t>. When he was one year old his father removed to Acworth, N. H. He is the eldest son of Kimball and Angelina (Cummiugsj Smith. When nineteen years of age he began to work in cotton-mills and was at Lowell, Mass., from 1845 to 1851, and came to Springfield in ls54, to take charge of Fullerton, Martin & Co.'s mill, remaining here till 18(i0. Three years after this he entered the snath works, and on the formation of a stock company became one of the stockholder-s. He married Lucy .Vnn Lawton ; she was his first wife, and there was one child, viz., Ida, wife of F. H. Lippincott, of Chelsea, Mass. His second wife was Thank- ful Fletcher. Of their two children one died in infancy; the other is Jennie N., wife of Thomas Chenoyeth, of Springfield. Spaulding, Nathaniel, son of John, was born in Cavendish, Vt., October 7, ISOI, and married .Vnna Swift. Their children were Molinda, died young; Julia Ann, widow of Samuel H. Nutting, resides in Chester, Vt.; Charles Elliot, lived in Cavendish, Vt. (de- ceased) ; Henry, also a resident of Cavendish; Francis P., lives in Springfield, Vt.; Eliz- abeth, wife of Rev. Geo. W. Winslow, a Methodist mmister located in llHnois ; Emily J. (deceased), married Henry Martin ; Sarah J., wife of A. D. L. Herrick, of Chester, Vt.; and James Almon, died at the age of twenty years, Nathaniel became a resident of Springfield in 1852, and died January 1, 1879. Anna, his wife, died December 11, 1880. Spaulding, Francis P., son of Nathaniel, was born in Cavendi.sh, Vt., June 18, l.'SS/, and married H. Florence, daughter of Mar.shal Myrick. He has two children, viz.: Fred M. and Morton M. Townsend, Frederick Van Alstyne, was born at Reading, Vt., April 9, 1824, and is the Town of Norwich. 477 eldest son of William and Hannah Or. (Bigelow) Townsend. He was engafjed in farm- ing previous to becoming a member of the above firm. He married Aurelia Royce, and has three children, viz.: Brvin Aistyne, resides at Sioux City, Iowa; Amasa W.. resides in Lebanon, N. H.; and Mary A. Walker, Captain John, son of Matthew Walker, who came from Connecticut to Clare- mont, N. H., in 17S3, was born in Connecticut in 177(1, and died in Springfield, De- cembfr 25, 1844. On becoming of age he came to Springfield, and was married to Philena Spencer, by whom he liad eleven children, viz.: Thedotia (deceased), married George R. Gill ; Nancy M., widow of Aaron P. Lynde, resides in California, aged ninety years ; Mary Ann (deceased), married N. G. Spencer ; Philena (deceased), married Leon- ard Ellis; Louisa, died at the age of thirteen years; Matilda, widow of William W. Whitney, resides in Springfield ; John O.; Ralph, died in Springfield; Kate, wife of Jo- seph Wheeler; and James R. Walker, .James R., .son of Captiin John, was born in Sprinefield. August 27, 1820, and married Maria L. Whipple, of North Charlestown, N. H. Their children are Arthiu'; Julia, wife of John A. Walker, of Markesan, Wis.; Ann M.; and Ada, who died at the age of twenty-two years. White, .Joseph, was born at Springfield, Vt., December 18, 1833. He has been con- nected with the snath works since Mai-ch, 18.52, and is the only one now at the works who was there when he began. He married Harriet L., daughter of Dr. Calvin Hub- bard, and has two children, viz., Katharine and Walter M. CHAPTER XXII. HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NORWICH. NORWICH is ill the e.xtreme northeastern part of the county of Windsor, and is bounded north by Thetford, in Orange county; east by the Connecticut River and Hanover in New Hampshire; south by the town of Hartford ; and west by the town of Sharon. Norwich, being one of the Connecticut River towns, is among the best of the agricult- ural districts of the county; the lands in general are quite productive and susceptible of the highest cultivation. Throughout the town mountain formations abound, the general trend of the short and broken ranges being about north and south, but there is less of extreme height in the hills of Norwich than is the case with the towns farther west. Some of the hills are dignified with names, such as Meeting- House Hill, in the central part of the town; and in the northeastern part is Bloody Mountain, the locality being formerly noted for its deposits of copper; in the extreme southern part is Griggs Mount- ain, a considerable elevation e.xtending east and west about three miles. 478 History of Windsor County. In the northwestern part are two parallel ridges, or hill elevations, be- tween and on either side of which are comparatively good farming and grazing lands. The principal streams of the town are Bloody Brook and the Ompom- panoosuc River, both being tributaries of the Connecticut. The first named of these streams has its course entirely within the limits of the town ; its headwaters are on botli sides of the northwest mountain, and thence it flows southeasterly across the town and discharges into the Connecticut River in the southeast corner of the town, where now is situated Norwich village. The river that bears the rather awkward name of Ompompanoosuc has only a few miles of its course in Nor- wich : it enters the town from Thetford on the north, courses across the northeast corner of the town, and discharges into the Connecticut near the small village of Pompanoosuc. Both of these principal streams of the town afford the best of water-power, which has been profitably utilized. This town was brought into existence by a charter from the provincial governor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth, and bore the date of July 4, 1 76 1, the same day upon which the adjoining town of Hartford was chartered, and probably contained the same conditions as the latter in respect to the first meeting of the proprietors. The town was char- tered under the name of Norwhich, but common consent dropped the first " h " in the name. The grantees named in the charter were resi- dents of Connecticut, and in that province the proprietors held their first meetings and organized the town, not only as proprietors were in the habit of organizing, but in the same manner as towns were organized by freemen, residents upon the soil of the town. In this respect Nor- wich is to be numbered among the exceptional towns of the vicinity and State, for at the time of that organization there was not a single rightful occupant of the town ; but as this was one of the requirements of the charter, the proprietors had no option in the matter. Their first meeting was held August 26, 1761, at which time these officers were elected : Town and propiietors' clerk, Eleazer Wales ; constable, Andrew Crocker ; selectmen, Samuel Wert, Abner Barker and Joseph Storrs. Following this preliminary organization the proprietors were fre- quently called together to take the necessary steps for making the town Town of Norwich. 479 surveys, apporiioning the lots, making drafts by lots for the division of the lands owned by them. All of these proceedings were completed and the town ready for settlement during the year 1762, but it was not until the succeeding year that the period of pioneership actually began, and then but very slowly. The first settlers to make improvements were Jacob Fenton, Ebenezer Smith and John Slafter, who came to the town early in the spring of 1763, and made clearings, built log cabins, and otherwise prepared for permanent occupation. These men were the pioneers and first occupants of the town, but they were not entirely alone in the region, for there were other pioneers on the east side of the river, in Hanover town, and a small settlement in Lebanon, the town south of Hanover. The towns north and south of Norwich were not occupied until nearly two years later. Concerning the fortunes or mis- fortunes experienced by these tiiree pioneers of Norwich, there seems to have been a slight conflict of opinion among early authorities, and not wishing, at this late day, to attempt furnishing the correct version of the matter, the writer feels constrained to reproduce the statements of Zadock Thompson : " In 1762 the town was partly lotted, and the next year Jacob Fenton, Ebenezer Smith and John Slafter came here from Mansfield, Conn., built them a camp and began improvements. In July, Smith and Slafter left Fenton on Wednesday for the purpose of hoeing corn in Lebanon, and returned on Saturday evening, when they found Fenton dead in the camp. It appeared afterward that Mr. Freeman, of 'New Hampshire,' happened over here, and finding Fenton sick and alone, he tarried with him until he died, and then went to Lebanon for help to bury him. Freeman returned and Fenton was buried July 15, 1763, aged sixty-five years, and a monument erected over him. In the summer of 1764 four men moved their families into the town, and from this time the settle- ment advanced with considerable rapidity, mostly by emigrants from Mansfield and Preston, Conn." The three men were the pioneers of the town, and began their lives here in the northeast part of the town, near the location of the present village of Fompanoosuc. In the year following (1764) four more settlers with their families came to the vicinity, among them Samuel Hutchin- son, Nathan Messenger and Samuel Partridge, the family of the latter, 4^0 History of Windsor County. however, not coming until the next year (1765). It is said that Nathan Messenger was the first pioneer to winter in the town. His right was near the site of Norwich village, as was also Samuel Hutchinson's. Samuel Partridge made his improvements in the west part of the town, south of the hamlet called Beaver Meadows. He returned to Con- necticut during the fall of 1764, and remained there that winter, return- ing, however, the next spring, and bringing with him his wife and par- ents. The father, whose name was Samuel, became an extensive land owner in the " Meadows" vicinity, having there 1,000 acres. General Peter Olcott was one of the eminent men of Norwich. In May, 1777, he was appointed by New York to the position of commis- sioner of confiscated estates ; and in 1778 to the same office under Ver- mont; was a member of the Windsor convention of June, 1777, also of July and December of the same year. In 1777 he commanded a regi- ment of Gloucester county militia, and was summoned with it to march to the relief of Bennington; was councilor from the first session until October, 1779; again in 1781-90; lieutenant-governor, 1790-93; and judge of the Supreme Court, 1782-84. He died at Norwich in Septem- ber, 1808. Thomas Murdoch was a member of the Westminster convention of January 15, 1777, and the Windsor convention of June 4, 1777. He was councilor and member of the Court of Confiscation in 1778, and until October, 1779 ; and judge of the Windsor County Court, 1782-87. He represented Norwich in 1780 and 1782. He died at Norwich in 1803. Paul Brigham was a native of Connecticut, born January 17, 1745, and came to Norwich in May, 1782. In his native State he held the rank of captain of militia in the Revolutionary service, and in Norwich was ad- vanced to the major- generalship. He served as assistant judge of the Windsor County Court 1783-86, and again 1790-95 ; was chief judge in 1801; judge of probate in the Hartford district in 1800; high sheriff, 1787-90; representative in 1783, 1786 and 1791 ; member of council, 1792-96; member of constitutional conventions of 1793, 18 14, and 1822; was lieutenant-governor from 1796 to 1820, except during the years 1813 and 1814. He died July 15, 1824, aged nearly seventy- nine years. Although Norwich had a sufiicient population to entitle the inhabit- Town of Norwich. 481 ants to hold town meetings earlier than 1768, it was not organized until the month of April of that year, the administration of its affairs, previous to that time, being in the hands of the proprietors. The first town offi- cers elected by the residents of the town were as follows : Moderator, Nathan Messenger; town clerk, Thomas Murdock ; selectmen. Lieuten- ant Partridge, Captain Johnson and Nathan Messenger ; constables, Thomas Murdock and John Slafter ; tithingman, Medad Benton ; fence viewers, Elisha Partridge, Thatcher, Thomas Murdock and Jacob Burton. The succession of town representatives from 1778 to the pres- ent time will be found on later pages of this chapter. In the proceedings had by the representatives of the towns in the con- ventions at Dorset this town took an active interest, but was not then represented ; but it was represented in the first convention held east of the mountains, that at Westminster in January, 1777, the records show- ing the presence of Major Thomas Murdock and Jacob Burton, the former being one of the committee to examine into the number of towns of Cumberland and Gloucester counties that had voted in favor of the new State. Also, in the somewhat famous convention at Windsor, June 4, 1777, the town of Norwich was represented by Colonel Peter Olcott, Major Thomas Murdock, and Jacob Burton, each of whom signed the "revised declaration." It would appear from the foregoing statements that the people of Nor- wich were earnestly and heartily in favor of the formation of the new State ; and so they were subject to certain conditions that need an ex- planation. There was great friendliness of feeling, and many things in common between the people in this locality and those on the east side of the Connecticut River, and there was, moreover, a strong desire on both sides that the towns be united under the same government. About this time there was much favorable discussion of the project of forming a union with the New Hampshire towns, as soon as the inde- pendence of the new State should be declared, and its affairs assume some tangible shape. With this union in view, a number of the towns west of the Connecticut River went into the conventions, and did every possible thing in hastening the declaration of separate independence, be- lieving that the union with the eastern towns would speedily follow, and become firmly and permanently established. 61 482 History of. Windsor CounTV. In accordance with their expectations and desires the new State was formed, and subsequently, on June 11, 1778, sixteen towns on the east side of the river were received into and made a part of Vermont. Rut this union was not regarded favorably by the authorities of New Hamp- shire, and in addition to that there was much feeling in opposition to it in the State generally, and west of the mountains particularly. Finally, the matter reached such a situation that the question was submitted to the towns to determine whether the union should stand or be dissolved, and the latter proposition was carried. The union was therefore at an end, much to the dissatisfaction of Norwich and several other towns in the vicinity. Tlie final result was that this town, together with a num- ber of others, united in a petition to Congress, setting forth the circum- stances under which they had favored the new State, and being disappointed and misled, were desirous of having Congress understand that they were not in favor of the admission of Vermont to the union of States. Twice were these petitions sent to Congress, first in August, 1779, and again in February, 1780. The towns represented were Hartford, Norwich, Sharon, Royalton, Fairlee, Newbury and Barnet. Peter Olcott, of Norwich, was the agent sent to Congress to present the petitions. Subsequently, however, a second union with New Hamp- shire towns was formed, and then the people of the disaffected towns of Vermont ceased their opposition to Vermont's admission as one of the United States ; and when the dissolution of this second union became imperative, the town had so grown in population, and public sentiment had so changed, that there was no murmuring or discontent on the part of her people. One of the most notable occasions in the early history of this town was that which witnessed the session of the Governor and Council and the General Assembly of the State, in June, 1785, and the occasion was deeply and fully appreciated by the entire people ; for although it was an adjourned session, and not one for the inauguration of the State officers, the chief executive of the State was accompanied by an escort of cavalry, and at Norwich they were met by a body of militia under the command of Colonel Paul Brigham. Thus for the brief space of two or three weeks Norwich was the temporary seat of government of Vermont. A glance over the pages of the journal of the Governor and Council Town of Norwich. 483 shows that the measures adopted, and others that were proposed and discussed, were of the same general character as were incident to the similar meetings at other towns during that period. The only important feature at this session, except the generally important character of all of the early sessions, was the impeachment proceedings against John Barrett, a justice of the peace of the county, and a citizen of Springfield. Justice Barrett was summoned before the Governor and Council on the 9th of June upon a charge of malfeasance in office, and duly appeared. Stephen Row Bradley conducted the prosecution, while Mr. Barrett appeared in his own defense. The result was that the accused be sus- pended from office for the term of six months, and pay the costs of the prosecution. It was customary for the Governor and Council, in their sessions with the General Assembly, to meet at various places in the new State, as cir- cumstances and convenience might suggest; but this was the only meet- ing of these representative bodies in the town of Norwich, and was brougiit about, it is believed, through the influence of General Peter Olcott and Major Thomas Murdock, both of whom were then council- ors, and aided by the additional influence of Lieutenant-Governor Paul Spooner, of Hartland. At that time the town of Norwich was repre- sented by Jacob Burton. Another chapter of this work gives an account of the part taken by the county in the war of the Rebellion. During the course of the war the town of Norwich is credited with having furnished 166 men, who entered the service under and subsequent to the first call for three years' volunteers. For the three years' service the town enlisted 106 men ; for one year, 4 ; for nine months, 31 ; for naval service, 9 ; miscellane- ous credits, men not named, 10; volunteers, re-enlisted, 6. In addition there were enrolled men who furnished substitutes, 5 ; furnished under draft and paid commutation, 8 ; procured substitutes, 3. A grand total of 182. At the time of taking the census enumeration of inhabitants in 1771 by New York, Norwich was found to contain 206 residents, that being three more than Windsor, and it was, therefore, the most populous town in the county. In 1791 the population had increased to 1,158, it then being the fourth town in the county in number of inhabitants. The 484 History of Windsor County. greatest population was attained in the town in 1830, when it was 2,316; but since that time there has been a slow and constant decrease, shown by the census reports of each decade, until that of 1880, which gave the town a population of only 1,471, a little more than half as many as fifty years before. Representatives in General Assembly. — 1778, Abel Curtis, Joseph Hatch; 1779, none; 1780, Thomas Murdock, Elisha Burton; 1781, Abel Curtis, Peter Olcott ; 1782, Abel Curtis, Thomas Murdock ; 1783, Paul Brigham ; 1784, Elisha Burton, Elijah Gates; 1785, Jacob Burton ; 1786, Paul Brigham ; 1787, Elisha Burton, to 1789; 1790, Joseph Hatch; 1791, Paul Brigham; 1792, Aaron Storrs ; 1793-94, Daniel Buck; 1795, John Bush ; 1796, Ebenezer Brown ; 1797-98, Roswell Olcott; 1799-1800, Elisha Burton; 1 801, Peter Olcott ; 1802, Pierce Burton; 1803-04, Hezekiah Goodrich; 1805, Pierce Burton; 1806, Daniel Buck; 1807-08, none; 1809-13, Pierce Burton ; 1814, Israel Newton; 1815-19, Don J. Brigham; 1820-23, Aaron Loveland ; 1824- 28, Thomas Emerson ; 1829, Cyrus Partridge ; 1830, Elias Lyman, jr.; 1831-32, Elias Lyman; 1833-34, Alden Partridge; 1835-36, Cyrus Partridge ; 1837, Alden Partridge ; 1838, Thomas Hazen ; 1839, Alden Partridge; 1840, Aaron Loveland; 1841-43, Ira Davis; 1844, Ebenezer Spear, 2d ; 1845-46, Shubael Converse ; 1847, William Love- land ; 1848, none; 1749, Ebenezer Spear, 2d; 1850, Ebenezer D. Brown ; 185 i, Samuel Goddard ; 1852-53, L. S. Partridge ; 1854-55, Franklin L. Olds; 1856-57, William E. Lewis; 1858-59, Joseph T. Loveland ; 1860-61, John Loveland ; 1862, Joseph Pratt; 1863, Will- iam E. Lewis ; 1864-65, Aaron G. Pease ; 1866-67, Joseph T. Love- land ; 1868-69, Ebenezer B. Brown ; 1870-71, none ; 1872-73, Will- iam E. Lewis; 1874-75, John Dutton ; 1876-77, Bartlett Sargent; 1878-79, William E. Lewis; 1880-81, Samuel H. Currier; 1882-83, H. V. Partridge ; 1884-85, A. V. Turner ; 1886-87, George Messenger; 1888-89, Aaron Loveland. Ecclesiastical History. — The orthodox Congregationalist has always been the leading religious denomination in Norwich. As early as 1770 the Rev. Peter Powers, the pioneer preacher of Newbury, held services in Norwich and formed a church which was the fifth organized in the State. On August 31, 1775, Rev. Lyman Potter was ordained minister. Town of Norwich. 485 He was a native of Salisbury, Conn., and was graduated from Yale Col- lege in 1772. Though the town now had a settled minister, they had no place of worship, services being held in a large barn erected by Gov- ernor Olcott. After considerable discussion in reference to a site the foundation for the first church was laid July 9, 1778, about a mile and a half north by west of the present village of Norwich. It cost six hun- dred and ninety-four pounds and was lathed and plastered on the in- side, and clapboarded on the outside, but never was painted and had no steeple or bell. The town purchased the building in 1785 and the Ver- mont Legislature met there in June of that year. The first deacon of the church was Joseph Smalley. At the time of the ordination of Mr. Potter the church membership was thirty-six. Revivals were held in 1776, 1780 and 1 78 1, and about forty were added. Mr. Potter asked for his dismissal in March, iSoi, which was granted in August of that year. He removed to Steubenville, O., where he died in 1826. Rev. James W. Woodward became pastor in 1804, and continued until June 8, 1 82 1. The last service held in the old church was on December 28, 1817, it having been purchased December 24, 18 17, by Constant Mur- dock for one hundred dollars at auction. A new house forty by sixty feet was immediately built near the site of the old one, and was dedi- cated January i, 18 1 8. Mr. Woodward was followed by Rev. Samuel Goddard in 1822, who continued his labors till 1844, when he died. The society under his charge was very prosperous, the membership in 1839 numbering two hundred and forty-seven. The church was with- out a settled pastor until May, 1846, when Rev. Edward B. Emerson was installed ; he was dismissed in March, 1853. In May, 1854, the first church was dissolved, its members connecting themselves with neighbor- ing churches, about sixty uniting with the church at Norwich Plains. The building was purchased at auction by Charles A. and Granville Slack in 1857 fo'' o"^ hundred and fifty dollars, and taken down. Town meet- ings were held in these two churches for three-quarters of a century. The present Congregational church, located at the village of Norwich, was built in 181 7 and dedicated by Rev. James W. Woodward on No- vember 20th of that year. The society was organized June 19, 1819, with eleven members, and Rev. R. W. Bailey was settled as pastor No- vember 24, 1 8 19, and remained four years. From 1823 to 1831 the 486 History of Windsor County. pulpit was supplied by Revs. James W. Woodward, J. R. Wheelock, S. W. Boardman and Dr. Shurtleff. On December 28, 1831, Rev. Thomas Hall was installed and continued about three years. For the ne,xt six years Rev. Dr. Shurtleff supplied the church and during his ministry two revivals were held : one in 1835, conducted b)' Rev. Jede- diah Burchard, and the second in 1839, by Rev. Sherman Kellogg. Over one hundred persons became members of the church. From 1840 to 1853 the pulpit was supplied by Revs. J. D. Butler, Sherman Kellogg, David Kimball and Rev. Professors Haddock, Noyes and Brown, of Dartmouth College. In 1852 the church was moved from the common, in front of Norwich University, to its present location. Tiie following pastors have supplied the pulpit since that date: Rev. A. G. Pease from January 2, 1855, to July 24, 1857 ; Rev. S. W. Boardman to Septem- ber I, 1859; Rev. Austin Hazen from March, i860, to March, 1864; from that date until June i, 1865, the pulpit was supplied by the presi- dent and professors of Dartmouth College. On the latter date Rev. William Sewall began supplying the pulpit and was installed September 27, 1866. He resigned July 2, 1876, and was dismissed October i8th, of tiiat year. The present pastor, Rev. N. R. Nichols, began his serv- ices in the early part of the spring of 1880. As early as 1799 the town records show the existence of an organ- ized society of Baptists in Norwich. Asahel Lewis was at that time clerk of the society, and his certificate is on record showing the follow- ing members : Israel Brown, Elias Partridge, Jesse Geer, Jude Allen, John Lewis, Baxter Newton, Eli White, William Winslow, Nicholas Allen, William Wade, Amos Phillips, Martin Brown and Elisha White. There is no evidence that this society ever had a meeting-house or a set- tled minister. Through the efforts of Rev. John Hibbard, a pioneer Baptist missionary, a church was formed in the northern part of Sharon in 1792. The Rev. James Parker was ordained in 1805, and mainly through his efforts the organization was kept alive. Its meetings were held in school-houses and private dwellings until 1833, when a small meeting-house was built at Beaver Meadow. Mr. Parker's death oc- curred in 1839 and Rev. J. S. Herrick became the next pastor, remain- ing until 1842, and was succeeded by the following: Revs. J. Crowley, 1842 to 1846; Phillip Chamberlain, 1846 to i860; A. W. Boardman, Town of Norwich. 48; 1862; W. L. Colburn, 1864 to 1865 ; C. D. Fuller, 1868 to 1869. In 1 87 1, the society having diminished by deatli and removals, meetings were discontinued and the following year the church was permanently removed to Sharon village. The church building was taken down in 1875 and the material used in the construction of a parsonage at Sharon. A small Episcopal society was organized in Norwich in 1835, chiefly through the efforts of Dr. Ira Davis. Between 1846 and 1850 services were occasionally held under the ministrations of Prof. Hill, of Dart- mouth College. During the time that Dr. Edward Bourne was presi- dent of Norwich University regular meetings were held in the chapel connected with that institution, down to 1863, when a church was erected just south of the parade grounds. Since the removal of the university services have been held only occasionally in Norwich. The Methodists organized a society in town early in the nineteenth century and a church was built a mile and a half south of Union village. The present church in the village was built about 1830. Educational. — The first action towards the division of the town into school districts was at a town meeting held November 19, 1782, when a committee was appomted to divide the town and to build school houses, etc. This committee was subsequently discharged, after reporting " that they could effect nothing on the business of their appointment." At the annual March meeting in 1785, upon the request of the inhabit- ants in the southeastern part of the town, that portion was set apart for the purpose of building a school-house and supporting a school ; it was named the First School District. At the annual meeting held in 1797, on the report of a committee of sixteen, the town was divided into twelve districts. The following year District No. 13 was created, located in the southwestern part of the town. In 1808 District No. 14 was organ- ized, and since then, at various times, other districts have been formed, until the number reached twenty- one. At the first return made in 1799 there were five hundred and fifty-two pupils between the ages of four and eighteen years in the town. In 1886 fifteen districts supported schools and there were two hundred and twenty scholars in attendance. The first school-master in town was Ashur Hatch, and among his scholars were John Bush, Roswell Olcott, Thomas Brigham, M. D., 488 History of Windsor County. Stephen Burton, and Mills Olcott. The school was known as the Wind- sor County Grammar School, and in October, 1788, an act was passed by the Legislature granting a lottery for the purpose of raising money to complete the school-house. Mr. Hatch taught the school from 1785 to 1 79 1. The building stood on the presenf site of the Congregational church until about 1830. The brick school-house near the site of the old meeting-house was built previous to 1809. In 1833 Rev. Amasa Buck, a Methodist clergy- man, with others, had a school of academic grade at Norwich village, which was known as Franklin Seminary. The Misses Rockwood taught a ladies' school, and from 1855 to i860 Miss Mary Bugbee conducted a school known as Norwich Female Seminary. In i860 and '61 Miss Lucy Morris taught a school for young ladies. By an act of the Legis- lature passed November 8, 1867, the "Norwich Classical and English Boarding School" was incorporated with the following as incorporators : William Sewall, Henry Blood, Henry Hutchinson, John Button, Sylves- ter Morris, William E. Lewis, Joseph T. Loveland, James Burnham, Samuel Goddard, and Franklin Olds. The school was opened in De- cember, 1867, in the building known as the North Barracks, formerly belonging to the Norwich University. The building was repaired at an expense of about $3,000. Though the school opened with encourag- ing prospects, the patronage steadily declined and the project was aban- doned in ten years. The following is a list of its principals : 1868, Will- iam H. Gilbert; 1869, C. P. Chase; 1S70-73, C. E. Putney; 1874, E. P. Sanborn; 1875, W. W. Morrill; 1876, W. H. Ray; 1877, D. S. Brigham. The American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy. — This insti- tution was established at Norwich by the late Captain Alden Partridge. The original subscription paper bore the date of October 20, 1817, and is signed by the following: Thomas Emerson, $1,000; A. Partridge, $1,500; John Wright, $1,500; Cyrus Partridge, $100; Joseph Emer- son, $600; Aaron Loveland, $100; Samuel Partridge, $100; Isaac Partridge, $100 ; Abel Partridge, $100 ; Elihu Emerson, $100. It was the parent home of a new system of education, the result of many years of study of its founder. The corner-stone of an elegant brick building of four stories was laid August 6, 18 19. The academy was opened with Town of Norwich. 489 about one hundred cadets September 24, 1826, and so popular became this new system of education that during the time the academy was located at Norwich the names of four hundred and eighty cadets appear upon its rolls. Students were received from nearly every State in the Union, and some from foreign lands. During the early part of 1825, Captain Partridge having received overtures from the leading citizens of Middletown, Conn., and believing that city ofifered superior advantages for the dissemination of his system of education, decided to remove the academy to that location. This change was made April 11, 1825, and while Captain Partridge retained the presidency, its success was more than its most sanguine friends had anticipated. The number of cadets in attendance during the first three years was over seven hundred and ten. Under Captain Partridge's supervision the cadets made pedestrian expeditions, upon which they received practical instruction in surveying. Military excursions were also taken, the cadets visiting New York city, Washington, and other points of interest, marching in the aggregate about two thousand miles, and making from thirty to fifty miles per day. After the retirement of Captain Partridge from the presidency the school attendance declined and it was finally discontinued. Among those that were at different times connected with the academy as professors were the following: George P. Marsh, in 1820-21, instructor in languages ; Rev. Rufus W. Bailey, chaplain and professor of ethics and belles-lettres, 1822-23; Rev. J. W. Woodward, professor of geography and history, etc., 1823-25 ;• James Freeman Dana, professor of chem- istry, 1820-22; E. B. Williston, professor of Greek and rhetoric; John M. Partridge, professor of geometry, topography and sword exercise. Norwich University. — While a member of the Legislature in 1834 the late Captain Partridge obtained a charter for this institution and the act was passed November 6, 1834. The corporation was to consist of twenty five persons, besides the president, who was an ex-officio member. The board of trustees was empowered to fill their own vacancies, and re- quired to provide for a constant course of instruction in military science and civil engineering, and prohibited from establishing any regulations of a sectarian character either in religion or politics. The present build- ing was begun in 1883, and was erected for a boarding-house. The first meeting of the trustees was held in January, 1835, and the following 02 490 History ok Windsor County. faculty was elected: Aldeii Partridge, president and professor of moral and intellectual philosophy, history, science of government, political economy, military science, and tactics; Truman B. Ransom, vice-presi- dent and professor of natural and experimental philosophy, mathematics, and civil engineering ; M. Noras, professor of ancient and modern lan- guages ; Franklin Marsh and J. W. Horr, assistants in the English de- partment. The school went into operation in May, 1835, the price of tuition being thirty-two dollars a year. The attendance from the open- ing to August, 1841, was two hundred and twenty-six, and the buildings owned by Captain Partridge, and formerly used by the A. L. and S. Academy, were occupied. The future of the institution bade fair to be prosperous, but owing to liissensions the school became unpopular and gradually wasted away. In 1844 Captain Partridge resigned the presi- dency, and was succeeded by Colonel T B. Ransom, who, in 1847, ^^' signed to take part in the war with Mexico. After Colonel Ransom's resignation the school was for a short time in charge of Rev. J. D. But- ler, but in 1848 Prof Henry S. Wheaton was elected president. He filled the office until 1S50, and in the following year Rev. Edward Bourns became president, and remained until 1865. On March 13, 1866, the building known as the South Barracks was destroyed by fire, and the following autumn the town of Northfield, Vt., having raised $16,500, the academy was removed to that point. It continued to bear the same title until 1880, when the name was changed to " Lewis Col- lege"; but the school is now known by its old name. Among those who were at different times members of the faculty, and not previously mentioned, were the following: Simon Preston, Alonzo Jackman, Clinton 1). Averill, David Richardson, James V. A. Shields, Hiram P. Woodruff, Thomas W. Fredon, Henry V. Morris, Thomas R. Crosby, L. S. Coburn, Zerah Colburn, Alvin E. Bovee, W. C- Belcher, Charles A. Balch, George H. Bissell, and Josiah Swett. The number of students belonging to the university between 1835 and 1866 was about 1,025, of which 206 became graduates. TAe Great Freshet of 1869. — About five o'clock on the morning of October 3, 1869, it began to rain, the wind being in the northeast ; the storm continued until about noon of the 4th, the wind changing on that morning to the southwest. The rain fell in torrents, causing one Town of Norwich. 491 of the greatest freshets ever known in Norwich. All but one bridge on Bloody Brook were carried away, and numerous other bridges in town. The storm also did great damage to the highways, mills and lands on the banks of the stream ; also to the railroad, interrupting travel for nearly two weeks ; the damage in the town was from $4,000 to $6,000. Norwich Library Association. — This association was organized in De- cember, 1880, and was opened to the public in January, 1881. It has about fifteen hundred bound volumes. Newspapers. — A paper called the Vermont Engineer was published in Norwich, from March, 1829, to 1 831, by Davis & Porter. The first number of the Citizen Soldier, a weekly edited by Professors Jackman and Swett, was issued July 22, 1840. This paper was devoted to national defense, military science and interests of the volunteer militia. The office of this publication was removed to Windsor early in 1841, where its last number was issued in July of that year. Railroads. — The Connecticut and Passumpsic River Raihoad passes through the town from north to south, along the course of the Connecti- cut River most of the way. There are two railroad stations in the town : one a half mile from Norwich village, for the accommodation of Norwich and Hanover ; the other five miles farther north in the northwest corner of the town, at the mouth of the Pompanoosuc River, and bears its name. Important Events. — The first Council of Censors convened in Norwich on the first Wednesday in June, 1785. In the first organization of Cum- berland county by New York, in 1766, Norwich was placed in that county, but in March, 1772, a change was made which placed Norwich in Gloucester county. The first male child born in the town was John, son of Daniel Waterman, on July 2, 1768. The first female child born in town was Lydia, daughter of John Hutchinson, on June 6, 1877. Samuel White died June 2, 1822, aged one hundred years. John, son of Jonathan Lord, died June 19, 1882, lacking forty- two days of being one hundred years old. Fairbanks, son of Captain Timothy Bush, born February 25, 1773, died February 24, 1873, lacking twelve hours of be- ing one hundred years old. Elihu Emerson, born in Westfield, Mass., July 20, 1771, died at Leicester, Mass., aged one hundred and two years, three months, and nineteen days. He passed most of his life in 492 HiSTOkY OF Windsor County. Norwich. The first town meeting held at Union hall was on March 20, 1855. The freemen's meetings continued to be held at Center Meeting-House until 1858. Union hall was destroyed by fire Decem- ber 18, 1889. Norwich Village. — This- village, sometimes called Norwich Plains, is located in the southeast part of the town, about one- half mile from the Connecticut River. It is about one hundred and fifty feet above the river, and five hundred and twenty-five feet above tide water at Ports- mouth, N. H. The situation of the village is pleasant, the main street being broad and straight and about half a mile in length, beautifully shaded with trees. The place was originally known as Burton's Plains, from Jacob Burton, who, with his sons, made the first settlement in 1776. Jacob Burton and his son Elisha built the first saw-mill in 1766, on what is now Bloody Brook. It stood on the opposite bank from Messenger & Ilazen's tannery. This mill was carried away in the freshet of 1869, after having been operated for over a century by the Burton family. Elisha Burton built a grist-mill on the brook near the present location of A. G. Knapp. The first house in the village was erected in 1771 by Captain Joseph Hatch. It is still standing and but few changes have been made in its interior or exterior. As late as 1788 there were only three houses on the plains — the one mentioned, Jacob Burton's dwelling, now occupied by T. A. Hazen, and Elisha Burton's house, now owned by S. A. Arm- strong. Stephen Burton, son of Elisha, opened the first store on the plains in 1 790. The hotel building, lately destroyed by fire, was built in 1797 by Colonel Jasper Murdock. The village began to grow about the beginning of the present century, and in 1824 there were about thirty dwelling houses. There are at pres- ent about seventy dwellings, Congregational and Episcopal churches, a hotel, a tannery, a store and several mechanics' shops. The population by the census of 1 880 was 276. The post-office was first established in Norwich in 1805, and Joseph Burton, son of Elisha, was the first post- master. He was a saddler and haness- maker, and the office was kept in his shop, which stood on the east side of the main street, about oppo- site the present residence of Colonel William E. Lewis. Following is a list of the postmasters and their terms of service: Olu Families. 493 Joseph Burton, July i, 1805 ; George Riley, November 9, 18 14; Cyrus Partridge, January I, 1818; Jason Allen, April 17, 1820; Cyrus Part- ridge, November 22, 1821 ; Roswell Shurtleff, 1834 to 1836; John Wright, 1836-39; Baxter B. Newton, 1839-41 ; Harvey Burton, 1841- 45; Ira Davis, 1845-49; John Wright, 1853-55; Lewis S. Partridge, 1855-57; Edward M. Lewis, 1857-61; Franklin L. Olds, 1861-85; Lewis S. Partridge, 1885 till his death in May, 1886; Josiah T. Morri- son, July I, 1886, to May i, 1889; Edward W. Olds, the present incum- bent. Union Village. — This is a hamlet in the northern part of the town^ about half of the village being located in Orange county. The part within the town of Norwich contains a Methodist church and about a dozen dwellings. A post-office was established here January i, 1831, with J.Walker as postmaster. He held the office until 1856, and the following persons have been his successors: R. M. Gleason, 1856-61 and 1864-73; S. M. Gleason, 1862-63; Anson West, 1874-76; J. R. Blaisdell, 1877, and now in the office. Pompanoosuc. — This is a small hamlet in the northeastern part of the town, containing a few dwellings and a chair factory. A post- offic^ was established here in 1849, with Benjamin Preston as the first postmaster. He held the office until 185 i and has been succeeded by the following: W.W.Reynolds, 1851-54; Benjamin Preston, 1854-57; C.B.Rey- nolds, 1857-59; Isaac Pierce, 1859-62; H. F. Reynolds, 1862-68; J. M. Flint, 1868-76; H. E. Kendall, 1876 to present time. Beaver Meadow. — This is situated in the western part of the town near the Sharon line. In early times there was some business done here, but at present it is simply a cross-road. A post-office has recently been established here. Old Families. It would be impossible within the compass of this work to give a genealogical sketch of each family that has been connected with the town. The remainder of this chapter is devoted to those who feel and have manifested an interest in preserving the records of their ancestors. For sketches received too late for insertion in this chapter please refer to a later chapter of this work. 494 History of Windsor County. Bicknell, John, was born in Tunbridge, Vt, November 12, 1802, and was married De- cember 4, 1824, to Letita Bean. She was liorn June 21, 1802. They had four children : Sarah, married Jerome Slaylon, of Stowe, Vl., September 3, 1843, died January 10, 1845 ; Harvey, resides in Barnard, Vt; Abel C; and William, a resident of Norwich. John clied April 14, Isil'J, and his wife May 9, 1887. Their four children were born in West Fairlee, Vt., where they resided until the youngest child was two years old, when they removed to Stowe, Vt. In 1845 they came to Norwich, where thev remained the rest of their lives. Bicknell, Abel, son of John, was born in West Fairlee, Vt., June 2, 1830, and married November 24, 1857, Charlotte A. Cummings. They have two children: Henry, born September 2(1, 18(13, married Gertrude Slack, and resides in Norwicli ; and Julia E., wife of Myron Pierce, of Norwich. Mr. Bicknell has been a resident of Norwich since 1845. Burton, Jacob, came from Stonington, Conn., in the summer of 17(14, to Norwich, in- tending to locate, but finding no inhabitants in the town he returned to Connecticut. In the following year he helped lay out a part of the town into lots, and in 17(j(j, in com- pany with his son Asa, and several hands, came to Norwich, and erected a saw-mill on the site now occupied by the Messenger & Hazen tannery. Mr. Burton was a member of the Committee of Rules and Regulations of the first General Assembly of Vermont, and was elected at that session second county judge for the shire of Newbury. He was the first town clerk in Norwich. He married Rachel , and had tlie following family: Elisha; John, removed to Cazenovia, N. Y., in 1809, where he died; Asa; Josiah, died in Norwich; Anna, married Simeon Carpenter; Sarah, married Alden Spooner; Eliza, died young. Jacob died July 12, 1798. Burton, Elisha, son of Jacob, was horn November 7, 1743, and married April 28, 17fi7, Susanna Burton. They had three children : Levi, died in the West : Elisha, died un- married ; Stephen, died in the West. His second wife was Sarah Cogswell. Their chil- dren were Sarah, married Jesse Stoddard ; Jacob, died in Norwich ; Joseph, born in 1781,#died in 1814; Susanna, died in childhood; Polly, married Rev. Samuel Baseom ; John B. C, died in Norwicli ; Harvey ; Fanny, married Ammi B. Allen. Elisha mar- ried for his third wife Mrs. Mercy Loveland, and died May 3, 1819. Burton, Asa, son of Jacob, was born August 25, 1752, in Stonington, Conn., and re- moved to Preston, Conn., with his parents. At the age of fourteen his father removed to Norwich, and from that time until he was twenty he was employed in labor inci- dental to the settlement of a new country. With impaired health he was admitted at the age of twenty-one to Dartmouth College. After graduating lie studied theology, and after preaching occasionally in various towns in Vermont and Connecticut, he was settled in January, 1779, over a church in Thetford, Vt., where he pre.-iched for fifty years. When he took charge of the church there were only si.xteen members, and when he delivered his semi-centennial sermon the member.ship had increased to three hundred and twenty. He was the author of a number of publications, and during his life grad- uated si.xty students for the ministry. Dr. Burton's first wife was his lialf cousin, Mercy Burton, and their two daughters died before maturity. His second wife was Mary Childs, of Thetford, and their cliild, Mercy, became the wife of George West, a promi- nent lawyer of Manchester, Vt. Dr. Burton died May 1, lS3(i. Currier. — The family of this name in Norwich are descended from Richard Currier, a native of England, born in 1(517. The records of Salisbury, Mass., dating back to KHO, give his children as follows: Richard; Hannah; Tliomas; Sarah, who married Samuel Fogg; Hannah, who married Samuel Foote ; and Samuel. The line of descent from Ricliard is as follows: Second, Thomas, born 1(14(1 ; third, Benjamin, born 1(188; fourth, Gideon, born 1712; fiftli, Simeon, born 1745, who was the facher of Abel, born in Lon- donderry, N. IL, in 1782, and became a resident of Norwich in 1825. Jolmson, John, a native of Connecticut, was among the early settlers of Norwich. He married Priscilla Armstrong. Their children were Sarah (deceased), married Joel Olp Families. 495 Yarnngtoii ; Julm B. C; So|jhi;i, (Jecuased), married Caleb Clough ; Harriet (deceased), married Turner R. Wing ; Mary (deceased), married Brazilla Pennock ; Susan (deceased), married Daniel Waterman. Johnson, .John B. C, son o£ .John, was born in Norwich, where he died in December, 1883, aged eighty-five years. He married Thriphena Elmore. They had ten children : Chestinia, wife of George Woodworth, of St. Charles, Minn.; Charles, born in Norwich, June 1, 1823, married Chrislinia Pennock, has no children, and resides in Norwich ; George, lives at Hanover, N. H.; Jeanette, wife of Joseph Pennock, of Norwich ; Harriet, died young; Sarah (deceased), married Charles Adams; John, resides in Lyme, N. H.; Daniel Jackson ; Albert, lives in Newbury, N. H.; Ellen Udora, wife of Tread- well Seaver, of St. Charles, Minn. Johnson, James, was born in Norwich, Conn., August 21, 1761, and married for his first wife, March 3, 1782, Olive Armstrong. She was born October IB, 1703, and died June 26, 1803. The children of this marriage were John W., who died young; Olive (deceased), married Neil Sawyer; and John W. James married for his second wife, September 15, 1803, Rhody Ranstead. She was born April G, 1774. They had six chil- dren: James, was in the United States regular army, and died during the Seminole War; Wayne; Eanste.ad, a seafaring man, died at New Bedford, Mass.; Roslinda(de- ceaseil), married Cyrus Trussell ; Hannah, died at twenty years of age ; Julia (decea.sed), married Robert Floyd. James died January 3, 1835. Johnson, Wayne, son of James, was born in Norwich, May 25, 180G, and marrieil Sep- tember 28, 1827, Olive Armstrong. She was born in Norwich, September 28, 1804. They hai04. He studied medicine with his father and Dr. Na- than Smith, professor in Dartmouth Medical College, and in 1S08 received his diploma. In December, ISOS, he was appointed surgeon's mate in a United States regiment of riflemen, stationed at Newport, R. L In September of the next year he was obliged to resign on account of ill-health. In I.SIO he formed a copartnership with his father, which continued seven years. From that time until his death, September 14. 1S23. ow- ing to ill-health, he was not engaged in active practice. Dr. Lewis married June 28, 1812, Keturah Dennison, of Stonington, Conn. Owing to the early death of her hus- band, the education and support of her four children became her life-work. This duty she fulfilled, and when her mission was performed she returned to her native town, where she died August G. 1855. The four chililren mentioned were William Enos; Charles Dennison. born June G, 1817, a physician of Grant county, Ky.; Ann Emerson, a resident of Connecticut; Lucy Mary (deceased), married 13. I*'. Holmes. Lewis, William Enos, eldest son of Dr. Enos. was born in Norwich. May 25, 1815- He was educated at Partridge's Literary, Scientific and Militaiy .\cademy of Noiwich. He has. in a general way, engaged in farming during most of his active life, but has filled many positions of political trust. He was deputy sheriff and constable for over twenty years, and at the annual town meeting, March, 1843, was elected town clerk, which ollice he has held ever since. He was a member of the Legislature for 185()-57, 18G3, 1872, and l.'>78; assistant assessor of internal revenue for Third District of Ver- mont from 18(13 to l.'^71. He has been actively engaged in military idVairs; was made major of the Twenty-third Regiment of Vermont militia, and was afterwards promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and later to colonel. On October 30, 1874, having been elected by Legislature, he was conimissioneil by Governor Carlos Coolidge as brigadier-general of the Eighth Brigade. Second Division of the State militia. He married Ruby W., (Laugh- ter of Hezekiah Hazen, and their chdilren were as follows: Lucy Ann, born February 19. 1847, wife of Joseph F. Foote, of Norwich, Conn., have one sou, William Lewis Foote ; William Hazen, born January 25, IS4y, married Stella L. Hubbard, has one chiM. Mabel Hazen, and is a resilient of A.scutneyville, Vt.; Marie Louise, born September 15, 1.S51, wife of William W. Morrill, of Troy, N. Y.; Katie Denison, dieil when about one year old; Charles Franklin, born ,\ugust 2G, 1S59, marrieil Phebe E. Cook, has one child, Marion B.. and resiiles in Norwich. Vt.; Mary Denison, died at three years of age. Loveland, Hon. Aaron, was born in Norwich, Vt., August 10, 1780. He was educated at Dartmouth College, graduating in 1801. and during a part of his college course was a room-male of Daniel Webster. He was acknowledged the best Greek scholar of his class, and after leaving college became proficient in the French, Spanish, ami It.dian languages. He was maile Professor of Languages at Norwich University, which posi- tion he held a number of years. He first opened a law office at Strafford, Vt.. where he remained only a, short time, when he removed to Norwich, where he practiceil his pro- fession until his death, January 3, 1870. In politics Juilge Loveland w.as a Whig and later ;i Republican, ancl was honored with many positions of responsibility. He was As- sistant Juilge of the County Court in 1823, and Chief Judge in the following year ; mem- ber of the Legislature from 1820 to 1824, and again in 1S40. The Judge was never married. Loveland, Joseph, was born in Weathersfield, Conn., April 14, 1747, and married Mercy Bigelow, November 12, 1772. She was born November 22, 1753. Joseph be- came a resident of Hanover, N. II., March 13, 177G, and removed to Norwich, Novein- Old Families. 497 ber lii,177y, soUling on the farm now owned liy his grandson, Aaron, which has ever since been in possession of his descendants, lie liad thirteen children: Jo.seph, ilied young; Joseph, born July IS, 1773, emigrated to Ohio, where he died; Prudence (de- ceased), married Eljenezer Percival ; Aaron, died young; Aaron, died unmarried; David; William; Mary {s, died in Norwich; Olive (deceased), married Lyman Baldwin ; Eliza (deceased), married Daniel Yarrington ; and Mary (deceased), married Dyer Waterman. Seaver, Calvin, son of Calvin, born in Norwich, January G, 1787, married, first, Sylenda Waterman, second, Sophia Eastman. Children by second wife, viz.: Livia A., wife of Mills A. Lord, of Norwich; Calvin F., lives in Thetforl, Vt.; Luther P., died at two and one-half years; Mary S., died at seventeen months; A. Jeanette, died at tlu-ee and one-half years; Sylenda J., wife of Homer M. Martin, of Norwich; and C. Tread well, died at St. Paul, Mum., April 2, 1889, was a machinist, and injured in a railway acci- dent. Calvin died April 10, 1853. Stimson, Joel, was born August 10, 1751. He was a soldier of the Revolution, and a fiterin Captain Solomon Hill's company. He married at Tolland, Conn., April 15, 1779, Susanna Growe. His wife was born June 16, 17G0. Soon after his marriage Joel set- tled in Norwich. He had a family of thirteen children, four of whom died in infancy. The others were Seba ; Alba, born May 10, 1783, died in Thetford, Vt., and left no issue ; Sarepta, married Augustus Hay ward ; Anna, married, first. Pierce Burton, jr., and second. Alpha Warren; Clarissa, died single ; Joel, died in the West; Enos, died at Montpelier, Vt.; Horace, died in Michigan; Jason, died in Ohio. Joel died April 15, 1813, in Norwich. Stimson, Seba. of the above family, was born in Tolland, Conn., August 8, 1781, and married January 3, 1805, Phylabe Allen, a native of Craftsbury, Vt. He removed to Greensboro, Vt., in 1802, where his children were born, but he died in Waterbury, Vt., Feb-uary 23, 1862. His children were William A., died at Lowell, Ma.'is.; Hamilton, died at Greensboro, Vt.; Joel Growe ; Samuel Payson, died at Barton, Vt.; Susan, wife of H. Conant, of Oxford, N. H.; Phylabe (deceased), married Arthur Marston ; Emily (deceased), married Mr. Emerson, of Reading, Mass. Stimson, Joel Growe, son of Seba, was born in Greensboro, Vt, July 23, 1812, and married, first, Juliet Walker. Their children were William H., engaged in the dry goods business in New York city. His second wife was Cynthia R. Stone, of Cabot, Vt. Their children are Edward Payson, a practicing physician at West Randolph, Vt.; Charles W., a farmer living in Norwich ; Martin Luther, a Congregational minister, was for eight years missionary to China, but owing to ill-health was obliged to return to this country in 1889, and now resides in Brooklyn ; Juliet W., a graduate of Holyoke Ladies' Semi- nary, resides at home. Joel G., at the age of nineteen, engaged in mercantile business, and in 1838 opened a store at Strafford, Vt., where he remained until 1844, when he removed to Waterbury, Vt. At the latter place he was in the wholesale and retail trade until 1S()8, when, owing to the early settlement made by his grandfather in Norwich, he became a resident of that town. While engaged in business in Waterbury he built two of the prominent business blocks in that village. During the time of his residence in Norwich he has been engaged in farming and carrying on wholesale business in flour dnd feed. Williston, Rev. David H., studied for the ministry at Dartmouth College, and gradu- ated in 1787 from Yale College. He received the degree of A. M. from Dartmoutli in 1793. He settled in Tunbridge, Vt., June2G, 1793, where he died in 1845, at the age of seventy-seven. He married Susanne Bancroft, a cousin of the historian, George Ban- 500 History of Windsor County. croft. Their youngest son. Professor Ebenezer Bancroft Williston, was born in Tun- bridge, Vt., in 1801. He was a student at Dartmouth, but graduated from the University of Vermont. From 1822 to 1S28 he was a member of the faculty of A. L., S. and M. Academ}', being professor of Greek Language and Rlietoric. He was the compiler of " Eloquence of the United States," in six volumes, and also edited a Tacitus. Owing to ill-health. Professor Williston w:is obliged to relinquish his duties, and he passed the last years of his life in the South. While there he was for a short time president of Jeffer- son College in Mississippi. He died at Norwich, December 27, 1837. He married Mrs. Alraira, widow of Major 0. B. Burton, nee Partridge, and had two children. Ellen Will- iston marrieil Rev. Henry Steele Chirke, late pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs. Clarke has always resided in Norwich excepting the seven years of her married life. She is the authoress of "The Marble Preacher," "Their Chil- dren," '' At Bdgeware," etc. Edward Bancroft Williston, Prof. Williston's other chilederick G. Barnard, Samuel Bell, John Whittington. Third Battery, Frederick H. Barlow. Cavalry, Edgar May, I'eter Mc- Marton, Tiiomas Riley. Volunteers wlio enlisted for one year in 1865. — Albert N. Archer, Timothy Dailey, jr., lulward H. Green, Jonathan II. Read, Lyman R. Sawtell, Alexander Snow, Moses Snow, Samuel R. Taylor, John P. Woodis. Men who were drafted that entered service. — Albert Chapman, Alvin Chapman, James H. Porter, Martin Wyman. Three Years' Volunteers. — Daniel O. Adams, re- enlisted ; John W. Adams, Wayland Adams, Edward E. Balch, James F. Baldwin, John Barrett, transferred to Invalid Corps; William J. Barrett, Darnian Bar- ton, re-enlisted, killed at Cold Harbor ; Rufus F. Barton, died of wounds received in action ; Leonard P. Bingham, first lieutenant, killed in action at Petersburg, Va.; Charles W. Bishop, re-enlisted ; Hiram P. Bixby, John M. Buckley, second lieutenant, wounded and resigned ; George B. Burbank, William A. Chapin, jr., Jasper N. Clark, discharged ; Henry C. Cleveland, re-enlisted; William A. Clement, Henry M. Colby, dis- charged ; Daniel F.Cooledge, discharged; John T. Cooledge, discharged; Thomas R. Cummings, died in the service; Leander D. Davis, died in the service ; Lorenzo A. Dodge, re-enlisted ; Charles W. Dow, trans- ferred to Invalid Corps ; Ervin M. Dunbar, Jesse B. Dunbar, Henry F. Dutton, discharged as lieutenant-colonel for wounds received in action at Winchester, Va.; Addison F. Eaton, wounded ; Scwall I'. I-Illison, discharged ; Patrick Finnegan, Benoni B. Fullam, first lieutenant, re- signed ; Volney .S. Fullam, lieutenant-colonel, resigned ; Freeman H. P"uller, re-enlisted ; Albert Gassetts, died in the service ; Oscar Gassetts, wounded ; Michael Gilligan, re-enlisted ; James T. Gorham, captain ; Elbert M. Gould, discharged; Enos M. Gould, re- enlisted ; Hiram Greeley, re-enlisted ; Josiah M. Green, died in the service ; Martin E. Grover, died in the service ; Artemus W. Hall, deserted ; Joseph L. Hastings, killed at Fredericksburg, Va.; Lowell W. Haven, re-enlisted ; Prescott R. Haven, discharged; Daniel D. Hemenway, Henry G. Ilem- enway, discharged ; Abner C. Hesselton, discharged ; Moses P. Hessel- % ^1 Town of Ludlow. 537 ton, Oramel G. Howe, second lieutenant ; Daniel Keating, Francis Kelly, deserted ; Patrick C. Kennedy, discharged ; Henry E. Lawrence, discharged ; Arthur Little, chaplain ; Henry H. Manidigo, died in the service ; Albert A. May, second lieutenant, re-enlisted ; Alonzo E. Moore, killed at Fredericksburg, Va.; Armin E. Moore, discharged ; Charles W. Moore, died in the service ; Sylvester H. Parker, Simeon L. Parkhurst, re-enlisted; Salmon E. Perham, Orris Pier, re-enlisted; Henry M. Pollard, major; John B. Pollard, Augustus H. Pratt, trans- ferred to Invalid Corps ; Charles A. Read, first lieutenant, resigned ; Joseph U. Reed, discharged ; Sullivan E. Reed, transferred to Invalid Corps ; Henry A. Riggs, Augustus L. Roberts, transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps ; Levi Rock, discharged ; Duane O. Ross, transferred to Invalid Corps ; Olvic T. Ross, PVancis B. Sargent, transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps; Henry H. Sargent, Alphonzo Sawyer, George M. Saw- yer, discharged; Erastus M. Simonds, died in the service; Hiland Snell, transferred to Invalid Corps ; Fred B. Stickney, died in the service ; Sylvester C. Strong, discharged ; Isaac N. Wadleigh, second lieutenant, resigned ; Freeman Wakefield, missing in action ; Asahel S. Whitcomb, Elmore R. Whitney, killed in action ; Charles H. Wyman, wounded ; Marlow Bingham, William H. H. Chapman, Lucius Ingalls, died of wounds ; Samuel Langdon, wounded ; Horatio S. Lockwood, James Pollard, wounded ; Charles Snow, George T. Spaffbrd, died in the service; Edwin H. Wheeler, Norman Archer, re-enlisted. Those volunteers in this list with no remarks following their names were mustered out of the service at the expiration of their terms of en- listment. Post-Officc. — There is but one post-office in the town of Ludlow, which is located at the village. The first postmaster of whom we have any record was in the office in 1 830, when Benjamin Billings held the position. About 1832 John Howe was made postmaster, and he was succeeded in 1835 by Richard F. Fletcher, who, after holding the office a few years, was succeeded by John Dunbar. The next postmaster, John R Smith, was appointed in 1844, and, owing to change of the ad- ministration, was succeeded in 1846 by Charles S. Mason, who remained until 185 1, when Reuben H. Washburn was appointed. In 1853 Charles S. Mason was re -appointed, and on the election of President Lin- es 53^ History of Windsor County. coin he was removed in 1862 and John R. Spafford secured the posi- tion, which he continued to hold till April 15, 1884. The next post- master was Albert H. Lockwood, who resigned in 1886, and the present incumbent, Ira Goddard, was appointed. Grahamville. — This name is given to a small collection of dwellings located on the west bank of the Black River, about two miles north of Ludlow village. In 1849 Asahel Miller and William Graham formed a copartnership under the style of Miller & Graham, and built a one-set woolen-mill at this point. They continued business until 1855, when they were obliged to stop on account of financial difficulties. The niii! was subsequently run by Josliua Ward, and also by John Bentlcy, and during the occupancy of the latter it was destroyed by fire. On the site of the mill there is at present a saw-mill run by Edwin W. Royce. William Graham, from whom this hamlet was named, was born in Rutland, Worcester county, Mass., August 30, 1800, and was the eldest son of William and Sally (Davis) Graham. At the age of si.xteen he ap- prenticed himself to the clothing business. After learning this trade he worked in Tenipleton and Royalston, Mass., and afterwards learned the trade of spinning. In 1823 he came to Windsor county, locating at Springfield, Vt., in tlie employ of James Lovell. From this time till 1827 he worked at liis trade in Leominster, N. H., Templeton and Roy- alston, Mass. In 1827 he became a partner of Samuel Dadmon, at Templeton, to whom he had been first apprenticed, and during the year 1836 they, with other parties, built a six-set mill, three stories high and one hundred and twenty-five feet in length. They continued busi- ness until 1842, when, owing to financial difficulties, the firm was dis- solved and Mr. Graham came to Ludlow to work for George Coffin. He was also employed at Cavendish, Vt., Harrisville, and Antrim, N. H., till 1849, when he became a member of the firm mentioned above. Upon the dissolution of the firm of Miller & Graham the latter built on Jewell Brook a wool-carding factory, which was destroyed by fire De- cember 31, 1880, and was rebuilt in the following spring, the business being now conducted by hittiself and his son Harlan. Mr. Graham married for his first wife Mary Church, and their three cliildren were William, who died in Ludlow, a bachelor, at thirty- four years of age ; Lydia Ann, widow of Harvey Evans, resides in Acworth, Town of Ludlow. 539 N. H.; Mary Frances, widow of Stillman Segar, lives at Peabody, Mass. His second wife was Nancy Miller, and their children are George M., who married Nettie Tallmadge, and has one child, Nellie Edna; he is a resident of Ludlow ; Walter Scott, who resides at Palmer, Mass.; and Harlan, a resident of Ludlow. Ltidlow Village is located in the central part of the town, on Black River, and has about 1,500 inhabitants. It has five churches, one acad- emy, one graded and two district schools, and the usual complement of mercantile houses, mechanic, millinery, and blacksmith shops. Three-quarters of the freeholder inhabitants in the center of the town of Ludlow petitioned the selectmen to establish boundaries for the formation of a fire society, under an act of the Legislature entitled, "An Act authorizing and directing the mode of forming fire companies in this State." In accordance with this action a meeting of the freeholders was held December 21, 1832, and adjournment taken to January 4, 1833. At the latter meeting Asa Fletcher was chosen moderator, and Edward Manning, clerk. The following were elected fire wardens : Sewall Ful- 1am, jr., Abram Adams, John Howe, James Withington, Asa Fletcher, Augustus Haven, and Asa Fenn. The organization was completed at a meeting held February 18, 1833, by the adoption of a code of by-laws, under the title of the " Ludlow Village Corporation Fire Society." By these by-laws a board of seven fire wardens was constituted, and fifteen able-bodied men were to be enlisted to form a fire company. Each freeholder was obliged to supply himself with two fire buckets. At this time the only fire machine in the town was one of the old fashion, which was built at Proctorsville, and was called the " Quill- driver." At a meeting held in 1834 the society voted to build an engine-house, which was located about where the present one now stands ; it was to be ten by twelve feet, and seven feet high, and Benjamin Sargent, jr., agreed to build the same for thirty-one dollars. Besides he was to have allow- ance of ten dollars for the lumber. During the year 1837 the first hook and ladder company was organized with eight privates, and the first officers were Jacob Patrick, captain; Eben Spear, lieutenant; Elijah Gove, ensign. After considering the advisability of purchasing a new engine for about two years, the society bought, in 1846, the engine 540 History of Windsor County. known as Alert, No. i. The original engine-house was used till 1854, when a lot was purchased of Reuben Washburn for fifty dollars, and a new house completed at an expense of $163. The society appropri- ated $250 in 1856, $150 of which was to be used in repairing the en- gines and purchasing hose, the balance in building reservoirs; also, the town of Ludlow purchased lOO feet of hose for the fire society in 1862. The number of fire wardens was reduced to three in 1859. The engine- house was removed to the lot east of the Hammond block in 1861, and in 1864 was placed on the back side of the same lot. The last meeting of the fire society was held January 30, 1866, and the following were the last persons to hold the position of fire wardens, viz.: L. N. Wad- leigh, J. R. Spafford and H. Woodward. Under the act of the General Assembly, passed November 17, 1866, the present village of Ludlow was incorporated, and all the properties of the fire society were turned over to the proper village authorities. The present engine-house was built in 1875, at an expense of $2,ooo- By action taken in 1880 forty men were enlisted by the village to form a fire company, they to receive two dollars a year compensation. This was increased in 1882 to three dollars. Previous to this the services had been voluntary, though for some years the members of the company had been exempted from poll tax. It having been decided at a public meeting that it was for the best interests of all that a steam fire-engine should be purchased, John P. Warner, William W. Stickney and Benoni B. FuUam were appointed a committee to negotiate for one. They purchased, in December, 1882, the Rescue, No. I, which is a five-inch rotary machine, from the Silsby Manufacturing Company of Seneca Falls, N. Y. A new fire company was organized January 29, 1883, for two years. Besides the fire-engines mentioned above, the village has two hose carriages, one of which is operated by the Benjamin Whelden Hose Company, fifteen hundred feet of hose, a company of thirty-five men who receive five dollars a year compensation. The officers of the fire company are: Captain, Oscar Gassett ; first lieutenant, Lester C. Howe; second lieutenant. Freeman H. Fuller ; engineer, Nathan Boynton. The village officers for 1890 were: clerk, Frank A. Walker; trustees, Oscar Gassett, William D. Ball, John Lombard; treasurer, Charles H. ./ i^i-TT-^^^^ Town of Ludlow. 541 Howard ; collector, Lester E. Howe ; fire wardens, B. B. Fullam, F. H. Fish, D. A. Rock ; auditor, L. G. Hammond. The Early Maiiiifactinrs. — The proprietors of Ludlow having offered a grant of fifty acres of land to anybody erecting a saw-mill in the limits of the town, Ebenezer Gilbert, about 1790, built a mill between the two mountains on the west branch of the Black River. This at this time was the center of the population of Ludlow, and was on the "Crown Point" road. The first man to dam the water of the Black River was Hezekiah Haven, who built a saw- mill just north of the pres- ent woolen-mills, but this was abandoned on account of there not being sufficient fall of water. On the north side of the river near the woolen- mill was built the first carding and fulling-mill by Captain Joseph Pat- terson, and among its last owners were Parker & Billings. Connected with this was also a saw-mill, which was run by a man named Stimson, and later by Loton Gassett. On Jewell Brook there was originally a fulling-mill which was altered by Emery Burpee to a grist-mill ; he afterwards sold it to James Os- borne, whose successors were Spaulding & Patch. On account of the death of the latter the property was sold at auction in 1869, Whitcomb & Atherton being the purchasers. This firm carried on business over twenty- five years, and sold to the present proprietor, William Russell. Besides the saw-mill above mentioned, there have been two others built on the west branch of the Black River : one in 1838, by Jonathan Carpenter, now operated by William S. Lawrence, and the other built by Calvin Bixby. 77^1? Ludlow Wooleyi -Mills {J. S. Gill ^Co.). — On the site now occu- pied by this mill previous to 1835 was located a grist-mill, which was built by Emery Burpee. In that year Stephen Cummings, who was engaged in mercantile trade in the village, with several others formed a stock company, and in the following year began to build a woolen-mill of brick, five stories high, and employment was given to fifty or sixty hands. During the panic of 1837 the company failed, and for several years the mill was idle, till it was purchased by Abraham and Sheppard Adams, who afterwards sold it to George S. Coffin. The next proprie- tors were Ward & Bufifum, who, in 1864, disposed of it to George W. Harding, Joseph Pelton and George S Redfield, who carried on business 542 History of Windsor Countv. under the firm name of George W. Harding & Co. until 1878. In that year J. S. Gill, who had been interested in the business since 1869, pur- chased the entire plant and the firm name became J. S. Gill & Co., which is its present title. In 1885 Samuel Gill, G. H. Levy and F. O. Kni;j;hts obtained an interest in the mills. In January, 1865, the works were almost entirely destroyed by fiie, but the present buildings were erected the same year. Employment is now given to between 140 and 150 hands, and both water and steam-power is used. The mills arc fitted with thirty-eight broad looms, seven sets of cards, and over 3,000 spindles. About i 50,000 yards of broad wool beavers are manufactured annually. The Luciloiu Toy Manufacturing Company. — The manufacture of toy carts and doll carriages was begun in Ludlow by H. N. Parker, A. V>. Riggs and W. N. Graves, under the name of the Green Mountain Toy Company, in the latter part of 1872, they being located on Main street. The business was conducted in a small way, employment being given to eight or ten hands. The above concern was purchased in the early part of 1873 by a stock company organized under the general laws of the State with the title that heads this sketch. The organization was fully completed May 23, 1873, by the election of the following directors: S. W. Stimson, E. A. Howe, Cyrus Buswell, William H. Walker, and L. E. Sherman. The latter was selected as president, and E. A. Howe, clerk. The capital stock of the new corporation was $10,000, which was afterwards increased to $15,000. The new company began business June 10, 1873, on Main street, but on December ist of the same year removed to their new buildings situated in the eastern part of the village, a dam having been buiit by them on the Black River. The buildings are of wood, the principal one being two stories high, and thirt)'-five by eighty feet. Including machinery the total cost was $16,000. Em- ployment was given to about forty hands, and the value of the annual product was about $30,000. The corporation sold its real estate and merchandise November 19, 1887, to S. W. Stimson, E. A. Howe, and William H. Walker, who have since conducted the business under the style of the Ludlow Manuficturing Company. The manufacture of to\s was discontinued in the spring of 1889, they confining themselves to the production of lumber and chair-stock. Town of Ludlow. 54J The Early Mcrcliaiits. — The first store-keeper in Ludlow was Eliakim Hall, who came from Wallingford, Conn , and offered merchandise for sale in a store located east of a brook opposite the common in Ludlow village. The firm soon afterward became Hall & Goodridge. The next merchants were Abram and Warren Adams, whose place of business, which was known for many years as the old " Red Store," stood where the old stone house is now situated, corner of Main street and the road to North Hill. The Adamses were succeeded by Simeon Burbank. About the year 18 16 Asahel Smith and Moses Haven formed a partner- ship, and opened a store on Main street, just west of the new iron bridge. Mr. Haven purchased his partner's interest, and was succeeded by his two sons, Augustus and Aaron. The onl)' store ever kept outside of the village was at South Hill by Andrew Pettigrew. His son, Andrew, in 1830, built and kept a store on Main street, which he continued several years, the firm in 1844 being Pettigrew & Smith. At this time there were in trade in Ludlow, besides this firm, Adams & Armington, Mason & Whitcomb, and W. A. Spaulding. Lowell A. Hammond, who is at present engaged in business in the village, commenced here in 1848 as a member of the firm of Mason & Hammond. A. F. Sherman, the drug- gist, began in 1S58. E. J. Whitcomb and Solon I. Atherton, in 1864, formed a partnership in the fiour and grain business, which continued for a number of years ; they carried on a very large business. There are at present in the village one exclusive dry goods, two clothing, one saddlery and harness, two drug and stationery stores, three markets, two general stores, three groceries, one hotel, two livery stables, one hardware, and one stove and tinware, besides other smaller establishments. Neivspapers. — The first record of the publication of a newspaper in Ludlow dates back to 1840. The paper was called the Genius of Lib- erty, and was started by Rev. Aaron Angier, who, after issuing it for two years, sold it to Rufus and Asa Barton. The next proprietor was G. A. Tuttle, who changed the name to the Vermont Star, and in 1850 removed it to Rutland. The ne.xt knights of the pen to make their bow to the public were R. S. Warner and W. A. Bacon, who issued a weekly called The Blotter, the first number of which appeared November 18, 1854. In November, 1856, the name of J. A. Pooler appeared as associate editor. In Novem- 544 History of Windsor County. ber following the concern was sold out by the sheriff, and was bought by Mr. Warner, who, after issuintj one number, suspended the publication. The ne.xt attempt in journalism was made by R. S. Warner, in Janu- ary, 1863, when he issued The Voice Among tlie Mountains. Tlic next year the name of William H. Walker appeared as editor, and on April 18, 1862, Moses Burbank became associate editor, and in the following Sep- tember Mr. Walker withdrew. With the beginning of volume four the paper was made a monthly, and before the year was closed its earthly career was done. The Transcript was founded by D. E. Johnson, April 17, 1866, but owing to iiis death in October, of the same year, the property was purchased by Mr. Millikin, of the Brattteboro Record, who, after a vain attempt to continue it, stopped the publication. The Black River Gazette was established December 19, 1866, by R. S. Warner and Moses Burbank, the latter being the editor, but owing to his death in the following March he was succeeded by Henry D. F"oster. On March 20, 1869, the names of Stillman B. Rider, late editor of the Brandon Union, and Martin H. Goddard appear as editors, and in the following May the latter became sole editor, but gave way September 17th to F. S. Briggs, who continued a few months. On F"ebruary 10, 1871, S. B. Rider's name again appears as editor, and the following June the firm became Warner & Rider. The next to assume the editorial manage- ment was William A. Bacon, July 1 1, 1873, which he continued until Jan- uary, 1874. Soon after this the paper was purchased by D. C. Hackctt, who continued to publish it for a short time, but finally removed it to Brandon, changing its title to the Otter Creek Neivs, where it died in 1882. The present paper issued in the town, called the Vermont Tribune, was established by Mott Brothers, November 24, 1876, and in the follow- ing February was purchased by F. W. Bacon. In September of the same year he sold it to W. A. McArthur. In March, 1878, Rev. L. B. Hibbard assumed control of the agricultural department and in July, 1879, succeeded to the control of the paper. In April, 1881, the pres- ent proprietor, E. G. Allis, purchased the establishment from Mr. Hib- bard. Mr. Allis at once enlarged the paper and again increased its size in October, 1882. Under his management it has enjoyed unusual pros- perity, his circulation being at the time of his purchase about 850 copies, which he has increased to 2,550. :^^ ;2^^, A^j^^yt Town of Ludlow. 545 Laivjicrs. — The first lawyer in Ludlow was N. P. Fletcher, who opened an office as early as 18 14. He continued in business till 1825, when Judge Reuben Washburn succeeded him. During the year 1828 Sew- all FuHam, jr., became a student in Judge Washburn's office and later practiced for himself. These two men attended to all the legal business of the town until January i, 1839, when P. T. Washburn, a son of the judge, opened an office and carried on business until 1844, when he re- moved to Woodstock, Vt. During the year 1844 Frederick C. Robbins and Daniel A. Heald began practicing law in the place, the former con- tinuing until his death, and the latter till 1857, when he removed to New York city and is now president of the Home Insurance Company of that city. In 1849 two other attorneys opened offices in Ludlow — Clark H. Chapman and Reuben H Washburn, another son of Judge Washburn. The latter continued to practice until 1854. Volney Fullam, a son of Sewall Fullam, began the practice of his profession in Ludlow in 1852, which he followed until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted and served with distinction, being mustered out of the service as a colonel. In 1856 Clark H. Chapman removed his office to Proctorsville, Vt. The death of Judge Washburn in i860 left only three lawyers in Ludlow. In 1862 William H. Walker removed to Ludlow and began the prac- tice of law, which he followed until 1884, when he was made judge of the Supreme Court. During the year 1869 Martin H. Goddard became a member of the Windsor County Bar and began practice in Ludlow, which he still continues. S. H. Griffin practiced law from 1876 to 1880 in Ludlow. W. W. Stickney, who is at present engaged in the law busi- ness, has been connected with the County Bar since 1878. For more extended notice of some of these attorneys see the chapter devoted to the Bench and Bar of the county. Physicians of Ludlow. — As early as 1821 Joshua Warner began to practice medicine in the town and continued until about 1835. Dr. Warner was of the allopathic school. The following physicians of this school have practiced medicine in Ludlow: Ardain G. Taylor, from 1827 to 1846; Daniel Jones, from 1838 to 1854; William B. Weatherbee, from 1839 to 1861 ; Samuel P. Danforth, from 1851 to 1853; H. H. Palmer, from 1854101875; W. H. Chapman, from 1855 to 1869; J. H. Putnam began practice in 1868 and afterwards (1876) formed a partner- C9 S4^ History of Windsor CoUNtv. ship with S. H. Morgan, which continued only two years, the latter car- rying on the business for a number of years afterwards. The present physicians of this school are D. F. Cooledge, who has practiced here since 1 868 ; George E. Lane, since 1878 ; and W. N. Bryant, since 1887. The Thompsonian school has been represented in Ludlow by Putnam Burton, who began practice in 1842 and continued over forty years. Also A. Ross, from 1844 to 1855, and L. Chase from 1856 to 1861. H. S. Boardman and A. F. Moore, the latter being at present located in the town, have practiced medicine in accordance with the homttopathic system. The following have practiced medicine at difi'crent times in the town, their stay being short : W. C. Chandler, Pliny B. Parker, Martin J. Love, S. H. Buteau, J. G. Murphy and George Rusledt. The First Congregational Society. — The first religious meetings held within the limits of Ludlow were those of the Congregationalists. The services were held at the house of Stephen Read and were usually con- ducted by his brother, Peter Read. The place of meeting was a pict- uresque spot, situated at the bottom of the valley between the mountains near the " Old Crown Point Road." On both sides were the almost per- pendicular walls of the mountains, and among the primitive forest trees the early settlers gathered every Sabbath mornirwg for religious worship. On pleasant summer days when the congregations were large the meet- ings were held in the open air in the shade of the trees. These meet- ings were held as early as 1790 and in the summer of 1806 a plain wood structure devoid of steeple or ornaments of any kind was erected. This was the first meeting-house built in Ludlow, and was located on the site of the present church edifice. The church was organized September 25, 1806, the following being the original members: Peter Read, Lydia Read, Ezra Ritter, Polly Ritter, John Warner, Lydia Warner, John Sar- gent, Betsey Sargent, David Lewis, Polly Lewis, Leonard Ross, Lydia Abbott, Ephraim Warren, Mary Davidson, Benjamin Sargent, Susanna Sargent, Joanna Lee, Persis Patch, Ketura Denison, Joseph Taylor and Margaret Fletcher. The first communion service was held about two months after organization of the cliurch, and it was administered by Rev. Prince Jennc of Plymouth. During the year 1806 Peter Read was chosen deacon and in 1808, by the request of the society, he received from the Rutland Association a Town of Ludlow. 547 license to preach the gospel. He was ordained as the first settled minis- ter of the society October 10, 1810, and filled the position till October 25, 1826, relinquishing his duties on account of his age, though he still con- tinued to reside among his people till October 6, 1839, when he was called to his rest at the venerable age of eighty-eight years. Rev. Fred- erick E. Cannon was installed pastor by the same council that released Elder Read and held pastoral office until 1831, when he was succeeded April 26, 1832, by Rev. Peter John Nichols, who was dismissed Septem- ber I, 1834. The fourth pastor of the society, Rev. Silas H. Hodge, was ordained October 7, 1835, and continued his duties till August 3 i, 1836. The next to fill the position of pastor was the Rev. William Claggett, who was installed November 22, 1838, and dismissed November 11, 1840. The present church edifice was built in 1839; it is a wooden structure capable of seating three hundred persons. From the time of the dismissal of the Rev. Mr. Claggett the society was without a pastor till April 20, 1848, when the Rev. Henry H. Sanderson was ordained and installed, and filled the pulpit till April 26, 1853. The next installed pas- tor was the Rev. Amos Foster, who began his duties November 8, 1853, and continued the same until December 30, 1855. From this time until Rev. A.sa F. Clark was installed. May 1 1, 1859, the society was supplied, being without a regular pastor. The Rev. Mr. Clark remained till May, 1862, and the two following years the society obtained the services of their former pastor. Rev. Henry H. Sanderson. He was succeeded by the Rev. R. Bayard Snowden, who supplied the church as acting pastor for one year and six months, and was followed by the Rev. Henry C. Hazen. Mr. Hazen entered the foreign missionary field and on Octo- ber 20, 1S67, Rev. James P. Stone began in the church as acting pastor, continuing until October, 1869, when he was succeeded by Rev. Henry Duboc. The Rev. Philander Bates began as acting pastor on January i, 1 87 1, and continued until his death, April 9, 1873. He was succeeded by the Rev. S. P. Cook in September, 1873, who continued till Febru- ary, 1877. From this time until March, 1878, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. J. B. Clark, a resident minister. The Rev. George H. French assumed the pastorate in March, 1878, remaining two years, after which Rev. Mr. Clark was engaged one year. Rev. R. B. Grover was ordained in September, 1881, and resigned on account of ill-health in February, 548 History of Windsor County. 1884. The next incumbent, Rev. Herman P. Fisher, was ordained Feb- ruary 4, 1884, and remained until May, 1889, when he was succeeded, in October, by Rev. Evan Thomas. The following have filled the ofrice of deacon in this church : Peter Read, Leonard Ross, Thomas Wetherbee, Jesse Miller, John Davidson, Benjamin P. Spaulding, H. W. Parker, N. M. Pierce, E. A. Howe, D. F. Cooledge. The first clerk of the society was Asahel Smith. The office of secre- tary was filled for three months by Stephen Cummings, who was suc- ceeded by Rufus Read. Benjamin P. Spaulding was elected in 1838, Daniel Jones in 1843, Perley S. Coffin in 1846, John Davidson, jr., in 1847, Reuben Washburn in 1848. Since that time M. R. Emerson, D. H. Freeman, S. W. Brown, J. Davidson, S. B. Spaulding, A. H. Lockwood and Charles Raymond have filled the office. Those persons who have filled the position of church clerk, besides Mr. Smith, are F. E. Cannon, P. J. Nichols, Peter Read, Silas H. Hodges, John Davidson, William Claggett, Edwin Martin, Reuben Washburn, Asa F. Clark, H. H. Sanderson, H. P. Stone, R M. Pierce and Maria I. Pierce. The Baptist Clmrch. — As early as 1 806 there were thirteen Baptists in this town, and in 18 19 a union meeting-house was built and occupied by the Baptists nearly one-half of the time, they being members of the churches in adjoining towns. The First Baptist church was organized April 18, 1825, and consisted of forty members, and the following year Rev. Joseph Freeman was ordained as pastor. His successors were Elias Hurlburt, J. M. Graves and A. Allen. Dissatisfaction over the temper- ance question led seventy-eight members of the society to form the Sec- ond Baptist church. In their covenant was this pledge : " We engage to use no ardent spirits, except for medicinal purposes." Most of the remaining members of the First church subsequently united with the Second, and the former ceased to be recognized by the Woodstock As- sociation. The following persons served as deacons of the First church: Moses Mayo, Andrew Pettigrew, Luther Howard, Janna Wilcox, John Pierce, and Martin Howard. The Rev. J. M. Graves was among those who formed the Second church and has been succeeded by the follow- ing pastors: Darwin H. Ranney, in 1836; William Upham, in 1837; Town of Ludlow. 549 J. M. Graves, in 1S38; Baxter Burrows, in 1841 ; Nathaniel Cudworth, in 1849; Ira Pearson, in 1853 ; John P. Farrar, in 1872 ; J. A. Johnson, in 1877; Lewis B. Hubbard, in 1881 ; J. B. Child, in September, 1882; he was succeeded by the present incumbent. Rev. R. L. Olds, in May, 1884. The present house of worship was erected in 1840, and was repaired in 1868. It seats 400 persons. The vestry, containing four rooms, was built in 1878. The following persons have filled the office of deacon in this church: Janna Wilcox, Moses Dodge, Asa Fletcher, Roswell Smith, Samuel L Arlington, Abel A. Bachelder, Ora J. Taylor, James Petti- grew, John Hall, Alva F. Sherman, John H. Dennett, Samuel U. King. The First Universalist Society. — The preliminary meeting of this soci- ety was held October 8, 1835, Asahel Smith being chosen moderator and Pliny Parker, clerk. The permanent organization was completed by the adoption of a constitution and articles of faith. The sum of twelve hundred dollars was subscribed under date of November 14, 1835, for the erection of a church edifice, by the following persons : Pliny Parker, Ja- cob Patrick, Asahel Smith, Eben Spear, Artemas Arnold, Roswell Smith, Andrew Johnson, Jerry Gilbert, Ira Wiley, Thomas Whitcomb, Merrick Spafford, Sewall Fullam, jr., Abel Haile, Pratt & Bowers, Cyrus Baker, Phineas W. Spaulding, Abram Adams, John Stimson, Horace Keyes, Frederick Wyman, H. H. Corey, Enos Estabrooks, and Zebulon Spauld- ing. The edifice was finished in 1837, Abram Adams, Phineas Spauld- ing, and Asahel Smith being the building committee. The first settled minister was the Rev. Joseph Hemphill, who began his duties in 1840. Previous to this the pulpit was supplied by various ministers, the Rev. Warren Skinner, of Cavendish, being often called upon. Mr. Hemphill finished his work in 1844, and was succeeded by Rev. N. C. Hodgdon, who remained until 1846. The next pastor was Rev. John A. Henry, who died December 15, 1847. From this time to the spring of 1848 the society depended upon supplies, but in that year Rev. J. O. Skinner was called and remained until 185 i, when he was succeeded (1852) by Rev. H. H. Baker. The Rev. E. S. Foster was chosen pastor in 1856, and remained two years. In the month of April, 1858, the Rev. Will- iam S. Balch preached his first sermon, and continued with the society five years. For a number of years after this there was no settled minis- ter. In 1870 Rev. J. T. Powers was called and regular meetings were 550 History of Windsor County. again held. He resigned May i, 1874. In December, 1875, Rev. Her- bert E. Whitney was installed and continued to the fall of 1880; he was succeeded by Rev. W. A. Pratt, who remained till February 26, 1882. The next pastor, the Rev. J. S. Gledhill, was installed April 2, 1882, and was succeeded June 22, 1884, by Rev. J. P. Eastman, who remained until January 31, 1886. From this date until May, 1886, the pulpit was occu- pied by supplies. Rev. A. J. Aubrey was then called and remained until December 25, 1887. In July, 1888, Rev. J. R. Roblin took the pulpit, but at the end of one year was forced to resign by reason of ill-health. The present incumbent. Rev. J. B. Reardon, was installed as pastor in October, 1889. The society was incorporated under the State laws May 8, 1888, and now has a membership of fifty. The Methodist Episcopal Church. — Though there was no regular or- ganization of the members of this denomination among the early settlers of the town, there were still disciples of this faith settled in Ludlow at an early date. Over forty years ago a class was formed by Rev. Mr. Leonard, and for several years Rev. Mr. Pier, who was stj'led "Father" Pier, held religious services in tiie Methodist faith. A new organization was effected in 1872, and Rev. N. F. Perry was assigned to the pulpit. The present church edifice was built in 1875, at an expense of $7,200, including the grounds. It has a seating capacity of 300, and was dedi- cated December 22, 1875. The pastors who have had charge of the so- ciety, with the year when they began, are as follows : Rev. L. E. Rock- well, 1875; F. H. Roberts, 1878; A.J. Hough, i88o; E. Snow, 1882; W. D. Malcolm, 18S5; and E. E. Reynolds, 1887. The membership is seventy-seven, and there are sixty-seven pupils in the Sunday-school. The Church of the Aiuuinciation. — This society was organized July 23, 1876, and the church was dedicated on that day, there being then about 290 members. Previous to this Rev. Edmund Gendreau, of Bel- lows Falls, came to Ludlow and performed the services of the Roman Catholic church. The first settled minister of the place was Rev. J. C. McLaughlin, who remained till 1881, when he was succeeded by Rev Henry Lane, who continued till 1885. In that year the present incum- bent. Rev. Patrick J. Houlihan, took charge of the parish, which in- cludes Mount Holly, Springfield, and Ludlow. The seating capacity of the church is between 400 and 500, and the value of the church prop- erty is over $7,000. Town of LUdloW. 551 Schools. — The opportunities of securing an education in Ludlow in the early days were very limited. For many years school was only held two months in each summer, and as many more in the winter. If any of the early families wished to give their children a more extended education they sent them to Burlington or Middlebury. For many years the dis- trict that included the present village extended to the Cavendish line, the school-house being located on the site of the present school at Smithville. Here taught Miss Alintha Griswold, afterwards Mrs. Hewlet ; Miss Sally Searles, afterwards Mrs. Hoyt ; Miss Chloe Wilder, afterwards married to James Beard, himself a teacher ; Miss Lois Deni- son, afterwards Mrs. Jeptha Spaulding ; and Miss Roxanna Ives, after- wards Mrs. Jonathan Atherton, who taught the school in 1 8 16. A little square one-story brick school- house was afterwards built opposite the ^Baptist church, where a succession of teachers labored, among whom were Stephen Cummings, Edward Manning, John Crowley, Ardain G. Taylor, Sewall Fullam, jr., William Rodney Manning, and James Beard. The town was originally divided in 1794 into three school districts. There are at present nine districts, each being supplied with a good school building. Black River Academy. — This institution owes its origin to active mem- bers of the Baptist denomination in the counties of Windsor and Wind- ham, who, as early as 1834, made a movement to establish a school under the influence of that religious denomination in the southern part of the State. The inhabitants of Ludlow offering to erect a suitable building, this town was finally fixed upon for the location by those that lived in Windsor county. The first preliminary meeting in reference to the subject was held May 20, 1834, and Horace Fletcher, R. Washburn, Jabez Proctor, and J. Lawrence were appointed a committee to obtain an act of incorporation under the above title. A charter was obtained at the session of the Legislature in October, 1834, the following being named as trustees : Daniel Packer, Joseph M. Graves, Jabez Proctor, Moses Pollard, Reuben Washburn, C. W. Hodges, Jacob S. McCollum, John F. Cotton, Horace Fletcher, Jonathan Lawrence, Stephen Cum- mings, Ardain G. Taylor, Nathaniel ToUes, and Joseph Freeman. Of these gentlemen all but the latter had passed away at the time of hold- ing the semi-centennial anniversary of the academy on August 25 and 26, 552 History of Windsor County. 1885. The organization of the academy was fully completed December 31, 1834, by the choice of Rev. Daniel Packer, president; Hon Jabez Proctor, first vice-president; Stephen Cummings, second vice-president; Rev. J. M. Graves, secretary ; and Augustus Haven, treasurer. The school building was completed in 1835, ^"'^ was of brick, three stories high, and was on the site of the present school. The north side fronted the highway, while the south overlooked the river. The build- ing was surmounted by a belfry. In the erection of the building th.e in- habitants of Ludlow evinced public spirit and enterprise. Money was not plenty, and the means of the people were limited, but they gave willingly money, labor and material. The good cause was not confined to members of any religious denomination, but all took part in the work, and the same liberal spirit has continued to prevail in supporting the school. The spring term of 1835 was taught by Zebulon Jones, assistant, and Norman N. Wood, A. B., first taught the school in the following sum - mer. The attendance the first year was ninety-five boys and eighty-five girls. Rev. Darwin H. Ranney succeeded Mr. Wood as principal, and in 1837-38 Rev. W. D. Upham filled the position, remaining until 1839. He was succeeded by Franklin Everett, who remained until December, 1840, when R. W. Clark, A. B., filled the station till 1845. On the night before the beginning of the fall term of 1844 the academy building was destroyed by fire, and after that time, until it was torn down to give place to the present building, the brick meeting-house erected in 18 19 was used. W. B. Bunnell, A. M., was principal in 1845 and 1846; Claudius B. Smith, A. M., 1847 to 1852 ; George \V. Gardner, D. D., 1853 ; Rev. Mark A. Cummings, who remained until the fall terni of 1854. The next principal was Moses Burbank, A. M., who continued at the head of the school until i860, and was succeeded by Rev. Arthur Little, D. D., who taught the terms of 1861. Milton C. Hyde, A. M., filled the position seven years, finishing in 1870, when he was succeeded by S. A. Griffin, A. B., who remained till 1874. In 1875 Herbert Tilden, A. I\L, became the principal and C. G. Farwell, A. B., in 1876, remaining until 1883, when John Pickard, A. B., became his successor. He remained until 1885, when Henry H. Kendall, A. M., became principal and remained until 1887. At that time the present incumbent, George Siierman, accepted the position. Town of Ludlow. 553 Since 1868, by an act of the Legislature, district number one has the privilege of using the property of the corporation for the higher depart- ment of a first- class graded school. The present building was erected in 1888, the cost being $16,500, of which sum district number one ap- propriated $5, 600, the balance being subscribed by dififerent members of the alumni. The present officers of the academy are William H. Walker, presi- dent ; Surry W. Stimson, first vice-president ; Lowell G. Hammond, second vice-president; Elwin A. Howe, secretary; Alvah F. Sherman, treasurer. Black River Lodge, No. 85, F. A. M. — Masonry dates back in Ludlow {o the organization of the Ludlow Lodge, afterwards called the Green Mountain Lodge, in 18 12. This lodge became defunct during the anti- Masonic troubles in the State. The secretary of the present lodge, who has in his possession the old record book, refuses its use in the prepara- tion of a historical sketch of the old lodge. The present lodge was or- ganized September 29, 1868, and their hall having been destroyed by fire December 25, 1883, the records were lost. Their membership is ninety- two, and they meet on Tuesdays in the weeks of the full moon. The officers for 1890 were as follows : John Bell, W. M.; F. O. Knight, S W.; L. C. Howe, J. W.; W. D. Ball, treasurer; C. H. Howard, sec- retary; N. G, Hammond, S. D.; M. R. Chase, J. D.; R. M. Wilder, S. S.; N. H. Woodward, J. S.; William Hoskinson, marshal ; John Hoskinson, chaplain ; M. G. Day, tyler. Skitchewmig Chapter, No. 25, R. A. M.,\vas chartered June 3, 1873, its charter members being Edward N. Dean, George W. Foggett, Charles H Warren, George W. Graham, Charles H. Perry, George C. Shedd, Benjamin F. Dana, William H. Cobb, Hiram D. Spafford. Meet- ings were first held at North Springfield and afterwards at Springfield. In 1887, by the action of a higher body of the order, it was removed to Ludlow for four years, and at the end of that period it was returned to Springfield for the same length of time. The present membership is seventy- one. I'he past high priests are Edward N. Dean, S. H. Col- burn, George W. Graham, C. H. Warren, Augustus Lane, Justus Dartt. Officers for 1890-91 : Charles W. Whitcomb, M. E. H. P.; Abner C. Hesselton, E. K.; Arthur W. Gibson, E. S.; Albert H. Lockwood, 554 History of Windsor County. treasurer; Frank A.Walker, secretary; John Bell, C. of H.; Kllioti G. White, P. S.; Fred H. Battey, R. A. C; William Shaw, M. 3d V.; John Y. Raistrick, M. 2d V.; Herbert F. Chilson, M. 1st V.; Fred James Dorand, chaplain ; Russell S. Warner, tyler. Allimont Lodge, No. 30, /. 0. O. F., was organized by Deputy Grand Master Henry W. Hall, December 17, 1887, with the following charter members: A. Bixby, C. L. Johnson, M. M. Tarbell, Freeman H. Fuller, E. A. Merchant, A. J. Aubrey, William Parker, D.W. Clement, and E. O. Pratt. The first officers of the lodge were E. O. Pratt, noble grand ; M. M. Tarbell, vice- grand ; A. Bi.xby, secretary ; C. L. Johnson, treas- urer. The lodge meets on Friday nights in G. A. R. hall, and has thirty-five members. The officers for 1890 were R. M. Wilder, noble grand; Harlan Graham, vice-grand ; Lowell B. Hammond, treasurer; W. N. Graves, secretary. 0. 0. Howard Post, No. 33, G. A. R. — This post was organized July 4, 1868, and was named after the distinguished major-general. The original number of the post was six, the following being the charter members : H. O. Peabody, Linus E. Sherman, R. E. Hathorn, J. H. Putnam, L. Shaffiier, J. V. Farnham, John Barrett, Fred A. Fish, Al- phonzo Sawyer, George Snowden Redfield. Meetings were held regu- larly until 1880, when, though the charter was never surrendered, no hall was hired until the post was re-organized May 10, 1883. The first officers of the re-organized post were R. E. Hathorn, P. C; James Pollard, S.V. C; H. A. Fletcher, J. V. C; W. D. Ball, adjutant ; A. T. Moore, Q. M. ; George Spafford, surgeon ; Elihu Snow, chaplain ; Oscar Gassett, O. D.; F. H. Fuller, O. G.; D. C Sheldon, sergeant- major ; H. G. Hemenway, Q. M. -sergeant. The present membership of the post is seventy-eight, and the follow- ing is a roster of its officers : J. Y. Raistrick, P. C; Walter W. Fish, 5. V. C; John Lombard, J. V. C; L. O. Weeks, adjutant ; R. E. Hathorn, Q. M.; Amos S. Bixby, surgeon ; Charles Ray, chaplain ; M. M. Tarbell, O. D.; Daniel Johnson, O. G.; A. K. Gould, sergeant- major ; John McGowan, Q. M. -sergeant. Old Families. It would be impossible within the compass of this work to give a genealogical sketch of each family that has been connected with the Old Families. 555 town. The remainder of this chapter is devoted to those who feel and have manifested an interest in preserving the records of their ancestors. For sketches received too late for insertion in this chapter please refer to a later chapter of this work. Bachelder. — Among those that settled in the town in the year 1796 was David Bach- elder. He was born in Reading, Mass., May 21, 1772. His father, Natlianiel, was born in the same town September 23, 1738. David married Sarah Adam.s, and liad the follow- ing family : Abel, died young; Sally, widow of Daniel Sawyer, resides at Cliarlestown, Mass.; Hannah (decea.sed), married Arad Ross ; David, resides at Ludlow; Abel; Nabby, wife of Otis Ross, of Michigan ; and Lovinia (deceased), married Curtis Giddings. David died in Andover, December 18, 1840. Bachelder, Abel, son of David, was born in Andover, October 16. 1811, and married Lois Chandler, of Chester. He died August 22, 1874. Of their family of seven children, four died in childhood ; the others were : Lois Abigad (decea.sed), married Marshall B. Taylor; Marcia Sarah, wife of Orland W. Bishop, of Chester; and Delos Abel. From 1348 until the time of his death Mr. Bachelder resided at Ludlow. Bachelder, Delos Abel, son of Abel, was born in Ludlow, May 6, 1855, and married Julia B. Whitcomb. They have the following children : Floyd W., Stella May, Millard G-., and Ernest L. Ball, William D., was born in Dorchester, Mass., August 28, 1843, and is the eldest son of Henry W. and Mary (Dunham) Ball. His father was a tanner and currier by trade and removed to Vermont in 1848, locating at Bellows Falls, and subsequently carried on his business in Londonderry and Jamaica, Vt. He now resides at Amsden, Vt. Mr. Ball, bfsiiles attending the local schools, was a student at the Weston Academy, and followed his father's trade till October 23, 1862, when he became a member of Company C, Sixteenth Vermont Regiment, having enlisted from the town of Weston, Vt., and was made a corporal. He was mustered out of the service August 10, 1863, and re-enlisted from the town of Londonderry, March 7, 1865, for three years, but was discharged May 12, 1865, under the proclamation issued by President Lincoln at the close of the war. Mr. Ball then attended Langsley's Commercial College at Rutland, Vt., and after com- pleting his course of studies, entered the employ of Robbins & Marsh, at Chester, Vt., remaining with them five years. He then engaged in business for himself in Bellows Falls, but came to Ludlow in 1871, and since that time has carried on the hardware busine.ss. He is one of the most enterprising merchants of the village. He is one of the present justices of the peace of the town. Mr. Ball married for his first wife Agnes J. White ; his second wife was Eva E. Dorval, and of their three children they have lost two. The other is Allen D. Bixby, Thomas, born in Westford, Mass., in 1762, came to Ludlow in 1784, locating on the eastern slope of the mountain, on the lands still in possession of his descendants. As early as 1789 he was taxed for fifteen acres under cultivation, and in 1792 built for him.'-elf a large frame house, and later than that kept a tavern. He married Lydia Searle-;, of Nottingham, Mass., and had twelve children, viz : Jonathan, died young ; Thankful, died at thirty years of age ; Thomas and Thomas, second, both died in infancy ; William, left no male issue ; Lydia, died twenty-eight years of age ; Rhoda (deceased), married, first, Martin Bryant, and second, George Reed ; Polly (deceased), married Cor- nelius Sawyer ; Calvin, Elnathan, Betsey, Elihu, the last three died young. Thomas died September 13, 1839. He married three times, but his children were all by his first wife. Bixby, Calvin, son of Thomas, was born in Ludlow, October 16, 1810, and married Bet- sey, daughter of Lieutenant Silas Proctor. Their children are Charles Calvin ; Henry Clay, a resident of Norwalk, Ohio; Martha Elizabeth and Mary Ehza, twins, the former 5s6 Htstouy of Windsor County. the wife of Harvey Dudley, of Healdville, the latter is not living, but was the wife of Freeman Wallace, of Acworth, N. H.; Hiram Proctor; Sarah Jane, wife of Levi A. Pet- tigrew; John Reed. The three sons, Charles, Hiram and John, were residents of Lud- low and, e.xcepting John, were single ; he has two children, Mary and James. Calvin is now the oldest man living in Ludlow who is a native of the town. Cook, Samuel, third son of Thaddeus and Zerviah (Hinckley) Cook, and the fifth in descent from his Puritan ancestors, Gregory Cook, of Cambridge, Mass., Cthrough Stephen who had a son John, who was the father of Thaddeus,) w.as born at Preston, Conn., >Liv 18, 17G5. On becoming of age his father gave him $1,000 with which hi; purchased land in Ludlow on which he always resided. He built a large two-story house, ivhich he beau- tified with shade tree.s, and also a large ftuit orchard. He early became interested in town affairs and was elected to various positions, among which were Selectmen, Grand Juryman, Lister, etc. He early joined the Quakers and was among their most respected and influential members. Previous to this he was lieutenant in the militia, which office he resigned on joining the above named denomination. He also refused to pay the war tax levied in 1812, and part of his farm was sold, but the matter was finally compromised. He married Sally Chamberlain, of Weathersfield, and had the following family : Hinck- ley, born October 27, 1792 ; Wyatt, born February 3, 1794 ; Thaddeu.s, born May .'Jl, 1795; Sabrina, born May 28, 1797 ; Chauncev, born April 27, 1800 ; Lnmas, born February 21, 1802; Mary, born March U, 1804; Uriah, born September 12, 180G; Anson, born Feb- ruary 25, 1809; Julia Elma, born August 1, 1812. Goddard, Martin H., of- Ludlow, was born in Londonderry, Vt., February 20, 1844, and is the eldest son of Henry W. and Lucina (Babbitt) Goddard. His early life was spent on his father's farm, and he entered Black River Academy in 1863. graduating in i8t)7. While attending school at the academy he studied law with Judge William H. Walker, and was admitted to the Windsor County Bar at the May term of 18G9. The same year he formed a partnership with Judge Walker, which continued till 1884. Since that time he has practiced his profession alone. Mr. Goddard was Democratic candidate in 1884 in the second Congressional district, and was a member of the Democratic National Conven- tion of 1888. His first wife was Ennna Wilder, by whom he had one child , Henry M., a member of the class of 1890, of Middlebury College. His second wife was Miss Agnes A. Henderson, of Salisbury, Vt., and their children are Emma A., Agne< B. and Silas C. Lane, George B., M. D., of Ludlow, was born in Westminster, Vt, February 13, 1834. and was the only son of Erastus and Fanny (Dickinson) Lane. After attending the local schools he entered Black River Academy in 1852, where he graduated in the summer of 1855. He then became a student of Middlebury College, graduating therVfrom in 1859. From graduation to 1862 he was principal of.the Lelaiul and Gray Academy of Townshend, Vt. Dr. Lane began the study of medicine with Dr. William A. Chapin, at Ludlow, and took a course of lectures at the Medical Department of Dartmouth College, and another course at the University at Vermont, at which institution he received his diploma in 1864. In the same year he began to practice his profession at Williarastown, Vt., where he re- mained until December, 1877, when he removed to Ludlow, where he has since practiced. Dr. Lane is a member of the Vermont Medical Society. He married Fanny Angelia Howard, at Townshend, Vt., and has two children, viz.: Richard II., engaged in the National Black River Bank, of Proctorsville, Vt., ami Winfred II. Pettigrew Family. — The first settler of this family in Ludlow was Andrew Pettigrew, who was Ijorn in Sterling, Mass., February 1, 1709, and came to Ludlow in 1800. He married Ruth Ross, and of their children seven reached maturity, as follows : Parker, Jame.s, Andrew, Sophia (deceased), married Josiah Walker; Pha-be, wife of Warner Bates, of Sherburne, Vt.; Phidelia, widow of Joel Sheldon, lives in Nehawka, Neb.; Ruth (deceased), married Dr. Ardain G. T.iylor. Deacon Andrew Pettigrew was an active member of the Baptist Church of Ludlow, and was the first male baptized in the town. He died September 24, 1854. Old Families. 557 Pettigrew, Parker, son of Andrew, was born in Sterling, Mass., December 13, 1793. He married Mary B. Dickerson and had eight children: Horace M., a resident of Wor- cester, Ma.ss.; Josiah W.; Neheniiah; Rosetta, wife of Otis M. Heald, of Cavendish; Re- becca (deceased), married Ebenezer Robbins ; Elon G., Marcus De LaFayette, both residents of Flandrau, South Dakota; and Benjamin Franklin, of Ludlow, Vt. Parker died in September, 1877. Pettigrew, Josiah W., son of Parker, was born in Ludlow, May 3, 1823, and married for his first wife Susan Ann Ativood, by whom he had three children : .Julian P., died at the age of sixteen years ; George A., resides in Flandrau, South Dakota, and is a physician ; Stella A., died al the age of two years. His i-econd wife is Anjelia T. New- comb. There are no children by this marriage. Mr. Pettigrew has been engaged in mercantile business in Ludlow since 18i6. Pettigrew, George A., son of Josiah W., was born in Ludlow, April G, 18.58. In 1SS7, October 19, he married Dora L. Stearns, of Felchville, Vt., and went to Flandrau, South Dakota. They have one chdd, a daughter, born September 17, 1890. Pettigrew, James, son of Andrew, was born in Ludlow, April 29, ISUO, and married Almira Adams and has eight children, two of whom died young. The others were Lewis, died at the age of thirty-nme years; Mary Ann, wife of Lyman Horsley, of Union, Wis.; Lorinda, widow of Moses Baldwin, lives in Ludlow, Vt.; Levi E.; Rhoda, wife of Alfred Moore, of Plymouth, Vt.; James, died at nineteen years of age. Jame.s, sr., was engaged in farming, and was the oldest man living in Ludlow at the time of his death, August 9, 1889, who was a native of the town. Pettigrew, Levi A., son of James, was born in Plymouth, Vt., October 21, 1835, and married Sarah Jane, daughter of Calvin Bixby. They have one child, Effie J,, wife of Rev. F. M. Preble, a Baptist clergyman, now located at Camden, Me. Pettigrew, Andrew, son of Andrew, was engaged in mercantile business in Ludlow from 1830 to 18,54, when he went to Bvansville, Wis., where he died. His .son, R. F. Pettigrew, of Sioux Falls City, a native of Ludlow, was elected United States Senator from South Dakota on its adnussion as a State, in 1889. Spafford. Artemas (0), son of John (.5), Samuel (4), Jonathan (3), John (2), John (1), was born in Sterling, Mass., April 12, 1782, and married for his first wife Sally Warren, by whom he had one child, John F. His .second wife was Mary Brinihall, and their chil- dren were Alvah M.; William P., born in Ludlow, March 2(i, 1823; Sarah W., resides in Ludlow; Charles O., who died single in Ludlow. His third wife was Mrs. Betsey Cleveland. Artemas came to Ludlow in 1801 ai]d though a carpenter by trade, was en- gaged m farming. He died Feljruary 20, 1862. White, Asa. was born in Washington, N. H., July 10, 1782, and came to Mount Holly Vt., wilh his father, Thoma.s, when he was six years of age. Soon after reaching man- hood he came to Ludlow, locatmg in the southern part of the town. He afterwards built and lived in the first hou.se erected on what is now Main street in Ludlow village. It stood directly in frunt of the woolen-mill. He married Lydia Dutton and had ten chil- dren : Lucy, widow of Amasa Adams, resides in Ludlow ; Maria, died single ; Lydia, widow of Asa Webster, lives in Ludlow; Alvin, died in the West; William H. H., died young; Asa, died young; Louisa (deceased), married Judson Chellis; Salina, widow of Rodney L. Piper, lives in Ludlow; Olive L., widow of Willi.am Earl, resides in Filch- burg, Mass.; Harriet E., wife of Joseph Sanders of Ludlow. Asa died March 28, 1853. 558 History of Windsor Countv. CHAPTER XXV. HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BETHEL.' BETHEL is in the northwestern part of tlie county, and is bounded on the north by Randolph in Orange county ; on the east by Royal- ton ; on the south by Stockbridge ; and westerly by Rocliester. It also corners with Braintree, Tunbridge and Barnard, and incloses a tract of territory si.t miles square. Bethel was made up from a part of Royalton (three tiers of lots) and a portion of what was called Middlesex, as will be seen from the following "Articles of Agreement," made at a meeting held at Hanover, N. H., December 29, 1777 : " We, the subscribers, de- sirous to form settlements on White River and its branches in the north- westerly part of Royalton, and that part of Middlesex which abuts on the northwesterly line of said Royalton, being convened this 29th day of December, 1777, to prepare the way for carrying the same into execu- tion, do enter into the following articles of stipulation and agreement with each other." Here follows four articles of stipulation which were signed by John Payne, John Ordway, Comfort Seaver, and fifteen others. Meetings were held on the succeeding 30th and 31st days of December, during which time it was voted to present a petition to the honorable Council of Safety for tlie State of Vermont, for a charter for the foregoing described section for a town to be called " Bethel " ; and said petition was drawn and signed by the same parties that signed the "Articles of Agreement," dated Jan- uary 1, 1778. At a subsequent meeting it was voted to admit proprie- tors to the number of fifty. At the same meeting, February, 1778, it was voted to appoint an agent " to enquire into the rights and claims of the land contained within the supposed limits of said Town, and to apply to Gentlemen in the State of New York for information therein " ; also to make arrangements for some lots " Supposed to belong to persons friendly to the Country." Abel Curtis was chosen agent as above, and his bill for the same appears on the proprietors' books charged at thirty pounds. At a meeting held March 25, 1778, John Payne, who had been ap- ' By William K. Adams, esq. Town of Bethel. 559 pointed aa agent to attend the General Assembly of the State of Ver- mont at Windsor, to transact affairs for the proprietary, presented the re- solve of said assembly, which was favorable for the charter which was to be granted when certain stipulations had been complied with, some of which were that there should be at least forty -six proprietors ; that cer- tain reservations of land for public institutions should be made, antl that $2,000 should be advanced to the loan office. New proprietors were admitted from time to time. A committee was appointed to lay out lots. Among other charges in their bill for services is the following : " To cash paid for liquor fifteen pounds." A lot containing four hundred and fifty acres, called "The Great Mill Lot," was voted to Colonel Joel Marsh, December 13, 1779, upon con- dition that he "do build a good saw-mill by the first day of September ne.\t, and a good grist-mill by the first day of November following, upon the forfeiture of five thousand pounds, extraordinary Providences excepted." December 23, 1779, the charter was granted, of which the following is a copy : " Charter of Bkthel. "State of Vermont ( The Grovernor. Council, and General Assembly of the Repre- L. s. j sentatives of the Freemen of Vermont. " To all people to whom these presents shall come, greeting : " Know Ye, that, Whereas it has been represented to us by our friends John Payne and John House, and their assoeiatesi, that there is a tract or parcel of vacant land lying within this State, which has not been heretofore granted, which they pray may be granted to them. "We have therefore, thought (it for tlie due encouragement of settling a new Planta- tion within this State, and other valuable considerations us hereunto Moving, and do by the.se presents, in the name and by the Autliority of the freemen of the State of Ver- mont, give and grant unto the said John Payne, John House, and the several persons hereafter named their associates, (viz.) Dudley Chase, Benjamin Smith, Simeon Chase, John Hibbard, Matthias Stone, Benjamin Chase, Asa Edgerton, Samuel Peake, Will- iam Chaplin, Samuel Chase, Paul McKemptry, Ralph Wheelock, John Ordaway, Solo- mon Chase, James Treadway, Solomon Cleveland, Rice Wheeler, Seth Chase, Samuel Stone, William Lyon, Daniel Copeland, Laban Gates, Benijah Strong, Thomas Putnam, Samuel Webster, Israel Smith, John Throop, Timothy Bru.sh, John Payne, jr., John 560 MistorV of Windsor CouNtV. Cook, Zebuloii Lyon, Joel Marsh, Ebanezer Putnam, John Torrey, John Morse, John Cooper. Thoin:is Biiij^haiii, Asa Parker, Stephen Cliiki, Benjamni Crane, Joseph Tililen, Jeremiah Trescolt, Daniel Kenney, Solomon Strong, and Wilham Chaplin, jr. Together wiih live equal Shares, to be appropriated to Public uses as follows, (viz.) first, one share for the use of a Seminary or College within the Slate. One Share for the first Settled Minister, or Minislers,.of the Gospel, to be disposed of for ihat purpose as the Town shall direct. One Share for the perpetual Use and support of the Ministry of said Town. One Share for the County Grammar School, throughout this State, and one Share for the u.se and support of a School or Schools within said Town. "The following tract or parcel of land situate lying and being within this State described and bounded as follows, viz.; Beginning at a point Six Miles and one-half, on a straight line North Gl Degrees west from the Northwesterly corner of Sharon — thence soulli tliirty-three degrees; West Six Miles, Sixty rods; thence North sixty-one De- grees; West Six Miles; thence North thirty-three Degrees ; East, Six Miles and Sixty rods; thence Soutli Sixty-one Degrees; east Six Miles to the point of marking the first bound, containing by admeasurement, twenty-three Thousand and Sixty acres. To be divided into fifty-two equal Shares, and that the same be, and is hereby incorporated into a Township by the name of Bethel, and the Inhabitants that do, or shall hereafter inhaliit the said Township are declared to be enfranchised and entitled to all and everv, the privileges and immunities that other Towns witliin tliis State do by Law exercise and enjoy. " To Have and to Hold the said described tract of land as above expressed, together with all privileges and appurtenances to them and their respective heirs and assigns for- ever upon the following conditions and reservations, (viz.) "Imprimis. — That each Proprietor of the Township of Bethel aforesaid, cultivate five Acres on his share in said Town, within the term of three years from the date of this Grant, and build a house at least eighteen feet Square, and be in actual possession of the premises within five years from the date aforesaid, and continue to improve said Lands And for non-performance thereof, the said land to revert back to the Freemen of this State. "Secundo. — That all Pine Trees suitable for ^[asts and Spears for Shipping, be reserved to the use and benefit of the Freemen of this State. " In Testimony whereof we have caused the Seal of this State to be affixed, At Ar- lington, in the County of Bennington, this 3d day of December, A. D., 1779, and in the third year of the Independence of this State. " TnOS. CuiTTENDEN. ''JosEi'U Fat, Secty." The first town meeting was held May 17, 1782. The officers chosen were: Clerk, Barnabas Strong; constable, Michael Flynn ; selectmen, Joel Marsh, John Benjamin and George Smith. Michael Flynn was also the first chosen justice of the peace. The early town meetings, also other public gatherings, were called and held at the house of Colonel Joel Marsh. Town of Bethel. 561 Early Settlements. — The settlement of the town was commenced in the autumn of 1779, by Benjamin Smith. He was joined the next sea- son by Joel Marsh, Samuel Peak, Seth Chase, Willard Smith and David Stone. Stone was afterwards taken prisoner by the Indians. One of the first things the settlers attended to was the building of a log fort protection against Indian attacks, as the country was in an un- settled condition, and an Indian attack was imminent at any time. The fort was located where the railroad now runs, and near the freight depot. When the railroad was being built some of the old logs and other objects were excavated, showing this to be the exact spot of its location. The wisdom shown by these first settlers in causing the construction of this fort was fully demonstrated, for early in August, 1780, a party, of twenty-one Indians made a raid on Barnard, taking three men from that town as prisoners, also the Daniel Stone (before referred to) from this town. There was a small detachment of soldiers at Royalton at this time, commanded by a Captain Safiford, who, with his command, were removed to the Bethel fort. This move was undoubtedly the salvation of the Bethel settlers, but proved directly the opposite for Royalton, for about two months later a large party of Indians fell upon that place and de- stroyed the settlement. Bethel probably would have shared the same fate but for this fort and the garrison stationed there, as the Indians came up the river in sight of the fort, but passed along to the northward up the east branch. Some of the settlers and their families, after the burning of Royalton, went down the river to Hartford. All of the people in the vicinity came to the fort at the time of the Indian raid. One man by name of Peak, who lived about a mile from the fort, started to go to his place to see about his stock, but soon came back saying the Indians were there and were killing his hog, as he heard him squeal. But the squealing proved to be from hunger rather than the presence of Indians. First Events. — The first deed recorded bears date April 17, 1780, all conveyances previous to this being by the proprietors. The first child born in town was Asa Smith, born September 6, 1 780, and the farm where he was born is still known as the Smith farm. A daughter of Asa Smith is still living. The first marriage recorded bears date October, 71 $62 History of Windsor CountV. '795 1 the parties being Rernice Snow and Rachel Hardy. September 2 1, 1786, Martin Kellogg was born. Mr. Kellogg at this writing is still living in Norwalk, O., in the one hundred and fourth year of his life. Jonathan Marsh, a son of Colonel Joel Marsh, was chosen town clerk in 1798, and held the office for many years. He, with his son, A. G. Marsh, and a grandson, William R. Adams, the present clerk, have held the office for over half the time since the town was organized. Among what would appear to the present generation as curious cus- toms of the earlier times, which are recorded, was the making public of the religious belief of the voters, so as to pay their contributions for sup- port of preaching as they wished to. Here is a specimen : "Bethel, September 2d, 1794. " This may Certify that William Curtis, appears and says that he be- lieves in his judgment that the Baptist Persuasion is right and desires to pay them. Samuel Peak, Deacon. " Entered September 2, 1794, MiCHAEL Flynn, Town Clerk." And another of a different nature, warning new comers out of town, to prevent them gaining a residence, in case they should become town charges : " State of Vermont, > Windsor County, ^ " To either Constable of Bethel in said County of Windsor. " By the Authority of the State of Vermont, you are hereby required to Summons or make known unto Calvin Dyke, Simeon Bacon, now re- siding in said Bethel, to depart this town forthwith, under the pains and penalties of the Law in such cases made and provided. " Hereof fail not, but of this transcript and your doings herein, your return make according to law. " Given under our hands at Bethel this 19th day of March A/ino Dom- ini, 1804." Signed, Nathaniel Nobles, Chester Chapman, David Stone, selectmen. On September 20, 1790, there was a town meeting to see about the " First Settled Minister," when it was voted to give the " Rev. Mr. Thomas Russell a call to Gospel Ministry in this town " ; also voted to give him as a settlement in the ministry one hundred pounds, to be paid in wheat at five shillings a bushel, thirty pounds to be paid the first Town of Bethel. 563 year, thirty the second and forty the third year. Also voted a salary of fifty pounds the first year and rise five pounds every year until the salary arises to seventy, and that be the stated salary. Also, at a subsequent meeting, voted "to him the full Share of land reserved for the first set- tled Minister." Also made arrangements for moving his family from Connecticut. In 1794 a difficulty between pastor and people commenced, after which the minister's salary was not kept up. The result was an action commenced against the town, and judgment rendered against them, but the Legislature, petitioned to by the town, finally directed a settlement, which was agreed upon in December, 1796. During the time the inhabitants were looking after their spiritual wel- fare their bodily safety was not forgotten, as the following vote at June meeting, 1794, will show: " Voted to raise the sum of nine pounds on the list of the Inhabitants of this Town for the purpose of procuring Ammunition for the Militia as the law directs." In March, 1804, there was an article in the warning for town meeting, "To See if the Town would vote to build a Meeting-House." They voted not to build one. The first church organized in town was the Episcopal, formed July 27, 1794, with ten members. Rev. John C. Ogden being the first rector. The first church building was erected about four miles northerly from the depot, at Bethel village, and is still standing, although not often used. At a later day another edifice was erected in the village, where the society now worships. The society also owns a parsonage. The East Bethel Baptist Church was organized in 1812. Rev. Benja- min Putnam was the first pastor. The society still holds services there. There is a Union house in East Bethel, where occasional services are lield by the Universalists and others. The Congregational Church, located at Bethel village, was organized in 1 817, with thirteen members. The first pastor was Rev. Benjamin Abbott. The church building is of brick and has been remodeled to keep step with the advancing spirit of the times. There are two Methodist churches in the town. One is situated in the northern and the other in the western part. These are properly 564 History of Windsor County. called the Methodist Episcopal churches. They do not have regular preaching all of the time, but still enough to keep alive their organiza- tions. The Adventists have a camp-ground near Findley's Bridge where they hold annual gatherings. The Universalist CJuirch, located in Bethel village, was organized December 29, 1817, with thirty six members. The society had stated preaching for a long time before the organization was perfected, the early meetings dating back to the first settlement, many of the pioneers being of that belief. Rev. Hosea Ballou preached to them, also others of the older ministers in the denomination. Meetings were held at Colonel Marsh's house and other dwellings. The church edifice was erected in 1 8 16, as a Union church. It was of brick, and was a fine building for the times. It came into the sole control of the Universalists in time, and has since been remodeled several times, and is now in keeping with the age. Rev. Kittredge Havens was the first settled pastor, his pastorate extending from 1821 to 1828. The Universalist State Convention was first organized here over fifty years ago. Scliools. — In March, 1811, nine school districts were formed. Since that time five others have been added, but later alterations have reduced the number to twelve. The town of Bethel, geographically, is nearly the center of the State. The surface is very uneven, especially back from the streams, and the soil is generally productive. There are many good farms, both on the streams and back on the hills. There is plenty of timber of all kinds usually found in this State. The town is well watered : White River flows across the southeast corner. The third branch of White River, which rises in Roxbur)', courses through Braintree and a corner of Ran- dolph into Bethel, flows about four miles within this town, and then discharges into White River. The second branch flows across the eastern corner of the town, through the village of East Bethel, and joins White River at North Royalton. Locust Creek flows from Barnard, and is also the outlet of Silver Lake in Barnard, and joins White River. Camp Brook flows from Rochester and joins the third branch about two miles above Bethel village. The Gilead Brook flows across the northwesterly part of the town, and joins the third branch about two miles above Camp Town of Bethbl. 565 Brook. There is also a stream in the westerly part of the town that joins White River just before the latter enters Bethel. There are many other minor streams in different sections of the town. The Central Verniont Railroad runs through the town, having about six miles of main line, aftbrding ample accommodations for travel and freight. There are daily stages to Stockbridge, Rochester and points up White River, also one to Woodstock by way of Barnard. There is a fine and extensive deposit of granite located about three miles from the railroad, which only needs capital and proper manage- ment to be of very great advantage to the town. Considerable gold has been found, but in so small quantities as to hardly pay for the work in procuring it. There are also specimens of iron ore, vitriol and slate to be found in the town. Bethel Village is located in the southeastern part of the town, at the junction of White River and its third branch, and is the central point for trade and travel from Barnard, a portion of Royalton, Stockbridge, Rochester, Hancock, a portion of Sherburne and Pittsfield. Bethel is one of the most important stations on the Central Vermont Railroad between Essex Junction and White River Junction. There is a great amount of travel and freighting at this station. Large quantities of lumber, in the rough and manufactured, are loaded here. There are three churches, Universalist, Congregational and Episcopal, which hold regular services ; a fine graded school of four departments, with an average attendance of about one hundred and forty pupils; a bank, two hotels, a printing office, a large flour and feed -mill doing wholesale and retail business, a saw- mill, an extensive tannery, carriage shop, two harness shops, marble and granite works, two livery stables, photograph gallery, two tin shops, three attorneys' offices, insurance agents, meat market, milliner and dress-maker's rooms, furniture store, and about a dozen stores of various kinds which keep large stocks and a great variety. The village has about six hundred inhabitants, and is, in all respects, a thriving and growing country village. There has been, during the past year or two and at the present time, some very fine residences erected. The village, with the territory immediately surrounding it, was origi- nally divided into two school districts, the third and fifth, but about 566 History of Windsor County. 1850 they were united and called District No. 3. In 1885 it was formed into a graded school district, and in 1886 was chartered by the Legisla- ture as the Bethel Graded School. Many years ago there was a woolen factory, with carding works, full- ing mill, and works for pressing oil from flaxseed. There is a building on the old site now which is commonly called " The Old Factory." There also used to be in the long ago what were called " Potashes," places where postash was made from luirdwood ashes. The writer re- members being in and about them when he was a lad. In July, 1S30, occurred what was known as the " great freshet," which swept away tile bridge over the branch, stores, mills, factories, etc. December 10, 1877, the " great fire" occurred, burning out two busi- ness blocks, livery barn, furniture store, tenement house, private dwell- ings, etc. The place has now a line of pipe connected with a strong pump in the Bethel mills, and a good quantity of hose, so that such a fire as the above would not be likely to occur again. East Bethel is a small village in the eastern part of the town, situated on the second branch of White River. It has two churches, a hotel, tin shop, store, mills, etc.; also daily stage connections. Its nearest railroad point is Royalton. There was a woolen factory at this point for a num- ber of years, but it burned and was not rebuilt. There has been a cream- ery started there within the year past, which is doing a fair business. Old Families. It wdiild be impossible within the compass of this work to give a genealogical sketch of each family that has been connected with the town. The remainder of this chapter is devoted to those who feel and have manifested an interest in preserving the records of their ancestors. For sketches received too late for insertion in this chapter please refer to a later chapter of this work. Abbott, Lewis IL, born in Kingiield, Me., September 25, 1842, was tbe only son of Lewis IL and Arabella (Stevon.s) Al)bot.t. He came to Ivoxbnry, Vt., in the s[)riiig of 18G3, and .siib.sequently removed to Randolph, and gradnaled in tbe spring of 1863 from the Normal School situated in tl:e town. Previous to his graduation he taught school, and in 1S72 went West and taught in Illinois, Michigan and Kansas. lie also engaged in stock raising in Kansas. He came to Betliel in 1881. He married Louisa L. Jones, wlu) W.1S boni in Tunbridge, Keljruary 22, 18i3. They have two cliildicn, viz.: John li,, born ill Hcihel, January 5, 1883; and Thomas J., horn in Uethel, January 31, 1885. Old Families. 567 Bryant, James, was bom in Barnard, Vt., September 2L 1806. He married Eliza C, daughter of Hezekiah and Katharine (Clapp) M rosentatives in 1876, representing Bethel. Tupper, Robert B., a native of Barnard, married Tryphenia Hodgkins and has the following family: Israel, fate unknown; Deborah, married Frank Gay and died in Ill- inois; Royal H.; Tyler H., dieil in Mount Vernon, N. II.; John and Tryphenia, both died young. Robert B. was a member of the Masonic fraternity and for a number of years ran the Tupper's Hotel in Rochester. Tupper, Royal H., son of Robert B , was born in Rochester, June 22, 1810. He mar- ried, first, Sarah Farrington, a native of Lyndeborough, Vt., whodied February 22, 1848, and by this marriage he had three children, viz.: John R.; Robert B., died at the age of twenty-two ; Sarah Frances, wife of F. P. Holden, of Bethel. He married, second, Mar- Old Families. 573 tlia Rogers, of Lowell, Mass., by whom he had one child, Georfje H. Royal H. was a mail contractor, and dealt largely in hops and wool. He died November 2G, 1881, aged seventy-one years. Tapper, George H., son of Royal H., was born in Rochester. June -1, 1855, and mar- ried Nellie M., daughter of A. J. Graliam. They have two children : Grace L. and Henry Andrew. In 1881 he left his native town and went to Illinois, and the following year returned to Bethel ami engaged in the hardware business, which he has carried on continuously ever since. During the administration of Hon. Grover Cleveland Mr. Tup|ier was postmaster of Bethel, fdling the position to the satisfaction of the citizens, irrespective of their political preferences. Wallace, Gardner J., was born in Bethel, October 26, 1838. John, his grandfather, son of William, born in Somers, Tolland county, Conn., in 1750, married Betsey Wight, and had thirteen chddren. John died September 2, 1833, aged eighty-three, Betsey, his wife, January 5, 1834, aged sixty-eight. John, his father, born November 4, 1801, mar- ried Jlarv Ann Wheeler, who was born in Bethel, December 25, 1809. They had ten children, as follows: Susan, Laura E., Minot, Gardner J., Sar.ih, Royal W., George D., John, EIroy E., and Genevieve A. John died December 12, 1872, his wife June 24, 1880. Gardner J. married, February 3, 18G3, Altha L., daughter of James M. and Caroline (Duttou) Wood worth. She was born in Randolph, January 18, 1845. They have had six children, one of whom died in infancy. Those living are John, born Au- gust 18, 18G5, married Alice J. Spaulding, and has two children, Anna A., born June 20, 1886, and Laura E., born April 13, 1889; Kate C, born August 18, I8G8; Archie G., born February 14, 1870; Gardner J., jr., born June 3, 1879; and Helen G., born Decem- ber 31, 1881. Mr. Wallace has always lived in Bethel. He has filled various town offices, and was appointed deputy sheriH'in 1870, and filled that position until 1880, when he was elected high bailiff of the county. He was appointed by the governor of the State, October. 1884, high sheriff, to fill an unexpired term, and was elected to that office the same year, and has held this office four years. Wood, Amasa, tlie eldest son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Hartwell) Wood, was born in Rindge, N. H., September 2, 1771, and came to Plymouth, Vt., where he died February 17, 1852. His father was born in Lunenburgh, Mass., September 7, 1740, and settled m Rindge, N. H., where he died May 5, 1835. He was a minuteman at the Battle of Lex- ington, and was a signer of the Patriot's Declaration. He was married to his wife Elizabeth, January 11, 1770. She was born April 14, 1751, and died November 20, 1819. He was twice married, his last wife being Mary Foster. His children were, by his first wife, Abigail Moore, born in Rindge, N. H., married September 10, 1797, and died August 8, 1824; Eliphalet, died in Bridgewater, Vt. Charles, died in Worcester, Mass.; Lyman, died inPlynuuth, Vt.; Caleb, died in Cambridge, Mass.; Abigail, mar- ried Wilham Smith, and died in Bridgewater ; Jon.as, died in Bethel. Lyman (son of Amasa), born in Plymouth, Vt., June 29, 180(), married January 10, 1830, Polly Mor- gan. She was born in Plymouth, Vt., February U, 1810. They had three children : Lurena A., widow of Norman Hudson, lives in Bethel; Marcella M. and Lyman M., both residents of East Bethel. Lyman died January 8, 1853, his wife, March 15, 1883. 574 History of Windsor County. CHAPTER XXVI. HISTORY OF THE TOWN OK 15ARNARD. THE town of Barnard was chartered by Governor Benninh B. and So- lon D. Earl died iu Haru.ard. October I'J, 1811.5, and h s wife January 3l), IStil. Solon D. married Mary E., dauj,'hter of Oramel and Eineline (Paige) Davis, .-^he was born in Barnard. October 7, 18.'32. Tiiey have four children, viz.: Lydia, born M,ay 2.5, 18.58, di-^d .July 14, 18(iJ ; Will M., born .July .'iO, 18(i4, a meiidier of the senior class in the Metuodist Seminary at .VIontpelier. V'l.; Ada, liorn Augu.st 8. 18(i8, a teacher in Mont- peliei'; and .leimie G., born .Inly .5. 1871, living at home Solon D. owns and occupies the old Newton homestead on Locust Creek iu Barnard. Rand, Keulieu B.. was born in Bridgewater, May .5, 181:! Benjamin, his father, born .laiuiaiy Hi, 177.5, in Westminster, Vt., married, lirst, Cyniliia Robinson, .Inly 1.5, 1802, and had two children, viz.: Sylvester and Philander. Benjamin mariied, second, Sarah Robinson, cousin of his first wile; she was born September 3, 1780. They hiid nine uliildren, viz.: Eli B., Bradford li.. Reuben B., Reuben B., second, Cynthia A., Siillman H., Caroline . I., Alvinza B., and a daughter born November 17, 1822, died an infant. Reu- ben B. married February 11, 18,i8, Harriet R,, daughter of Alfreil and Bersha (SievensJ .Vmidon, .Mrs. Rand was born in Randolph, Vt., November 22, 181.5. They had nine children, viz.: Preston A., born December 20, 1838, overseer iu a cotton-mill iit Oakdale, Mass., married Roberta Sawyer, and they have one child ; Rosiua A., born November 20, 1840, wife of A. 0. Spiiulding, a farmer living in Barnard, and they have i^Aux^ Town of Stockbridge. 593 of Stockbridge, past or present, was that until recently operated under the name of Gaysville Manufacturing Company. The concern had its origin in the factory established in 1832, at the point called Gaysville, so named in honor of its founders, Daniel and Jeremiah Gay. In the year stated these men erected a mill at the Great Narrows of White River, and commenced the manufacture of cassimere cloths, and so con- tinued for many years, though with various changes in management and extent of works as time progressed. In 1880 the late company was or- ganized, the partnership comprising Nelson Gay, F. P. Holden, Chester Downer and A. A. Brooks. The principal article of manufacture was men's knit underwear, which industry furnished employment to nearly seventy-five persons, and employed several sets of machinery. This was the only manufactory of its special character recentlj' in the town or vicinity, and its unfortunate destruction by fire in 1888 was a severe blow to the prosperity of the locality. The establishment of this industry gave rise to the pleasant little vil- lage of Gaysville, and with the constantly increasing business of the pro- prietors the town correspondingly enlarged and prospered, until it contained several general stores, three churches, a school, a saw and grist- mill, and all the other adjuncts of a flourishing village, in which condition it is found to-day, save only that the large mill is no longer to be seen. But in the manufacture of lumber, in all its numerous branches, there are not so many mills in the town at present as was the case forty and fifty years ago. This is accounted for by the fact that the town's maxi- mum population was reached about the year 1840, and at that time, or within a few years afterwards, the lands needed for agriculture were about all cleared, and as there was not much building going on in the town the necessity for saw-mills was past. But there was a time when almost every available stream in the town had along its banks one or more of this class of industries. In i860 the principal manufacturers of Stock- bridge town were, at Gaysville, M. Gay & Son and Thomas Greenbank, woolen goods ; at Stockbridge village. Partridge & Hayden, tanners and manufacturers of leather At that time, also, the merchants were Car- roll & Brown at Stockbridge, and R. L. Fay and A. A. Brooks at Gaysville. In 1870 the merchants of the town were H. D. Morgan, Asgood & Culver, Kimball & Montgomery, L. P. Dean ; and the manu- 594 History of Windsor County. facturcrs, J. H. Townshend & Co., woolens, F. P. Blancliard & Co., lumber, and M. E. Smith, hand rakes, at Stockbridge village; and Thomas Greenbank and M. Gay & Son, woolens, at Gaysville. Besides these there were the usual contingent of outside saw-mills, principal among which was the Isaac Jones mill, on Stony Brook ; also the Rich- ardson saw, grist and woodenware-mill on another stream. These mills, which are near the hamlet of Stockbridge, are still in operation. In 1880 H. D. Morgan was still in mercantile business at Stockbridge, while E. P. Kimball, L. P. Dean and E. M. McCollom were in the same business at Gaysville. The present intlustries and occupations of these villagers may be summed up substantially as follows : Merchants, C. S. Carroll & Co.; postmaster, J. D. Wilco.x; hotels, E. H. Whitcomb, E. W. Clark; manu- facturers, the Richardson mills, as heretofore stated, and A. F. Lamb, monuments and headstones. The above are at Stockbridge village. At Gaysville, Austin Brown is postmaster; J. M. Clay, landlord ; J. A. Chedel & Co., E. B. Kimball, H. L. Deane, E. M. McCullom, F. V. Hassam, merchants; M. T. Averill, manufacturer of wagons, carriages etc.; William H. Edmunds and Isaac T. Jones, lumbermen; and the late Gaysville Manufacturing Company, knit goods. In the town are several church societies, the Universalist, Methodist and Congregational at Gaysville ; and a union church building at Stock- bridge, the latter being open to the use of any society. The Congrega- tional Society is the oldest, perhaps, of any, having been organized in conjunction with the Pittsfield society in 1812, and under the ministerial charge of Rev. Justin Patterson. In 1827 a separation was effected and this town's society placed in charge of Rev. Gilman Vose, who held the pastorate from 1829 to 183 i. The present church edifice of the society was built in 1863. The Gaysville and Stony Brook Methodist Episcopal church was erected during tlie year 1862, one society with two buildings, located re- spectively at Gaysville and a point several miles south, near wliere Fletcher Brook empties into Stony Brook, but on tlie stream last named- The Universalist Societies are at both Gaysville and Stockbridge villages, each organized in 1867, and having two edifices, although the latter is a union building and was erected in 1836. A^/<9^//^>^ iPi>t'^^<> Town of Stockbridge. 595 Some Past Toivn Officers. — However interesting a record it might make, it would be deemed imprudent to furnish here a complete succes- sion of the town officers of Stockbridge since organization, or the suc- cession even for the last quarter of a century ; but, that the reader may have some knowledge of who presided over the affairs of the town at different periods, it is thought best to name the principal officers, com- mencing with i860, and then following with those chosen during the subsequent }-ears, 1870, 1880, 1887, and the present incumbents; and further supplementing this sub-division with a complete succession of the town representatives in the State General Assembly. i860: Town clerk. Nelson Gay; constable and agent, Caleb Leon- ard; overseer, Reuben Whitcomb; superintendent. Rev. T. S. Hubbard; selectmen, E. McCollom, R. L. Fay, J. H. Baker. 1870: Town clerk and treasurer. Nelson Gay ; selectmen, J. H. Baker, A. A. l^rooks, Jo- seph Taggart ; constable, George F. Chapin ; superintendent, C. C. Smith ; overseer, Reuben Whitcomb ; listers, C. W. Sawyer, G. F. Chapin, G. N. Culver; agent, Albert Whitcomb. 1880: Clerk and treasurer, Nelson Gay; selectmen, O. J. Richardson, Ezra McCollom, Austin Brown; constable, Joel Blackmer ; superintendent. Rev. T. S. Hubbard ; listers, R. E. Wilson, W. L. F'rench, C. C. Smith ; overseer, Reuben Whitcomb; agent, Albert Whitcomb. 1888: Clerk and treas- urer, J. A. Chedel ; selectmen, O. J. Richardson, W. H. Edmunds, M. L. Wyman ; constable, R. E. Wilson; superintendent, Minnie L. Grant; listers, W. H. Durkee, Joel Blackmer, C. W. Sawyer; overseer, N. M. Grant; agent, C. C. Smith. 1889: Clerk and treasurer, J. A. Chedel; selectmen, W. H. Edmunds, M. L. Wyman, O. J. Richardson ; consta- ble, R. E. Wilson ; superintendent, Mrs. M. J. Mills ; listers, H. W. Blackmer, C. Boutwell, E. S. Burnham ; overseer, N. M. Grant; agent, C. C. Smith. Representatives. — 1792, John Whitcomb; 1793 to 1797, Elias Keyes ; 1797, Asa Whitcomb; 1798 to 1803, Elias Keyes; 1803-04, Norman Webber; 1805 to 1814, Rufus Lyon; 1814-15, Norman Webber; 1816-17, Branch Whitcomb; 1818, Elias Keyes; 1819, Branch Whit- comb; 1820, Elias Keyes; 1821, Joel Cooper; 1822, Rufus Lyon; 1823-25, Elias Keyes; 1826-27, Dwight Gay ; 1828, Norman Webber ; 1829-31, Daniel Gay, jr.; 1832, John Leonard ; 1833, Daniel Ranney ; 596 History of Windsor County. 1834-35, VVilliam A. Millett ; 1836, Merrick Gay; 1837, Samuel Eaton; 1838, Merrick Gay; 1839, Paul W. Gay; 1840, Justin Morgan; 1841, none; 1842, Paul VV. Gay; 1843, John R. Forrest; 1844-45, none; 1846, Asahel Felch ; 1847, none; 1848-49, John M. Bennett ; 1850, Zeb. Twitchell ; 185 i, Zeb. Twitchell ; 1852, none; 1853, none; 1854, David Everett; 1855, David Everett; 1856, Milton E. Smith; 1857, A. Woolson ; 1858, Thomas S. Hubbard; 1859, Merrick Gay; i860, Merrick Gay; 1861, J. Bartlett Taggart ; 1862, J. Bartlett Tag- gart ; 1863, Nelson Gay; 1864, Nelson Gay; 1865, Josiah B. Rogers ; 1866, Josiah B. Rogers; 1867, Henry H. Spafford ; 1868, Thomas S. Hubbard; 1869, Nelson Gay; 1 870-7 1, Nelson Gay; 1872. Ezra Mc- Collom ; 1873-74, Charles C. Smith; 1874-75, George N. Culver; 1876-77, Charles \V. Clar!:; 1878-79, Nathan Davis; 1880-81, O. J. Richardson; 1882-S3, H. W. Blackmer ; 1884-85, C. C. Smith ; 1886- 87, W. H. Edmunds; 1888-89, William H. Edmunds. Old Families. It would be impossible within the compass of this work to give a gen- ealogical sketch of each family that has been connected with the town. The remainder of this chapter is devoted to those who feel and have manifested an interest in preserving the records of their ancestors. F"or sketches received too late for insertion in this chapter please refer to a later chapter of this work. Ballard, Miletus Appleton, was born in Plymouth, Vt., April 16, 182,1. Tlis father, Nathan P., was borti in Aahburiiham, Mass., March 5, 17'Jl. He married Polly Kim- ball, liorn in Reading, December 2.5, 1790. They had five children. When six years of age Nathan P. came from Ashburnham with an uncle, Moses Havens, the lirsl fam- ily that settled at South Hill, Ludlow, Vt. He died in llaucock, Addison county, Vt., August 16, 1857. His wife died in Plymouth, December 4, 1840. He lived in Ply- mouth forty j'ears, owning and occupying the place now owned and occupied by Warren Bailev. All his children were born in Plymouth. Mdetus A. married in Reading, April 23, 1845, Carrie Melinda, daughter of Jotham and Melinda (Fay) Jones, born in Reading, August 29, 1824. They have had six children, viz.: Nathan Pri'ntice, born April 12, 184G, died September 17, 1848; Jennie Maria, born April 12, 184!), married, first, Joseph D. Weston, of Plymouth. The children by this union were Bertha L (de- ceased), Arthur J. and Fraukie. She m.arrieil, second, Henry Boutwell. a fanner in Barnard. They have one child, Fred. Ida Minerva, born April 10, 185 1 ^ married Ellis M. Frink, of Sherburne, A't, now living in Michigan; Nellie M., born in Hancock, July 27, 1857, married C. J. Harrington, of Bethel. She has three childien, Ernest, Gay, and Mark. Arthur W., born December 1, ]S(),5, married Clara Packard and lives in Gaysville, and Charley H., born May 11, ISbS^ lives at home. Mr. Ballard moved from Sherburne and settled in Stockbridge, where he now lives, in 1870. Old Families. 597 Boutwell, John, was born in Windsor, N. H., May 21, 1802. He married, June 18, 182.3, Sylvia, daughter of Blisha P. and Hannah (Taft) Perkin.s, born June 13, isn4, in Barnard, Vt. His fatlier, Jo.shua, married Sarah AveriH. Their children were Reuben, Mary, John, David, Sarali, Chandler, Lucy and Eliza, twins, Rachel, Jane, and Benja- min. Joshua died in Stockbridge, January 1, 1843, his wife December 15, 1850. He moved from New Hampshire and settled in Stockbridge, on the place now owned by George Mills, where they lived till their death. John Boutwell, their son, married June 18, 1823, Sylvia Peikins, l)orn June 13. 1804. They had thirteen children, viz.: Orlena, born July 20, 18'24, the wife of Zebedee Churchill, died June 20, 1854; Melissa, born March 4, 1820, wife of Truman Averill, of Reading, Vt.; Oravell, bom January 12, 1828, wife of Otis Adams, died December 12, 1847; Owen Taft, born November 10, 1820, farmer living in Barnard; Lewis B., born September 11, 1831, died August 24, 1S33; Henry Marsh, born October 5, 1833, farmer living in Barnard; Hannah L., born January 8, 1830, married May 21, 1857, Nathaniel B. Weston, born in Woburn, Mass., February 7, 1829 ; Elisha Perkins, born November 5, 1837, owns and occupies the Bout- well homestead in Stockbridge, volunteered as private in Company A, Sixteenth Ver- mont Volunteers, received his discharge August 10, 1803, and receives a pension on ac- count of disability contracted in the army; Lydia T., born December 7, 1830, wife of Arvin D. Angell, farmer in Barnard, Vt.; Mary F., liorn September 20, 1843, an invalid confined to her bed since 1882, living at the homestead; Augusta C., born April 29, ISJd, wife of Adam Eglin, lives in Merrimao, Mass.; Lucy E., liorn June 28, 1850, died February 18, 1851; Ellura C, born April 24, 1852, lives at the homestead. John Bout- well died July 4, 1888; his wife March 13, 1878. Burroughs, Thomas, was born in Halifax, N. S., February 7, 1817, the youngest in a family of six children of William Henry and Mary Burroughs. His mother's first hus- band was a Mr. Robinson, by whom she had two children, viz.: John, died in Halifax, and Doritha, died in Chelsea, Mass. The children of W. H. and Mary Burroughs were William Henry, died in Halifax ; Mary, wife of John Wan], died in Halifax ; George, lives in Lunenburg, N. S.; Catharine, wife of Captain Mathew M. Cook, resides in Cali- fornia; Edward, died in Boston ; and Thomas. The latter married Susannah D., daugh- ter of William and Elizabeth (Stayner) Wainwright, bom in Halifax, in 1818, and died in Boston, August, 1870, They had two children who died in infancy. Mr. Burroughs was educated in the common schools at Halifax and Boston, and an academy in Rhode Island. He learned the tin trade in Halifax and followed that business for many years in Boston. He settled on a farm in Stockbridge in 1878, where he has since lived. Clay, .James M., was born in Chester, Vt., August 22, 1825. Timothy, his grand- father, a native of Rliode Island, came from that State after his marriage and settled in Chester, where he reared a family of seven children. He died in Chester about 1831. His children were Daniel, .lames, John L., Sewell, Walter, Sally, and Amanda. James was born in Chester, Vt., in 1703. He married there Lucinda Wightman and had four children, viz.: Henry W., Louisa M., Otis P., and James M. James died in Chester, De- cember 12, 1825, his wife, Lucinda, June, 1862. James M. m.arried March 24, 1847. Charlotte T., daughter of Leonard and Sally (Breed) Orcutt. Mrs. Clay was born m Crown Point, N. Y., April 10, 1827. They have had four children, viz.; Emma A., born October 17, 1848, married November 11, 1874, Reuben W. Headle, of Hartland, Vt. She died in Stockbridge, December 11, 1880. Cassius M., born September 14, 1850, married Etta P, Gibbs, September 27, 1869. Their children were Ralph F., Nehie P., Charlotte P., Claude, and Jennie. Jennie E., born January 12, 1855, married Highland H. Clay and lives in Galesburg, 111, Their children were Fred Scott, Emma F., John L., Walter .L, and Irvin. Effie 'L., born May 31, 1801, married Fred E. Abbott, July 20, 1881, and lives in Crawford, Neb. Their children are Harold and Leo. Mr. Clay live(i in Chester four years, next in Andover thirteen, in Pittsford ten, Stockbridge Common five, and in 1808 purchased the hotel in GaysviUe and is its present proprietor. Cutler Family. — The Cutler family in Stockbridge descended from James, born in 598 History of Windsor County. England in KiOO, settled as early as 1034 in Watertown, Mass., where the first record o£ the family name in New Enirlaml is to be found. He was thrice married and reared a family of twelve children, of whom Thomas, born about l(i48, was liis sixth child and second son. He was honored in the public records with the title of lieutenant. He died at Lexington, Mass., July 13. 1722. He married Abigail and they had a family of seven children, of whom Jonathan, his sixth child, was baptized at Watertown, Mass., June 17, 1G8S, and died at Killingly, Conn., about 174(i. He married at Water- town, Mass., June 17, 1GS8, Abigail Bigelow. They had six children, of wiioni Beach was the third child, born at Colchester, Conn., July 4, 171lj, and died at Plainlield, N. H. He married, successively, Abigail Hodges, May 14, 1840, at Pomfrel, Conn., Miss Knight, of Killiugly, and Miss Hall, of Plainlield, or Lebanon, N. H. Of his seven children, V. Perley, his youngest child, was born September 25, 1701, died in Sharon, Vt., De- cember 20, 1842. He married, first, Polly, daughter of Benjamin Fuller, of Plainfield, Conn., February 14, 1782; she died March 20, 1810. He married, .second, Eliza, daugh- ter of Benjamin Clark, of Amherst, Mass., and widow of Lyman Coats, of Hartford, Vt. Of his fifteen children, the sixth, Vernon Shepard, born in Hartford, Conn., married January 2, 1848, Celina, daughter of Roliert and Diadema (Chanilierlaiu) Packard, of Barnard, Vt. They had four children, viz.: Louis V., died in Stockbridge, Vt., aged seventeen; Lucian E., ilied in Slockbridge ; Anna L., the wife of Lorin Chamberlain, died in Stockbridge, they had two children, Leon and Winnie; and Perley Robert, born in Stockbridge, October 30, 180(1, married Ida J. Magivney, born in Bethel, Vt., July 22, 1801. They have one child, Lucian Von, born April 25, 1887. Vernon S. and his only surviving child, Perley Robert, are residents of G-aysville, Vt. Grant, Nelson M., was born in Lincoln, Addison county, Vt., May 7, 1840, the young- est in a family of twelve children of Benjamin and Rebecca (Chapin) Grant. His father, born in London, England, was impressed into the English army, and upon arriving in Canada he left the army ami settled in New Hampshire, where he was m.arried. He died in Stockbridge, Vt., December 11, 18{;0; his wife May !t, 18(il. Of their twelve children, four are living, viz.: David P., farmer, living in Tunbridge, Vt,; Martha W., wife of James Colwell, farmer, living in Lincoln, Vt.; William M., farmei-, also living in Lincoln ; and Nelson M. The latter married Harriet B., daughter of William and Ilan- nali (Brockway) Pierce, born in Royallon, August 22, 1843. Their children are Minnie J., born November 2.5, 18(15, married George T. N. Mills, a farmer living in Stockbridge. and they have one cliild, Josie, born July 21, 1889 ; Fred P., born November 8, 1872, died July 4, 1881. Mr. Grant first settled in Stockbridge in 1858, and has carried on farming in that town since. He is the present overseer of the poor, which position he has filled for the last four years. Hassam, Francis Voltaire, was born in Northfield, Washington county, Vt., July 25, 1845, the eldest in a family of seven children of George P. and Naomi (Bnzzell) Has- sam. Lewis, his grandfather, was the first of the family who settled in Vermont. He married Rice, and had a family of niu<^ children. George P., born in Northlield, married Naomi Buzzell. They had seven children, viz.: Francis V.; George 0., lives in Rutl.and ; Alfredina, lives in Pittsfield, Vt.; Gilbert M., a grocer, at Ayer, Mass.; Her- bert, farmer living in Pittsfield; Louis, living in Pittsfield; and Roscoe, who died in in- fancy. Georges P. died in Stockbridge, July 5, 1888. His widow is living in Pittsfield, Vt. Francis V. married November 25, 1871, at Bethel, Emma J., daughter of Clark D. and Jane (Curtice) Newell, born November 16, 1853. They have had two children, viz.: Freddie F., born December 28, 1873, died April 13, 1875, and Wilfred, born Octo- ber 25, 187G. Clark D. Newell, Mrs Ilassam's father, born in Stockbridge, May 21, 1812, was the third in a family of five children of Jonas and Sarah Newell. His five children were Helen A., born MayO, 1839, wife of Rufus Morse, of Sharon. Vt.; Eu- gene C, born March 24, 1843, lives in Stockbridge; Charles D. and Carroll D., twins, born January 2, 1850, reside in Barnard, Vt.; ami Emma J. Clark D. died in Stock- bridge, October 21, 1884; his wife, Jane, October 20, 1875. For eight years Mr. Has- Old Families. 599 sam followed the lumber business in the towns of Stockbridge, Pittsfield, Barnard, Pom- fret, and Bethel. He has carried on merehandising in Gaysville since January, 1888. Jone.?, David, was born in Pittsfield, Ruthmd county, Vt., April 26, 1815, the second in a family of four children of David and Nancy (Bin-bank) Jones. The four children Were : Nancy, born October 15, ISl.'i, wife of Jackson Rolens, and died in Colund;us, 0., October 2ii, 1S53. James Harvey, born Novenitier 25, 181i;, moved when twenty-one years of age to Ohio, where he taught school thuty-two years; he died in Frankfort, O., August 30, 1881 Priscilla, born May 12, 1819, married, tirst, William Sbedd, of Bethel ; he (bed in the Union army during the war. She married, second, a Mr. Mooney, and third, a Mr. Crawford, with whom she is living in Ohio. David, the father, died in Pittsfield, Vt., June 15, 1819, aged thirty-one years. Nancy, his widow, married, sec- ond, Amos Jones, brother of Daviii, and bad by thi.s union one cliild, Chastina, born Sep- tember 21, 1829. Nancy Joues died Marcli 27, 1862, aged sixty-nine. Jones, David, son of David, married, June (i, 1844, first, Abigail G., daughter of Sam- uel and Anna Eaton, born Noveinlier 20, 1820, died March 9, 1874. He married, sec- ond, February 8, 1870, Harriet L., daughter of John C. and Harriet A. (Allen) Knight, born in Pittsfield, Vt., August 12, 1850. They have three children, viz.: Abbie E., born April 20, 1877; Mary R., born April 10, 1880; and Nancy H., born January 2(i, 1880. Mr. Jones moved from Pittsfield ami settled in Stockbridge, on the farm where he now lives, in 1845. He has .served as lister, selectman and constable. McCollom, Deacon Ezra, was born in Ludlow, Vt., April 7, 1818. His grandfather, a native of Londonderry, Ireland, emigrated to Ameri -a, settled in New Hampshire, and died there. He had five children. His son, Ale.\imder, father of Ezra, was born in New Hampshire, September, 1771, and died in Stockbridge, January 21, 1858. He was thrice married. By his first marriage, November 14, 1794, he liad three children, viz.: Margaret, John. Jennett. He married, second, September 18, 1804, Mcribali Sargent. Children by this union were Eleanor, Ira, Lavina, Louisa Jane, Thomas, Ezra, Josiah Fletcher. He married, third, October 27, 1831, Mary Moore, who died in Stockbridge, October 4, 1857. Deacon Ezra McCollom married, October G, 1842, Fanny Maria, daughter of Solomon Nott. She was born in Stockljridge, May, 1820, and died in Stockbridge, March 3, 18(i4. They had children as follows: Jennie F., Eveline L. and Charley E. Jennie F. and Eveline L. carry on a millinery and fancy goods store in Woodstock, Vt. Deacon McCollom came with his father from Ludlow and settled in Stockbridge, on the farm now owned by Harvey Blackmer, in 1836, and lived there till he moved to G-aysville in 18fi3, having a contract to build the Congregational church in that village, and has resided there ever since. Since 1860 he has carried on there the cabinet and undertaking business. He has been deacon in the Congregational church for over thirty years. He has served as lister, seleotman, and justice of the peace, which position he now holds. He represented the town in the Legislature in 1870, and was a member of the Assembly to revise the constitution of the State in 1870. Sheldon, Egbert, was born in Manchester,Vt., September 14, 1830. His father, John, was born in Ohio, and came to Manchester, where he married Sarah Bailey. His three children were Egbert, Myron and John H. John, his father, died at Saxon's River. His wife, Sarah, married, second, Darius Porter, and died at Acworth, N. H. By the latter union there were three children, viz.: Herbert and Ellen, both of whom reside in New Hampshire, and Henry, who was drowned when a small boy. Myron Sheldon now lives in Washington Territory and John in Kiiiisas. Both .are engaged in farming. Losing his father at the age of si.x, Egbert lived until nineteen years of age with diflfer- ent families in Vermont and New Hampshire. At that age ne came to Gaysville (Stock- bridge), where he was employed for four years in the chair-stock factory of Cheney, Kil- bourn & Co., and one year with the same company in Burlington. Since that time he has been engaged in farming. He purchased the farm where he now lives in 1868. He married, March 29, 1854, Cornelia E , daughter of Hazen and Azuba (Whitcomb) Rich- ardson, born in Stockbridge, June 3, 1831. Mrs. Richardson was a daughter of Captain 6oo History of Windsor County. Lot Whitcomb, one of the first settlers of Stockbridge. Hazen D., a brother of Mrs. SheUlon, hves in West Brooklield, Mass. Oscar V.. anotlier brother, hves in West Con- cord. N. H. Mrs. Henrietta Lincoln, a sister, lives in Bethel. Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon have had children as follows : Frank Egbert, born November 2!), 1857, died February 20, ISli.O; Ned Lonis, liorn May 23, 1859, was graduated from Norwich University at Northlield in 1884. and is now a professor m the High School at Norwood, Mass.; Alice May. born December 28, 1^