USA > Vermont > Bennington County > Manchester > Manchester, Vermont : a pleasant land among the mountains, 1761-1961 > Part 1
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1761
1961
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MANCHESTER VERMONT
MANCHESTER VERMONT
A Pleasant Land Among the Mountains
EDWIN L. BIGELOW AND NANCY H. OTIS
1761
1961
PUBLISHED BY THE TOWN OF MANCHESTER 1961
Copyright, 1961, by the Selectmen of Manchester, Vermont
13
Roger D. Horia - $10.00
1166932 THIS HISTORIC CROSSROADS BORN OF LIBERTY AND NURTURED BY THE FREEDOM LOVING HUB FOR WAYFARERS HOST TO GENERATIONS THIS PLEASANT LAND AMONG THE MOUNTAINS
BICENTENNIAL MARKER VILLAGE GREEN, MANCHESTER VERMONT
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019
https://archive.org/details/manchestervermon00bige
Table of Contents
Preface ix
Introduction xi
I Location and Physical Features
1
II Town Government 4
III Manchester and the Revolution 13
IV Roads, Bridges, and Highways 17
V "A Loose Town . .. " 25
VI Finances 33
VII Churches in Manchester 38
VIII Manchester Cemeteries 63
IX Education
67
X Transportation 88
XI Post Offices and Postmasters 100
103
XII
Manchester's Utilities
XIII Town Welfare 114
XIV Manchester in Later Wars 119
XV Manchester Industries 145
XVI Banks 157
XVII Manchester Merchants 160
XVIII Pill Alley 165
XIX "Devoted to Foreign and Domestic Intelligence . . . " 173
XX Libraries 181
XXI Recreational Activities 185
XXII Manchester-In-The-Mountains 198
XXIII Manchester- A Golf Mecca 214
XXIV Winter Business - White Gold 221
XXV Cultural, Fraternal, and Social Organizations 232
XXVI The Manchester Band 251
XXVII "An Air of Rich and Cultured Living . . . " 257
XXVIII Some Prominent Men and Women of Manchester 270
Appendix 293
Index 307
List of Illustrations
A pleasant land among the mountains
opposite v
The elm at the crossroads XV
View in Manchester, 1872 22
"Marble Bridge" on the Barnumville Road 23
Iron bridge at Manchester Center
23
Marble bridge at Manchester Center
23
Leonard Sargeant, Lieutenant-Governor of Vermont 30
Baptist church, Manchester Center 31
St. John's Episcopal chapel 42
First Congregational church, Manchester Village 42
Zion Episcopal church, Manchester Center 42
St. Paul's Roman Catholic church, Manchester Village 42
Methodist church, Manchester Center, before 1912 43
Adams Hall, Manchester Center
43
Manchester Elementary School
43
Burr and Burton Seminary
43
The Rev. Dr. Joseph D. Wickham
82
The Manchester, Dorset, and Granville Railroad 83 The Village green in 1861 83
Company c, Color Company, 14th Regiment 98
Rich Lumber Company railway 99
Rich Lumber Company mill 99
Rich Lumber Company yard
154
Lyman Way's marble mill 154
Norcross-West marble mill and yard 154 Iron mine on Lye Brook 154
Manchester Hosiery Mills, Factory Point
155
Estabrook's Opera House, Factory Point James W. Marsh, M.D.
155
Claude M. Campbell, M.D.
Edmond L. Wyman, M.D.
The Mark Skinner Library
155 155 186 186
The Manchester Fair, circa 1880
"Hildene," residence of the Hon. Robert Todd Lincoln
186
Vanderlip's Hotel, Manchester Village, circa 1850 Equinox House
186
"Tip-Top House" on Mount Equinox
187
First clubhouse of the Ekwanok Country Club 187 187
Present clubhouse of the Ekwanok Country Club
The first Manchester Band, 1861 187
Manchester Depot Drum Corps, circa 1890
187
Southern Vermont Art Center
258 258
Nathaniel Canfield
Walter Hard
Sarah Norcliffe Cleghorn
Albert Smith
Ahiman L. Miner
Susan Miner
Loveland Munson
Mary Campbell Munson
Frank C. Archibald
Franklin H. Orvis
275
Icy Palmer 275
259 259 259 274 274 274 274 275 275
Charles F. Orvis
155
186
Preface
R ESEARCH for this volume began in December 1959. It has required untold time, telephone calls, and trips to the library, to the town clerk's office, and to many Manchester homes. The writing was begun in the late spring of 1960, working toward a tentative deadline late in the year. This has indeed been a short space of time in which to cover 200 years of Manchester life. Details, too, were sometimes lacking-we have had to rely on available records and memories. So the story will not be perfect, but we hope enough will be told to make it interesting.
Manchester's role as a resort community has made it host to numbers of part-time residents, which in turn has sometimes raised a problem as to their importance as makers of its history. But we have tried to write with good judgment and intent. If the result is something different, we offer regrets.
The interest in this history shown by so many who love Man- chester is hereby gratefully acknowledged. We cannot name them all. However, the book could not have been written without the aid and co-operation of the Librarian of the Mark Skinner Library, Anna B. Buck, and her assistant, Rachel Limric; Town Clerk Helen B. Bigelow and her successor, Clara May Hemenway; and advisors on the Selectmen's Historical Committee, Walter Hard and John Whipple. Mr. Whipple is especially thanked for his timely gift to the Manchester Historical Society of his brother's Manchesteriana, The Harris C. Whipple Collection. It has proved invaluable.
Cornelius Whalen has been frequently called upon to corrobo-
ix
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MANCHESTER, VERMONT
rate information. Deep gratitude goes to Harold Taylor of Man- chester Depot for sustained interest and co-operation in the proj- ect. We also appreciate the aid of those who typed to speed pro- duction, Helen B. Bigelow and Dorothy W. Tupper.
Among others to whom we are also indebted are: Dr. Richard C. Overton; Margaret S. Hard; Leon Wiley; Alice Richardson; Nahum Kamber; Helen Pearson; Daniel Wideawake; Major-General (USA Ret.) John Watt Page; The Rev. Donald C. Kelly; Stanley B. Ineson; Fred Pabst; The Rev. Robert Clayton; Harold Giddings, Jr .; G. Stewart Bennett; Elmer Harwood; The Rev. Edgar Johnson; Paul H. Bullock; G. Murray Campbell; Robert Anderson; Mr. and Mrs. Niles Carlson; Mary Malone; Earl Van Buskirk; James B. Campbell; Mr. and Mrs. Celon Harwood; Harry Adams; Grace W. W. Reed; Henry B. Robinson; Harry Mercier. Photographs used are through the courtesy of the Mark Skinner Library, The Whipple Collection, Helen B. Bigelow, Walter Hard, Clara May Hemenway, Effie and Eva Van Buskirk, Reid Lefevre, and the Manchester Journal.
Introduction
M ANCHESTER'S history, somewhat different from that of many towns, has had two distinct phases. One is the usual growth of any community from a wilderness set- tlement to a modern community of the 1960s. This is represented through evolution in the five fields common to all communities- economic, political, educational, religious, and social. It is the pur- pose of this history to follow Manchester's development along these lines.
The other phase is Manchester's influence and activity in events concerning a much larger area than that of the township-the part its citizens played in the Revolutionary War; the jurisdictional dis- pute with New York and New Hampshire concerning land titles; participation that led to the creation of Vermont as an independent republic; and being three times host to its legislature. Manchester was probably more actively involved in these matters than available records indicate.
The community developed its natural resources, making them the basis of modest industries which flourished for a time until the changing economic environment of the country made some small- town industries obsolete. The exhaustion of timber resources of virgin forests led to the decline of extensive manufacturing enter- prises in the lumber and woodworking field.
For a while the pattern of agriculture was such that a woolen mill, tannery, and cheese and butter factories could exist on local supplies of wool, hides, and milk. This was succeeded by the fluid
xi
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MANCHESTER, VERMONT
milk market, which finally culminated in the establishment of a co-operative milk plant to serve the town and its surrounding area.
In the early days cash was scarce. Even taxes were paid in corn, wheat, oats, beef, pork, butter, cheese, and wool at specified values for each. Taxes were also worked out on highways until 1883. Then money seems to have been more plentiful. By 1820 property evalua- tions were put on a dollars and cents basis instead of the terms of English currency previously used.
In the educational field evolution was from small autonomous school districts with one-room schools. Manchester once had six- teen. They were supported by district grand list taxes, taxes of one cent a day from parents for pupil attendance, and from income from public school lands. Population changes led to the consolida- tion of the small districts, which became one town school district in 1893. Eventually consolidations culminated in one central elemen - tary school for the whole town in 1950.
The political field dealt mainly with the processes of government. Democracy was a powerful factor and the number of officers was once larger than now. Evolution in this field moved steadily toward more centralization of authority, culminating in the adoption of the town manager system in 1940.
The separate highway districts of early days were each under the charge of one road commissioner. The need for a sealer of leather or of weights and measures, or a brander of horses vanished with the changing times. In the matter of finance, citizens now vote upon total itemized budgets, while taxes have risen from one cent to over $10 upon the grand list.
Though in the early days Manchester was not noted for any great spirit of godliness, provision for religious observance was one of the first items in town affairs. A two-acre meeting house "lott" was laid out when the town was surveyed in 1764. It is located in the Village where the present Congregational church and Court House stand. A meeting house was built there about 1784. Other churches were built until the town eventually had those now in use. Methodist and Campbellite denominations were dissolved some years ago.
The town grew up socially as a goodly number of clubs, develop- ment associations, service groups, and fraternal organizations evolved.
xiii
INTRODUCTION
All Manchester's growth took place under the leadership and efforts of many individuals who contributed to community develop- ment. For most, a paragraph will suffice. Martin Powel and Gideon Ormsby are exceptions. Powel was one of the most outstanding men of the early community, yet his name is rarely preserved except in his signature inscribed on a multitude of public documents during his service as clerk of the Proprietors and town clerk.
This, in brief, is the story of Manchester, a township granted by Benning Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, to a group of land speculators in 1761 and bought from them by another group of speculators in Amenia, New York, who became the town's Pro- prietors. They proceeded to settle Manchester and trade its acres for their enrichment. About 1850 the community's seemingly one inexhaustible resource, its scenic charm and geographical location, was recognized for its potential value. The town entered what may be its soundest and most lasting status, that which it now advertises as a four-season recreation and retirement community.
F
THE ELM AT THE CROSSROADS
THE ELM AT THE CROSSROADS
. . A tree like the elm at the crossroads Has seen too much of life To be just timber or firewood.
Count the rings. A hundred and eight. It could tell you a lot of history. It was young when Factory Point was beginning.
There was a tannery along the river With piles of bark in the yard. There was a woolen mill with its whirling looms, And a dozen other mills along the stream. It was really Factory Point.
Think of all the people who have passed that tree! Think of the slow-plodding oxen with loads of goods; Heavy creaking wagons with blocks of marble From the quarries on Dorset Mountain; Lines of soldiers going to save the Union; Processions in somber black; Gay parades with bands and flying banners; Ladies walking with parasols held over quaint bonnets; Men with high hats and tailed coats; Statesmen, scholars, warriors, artists- All have passed under its spreading branches.
There it lies. Just so many cords of firewood. Of course it had to go. It's a martyr to what we hope is progress. Our rushing life cannot be stopped by a tree.
A hundred and eight years To grow some firewood.
Walter Hard
A Mountain Township
CHAPTER I
Location and Physical Features
A TOWN'S physical features are important because much of its history, especially its economic development, depends upon its physical environment and topography.
Manchester is located in northern Bennington County in the Vermont Valley between the Green Mountains on the east and the Taconic Mountains on the west. Mount Equinox, highest of the Taconics, 3,816 feet, makes a pleasing backdrop for that section of the town known as Manchester Village as it rises a little over 3,000 feet above the community. Nearly all of Equinox lies within Man- chester.
On the east the township includes several miles of the Green Mountain range rising to an altitude of 3,100 feet above sea level and some 2,400 feet above the deeper portion of the Valley. Altitudes vary from 690 feet at the railroad station and 750 feet at Manchester Center to 899 feet at the Court House in Manchester Village.
The town is bounded by Winhall on the east, Sandgate on the west, Dorset on the north, and Sunderland on the south. Hard- surfaced roads connect Manchester with all four of these neighbor- ing communities, though not directly with Sandgate.
Manchester is a little larger than the traditional six-miles-square dimensions of Vermont towns and contains 42.67 square miles. Almost a quarter of this area is above 2,000 feet in altitude, while a little less than half is below a thousand feet above the sea. This is worth noting, for in any area altitudes are an important factor in climate and precipitation.
1
2
MANCHESTER, VERMONT
The Manchester area lies in the Hudson River drainage basin and is drained by the Battenkill rising in East Dorset and its tribu- taries-the West Branch coming from the west Dorset area passing through Manchester Center; Bromley Brook, Bourn Brook, and Lye Brook rising on the Green Mountains; Munson Brook and Tanner Brook coming from the Equinox side of the Valley.
The town contains three bodies of water-Equinox Pond lying at the base of Equinox Mountain, Bullhead Pond near the East Dor- set line, and the recently constructed Dufresne Pond. Aside from streams and ponds, the town possesses another natural resource of water in a fairly bountiful supply of springs. Drilled wells in the higher sections of the Valley seem to strike adequate water supplies at depths ranging from 120 to 160 feet. In lower sections of the Valley water is found at about 50 to 100 feet.
Manchester's streams provided the water power necessary for establishing various mills and small industries in the early years. Water power was the important factor that led to the growth and naming of Factory Point, as Manchester Center was known. In later years other forms of power came into use and now the power of streams goes unused and would be inadequate for the demands of modern industry.
As manufacturing dependent upon water power declined, trade increased as an economic factor. Here, too, topography has influ- enced the construction of roads, making possible the location of Manchester Center at the crossroads of several important highways. These connect it with communities to the east, south, and north. This has been an important factor in making the Center the busi- ness center of the town. In fact, the highway pattern has tended to make the town as a whole a trading center for a considerable area beyond its boundaries.
Manchester's highland areas, as well as adjoining ones, have been the raw materials source for considerable lumber industry in the past. They still support enterprises in that industry. The area's scenic charm with a topography suitable for excellent golf courses has been responsible for the growth of the town's hotel and summer business. This has been augmented in recent years by the growing ski industry, also dependent upon a topography that provides snow along with suitable slopes upon which to use it. There was a time
3
LOCATION AND PHYSICAL FEATURES
when another natural resource, marble, was of considerable impor - tance economically, though most of the stone itself came from quarries in neighboring Dorset.
Manchester has always been composed of several small communi- ties with the Village, Factory Point, Manchester Depot, and Bar- numville as the principal entities. There has also been Robertsville, Rootville, Marbleville, Beartown, Purdyville, Hicksville, and Rich- ville.
Robertsville was a well-populated section surrounding what is known as "The Old Homestead," home of General Martin Roberts, in the north part of town. Situated on the old Boston to Saratoga road, it was principally noted as a stagecoach stop. Marbleville was a very busy community of homes and marble mills along the banks of Glebe Brook on what is now Way's Lane. This was probably the location of several Manchester mills sawing and preparing Dorset marble for the market in 1855.1 By 1889 all that remained were tumble-down mills and the giant water wheels that produced the power.
Hicksville, located towards East Manchester, and Purdyville, on the hill approaching the south part of the Village, were named for the many families named Hicks and Purdy living in those sections. Richville, at the foot of the Green Mountains on the east side of the Battenkill, was the section originally developed in the early 1900s by the Rich Lumber Company. It still has quite a large population.
Remote Rootville was located up on the mountains toward Bourn Pond. In the gap between Mount Equinox and Bear Moun- tain is Beartown Notch, once the site of a small community which used the now nearly impassable road between Sandgate and Man- chester.
1. Zephine Humphrey, Story of Dorset (Rutland, 1924), p. 166.
CHAPTER II
Town Government
T HE Proprietors who surveyed and established Manchester were a somewhat different group than the Grantees to whom Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire chartered the area in 1761. How the town received its name is not on record. Several other communities in the United States with the same name are said to have received it after Manchester in England, but the charter simply designates the town as Manchester.
The first meeting of the Proprietors seems to have been February 14, 1764 at Amenia (Nine Partners), New York. After three ad- journments it was voted March 23, 1764 that a Proprietor not on hand by three o'clock should pay for a bowl of punch. These early meetings were concerned with such matters as the drawing of lots, providing for surveys, collecting assessments to pay for surveying expenses, etc. A collector garnered the money and a treasurer cared for the funds collected. A $2 assessment was levied on each Proprietor's right.
Martin Powel, Gideon Ormsby, Timothy Mead, and Jeremiah French are Proprietors' names appearing frequently in town meet- ing records. These influential men served the community as dili- gently as they did the Proprietors.
After the Manchester Proprietors organized, a surveying com- mittee from Amenia headed by Daniel Shippard was directed to survey for each Proprietor 100 acres of the best land in the town, equal in quality and quantity. The Survey Bill, or public notice, was signed by Shippard June 10, 1764 and he was paid twelve shil-
4
5
TOWN GOVERNMENT
lings York money for thus laying out Manchester. Martin Powel, Thomas French, and Daniel Beardsley were charged with ascertain- ing the town boundaries.
It appears from the settlement and allowance of the surveying committee accounts that twenty-two days were spent surveying seventy 100-acre lots. Sixty-four lots were for that number of origi- nal Grantees; two rights belonged to the Governor for granting the charter; one right went to the first settled minister, who could sell it immediately if he wished; one right belonged to the Church of Eng- land and was called the "glebe"; one went to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, a missionary society in England; and one was for the use of the schools.
These lots were called "old hundreds" and they were numbered. Each Proprietor drew for his lot, or "right" as they were sometimes called. At subsequent lot drawings called "Divisions," four glebe lots and two school lots were set aside. The Proprietors planned a two-acre lot for a "meeting houfe plott." Shippard's Survey Bill indicated its location :
Begining at the south-weft corner of the Town thence running to the middle of the town thence West 10 degrees North 17 chains to the meeting houfe plott that lys ten chains long (660 ft.) and 2 wide (132 ft.). Two acres for the Lott.
The present Congregational church and Court House stand on that lot which extended some distance north and south of what is now Union Street. A schoolhouse once stood between the church and the Court House and apparently horsesheds and various other buildings now gone occupied the area, as well as an early cemetery.1
It was not until September 22, 1802 that the Proprietors voted to lay out the remaining undivided land.
Twenty-four Proprietors at a meeting in Amenia December 11, 1764 voted to lay out one or more highways northerly and south- erly in Manchester. A meeting in 1771 voted that Samuel Rose, William Marsh, and John Roberts be a committee to lay out all the roads through the town. A similar committee was elected at other meetings until the need for new roads passed.
1. Judge J. S. Pettibone, "Papers," unpublished.
6
MANCHESTER, VERMONT
Records of the first town meetings held in Manchester from 1766 to 1771 are somewhat fragmentary because of torn pages, but the records from 1771 are in good condition and items of business can be easily followed. Warnings for town meetings do not appear to have been recorded until March 12, 1776, though mention is gen- erally made that such meetings were duly warned.
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