USA > Vermont > Orange County > Bradford > A history of Bradford, Vermont : containing some account of the place of its first settlement in 1765, and the principal improvements made, and events which have occurred down to 1874--a period of one hundred and nine years. With various genealogical records, and biographical sketches of families and individuals, some deceased, and others still living > Part 12
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On this account, and in view of his well-known integ- rity and capability, he was called by his fellow-townsmen to the performance of various official trusts and duties. For some years he officiated as one of the town listers, overseer of the poor, and justice of the peace, if not in other offices. As justice of the peace he is said to have been chosen for twenty-four years in regular succession, and then, after a short vacation, for several years more. Esquire Martin probably knew more, from personal ac- quaintance, respecting the early inhabitants of this town, and of its by-gone events and transactions, than any per- son now living; and it is to be lamented that he did not leave, as he had been earnestly requested, a written statement of his vivid and interesting recollections.
One singular incident he once related to the writer of this notice. He said, on a certain occasion in the early settlement of this town, about forty horses were sent late in autumn from Haverhill, Mass., and turned loose into the meadows along on the Connecticut River to browse on the wild grass and on bushes through the winter, and take care of themselves as they would ; and that in the spring they were taken out in good condition ! Such a saving of hay and oats and care, on the part of horse keepers is not, however, likely to be again attempted.
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Esquire Martin's farm joined on the East that of his fa- ther ; where, devoted chiefly to agricultural pursuits, in the practice of industry, frugality and strict temperance, and in pleasant intercourse with his neighbors, he passed his somewhat protracted life in quietude and comfort. He did not seem to grow old as many do, but retained the various capacities and powers, both mental and cor- poreal, of mature manhood remarkably. When over eighty years of age, he was in conversation still social and cheerful, and in his movements erect and sprightly. A neighbor relates that on a certain occasion he saw him, when thus advanced in years, catch his horse, which had strayed a little away, put on its bridle, and from the mid- dle of the road spring on to its back and ride off, as if he had been in the vigor of youth.
He never made any public profession of religion, but was strictly moral, and is understood to have expressed a hope that in early life he had found his Saviour to be pre- cious ; and when, in old age, stricken down by paralysis, but still blessed with the full exercise of mental powers, he died peacefully, hoping for salvation through Him alone.
Very few of our inhabitants of an age so great as was that of this venerable man are now left. All will soon be gone. May they, without exception, have their lamps trimmed and burning, ever ready for the coming of their Lord, however suddenly that momentous event may oc- cur.
" The fathers, where are they? What man is he that liveth and shall not see death !"
3. Anna, eldest daughter of Dea. Reuben Martin, born October 23, 1786, died a worthy maiden.
4. Hannah, born February 15, 1789, became the sec- ond wife of Jeremiah Corliss, of Bradford, had two daugh- ters and one son, and died November, 1867, aged seventy- eight years and nine months. See the Corliss family.
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5. Sarah, born December 11, 1791; married John Crandall, of Lancaster, N. N., and removed West.
6. Rebecca, born December 19, 1793; married Wil- liam Mitchell, of Walpole, N. H., and died there, leaving a large family.
7. Abigail, born August 1, 1795 ; married David Nor- cross, of Bradford. Had one son and two daughters.
8. Lydia, born December 4, 1796; married Samuel Merrill, of this town. Had two children.
9. Patience, born April 30, 1798 ; married Orrin Tyler, of Randolph. Had four children.
10. Moses Hazen, born March 16, 1800 ; married Han- nah Huntoon, of Hanover, N. H.
11. Reuben, born May 12, 1804.
THE CLARK FAMILY.
Joseph Clark and wife were among the early inhabi- tants of Bradford, and raised up here a large and influen- tial family. They lived on the Lower Plain, about one mile and a quarter South of the central part of the vil- lage. The comfortable cottage which they long occupied, now one of the oldest houses in the town, is still there in a respectable condition ; but the entire family of its origi- nal occupants have passed forever away. For about a year and a half of my early ministry here having no home of my own, I boarded with this family; and my study was a little chamber in that cottage, the look-out from which was towards the polar star. There I spent many days, long evenings, and some whole nights, in laborious and prayerful efforts to prepare for my public services in the best manner I possibly could ; and that under an op- pressive sense of my insufficiency for those things. Par- don this personal reminiscence ; the mention of the old cottage brought back so vividly that early experience, as a look up to those old windows when passing by always does.
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Deacon Clark and wife were members both of the first Congregational church, under the pastoral care of Rev. Gardner Kellogg, and also of the present church of the same denomination, which after the dissolution of the first was duly organized on a more decidedly orthodox plat- form, in the year 1810. He was generally styled Deacon, though never regularly so constituted, probably because he took an active part in religious matters, and for a time officiated at communion seasons. He died in December, 1835, aged eighty-four years. His wife, Sarah Mussey Clark, died March 18, 1833, aged seventy-four years. She was a sister of Esquire Mussey, of Corinth, who was father of the late Moses Mussey, of Bradford. Mr. and Mrs. Clark had six sons and three daughters. One of the sons died in childhood. Of those who lived to be men and women the following imperfect account is all that the writer is able at present to give, no individual being left of whom to inquire.
1. Moody Clark, born August 31, 1776 ; married Susan Richards, March 20, 1797. Mr. Clark was an honest, in. dustrious man, and spent the remnant of his days at Brad- ford. He died February 9, 1843, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. Mrs. Clark, his wife, died May 31, 1850, in her seventy-first year. They had seven sons and three daughters.
Charles B. Clark, born November 26, 1798; a teacher of vocal music ; married Augusta Cady, of Bradford, and died at Middletown, Conn.
Orlin, born June 2, 1801 ; married Orill Cady, sister of Augusta, and died at Killingly, Conn.
Wealthy, born June 24, 1803 ; married Edwin Fuller, of Vershire, and died at Fairlee, April 30, 1854. Deacon Fuller and wife had three sons and two daughters, name- ly : Susan, Joseph, Dan, Albert and Hannah Maria.
Franklin, born June 18, 1805 ; married a Miss Bond, of Corinth.
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Cynthia, born March 13, 1808 ; married Samuel Bemis, of Lyndon, Vt:
Gardner, born August 21, 1812 ; became a preacher of the gospel, of the Methodist order.
Thomas Russell, born April 8, 1816; died September 20, 1856.
Joseph, born November 19, 1819 ; died July 8, 1839. Thaddeus Fairbanks, born July 5, 1822.
2. Laban Clark, second son of Deacon Joseph Clark, above mentioned, and brother of Moody, was born July 19, 1778, became a Methodist minister of high esteem; was stationed for a time in the city of New York, and at other times in different places of special importance, and was for several of the last years of his life employed as financial agent of the Wesleyan University at Middletown, Conn., where he died in 1868, at about ninety years of age.
3. Joseph Clark, Jr., born September 6, 1780, was by occupation both a farmer and a mason, or brick layer. He was also a local preacher of the Methodist order, and a truly Christian man. He remained on the old farm, in a house a few rods South of his father's, and did much in the way of nourishing and cherishing the Methodist church here in the days of its infantile feebleness. He used to hold meetings with them, in the school house on the Lower Plain, where the members chiefly resided, and lived to see them with a good congregation worshiping in one and then another more commodious meeting-house of their own. He was called away to his final rest. Feb- ruary 22, 1849, in the sixty-ninth year of his age. He had been twice married. His first wife, Fanny Aspin- wall, died June 2, 1826, at the age of forty-four. His second wife, Susan Bond, of Corinth, died April 7, 1847, at the age of sixty years. Both truly good women. No children. They had adopted a Miss Bond, neice of the second wife. She married Rev. Mr. Fisk, a Methodist minister.
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4. Edward Clark, born July 6, 1784; removed to the State of New York, married, and spent the remainder of his days there.
5. Hannah Clark, born February 6, 1787, was a worthy woman, a member of the same church with her parents, and when quite advanced in years became the second wife of David Morrison, of Fairlee, whose first wife was her sister.
6. Sally Clark, born July 9, 1789, married David Mor- rison, of Fairlee. They lived near the North end of Fair- lee Pond. She was an estimable woman, and died leav- ing three sons.
7. Samuel Clark, born July 30, 1791. Lived at Brad- ford a while, then removed to the interior of the State of New York, and died there. No account of his family. He was twice married.
8. Betsey Clark, born April 10, 1794 ; when mature in years was still, in person and intellect and lack of speech, but a child of large size, but very quiet ; and al- ways treated by the family with distinguished kindness. She died in the quietude of home.
9. Gardner Kellogg Clark, born February 28, 1796,- was a young man of fine personal appearance and good talents. He had a taste for learning, made strenuous ef- forts to obtain a liberal education, and graduated at Union College, Schenectady, N. Y. Having in the meanwhile become hopefully pious, he studied for the gospel minis- try, and was ordained and installed pastor of a Presbyte- rian church at Preble, in the State of New York. He was an able and faithful worker, and as such highly es- teemed. He married and had a family ; but we are un- able to give any definite information in regard to his children. He spent some of the last years of his life, we believe, in the service of the American Home Missionary Society ; and died at Saratoga, Minnesota, March 19, 1870, at the age of seventy-four years and nineteen days.
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REV. MARTIN RUTER, D. D.
Of this gentleman, or even of his family name, the pres- ent inhabitants of Bradford are supposed to know but little or nothing. Still there are good reasons why he should be remembered with honor among the most distin- guished of our early inhabitants. The family name in the days of his father, was pronounced with the middle letter joined to the first syllable, giving the u its short sound, as if written Rutter; but when Martin had become a man of distinction he is understood to have been styled the Rev. Dr. Ru-ter, thus giving the u its long sound, and joining the t to the last syllable. The writer of this article was accustomed, in early life, to hear the name pronounced only in the way first mentioned. But call it which way you will, Martin was an admirable man.
Do you ask in what way was he related to Bradford ? According to information which I consider 'reliable, he was born in Sutton, Mass., in April, 1785, and in 1793, at the age of eight years, came with his parents to reside in Bradford. · His father, Job Ruter, was an honest, hard- working man, by occupation a blacksmith. He for a while resided in the South-east corner of the town, on a farm now owned by Elijah Smalley ; but subsequently re- moved to the Western border of the town, and when I first knew him and his family he was there living, on the old South road, the last house in this town, next to Cor- inth. My father had a grist-mill and saw-mill about a mile further on, in the Eastern border of Corinth. And the first religious meeting that I have any recollection of ever attending was at the house of this Mr. Ruter, and the preacher, I am pretty sure, was called " Brother Wil- liston," one of the first Methodist ministers who had preached in that neighborhood. Job Ruter and wife had been members of a Baptist church, but they had then be- come very devoted Methodists, and opened their humble
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dwelling to the cordial reception of the itinerant preach- ers, and to the holding of religious meetings. Within a few years after this, the Ruter family removed to Corinth, and lived about one mile West of my father's place, and within the same school district ; so that Martin, though some six years my senior, attended for a while the same schools with myself. I remember him and his brothers, John and Absalom, and sister Pallas, quite well. He was a youth full of life and agility, of fine personal appearance, very pleasant in his manners, and quite ambitious to, be esteemed, as he was, a good scholar. There were in those days many religious meetings held at his father's house, much interest was awakened, and numbers hope- fully converted, among whom was this interesting young man. In the Summer of 1799, in the fifteenth year of his age, he was divinely moved to consecrate himself to the service of the blessed Redeemer, and from the first his desire was to become a faithful preacher of the Gospel. . He at once engaged in religious exercises, praying, exhort- ing, and striving to do good to all, as he had opportunity. His store of learning at that time was very small; but his desire and ability to improve, his natural gift for public speaking, his amiable character, and zeal in the good cause, were all so manifest that his christian friends, and especially the ministers of his denomination who knew him, encouraged him to press on. It was arranged that, young as he was, he should directly enter into the pre- paratory work, by traveling as a student and assistant with one or more of the circuit preachers, and so continue un- til prepared to take a more prominent position. He might then have been about seventeen or eighteen years of age. It was not long before he became as wise, or wiser, than his teachers, and had a charge of his own assigned him. One of his. first locations was the city of Montreal, which afforded him a fine opportunity to make himself well ae- quainted with the French language. On his return to
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New England he went on, not only preaching, but avail- ing himself of all opportunities and means of acquiring useful knowledge. In the course of a few years he went to Ohio, and by that time he had become so much of a linguist that in 1824 he published at Cincinnati a Hebrew Grammar, " compiled for the use and encouragement of learners, adapted to such as have not the aid of a teach- er," and dedicated to the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the introduction to this work he earnestly recommends to their preachers to make themselves acquainted with, not only the Greek of the New Testament, but especially with the Hebrew of the Old. "Every argument for the Greek original," he says, " cannot fail to apply forcibly in favor of the Hebrew also ; a language possessing a higher claim to antiquity than any other, and so remarkable for its simplicity and excellence that no translation can do it justice." While writing this I have that little work on my table before me, which, if not very complete, is cer- tainly very creditable to its author, considering the many and great disadvantages through which he had to make his way, in the acquisition of useful learning.
From what college this distinguished minister and scholar received his Doctorate we are not informed ; but we are gratified to be able to say that his talents, attain- ments, and excellent character were highly appreciated, not only by his own denomination, but by the public gen- erally. In the report of the Vermont Methodist State Convention for 1870, it is noted that Rev. Dr. Martin Ru- ter was President of Augusta College, Kentucky, and of Alleghany College, Pennsylvania, and that, having re- signed this last position, he went as a missionary to Texas, where he died May 16, 1838. Thus ended a life of use- ful, honorable, and extensive public labors, commenced here among ourselves.
This brief memorial of one of our own Bradford boys, who through life pursued a course so highly commenda-
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ble, I have inserted here, with earnest desire and hope that other boys and young men might be incited to emulate · his excellent example.
O, what a contrast between such a youth as he and the boy who has no decided love for useful learning; no re- spect for good morals or manners ; no fear of God, or care to secure His favor : but who indulges in idleness, and rudeness, and pilfering, it may be; in profane and vile expressions, sitting in the seat of the scornful; besotting himself with the drunkard's drink; or by the filthy prac- tice of tobacco chewing and smoking, making himself, even in the days of his youth, a weak and worthless stinkard !
Away ! away ! with all such vile practices. Determine to make the best possible use of your time and talents, and to set an example alike honorable to yourselves, and beneficial to others. If placed in humble and trying cir- cumstances, be not disheartened. Like young Martin Ru- ter, early dedicate yourself to the service of the King of kings and Lord of lords: make it your persevering en- deavor to accumulate useful knowledge, and do good to the extent of your ability ; then through the Divine bless- ing, your course through life will be honorable and useful, like his ; and its termination in celestial blessedness most sure.
FIFIELD BOY-LOST AND FOUND.
For several years there lived in the wilderness South of Wait's River, in the Western' border of this town, a poor, hard-working man by the name of Daniel Fifield, with his family. On one Saturday of April, 1800, An- drew Fifield, a little son belonging to this family, strayed · away, and when night came, to the great consternation of his parents, was not to be found. He was at the time but thinly clad, having on only his little tow shirt, or frock, as it might perhaps better be called. Great fears were 12
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entertained that he might perish, by the chilliness of the night, by falling into the river, or by ravenous beasts of prey. But all the efforts of the family, and of the few friends whom they could that night call to their aid, to find him, were unavailing. The next day, being the Sab- bath, there was a general gathering of the people within a compass of several miles, anxiously engaged in the search.
It was taken for granted that the lost boy must be on the South side of the river; but by the most dilligent search he could nowhere in that section of the forest be found. He could not have waded through the rapid stream. Was it possible that he had passed over on a fallen tree which in one place was discovered lying across ? An extensive and thorough search was made through the desert on the North side of the river, the side opposite to Fifield's residence. The day was becoming far spent ; the hearts of the people were sinking in discouragement ; when, by some one, the little fellow was discovered among the bushes and rocks, alive and unharmed. Then the joy- ful cry, Found ! Found ! All's well ! resounded through the wilderness, filling the hearts of the multitude, and especially of the distressed parents, with gladness and gratitude the most exquisite.
The boy was found near the Western boundary of Bradford, not far from where Mr. John Sanborn and fami- ly have now, 1873, long lived. He had strayed perhaps some mile and a half or two miles from his home. I was myself a boy then, but remember seeing a host of people passing by our family residence, on the Eastern border of Corinth, as they were returning from the search, and one man proudly bearing the little Andrew in his arms, or on his shoulder, not only in kindness to him, but in demon- stration of their joyful success. They came around that way to pass over the bridge near my father's mills, and to return the boy to his home on the South side of the
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river, a mile or two below. My impression is, that the weather was then comfortably warm, and the ground dry, though I have been told, by one who might well be sup- posed to know, that it was in the month of April, proba- bly near its close. I refer to the late Nicholas W. Ayer. I have been informed by another worthy man, Daniel Martin, Esq., now deceased, that during the search one of the young fellows engaged in it, Benjamin Hinkson, picked up a stray lamb, which had fallen into the river, and was vainly struggling to get out, and gave the same to the boy for his own, in memory of the momentous occa- sion. This lamb Andrew very fondly cared for, and highly prized, until grown up; when, like himself, it strayed into the woods and met with a worse fate, being killed and devoured by an ugly bear !
This version of the story of the lost boy differs in va- rious respects from that given of the same affair in the History of the Coos Country ; but is as correct as I have been able to give from my own recollection, and from in- formation gathered from aged people, then young, and personally acquainted with the Fifields, and with the va- - rious and exciting transactions involved in the loss and restoration of their son.
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CHAPTER IX.
'Doctor Bildad Andross-Colonel John Barron-General Micah · Barron-Captain William Trotter-and their Families.
THE ANDROSS FAMILY.
Dr. Bildad Andross, one of the earliest practicing phy- sicians in this place, was here as early as 1777, when, May 29th, the town voted to send him and Benjamin Baldwin to Windsor, to take measures for the organiza- tion of a new State. His wife, Mary S., was an aunt of Dr. Arad Stebbins, who succeeded Andross in medical practice here.
Dr. Andross and wife were members of the Congrega- tional church, under the pastoral care of Rev. Gardner Kellogg, and held in high estimation. Their residence was on the Lower Plain, North of the road which now leads to , Piermont bridge, and near Connecticut River. They had four daughters and two sons, namely :
1. Naomi Andross, who married Edward Sawyer, of Piermont, N. H. Joseph Sawyer, Esq., a man of honor- able distinction in that place, was one of their sons.
2. Lucy Andross married Colonel Webb, of Lunenburg, Vt., and settled there.
3. Cynthia Andross married Thomas Richards, of Pier- mont, N. H.
4. Mary Andross married Seth Ford, also of Piermont. They removed to Fairfax, Vt., where he died in the course of a few years, when she returned, with her children, to Bradford, and passed the remainder of her days. She died March 15, 1813, of " spotted fever," a malignant dis- ease fearfully prevalent and mortal in this town at that time. During the same month in which she died, and within a few days of each other, the following named per- sons, near relatives to her, were swept away : Mrs. Abi-
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gail Cheney, daughter of Colonel John Barron, died March the 9th, and her husband March the 10th, and were both buried in the same grave. Mrs. Ford, as has been said, on the 15th, a child of hers on the same day ; also, Colonel John Barron, and his son-in-law, Captain John Andross, within a few hours of each other. For the four last named there was one and the same funeral service, at the time of their burial.
5. Levi Stebbins Andross, eldest son of the Doctor, married Prudence Spafford, of Fairfax, Vt. They remained in Bradford, and had three daughters and two sons, name- ly :
Prudence S., their eldest daughter, married Clement Chase, of Cornish, N. H., a relative of Chief Justice Chase. They had one son and one daughter.
Naomi, the next daughter, married William Barker, of Bradford, a harness maker, and had three sons and one daughter.
And Mary Andross married David Tilton, also of this town.
Bradstreet Andross, son of Levi S., remained in Brad- ford, and married Mary Kimball, of the same place. In his early manhood he was for several years, in the sum- mer seasons, occupied in rafting lumber down the Con- necticut River. One day, towards evening, the company, having made fast their raft of lumber to the shore at Greenfield, Mass., had just left it to go to their accustomed house of entertainment for the night, when they heard a heavy splash in the water .. "What is that ?" says one ; but all kept along. "I will see," says Andross ; and, run- ning quickly back to the raft, he saw a boy helplessly sinking in the deep water. He instantly plunged in after him, and, being a strong swimmer, seized him as he rose and rescued him from death. The parents of the boy and himself were deeply affected by this noble deed, and dur- ing life never ceased to remember it with fervent grati-
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tude. That boy, now a gentleman resident in New York, has repeatedly visited the family of Mr. Andross, even since his decease, in grateful remembrance of his saving him when in such peril; and on one of those occasions presented to Mrs. Andross a splendid goblet, of solid sil- ver, lined with gold, bearing the inscription, “ A tribute of gratitude from John Munn, rescued from drowning by Bradstreet Andross, A. D. 1816."
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