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 16
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9. Joseph Underwood was born Oct. 2, 1796. He re- mained at home engaged in agricultural pursuits till about eighteen years of age, when he went to Putney, Vt., as an apprentice to the jeweler's business. During a pow- erful revival of religion there, in the winter of 1815-16, he was moved to consecrate himself heartily to the Sav- iour, and to unite with a Congregational church in that place. In this mighty work of the spirit more than two- hundred were hopefully converted. At Putney his at- tention was seriously turned to the Gospel ministry. His desire was to do, thenceforth, the best and most he could for the cause of Christ. In June, 1817, he entered the Academy at Meriden, N. H., where he studied for three years. After this he spent one year at the academy in Chesterfield, under the tuition of his old preceptor at Meriden. He had now nearly reached the age of 25 years, and being destitute of pecuniary means, relinquished the purpose of a collegiate course, and concluded to go di- . rectly to the Theological Seminary at Bangor, where he finished his preparatory studies.
On his way to Bangor he saw, for the first time, the ocean, and at Boston stepped on board of a sea-going ves- sel early in the morning. The voyage was for a few 1
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hours prosperous, but in a dense fog, at high tide, their craft ran, before noon, on rocks near the shore, and stuck fast, and at low tide was there lying high out of the water, in a piteous condition. There they had to re- main during the subsequent night, about eight miles from Portland. The next morning a train of wagons came out and took the shipwrecked company into the city. The Lord being merciful, none were lost or injured. The ocean that swallows up so many in like circumstances, spared them every one.
Mr. Underwood finished his course at Bangor Semi- nary on the first of August, 1824. His first settle- ment in the ministry was at New Sharon, Franklin County, Maine. He was ordained and installed pastor of the Con- gregational church there, April 8, 1826, and continued in that position for about six years. There was during his ministry there one great revival of religion, extending all over the town, and reaching every denomination. It was a season of great refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Converts were counted by hundreds. It brought a large accession to the church under his care.
To young ministers, or others who, in trying circum- stances, are pressed by a conviction of the necessity of doing something effectual for the promotion of the Tem- perance cause, the following brief account of Mr. Under- wood's early endeavors and remarkable success in that direction will doubtless be not only acceptable, but very encouraging.
When he went to New Sharon in 1824, the inhabitants were very greatly addicted to the use of intoxicating liquors. One merchant retailed fifty hogsheads a year, and another perhaps not quite so large an amount. Al- most everybody seemed to be addicted to the use of the drunkard's drink, in some or other of its various modifi- cations. This state of things was alarming, yet nobody
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appeared to be at all alarmed. Leading men in society were not going to deny themselves of the good things of this life, because other men made a bad use of them.
Mr. Underwood for a while knew not with whom to consult, or what to do; but while building a house for himself and family, in 1826, accidentally found among his workmen a thorough going temperance man; a Freewill Baptist deacon, he was. With that man he gladly held consultations in regard to what could be done to stay the further progress of intemperance in that community. The Deacon feared that the evil had become so general, and so deeply rooted in the habits of the people, that very little, if anything, could be done in the way of reformation. The minister was more hopeful. He thought the case was urgent, and that they must make an effort. They finally agreed to adopt for themselves a total abstinence pledge, to take each of them a copy of it, and then use their best endeavors to induce everybody they should meet to sign it. This effort, commenced in October, was attended with so much success that the next Spring, be- fore the snow was gone, a meeting of the subscribers was held at a school house some two miles out of the village, a Temperance Society organized, and each member took a copy of the pledge to invite others, as he or she should have opportunity, to subscribe and give their aid to the good cause.
By these means the society prospered wonderfully, and became exceedingly popular. Under its influence a. Ju- venile Temperance Society sprang up, embracing largely the children and youth of the town. Also a Mercantile Temperance Society was organized, embracing not only the liquor dealers of New Sharon, but all other liquor dealers within twenty miles of it. And the subsequent autumn the town, without a dissenting voice, voted not to license any one to sell intoxicating liquor within their limits. And the people held a grand jubilee over the
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triumph of the Temperance cause. " Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth ! "
In regard to the family of Rev. Mr. Underwood, it may here be remarked that on the 17th of February, 1825, he married Miss Lucy Warner Tuel, of Chesterfield, N. H., a lady entirely worthy of his choice, who now, in 1873, is still living, to share in the various trials and consolations of his declining age. They have four sons, all active business men, and prospering in the world. The oldest son, and three of the daughters-in-law, are members of the church, and the father expresses a strong hope that all will yet become heirs of salvation.
Mr. Underwood resigned his pastoral charge at New Sharon, and, under the patronage of the Maine Missionary Society, engaged in the work of the ministry in the newer settlements. October 16, 1833, he was installed pastor of a little church in Williamsburgh, some forty miles north of Bangor. There was no meeting house in the place, and I remember preaching, on the occasion, in a new and commodious barn, belonging to Simon Green- leaf, Esq. His mother was a daughter of Rev. Jonathan Parsons, formerly of Newburyport, who, while we were at her son's house, entertained us with a deeply affecting account of the last day and night of the Rev. George Whitefield, who died at her father's house. She, then in her girlhood, was one of those who listened to the last public address he ever made, standing on the stairs, as he was retiring to his chamber to lay down his head on the pillow of death that night.
Owing to the death of Mr. Underwood's principal sup- porter, which occurred within a few months of his set- tlement there, and the consequent failure of his expected salary, he felt obliged, sooner than he had anticipated, to ask for a dismission ; and, having obtained it, accepted of a call to go to Sebec, a neighboring village, on the bor- ders of the great wilderness in that section of Maine. 15
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In that new field he drew together a good congregation, and succeeded in gathering and organizing a church. He also preached as a missionary in the adjacent towns of Foxcroft, Dover, Atkinson, Milo and Bradford. After about two years of laborious and not unsuccessful mission- ary service in that region, his first beloved people gave him so strong an invitation to return to them that, by advice of his ministerial brethren, he concluded to do so, thinking it not improbable that he might spend the re- mainder of his life at New Sharon. But after about five years more of ministerial labor there, a severe visitation of chronic bronchitis compelled him to seek a change of climate and location, with a view to the improvement of his health; and 'so, in the spring of 1838, he left his be- loved people of New Sharon, for the second and last time.
At Veteran, in the south-western part of the State of New York, he met with a kind reception, and accepted of an invitation to become, and was installed, pastor of the church there. He preached for some time in a shabby old school house, and in an old cloth-dressing mill; but in the course of a year or two succeeded in persuading the people to build a respectable house for public wor- ship. The humid atmosphere of that valley was found unfavorable to the minister's health, but he labored on for about five years, when a ruinous financial crash in the affairs of a firm largely responsible for his support occur- red; the new meeting-house was attached, shut up, and the church overwhelmed with discouragement. The pas- tor, again dismissed, determined to try for a while the business of a farmer, and, having rented a farm for one year, in a high and salubrious locality, applied himself, with great physical improvement, to the cultivation of the earth, preaching, however, as he had opportunity, on the Sabbaths. The result was complete restoration to health, and new energy to engage in the work of the min- istry.
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In the meantime, God had prepared a good place for him, and in the autumn of 1844 he was invited to the pastorate of the Congregational church in Hardwick, Vt. He spent the subsequent winter there, and removed his family to that new home the next summer. It was over a year from the time of his coming before his regular in- stallation was consummated. After about five years of ministerial labor, a blessed revival of religion occurred, and many precious souls were hopefully converted. The church was greatly strengthened and encouraged, and a good influence extended around on every side. In this good work the Rev. Mr. Gallaher, of Missouri, and the Rev. Joel Fisk, then of Irasburg, afforded important as- sistance. In 1851 the society took down two old meet- ing houses, and built a new one, in a different locality; which gave general satisfaction, and healed an old diffi- culty of long standing. Thus pleasantly and prosperous- ly the good minister labored on, for about thirteen years, in Hardwick, when, being in feeble health, he judged it expedient for him to resign, and give his people opportu- nity to secure for themselves a new and more vigorous laborer. He had then numbered his three score years and ten, and his people, while still attached to him, could not refuse his request. This was in 1867.
While at Hardwick, Rev. Mr. Underwood represented that town in the State Legislature of 1856, also in a special session of February, 1857, likewise in the ses- sions of 1868 and 1869, which is proof of the general es- teem in which he was held by his fellow townsmen.
After closing his labors in Hardwick, he preached as a stated supply for longer or shorter terms in Walden, Craftsbury, Barnet, East St. Johnsbury, Walton, Barton, Guildhall, Waterford and Burke. In which last place he finished an engagement for two years, far advanced in life, and in poor health ; when he judged it to be not in- consistent with duty to retire from his ministerial labors,
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and spend the evening of his days at his own beloved home, among his tried friends, in East Hardwick, doing good in a more private way, as God should give him means and opportunity. There, now in the seventy- seventh year of his age, with the wife of his youth and faithful companion amid the various trials and consola- tions through which they have been called to pass, they can testify that goodness and mercy have followed them all the days of their life, and confidently trust that in God's own house will be their home forever.
For this somewhat particular account of our friend, the Rev. Joseph Underwood, I make no apology; showing, as it does, that a man of good natural ability, though not highly educated, and though in many respects placed at disadvantages, if strong in evangelical faith, with a heart glowing with love to God and man, and zealous to save souls, may in the work of the ministry, though destined to labor in new and hard fields, with but slender pecuni- ary support, accomplish an amount of good which eterni- ty itself will never be able to make fully known. "He that winneth souls is wise, and they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars, forever and ever."
Abel Underwood, the youngest member of this family, was born April 8, 1799. The first seventeen years of his life were spent at the old homestead in Bradford. In 1817 he went to Royalton, Vt., and attended the academy there, under the tuition of Preceptor Tracy, subsequently Rev. Joseph Tracy, D. D., of Salem, Mass., until the Spring of 1819, when he went to the academy in Thet- ford, Vt., and there, under the tuition of Preceptor Fitch, continued till August, 1820, when he entered Dartmouth College, in the Freshman class of that year, and graduat- ed in August, 1824. In a poetic article written merely for his own private gratification, he characterizes in Hu- dibrastic style each of his twenty-seven classmates and himself, in a truly shrewd and amusing way. Take, for
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instance, the case of Rev. Ephraim W. Clark, missionary to the Hawaiian Islands :
"Clark, Ephraim W., short-sighted, and with specs on,
For College sins has nothing to reflect on ;
Like old Marquett, he's gone to Honolulu,
To teach the heathen : Ephraim was a true blue."
Immediately on leaving college Mr. Underwood entered the office of Gen. Isaac Fletcher, of Lyndon, Vt., as a stu- dent-at-law; and, in April, 1827, was, at Danville, where the Courts in Caledonia County were then held, admitted to the bar. He went directly into partnership with Gen. Fletcher, where he continued for one year, when they dissolved, and he removed to Wells River.
While in practice at Lyndon, Mr. Underwood married, July 12, 1827, Miss Emily Rix, of Royalton, Vt., who con- tinued to be the chief comfort of his life, till removed from him to her final rest, which occurred October 15, 1861.
Mr. Underwood commenced business at Wells River, March, 1828, and there, after the lapse of forty-five years, was still abiding. His practice has mainly been in Or- ange and Caledonia Counties. He was State's Attorney for Orange County, for the years 1839 to 1841, and Unit- ed States District Attorney during the administrations of Presidents Taylor and Fillmore. He was elected Judge ยท of the Circuit Court of Vermont, in 1854; and continued in that office until the autumn of 1857, when, by act of the Legislature, the Circuit system was abolished, and consequently the office of Circuit Judge ceased. During the construction of the Vermont Central Railroad, from. 1846 to 1850, in company with Judge Adams, of Grand Isle, and Judge Curtiss, of Westfield, he was a commis- sioner for the settlement of land damages attending that great enterprise. He was for several years President of the Bank at Wells River, and for the years 1861 and 1862 Representative of Newbury in the Legislature of Ver- mont.
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Through all these manifold trusts, responsibilities, and important business transactions, Judge Underwood has sustained the reputation of a capable, honest, and reliable man; and in his old age, in the midst of competence, if not of affluence, enjoys the esteem and cordial friendship of his fellow citizens around him. May his end be peace, and his eternity blessed.
Judge Underwood and wife had one son and four daughters. The son, George Rix, a promising young man, born April 15, 1832, went South, and engaged in commercial business. He died at Gainesville, Alabama, October 10, 1856, in the 27th year of his age. His re- mains were brought home to Wells River, Vt., for inter- ment.
Elizabeth, born March 31, 1830, married Benjamin B. Clark, of St. Johnsbury. Their children were Carrie E., Emily L., Susan E., Alice, who died young, and George B. Emma R. E., died in childhood.
Mary Ellen, born May 12, 1840, married Roscoe Deane ; had one daughter, who died in childhood. Her second husband was Dr. Hickok, of Wells River.
Susan A., born September, 1842, married George B. Damon, who was an officer in the war for the suppression of the rebellion. They had two daughters, Emily Jose- phine and Ellen. The home of the mother and her daughters is with her honored father, at Wells River.
In October, 1847, the nine sons and the one daughter of John Underwood, Esq., and Mary Fassett, his wife, with their several consorts, constituting a group of twen- ty persons, all in good health and spirits, had a family gathering in the old homestead, then possessed by the eldest brother. The parents had both deceased several years before. These brothers and their sister had not been all together in the home of their early days for about forty years till then. On this occasion they came not only with their wedded companions, but with many of their
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children ; and the meeting was in several respects one of rare occurrence. Few have ever seen so remarkable and delightful a gathering of this sort. Judge Underwood in referring to it, says, " After a separation of about forty years, there we were, at the old home, where was 'the old arm chair,' and 'the old oaken bucket, the iron-bound bucket, the moss covered bucket still hung in the well.' We had a sumptuous dinner there, at the same old pine table where we sat in childhood and youth, and in the same order as then. We promenaded the fields and or- chards together, and talked over the matters and incidents of olden times. The Rev. Silas McKeen, on whose min- istry our parents constantly attended, and who once boarded for a while in their family, was present with us. The occasion was one of much interest and enjoyment. Then we separated to return to our several homes, with- out expectation of ever meeting thus again on earth." At this writing more than half of that original number have already passed away. May the entire group, of the departed and the living, be so happy as to meet their pi- ous parents at last in a home incomparably more desirable and blessed than they, or the most favored of mortals, ever on earth enjoyed.
THE BLISS FAMILY.
A Genealogical Chart prepared by Neziah Bliss, Esq., of Missouri, traces the descent of this family from Thomas Bliss, of England, who emigrated to America and settled at Hartford, Ct., about the year 1638-or-9; and who, of course, must have been one of its very early inhabitants, as its settlement was not commenced till 1635. He died there in 1640; leaving four sons and six daughters.
Thomas Bliss, Jr., son of the last named, had two sons and six daughters, all natives of Saybrook, Ct., with the exception of the two youngest, who were born at Nor- wich, near by.
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Samuel Bliss, son of Thomas, had three sons and one daughter.
John Bliss, a son of Samuel, graduated at Yale College in 1710. He had but one classmate, Benjamin Colton. They both became ministers of the gospel. Rev. John' Bliss was the first minister ordained in the town of Heb- ron, Ct. This was in October, 1717. He was then a Con- gregationalist. "He declared for Episcopacy in 1734, and having laid the foundation of a society, a house of wor- ship was erected the next year, for that denomination ; and Mr. Bliss preached and read service for them for a number of years afterwards." (See History of Connecti- cut.) He died in 1741, at the age of. 51 years. Rev. John Bliss had been twice married and had a family of seven sons and four daughters, all of whom, but two, lived to marry. One of the sons, Constant, was shot in the Old French war, at Deerfield, Mass., Aug., 1746.
Ellis Bliss, son of Rev. John Bliss, and his second wife, Hannah Post, was twice married and had eight sons and seven daughters. One of his sons, Flavel, was drowned 1778, off the ship Trumbull, at New London, while guard- ing British prisoners there. Another son, John, was drowned at Bradford, Vt., while engaged in building a bridge across Waits River, in 1803. A daughter, Lydia, married Andrew B. Peters, of Bradford. The youngest son, John Flavel, born June 28, 1788, was a minister of the gospel in Western New York. The father of this large family remained and died at Hebron, Ct.
Ellis Bliss, Jr., son of the Ellis last named, and his first wife, Tamar Dewey, was born at Hebron, April 9, 1761. He served for 9 months in the war of the Revolution; married Abigail Taylor; emigrated to Bradford, Vt., and made, as a farmer, a permanent settlement here, in the south part of the town, somewhat back from the river. They had two daughters and six sons. Four of the sons. died in childhood. Their eldest daughter, Abigail, born
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at Hebron, Ct., June 7, 1787, married Dr. Lockhart Wright, of Bradford, Feb., 1798, and had two sons, Ne- ziah and Hubbard, and one daughter, Abigail. Mrs. Dr. Wright died at the house of her son, Hubbard Wright, in Bradford, July 3, 1855. Lydia Bliss, born at Bradford, August 31, 1783, married Absalom Baldwin, May 25, 1801, and died Feb. 4, 1860. See Baldwin Family. Fla- vel Bliss, born Dec. 11, 1791, married Hannah Corliss, Dec. 15, 1812; had several' children, and died Dec. 7, 1864.
Capt. Ellis Bliss, son of the above named Ellis Bliss, Jr., born July 25, 1787, married Mary Worthen, Dec. 4, 1807, owned and cultivated a good farm near Bradford village. Mr. and Mrs. Bliss had thirteen children, two of whom died in their infancy ; all the rest lived to be men and women, of activity and usefulness in the world. The father died May 8, 1851, in the 54th year of his age; and their mother March 2, 1873, at the age of 83 years. Of this family we give the following brief notices :
1. Ellis Bliss, born May 10, 1810, married Lucy Rich- ards, of Piermont, N. H., kept, for several years, a hotel in Bradford village ; was a man of activity; engaged in various business ; and died Nov. 21, 1870, in the 61st year of his age. He left one daughter, Lucy, the wife of Charles H. Harding.
2. George, born Oct. 17, 1811. He studied for the medical profession with Dr. John Poole, of Bradford, and became established in business in Ohio, where he married, and at this date has two sons, Newton and Edmund, and two daughters, Priscilla and Lovie Jane.
3. Edmund P., born October 14, 1813, remained with his parents till their decease, and was left in possession of the old homestead.
4. Mary A., born August 6, 1817, married Jesse John- son, of Bradford ; by occupation a farmer, who died at Fairlee.
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They had six children. Two died in early childhood. Two daughters, Martha and Sarah, died when young la- dies; and Ellen and Mary, at this date, are the surviving comforts of their often and sorely bereaved mother.
5. Abigail, born August 16, 1819, married Manly Har- riman, then of this town. They had two sons, George and John, still living; and two daughters, who died in early womanhood; Abbie, and Mary, the wife of Chauncey Throop Blodgett. Mr. Harriman died October 14, 1840 ; and his wife May 13, 1857.
6. Susan, born December 23, 1821, married Ira Clark. They resided some time at Bradford, then at Orford, N. H., and finally removed to Illinois. They had two sons and two daughters.
7. Joseph W., born January 31, 1824 ; married Cyn- thia Paterson, of Piermont, N. H., who died March 26, 1863, at the age of twenty-seven years.
They had two daughters, Mary and Abbie, who still survive, greatly to their father's comfort. Mr. J. W. Bliss, owning a very pleasant homestead, next south of his brother Edmund's, has remained in Bradford, and been repeatedly called by his fellow townsmen to fill offices of public trust and importance. He represented the town in the State Legislature of 1874.
8. Neziah W., born January 31, 1826, graduated at the University of Vermont; studied the profession of law; removed to the State of Missouri, and has there been engaged not only in the business of his profession, but in superintending the affairs of an enterprising and success- ful mining company. He has the reputation of a man of intelligence, energy, and moral integrity. He married Amanda Jessie Andrews, December 1, 1852. They have had seven sons and three daughters. Two of the daugh- ters died young. The rest of their children at this date , are still living.
9. Lucinda, born February 14, 1828, married Lewis
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R. Morris, a very respectable attorney at law, who for a time edited a semi-monthly paper at Bradford, called the Green Mountain Farmer, but has since for several years been established in the business of his profession at West Lebanon, N. H.
10. Julia M., born May 14, 1830, married Robert Shum, manufacturer of jewelry, cutlery, etc., at Spring- field, Mass. They have four daughters, Julia, Lucy, Nel- lie, and Abbie.
11. Lauretta, born October 8, 1832, married Stephen Merrill, then of Bradford, but since settled in Illinois.
The following memorial of Mrs. Bliss, the mother of this large family, which appeared in our village paper, the National Opinion, soon after her decease, is thought wor- thy of insertion here.
MRS. MARY W. BLISS.
When one who has lived an exemplary and useful life, passes finally away, it seems fit that some more accessi- bie and satisfactory memorial than the inscription on the grave stone of the deceased, should be preserved ; some, at least, brief obituary notice, which may contribute to keep the dear departed in perpetual and loving remem- brance.
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