USA > Vermont > Orleans County > Coventry > A history of Coventry, Orleans County, Vermont > Part 4
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On the night of April 1st 1828, Enoch P. Ide, a clerk in the store of E. Cleveland & Co., committed suicide by drowning himself in Black River. When he was missed on the following morning, a memorandum, " water is my grave," gave a hint where to look for him. His body was recovered at evening, and the appearances indicated that he had tied a rope around his neck, attached a stone to it, and plunged into deep water just below the mill-dam. Three days before, William Dexter had drowned himself in Irasburgh by jumping from a bridge, which probably suggested to Ide the manner of his death. This was the first and hitherto the only suicide in Coventry. For the good fame of the town, it deserves to be added that this self-murder wa's not committed by one of its permanent citizens, but by a temporary resident. His remains were conveyed to St. Johnsbury, which had been his home.
* Samuel Boynton bought an undivided half of the fulling-mill, November 17th 1828, and carried on the business in company with Cook till January 28th, 1830, when a reconveyance of the property was effected. On the 20th of April, 1830, Cook sold to Thaddeus H. Flint and Daniel Bean, both from Sutton. A very great freshet occurred March 31st 1831, which undermined the mill and destroyed it. Flint and Bean then built another mill a few rods down the river. This was burned in December 1848, and was not rebuilt.
+ Mr. Dailey purchased the mill December 20th, 1835, and in the fall of 1854 built a new mill to take the place of it.
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In the Spring of 1828, Dr. S. S. Kendall built a house, which, with alterations and large additions, is now the tavern of Daniel Bean. Dr. Kendall'removed from the Center to the village during the following Fall, and on the 30th of November 1829 opened his new house as a tavern.
The post office was removed to the village in the summer of 1828, and Loring Frost was appointed Postmaster. His commission bore date June 12th, 1828. The office was kept in the store of E. Cleveland & Co .*
During the first quarter of the nineteenth century intemper- ance prevailed everywhere, and the people of Coventry were not uninfected by the universal vice. Seventeen hogsheads of whiskey constituted a part of the first stock of goods brought into the village; at a time, too, when the population of the town hardly exceeded three hundred. There was none too much, however, to meet the demand. A customer, whose rule was to settle his account yearly, used to say that " almost every item in the account from one end to the other was nothing but whiskey, whiskey, whiskey." But in 1828 a change in opinion and practice took place. On Sunday, September 14th, the Rev .. Nathaniel Hewitt preached a tem- perance sermon, the first discourse on that subject ever pro- nounced here. The novelty of his views secured attention, and the vigorous arguments with which he enforced them car- ried conviction to many minds. A Temperance Society was organized July 11th, 1829, as the result of whose efforts and of other appropriate means a decided reformation was ef-
* Mr. Frost held the office about nine years. His successors were Elijah Cleve- land, Holland Thrasher, Calvin Harmon, and Holland Thrasher. Mr. Thrasher's second commission was dated March 22d, 1825, since which time he has held the office, through all the changes of government.
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fected, and the town will now compare favorably, in that respect, with any other town in the State .*
On the 13th of November 1828, Samuel Sumner from St. Albans established himself in the practice of the law at Coventry. His office stood on a part of the present site of George H. Walworth & Co.'s store, and is now occupied as a dwelling-house by Moses Labelle. Mr. Sumner remained only till the succeeding May, when he removed to Troy.t
In the Fall of 1828, another store was built. Its original site is now a part of the school-house yard. In the summer of 1843 the store was removed, and it is now occupied by G. H. Walworth & Co. The first merchant who stocked it with goods was Ebenezer Clement, who commenced business in December 1828.
During the Summer and Fall of 1829 several of the largest
* Under the statute of 1844, authorizing the election of County Commissioner S with authority to grant or refuse licenses, the town, in 1845, gave 56 votes for anti- license Commissioners and 33 for license Commissioners. In 1846 the vote was 45 to 29. Under the statute of 1846, submitting the question, "License or No License ?" to the annual vote of the people, the vote in 1847 was 54 for License and 53 for No License. This did not, however, truly express public sentiment, for in 1848, only 34 votes were given for License against 78 for No License, and in 1849, the vote stood-16 to 78. On accepting the statute of 1852, the vote was 53 for ac- cepting and 89 for rejecting. This vote was the result of a transient excitement. The town re-elected a representative who had voted for the passage of the law, and in 1858 and 1859 gave a nearly unanimous vote for a County Commissioner favorable to the strict enforcement of it.
+ Mr. Sumner was succeeded by Charles Story, who commenced practice at Cov- entry in the Spring of 1830, and continucd till the winter of 1849, when he re- moved to Newbury. H. W. Weed, fromn Sheldon, went into partnership with him November 13th, 1834, and continued some years. Oliver T. Brown commenced practice May 1st, 1842, and remained till March 1848, when he removed to St. Johnsbury East. William M. Dickerman commenced practice in the fall of 1847, and removed to Derby carly in 1854. Henry H. Frost, a native of Coventry, com- menced practice in the summer of 1850, and is now the resident lawyer.
¿Mr. Clement soon took Nathan Lamb into partnership, and after continuing in business two or three years they sold to Dr. Henry Hewitt, who sold to Joseph Baker in March, 1832. Baker had little or no capital, but bought goods largely, and early in July his stock was attached and sold at auction by his creditors. It deserves to be mentioned, to the credit of the Coventry merchants and of their customers, that this was the only failure of a merchant that has occurred. He was succceded by Ezra and Madison E. Sanger, who remained in trade till April 28th, 1834. Daniel P. Walworth and Abial M. Smith commenced business Sep- tember 22d 1834; and continued in partnership till the Spring of 1840, when Walworth sold to Smith, who carried on business till the Spring of 1842. He then discontinued trade, and on the 22d of the following October, Walworth resumed business. In June 1855, he took into partnership Augustine C. West, who re- mained till September 1858.
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buildings in the village were raised. Seth F. Cowles and Leonard Cowles built the house now occupied by the former, and commenced business as hatters. The shop in which they made hats was the same in which S. F. Cowles now does business, and their sales-room was the South front room .* Work was commenced on the meeting-house in July 1829. The raising of that edifice was a fortnight's job. It was begun on Monday, August 24th, and not completed till Satur- day of the following week. On the 3d of October the frame of a dwelling-house for Danicl W. Harmon was raised. The same house is now occupied by Charles Thrasher. On the 10th of October the frame of Elijah Cleveland's present resi- dence was raised, and by the following August the house was finished sufficiently to be occupied. During the same season, Calvin Harmon built the house in which Henry H. Frost lives. It was originally designed for mechanics' shops, and so divi- ded as to furnish two such shops in each story. Its founda- tions were at first about six feet lower than they now are. The whole street along the bank of the river, has been raised from three to six feet. . Before that was done, the river, in times of freshct, not only overflowed the street, but invaded the cellars in that vicinity, filling them sometimes to the depth of three feet.
In the summer of 1831, the Rev. Ralden A. Watkins built a dwelling house, the same in which Benjamin F. Herbert now lives. During the same season, Calvin P. Ladd built a two-story shop just below the grist-mill. Here he did business as a general machinist; and manufactured, among other things, a large number of winnowing-mills. The shop
*S. F. Cowles and L. Cowles continued in partnership about eight years. S. F. Cowles then carried on the hatting business alone, till 1849. In 1842 he also commenced business as a watchmaker, and as this business increased, the other was brought to a close.
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was afterwards removed and modified, and is now occupied by Childs Brooks as a shoe-shop.
The starch-factory now owned by Samuel Burbank and Jonathan Aldrich was built by Elijah Cleveland in the summer of 1837, and the manufacture of starch was commenced No- vember 27th. This factory was a great advantage to the farmers, furnishing a ready and sure market for one of their most important crops. Its business increased from year to year, and the production of potatoes kept even pace with the increasing demand for them. About thirty thousand bushels are now annually converted into starch.
The year 1843 was one of great and peculiar sorrow in Coventry, as well as throughout this whole region of country. Erysipelas, in its most malignant form, raged epidemically, and committed fearful devastation. So great were its rava- ges as almost to compel a suspension of all business, except ministering to the necessities of the sick and rendering the last offices to the dead. Sometimes its victims died within two days from the attack, in other cases they lingered for several weeks. Those who recovered did not for months fully regain their previous health. The disease was fatal alike to the very young, the middle-aged, and the old. In one instance, a whole family, husband, wife, and child, was destroyed by the pestilence. It was equally dangerous in the most healthy localities and in those which ordinarily would seem more assailable by disease. The efforts of phy- sicians to arrest its progress were futile, till, having appa- rently spent its force, it disappeared. During that year the list of dead numbered forty-one : more than six times the average number, and more than a twentieth of the whole population.
Notwithstanding the numerous deaths in that year, the
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mortality in Coventry has been less than is usual in towns of equal population. The whole number of deaths within fifty- nine years from the first settlement of the town was three hundred and seventy-six, an average of six and one third annually. This includes deaths by crime and casualty as well as by disease. Two deaths were occasioned by crime, namely, one by suicide and one by infanticide; and twelve were occasioned by casualties of various kinds. The person who attained the greatest age in town was Mary Fairbrother. She died October 25th, 1843, at the age of ninety-five. Next in seniority was Salmon Wright, who died April 14th, 1857, aged ninety-three.
On or about the 14th of June 1846, a male child of a year's age was murdered by its mother, Hannah Parker, alias Stickney. The murder was effected by throwing the child into Black River near the bridge which crosses it in the North Neighborhood. The mother had been married once or twice, but there was considerable uncertainty as to the paternity of the child. She had no home nor means of sup- port, and the child was a hindrance in the way of her procu- ring assistance or employment. These circumstances over- came the maternal instinct, and persuaded her to the murder. Before throwing in the child, she disabled it from making efforts to escape, by tying together its neck and one leg with her garter. She was arrested, confessed her crime, and was committed to jail. In due season she was indicted, and on the second trial was found guilty ; but exceptions being taken to some rulings of the Court, the judgment wasreversed, and after she had remained in jail about eight years, she was allowed to go at large, the long confinement being regarded as severe a punishment as public justice required to be inflicted upon an offender who, in great weakness of mind and extreme
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desperateness of circumstances, had committed crime. . Al- though this transaction took place within the limits of Cov- entry, the morality of the town is not thereby impeached, as the criminal was never a resident of the place for any time however short.
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CHAPTER VII.
Ecclesiastical History. Rise and progress of the Baptist Church. Congrega tional Church. Freewill Baptist Church. Univeralist Society. Conclusion.
The death of Mrs. John Farnsworth in December 1804, produced a profound sensation in the little community, not only by reason of its being the first death, but on account of the distressing circumstances which attended it. In addition to severe bodily pain she experienced great anguish of spirit. She earnestly desired that prayer might be offered for her, and that she might be assisted in preparing for her departure from the world. But there was neither man nor woman in the town who could pray with her. None of the early set- tlers were religious persons, but it was an unpleasant thought to them all that there was not an individual among them who could offer prayer with the dying, or perform a religious rite at the burial of the dead. Several years elapsed, however, before there were any systematic efforts to maintain the insti- tutions of the gospel. There was no house of worship, nor was there the pecuniary ability to provide one, and when public worship was observed, it was in a barn, a log-cabin, or some equally inconvenient place.
It was in the barn of John Ide, Jr., now owned by Amasa Plastridge, that the first sermon was preached. Nathaniel Daggett, a Baptist, was the preacher. The first church estab-
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lished in Coventry was a Baptist church. On the 7th of October 1809, ten persons, five of whom were males and five females, some of them living in Irasburgh and some in Cov- entry, were organized by Elder Samuel Smith and Dea. Jon- athan True of Derby, into a church, which took the name of " the Baptist Church in Coventry and Irasburgh." Nathaniel Kellam of Irasburgh was chosen Deacon, and John Ide, Jr., Clerk. The subsequent growth of the church being mainly in Coventry, the title was altered, in 1815, to " The Baptist Church in Coventry." For several years there was no preaching except, at long intervals, by missionaries of the Massachusetts Baptist Missionary Society, among whom were Elders Ariel Kendrick, Samuel Churchill, Barnabas Perkins, and Jabez Cottle. Twenty-one were added to the church during the first three years of its existence. On the 4th of April 1812, the church voted a tax of two mills on the dollar of the grand list of its members, payable in wheat, one half by the first of June and the other half by the first of January then next. On the 23d of February 1815, John Ide Jr., was called to the pastorate. The church voted " to give him for his services twenty-five dollars for the first year, payable in grain in the month of January next, and to add to that sum annually as our grand list shall increase, so long as he remains our minister." In addition to this, he was to receive so much of the minister's right of land, and of the income from the lot reserved for the support of the gospel, as the town should by vote assign to the Baptist Society.
Mr. Ide accepted the call, and was ordained June 28th, 1815. The services of the occasion were as follows : Sermon by Elder Amos Tuttle; Consecrating Prayer by Elder Silas Davison of St. Johnsbury ; Imposition of Hands by Elders Silas Davison, Amos Tuttle, David Boynton of Johnson, and
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Daniel Mason of Craftsbury ; Charge to the Pastor by Elder Mason ; Right Hand of Fellowship by Elder Boynton; Con- cluding Prayer by Dea. Nathaniel Kendall of Derby. In 1816, a revival occurred, and twenty persons were added to the church. On the 2d of November in the same year seven persons were set off to constitute a church in Irasburgh. Revival influences continued in 1817, as the result of which, thirty additions took place. Twenty-three persons were set off, September 24th, 1817, to constitute a church in Newport. Eight persons were set off, April 13th, 1818, to constitute a church in Troy. In 1825, twenty-two individuals united with the church, and Thomas Wells and Thomas Baldwin were elected deacons. Elder Ide's pastoral relation to the church continued nearly sixteen years. He was dismissed in Jan- uary 1831, and preached his farewell sermon on the last Sabbath in that month.
In 1830-31, a meeting house was built at the Center .* It contained fifty-two pews, and by the constitution of the society in which the legal title was vested, each holder of a pew was authorized to have the pulpit occupied one Sabbath in a year by a preacher of such denomination as he preferred. A very large majority of the pews was held by Baptists, and the house became practically a Baptist meeting-house.
On the 22d of June 1831, Alvin Bailey and Gardner Bart- lett, members of this church, and George B. Ide, then a meniber of the Baptist Church in Derby, were ordained to the ministry of the gospel. Rev. Joseph M. Graves preached the sermon. Early in 1832, Elder Prosper Powell was engaged as Stated Supply, and remained about two years.
* This house and the school-house near it are the only brick buildings in the town. In 1829, Amasa Wheelock commenced building a two-story tavern of brick, on the site where Nathaniel West's house now stands; but he had such ill success in burning his kiln, that the undertaking was abandoned.
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In August 1834, Elder Prosper Davison was called to the pastorate. His ordination took place September 9th, with services as follows : Sermon by Elder Edward Mitchell of Eaton, C. E., from Acts 11: 24; Consecrating Prayer by Elder Silas Davison; Charge to the Pastor by Elder Jona- than Merriam of Passumpsic; Right Hand of Fellowship by Elder Prosper Powell; Charge to the People by Elder E. Mitchell ; Concluding Prayer by Elder William M. Guilford of Derby. Within a month after the ordination, twelve persons united with the church. Elder Davison continued Pastor till the Spring of 1837, when he was dismissed.
On the 22d of September, 1839, A. H. House, a member of this church, was licensed to preach the gospel ; and on the 23d of June 1840, he was ordained to the ministry.
After the dismissal of Elder Davison, the church remained without a pastor, and was supplied with preaching only for brief periods, with long intervals between. The tendency was downwards. Deaths, excommunications, and emigration deprived it of a large majority of its members. In 1851, an effort was made to strengthen the things which remained, that were ready to die. Elder Henry I. Campbell was employed as preacher, the church covenant was renewed, and during the year of Elder Campbell's ministry, five persons were added to the church. But the attempt at resuscitation was unsuccessful, and this church, once the strongest of that denomination in the County, has become extinct. But its existence was not in vain. It was the parent of three other churches which are still living and flourishing, and of six ministers of the gospel who have been active and successful in their profession.
The first sermon in Coventry by a Congregational minister
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was preached at William Esty's house in the summer of 1807. It is probable that Rev. Chauncey Cook was the preacher. He visited the town that season as missionary of a society in Connecticut. On the 2d of October 1810, seventeen persons, six of whom were males and eleven females, were organized into a church by the Rev. Seth Payson, D. D., of Rindge, N. H., a missionary of the Monadnoc Association. At the same time, the ordinance of baptism was administered to twenty-two children of believing parents. Perez Gardner was elected Deacon, and Dr. Peleg Redfield, Clerk. In June, 1811, an assessment of twenty-five cents on each member was made, " to be laid out in religious tracts and to defray church expenses." For several years there was no preaching except occasionally by missionaries, who preached a few weeks or a few months as circumstances would allow. Among those who thus ministered to the church in its infancy were Rev. Messrs. Jonathan Hovey, Jonathan Hovey, Jr., Samuel Goddard, Silas L. Bingham, John Truair, and James Parker. In 1816 the Rev. Luther Leland, then pastor of the church in Derby, was employed one fourth of the time. A revival followed, and on the 13th of October sixteen were added to the church. As yet there was but little pecuniary ability, and no attempt was made to settle a pastor, but meetings were regularly maintained at various school-houses and dwelling-houses, and printed sermons were read.
In September 1822, Rev. Lyman Case commenced preach- ing as a candidate for settlement. On the 7th of October, a Congregational Society was organized, which concurred with the church in calling Mr. Case to the pastoral charge. The stipulated salary was one hundred and fifty dollars, payable " in money or other property, for his labors one half of the time," in addition to which the society voted to give him one
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half of the land reserved for the first settled minister. Mr. Case's ordination took place March 19th, 1823. Rev. James Parker of Troy offered the Introductory Prayer, Rev. Ben- jamin Wooster of Fairfield preached the Sermon; Rev. James Hobart of Berlin offered the Ordaining Prayer; Rev. Messrs. Wooster, Hobart, and Thomas Skelton of Enosburgh imposed hands; Rev. T. Skelton gave the Charge to the Pastor; Rev. William A. Chapin of Craftsbury gave the Right Hand of Fellowship; Rev. Elderkin J. Boardman of Bakersfield gave the Charge to the People ; and Rev. Jacob N. Loomis of Hardwick offered the Concluding Prayer. In 1825, an extensive revival took place, as the result of which there were thirty-three additions to the church. Mr. Case's pastorate continued till February 7th, 1828, when he was dismissed by a mutual council.
In 1829-30, a Congregational meeting-house was built, at an expense of $2750 .* It was dedicated October 7th, 1830. Rev. David Sutherland of Bath, N. H., preached the Dedica- tion Sermon.
Rev. Ralden A. Watkins commenced preaching in the Summer of 1830, and was soon engaged as Stated Supply. Seven members were set off, February 23d, 1831, to consti- tute a church in Newport. In 1831, a great revival occurred. A meeting, continuing for six days, was attended by an assembly estimated to number five hundred. Rev. Messrs. William A. Chapin, Elias W. Kellogg, Otis F. Curtis, James Robertson, Reuben Mason, and Alexander L. Twilight, took part in the services. As a result of this and other means thirty-two were added to the church during that year. Mr. Watkins remained about six years, and preached his farewell
* A bell was put in the belfry of this house November 29th, 1847. About the same time, through the munificence of Elijah Cleveland, a public clock, hitherto the only one in the County, was placed in the tower, at an expense of $250.
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sermon, May 15th, 1836. Rev. Lyndon S. French commenced preaching in the fall of 1837, and remained as Stated Supply seven years. During his ministry, twenty united with the church by profession, and fifteen by letter.
On the 5th of February 1844, the church, by a unanimous vote, called Asahel R. Gray to the pastorate. Mr. Gray was a native of Coventry, a member of this church, and, at the time of the call, a Senior in the University of Vermont. He was ordained November 13th, 1844. The exercises were as follows : Invocation and Reading the Scriptures by the Rev. George Stone of Troy; Introductory Prayer by the Rev. Ora Pearson of Barton; Sermon by the Rev. John Wheeler, D. D., of Burlington ; Ordaining Prayer by the Rev. James Johnson of Irasburgh; Charge to the Pastor by the Rev. Samuel R. Hall of Craftsbury; Right Hand of Fellowship by the Rev. Robert V. Hall of Stanstead, C. E .; Charge to the People by the Rev. William A. Chapin of Greensboro ; Concluding Prayer by the Rev. Elias N. Kilby of Albany. Mr. Gray's pastoral relation continued nearly fourteen years, and was terminated by a mutual council June 29th, 1858. During his ministry, there were seventeen additions by profession and nineteen by letter. On the 8th of August 1858, Pliny H. White commenced preaching as Stated Supply. In the Winter of 1858-9, a revival took place, and resulted in about thirty hopeful conversions. During the first year of Mr. White's ministry, fourteen united by profession and six by letter.
On the 14th of August 1840, a Freewill Baptist church was organized by Elders David Cross and Daniel Quimby. It consisted of seven persons, four males and three females. Dexter Currier was chosen Clerk, and it was voted to hold monthly meetings on the second Saturday in each month.
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John Wilson, a member of this church, was publicly set apart as an evangelist, at the August term, 1840, of the Wheelock Quarterly Meeting. The growth of this church has been principally in Brownington, and its public worship is now maintained in that town.
A society for the support of Universalist preaching was organized, July 16th, 1859, by the choice of Daniel P. Wal- worth as Moderator and John M. Vezey as Clerk and Treasurer. For several years previous to that date, Univer- salist preaching, once in four weeks, had been maintained. Rev. George Severance of Glover preached in 1858-9.
The history of Coventry in the past relates to only a brief period of time, and records events comparatively unimpor- tant. The foundations have been laid, the superstructure remains to be built. Its true history is in the future; to be wrought by the heads, and hearts, and hands of its inhabit- ants, and to be written by some future annalist who shall record more rapid and far greater progress in all that makes a community happy, prosperous, and useful.
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APPENDIXES.
A. -
RESIDENTS OF COVENTRY WHO HAVE BEEN GRADUATED AT COL- LEGE. NATIVES MARKED WITH A *.
ISAAC PARKER,
- Middlebury-1815. Dartmouth-1825.
ISAAC FLETCHER REDFIELD,
*GEORGE BARKER IDE,
Middlebury-1830.
*TIMOTHY PARKER REDFIELD,
Dartmouth-1836.
MOSES ROBINSON,
- Middlebury-1839.
*ASAHEL REED GRAY,
Burlington-1844.
IRA OSMORE MILLER,
Burlington-1848.
B. RESIDENTS OF COVENTRY WHO HAVE ENTERED PROFESSIONAL LIFE. MINISTERS.
JOHN IDE, GEORGE B. IDE,* ALVIN BAILEY, GARDNER BARTLETT, JONATHAN BALDWIN, Baptist. ASAHEL R. GRAY,* MOSES ROBINSON, Congregational. ATTORNEYS.
ISAAC F. REDFIELD, TIMOTHY P. REDFIELD,* DON A. BARTLETT, AMASA BARTLETT, LEAVITT BARTLETT,* HENRY H. FROST,* IRA O. MILLER.
PHYSICIANS. CASSANDER IDE,* LUTHER F. PARKER .*
C.
MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS FROM COVENTRY.
1814,
PELEG REDFIELD.
1822
- JOHN IDE. ARGALUS HARMON.
1828,
1836,
PHILIP FLANDERS.
1843,
CHARLES STORY.
1850,
- ISAAC PARKER.
1857,
ELIJAH CLEVELAND.
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D.
REPRESENTATIVES OF COVENTRY IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VERMONT.
1803 and 04,
JOSEPH MARSH.
1804,
JOHN IDE, JR.
1806,
No Election,
1807 and 08,
JOHN IDE, JR- No Election.
1809, 10 and 11,
1812 to 1820,
PELEG REDFIELD.
1821 to 1827,
- JOHN IDE.
1828,
CALVIN HARMON
1829,
PHILIP FLANDERS. CALVIN HARMON. ISAAC PARKER.
1832, -
CHARLES STORY.
1833,
ISAAC PARKER.
1834,
CHARLES STORY.
1835,
HOLLAND THRASHER. ARGALUS HARMON.
1836 and 37,
1838, -
1839 to 1841,
1842 and 43,
1844 and 45,
1846,
1847 and 48,
1849 and 50,
1851, -
JOSIAH B. WHEELOCK. ELIJAH CLEVELAND. ISAAC PARKER. WM. M. DICKERMAN. SAMUEL S. KENDALL. HORACE S. JONES.
1852 and 53,
DAVID W. BLANCHARD.
1856 and 57,
LORING FROST.
1858,
RICHARD W. PEABODY.
E.
RESIDENTS OF COVENTRY WHO HAVE HELD COUNTY OFFICES.
JOHN IDE, Assistant Judge,
1824.
JOHN IDE, Road Commissioner,
1828.
ISAAC PARKER,
1833, 1839 to 1842.
ELIJAH CLEVELAND,
1844 to 1846.
CHARLES STOREY, States Attorney,
1836 and 37.
WM. M. DICKERMAN,
1851 and 52.
SILAS G. BEAN, Sheriff, 1857.
1854 and 55,
- SAMUEL S. KENDALL. ELIJAH CLEVELAND. THOMAS GUILD.
1830,
1831,
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F.
TOWN OFFICERS.
CLERKS.
1803 and 04, Joseph Marsh; 1805, John Ide, Jr .; 1806 to 1811, Pcleg Redfield ; 1812, John Ide, Jr .; 1813 to 1826, Peleg Redfield; 1827 to 1834, Elijah Cleveland ; 1835, Isaac Parker; 1836 to 1844, Samuel S. Kendall; 1845, Oliver T. Brown ; 1846, S. S. Kendall; 1847, Greenleaf Boynton; 1848 to 1851, S. S. Kendall; 1852 to 1859, Henry H. Frost.
TREASURERS.
1803, Samuel Cobb; 1804, Percz Gardner; 1805, Samuel Cobb; 1806, John Ide, Jr .; 1807, Peleg Redfield; 1808 to 1812, John Ide, Jr .; 1813 to 1817, Samuel Boynton ; 1818, Rufus Guild; 1819 and 20, Isaac Parker ; 1824, Samuel Boynton ; 1825 and 26, Peleg Redfield; 1827 to 1834, Elijah Cleveland ; 1835, Isaac Parker ; 1836 to 1846, Samuel S. Kendall; 1847, Greenleaf Boynton; 1848 to 1851, S. S. Kendall; 1852 to 1859, H. H. Frost.
FIRST CONSTABLES.
1803 and 04, Timothy Woodbridge ; 1805, John Mitchell; 1806, Solomon Pierce ; 1807, Simon B. Heustis; 1808, John Farnsworth; 1809, Simon B. Heustis; 1810 and 11, Jotham Pierce; 1812, Aristides Heustis ; 1813, Solomon Pierce; 1814 and 15, David Huggins ; 1816 and 17, Daniel Heustis; 1818 and 19, Peleg Redfield ; 1820, Hanover Cobb; 1821 and 22, Daniel Heustis ; 1823, Thomas Guild; 1824 and 25, Daniel Heustis ; 1826 and 27, Thomas Guild; 1828 and 29, Daniel Heustis ; 1830, Silas Sears; 1831 to 1833, Thomas Guild; 1834 and 35, Silas Sears; 1836, Thomas Guild; 1837, Seth F. Cowles ; 1838, Holland Thrasher; 1839, Abner Syl- vester; 1840, Silas Sears; 1841 to 1844, Josiah B. Wheelock; 1845, Horace W. Root ; 1846, J. B. Wheelock; 1847, Samuel F. French; 1848, H. W. Root; 1849, S. F. French; 1850, H. W. Root; 1851, Dan Guild; 1852, Silas G. Bean; 1853 and 1854, Dan Guild; 1855 and 1856, Silas G. Bean; 1857, Dan Guild; 1858 and 1859, Isaac Parker, Jr.
SELECTMEN.
1803. Samuel Cobb,
Daniel B. Smith,
1806. Joseph Marsh, John Farnsworth, George Dorr,
John Ide, Jr.
1804. John Ide, Jr.,
1807. John Ide, Jr.,
Amherst Stewart, Wm. Esty.
Peleg Redfield, Amherst Stewart.
1805. Perez Gardner, 1808. Joseph Day,
Solomon Pierce, Jotham Pierce.
Joseph Marsh, Jotham Pierce.
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1809. Joseph Day,
Perez Gardner, David Huggins. 1810. John Ide, Jr., Samuel Boynton, Jotham Pierce.
1825. David Huggins, Isaac Parker, Silas Sears.
1826. Isaac Parker, Thomas Guild, E. M. Gray.
1811. Ira Clark, Thomas Guild, Jasper Johnson.
1827. Thomas Baldwin, Philip Flanders, E. M. Gray.
1812. Thaddeus Elliott, Tisdale Cobb, David Huggins.
1828 to 1831. Argalus Harmon, Thomas Baldwin, David Huggins.
1813. Samuel Bailey, Israel Ide, Daniel Ide.
1832. Argalus Harmon, David Huggins, Isaac Parker.
1814. Thomas Guild, Ebenezer M. Gray, Samuel Heustis.
1833. David Huggins, Isaac Parker, Ebenezer Clement.
1815. David Huggins,
Peleg Redfield, Samuel Boynton.
1834. Isaac Parker, Samuel Boynton, Loring Frost.
1816 & '17. Perez Gardner, Thomas Guild,
Ebenezer M. Gray.
1835. Thomas Guild, Philip Flanders, E. M. Gray.
1818. Peleg Redfield, 1836. Philip Flanders, Elijah Cleveland, E. M. Gray.
Samuel Boynton, David Huggins.
1819. Peleg Redfield,
Isaac Parker, Timothy W. Knight.
1837. E. M. Gray, Thomas Baldwin, Thomas Guild.
1820. David Huggins, Thomas Baldwin, Timothy W. Knight.
1838. Thomas Guild, E. M. Gray, Argalus Harmon,
1821. Perez Gardner, Thomas Baldwin, E. M. Gray.
1839. Isaac Parker, Holland Thrasher, Benjamin Thrasher.
1822. David Huggins, Samuel Boynton, Philip Flanders.
1840. Philip Flanders, Daniel P. Walworth, Moody Soper.
1823 and 24. Calvin Harmon,
David Huggins,
E. M. Gray.
1841. Philip Flanders, Moody Soper, Loring Frost.
1842. Loring Frost, D. P. Walworth, Orcn Alton.
Amasa Plastridge. 1852 & 53. Joseph S. Kidder,
Amasa Plastridge,
Azariah Wright.
1844 to 1846. Holland Thrasher,
Ira Boynton, Joseph W. Mitchell.
1847. Holland Thrasher,
Isaac Parker,
John Armington.
1856. Elijah Cleveland, Azariah Wright, Richard W. Peabody.
1848. Josiah B. Whcelock, J. W. Mitchell, Ira Boynton.
1857. Richard W. Peabody, Abel W. Fairbrother, Isaac Parker, Jr.
1849. J. B. Wheelock,
J. W. Mitchell, Horace S. Jones.
1850. H. S. Jones,
Holland Thrasher, J. W. Mitchell.
1851. J. B. Wheelock, Joseph S. Kidder,
1859. A. W. Fairbrother, Sylvester Cass, Ezra Guild.
SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
1846 & '47. Isaac Parker.
1851 to '55. Henry H. Frost.
1848 & '49. Asahel R. Gray.
1850. William M. Dickerman.
1859. A. R. Gray.
G. SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
No. I includes the North half of lot 3, lots 4 to 14 inclusive, 30 to 39 inclusive, 62, 63, and 64. Number of scholars in 1859, 26.
No. II includes lots 40 to 58 inclusive, (except lot 49, which belongs to District No 9 in Irasburgh,) the Southerly part of lot 70, lots 71 to 78 inclusive, so much of lot 81 as lies North of the road, and lots 82 and 83. Number of scholars 44.
No III includes lots 59, 60, 61, 65 to 69 inclusive, the Northerly part of lot 70, lots 84 to 101 inclusive, so much of lot 102 as lies East of Black River, and lot 121. Number of scholars 47.
No IV includes lots 79, 80, so much of lot 81 as lies South of the road, so much of lot 102 as lies West of Black River, lots 103 to 113 inclusive, 136 to 143 inclu- sive, 168, 169, 170, and 171. Number of scholars 116.
1843. Loring Frost, Oren Alton, Holland Thrasher.
1854. Azariah Wright, J. S. Kidder, Lewis Nye.
1855. Lewis Nye, Nathanicl W. Gray, Erastus Wright.
1858. A. W. Fairbrother, Isaac Parker, Jr., Charles Thrasher.
1856 to '58. David W. Blanchard.
vi
No V includes lots 114 to 120 inclusive, 130 to 135 inclusive, 144 to 149 inclusive, 162 to 167 inclusive. Number of scholars 27.
No VI includes the South half of lot 1, (the North half belonging to district No 6, in Brownington,) lot 2, the South half of lot 3, lots 15 to 29 inclusive. Number of scholars 28.
No VII includes lots 122, 123, 125 to 129 inclusive, 150 to 154 inclusive, 157 to 161 inclusive. Number of scholars 18.
The Gore constitutes a district of itself, except lot 1, which belongs to a dis- trict in Irasburgh.
H.
POPULATION ACCORDING TO THE U. S. CENSUS.
A. D. 1800,
7
1810,
178
1820,
282
1830, 735
1840,
- 796
1850,
867
1860,
1.870,
.
vii
AUTHOR'S NOTE.
The author gratefully acknowledges his obligations to many citizens of Cov- entry for assistance rendered him in preparing this work; particularly to Hon. Isaac Parker, Hon. Elijah Cleveland, and Dea. Loring Frost, for copious inform- ation, and to Henry H. Frost, Esq., for free access to his valuable manuscripts.
No small pains have been taken to secure accuracy in the statement of facts, and exactness as respects dates ; but the author is not insensible of his liability to mistake, and will take it very kindly of any person who will detect an crror and furnish the means of correcting it, or will communicate additional facts of impor- tance or interest, to be put on record for the use of a future historian.
٢٠
MAY
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