USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Norwich > A history of Norwich, Vermont > Part 9
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94
HISTORY OF NORWICH
ington was voting a Declaration of War against Great Britain. Just six days later, news of that declaration having been received-on the 24th of June, the selectmen called another town meeting "to raise a tax for defraying town expenses and to increase the wages of the detachment from Norwich," which tax was promptly voted on the 6th of July following. It was then voted to increase the monthly pay of the non-commissioned officers and privates who have been or may be detached during the present year $3.00 per month, the town to be "holden to make up that sum in case the legislature should not give the same relief generally."
NORWICH SOLDIERS IN THE WAR OF 1812
* Alden Partridge, Captain United States Engineers. Died at Norwich, January 17, 1854.
*William Partridge, Captain United States Engineers, Chief Engineer of Army under General Hull. Died at Detroit, Mich. Tery., while prisoner of war, September 20, 1812.
*Danl. A. A. Buck, Captain 31st United States Infantry. Died at Washington, D. C., December 25, 1841.
*Oliver G. Burton, Major 33d United States Infantry. Died in Cuba, 1820.
*John Wright, First Lieutenant United States Engineers. Died at Norwich, September 10, 1860.
Ethan Burnap, Captain 31st United States Infantry. Died at Lowell, Mass., February 23, 1872.
Calvin Burnap, Lieutenant 31st Infantry.
ENLISTED MEN
Levi Burton. Died at Plattsburgh. N. Y., Nov. 22, 1813.
Lyman Baldwin. Died at Norwich, Vt.
Harvey Burton. Died at Norwich, Vt., October 22, 1868.
Elisha Hutchinson. Died at Norwich, Vt., March 28, 1872.
David Morrill. Died at Norwich, Vt., 1878.
Anderson Miner.
Cyrus Partridge. Died at Norwich, Vt., July 16, 1842.
Ebenezer Spear. Died at Norwich, Vt., July 30, 1870.
Roswell Wright. Died at Norwich, Vt., October 9, 1866.
Weston Sawyer. Emigrated to Ohio.
Jedediah Spaulding Died at Port Huron, Mich.
Alex Percival. Died in service.
Aaron Keyes. Died at Norwich, Vt. John Miles. Died at Norwich, Vt.
*Graduates of the United States Military Academy.
95
NORWICH IN THE WAR WITH MEXICO
NORWICH SOLDIERS IN WAR WITH MEXICO
T. B. Ransom, Colonel 9th United States Infantry. Killed at Chapultepec, September 13, 1847.
Henry O. Brigham, Drummer 9th United States Infantry. Died at Detroit, Mich. James Crangle, Hudson Kimball, Oramell Chamberlain, Ezekiel V. Hatch, George Hatch, - Rowell, Elijah Hatch. Died at Tunbridge, Vt. Frederick K. Spear. Died at West Point, N. Y.
CHAPTER XI
NORWICH IN THE CIVIL WAR
During the four years of war for the suppression of the Rebellion, Norwich furnished 178 different men for the armies of the Union. There were seven re-enlistments, making the whole number of soldiers credited to the town 185. By the census of 1860, the number of in- habitants was 1759. It appears, therefore, that the town sent to the seat of war rather more than one in ten of its entire population, during the four years' ,continuance of hostilities. About the same proportion holds good for the state at large, Vermont contributing, out of an aggregate population of 315,116, soldiers to the number of 34,555 for the defense of the Union. Of the 178 men enlisting from Norwich, twenty-seven laid down their young lives in the service of the country. The soil of every southern state, from the Potomac to the Rio Grande, was moistened by the blood or supplied a grave to one or more of these. The town paid the larger part of these men liberal bounties, amounting to about $32,000, in addition to their state and government pay. All calls for men upon the town by the national authorities were promptly and fully met.
The patriotic response of our people to the expenses and sacrifices of the war was, in general, hearty and emphatic; and yet candor and the truth of history compels us to confess that there were here, as in most other towns throughout the north, a few disloyal spirits who sympathized with the Slaveholders' rebellion, who denounced the war from beginning to end, and who scarcely concealed their satis- faction when news came of rebel victories and union defeats. The lapse of twenty-five years has stilled the passions of those eventful times, and charity impels us to spare these misguided men the obloquy and disgrace such as an earlier generation visited upon the tories of the Revolution. It is the easier to do this, since on each recurring
97
NORWICH IN THE CIVIL WAR
Memorial Day we see some of those individuals who, in the dark days of the war, reproached the soldiers of the Union as "Lincoln's hire- lings," and invoked for them "hospitable graves" in the south, now conspicuous in assisting to decorate the graves of those who fell, and in rendering honor to those veterans who still survive. Not to have given a helping hand when one's country was convulsed by a mighty struggle for existence, not to have contributed their mite in aid of the grand result in which the new birth of the nation was achieved- surely the memory of this were punishment enough for any who may have lived till now to witness (what we all behold) the spectacle of a great people, reunited, prosperous, and altogether free.
NORWICH SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865.
VOLUNTEERS FOR THREE YEARS (109)
Names
Age Reg. Co.
Enlistment
Remarks
Adams, Calvin S.
43 9 A Dec. 30, '63
Andrews, John
42 17 I June 10, '64
Austin, George E. 18 17 F Apr. 12, '64
Beedle, Elisha T.
18 17 D Feb. 13, '64
25 4 B Sept. 2, '61
Died of disease in service, Dec. 2, '62.
Blood, Horace
25 Cav. D Nov. 8, '61
Discharged May 18, '62. Mustered out June 19, '65.
Bowker, John
18 17 H Apr. 16, '64
Buswell, Albert
42 8 D Jan. 4, '64
Carpenter, William E. 24 8 D Jan. 4, '64
Chamberlin, Franklin
25 7
H Jan. 24, '62
Clapp, Alonzo D.
Clough, Burchard
27 9 A Jan. . 4, '64 Colburn, William H.
24 3 C June 1, '61
Coon, Almon G.
23 17
D Feb. 1I, '64
Coon, William H.
19 17 D Feb. 11, '64
Corey, Wm. H, H,
20 6
Sept. 20, '61
Disch urged Feb. 25, '64. Deserted July 14, '64. Arrested and sen- tenced to three years at Ft. Delaware. Pro. Corp., Sergt., 2nd Lt. Co. D, July IO, '65. Must. out as Sergt. July 14, '65. Wounded. Pro. Cor., May 9, '65. Mustered out July 14, '65.
Mustered out Sept. 30, '64.
Bicknell, William Bills, George
19 6 C Oct. 19, '61
Blood, William H.
22 6 B Aug. 14, '62
Deserted May 22, '64.
Mustered out June 28, '65. Absent sick June 28, '65. muster out of his Regt.)
(Date of
Died at Pensacola, Fla., Dec. 27, '62.
18 17 D Oct. 7, '63 Corporal. Died in hospital Oct. 29, '64. Prisoner, Feb. 2, '64. Died at Ander- sonville, June 30, '64.
Killed in battle at Lewinsville, Va. Sept 12, '61.
Sergeant. Discharged Jan. 4, '65. Corporal, Pro. Sergeant. Mustered out July 14, '65,
Pro. Corp. Feb. 1, '62. Discharged Oct. 27, '62.
1
98
HISTORY OF NORWICH
Names Age Reg. Co.
Enlistment
Remarks
Mustered out July 14, '65.
Died of disease at Ft. Monroe, Va., Nov. 4, '64.
Died of disease at Carrollton, La., Nov. 10, '62.
Discharged Oct. 15, '62.
Re-enlisted Dec. 28, '63. Deserted Oct. 19, '64, Cedar Creek.
Prisoner Feb. 2, '64. Died at Ander- sonville Sept. 9, '64.
Deserted Mar. 9, '64.
Re-enlisted Dec. 21, '63. Died of
Doyle, Erasmus
25 3
F June 1, '61
Dutton, Lewis H.
19 3 C June 1, '61
Eastman, Charles M.
I 5
D Oct. 20, '63
Fowler, John G.
3
C July 21, '61
Gadbois, Joseph
30 7 F Nov. 30, '61
Gammell, William T.
19 17 D Feb. 19, '64
Gee, Freeman
21 17 I June 23, '64
Gee, George W.
18 17 I July 4, '64
Gibbs, Myron D.
I9
6 B
Aug. 16, '62
Goddard, Charles A. 21 6 B Sept. 18, '61
Goff, Marshall C,
19 17 D Aug. 26, '63
Goodrich, James B.
25 II H
Aug. 7, '62
Goodrich, Leonard H. 28 6
B Aug. 14, '62
Hall, Daniel
24 6 B Feb.
24, '62
Hall, George W.
23 °3
F June I, '61
Hartwell, Charles W. 20 17
I June 8, '64
Hatch, Henry H.
22 3 C June I, '61
Hebard, Abel C.
24 9 A Dec. 26, '63
Hebard, George B.
22 9 A Dec. 24, '63
Hebard, James C.
19 6 B Sept. 2, '61
Hernesy, Peter 34 9 F Dec. 21, '63
Hilton, Joseph L. 22 6 B Sept. 6, '61
Hinds, Justin G.
21 Cav. D
July 29, '64
Holt, Charles
30 9
I Dec. 21, '63
Holland, Reuben W.
27 5
H Aug. 28, '61
Hopson, Allen H.
17
4 B Aug. 7, '61
Hopson, William H.
21 3 C June 1, '61
Howard, Seaver
36 17 H Sept. 24, '63
wounds May 8, '64.
Sergeant. Discharged Mar. 24, '63.
Pro. Corp. Mustered out Aug. 25, '65. Pro. Corp. Oct. 2, '61. Discharged Dec. 25, '62.
Sergt. Re-en. Mar. 8, '64. Deserted while on Vet. furlough, Sept. 27, '64.
Mustered out of service July 14, '65. Missed in action, Sept. 30, '64. Dis- charged Aug. 3, '65.
Missed in action Sept. 30, '64. Mus- tered out July 14, '65.
Mustered out June 19, '65.
Pro. Corp., Sergt. Mustered out Oct. 28, 64.
Prisoner. Died at Salisbury, N. C., Feb. II, '65. Prisoner June 23, '64 (Welden R. R.) Died in rebel prison.
Discharged Mar. 17, '64. Lost a leg in service.
Re-enlisted Mar. 27, '64. Mustered out June 26, '65.
Discharged Feb. 26, '63.
Died Nov. 3, '64.
Corporal. Discharged July 24, '62. Pro. Corp June 5, '65. Mustered out Dec. I, '65.
Discharge for disability soon after muster in.
Discharged Oct. 29, '62.
Mustered out of service Dec. I, '65. Pro. Corp. Mustered out Oct. 28, '64. Died in Libby Prison, Nov. 16, '64.
Mustered out of service Dec. 1, '65. Re-en. Dec. 15, '63. Wounded May 5, '64. Mustered out June 29, '65. Died Dec. 24, '62, of wounds received at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, '62. Discharged Nov. 5, '62. Re-en. Feb. 24, '64, in Co. F., 17 Regt. Pro. Corp. Apr. 24. 264. Killed in battle of Poplar Grove Church, Va., Sept. 30, '64.
Sergt. Transferred to Vet. Res. Corps Apr., '65. Mustered out July 30, '65.
Crawford, Bradford M. 18 17 I June 21, '64
Currier, George 23 9 A Dec. 26, '63
Currier, Lewis 18 7 H
Feb. 26, '62
Currier, Simeon
23 7 H
Feb. 14, '62
Curtis, George A.
19 Cav. E Oct. 11, '61
Davis, Oscar F.
33 9 A Dec. 26, '63
Doucett, Joseph
21 17 D Feb. 17, '64
99
NORWICH IN THE CIVIL WAR
Name
Age Reg. Co. Enlistment
Hutchinson, Alonzo B. 23 6 B
Johnson, Augustus H. 20 6
B Sept. 23, '61
Kimball, Alpah 23 7 H Jan. 23, '62
Kimball, Benj. F. 44 17 D Feb. 26, '64
Kimball, Daniel 31 9 A Dec. 29, '63
Kimball, Henry H. 19 6 B Sept. 17, '61
Kimball, Wm. A. 18 3
F Sept. 17, '61
Knapp, Chas. A.
18 6 B Sept. 5, '61
Knapp, Henry W.
2I 4 K Sept. 2, '61
Lamphere, George
2I 6 B Apr. 1, '62 Pro. Corporal, Sergt. Mustered out Apr. 16, '65.
Mustered in Jan. 7, '64. Deserted. Mustered in Jan. 7, '64. Deserted.
Died in Canada.
McDonald, Wm.
22 17 I June 21, '64
Deserted July 7, '64.
Mustered out May 25, '65.
Deserted. Never joined regiment.
Mustered out of service June 19, '65. Mustered out of service Oct. 28, '64. Corporal, Pro. Sergt. Mustered out Oct. 28, '64.
Messenger, George
26 6 B Sept. 7, '61
Morey, George W.
22 9
F Dec. 25, '63
Morey, Robert R. 33
9
F Dec.
19, '63
Neal, James K.
17 19
A Aug. 18, '64
Noyes, Edwin M.
25 3 C May 23, '61
Nye, George W.
34 9
A Dec.
26, '63
Parkhurst, Oscar M.
20 Cav. E Sept. 28, '61
Pennock, Frederick
18 6 B Mar. 10, '62
Piper, Merrill J.
18 17 I May 29, '64
Ray, Edwin R.
22 9 A Dec. 26, '63
D Feb. 18, '64 Reynolds, George W. 19 17
Riley, Peter
34 9 E
Sept. 7, '64
Sargent, Charles A.
22 4
B Aug. 22, '61
Sargent, James M.
22
6
B Aug. 18, '62
Shadick, Isaac
18 17 H Mar. 29, '64
Silver, George W.
I9
6
B Oct. . 1, '61
Silver, Henry
18 6
B
Oct. 1, '61
Slack, Ransem A.
20 6 B Sept. 20, '61
Slate, Henry W.
18 17
D Feb. 25, '64
Remarks
Com. Capt. Co. B. 6th Regt. Oct. 5, '61, Honorably discharged July 23, '63. for wounds received at Bank's Ford, Va., May 4,, '63.
Died of disease at Washington, Oct. 20, '62.
Re-enlisted Feb. 15, '64. Mustered out Mar. 14, '66.
Trans. to Vet. Res. Corps. Mustered out July 20, '65.
Mustered out of service Oct. 19, '65. Pro. Corp. Discharged Oct. 4, '62. Discharged Dec. 25, '62. Died at Nor- wich, Jan. 14, '63.
Died June 4, '64, of wounds received at Spottsylvania.
Musician. Mustered out of service Sept. 30, '64.
Low, Willard 24 8 Dec. 28, '63
Marcotte, Alexis 21
9 Dec. 21, '63
McNorten, Seth 43 17
D Feb. 18, '64
Menoit, Clifford
21 9 Dec. 29, '63
B Aug. 16, '62
Messenger, Albert H. Messenger, Chas. M. 22 6
30 6
B Sept. 6, '61
Mustered out Dec. I, '65.
Mustered out Dec. I, '65.
Died Mar. 29, '65, at Hampton, Va. 2nd Lieut., Pro. Ist Lieut. Nov. 7, '61. Died Aug. 31, '62.
Mustered out Aug. 7, '65.
Re-enlisted Dec. 28, '63. Pro. Corp Jan. I, '64. Mustered out June 12, '65' Killed by a shell before Petersburg June 27, '64.
Deserted July 7, '64.
Died of disease Mar. 7, '64, at New- born, N. C.
Mustered out July II '65.
Transferred to IIth Regt. Jan. 20, '65. Mustered out Aug. 25, '65. Wounded. Lost a leg in service. Dis- charged Aug. 25, '63.
Mustered out June 19, '65.
Died of disease Oct. 29, '64.
Discharged Oct. 29, '62.
Discharged Sept. 25, '62. Wounded. Pro. Corporal. Wounded. Mustered out Oct. 28, '64.
Mustered out July 14, '65.
100
HISTORY OF NORWICH
Names
Age Reg. Co. Enlistment
Smalley, John G.
2I
3 F June 1, '61
Sproat, Edward M.
18 4 B Aug. 14,'61
Taylor, George W. 26 6 B Aug. 30, '61 19 9 K Sept. 7, '64
Taylor, Henry
Thompson, Bernard Tillerson, William
30 Cav. I .Aug. 24, '64
19 6 B July 30, '62
Tracy, Fred
18 17 I June 21, '64
Turner, Silas N.
23 6 B Aug. 14, '62
Wallace, Martin L.
29 7
H Jan. 19, '62
Welch, Patrick
26 7 Sept. 8, '64
Whitcomb, Chas. B.
18 17 I Feb. 10, '64
Wilkey, James H.
23 10 E Jan. 4, '64
Willey, Danforth
40
7
H Jan. 28, '62
Wright, Alexis B.
43 9 A Dec. 29, '63
Wright, Thomas K. G. 23 6 B
Sept. 6, '6 1
Wright, John H.
22 6 B Sept. 7, '61
Yarrington, Harvey J. 31
6 B Aug. 16, '62
Yarrington, Horace 23
6 B Aug. 18, '62
Yarrington, Merrill E. 21 9 A
Jan. 2, '64
Yarrington, Wm. P. 21 9 A Jan. 4, '64
VOLUNTEERS FOR ONE YEAR (ARMY-4)
Bartlett, Charles H.
19 7 H Feb. 20, '65
Mustered out of service July 18, '65.
Jenks, John E.
21
9 I Sept. 3, '64
Mustered out of service June 19, '65.
Johnsen, James
23' 8 I Mar. 1I, '65
Dishonorably discharged andsentenced to five years hard labor May 21, '65.
Terry, Julius
34 6 H Sept. 12, '64
Discharged June 3, '65,
VOLUNTEERS FOR ONE YEAR (NAVY-8)
Clough, William W.
Davis, Frank A.
Clough, Thomas S.
Gordon, Charles F.
Powers, Chandler W.
Waterman, John
VOLUNTEERS FOR NINE MONTHS (31)
Names
Age Reg. Co. £ Enlistment
Remarks
Alger, Aaron P.
27 16 H Sept. 15, '62
Mustered out of service Ang. 10, '63.
Ballard, Edwin L.
30 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Benson, Levi A.
18 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Brown, John B.
24 16 K Sept. 15,'62
Remarks
Discharged May 19, '63. Killed in action at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, '62.
Deserted July 18, '63.
Deserted October, 15, '64.
Mustered out Aug. 9, '65. Transferred to Vet. Res. Corps Sept I, '63. Mustered out July 12, '65. Transferred to Vet. Res. Corps Apr. 29, '65. Mustered out Aug. 22, '65.
Died Jan. 6, '63.
Discharged Oct. 15, '62.
Deserted. No further record.
Mustered out July 14, '65. Transferred to Vet. Res. Corps Nov. 25, '64. Mustered out Aug. 18, 765.
Died July 29, '62, at Baton Rouge, La Died Mar. 25, '65.
Corporal. Transferred to 12th Mich Regt. Feb. 20, '62.
Re-en. Jan. 5, '64. Discharged for pro - motion in 3rd Battery. Ist Lieut. July 26 '64. Honorably discharged May 29. '65' Pro. Corporal June 5, '65. Discharged May 12, '65.
Transferred to Vet. Res. Corps Dec. 14, '64. Discharged July 1, '65.
Pro. Corporal June 5, '65. Mustered out Dec. I, '65. Pro. Corporal Feb. 18, '65. Mustered out June 22, '65.
Sproat, James S. (Two enlistments)
Colburn, Myron S.
Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63. Discharged Jan. 22, '63. Died at Nor- wich Apr. 9, '64.
Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63,
IOI
NORWICH IN THE CIVIL WAR
Names
Age Reg. Co. Enlistment
23 16 K Sept. 15, '62
40 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Colburn, Richard A.
18 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Converse, Charles B. 20 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Currier, Daniel Q. 43 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Cutting, Orange P. 19 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Danforth, William A. 20 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Fowler, Lewis H. 18 16 K Sept. 15, '62 Hawkins, Henry G. 25 16 K Sept. 15, '62 Holt, Franklin
Huggett, David H.
23 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Hutchinson, Edsen
44 16 K Sept. 15, '62.
Hutchinson, Samuel
36 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Hutchinson, Wm. H.
26 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Jenne, Lemuel R. Kelley, Michael
37 16 K Sept. 15, '62
28 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Marcotte, Thomas
25 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Discharged Feb. 11, '63.
Messenger, Benj. F.
21 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Mustered out Aug. 10, '63.
Morris, George S.
21 16
K Sept. 15, '62
Corporal. Mustered out Aug. 10, '63.
Slack, Herbert B.
18 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Discharged Nov. 27, '62.
Swasey, Chas. L.
24 16 K Sept. 15, '62
22 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Mustered out Aug. 10, '63. Mustered out Aug. 10, '63. Mustered out Aug. 10, '63.
Tracey, James B.
18 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Mustered out Aug. 10, '63
Waterman, Chas. H. 20 16
K Sept. 15, '62
Mustered out Aug. 10, '63.
Wood, Chas. P. 24 16 K Sept. 15, '62
Pro. Corporal Feb. I, '63.
Wood, Rodolphus W. 35 16
K Sept. 15, '62
Mustered out Aug. 10, '63.
FURNISHED UNDER THE DRAFT OF 1863 (17)
a-ENTERED SERVICE (1)
Shattuck, Samuel W. 22
Adjutant 8th Vt. Vols. Oct. 20, '63. Pro. Capt. Co. H Nov. 24, '64, Wounded at Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, '64. Mustered out June 28, '65.
Neal, James L.
b-PROCURED SUBSTITUTES (3) Pattrell, Oscar L.
Walker, Daniel A.
Bartlett, Edson
Burton, Henry C. Currier, Ambrose B,
c-PAID COMMUTATION (8) Johnsen, Albert R. Sargent, William Strong, Calvin
Turner, N. G., Jr. Waterman, Wm. T.
Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63. Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63. Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63. Corporal. Reduced to the ranks by request.
Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63. Died of disease near Union Mills, Va., Feb. 28, '63.
Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63. Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63. Pro. Corporal. Mustered out of ser- vice Aug. 10, '63.
Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63. Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63. Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63. Captain. Resigned Jan 3, '63. Wagoner. Reduced to the ranks by request.
Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63. Wounded at Gettysburg. Mustered out of service Aug. 10, '63.
Thurstin, George R. Thurstin, Harrison H. 21 16 K Sept. 15, '62
18 16 H Sept. 15, '62
Remarks
Brown, William L. Caswell, Charles
102
HISTORY OF NORWICH
ENROLLED MEN WHO FURNISHED SUBSTITUTES (5)
Blanchard, Asa Bradley, Hial Slack, George W.
Bradley, Edwin Lyman, Augustus P. MISCELLANEOUS (9)
Not credited by name to the town.
CHAPTER XII
EDUCATIONAL
From the town records it appears that the first attempt to divide the town into school districts, was at a town meeting held November 19, 178%, when John Slafter, Elijah Brownson, Ithamar Bartlett, Joseph Loveland, Paul Bingham, Joseph Hatch, Daniel Baldwin, Abel Wilder and Samuel Brown, Jr., were made a committee for that pur- pose. Soon thereafter the committee reported that they "could effect nothing on the business of their appointment," and were discharged. No further move in town meeting towards districting the town for school purposes appears to have been made until March 30, 1785, when, on petition of persons residing in the southeastern part of the town, the territory, to be described, was embraced in a district designated as the "First School District: Beginning at the southeast bound of Norwich; thence running on the line between Hartford and Norwich, two miles; thence northerly so wide as to include Benjamin Hatch and Benjamin Burton and Mr. John Knight; thence easterly so as to take into s'd district Nathaniel Brown, Esq., Esquire Elisha Partridge and the Rev. Lyman Potter ; thence due east to Connecticut River."
At a town meeting held March 14, 1791, districts Nos. 1 to 12, both inclusive, were established; March 13, 1798, district No. 13 was or- ganized; No. 14 (from the consolidation of districts 9 and 10) in 1818 ; No. 15 (Bicknell), in 1827; No. 16, March, 1828; No. 17, June, 1828; No. 19, March, 1834; No. 20, Oct. 20, 1834; No. 18 (Podunk), 1841.
At a town meeting held in May, 1834, it was "voted to set off Ira Baxter, Isaac Partridge, Cyrus Partridge, and Calvin P. Newton's Cushman farm, and the Widow Bissell and the Olcott house she lives in, to District No. 4."
In March, 1836, No. 19 District (established in March, 1834) hav- ing, it is supposed, become extinct, another district of like designation
104
HISTORY OF NORWICH
was established on the territory now called No. 5 (Upper River). In September following the district was renumbered 21.
At the annual meeting held in March, 1824, the town "voted to choose a committee to visit the several schools in Norwich the year ensuing, and to report according to their improvement, and to dis- tribute such donations as they may receive from individuals, to the schools which, in their opinion, have made the best progress in learn- ing during the term, and make return to the next March meeting." The following named persons constituted this committee: "Rev. Sam- uel Goddard, John Brown, Elijah Boardman, Rev. Jas. W. Woodward, Sewall Gleason, Asa Lord, Horace Hatch, Col. Alba Stimson, John Wright, Esq."
At the March meeting in 1825, it was "voted to appropriate $32.00 to the several districts in Norwich, to be divided as follows: $2.00 to each district, to be divided by the teachers, with the advice of the committee, to those scholars in each school who, in their opinion, have made the best progress, and the remaining $4.00 to the school or schools that in the opinion of the committee have made the best progress in learning during the winter."
"Voted, further, that the Committee appointed to visit the several School districts, be requested to examine the teachers in each School district, and if they consider that they are not qualified to keep school, to make report to the Committee of that district or districts, and if such teachers shall not then be dismissed and others procured who are qualified, such district shall receive no share of the money so appro- priated." [This is the earliest instance of school supervision known to the writer in Vermont, as instituted by town authority.]
It was also "Voted that the Treasurer be directed to pay Rev. Sam- uel Goddard $14,-for the services he performed in visiting the several school districts in Norwich the past winter."
We have no knowledge of Prudential Committees for Schools earlier than 1828, in which year Rev. Sam'l Goddard, Alba Stimson, John Wright, Dr. Horace Hatch, and Eleazer J. Boardman served in that capacity. The committees for later years were : 1829, Rev. Sam'l God- dard, Rev. J. W. Woodward, Col. Alba Stimson, A. Loveland, Cyril Pennock ; 1830, Rev. S. Goddard, Rev. J. W. Woodward, Alba Stimson, Dr. Ira Davis, Dr. Horace Hatch; 1831, Rev. Samuel Goddard, Ira
EIC
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, NORWICH VILLAGE ERECTED IN IS98
105
SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS
Davis, Rev. J. H. Woodward, Paul W. Brigham, Col. Alba Stimson ; 1832 and 1833, Thos. Hall, Alba Stimson, Ira Davis. From 1846 to 1857, the office of School Superintendent (under a new law) was filled by Dr. Shubael Converse, who served four years; Col. Alba Stimson, who served three years; Dr. Ira Davis, whose term was two years; and M. M. Davis, E. B. Emerson, and Prof. J. D. Butler, each of whom served one year.
The number of scholars in the several school districts in Norwich, as returned by the District Clerks in March, 1826, was 635, of which number 136 were in District No. 1. In 1779, as per returns made that year, the number was 552. In 1886, fifteen districts supported schoo's, with 220 scholars in attendance.
Mr. Chas. E. Ensworth says that he has the authority of the late Mr. Roswell Wright for stating that the first district school building in town stood on or near the site of the present "vestry"; that Mr. Wright, when a boy, attended school there, walking from his father's home on what is now known as "Dutton Hill," with Adriance Hatch (grandfather of the late Abel P. Hatch) whose home was further west, in a house occupied later by Neal, and still later by Pettes until it was destroyed by fire several years since.
As the following interesting petition is in close touch with the pres- ent subject, we will give it a place in this article :
PETITION
"Whereas a number of the inhabitants of the town of Norwich Living on the road from James Johnson's to Humphrey Balls and some elsewhere have been great sufferers for want of a School that would Commode us those schools that have been kept here to fore the nearest has been so far of that we have had little or no profit thereby- We therefore whose names are hereunto set beg leave to inform the good people of this town that we can not send our children to the School house by Lieut. John Slafters without great trouble because of the length of way and also by reason of the roads not being much traveled we therefore think it very discommojeus and therefore burden- some for us to send or belong to the School at the S'd Slafters we therefore wish the Gentlemen Committee that was appointed by this town would consider our burden and remember that we want freedom and privileges with our Bretheren we think the Committee Men of
106
HISTORY OF NORWICH
Reason and Wisdom and therefore we hope for a hearing in this mat- ter."
[This part of the petition is missing ; the indications are that it was cut off with a sharp instrument. Probably the date and names of other petitioners were on the detached piece.]
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