USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Poultney > A history of the town of Poultney, Vermont, from its settlement to the year 1875, with family and biographical sketches and incidents > Part 18
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We are thinking of the past, Brother, We are thinking of the past; Of those hours spent with thee, Brother, Those hours too sweet to last. And hast thou gone forever From thy home and friends on earth ? And shall we no more listen To thy free and gladsome mirth ?
Oh, no, thou art gone to rest, Brother; Oh, no, thon art gone to rest With the three that went before, Brother. In the home of the bright and blest. And methinks I hear the saying, As thy spirit heavenward flies, " We will meet again, dear loved ones, In that home beyond the skies."
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Amos Bliss was married a second time to Lucy L. Goodwin, January 6, 1847, and by her had one child, Irving Goodwin Bliss, born Sept. 9, 1849. Irving G. married Ida F., daughter of Rufus H Greene, Sept. 24, 1874, and is now a member of the firm of Deweys & Co., in mercantile business at East Poultney.
Amos Bliss died April 17, 1855. His widow afterwards mar- ried Thomas D. Dewey, and resides at the same place occupied by Mr. Bliss in his lifetime.
BLISS, DR. GEORGE L .- Was born in Castleton, Vt., the 23d of December, 1818, and commenced the study of medicine in 1841, under the supervision of the Faculty of Castleton Medi- cal College. He completed his studies, and graduated in No- vember, 1844, and followed the practice of medicine, in Hyde- ville, Vt., town of Castleton, until January, 1847, when he moved to this town, where the pursuit of his profession has been his principal business. He has been twice married. His first alliance was with Miss Louise L. Hopkins, of Tinmouth, Vt., on the 16th of June, 1853, with whom he lived until her death, which occurred on the 4th of April, 1869. His second mar- riage was on the 16th of June, 1870, in the city of Omaha, Ne- braska, to Mrs. J. F. Crosby, of Rockford, Ill., with whom he is living. Dr. Bliss had one child, Alice G., by his first wife, born April 10, 1855. She now resides with her father.
BLISS, MARCUS W .- Was born in Castleton, November 4, 1810. He was one of twelve children. Four of those children afterwards became residents of Poultney: Marcus W .; George L., a physician; Robert R., who died in Poultney, June 18, 1864, leaving a widow and two children (still living in Poult- ney); and Bethia, who married Asa Hooker. Mr. Hooker died some years ago, and his widow now lives in Poultney village. Marcus W. married Lucinda Barber, February 14, 1838. He removed to Poultney, March 14, 1860, to the farm on which he has since resided, located east of the stone church, on the road from West to East Poultney. He has had four children: Cy-
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rus M., Sarah S., Betsey B., and Charles E. Cyrus died Au- gust 23, 1863, at the age of 24, and just one month after his re- turn from service in the war of 1861. Sarah L. married Alonzo Herrick, and resides in Poultney. Betsey B. has been twice married, and now resides in Rutland, with her second husband, John Meeker. Charles E. married Mary O'Donald, and resides in Poultney.
BOSWORTH, WILLIAM MILLER-Was born in Hampton, N. Y., March 8, 1816. He spent his minority mostly in the family of his father, Hesehiah Bosworth, of Hampton. His mother was a sister of Rev. William Miller. On attaining his majority, he came to the town of Poultney, where he resided until his de- cease. He was a carpenter and joiner, and a first-class work- man. In 1853, in company with Dea. Marville Colvin, he built the steam mill in Poultney village, the same now occupied by Ripley and Stanley. This was quite an undertaking; but the projectors were equal to it, and established a concern that has done much for the place. Mr. Bosworth died May 29, 1860, at the age of 44 years. He left a widow and two daughters. The widow afterwards married Rev. John Goadby, D. D., and now resides in Poultney.
Mr. Bosworth, by his skill as a mechanic, his industry and good management, acquired a competence. As a business man, Mr. Bosworth endeared himself to all with whom he came in contact ir that relation, by his integrity and promptness. At the age of 15 years, he made a profession of religion, and united with the Baptist Church, and continued a member of that church until his decease. He was confined to his house but a few days in his last sickness. He said to his friends: "Now sing to me of heaven, for I am about to die." And so he passed "where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest."
BOOMER, PERRY-Another of Poultney's well-known citizens, was born January 11th, 1813, in Hartford, Washington County, N. Y. Perry Boomer, his father, was an officer in the War of 1812, of what rank we have not been able to determine; but the
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subject of this sketch remembers of hearing his mother relate that his father went to the war and rode a horse. While in the army, he caught the yellow fever, of which disease he died. At about this time, also, the three and only brothers of the present Perry Boomer, and one sister, died of the same disease.
The early life of Mr. Boomer was one of hardship and priva- tion, as he relates it. His father died when he was an infant of only three months of age. Soon after this, his mother, with her family, moved to Fall River, Mass., where her husband had previously resided. His mother, Sally Boomer, lived to the age of 93 years, and died at Pawlet, Vt., November 20, 1866. Mrs. Ann Lyon, a sister of Mrs. B., died at Pawlet in 1875, at about 70 years of age. While at Fall River, Mr. Boomer was for a time employed in the cotton factories of that place. At one time, seized with the ardent desire for a sea-faring life, he shipped as cook on board a vessel bound to some of the Southern States, with a cargo of lumber. Here he experienced the hard knocks and reverses incident to the life of a seaman, and after the completion of this voyage, gave up the sea. A terrific storm at sea, while upon that voyage, holds a distinct place in his memory. From Fall River, in 1828, with his mother, he came to Danby, Vt., and learned the blacksmith's trade; worked for two years with David C. Besse, who after- wards married his sister, H. D. Boomer.
In 1833, he came to Poultney, where he has since continued to reside, laboring steadily for the most part of the time, until within a few years, at his trade. Mr. Boomer has been twice married. On the 21st January, 1836, he married Miss Marian Gorham, now deceased, a daughter of the late Moses Gorham, of this town, whose father was one of the first settlers of the town of Poultney. About 1860, for his second wife, he married Miss Pauline Rood, daughter of Captain Rood, of Hampton, N. Y. By his first marriage he had five children :
A daughter who d. in infancy.
Edward P., b. Feb. 19, 1838; d. Aug. 29, 1839. Charles F., b. May 18, 1839.
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Edward P., b. April 19, 1841; d. -.
Almon W., b. Oct. 30, 1842; d. Feb. 12, 1875.
Mr. Boomer has two sisters living, Mrs. David C. Besse, and Mrs. Abel Bartlett, living at Danby, Vt.
BROUGHTON .- Tradition says that three brothers by the name of Broughton, came from England, and settled in this country early in the history of the colonies. One branch of the family settled in New Hampshire. Thomas Broughton was a Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina when it was a British colony. He died in 1737.
Another branch of the family settled in Rhode Island. From this branch sprung John Broughton, who with Anna, his wife, came from Rhode Island and settled in the town of Wells, Vt., among the first settlers of that town. Of their early history but little is known. He was killed in the Revolutionary War, having early espoused the cause of the colonies; and Anna, his wife, died July 4, 1814, aged 94 years, and was buried in the family burial ground, on the farm now occupied by Asa J. Rog- ers. He had three sons; John, Samuel and Michael, and prob- ably other children. His son Samuel became a land-owner in the town of Wells, June 18, 1786, and for quite a number of years bought and sold more land than any other man in that town, and when the north part of the town of Wells was set off to Poultney, he became an inhabitant of Poultney. He was one of the projectors and builders of the Granville and Poult- ney Turnpike. He was a man very tenacious of his rights, which kept him continually involved in litigation. He removed from Poultney to Ohio, and afterwards returned East, and set- tled in Moriah, N. Y., where he became heavily engaged in the lumber business. He lived to an advanced age, ninety or over, and died at Moriah.
Michael became a land holder in that part of the town of Wells which is now the south part of Poultney, April 29, 1786. He probably died soon after, as but little is known of his his- tory.
John Broughton, junior was born September 10, 1754, and
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married Lucy Perkins, who was born June 23, 1759. They were probably married some time during the year 1778. The dates of the births of their children were as follows, viz .: Sa- rah was born August 26, 1779; William, June 29, 1782; John, December 11, 1783; Eunice, August 27, 1785; Solomon, May 1, 1787; Lucy, March 31, 1789; Joseph and Alpheus, January 31, 1791; Ira, April 20, 1793, and Russell, January 19, 1795. On March 7, 1793, he became a land owner in that part of Wells which is now the south part of Poultney. He afterwards pur- chased lands at different times until he owned a large tract, ex- tending from Lake Austin on the east to New York line on the 'west. His house was situated in the meadow a little west of where Asa J. Rogers resides. He was a thrifty farmer, and a much respected citizen of Poultney until his death, which oc. curred May 31, 1811. His wife, Lucy, was the first person who joined the Baptist Church in Poultney after its organization in 1802, and from that time to the present, she, or some of her de- scendants, bearing the name, have been active members of the said church. She afterwards married Dea. Job Leonard, of Granville, N. Y., and died Feb. 10, 1833.
Sarah, their oldest daughter, married Josoph Baker and emi- grated West, where she lived to an advanced age.
William died January 11, 1803, unmarried.
John married Charlotte McCoy. In early life they united with the Poultney Baptist Church. He died of cancer, Decem- ber 2, 18331. Of their children, William, who is now a resi- dent and much respected citizen of Poultney, married Betsey O. Maynard. Lyman married Zilpha Crofut; and for his sec- ond wife, Isabella Webster. They now live in Covington, N. Y. Freelove married John Stone; and for her second husband Albert E. Knapp, the author of the New Genealogical and Pic- torial Family Record. They reside in the village of Poultney, John married Lydia Martin; and for his second wife, her sister Silence, widow of Smith Austin, and are living in Covington, N. Y. Daniel married Betsey E. Webster; and for his second wife Melissa Stratton. Also residents of Poultney.
Eunice, their second daughter, married Cyrus Beardsley, and
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for her second husband, Capt. Samuel Steward. She died in Granville, about 1827.
Solomon married Orrilla Hatch, and died March 29, 1831. They were both members of the Poultney Baptist Church.
Lucy married Noah Wells, and for her second husband, Wil- liam Hotchkiss. She died, October 30, 1830. Of the children of Noah and Lucy Wells but one is now living-Pomeroy Wells, of Poultney, who married Rebecca Blossom. Anna married Jonas Gibson; and Abbie died unmarried.
Joseph died November 11, 1802.
Alpheus married Judith Hadaway. They became members of the Poultney Baptist Church in 1816. Their regular and early attendance at church is worthy of imitation. Though living several miles from church, they were usually found in their place of worship, regardless of weather. Of their chil- dren, Deborah married James Merchant, and afterwards, Har- vey C. Pond. Neither of them are now living. Freeman mar- ried Louise Millard. They also have been numbered with the dead. Joseph enlisted in the U. S. Army, and was engaged in the Florida War; nothing has been known of him since. Peace married Jazemiah Barker; she survives him, and lives in Plain- field, Wis. Hezekiah married Eliza Mallary. His example of late years has not been worthy of imitation.
Ira Broughton married Elizabeth Calkins, early in 1812. On the third day of June, 1823, he received from Governor Rich- ard Skinner, a commission as Lieutenant of the First Company of Light Infantry, in the 1st Brigade, second division of the militia of the State of Vermont. Also, on the 26th of April, 1824, of Governor Richard P. Van Ness, a commission as Captain of the same company. He was among the first to engage in the great temperance reformation, and for the last thirty-five years of his life did not taste of intoxicating liquors. And would not even taste of sweet cider. He and his wife joined the Baptist Church in Poultney, in 1816. He died January 12, 1869. Of their children, Eunice married Ebenezer S. Harvey. They reside in St. Charles, Minnesota. Ira married Lavina Sweet, and for his second wife, Emeline Wood. He was engin-
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eer on the construction train in building the railroad from Cas- tleton to Salem, and has been in the employ of the railroad company since that time, and is now a resident of Salem, N. Y. Lucy Ann married George P. Conant. She survives him and resides and resides in Ft. Edward. Rachel married Linus An- drus, who died at Ft. Edward, and she is now a resident of Hampton. Aaron C. married Delia M. Codman, whose resi- dence is at Hampton. Jane M. married Webster S. Wood. Hampton is also their place of residence. Phareellas A. mar- ried Elizabeth Griffin, and for his second wife, Margaret Me- Gowan. He enlisted into the Seventh Vt. Regiment, and was with them in Florida, Alabama and Texas, until .he close of the war, and is now living in Whitehall, N. Y.
Mary married James Lawrence Cray, who was a Captain in the 122d Regiment of N. Y. Volanteers in the War of 1861. He was killed while leading his company into battle. For her second husband, she married James Biggart. They reside in Kingsbury, N. Y. Carlos M. W. learned the moulder's trade of the Vaughn Brothers, in East Poultney, which business he has since followed. He married Sallie Foster, of Philadelphia, and they are now in Peekskill, N. Y. The united ages of these nine children of Ira and Elizabeth Broughton, is four hundred and seventy-four years, four months and ten days, this 19th October, 1875. Their number has not been diminshed by death in more than fifty years. Is there another family of nine brothers and sisters, in connection with the History of Poultney, of whom the same can be said ? Their paternal great-grandmother lived to the age of ninety-four years. Their maternal great-grand- father lived to the age of one hundred and one years, two months and eleven days.
Russel Broughton married Harriet Hotchkiss. He was economical and industrious, and honored and respected by all who knew him. He early espoused the temperance cause, and was interested in all the great moral questions of the day, and was a man of excellent judgment; he was a regular attendant and supporter of the Baptist Church, and although he never made a publie profession of religion, he was considered a strictly
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honest and moral man. He died July 15th, 1865; his widow is living at East Poultney. Of their children, James R. married Susan Marshall; he is a deacon of the Baptist Church in White- hall, where he now resides. Eliza married Stephen Scott, and died November 6th, 1858. Sarah married Peter Landry, who lives upon the farm upon which Russel Broughton lived and died. Phebe married Stephen Scott; they now reside in East Poultney. Mary married Judson Reynolds, and they live in Rochester, N. Y.
BROWN, GEORGE W .- Was born in Ira, Vt., Sept. 1st, 1812. He was a son of Dea. Joseph Brown, who lived for many years, and died in the town of Tinmouth. His widow, the mother of George W., is still living with her son in Poultney, at the age of 92 years. Joseph Brown was a son of Joseph, who removed from Westmoreland, Mass., and lived in Middletown, Vt., about the time of the first settlement of that town. Joseph Brown, the father of George W., died in 1865.
The mother of George W. Brown is of the fourth generation from George White, who emigrated from Wales about the year 1673. Many of her ancestors lived to a great age.
George W. married Jerusha Styles, of Wells, a daughter of Gould Styles, July 3, 1836. They had two children; one died soon after birth. The other, George F., was born October 7, 1842. George W., after his marriage, lived on a farm near the east line of Poultney, until he removed to this town, in the year 1864. He now lives in this village; his wife, Jerusha, died December 16, 1874.
He married a second wife, Miss Nancy L. Atwater, of Wells, September 30th, 1875.
George F. married Harriet E. Adams, of Troy, Pa., and has one child, Frank G., born January 14th, 1870.
BROWN, VANIAH-Was born in Middletown, Vt., January 30, 1809. At the age of four years, he went with his parents to Northern New York, at a place called the "Black River Country," where he lived until 1817, when he returned to Mid-
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dletown, and lived with his grandmother, the widow of Jona- than Haynes, until he was 21 years of age. February 28, 1833, he married Nancy Ann Clark, of Berlin, N. Y., and settled in Middletown. He afterwards removed from Middletown to Danby; after living there a few years, he returned to Middle- town, and removed from thence to Poultney in 1869, where he still resides, on Furnace street. He is a boot and shoe maker. Their children were:
Sarah Ann, b. April 5, 1834; d. in Danby, Dec. 19, 1843. Mary Jane, b. Dec. 3, 1835; d. in N. Y., May 16, 1872.
Arus H., b. Sept. 24, 1837.
Vaniah Clark, b. Oct. 24, 1839; d, in Danby, Jar. 1, 1842.
Augusta, b. Dec. 7, 1841; d. in Danby, Dec. 16, 1842.
Marcellus, b. Oct. 26, 1843.
Addie D., b. Sept. 16, 1847.
Emma M., b. Sept. 30, 1849.
Mary Jane married T. F. Davison, of New York city, Dec. 25, 1846. Arus H. married Sarah Jackson, March 2, 1862, and now resides in Poultney. Marcellus married Annie O. Donald, of New York, Sept. 28, 1865. Addie married H. P. Morgan, of Rutland, Dec. 22, 1868.
BROWNSON, STEPHEN .- Dr. Stephen Brownson was born in Connecticut, in 1783. His father, with his family, removed to Castleton, Vt., in 1785, when Stephen was about two years old. His mother brought him on horseback from Connecticut to Castleton. He removed from Castleton to Poultney in 1810. HIe married Hannah Noyes, a daughter of Dea. Moses Noyes. In 1813, he bought out Dr. Jonas Safford, and practiced medicine in Poultney until 1822, or 1823, when he sold out to Dr. David Palmer, who practiced a few years, and sold out to Dr. Ebenezer Porter. After Dr. Brownson sold to Dr. Palmer, he moved back to Castleton, where he remained two or three years; then moved to Hampton. N. Y., where he lived three or four years; and then returned to Poultney, to the place where Elijah Hawes now resides. Here he lived until his wife died, and then re- moved to East Poultney, and lived where R. O. Dye now does,
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until he built the house now occupied by Asahel Smith, then inoved into that. Here he lived until he died, September 1, 1849. He had five children who lived to grow up. Their names were-
John, b. March, 1815; he has been dead many years-he died in his 25th year.
Mary, b. April, 1817; m. Jos. F. Morse, and now resides in East Poultney.
Norman, b. in 1821; he now resides in Florida.
Calvin, b. in 1825; d. in Troy some years ago.
Sarah, b. in 1833; m. F. A. Morse, and resides in W. Rutland.
BUCKLAND, WILLIAM-Was one of the early settlers of Poult- ney. He removed from Hartford, Conn., to this town in the year 1783, and settled on the farm now occupied by Augustus Buckland, his grandson. The Bucklands were an old family in Connecticut, evidently, as Augustus has deeds of lands in Connecticut in his possession, given to members of the family about two hundred years ago, though he has little of the family history back of his grandfather William. William bought his farm in Poultney of Elkanah Ashley. It is situated three miles north of Poultney village, and mainly on the east side of the railroad. When he bought it, there was a log house, which had been occupied by the former owner or occupant, about eight rods west of where the dwelling house on the farm now stands. William Buckland was a soldier of the Revolutionary War. He was married in Hartford, Conn., and had seven children, all born in Hartford. Their names were William, Samuel, Roswell, Eben, Margaret, Nancy and Hannah. William, senior, died March 11, 1795, at the age of 68 years. His widow died in 1810, being over 70 years of age.
The oldest son, William succeeded in the homestead. He married Anna Hamlin, and had six children; the two oldest died in infancy, and the four others were Polly, Fanny, Stephen and Augustus. Polly married John Lewis, and died in 1827, leaving three children. Fanny was never married; she died in 1849, at the age of 51 years. Stephen married Eveline Wat-
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kins, and died in Cold Water, Mich., about five years ago. His wife died before he did; he left four children. Augustus lives on the homestead, as before appears. He is seventy years old, and has no children.
The second son of William, senior, Samuel, married Phebe Sanford, and settled on the Fuller Place, where he lived some years; he then moved to the State of Ohio, where he died about six years ago, at the age of 90 years. He had six children, and those living are supposed to be still in the State of Ohio.
Roswell, the third son of William, senior, was married, and had three children. Roswell died in Poultney, December 2d, 1804, at the age of 37 years. Eben died, and was buried the 22d day of July, 1811, the day of the great food. Margaret married a Mr. Mallary, and died in Poultney many years ago. Nancy married James Mallary, and died in Jay, N. Y. Hannah died March 19, 1792, at the age of 18 years.
Mr. Augustus Buckland said to the writer, that his mother informed him that her grandfather, John Barrett, came from his former home in Connecticut to live with his daughter in Poultney, some years before 1796; that he was a soldier in the French and Indian War, and often related his trials and hard- ships. In an expedition to Canada, he was out forty days and nights in the winter time, with no covering but a blanket. He died in the house now occupied by Mr. Buckland, June 9, 1796, at the age of 93 years. Philo Hosford, who was [then a boy of 13 years, has said that he saw Mr. Barrett three days before his death, [hoeing corn with others, and he kept up with them. Those at work with him urged him to hoe a hill and skip a hill; this he resented, and it was supposed this day's work killed him.
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BUEL, EZEKIEL-Settled in Poultney quite early. He was a hatter, and settled in the east village. He built the house now occupied by Rufus H. Green. He married a sister of Judge Amos Thompson, and had several children: Maria, Julian, Charlotte, Julio, Alexander and Gustavus. Mr. Buel was a man of good natural ability, and raised a family of considerable
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talent. Maria married Dr. William McLeod, and died at Castle- ton a short time since. Julian was a lawyer, and died West. Charlotte is dead. Julio now lives in Whitehall. Alexander was a lawyer, and was for awhile a member of Congress from the State of Michigan. Gustavus resides at Castleton.
Ezekiel Buel moved to Castleton about the time of the War of 1812. He lost his wife after he moved to Castleton, and married a second time, the sister of Theodore Woodward, and by her had several children.
BULL, ROBERT-Was born in Hartford, N. Y., Nov. 18, 1795. He married a Rutland lady, whose name was Cook. He pur- chased a farm of Demmon Giddings, about a mile north of Poultney village, and moved here about fourteen years ago. On this farm he lived until he died, Sept. 26, 1866. He had nine children: Henry, Edward, Charles, Clarence, Jennie, Loraine, Elizabeth, Helen and Alice. Henry and Charles live in Kansas; Edward in Columbus, Ohio, and Clarence and Jennie in Wis- consin. Elizabeth married Julius J. Stowe, and removed to Martinsburg, Missouri. Mr. Stowe is dead; his widow still re- sides at that place, with several children. Helen married Dr. Reed, and lives in New York. Loraine married a Mr. Holden, of New York, and now lives in Bridgeport, Conn. Alice mar- ried George H. Wells, and died April 21, 1874.
CAMPBELL, HORACE-Was the third son of Abel and Rhoda Campbell. He was born in Pittsfield, Vt., May 6, 1810, and lived most of the time of his minority with his parents in that town. At the age of 19 he experienced religion, and united with the M. E. Church in Pittsfield his native town. In 1831, when he was of age, he left home and went to Pittsford, in Rutland county, where he resided two years and a half. In August, 1834, he came to Poultney, and attended school one quarter, and taught school in the winter of 1834-5. In the spring of 1835 he went to Weybridge, where he received license and was appointed by Cyrus Prindle to preach on that circuit for that year. In 1836 he was appointed to Warren Circuit by
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