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 19
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John M. Weaver, presiding elder. On January 26, 1836, he was married to Miss Jane Hall, third daughter of Elias and Sa- rah Hall, of Chittenden. In September, 1836, he joined the Vermont and New Hampshire Conference, and was appointed to Wilmington Circuit. At the session of the conference in 1837, his health being poor, he did not take an appointment, but left Wilmington and went to Hoosic Falls, N. Y., working through the winter at his trade, for Hon. L. C. Ball. In the spring of 1838 he removed to Bennington, Vt., where he worked at joiner work and painting. November, 11, 1839, their first child, Helen Jane was born, who died of canker rash, in Poult- ney, September 4, 1845. Their second child, Jerome M., was also born in Bennington, July 26, 1841; and in November, 1841, Mr. Campbell left Bennington with his family, and came to Poultney, where he has since resided. August 19th their third child, Ada S. was born; and on October 13th, 1846, Mary Jane, their fourth and last child, was born. Their three sur- viving children received academic education at the Troy Con- ference Academy. In April, 1864, Ada was married to Jonas Clark, of Poultney. July 10, 1866, Jerome M. was married to Susanna R. Potter, of Easton, N. Y. On October 19, 1875, Mary J. was married to Thomas Dunlop, of Patterson, N. J. Mr. Campbell was an earnest advocate for the abolition of slav- ery, and for total abstinence from all intoxicating drinks. In 1844 he left the M. E. Church because slavery was tolerated in her communion, and united with the Wesleyan Methodist Church. He is an earnest and thoroughly conscientious worker in the temperance canse, and says he is looking forward to no very distant time when the means of intemperance will be ban- ished from the land.
CANFIELD .- Ebenezer Canfield, Esq., came to Poultney soon after the close of the Revolutionary War, built a gambrel roofed house (which was the aristocratic style in those days), sonth of the highway on the height of land east of the old burying-ground in East Poultney. He was a leading man in town for several years; moved to Ohio and died. He had
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three daughters, that remained in town. Sybil married David Ransom; raised a family of nine children: Sophia, Rachel, Har- riet, Harry, Sarah, George, Laura, Nelson and Caroline. Sub- mission married Jonathan Morgan, and Anna married George Morgan (who was drowned in the big flood of 1811), and subse- quently married Samuel Cleveland.
CHANDLER, HIRAM-Was born in Sudbury, Vt., December 25, 1799. In March, 1824, he married Azubah Williams, of Sudbury, who died in March, 1855. He came to Poultney on the 1st day of May, 1835, and has resided here ever since. He has had but one desendant, William L., born in Sudbury, March 9, 1827. He moved to Poultney with his father, and received a thorough academic education at Troy Conference Academy, completing his studies at Mr. Fowler's Law School, Ballston Spa, where he fitted himself for the practice of law. He was admitted to the bar in Albany, N. Y., and commenced his professional vocation in the city of New York. Shortly after entering upon his professional duties, he was stricken down by sickness, and died August 4th, 1855. Mr. Hiram Chandler is the oldest malemember of the Methodist Episcopal Church in this place, his membership ex- tending over a period of forty years.
CLARK, WARREN-Was born in East Haddam, Conn., and removed from Bethlehem, Litchfield County, Conn., to Poultney in the year 1805, with his wife and one child, and all their goods in a double wagon. He raised a family of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, and all lived to grow up men and women. Their names were Lyman, Reuben Everet, Clarinda, Clementina, Joseph Warren, Frederick Bacchus, Theodore Champin, Samuel Ogden, Charles Deming, Laura Ann, and Albert Bacchus. All were born in Poultney, except Ly- man. Mr. Clark first settled on what was known as the Doo- little farm, where John Porter now lives. He lived there one summer, and then moved on to the farm that John Daily now owns. At this place he lived until 1842, when he moved to Morse Hollow, where William Hanley now lives. Warren Clark died Dec. 31, 1863, at the age of 85 years; his wife dicd
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about five years before his death. The last year of his life he lived with son Albert B., on the farm he first settled on when he came to Poultney. He was a very industrious, hard-working man, and enjoyed good health. His last sickness was of but a few days duration. He took a severe cold, which was the im- mediate cause of his death.
Of the children of Warren Clark, Lyman married Lois White, and removed to New Haven, Oswego County, N. Y., when he was a young man, and still resides there; he is about 72 years old. Reuben E. married Sarah Baker, of Hartford, N. Y., and has now four children living: Warren E., Sarah A., Mary E., and Theodore. Reuben E. resides south of East Poultney, about a mile. His wife died Nov. 27, 1870. Warren E. lives with his father. Sarah A. married A. Y. Gray, and lives at Middletown. Mary E. married R. R. Thrall, and lives in Poultney. Clarinda married Eleazer Ranney, moved to West- port, N. Y., and died January 22, 1864, at the age of 45 years, Clementina never married; she died Sept. 14, 1862, at the age of 62 years. Joseph W. married for his first wife Mary E .. Green, of Castleton; she died Jan. 3, 1853, aged 33 years. He - married Emily Morgan, March 4, 1853, with whom he still lives on the Amos Frisbie farm. He has no children. Frederick B. married Caroline Inman, and lives in Wisconsin. Theodore C. married Anstys Kellogg, and died in April, 1854; his widow and only child, a son, now reside in Quasqueton, Iowa. Samuel O. is supposed to be living; but his friends do not know where. Charles D. was killed on the cars, Nov. 6, 1847, at the age of 26 years Laura Aim married Rodney Smith, April 6, 1843; Mr. Smith died suddenly of heart disease, June 18, 1875, leaving one son and two daughters. Albert B. has been twice married; his first wife was Jane Clift, of Middletown; his second Martha Streeter, with whom he now lives in Mendon, Vt.
CLARK, ANDREW-Removed from Cheshire county, Conn., to Wells, in the year 1790. He settled in the west part of that town, on what was called West street. His wife's name was Mary Robinson. They had ten children. Two of these chil-
HISTORY OF POULTNEY. 233
daen, Freelove and Andrew, Jr., moved to Poultney. Freelove married Samuel Hyde, about the year 1794; and Andrew, Jr., married Sophia Goodspeed, of Wells, about the year 1832, and had eight children: Sylyester, Ira M., Rufus H., Andrew, Hell- ry, Herman R., Mary and Judson. Andrew 2d died at Poult- ney in May, 1840, at the age of 48 years. His widow is still living, at the age of 85. . Sylvester died in Wells, about three years ago. Ira M. married Mandana, the widow of Nelson Hyde, in October, 1842, and now resides in Poultney. He held the office of Constable and Collector of the town of Poultney for five succeeding years, commencing with 1852; has been sev- eral years an acting Justice of the Peace, Selectman, and is Overseer of the Poor of the town. The latter office he has held since 1862, with the exception of two years in the time. Rufus H. Clark married Prudence Rice, and no resides in Hampton, N. Y. He has three children: Junius, Annette and Hattie. Junius married Harvey Hotchkiss's daughter, and re- sides in Hampton; Annette married a Mr. Langworthy, and re. sides in Middlebury; Hattie married Roswell Warren, and now resides in Poultney. Andrew Clark resides in Poultney, and has followed the business of carriage making since he has been in the business. He has been twice married. ITis first wife was Lucy Potter, of Wells. She died July 9, 1866. By her he had two children: Albert A. and Boyd. Albert A. mar- ried Catherine Ray, and now resides in Middletown. Andrew married for his second wife, Sarah Knapp, and by her he has one child. Henry married married Eliza Thompson, and row resides in Wells. Hermon R. resides in Poultney, and has car- ried on the blacksmithing business. He married Lucia Thomp- son, and has two children. Mary married Edward J. Williams, and resides here. She has four children, three daughters and one son. Judson married some years since, and went to the State of Illinois.
CLARK, MERRITT .- We allude with pleasure to the life and business career of one of our townsmen, whose name and fame has not been confined alone to our own town, and to whose ef-
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forts much of the business prosperity, and much of the educ- cational advantages the people of Poultney enjoy is due.
Hon. Merritt Clark was born in Middletown, Vt., February 11, 1803, and is consequently now in his seventy-third year. His father was Jonas Clark, familiarly known as General Clark, who came to Middletown from Connecticut when 16 years of
age, with his father, Jonas Clark, Sen. General Clark was a lawyer of great ability, and well known throughout the State as a successful practitioner. He was in the main a self-taught man, and obtained his legal learning while working at his trade,
that of stone and brick mason. He was State's Attorney for Rutland county for sixteen successive years; represented the town of Middletown in the State Legislature for eighteen years, and held many other offices for long periods of time. He was a man of great energy, of tireless industry and perseverance, and these traits of character seem to have descended in no small degree to his son, Merritt. General Clark died at Middle- town, February 21, 1854, at the age of 79 years.
The mother of Merritt Clark was Betsey Stoddard, also a native of Connecticut, to whom General Clark was married in 1797. She died December 20, 1872, in the 90th year of her age. There were three children by this marriage: Merritt, Horace and Charles. Charles died in infancy.
Horace Clark was for many years connected with his brother Merritt in business, and at his decease, in 1852, was well known as a successful railroad manager, and held, at the time of his death, the office of Superintendent and Treasurer of the Rutland and Washington Railroad. Horace Clark left two sons, who are still living-Charles Clark, now in business at Rutland, and Jonas Clark, of Poultney. Merritt and Horace were co-workers in the enterprise of building the Rutland and Washington Railroad, in 1848, and in most business enterprizes the brothers seemed to be partners. In this they were brothers indeed.
Merritt Clark received the usual common school education of his day, and then prepared himself for college at the Rutland County Grammar School, at Castleton, Vt .; and here it may not be amiss to add that Mr. Clark is now the oldest living
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trustee of that school, having received his appointment as trustee forty-one years ago. After his preparatory course, he entered Middlebury College, from which he graduated with honor in 1823. Soon after leaving college, Mr. Clark, with his brother Horace, embarked in the mercantile business at Middle- town, in which they continued, doing a successful business, un- til 1841.
In 1841, the Poultney Bank was organized and established. In its organization, Merritt and Horace Clark were prime movers and controlling forces, and it is probable that its organ- ization at that time was due to their united efforts. Merritt was then elected cashier of this bank, which office he has ever since held.
In 1847, the Rutland and Washington Railroad was incor- porated; from 1848 to 1852, the road was built. But for the complete history of this subject, the difficulties experienced in getting an act of incorporation, and of building the road, the protracted and bitter strife of rival corporations, we refer the reader to the chapter upon this subject. Merritt Clark was the President of this road from its organization, in 1847, until the road was completed to Albany, during which time he. performed almost unparalleled labors, and, with the firm co-operation of his indefatigable brother, triumphed over the most formidable difficulties. The estimation in which Merritt Clark was held by his fellow-laborers in this scheme, and the appreciation they had for his eminent services in this behalf, is, perhaps, best shown from the report of a "Presentation of Plate to Hon. Merritt Clark," contained in the Albany Evening Journal of August 30, 1852, and which we here insert almost entire:
Presentation of Plate to Hon. Merritt Clark.
On the 26th instant the citizens residing upon the line of the Rutland and Washington, Troy and Rutland, and Albany and Northern Railroads, assembled at the Bardwell House at Rut- land, Vt., for the purpose of presenting a Service of Plate to the Hon. Merritt Clark, of West Poultney, Vt., the President of the Rutland and Washington Railroad Company, as a testi- monial of their appreciation of his services. After partaking of a bountiful feast, the president of the evening, Hon. Caleb
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B. Harrington, of Rutland, announced that the presentation would be made by John H. McFarland, Esq., of Salem, N. Y., who spoke as follows:
" SIR :- I have the honor of presenting to you, on behalf of the citizens residing along the line of, and interested in the Rutland and Washington, Troy and Rutland, and Albany Northern Railroads, a service of plate, as a slight testimonial of their appreciation of your services and sacrifices in these enter- prises. They feel that you have been the master-spirit, the life- blood, the vital energy of these great works; that to your pru- dence, patience and perseverance, they are indebted for the construction of a magnificent channel of communication, whereon the iron horse, that tireless and uncomplaining steed, will, at their whim and bidding, and at the bidding and whim of those who shall come after them, execute their every com- mand of business and of pleasure, as long as fire and water shall be capable of generating the element which is the susten- ance of that monster steed. They feel it was fortunate for them that circumstances forced you into the pioneer position you have occupied in relation to these works; and they know that had you possessed less of energy, less of firmness, less of zeal, less of integrity, they would not to-day be in the enjoy- ment of comforts and facilities, social and moral, pecuniary and physical, which to them are priceless.
" They know that almost 'solitary and alone you set the ball in motion,' that you have unremittingly devoted the last five years of your life to the noble purpose of connecting by an Iron River the valleys of Otter Creek and Lake Champlain with the Hudson-that during the period, and while success was still doubtful, you have withstood temptations-have suffered pri- vations-performed unnumbered journeys by night and by day, in summer's heat and winter's cold-been assailed by malice- been subjected to annoyance-been hampered by the want of funds for the construction of your great project-and by the want of friends to believe in the practicability, and in ways manifold and numberless have voluntarily made sacrifices, per- sonal and pecuniary, at the bare mention of which, nine hun- dred and ninety-nine out of every thonsand you have benefit- ted by your labors, would shrink from in dismay. But in spite of all opposition, in the face of all these difficulties and dis- couragements, by the force of your intellect, by the unswerv- ยท ing and sleepless energy of your will, you have conducted a great project from doubt through difficulty, to a glorious con- summation.
"And while they are aware that you have had able and faith- ful coadjutors, dererving great credit, still they believe they are doing injustice to no one, and are but expressing the uni- versal and ananimons opinion of all, in anywise conversant
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with your labors and services, that but for you, neither the Rutland and Washington, Troy and Rutland or Albany and Northern Railroads, would to-day have had a local habitation or a name.
"Thus feeling and believing, they have commissioned me, in their name and on their behalf, to present you with this Service of Plate, as a token of their a. miration of your ability and ser- vices, and as a memorial of their esteem. "
Mr. Clark responded as follows: "SIR-The gift is accepted. My grateful acknowledgments are due to all who have contributed to it, and to you personally for the flattering terms of its presentation. This assemblage of personal friends, who have joined in this testimonial-this occasion, when gentlemen from abroad have left their ordin- ary avocations, and come here to testify in a public manner to the services of an humble individual, and the associations .. connected with a distinction so marked and yet so undeserved, produce emotions which cannot be expressed. That pleasure is of a high order which arises from the approval of a discrimin- ating public.
" You have said truly, this work was not accomplished by me alone. Others are equally and more deserving. Hon. Henry Stanley was the first projector of the Rutland and Washington Railroad, and superintended its preliminary survey. John Bradley, Esq., at an early day was identified with the enter- prise, and without his aid our railroad could not and would not have been built, and to him we owe a debt of lasting gratitude. There are many others of whom I could make honorable men- tion, but I ought not to discriminate. In this connection, how- ever, may I be pardoned for naming a brother who lies
Cold in the dust, But living in our heart,
who participated in every trial and in every council ?
"Together we planned-together we labored-together we staked our fortune, limited, indeed, but the proceeds of more than twenty year's successful business-together we devoted the ripest years of our lives, and though the work has been wrought by the impaired energies of the one and the sacrifice of the other, yet it is accomplished, thank God, and accom- plished successfully.
"Our great object is attained, if in the construction of this work we have won a victory-not a victory of one over an- other-but a victory, to use the language of another, 'of prac- tical science and art over the obstructions of Nature.' A vie- tory if we have planted happy homes where there were none. A victory, if, in fine, we have added to the amount of human happiness and human improvement.
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"Allow me again to tender to you, and to all interested in this bestowal, my sincere thanks. This hour and its incidents can- not be forgotten. The remembrance of it will last while life lasts, "
There were present upon this occasion, and who took part in the exercises of the evening, Thurlow Weed, Esq., of Albany ; Hon. I. W. Thompson, of Granville, N. Y .; E. L. Ormsbee, of Rutland; Martin I. Townsend, of Troy; Rev. John Newman, of Poultney; and Wm. A. Russell, Esq., of Salem, N. Y.
One of the important acts in the life of Mr. Clark, and one which does him great credit, was the restoration of Troy Con- ference Academy to the Conference in 1848. The Academy property had become heavily mortgaged at that time, and was encumbered to the amount of about $25,000, and the 'credit of the corporation was greatly impaired. Mr. Clark advanced the money, and bought in the said indebtedness for some $5,000, and could undoubtedly, had he been so disposed, have secured a perfect title to the property to himself for that sum. For this same property, he was afterwards offered by other parties $25,000, and could undoubtedly have sold it for a much larger sum. In 1849 or 1850, Mr. Clark attended a session of the Conference held at Sandy Hill, N. Y., and proposed to the Con- ference to restore to them the Academy property, free front debt, for what it had cost him, which proposition was accepted. His efforts in that respect, without doubt, saved the benefits of this school to the people of Poultney.
Some ten years ago, or more, when Mr. Clark saw that Poult- ney was somewhat behind the times in the matter of a burial ground, he generously gave five acres of his land to the Ceme- tery Association, formed at about that time.
Merritt Clark has never been known as a politican. It is not in his nature to be such. In the good old days of the Democratic party, he was a Democrat, and as such frequently received the nominations of the party for office; and on account of his experience as a financier, and his acknowledged executive ability, it was not strange that he should be looked to as a natural leader. He represented the town of Middletown in the
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State Legislature in the years 1832-3-9, and represented the town of Poultney in 1865-6. He was a Senator for Rutland County in the State Legislature in the years of 1863-4, and 1868-9. In 1850, he was the Democratic candidate for Congress in this district. He was a member of the last Constitutional Convention in this State. He has twice been the Democratic candidate for Governor of this State, and at the first nomina- tion Mr. Clark declined to serve, and John Robinson (Democrat) was elected in his stead. He was United States agent for the payment of pensions, for four years, under the administration of President Polk; was postmaster for some years at Middle- town, and for many years past has held the same office at Poult- ney. For some time he was a member of the Vermont Board of Education. He has been a justice of the peace for forty- four successive years, with the exception of one year. For forty years he was agent of the Vermont Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and for many years a director of the same company. In 1852, he was a delegate to the National Democratic Conven- tion, at Baltimore, when President Pierce was nominated. He has been Treasurer of the town of Poultney since 1861, and as such has made himself very useful to the town by his financial skill. He introduced important changes in the system of town accounting, and during the war his management was such as to greatly improve the credit of the town, and at the close of the war, to leave the town comparatively free from debt.
Mr. Clark married, in 1828, Miss Laura L. Langdon, a daughter of Ebenezer Langdon, of Castleton. She died November 20, 1869, at the age of 65 years.
Mr. Clark has had three children: Henry Clark, now one of the editors of the Rutland Globe; Edward Clark, now teller in the National Bank of Poultney; and a daughter, who died in ir fancy.
Dr. Theophilus Clark, now living at Tinmouth, at the age of 94 years, is a cousin of the late General Clark.
As to the character of Mr. Clark, as a man, we cannot do better than to copy from a sketch of his character given in a number of the National Magazine, published in 1856:
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"A clear, far-reaching, comprehensive, vigorous intellect, and a bold, decisive, tenacious will may command our respect; but the qualities of the heart only can secure our love. The highest tribute is justly due to his sensibilities. It is occasionally our blessing to meet a man with a soul-a soul that extends its in- fluence out so far as to light up the eye with kindness, imprint on the face a cheering smile, and give significance to the friendly and warm-hearted grasp. One of such men is Mr. Clark.
The success of his mercantile enterprises, the prosperity of the Bank of Poultney, and the triumphant snccecs of all his plans for getting a railroad from Rutland to Albany, are the very best exponent of his financial skill and managing ability. In his own town he is a noble citizen. There is no enterprise of public spirit demanded by the interests of the community in which he is not ready to take an active part. In a cheerful and happy old age, may he reap the rewards of useful and virtuons living.".
We have found the following fragment of poetry from the pen of Mr. Clark, and although never meant for publication, as a beautiful expression of sentiment, we deem it well worthy a place here:
An Incident.
A gentle hand was laid on mine, A voice of music met mine ear: " Will you," she said, "write me a line Of poetry ?" I thought it queer.
Said I: " I never wrote a rhyme Fit to read! I'll try and gather Into verse, and meter, and line Some beautiful thoughts of another."
The Thoughts.
No! never can a diamond ring!
Nor can the favor of a king Cause ine to sin be driven!
'Twould blight the day; 'twould bfight the night,
"Iwould blight the seuse of wrong and right;
"Iwould blight my hopes of Heaven!
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But love, true love is thousand-fold, More precious than the burnished gold, Or brilliant diamonds, even! But love's a crime, if trifled o'er, Remembrance tortures evermore- 'Twill make a Hell of Heaven!
CLEVELAND, SOLOMON-Came to Poultney soon after the 'close of the Revolutionary War, and settled on what is still known as the Cleveland Farm, located on the east side of Finel Hollow road, about half a mile from the road leading from East Poultney to Middletown. He had three children; two sons and a daughter. The sons were Samuel and Fassett. Samuel married the widow of George Morgan. He removed from Poultney to Hydeville and lived there many years. Fas- set removed from Poultney many years ago; and it is not known that either the sons are now living, or if living where they are, or their descendants, if they have any. Solomon Cleveland was a good citizen, and much respected.
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