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 20
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Cox, JAMES H .- Was born at Fort Miller, Washington Co., N. Y. He was a son of Levi and Lovina (Smith) Cox. His mother was raised in Middletown, and was a daughter of James Smith, an early settler of that town. The father left about the time James was born, and the mother was left with two chil- dren, with no means but her hands to care for them. She moved to Middletown with her children when James was about two months old, and remained there until he was about 13 . years old. James went to Wells and worked for John Gray, in a woolen factory. He worked in the factory about two years, during which time his mother married Nathaniel Grover, of Wells, and moved there, when he went to live with Mr. Grover and lived with him six years. He then worked out by the month four or five years. He was married to Electa E., daugh- ter of Rufus Perkins, of Pawlet, February 4, 1839. She died May 11, 1845. At the time of her death he lived in Tinmouth -moved to Tinmouth in 1842; he removed to Wells in 1850. For his second wife he married Betsey L., daughter of Whit-
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ing Grover, September 25, 1851. He has one child, Carrie E., born March 18, 1860. He moved to Poultney in 1868, and now resides here. In Mr. Cox we find a good example of industry and economy. From a poor boy, without a father to help him, he has gained a competence. He was a member of the Legis- lature, from the town of Wells, in the years 185 8-9.
CODMAN .- Dr. William Codman was born October 24th, 1786, and was married to Hester Sackett, of Hampton, N. Y., October 25th, 1810. She was born June 24th, 1789. They had four children:
William A., b. at Salisbury, Vt., Oct. 21, 1811; m. Lucy Atline Wilkinson, of West Haven, Vt., May 15, 1837. He is now a resident of Poultney, and owns the farm known as the Guernsey farm, about one mile east of East Poultney village. They have one daughter, Mary B., who m. Thomas Bryan, and resides in East Poultney village.
Gustavus, b. July 24, 1813. He learned the cabinetmaker's trade of James Richardson, of Poultney. He m. Betsey Howe, of Brownville, N. Y., where he now resides,
Christina, b. April 11, 1816; m. Henry Martin, of Poultney, Feb. 3, 1839. They now reside at Hampton, N. Y.
Delia M., b. Ang. 15, 1818; m. Aaron C. Broughton, July 11, 1843, and they now reside in Hampton, N. Y.
Dr. William Codman died at Ft. Edward, N. Y., July 15th, 1820. His widow was married to Amos Frisbie, of Poultney, June 23, 1822, She and her family then became residents of Poultney. After the death of Amos Frisbie, which occurred March 13, 1826, his widow was married, Jan. 16, 1838, to Miles Hotchkiss, of Poultney, with whom she lived to the time of his death, which occurred Sept. 2, 1850, leaving her a widow for the third time, since which time she has lived with her daughter, Mrs. Aaron C. Broughton; she is now in her eighty-seventh year. She had three children by Amos Frisbie, Mary, James S., and Emma, whose history may be found under the name of Frisbie.
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CRITTENDEN .- Seymour and Timothy Crittenden settled here soon after the Revolutionary War. Their descendants inform us that they moved here from Massachusetts. Seymour settled on the place recently occupied by N. P. Beach, near the State line, which divides the towns of Poultney and Hampton, N. Y. He married Sybil Kinney, and had ten children; the names of all we have not been able to obtain. His son Samuel married Olive Martin and moved to Michigan; of his descend- ants nothing is now known here. Sybil and Seymour, Jr., werc twins; Sybil died young. Seymour Crittenden, Sen., was a worthy and useful man. He often held town offices and posi- tions of trust. He was a deacon of the Congregational Church, which position he held for many years, as will appear in the history of that church. In politics, he was a Democrat, and the only one in the Congregational Church in his time. But he was honest and conscientious in all his relations; he died, July 17, 1828. Seymour, junior succeeded to the homestead, where he lived until his death. He married Abigal Ruggles, a daugh- ter of Dennison Ruggles, of Hampton.
He died, July 25, 1846, leaving three children: James, Harriet and Henry H. James married Lucy Jennison, of Swanton, Vt., and removed to Iowa, where he now lives; he has several chil- dren. Harriet married Lorriston E. Thompson, lives in Poultney, and has two children. Henry H. married Lucy Hosford, lives in Poultney, and has five children.
Timothy Crittenden settled on the Troy Conference Academy grounds. He early built a house where the front fence now is. It was a two story square roofed house, and, as elsewhere ap- pears, the Conference school was first opened in this building. He sold to Dr. James Witherell, about 1810, and removed west -we cannot say where, nor what descendants, if any are liv- ing. Both Seymour and Timothy Crittenden owned good farms, and were thriving and prosperous in their business, and among the most valuable citizens of Poultney in their time. Timothy Crittenden represented the town in the Vermont Leg- islature in the years 1802 and 1803.
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CULVER, DANIEL-Was born in Wells, Vt., and was a son of Samuel Culver, one of the old and prominent citizens of that town. Some years ago, Daniel moved from Wells to Middle- town, in 1850, and carried on a woolen manufactory there for a year and a half, or thereabouts, and then went to California, He returned from the latter place to Wells in the fall of 1853, He moved to Poultney in the year 1856, and set up in the grocery business in the building now occupied by E. C. Richard- son. This business he followed until about the time he com- menced the slate business. He now owns and works a slate quarry, the location of which is given elsewhere, and he is also a practical slate roofer. He is now doing quite an extensive business at roofing, obtaining his slate from his quarry. He married Lucy Clemons, of Wells. He has no children.
DANA .- Stephen Winchester Dana, son of Rev. Nathan ard Beulah Winchester Dana, was born in Newton, Mass., Nov. 7, 1786. His parents removed to Hubbardton, Vt., while he was a child, and he resided at that place until 1810. In September, 1810, he married Esther Rumsey, and removed to Poultney, She was a sister of Philo Rumsey, who formerly lived in Poult- ney, and was a tanner. Mr. Dana was a mechanic (a shop joiner) ; when he came to Poultney, he bought the place in the east village now occupied by Jacob Dewey, of Dr. Walker, an early settler of the town. In 1816, he became a merchant, and was successful in the change from mechanical to mercantile pursuits. He built a part of what is known as the Bailey block, and traded there. He was not only successful as a merchant, but was universally known as a man of integrity, and a fair and upright dealer. He dealt largely in farm produce; bought all the farmers had to sell, and thus contributed to their prosperity. He was a liberal man, and had in view the public interests as well as his own. He was a member of the Congregational Society, though not of any church at the time, and contributed of his means for its support. He lead the singing in the Con- gregational Church for several years, and through his efforts an organ was procured for that church, which was the first one
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used in this vicinity. He was the leading man in getting the post office established at East Poultney. In 1827, Mr. Dana re- moved to Troy; after he left Poultney, he connected himself with the Sixth Street Presbyterian Church, and not long after was elected a ruling elder. He died August 7, 1846. At the time of his death, he was President of the Troy and Greenbush Railroad, and of the Troy Commercial Bank. Mr. Dana had three children: J. Jay, James S., and Esther. J. Jay Dana is a prominent clergyman, and resides in Becket, Mass.
The widow of Stephen W. Dana died recently in Troy. She lived to a great age, and was much respected. She was especi- ally interested in missionary work, and for many years labored earnestly for the Troy Orphan Asylum.
DERBY, HIRAM-Was born in Pawlet, in the year 1799, He was a son of Benjamin Derby, who was born in Ellington, Conn., and served as a soldier in the War of the Revolution for seven years; he was with Arnold in his Canada campaign. After his discharge from the service, he married Constance Hamilton, and moved to Hebron, N. Y., and probably soon after from thence to Pawlet, Vt. He had nine children, of whom Hiram was one. One daughter married Jacob Lawrence; he died in Poultney in 1873, and his widow now resides with Warren E. Clark, in Poultney, who married her daughter. One daughter married Nehemiah Haskins, and now resides in this village. Benjamin Derby died in Pawlet, about 1830. His widow lived until 1846, and died while living with her son Hiram, in Hampton, at the age of 87 years. She drew a pension several years, as the widow of a deceased soldier. Hiram Derby married Nancy Monroe, and moved from Pawlet to Hampton; he moved from thence to Poultney in 1850, and died here in 1866, at the age of 67 years. He had nine children; five are now living: William H., Lovisa, John C., Hannah and Horace.
William H. married, and now resides in Iowa.
Lovisa married Alanson Rice, and is now his widow.
John C. Derby was born in Hampton, April 7, 1827, and learned the harness maker's trade of his brother, in that
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place. He went to East Poultney in 1852, and opened a shop in that village, where he carried on the business until he re- moved to the west village, in 1867. He married Emma E. Kelsey, of Whiting, June 10, 1856; they have had four children, three of whom are living-two sons and a daughter, He was Postmaster at East Poultney eight years, commencing with 1853. In 1871, he bought the old brick school-house, in the west village, and erected a fine brick building in its place, two stories high, and 47 feet by 64 feet, on the ground, The lower story'is occupied by him as a shoe store and work room, and by Dr. Hibbard, who deals in fancy goods, books, stationery, etc .; the upper story is occupied by F. M. Rood's photograph rooms, and the insurance office of A. E. Cushman. Mr. Derby has given us a good example of industry.
Hannah married Gilbert Nichols, and lives in Auburn, N. Y.
Horace Derby has been twice married; his second wife was Alida Kelsey, with whom he now resides in this town.
DEAN, SIMEON P .- Now owns and resides on the farm re- cently occupied by Robert Bull He is a thriving and industri- ous farmer. Seth Dean owns and resides on a farm south of the village. Both are unassuming, industrious, thriving men in their business.
DEWEY FAMILY .- Among the names signed to the charter of Poultney, as original proprietors, may be found the names of Abner and Stephen Dewey. These men were relatives; one . perhaps the ancestor of Major Zebudialı Dewey, the first man of the name who settled in Poultney. He was born in Bar- rington, Mass,, in 1726, and died in Poultney, October 28, 1804, aged 78 years. His first wife was the widow of Solomon Jack- son, by whom he had one son-Thomas. The widow had one
daughter, who was married to one Jacob Cathin. After the de- cease of his first wife, Mr. Dewey married Beulah Stearns, of Mendon, Mass. They resided with his mother, Abigal Dewey, in Tyringham, Mass., until most of their nine children were born. In 1772 or '73, they moved to Poultney, and are said to
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have located on the site now occupied by Beaman's hotel. But here, as he said, "the neighbors became too near and too num- erous," and so he sold out and retired to the head of " Hamp- shire Hollow," on the farm now occupied by his grandson, B. F. Dewey. At that time, as the clearing extended only to "town hill," to reach his log house it was necessary to follow " blazed trees." At this time he was 47 years of age, and his wife ten years younger. He was a bold, resolute lover of the chase and hunt. The region round about him at this time afforded him ample opportunity for pursuing his favorite pleasure, and many a bear, and wolf, and deer has gone down before his unerring rifle. In appearance, he was about five feet ten inches in height, slim but very muscular, small, keen black eyes, dark hair; in- clining to stoop at the shoulders; of a strong, sanguine temper- ament; a man of good mind, good judgment, and sound com- mon sense; and hence, just the man to be selected, as he was, to represent the town in those then troublous times, in the Gen- eral Association of Delegates, for the defence of their liberties. Quite a large part of his farm he purchased by the payment of unpaid taxes, at about one cent per acre. But the chief attrac- tions to this land, were the hard wood, and good opportunity for hunting. "But for this," his youngest, daughter said, "we might have been 'village belles' instead of 'wood nymphs.'" Tradition calls him the first captain of the militia of Poultney. He, with his brother-in-law, Ichabod Marshall, with others from . Poultney, were in the Battle of Hubbardton. It was there he obtained the title of Major. At the dispersion of the American troops, he, with the rest, sought their home, only to find their families gone. He drove his young cattle into the woods, hastily yoked his oxen to the cart, and started in pursuit of the fleeing families-overtaking them at Pawlet, where they had stopped for the night. This family was somewhat "Tory," and so when Mrs. Dewey asked for bread for the crying children, the landlady said she had none in the house; but when she left the room, Mrs. Marshall opened a cupboard, and found plenty of bread; when the landlady returned, she found the children busily engaged in eating bread. In the morning they paid their
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bills and departed, "and no questions asked." They made their way as hastily as possible toward their old home in Berkshire County, Mass. Stopping one night at Pownal, where Mrs. Dewey acted as Captain of a company of women, with one gun and no ammunition, and won the field. Major Dewey and I. Marshall, tradition says, came back in the Berkshire Militia, and were in the Battle of Bennington. Late that fall, or in mid- winter, they returned to Poultney with their families, the war being over, so far as the New Hampshire Grants were concerned. Major Dewey thereafter gave himself up to the cultivation of his farm. We still see the Major's love of hunting cropping out in some of his grand and great-grand-children
His wife, Beulah Stearns, was born in Mendon, Mass., in 1737, and died in Poultney, Dec. 31, 1820, aged 83 years. She was a sister of Mrs. Lydia Stearns Marshall, wife of Ichabod Marshall, of Poultney. Mrs. Dewey was a resolute, "strong-minded " woman of the stronger sort, capable and well calculated to bring up a large family in the wilds of Vermont. She was generous, kind and self-reliant. For many years she was the midwife of this region, and many of the older inhabitants still living re- member her as she rode on her little gray pony about town, on her errands of mercy. Her old side-saddle is still in good re- pair, and ready to receive and carry her successor in office. It may be seen at the house of Mrs. Augusta King Thayer, Rut- land, Vt., the old lady's great-grand-daughter. After the death of Major Dewey, she continued to reside with her son Azariah, at the old homestead. Sometime in the early part of the century, Mrs. Dewey and Mrs. Marshall, being widows, were called upon by one Thomas Ashley, a widower, with the question: "Mrs. Marshall, do you wish to change your condition ?" " No, sir," she replied, with emphasis; " but my sister does." To the same question, Mrs. Dewey said "yes," and they were accordingly married. Mr. Ashley lived but a very few years after this. After his death:, Mrs. Ashley returned to live at the old Dewey homestead with her son Azariah.
Major Dewey's family consisted of ten children, five sons and five daughters.
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Thomas, the oldest son, married an Ashley, and, as one of the first settlers, moved into Milton, Vt., February 15, 1782. He died at Milton, January, 1813. He had two sons and three daughters, one of whom, Mrs. J. S. Webster, still resides at Winooski, Vt. Zebudiah, the second son, married a Moseley, and also became an early settler of Milton. He had one son and three daughters, and died in April of the same year and of the same disease with his brother Thomas, 1813. Beulah, the oldest daughter, married Elisha Ashley, and they settled early in Milton. They had twelve children, all of whom reached years of maturity. Mrs. Lucy Lyon, the oldest child, is still living in Milton, at the advanced age of 91 years.
Mrs. Beulah Dewey Ashley died in Milton, in 1849.
Charlotte, the oldest daughter, married Nathaniel Moseley. They resided in Pawlet and Rutland, Vt., and died in St. Law- rence county, N. Y.
Anna, the third daughter, married Samuel Murdock, and re- sided in Milton until his death. She afterwards married a man named Richmond. She also died, in 1813.
Artemesia, the fourth daughter, married Ebenezer Jennings, and removed to Western New York. She and her son died in 1832, of cholera.
Azariah, the third son, was born in Tyringham, Mass., in 1765; was 7 or 8 years old when the family came to Poultney, and 12 or 13 when the family was driven off by the Tories and and Indians. His first wife was Amelia Smith, by whom he had two sons and one daughter, viz .: Solomon Jackson, Archibald, and Abigail. Solomon J. married Charlotte Finel, and died in His children are, Edwin S. Oscar, Albert and Solomon. Archibald married Zelima Pond, and now resides in Ft. Ann, N. Y. His children are, Asahel P., Lycurgus, Henry and Pauline. Abigail married Eli Anderson, and they reside in Michigan. After the death of his first wife, he married Louise Darby, by whom he had five sons and one daughter: B. Frank- lin, still residing at the old homestead; Milton, residing in Rut- land; J. Randolph, still residing near the old homestead; Hen- ry and Eliza, dead, and James M., residing in Fairhaven, Vt.
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Mr. Azariah Dewey resided a few years in Milton, but came back at the death of his father, to care for and settle his fath- er's estate. In 1798 he was commissioned a Captain of the mil- itia company of Poultney, by Gov. Tichenor, and was discharged at his own request the same year. He died, March 31, 1832, aged 67. His widow died.
Jonathan, fourth son, married a Miss Newton, by whom he had four sons and two daughters, namely: Nelson, Zebudiah, William and Daniel; Perley and Julia, all of whom are dead, excepting Zebudiah, who married Esther Mears. They now re- side in Rutland, Vt. Jonathan resided a few years in Poultney, then moved to Mendon, N. Y., where he died.
Keziah, the fifth and youngest daughter of Major Dewey, was born August 28th, 1782, and married Warren Hill, April 4, 1802. After residing a year or two in Poultney, they removed to Milton, Vt. They had three sons: Roderick and Rodney (twins), and Warren Bristol; and two daughters: Lucretia, wife of Dr. H. P. Cobb, of Milton, and mother of Dr. Lucretius Cobb, of Detroit, Mich., and Lucia, wife of Lyman Burgess, of Milton, Vt., and mother of Mrs. Lucretia B. Witters, also of Milton, Vt. Mrs. Keziah Dewey Hill died at Detroit, Mich., in February, 1842,
David, the youngest son of Major Zebudiah Dewey, was born March 1, 1778, the spring after the settlers of Poultney and other towns in Western Vermont, made such a hasty exodus to escape the marauding stragglers of the British army. He was the second child born in town after the war-William Ward being the first, who was born Feb. 28, 1778 both were born the same night), for which notable instance of "early rising," tradition says, he received a grant of land. The boyhood and youth of David were passed with the privations incident to all boys of that early day. His first leather shoes he had after he was twelve years of age; his mother made him cloth moccasins, and so he was accustomed to come from home down to school- house on the road, some 60 rods east from the present "red school house," often going barefoot through snow and sleet. He worked on his father's farm until of age. Soon after this,
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at the suggestion of his mother, he began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. Selah Gridley, of Castleton, Vt. After passing the required term of study, he was licensed to practice by the Rutland County Medical Association. On March 1st, 1802, he married Anna Morse. They resided at the old home- stead until the death of his father, when his older brother Azariah took his place. About this time he purchased and moved on a farm on the south side of the road leading from East Poultney to Middletown, and three-quarters of a mile from East Poultney. The old log-house was on the south side of the river.
From 1805 to 1809 his mind was turned to inventing some useful and labor-saving machines. The result of his investiga- tions and experiments was the invention of the shearing ma- chine-the first implement for shearing cloth by machinery ever patented in this country-for which invention letters patent were granted him, signed by James Madison, Presi- dent, and C. A. Rodney, Attorney General, dated, June 27, 1809. This machine consisted of a twisted shear blade, a shearing board and rollers, over which the cloth is stretched as it passes between the shear blade and the shear board. It was a vast improvement on the old way of shearing by hand,
every way. In order to have the machine most valuable and durable, it was necessary to have a cutting edge to the shears, of steel. At that time there were no smiths hereabouts who could weld steel upon iron, and so he went to Connecticut, learned the art, came back and taught it to his blacksmith. This shearing machine was the foundation of all the present highly improved machines for shearing cloth. In 1807 he built the first framed dwelling house on his home farm, and two years after he built a dam, a trip-hammer shop, and other shops necessary for the manufacture of the shearing machines, all of which were carried off by the flood of 1811. About that time, becoming dissatisfied with the practice of medicine, owing to its great labor and small remuneration, he gave it up and en- gaged largely in the manufacture of shearing machines, which proved a very lucrative business. From this time businesses of
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various kinds seemed to multiply on his active mind. He pur- chased other farms and engaged more extensively in farming. His mind was not idle as regards improvements on the shearing machine, for again, in 1814, he received letters patent for the invention of a "Vibrating Shearing Machine," an improvement by which a vibratory motion was given to the shear blade, These letters were signed by James Madison, President, James Monroe, Secretary of State, and Richard Rush, Attorney Gen- eral. In 1816, near the site of the trip-hammer shop, he built a cotton factory, having rebuilt the dam some time before. He now engaged very extensively, for those times, in the manufac- ture of cotton cloth. The next year he built and moved into his last place of residence. He also moved down the old school house of district No. 3, and made it an appendix to his factory. He continued his factory until it ceased to be profitable. In 1818 he again received letters patent for a second improvement on the shearing machine, and continued their manufacture. About this time he went into the mercantile business with Wil- liam Wheeler, in the north half of the house now occupied by Mrs. P. M. Ross, East Poultney. Also about this time he built and carried on one of the ten distilleries which have been run in this town; but becoming convinced that the business was a wicked crime against society, he stopped it and let the distill- ery rot down. At the decline of the price of cotton goods, he changed his factory into a clothier's works, and put into one part of his factory a carding machine, built in the building by John Colby, Esq., of Hartland, Vt .; he worked a whole year in the building thereof.
Dr. Dewey at one time owned a share of the printing office and fixtures of the Northern Spectator, a paper printed formerly at East Poultney. These various branches of business were carried on by him until they ceased to be as lucrative as he de- sired, and then his restless and inventive mind sought and pro- duced others. During all these years he kept up his farming interests, which so increased on him, that he at one time was owner of and carrying on no less than six farms in this and ad- joining towns. His home farm was purchased of Titus Watson,
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and with the farm he took " Capt Bill Watson," a doughty hero of the Revolution, to board, as a sort of dependency.
In 1837, Dr. Dewey received letters patent for the invention of the "Spring-Tooth Horse Rake," an implement which at once materially shortened the season and reduced the labor of haying, and of which the present improved spring-tooth wheel- rakes are but the outgrowth. Farmers of the present day can hardly realize the vast amount of labor saved by the agricultural machinery invented during these later years for their use and benefit.
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