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 26
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29
316
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
long since ceased to be inhabitants of the town. Hannah was an excellent school teacher, and became the wife of Zimri Howe. An instance relating to James R. Norton may here be mentioned. Mr. Norton re-built his grist mill after the flood of 1811; and while raising the building, James R. fell forty-two feet onto solid rock. In his fall he struck a man 'on the way down, which to some extent broke the force of the fall. The next day he helped put the rafters on the same building. Soon after this, Ephraim Herrick, as before appears, had a fall from a wagon, which resulted in his death. Herrick's fall was per- haps not over two feet, and this contrast reminds us that
" An earthquake may be made to spare The man that's strangled by a hair."
NOYES, MOSES-Came from Sharon, Duchess county, N. Y., to Poultney about the year 1814. Hle soon held a prominent position in society, and particularly in the Congregational Church, of which he became an active member, and one of its deacons. Four children came with him, two sons and two daughters. Dea. Moses Noyes d. Ang. 1, 1838, at the age of 85; his wife d. Dec. 25, 1843, at the age of 86. His son Wil- liam P. Noyes was b. in 1802. He succeeded his father in the office of deacon in the Congregational Church; was in the mercantile business in Poultney for several years. He d. in Waltham, Mass., Aug. 10, 1860, where he had lived and been in active business for a few years. Wm. P. left a son, Moses G., who was b. Oct. 6, 1832, and reisided in Poultney until his decease, which occurred Oct. 23, 1873; it was supposed that he died of heart disease. There was a squirrel hunt, in which he and oth- ers were engaged; and while Innting he became separated from his companions, and the latter, on their return, found that Mr. Noyes had not returned, Search was made and his body found in the ti Ids, not far from where Joseph W. Clark now lives, with indications that his death was sudden, and from the canse above named. Mr. Noyes served his country in the War of the Rebellion; and was at the time of his death the presiding ofli- cor of Netis Lodge of Odd Fellows.
317
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
Moses G. Noyes, a son of Moses and brother of William P., was born in Dutchess county, N. Y., in 1794; graduated at Middlebury College in 1819; studied law with David Russel!, in the State of New York, and was admitted to the bar in 1825. Hle was in practice some four years in Poultney, and'removed 10 New York. He d. in 1832, at the age of 38.
PALMER .-- Dr. David Palmer was in practice a few years in Poultney, and left the town about the year 1822. He became a professor in a medical institution at Woodstock, Vt .; after- wards a professor at a like institution in Massachusetts, where he died. His death was caused by accidentally inhaling gas, while lecturing on chemistry. He ranked among the ablest physicians of his time, and as a man of science in his profession had few equals.
PARKER, ABEL-Was one of the early settlers, and was sie- cessor to Nehemiah Howe in the grist mill at East Poultney. He was a large landowner in the early history of the town. Whether he died in Poultney we cannot say, but his descend- ants quite early became inhabitants of Wells. Carlos Parker and the wife of Charles W. Potter, now residing in Wells, and the wife of Barden Beals, of Poultney, are descendants of Abel Parker.
PARKER, GARDNER-Was born in Hopkinton, Mass. His father's name was Perley Parker; he died about eight years ago. The maiden name of his mother was Betsey Mellon. In this family were three children: Emily, Gardner and Joshua Mellen, all of whom are now living. Gardner m. Mary M. Faa . yer, of Boston, youngest daughter of Capt. George P. Sawyer, of that city Their children are:
Eliza E., in. Roswell Frail, and resides in Hopkinton.
George G, m. Mandana Hyde, daughter of N. C. Hyde, of Poultney, and is in business in this place.
Mary Carrie, m. Martin D. Cole, Cashier of Castleton Nati mal Bank.
Edgar V., now living with his parents in Poultney.
318
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
Mr. Parker came to Poultney in 1865, and entered into the slate business, in which he has ever since been, and is now, en- gaged. He first had charge of the quarries of the New England Slate and Tile Company; and of those of the Union Slate Com pany, and is now a manufacturer and general dealer in slate.
PARSONS .- Daniel Parsons became a resident of Poultney about the beginning of the present century, and for several years kept a hotel in the east village, in what was afterwards known as the Neal House. He was married, but had no child- ren; he had an adopted daughter, who married Henry Neal. Hle died August 26, 1825.
PARSONS, ABIAL-A soldier of 1812, and an honest old man, was a few years a resident of this place. He died October 5, 1875, at the age of 81 years. A son, Collamer, occupies the homestead.
PEASE-Captain Royal Pease came to Poultney about the beginning of the present century; bought a farm of John Howe, Esq., at the upper end of Finel Hollow. The relic of the house, near the cemetery in that locality, is still standing; now owned by C. P. Austin. We are not aware that he had but three children: Adelia, the third wife of Dr. Kendrick, recently deceased; Eliza, the widow of the Hon. klisha Ward, late of Silver Creek, N. Y .; and Albert, unmarried, now resid- ing in the north part of the town; a man of more than ordin- ary intelligence.
PERRY .- Dr. Charles S. Perry was born in West Rutland, December 22, 1818. His father's name was Asa Perry; his mother, was Betsey, daughter of Captain Daniel Smith, of West, Rutland parish. Dr. Perry graduated at Castleton Medical College, in 1845, and commenced practice in Benson in 1846, where he practiced three or four years; from thence he went to Castleton, where he lived until he moved to Poultney, in 1852, and has been in the practice of his profession here since. Aug. 19, 1846, he married Loraine, daughter of Ebenezer and Polly (Stockin) Langdon, f Castleton. Mr. Langdon was born in
319
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
Farmington, Coan., and Mrs. Langdon in New Britain, Conn. Dr. Perry has had three children: Laura Clark and Lorame Langdon, born in Castletou, and E. Langdon, born in Poultney, died March 24, 1860, aged about 6 years.
PIERCE, PHINEAS .- Came to Poultney soon after the surren- der of Burgoyne, settled about a half mile east of the east vil- lage, built a gambrel roof house on the bank of the Finel Hollow brook, a few rods east of the brick house now occupied by James Hopper. He was interested in the manufacture of iron in the forge built by the Joslins. His children were Abiram, Keziah, who married an Austin, and after his death, married William Condry, of Mormon notority; Rhoda, who m. Colonel John Ransom. She was one of Solomon's virtuous women, as described in the last chapter of Proverbs. Amos, a blacksmith, who married Polly, the daughter of Dea. Sanford, and moved to Illinois; Stephen and Lucy, who left town ul .- married, and of whom we know but little.
POND FAMILY .- It may not be out of place to give the gent - alogy of the Pond family prior to their removal from Connecti- out to this town-for all, or nearly all, the Connecticut Ponds claim the same common ancestry. In 1630, Gov. Winthrop came over from Groton, England, to Boston, Mass., and brought, among others on the same ship, two brothers, John and Robert Pond. The Governor, writing home to his son, says: "Tell Pond that both his sons are well, and remember their duty." Of John, or his descendants, we hear nothing more. Robert settled at Dorchester, Mass, and received his portion of land in the general distribution, in 1633, and died in 1637. (Vide Savage.) There was, later, a Thomas Pond, who came to Bos- ton in 1635, supposed by some to be a third brother-but nothing more is known of him or his descendants.
New Windsor, Conn., was largely, if not entirely, settled by emigrants from Dorchester, in 1635. There is a very strong presumption that Robert had a son, "Sammuell," who came over with him, and cast in his lot with the others from Dorchester, who, in 1635, were seeking a new home on the banks of the Connecticut, at Windsor; for we find recorded, officially, the
320
IHISTORY OF POULTNEY.
marriage of Sammuell Pond, in Windsor, November 14th, 1642. Sammuell Pond died March 14th, 1654, leaving a wife and four children. We append the inventory of his property, copied from the original records, now in the State House at Hartford, ('onn., all in " ye olden style."
Inventory of ye Estate of Sammuel Pond, of Windsor, de- ceased, made March ye 19th, 165%.
€ s. d.
Inprimis, In houssing and land adjoining, 12 akers 21, 30 0
In ye little meadow, 2
.. 21, 10 0 0
In Plymouth meadow, 3
12 () ()
In ye Woods, 22
1 C 0
Bought of Mr. Hanford, 13 5 5 0 Branker, 10 3 10 66 ()
In ye inner room of ye house, 2 bedsteads and bedding, 4 10 ( )
7 yard. Linning Cloth, -
14
His apparrell, - 3 14 (
3 old chests, and other small things in ye inner room, 1 10 (
His Arms,
1 0 0
In Pewter,
-
1 14 0)
In Brass, -
2 =
In Iron Pots, - 8
1
In other things in outer room,
2
3 ()
- 60 po of Bacon,
1 10
Corn in house, -
3 16 0
Other things in ye chambers,
1 2
0
One yoke of Steers, 11 10
6 0) ()
2 yearlings, - One heafer, -
2 10 0
4 Cows,- -
16 () ()
Ye tackling for ye Oxen, -
2 7 0
Two Swine, - 1
0
Sum Totalis, 129 2 0
£ .. d. 11 0 0
In debts due Sam'll Pond,
Sam'll Pond indebted,
9 14 6
HENRY WOLCOTT, JR. JOHN MOORE, Ro. HOWARD,
Sammuel Dyed Mch. 14th, 1654.
Intestate, left behind him Sarah his wife: A Isaac his eldest soune eight years of age: BENEDICTUS ALFORD Sammuell, his second sonne, six years of age, mark.
2 young Steers,
2 15 ()
-
321
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
Nathariel, the third sonne, three years of age and quarter: Sarah, his danghter, 2 years one month of age:
The Coert orders ye Estate to be divided, to ye widow, £40:
And ye rest of ye Estate to be equally divided between ye four children.
From this date we have no difficulty in tracing a direct line down to the present time. But to go back a little, and recapitu- late-thus presenting a connected line of descent.
1st Generation-Robert Pond came over from Groton, Eng- land, 1630; d. 1637, at Dorchester, Mass.
2d Generation-" Sammuell" Pond m. at Windsor, Conn.,
. 1642, supposed son of Robert, d. at Windsor, 1654.
3d Generation-Sammuell 2d, b. March 4, 1648, son of Sam- muell, removed to Branford, Conn .; was a Deputy to the General Court in 1678-1683-1687 (at that time but forty- two dupties in Connecticut).
4 h Generation-Sammuell 3d, second son of Sammuell of Bran- ford, b. July 1, 1679; m. Abigail Goodrich, 1704.
5th Generation-Phillip, second son of Sammuell 3d, b. June 5, 1706; lived and died at Branford.
6th Generation-Dan, the "Patriarch," first son of Phillip, b. March 4, 1726, at Branford, Conn .; removed to Stockbridge, Mass., and thence to Poultney, in 1782, locating, with a por- tion of his family, on " Pond Hill." He had fifteen children -13 sons and 2 daughters. All but one (Phillip) lived to have families. Dan d. May 27, 1783, aged 56 years, and is buried in the East Poultney Cemetery. A double stone is erected to the memory of himself, and Mabel, his wife.
7th Generation-The names of Dan's 15 children are as follows, most of whom came with him to Pond Hill:
1. Dan, Jr., b. May 4, 1751; removed from Connecticut to Shoreham, Vt.
2. Phillip, a soldier of the Revolution; was taken prisoner, sent to Halifax, and d. there of yellow fever-unmarried.
3. Abel, third son of "Patriarch " Dan, b. Oct. 27, 1753; settled at Lenox, Mass .; came up with his father Dan in May, 1782, to Poultney, at first with the others on Pond Hill, but after- wards located on what was called "Poultney Flats," on the
41
322
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
place now owned by Elijah Hawes, and d. Dec 29, 1828; was one of the founders of the Poultney Baptist Church He came up with Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys to the assault, and was present at the surrender of Fort Ticonderoga, but was compelled to remain ou the cast side of the Lake, and, with the majority of the force, wit- ness the proceeding, owing to the scarcity of boats to con- vey them over in time. It is understood that the emigra- tion of the Pond family to this town from Massachusetts and Connecticut, was in consequence of the representations of Abel, who, in his expeditions, as as a soldier, repeatedly passed through this part of the then sparsely settled country.
4. Rebbecca, b. 1755; m. George Leonard, a Revolutionary soldier, and lived in the northern part of Vermont.
5. Josiah, b. Dec. 20, 1756; m. in Lenox, Mass .; removed to Shoreham, Vt .; was a soldier of the Revolution-afterwards a Colonel of Militia.
6. Phinneas, b. May, 1758; a soldier of the Revolution for seven years; settled in Tioga County, Penn.
7. Silas, b. 1759; a Revolutionary soldier; settled at Panton, Vt .; d. Nov 20, 1827.
8. Nathaniel, b. 1760; settled in Crawford County, Penn .; d. June 11, 1849.
9. Jared, b. June 27, 1762; settled in Panton; m. Esther Mer- rill, of Addison, Vt .; was a merchant, a captain of militia, and a justice-a volunteer at the Battle of Plattsburg, 1812; d. Aug. 12, 1817.
10. William, b. Sept. 2, 1763; was a soldier of the Revolution; settled in Schroon, N. Y .; d. 1838, at Conneantville, Pa.
11. Asahel, b. Jan. 10, 1765; m. Lovisa Ward, of Poultney, Dec. 9, 1792; lived on Pond Hill; was a major in the militia, a representative in the Vermont Legislature, and an excellent practical farmer; d. Oct. 12, 1830.
12. Ira, b. Nov. 10, 1766; settled in Shoreham; a very muscular and powerful man-could handle any two men with ease; d. March 11, 1837.
323
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
13. Benjamin, 12th son of Dan, b. 1768; m. Abigail Ashley, daughter of Thomas Ashley, one of the first settlers of Poultney, and finally settled in Schroon, Essex County, N. Y .; was judge of the court, a representative in the New York Legislature, and also a member of Congress for two terms; a volunteer at the Battle of Plattsburg, in 1814, and, by exposure, caught the " camp fever," and d. Oct. 6, 1814.
14. Thankful, b. Sept. 25, 1770; m. Zebulon Ashley; removed from Poultney, in 1812, to Middlebury, Knox County, Ohio. She d. July 17, 1839.
15. Monson, 13th son of "Patriarch" Dan, b. Sept. 18, 1772, at Stockbridge, Mass .; was only 10 years of age when his father came up to Poultney ; m. and settled in Bridport, Vt .; about 1815, removed to Middlebury, Knox County, Ohio, afterwards to White Rock, Ogle County, Ill , and there d. Nov. 10, 1861.
8th Generation-Children of Abel Pond, third son of Dan, the " Patriarch."
1. Fila, d. at 10 months of age, by a fall into the fire.
2. Stephen, eldest son of Abel, b. in Lenox, Mass., Sept. 29, 1779; came to Poultney with his father, May, 1782; helped to clear the farm (bounded by College street, from the bridge across Poultney River to the Troy Conference build- ings, and thence to the river), and afterwards learned the chair and rake making business, and manufactured the same until 1832, when he removed to Ohio, and d. Dec. 1, 1868, aged 89 years; he was respected by all that knew him.
3. Levi, 2d son of Abel, b. Sept. 30, 1781, at Lenox, Mass .; he came to Poultney with his father, 1782; some time after removed to Schroon, N. Y., and there m., where four child- ren were born; returned to Poultney about 1816, where four others were born; in 1832, removed to Knox County, Ohio, where he d. in 1853.
4. Lydia, b. 1784, at Poultney; d. March 21, 1803.
5. Clarissa, b. 1786, at Poultney, d. of malignant typhoid fever, March 20, 1803. Lydia and Clarissa were both buried in one grave.
324
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
6. Sally, b. Aug. 24, 1788; m. Wm. Pond; d. in Schroon, 1815.
7. Ira, 3d son of Abel, b. in Poultney, July, 1790; d. Feb. 15, 1813, with " cold plague."
8. Abel, Jr., 4th son of Abel, b. Aug. 7, 1792; removed to Knox County, Ohio; d. Dec. 14, 1843.
9. Harvey Curtis, 5th son of Abel, b. Feb. 28, 1794; m. Marian Turpin, Oct. 24, 1819. Was captain in the militia and con- stable of the town; he was possessed of a kind heart and generous disposition. Of all the Ponds born in the town- 60 in number-he only remained to live and die in the town of his nativity! not one bearing the name now living in Poultney-a daughter, Mrs. R. H. Green, the only one sur- viving.
10. Eunice C., b. Aug. 7, 1797; m. Peter Eighmy, and now (1875) living at Spring, Crawford County, Pa.
11. Joel Andrus, 6th son of Abel, m. Abigail Willis, of Hampton, N. Y .; he is now living at Steuben, Crawford County, Pa ,
12. Electa, b. April 24, 1809; d. July 24, 1844-unmarried,
13. Chauncy Barnes, 7th son of Abel, b. Sept. 28, 1811; removed to Pearl Creck, N. Y.
14. Jairus, 8th son of Abel, b. 1813; d. March 6, 1814.
Children of Major Asahel Pond :
1. Monson, b. Nov. 4, 1793; m. Esther R. Fuller; d. Oct. 1, 1871, at Belmond, Iowa.
2. Dan, 2d son of Major Asabel, b. April 30, 1795; a physician and surgeon of note, located at Granville, N. Y .; afterwards removed to Illinois, where he died, Oct. 17, 1873.
3. Phillip, 3d son of Major Asahel, b. Oct. 12, 1796; m. Julia Ransom, of Poultney; was a Colonel of the militia, and a deputy sheriff; removed to Castleton, where he d., Oct. 10, 1873. He was an active, genial and useful citizen.
4. Hiram, 4th son of Major Asahel, b. Dec. 25, 1798; d. Aug. 30, 1873.
5 Louisa, b. Sept. 27, 1800; m. Solomon Farwell, Castleton;
6. Angeline, b. June 25, 1802; m. Silas Pond; removed to Panton, Vt.
325
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
7. Zelima, b. May 29, 1804; m. Archibald Dewey; resides at Kingsbury, N. Y.
8. Asahel, Jr., 5th son of Major Asahel, b. May 20, 1807; m. Calista Hartwell; removed to Castleton, resides on the bank of Lake Bomoseen.
9. Eveline, b. Dec. 7, 1800; m. Abel Thornton, of Castleton, and d. 1869.
10. Perlina, b. 1811; m. John Mason, of Castleton, and d. May 26, 1843.
Louisa, Zelima and Perlina all married the same day, and at one ceremony, December 2, 1830, at the old homestead on Pond Hill-a spectacle not often witnessed, especially in these degen- erate days of one or two children in an entire family.
9th Generation-Children of Stephen Pond:
1. Daniel Streator, Ist son of Stephen Pond, b. June 29, 1805; m. Clarissa W. Ashley, daughter of Zebulon Ashley, of Poultney, now residing (1875) at Rochester Depot, Ohio, 2. Stephen, Jr., b. July 11, 1808; m. Abyal Bristol, of Wind- ham, Ohio, resides at New Genessee, Ill.
3. Betsey, b. Aug. 11, 1812; m George Foster, of Windham, Ohio, now residing at Spencer, Medina County, Ohio.
4. Harris, b. Oct. 14, 1814; d. Dec. 21, 1814.
5. Harvey Curtis, b. April 9, 1816; d. Feb., 1818.
6. Jairus, b. Feb. 16, 1818; d. Nov. 15, 1872, at New London, Huron County, Ohio; unmarried.
7. Ann Eliza, b. March 18, 1820; d. Aug. 31, 1822.
8. Eliza, b. June 4, 1822; m. Josiah II Coats; d. March 29, 1867, at Rochester Depot, Ohio.
9. Bethiah, b. Dec. 6, 1824; d. Feb. 18, 1825.
10. Lucy, b. June 21, 1826; m. A. J. Pardee, of Windham, O.
11. Harriet Ann, b. November 22, 1829; m. William B. Messen- ger, of Windham, Portage County, Ohio; he died at Chat- tanooga, Tennessee, in the United States service.
All of Stephen's children were born in Poultney, Vt.
The compiler of this article is under great obligation to Daniel S. Pond, for many of the facts here related, he having devoted
326
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
much time labor and expense in gathering the materials for a " Genealogical Record of the Pond Family," especially the " Connecticut " branch.
Children of Levi Pond:
1. Abel, November 28, 1808; 2. Luemma, June 6, 1810; 3. Emily, November 11, 1812; 4. Sally, March 7, 1815-all born at Schroon. Afterwards Levi removed to Poultney :
5. Hiram Andrew Jackson, b. in Poultney, August 31, 1817; now resides in Iowa.
6. George Washington, b. in Poultney; d. aged 5 months.
7. Laura, b. in Poultney, and died-no dates.
8 William Henry, b. in Poultney, April 8, 1827; died in the United States service.
9. Albert, b. December 12, 1829, at Hampton, N. Y., half mile from old homestead in Vermont, just over the line.
Children of Harvey Curtis Pond, son of Abel:
1 Anna, born August 13, 1820, at Poultney ; married Rufus II. Green, July 23, 1837, still resides in East Poultney, sole survivor of all of the name in Poultney.
2 De Witt Clinton, born March 29, 1824, at East Poultney ; now resides (1875) at Hartford, Conn., dealer in books and stationery.
3 Henry Clay, b. April 16, 1833, at Poultney; died February 22, 1854.
4 Ilarvey Curran, born March 30, 1852; died at Baltimore, April 23, 1875, in the United States service-Battery A, 2d Artillery.
Children of Monson Pond, Ist son of Major Asahel:
I Harriet, born March 29, 1823, at Poultney ; died July, 1833.
2 Hiram, born December 26, 1825; died June 26, 1826.
3 Josephine J. born September 3, 1828; married Hiram J. Craw- ford, of Ohio.
4 Sarah Alphonsine, born June 21, 1831, at Poultney; married Charles Saunders-now in California.
5 Mary F., born June 23, 1833; married Levi L. Warren-now at Joliett, Ill.
32'
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
6. Gulian Verplank, born May 13, 1835, at Poultney-now lives at Scott, Ogle County, Ill.
7 Durlin Brayton, born July 23, 1837, at Poultney ; was a cavalry soldier in the War of the Rebellion-now a merchant at Belmond, Wright County, Iowa.
8 Clark Kendrick, born June 13, 1850, at Poultney; enlisted in Illinois Calvary in the great Rebellion, and d. in the service. 1 Children of Phillip Pond, 3d son of Major Asahel:
1 Horace Ransom, born in Poultney, January 11, 1824, a physi- cian; died at Sacramento City, California, August 16, 1849, greatly regretted.
2 Mary Jane, born November 14, 1825, at Poultney; married Delos F. Herrick, September 30, 1845, resides at Troy, Bradford County, Pa.
3 Julia Ann, born December 29, 1827, at Poultney; m. Charles Sullivan Proctor, September 22, 1858; they reside at Castle- ton, Vt.
4 Bushrod Washington, born at Poultney, December 30, 1829; married Medora Greenow, of Rutland, where they now re- side.
5 Martha Paulina, born at Castleton, June 10, 1832: married R. K. Curtis, and died April 29, 1861.
6 Henry Asahel, born at Castleton, December 21, 1834; married Martha Lewis, of Poultney, December 22, 1863-resides under or near Bird Mountain, Castleton, Vt.
7 John Ransom, born in Poultney, November 22, 1837, and d. March 31, 1838.
In closing the record of this, once, the most numerous of the early settlers of this town, one can but reflect upon the insta- bilty and mutability of all earthly things. Above we have tho record of over seventy-five persons of one family, sixty of whom were born in the town; and yet, in a period of about ninety years, not one left bearing the name. Alas! that in the com- paratively short space of fifty years, such radical changes should occur. The " everlasting hills " remain to gladden the vision of the returning visitor to his native town; but the familiar faces
328
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
that used to greet him-where are they ? Many have gone " Over the River " to that " undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveller ere returns," while the few remaining are like "Angel's visits, few and far between."
DEWITT C. POND, of Hartford, Conn.
POOR, WILLIAM II .- Son of Rev. David Poor, together with Clara M. Poor, his sister, came to Poultney as students of T. C. A., in the Spring of 1848, and left in the Summer of 1849. Rev. Joshua Poor and Rev. David Poor, brothers, and original members of the Troy Conference, together with W. II. Poor, came to Poultney in the Summer of 1855, to assume control of T, C. A. Rev. Joshua Poor, having secured a lease of the premises from the Troy Conference, he became proprietor and directed the financial interests of the institution. David Poor held the Stewardship; W. H. Poor was Principal. David and W. H. left in the Summer of 1856, to take charge of a new in- stitution in Iowa-now the Upper Iowa University. W. II. Poor returned to the Principalship of T. C. A. in the Fall of 1860, and in November of that year married Miss Louise, daughter of Alanson Rice, of Poultney; she died April 26, 1875. Ile retired from T. C. A., together with Rev. J. Poor, in the Spring of 1863, the lease of the building having been sold to Messrs. Newman and Knapp. Rev. J. Poor then left Poultney, and has since resided elsewhere. W. H. Poor resides here still.
PRESTON .- The Prestons who have lived in Poultney, trace their ancestry to Connecticut. The first settlers of that name came from Litchfield, Conn., and were here as early as 1781. Wil- liam Preston was the common ancestor of those who settled in Poultney, and was an old man when he came here. He d. April 15, 1815, at the age of 99 years, 11 months, and 10 days; sup- posed to have been the oldest man who ever d. in Poultney. John, a son of William Preston, was b. in Connecticut, and came here about the time his father did. John had eleven chil- dren: Susan, Mary, Deodama, Reuben, James, Orman, John
329
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
Mehitable, Betsey, William and Rachel. John, the father of this family, d. Feb. 9, 1851, at the age of 66. Several of his children lived to a great age, and his son John is still living in Middletown, at the age of 88 years; his wife Betsey ( Hooker ) is also living, and is about 83 years old. Feb. 21, 1873, they celebrated the 60th anniversary of their wedding. Reuben, as elsewhere appears, m. two daughters of Ebenezer Frisbie, and is dead. William, 2d, a son of John and grand son of William, Ist, had six children: William S., James E., Mary, Martha, John and Sylvester C. William S. is m. and lives on the " Wait place," in Tinmouth; James E. d. in the spring of 1874, and his sister Martha occupies the homestead. Mary and Sylvester C. are dead; John resides in Leicester, Vt.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.