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 4
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6 0 0
Ranson, John
21
0 0
Smith, James
17 0 0
£ John
35 10 0
Nathaniel
36 0 0
Soper, Mordecai
Searls, Reuben
11 10 0
Storker, Comfort
9
C
Thatcher, Levi
18
0 0
6.6 Amasa -
15
0 0
Tilden, John
35 0 0
Watson, Titus
15 0) 0
Ward William
45
0 0
Wood, Thomas
9
0
Wright, Ebenezer
13
0
Wilder, Solomon
6 0 0
Whitney, Tarbel
6 0 0
4 0 0
44
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
The sum total of the foregoing, the listers foot up at £1,821 15s., to which they add £464 10s., perhaps, for "Poles " and personal estate, making "total of lists," as they say, £2286 58. It is quite probable that the 1821 pounds and 15 shillings were the real estate valuation, though this does not distinctly appear. This grand list is valuable for another purpose: it shows who were here, of male inhabitants, subject to taxation, in 1781, and is the only record left of that date which gives as many names of the then residents. It is impossible to give the number of inhabitants at that date; but we can safely say there were at that time eighty-eight male inhabitants in town over twenty- one years old, and that there had been quite an increase from the number here in 1777. The Adams, Canfields, Frisbies, Hos- fords, Hibbards, Hookers, Moseley, Morgans, Rann, Ransom, Watson, Whitney, and others, had come here during that time, and we may safely infer, though the evidence is mainly from old records saved, that in the three or four years time preceding 1781, the settlement progressed rapidly.
At a town meeting held in March, 1784, the town voted "a tax of two pence on the pound, to be paid in money or grain- wheat at four shillings, corn at three shillings, or other grain equivalent-payable by the first of September next." At this meeting the town made the first provision for schools, or the first of which Mr. Clark, in his researches, found any record. "A committee was appointed, consisting of Noah Smith, James Brookins, Titus Watson, Abishai Moseley and Reuben Stevens, to divide the town into school districts." At the same meeting, " elected Elisha Allen, Oliver Strong and William Hooker, Trustees of Schools."
Our supposition is that the town was, in accordance with the action of this meeting, divided into school districts, though no record has been saved from which it distinctly so appears. "The records of the town," so says Mr. Clark, "show that great pains were taken in the early part of our history to main- tain suitable and proper schools." Space will be given for our educational history as we proceed.
45
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
With all we have been able to recover of our history, from about the time of the close of the Revolutionary War up to 1800, but little of incident can be given. The business of clear- ing the lands of the forests, erecting buildings and fences, mak- ing roads and bridges, perfecting and advancing civil, religious and social institutions we know went on. Those early grand lists which were preserved, very well indicate the degree of material progress. Nearly every succeeding one shows an in- crease in valuation of property from the preceding one, and each one shows the names of new settlers as they come in. The Grand List of 1781 has been given. We subjoin abstracts, or amounts, of others saved, and the reader can make his own ratio of progress:
Grand List of 1782 was
$7,773 00
1784 "
10,593 00
66 1785 “
11,036 67
1786
12,463 00
1787
12,800 00
66
1790 "
15,843 41
1795
21,200 00
66
66 1797
24,325 76
The Grand Lists above given, with one or two exceptions, are in pounds, shillings and pence in the originals, and were re- duced to dollars and cents by the writer. The lists are not all given-they were not all saved; but enough are given to fairly show the progress of increase in valuation during the time which they cover. The Grand List of 1781, we have seen, con- tains the names of 88 persons; that of 1786, the names of 149; in that of 1790, the names of nearly two hundred are found. The number on this Grand List cannot be given exactly, as the paper is so worn, that some of the names are obliterated. The Grand List of 1797 contains the names of 239. We know but little what this or that man personally did in those busy years; but we have the general results. We find a steady, and, withal, a rapid material growth, and, as we shall hereafter see, the foundations were being laid broad and deep for a well organized society and prosperous town.
46
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
CHAPTER V.
THE POULTNEY LIBRARY-OTHER LIBRARIES-THE FIRST CENSUS MILLS ERECTED PRIOR TO 1800.
N the year 1790, the " old Poultney Library " Association was formed. Thomas Ashley was the prime mover in this project, though many others actively participated. No records of this institution have reached us; but tradition says an association was formed, and persons became members by taking one or more shares. The price of a share was $1.50. The money paid for shares was appropriated in the purchase of · books, which constituted the library. The meetings of the as- sociation were holden once in two months, at the office or room where the library was kept. Each proprietor or shareholder paid twelve and a-half cents once in two months, which went into the fund used to purchase more books, and each could draw the number of books he was entitled to (which, at first, was one book-afterwards three) at each meeting. This was done by bidding; a list of the books was read, one after another, and each of the shareholders bid on such books as he wanted, until he received the number to which he was entitled. The rules re- quired that all books should be returned once in two months, and if any were injured, a fine was imposed, paid, and went into the replenishing fund.
The library became quite large and flourishing. The meet- ings were well attended, and for many years very much interest was manifested in the concern. The Poultney library may be set down as one of the useful and effective agents in diffusing intelligence, and moukling character during the time of its exist- ence. Several of the sons of Poultney, who have distinguished · themselves in the professions and otherwise, have referred to it as one of the awakening influences which operated upon them in the days of their youth. There were influential members of
47
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
the association who were deists; and as they had to do more or less with the selection and purchase of the books, some found their way into the library which were infidel in their character. The Rev. Clark Kendrick and the Rev. Samuel Leonard, after they were settled here, joined the association, and were sorely troubled about these infidel books. Through their influence, a vote was obtained to sell the old books at public auction, and appropriate the money received in the purchase of new ones. Messrs. Kendrick and Leonard were present at the auction, and purchased every book which they deemed pernicious in its in- fluences. These books were removed to the house of Mr. Leon- ard, and all were committed to the flames. Harvey D. Smith was a. long time librarian, and kept the library in his store, now Dewey & Dewey's store, in the east village. Amos Bliss was the last librarian. The library was sold at public auction in 1841, and thus it ended.
Many have spoken of the demise of the old Poultney library with regret, and many have censured the people of the town for permitting it to go down, and have gone so far as to treat the fact as evidence of the decline of our people. But it should not be so regarded. The Poultney library was in existence a half century, and was finally driven out of existence by a change that will now be noted. In 1790, when the library was estab- lished, there were but two newspapers in Vermont; and, indeed, newspaper circulation, until many years after the beginning of the present century, was a mere trifle, compared with what it now is. Those who took a newspaper, not often had more than one, and that a small sheet that could be read through in a few minutes. The people read their Bibles, and supplied themselves with solid works from the library. Such was, then, their read- ing; they could avail themselves of no other. But as the pub- lication of newspapers, magazines and books increased, the peo- ple began to lose their interest in the town library, and lost it more and more, until the library books were disposed of, and the concern closed up. We were no less a reading people in 1841 than in 1790; but, in 1841, we had come to supply our- selves with reading matter outside the town library. In addition
48
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
to the great increase of newspapers, periodicals and books, Sunday School libraries had been established in all the churches, which supplied a- large portion of the children with reading. In a word, the change here indicated, killed the Poultney library.
In this connection, we may as well speak of other libraries that came into existence after the failure of the so-called Poultney library. In 1862, an Agricultural Library was formed in Poultney. J. J. Joslin became the librarian. A small but valuable selection of books was made, and for a time consider- able interest was manifested; but, of late, the indications are that it will, ere long, share the fate of the old Poultney library. It would be very desirable, if the farmers of the town would hold meetings, at stated times, for discussions of subjects con- nected with their calling, and avail themselves of the valuable information contained in the books of their library. This they are at liberty to do; but if they will not, there is no law to com- pel them.
Dr. W. W. Hibbard, some three years ago, established a cir- culating library, which, so far, has proved a success. He is gradually adding to it, and his patrons are increasing. He rents the use of his books, the price depending on the time they are kept. He keeps a bookstore and circulating library in the same building.
Troy Conference Academy has quite an extensive library, and many choice works. There are several very respectable private libraries in town. There is no want of reading matter in our midst; but the same evil is apparent here as elsewhere, a dis- position to select that which is of doubtful utility.
We now return to 1790. During this year, the subject of the admission of Vermont into the Union was deeply agitated throughout the State. In that year, the long pending New York controversy was satisfactorily adjusted, the boundary line be- tween the two States fixed, and, by an act of Congress, Vermont became one of the United States of America on the Fourth of March. 1791.
The first census was taken the same year of its admission. Twenty years had elapsed since Ebenezer Allen and Thomas
49
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
Ashley entered the wilderness, and began the settlement of Poultney. In that twenty years, what results ? In that time the Revolutionary War had begun; in that time it had ended in glorious victory to the Colonists; in that time a Republican Government had been organized, and a Constitution adopted, based upon the principle that "all men are created equal;" in' that time Vermont, in the exercise of that bravery, persistency, native talent and wise statesmanship, which were without parallel in the history of the world, had extricated herself from an extremely trying and anomalous position, and entered the family of States; in that time the town of Poultney had come to have within its borders 1121 inhabitants, the number given by the first census.
Those inhabitants were in every part of the town. The early settlers, as they came, could select such localities as they chose, if not pre-occupied. Thomas Ashley settled near the west vil- lage; Heber Allen in the east village, or where that village now is; William Ward in the upper part of what was afterwards known as Fenel Hollow; Zebediah Dewey in Hampshire Hollow; Josiah Lewis in the north part of the town-and so they scat- tered-some settling on Pond Hill and Ames' Hollow, when they could have procured lands at or where the villages now are, at the same prices. It was not then known where the village, villages, or central place or places of business would be. A committee was appointed, as we have seen, to find the center of the town. Whether that committee performed this duty does not appear from any record, or other information left us; nor does the purpose appear, though it is quite probable that it was ·with the view of locating the business center. It might not have occurred to them that natural laws have to do in locating business centers.
There were, at one time, six saw mills on Poultney River within the limits of the town. One was built by Jonathan Mor- gan, near where his sons now reside, some two miles east of the east village; another a few rods down the stream, near where the late Harlow Hosford lived; another at the falls at the east village, by Abel Parker, afterwards owned by Joseph Morse; 7
50
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
another by Deacon Silas Howe, at the place since known as the Candlestick Factory premises, and between the two villages; an- other by Fay Hyde, on the opposite side of the river from the Ruggles' Foundry; and another on the premises now owned by Messrs. McGraths, at the " Hampton bridge," so-called-a place formerly known as Norton's Mills. The exact date when these several mills were built, cannot now be given; but four of these mills were built prior to 1800, and part of them soon after the settlement. ` The one at the Harlow Hosford place was built subsequent to 1800, and Fay Hyde built his mill in 1813. The freshet of 1811 developed a water-power at the Ruggles' Foundry place, which has since been utilized, as will hereafter appear. There are now but two saw mills on this stream, one owned by Joseph Mears, at the east village; the other by Messrs. McGraths, at the Hampton bridge. There were, quite early, two saw mills in the south-east part of thetown, on a small stream called " Endless Brook," which empties into Lake St. Catharine. There were also two in the south-west part of the town, on what was called the " Hadaway Brook." All these were long since discontinued. There were two on the " Lewis' Brook," in the north part of the town; one was built by John Lewis, a little below the present residence of H. Lewis; the other was built by Colonel John Ransom, near Philo Hosford's dwelling-house. The former of these was discontinued many years ago; but a saw mill, at the latter place named, has been kept up to the present time, and is now owned by. Harrison Smith. It was recently burned, but has been rebuilt.
Prior to 1800, five grist mills had been erected on Poultney River within the limits of the town-one by Mr. Morgan, near his saw mill; one at the "Todd place," a half mile east of the east village; one at East Poultney, the first one built; one at the Candlestick Factory place, and one at the Hampton bridge place. It would be gratifying to give the dates when these several mills were erected; but this cannot be done, except that we know the first one, by Nehemiah Howe, was built before the year 1777. Most of them were built quite early in the settle- ment. Grist and saw mills were then indispensable. No flour
51
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
was then brought from the west, nor from anywhere else. The people raised their own grain, and ground it in their own mills. First, the log-cabin was built, and as each settler came to be able, cut timber from his own land, or his neighbors, drew it to the saw mill, and thus obtained his lumber for a frame house. A forge was built as early as 1785, at the "Todd place," by Samuel Joslin and Abel Darling. This was actively run for some years, and furnished the blacksmiths and others with wrought iron.
In our biographical and family sketches, it will be found that the town had, from its early settlement, its quota of mechanics. It had the blacksmith, the carpenter and joiner, the tailor, the shoemaker-in short, all the mechanics and manufacturers neces- sary to produce any article that was then deemed a want or necessity.
Not long after the organization of the United States Govern- ment, political parties were formed, and the people of Vermont, as elsewhere, were divided in political sentiment. During the administration of John Adams, the second President of the United States, every town, village and hamlet in Vermont was aroused to a high degree of political excitement-Poultney, with the rest. There were some laws enacted during his administra- tion, among which were the "Alien and Sedition Laws," as they were called, that brought out a popular clamor, the effect of which, doubtless, defeated Mr. Adams, when a candidate for re- election. By the Alien Law, the President was authorized to order any alien whom he should judge dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States, to depart out of the territory of the same within a time, to be limited by the President, under a penalty of imprisonment. The Sedition Law was designed to prevent the abuse of speech and of the press. It provided a punishment for those convicted of speaking or publishing any false, scandalous or malicious words against the Government of the United States, either House of Congress, or the President. During this period, there was an Irish emigrant living in Fair- haven, by the name of Matthew Lyon-a man of more than ordinary ability, a staunch democrat, and was well known in
52
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
the State. He had been, one term, a member of Congress from this district, and, in 1798, was found guilty of violating the sedition law, and imprisoned at Vergennes. At this time he was the publisher of a small democratic paper, in which the offensive articles appeared. Previous to the election, in 1798, and while incarcerated in prison, he was nominated by the democratic party of his district for Congress. The district was thoroughly canvassed, and every man brought out to the polls on election day who could be. There was living at this time, on " Maranville Hill," a Frenchman by the name of Stephen D. Maranville, the common ancestor of all the Maranvilles who have since lived in the vicinity. At the time of the election, he was unable to walk, and almost entirely helpless from a severe attack of the inflammatory rheumatism. But he was a sterling democrat, and his vote must be secured, if possible. A sort of ambulance was constructed, and a party of young demo- crats volunteered to carry him on that, and did carry him, some three miles, to the polls. Here he was provided with a vote for Matthew Lyon. The vote was placed between his fingers, and as he was being taken to the ballot-box, one of his political opponents, affecting surprise, exclaimed: "What! Uncle Steve! are you able to be out ?" "Able," said the old man; "yes; and strong enough to carry a Lyon in my hand! "
The foregoing incident will illustrate the spirit of the people in those early days of political controversy in this country. Two political parties had been formed-federal and democratic-and this partisan zeal manifested in Poultney at the election in 1798, was kept up to about the same degree of heat until after the close of the war of 1812. It disturbed the social relations of the people to a considerable extent. This subject will receive some attention hereafter.
53
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
CHAPTER VI.
POPULATION OF THE TOWN BY DECADES, 1791-1870-THE VIL- LAGES IN 1800-THE BUSINESS AT AND ABOUT THAT TIME -POST OFFICES.
E may as well here, as anywhere, perhaps, give the census of the inhabitants of the town of Poultney, which shall include all the enumerations made from 1791 to 1870.
By the 1st enumeration in 1791, the population was
1,121
2d
" 1800
66
1,697
3d
1810
1,905
4th
1820
66
66
1,955
5th
1830 66
1,909
6th
‹‹ 1840
1,880
66
7th
1850
«
2,329
8th
1860
2,278
9th
" 1870
66
2,836
It will be seen that the increase from 1791 to 1800, a period of nine years, was 573. The several enumerations show the most rapid increase in population in this period, of any other since the first census was taken. In the period of time from 1860 to 1870, there was a very respectable gain, owing mainly to the springing up of the Slate business within the town, but not quite as large a gain as during the first period named.
A short time before the commencement of the present century, there were several men became inhabitants of the town . who afterwards were among its most prominent and useful citi- zens. Among these we may name John Stanley, Daniel Sprague, Thomas Todd, John Jones and the Thompsons. The log-houses, one by one, over the town, had been giving place to substantial frame dwellings, and, in 1800, the east and west villages were actually begun. We would, if we could, give Poultney as it then was; but we cannot fully.
54
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
As early as 1800, John Stanley was keeping a hotel in the same house afterwards owned and kept as a hotel by Joel Bea- man, and now owned and kept as such by Mr. Beaman's family." The house has, at several different times, while owned by Mr. Beaman and family, been enlarged and repaired.
North of Mr. Stanley's Hotel, on what is now known as Bea- man street, there was then but one dwelling-house, which was the same in which Joseph Wade now lives, and was then occu- pied by Ebenezer Smith. Thomas Ashley, as before appears, had a house where Dr. McLeod now lives, east, and directly op- posite, of the Beaman Hotel, which was then occupied by Mr. Stanley. On what is now known as Grove street, there was a small house"; on. the corner, where Jonas Clark's house now stands, which, some little time. prior to 1800, was occupied by Mr. Stanley, after he moved from the tavern; south, ou the same side of this street, where the Daniel Mallary house, now so-called, stands, was a house built by Thomas Ashley, and for a while occupied by Zebulon Ashley, the son of Thomas. This, and the house last named, on Mr. Clark's corner, were all the houses on the east side of what is now Grove street. On the other side of this street, Roswell Richards had a house, and lived where Herman R. Clark now lives. Mr. Richards was a wagon maker, and carried on the business in this locality. There was also a dwelling-house where Andrew Clark now lives, in which a Mr. Hull resided.
On the corner, where the Poultney House now stands, therc was then no building; but a little west, and about where the Don A. Barker house now stands, was a one story building, about 35 by 20 feet, occupied , by Mr. Stanley as a store. This was the first, and, then, the only store in the west village. It was before the day of stoves. A large chimney was built in the store, with a fire-place and a large flue, as it was then supposed none;other could carry off the smoke; and to make it proof against burglars, by way of the chimney, two scythes were sharpened, and laid across the flue, with the edge up, when the chimney was built. This building was afterwards occupied by Joel Beaman, as a store; afterwards by Mr. Austin, as a shoe-
55
HISTORY OF POULTNEY.
shop, and was moved a little back from the street, and now is one of the rear buildings on the Barker place, now owned by J. B. Beaman.
. In going down Main street, on the south side, the next build- ing from the Stanley store was Daniel Sprague's house, where Mrs. John Lewis now lives; next a house where Mrs. Leffing- well now lives, first occupied by Ichabold Babcock; the next, Samuel Woodman's, where A. E. Knapp now lives. Mr. Wood- man had a pottery, and made earthen milk-pans, plates, jugs, etc. The pottery stood where the Bank now stands. He did some business in his line for several years; but his business was discontinued some time before 1825. There was a lane open at Mr. Woodman's, which led to a tan works located on Bentley avenue, near where the dwelling-house of Elijah Ross now stands. Ephraim Herrick carried on the tan works. At the west end of what is now Main street, on what are now the Troy Conference Academy grounds, and about where the front fence i's on these grounds, Timothy Crittenden kept a hotel. The building passed with the land to the Troy Conference Academy., in 1834. The school was kept in it until the Academy building was erected, in 1837; afterwards it was moved on to the, north side of Main street, since repaired by Nathaniel Mason, and is now occupied by Elias Whitcomb. On the north side of Main street there was a small house where Dr. Charles S. Perry's house now stands. Along up, on the same side of the street, where Mr. McIlvainer now lives, was a school-house, with a square roof, and what was called a " steeple " on the center of the roof: ""This is 'supposed to have been the first .building erected for educational purposes in the west village. The next building was the " Ephraim Herrick house," afterwards used as a depot, and since moved, and now used by George Peppler as a furniture shop " and store! ¡ A house stood near where Jonas Gibson now lives, and: was occupied by Daniel Mallary; and farther east was the house of Ichabod Babcock, still standing, and almost unchanged, except by the wear of time. Mr. Bab- cock was a hatter, and then carried on the business at this place. There was also a house where Alanson Rice subsequently lived
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