USA > Vermont > Addison County > Gazetteer and business directory of Addison County, Vt., for 1881- 82 > Part 29
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TOWN OF WALTHAM.
The main building is 96x50 feet, especially designed for cattle, while the wing, or addition, is 108x40 feet, supplied with all modern conveniences for sheep breeding. The whole is three stories high, and so arranged, by a sys- tem of inclined planes, that teams may be driven upon either floor. Both the upper floors are used for storing hay and grain, the upper story being espe- cially arranged as a place for threshing, and from which large granaries extend to the lower floor, so that grain may be taken from them with convenience from either story. The basement is arranged for storing roots, etc. This structure cost Mr. Barton, from $8,000.oo to $10,000.00, and it is justly the pride of the town.
The history of the early settlement of the town properly belongs to that of New Haven, as it was at that time a portion of that town; hence the pro- ceedings of the first colony, consisting of John Griswold, his five sons and twelve others from Salisbury, Conn., who located along Otter Creek in 1769, their subsequent troubles with Col. Reid, garrisoning of a fort, and their ulti- mate hegira before Jacob Sherwood, will be found recorded in connection with the sketch of New Haven, on page 163. After the Revolution, some of the old settlers returned, among whom were the Griswolds, Phineas Brown, Cook, Barton, Langworthy and Piper. The population increased rapidly, so that at the organization of the town, March 30, 1797, there were over two hundred residents.
The first town clerk was Andrew Barton, Jr .; first constable, Dr. Griswold ; first selectmen, Phineas Brown, Joseph Langworthy and Moses Pier; first justice, Andrew Barton, Jr. Mr. Barton was a well educated man for his time, with native talents of a high order. He died in 1802, in the prime of life, aged forty-one years. He was succeeded in the office of town clerk by Daniel Chipman, Ebenezer Hawkins, Richard Burroughs, George Fisher and Peleg Fisher, the two Fishers and Chipman holding the office forty years. The present clerk is William S. Wright. George Fisher held the office of justice of the peace thirty years ; Chester Ward, seventeen years, and Peleg Fisher, fifteen years. For some reason the town had no representative in the Legislature, only in connection with Vergennes, until 1824, when Christopher Denison, Jr., was elected. Why they should have neglected this matter so long we cannot imagine, as the constitution of the State says that "every organized town in the State is entitled to a representative in the general assem- bly." Since 1824, however, with the exception of the year 1826, it has been regularly represented, as follows: C. Denison, Jr., 1824-'25 ; Beers Tomlin- son, 1827; Solomon Hobbs, 1828; George Field, 1829-'30; Richard Bur- roughs, 1831; William Barton, 1832; George Barton, 1833, '34, and '38; Josiah Bailey, 1835; Joseph Evarts, 1836-37; Elijah Benton, 1839-'40; Charles Bacon, 1841, '42, and '46; N. Griswold, 1843; John P. Strong, 1844 and '45; Joseph Parker; 1847-'48; Newton Rose, 1849, '50, and '51; Nathan Griswold, 1852; Daniel Hawley, 1853-'54; H. S. Cross, 1855-'56; Quartus Bellows, 1857-'58; Warren W. Pierce, 1859-'60; Oscar C. Bacon, 1861-'62;
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TOWN OF WALTHAM.
Edwin Evarts, 1863-'64; E. F. Benton, 1865-'66; Nelson A. Saxton, 1867 and '68; Harry Everts, 1869, '70 and '71; John H. Sprague, 1872-'73; Wm. S. Wright, 1874-'75; A. B. Rose, 1876-'77; Russell Williams, 1878-'79; William W. Booth. 1880-'8r.
Phineas Brown, the first moderator, and the one who named the town, was born May 31, 1747, and died July 6, 1818. His mother was the second wife of Capt. John Brown, of Waltham, Mass. Phineas went to Stockbridge, Mass., in 1770, and chiefly resided there until 1784. He was a land surveyor, and for several years previous to the Revolution was engaged in surveying the towns of Castleton, Leicester, Salisbury, Middlebury, New Haven, Pan- ton, and other towns now included within the western part of the State. He selected a beautiful and fertile tract of land on the east bank of Otter Creek, locating a little east of the present residence of Elijah F. Benton, and com- menced preparations for a settlement. But being interrupted by the vicissi- tudes of the war, as well as by the active hostilities of the New York land claim- ants, to whom he was, being a surveyor, particularly obnoxious. He there- fore returned to Stockbridge, July 6, 1776, and was soon after called into ser- vice in the Revolutionary army, where he served at intervals during the war, and was at the Battle of Saratoga. He also was engaged in mercantile pur- suits, being perhaps the first trader in Stockbridge. But soon after the close of the war he returned, March 10, 1784, to his farm in New Haven, now Waltham. Here he was mainly instrumental in gaining the formation of Waltham, and might truly be called the "father of the town." Mr. Brown repeatedly represented New Haven in the Legislature, and was a member of the convention for revising the State constitution in 1786. He was an alder- man of the city of Vergennes, a civil magistrate for more than twenty years, and continued to hold offices until physical infirmities compelled him to decline them. In his religious tenets Mr. Brown was a Congregationalist, having been thirty-six years a member of that church. His disposition was ardent, yet tempered with firmness, which with him was the offspring of clear per- ceptions and strong convictions. He was a skillful surveyor, a successful farmer, good neighbor, and a legislator and magistrate of intelligence and merit. He married first in Stockbridge, Mass., in October 1775, Sarah Pat- terson, who died August 10, 1800, and for his second wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Rossiter.
Elijah Benton, born February 12, 1790, married Nancy, the youngest daughter of Phineas Brown, October 12, 1818. They resided in Cornwall, Vt., nearly three years, then purchased the Brown homestead and removed to Waltham where they remained until their death. The old homestead farm house, now the residence of their son, Elijah F. Benton, was built by Mr. Brown. The venerable structure has undergone some repairs, though it has met wth no material change, and is considered even now a fine residence. Elijah was a successful farmer, a stirring, active business man, and twice represented the town in the Legislature. He was for many years a member of the Congre- gational church. He died September 10, 1875.
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Richard Burroughs married another daughter of Mr. Brown's, and resided on a part of the Brown territory many years. He died in Illinois, in 1850, while visiting his only son, then a resident of that State. Mr. Burroughs was a man of liberal culture, having graduated at Dartmouth College with a prominent standing in his class, and prosecuted his studies long after his graduation. He edited and published a grammar of the English language which was received with some favor. He served the town as clerk and rep- resentative several years. Besides the son above mentioned, Mr. Burroughs had two daughters, one of whom became the wife of Azro Benton, who still resides on a portion of the Brown estate, aged about eighty years. Mr. Ben- ton died in October, 1877. The other daughter was the wife of H. S. Cross, but lived only a few years after her marriage.
William Mckenzie, an early settler, located on a small farm now included within the northern part of the farm owned and occupied by Mrs. Day, widow of the late Dr. William M. Day. The other part of the Day farm was early owned by Beers Tomlinson, and afterwards by Francis Bradley, from whom it passed into the hands of Dr. Day, who died in 1874 or 1875. Abram Mckenzie married one of Phineas Brown's daughters and lived many years on a part of the Brown farm now owned by W. W. Pierce. He reared sev- eral children, though none of the family now reside in the vicinity.
Dr. Griswold was for many years a prominent public officer. He had a wife but no children, and died at an advanced age. He built the stone house now owned by R. T. Bristol and occupied by his son, C. D. Bristol. Adoni- jah Griswold resided near the southeast corner of the town, near the present residence of Harry Everts. He left the town with his family in 1830, mov- ing to Illinois, where he died at an advanced age. Asalph Griswold located on a small farm now the eastern part of the Pierce estate, but left the town previous to his decease. John and Nathan Griswold were traders in Ver- gennes until after the death of Dr. Griswold, when Nathan succeeded to the ownership of the Doctor's estate. Nathan died in Waltham, in 1875, aged eighty years. His wife died the same year, aged seventy-five.
The present residence of Mrs. Maria Thom, and also the adjoining farm, owned by the late Daniel Hawley, was first settled upon by William Fisher, from Addison. Mr. Fisher was an enterprising citizen, and died early, aged about forty-five. The farm was subsequently owned by his two sons, Peleg and Hiram, who occupied the same until well advanced in years, when they sold the property and both removed to New Haven, where they since died.
Solomon Strong was the first settler upon the farm now owned by John Gregory, and resided upon the same until his death, in 1822, at the age of eighty-five years. Solomon Strong, Jr., owned and occupied the place many years, but sold it to Azro Benton in 1830, and removed to Hinesburg, Vt., where he died in December, 1846, aged seventy-three years. Solomon, Jr., was much esteemed, a man of refinement, and withal a good blacksmith, but unfortunate in the loss of two or three wives, and also in his financial opera-
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tions. He built the large house now standing on the farm. Azro Benton occupied the farm about thirty years, and then sold it to Isaac Hallock, who resided upon it until his death, in 1870, at the age of fifty-four years. Mr. Hallock was an industrious person from boyhood up, having worked for Sam- uel E. Chalker eighteen years for the sum of fifty cents per day during the entire period. He commenced his business life empty-handed and left an estate valued at $20,000.00. His son, Anson M. Hallock succeeded to the ownership of a large portion of the farm.
The farm now owned and occupied by Wright & Jackman was a part of the territory early owned by Timothy Turner, and afterwards for many years by George Fisher, who sold the same to John P. Strong, in 1841. Mr. Strong married the youngest of Mr. Fisher's daughters. He built the pres- ent dwelling on the farm and occupied it until 1850, when he sold the property to Henry S. Cross, who retained it until 1867, when Mr. Wright purchased the same in company with H. S. Jackman. A part of the farm was the residence of Joseph Langworthy, one of the first board of selectmen, and an early settler in the town, who died October 19, 1823, aged eighty- seven years, his wife dying December 3d, of the same year, aged eighty-four years. Joseph was a grandfather of the enterprising Langworthy Brothers, well known as business men and traders in Middlebury. The present owners of the farm have made many marked improvements thereon, and are successful breeders of Spanish Merino sheep. Mr. Cross was a prominent citizen while in town, but left to reside in Bridport, where he died in the spring of 1881, aged nearly seventy years.
Rev. John Howard, a preacher of the Baptist denomination, was the only clergyman who ever resided in town while engaged in active service in his profession. He was a man of excellent character, and died December 26, 1826, aged seventy years. His residence was on the farm now owned by W. W. Pierce.
The "Saxton farm" was a part of the territory early settled by T. Turner, and afterwards owned by George Fisher. Mr. Turner removed to New Haven and died in March, 1867, aged eighty-seven years. His father, John Turner, was the owner of the place previous to Timothy, and sold to him in 1809. George Fisher occupied and improved the farm, and at an advanced age sold it to his sons-in-law, N. A. Saxton and I. P. Strong, in the year 1841, who subsequently divided the same, and each occupied his division until the death of Mr. Saxton in 1874, and the sale of Mr. Strong's share to Henry S. Cross in 1850. George Fisher was for many years a leading man of the town, and served as justice of the peace thirty years, town clerk fifteen years, and representative three years. He died in 1865, aged eighty-five years. N. A. Saxton was a successful breeder of fine-wool sheep and ranked high among the best breeders of his day. He held various town offices, and was repre- sentative in 1867 and 1868. Mrs. Saxton now resides on the farm.
The " Bacon farm " was owned and occupied by Christopher Denison, Jr.,
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who was the first town representative. It passed to the occupancy of Charles Bacon in 1833, who occupied it until his death in 1837. Oscar C. Bacon, son of Charles, succeeded to the estate and occupied it until his death in 1879. He built the fine horse barn and dwelling house now standing on the place, and made other permanent improvements. The beautiful maples standing by the wayside opposite the house, constitute a living monument to the memory of Charles Bacon. Both of the Bacons were successful breeders of Merino sheep, and a flock is still kept on the farm by Frank H., son of O. C. Bacon.
Andrew Barton was the first settler on the farm now owned by A. B. Rose. He had two brothers, Nathan, of New Haven, and William, of this town, who were large land owners and possessed of much shrewdness and good sense. Yet Andrew, Jr., is said to have been the more brilliant man in practical abil- ity and intellectual strength. He died in 1802, aged forty-one years, in the prime of a useful life, and his death was deeply felt by his neighbors and asso- ciates. His widow, Polly, subsequently married a Mr. Manchester, who kept a tavern on the Barton farm, and whose old sign, " The Manchester Inn," is now in the possession of Mr. Rose. No one seems to know of any record showing what became of Mr. Manchester, though his wife resided here long after his disappearance, dying in 1842, and was buried by the side of her first husband. One of the daughters of Andrew, Jr., married Newton Rose, from Connecticut, who succeeded to the farm and resided here until his death, in 1865, aged seventy-five. Mr. Rose was a shrewd business man and a successful farmer. He represented the town three years, and was door-keeper of the House two years. His son, Andrew B., a good farmer and dairyman, has held various offices in the town, and represented the same in the Legislature in 1876 and 1877. Christopher Denison, Jr., was the first settler upon the farm now owned by Julius and E. J. Hurl- burt. It soon, however, passed into the hands of Lewis Cooledge, a freely educated man from Boston, who was a good citizen, but never a practical farmer. He occupied the property some fifteen years, then sold it to Philemon Alvord, a hard worker and close economist, who occu- pied the same about twenty-five years, then sold to Isaac Hallock and removed to Minnesota, where he has since died. The farm has since been owned and occupied I. Hallock, H. W. Philips, O. M. Chapin, George Hal- lock, N. Rose, Jr., and at present J. and E. J. Hurlburt.
The northern part of the fine large farm owned by Frank D. Barton was, at an early day, the property of Dyer Barton, grandfather of the present owner, who died in 1808, aged fifty-nine years, leaving his estate to his son, John D. Barton, and daughter, who became the wife of Jeptha Shedd, a book dealer and binder in the city of Vergennes. Dyer's widow subsequently married Avery Ferguson, and resided in her house on the north side of the farm and nearly opposite the school-house, until her death, July 23, 1847, at the age of eighty-nine years. The first fifty acres owned by John D. Barton was given
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TOWN OF WALTHAM.
him by Andrew Barton for the care and support of the latter during his natu- ral life. He died soon after this arrangement was made, January 10, 1813, aged seventy-three years. The southern part of the farm was occupied by William, son of Andrew Barton, many years, until 1835, when he sold out to Abijah and Judson Hurd, from Cornwall, Vt., and moved to Middlebury for the purpose of securing better educational advantages for his children. He resided there several years, but died somewhere in the West at an advanced age. The Hurd brothers occupied the farm six or eight years, then sold to John D. Barton, and Abijah removed to Middlebury and Judson to Addison, where they both reside now.
Calvin Everts, who lived but a few years after his settlement here, was the first settler on the farm now owned by David Hare. Calvin's widow after- wards married Luther Hunt, father of Numan Hunt, and H. C. Hunt, of New Haven. Luther lived some years on the Everts farm, spent a few years in the West, but died at the residence of his son, Numan, in 1844, aged eighty years. A house was built on the site of Mr. Hare's residence by Josiah Bailey, a shoemaker by trade, who followed that business here some years, and represented the town in 1835, and subsequently removed to Franklin Co. N. Y., having previously sold his property to John D. Barton, where he still resides. The house was burned while occupied by Amos M. Barton, son of J. D. After the division of J. D's estate among his heirs, Mrs. Hare being one of the same, Mr. Hare built the dwelling now standing thereon.
The farm now owned and occupied by J. H. Sprague and son, was occupied at an early day by Anthony and Lewis Sprague, the former being the father of John H. Sprague, Sr., into whose hands the property soon drifted. John H. was a stirring business man, and in addition to his farming was also a large dealer in live stock, especially of fat cattle, large numbers of which he pur- chased to be slaughtered in the packing house of J. Simonds, of Shoreham, Allen Smith, of Addison, and perhaps others. He built the fine house now standing, but the other marked improvements were made by his son, John H., Jr. He died in 1865, aged sixty-seven years. That part of the farm now owned by C. W. Sprague, son of J. H., Sr., was mainly a school lot, and the build- ings standing thereon were erected by Henry J. Everest, son-in-law of John H. Sprague, Sr. He sold to Calvin Bragg, moved to Malone, N. Y., and subsequently to Wisconsin, where he now resides. C. Bragg resided on the farm several years, then sold to O. C. Bacon and removed to Ferrisburgh, where he died in April, 1881. Bacon sold to J. H. Sprague and he to C. W. Sprague. The Spragues have been thorough farmers and general business men, and everything around them bears evidence of enterprise and thrift. The present owners are breeders of fine-wool sheep.
There have been several other men who resided in this part of the town for several years, though never permanent residents or land owners, but rented or leased farms from year to year, yet were accounted among the worthy citizens of the town. Allusion is, therefore, made to William and
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Elias Palmer, Samuel Jackman, Russel and Albert Barton, Coval Buckley, Henry A. Hawley, Charles Peck, Satterly Tuttle, William Claxton, and others.
Luther Everts was an early settler in Waltham and reared a large family, seven of whom are still living in the vicinity. He was eccentric, yet a bright man, a surveyor by profession, and held most of the town offices by repeated elections. He died at his old homestead in 1846. Harry Everts succeeded to the estate and is its present occupant. He represented the town in 1869 and 1870. His youngest brother, Hon. Edwin Everts, was a graduate of Middlebury College, studied law, was admitted to the bar, represented the town in the Legislature, and served as associate judge of the county. He and Richard Burroughs are the only college graduates who ever resided in the town. Judge Everts now reside's in Illinois.
Other early settlers have died and moved away, among whom mention is here made of some who have passed away and left their name or kindred in the town: Ebenezer and Roger Hawkins, David Chapman, George and Benjamin Chase, William Spaulding, Thomas Brentnall, Nathaniel Chalker, Ichabod Cook, Joel T. Clark, Chester Gray, Elkanah Bush, George Field, Lyman and Lemon Husted, Joseph Everts, and others of whom little is known.
The Hobbs farm, long in the family, is now owned by Mrs. Hulburd, wife of Rev. David P. Hulburd, who has been a worthy preacher and presiding elder of the M. E. church until, ten years since, he became partially paralyzed, which compelled his retirement from his chosen work, and he is now a help- less invalid. Mr. and Mrs. Hulburd have been earnest workers in the church, and have accomplished much by their labor and influence in persuad- ing their fellow men to become reconciled to God. The distinguished clergy- man, Rev. Merritt B. Hulburd, is their only son.
Jesse Ward was probably the first settler on the farm now owned by Numan Hunt. He died at a very advanced age, leaving two sons, Chester, now aged ninety-three, and Ira, over eighty, who have been successful farmers, accumulating a competency and possessing the respect of the community.
Daniel Chipman was a prominent man for many years, a large farmer, and reared a numerous family, all of whom are now gone, and his fine farm is owned by the Ward family and heirs of George Fisher, Jr.
The farm now and since 1838 owned by S. M. Burroughs, was owned by Reuben Brush, of the firm of Brush & White, merchants in Vergennes. New lands frequently came into possession of the merchants by mortgages given to secure payment for goods purchased by new comers into this and neighbor- ing towns, and very likely this farm came into Mr. Brush's possession in that manner. Mr. Burroughs has made great improvements on the farm, having a large area stocked with a variety of fruit shrubbery. He has become noted as a successful horticulturist, farmer, and stock breeder. His dwelling is supposed to be the first framed house built in the town, nearly one hundred years ago.
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TOWN OF WALTHAM.
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(H. A. INGHAM.)
H. A. Ingham was born in Saybrook, Conn., February 25, 1820, and located in Vergennes, in 1852, from which place he has since continued to do business. The Doctor studied the American or Eclectic system of medicine, with a view to practice, and after extended experience, became convinced that pain and disease generally arise from a want of sufficient vital force to throw off, by the various avenues, those particles of waste matter which are produced from any cause, and that to properly aid the life-power, the weakness is to be cured in the most speedy, safe, and simple manner. To find a remedy which would harmoniously invigorate and sustain the system, promptly remove pain, and aid nature to overcome a mass of diseases, where, un- assisted, it had not sufficient power so to do, was the study of the Doctor for ten years. This study resulted in his compounding his Vegetable Expector- ant Nervine Pain Extractor, and Vegetable Blood Purifying Pills, to be used separately or together as the case might require. It is thought by many who have been relieved, that no other two remedies are now known to the world that afford such a protection to families and individuals, and as an assistant to nature in overcoming disease and suffering, even to often save life in cases of emergency, where without them there would be nothing to afford relief. They have produced such marvelous and seemingly almost miraculous cures during nearly thirty years, since they were introduced, as to prove their sterling worth, as the abundant testimonials of those who have been cured by them so fully illustrate. The Doctor has been very successful in business. His residence is on road 4, corner of 5, near the east line of Vergennes.
Isaac Hobbs, from Massachusetts, came to Waltham in 1784, locating on road 11, where Rev. D. P. Hulburd now resides. Their first dwelling was thatched with hemlock bark, and their grain was carried to Rutland for 18
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grinding, making their way through the forest by means of marked trees. The present house, since considerably changed, was built by him in 1796. In 18ro, his son, Solomon, rebuilt the house and opened it as a hotel, for which purpose it was used many years. Mr. Hobbs was a prominent man of the town all his life, dying a violent death at the hands of his son-in-law, in 1817, at the age of seventy-two years.
The principal religious denominations are Baptist and Congregational, though they never have had any organized society, nor any house of wor- ship.
The Gospel Church of Waltham was founded and organized by Dr. H. A. Ingham, January 1, 1880, who also officiates as pastor. Mr. Ingham, at an expense of about $1,500.00, has fitted up a chapel in connection with his own dwelling, where the society meets regularly each Sabbath, numbering some thirty-two members.
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