USA > Vermont > Bennington County > Gazetteer and business directory of Bennington County, Vt. for 1880-81 > Part 11
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"The Ladies Church Aid Society" meets monthly at the church parlors, as do also the "Ladies Home Missionary Society." The "Womans Board of Missions" meets there the first Monday P. M. of each month.
The Congregational Church of North Bennington was organ- ized with twenty-one members, May 21, 1868, by Rev. Leavitte Bartlett and members from the Bennington and Bennington Cen- ter Congregational churches. For several years services were held in Bank Hall. Rev. H. C. Weston was the first regular pastor, Oct. 13, 1869. The present church was erected of brick
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in 1873, at a cost of $15,000, will seat 400 persons, and the membership numbers 59, who are under the pastoral care of Rev. . L. C. Partridge.
St. Peter's Church (Episcopal,) at Bennington, was organized July 24, 1834, by Messrs. Leavenworth, Doolittle, John and Luman Norton, Buckley Squires, A. P. Lyman, H. R. Rouse, Charles That- cher, Dr. Everett, Harman Canfield and Henry Safford. There were then enrolled one male and six female members. Rev. N. O. Preston was the first Rector.
The first house of worship was erected of stone in 1836, which was enlarged and improved in 1859. It cost $6,000, and will seat 375 people. During the past year the services have been very ably supplied by Rev. E. H. Canfield, D. D., of Arlington. The present Rector, (since September, 1880,) is Rev. A. R. Graves. The parish numbers 160 communicants, and the church property is valued at $ 15,000. Through the efforts of the Ladies' Aid Society of this church; a new and convenient rectory has been purchased, known as No. 11 School street, and is on a part of the church lot.
The First Baptist Church of Bennington, was organized with seventeen members April, 1827, by a council of Baptist churches. The first church building was erected in 1830. Rev. Baldwin was the first pastor. The present church edifice was erected of brick in 1878, at a cost of $23,000, which, with the parsonage and other church property is now valued at $30,000. The house will comfortably seat 475, but by opening communicating doors to the chapel, 600 can be seated.
The present building is of the most approved construction, am- phitheatral floor, rising three feet in the length of the church, seats arranged in concentric circles. The audience room is abso- lutely perfect in acoustic qualities, having been tried by many ex- perts and so pronounced. The building was paid for on the day of dedication, and a slight surplus left in the hands of the com- mittee when the pledges were all collected. The present edifice is the third erected by this congregation, the first being burned in 1844, the second was taken down because unsafe from the insuf- ficiency of the walls.
The church is in good working order, and has been under good
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discipline for many years past. The late pastor, Rev. R. M. Luther, settled with the church in June 1871, but left the field in October of the present year, 1880, being elected district secre- tary of the American Baptist Missionary Union, and stationed in Philadelphia, Pa.
The North Bennington Baptist Church was organized with 13 male and 25 female members, Sept. 7, 1844, by Ebenezer Robin- son, Wm. E. Hawks, W. J. Matson, Isaac Gale and Nathaniel Hall. The first pastor was Rev. Justin A. Smith, and the first house of worship was dedicated Dec. 31, 1845.
In 1865, the present house of worship was erected on Church st., at an expense of $3,000, and will comfortably seat 330 wor- shippers. The society now numbers 100 members, and the. pastor is Rev. Arthur W. Cady.
This church was formed almost entirely of members belonging to the First Shaftsbury Baptist Church, the oldest organization of that denomination in the State of Vermont. During the same year (1844,) that maternal organization had been dissolved, and the new interest centered in the growing village of North Ben- nington, not one mile distant from the old meeting house. One clerk, Wm. E. Hawks, has served the church since its organization, and he is its present senior deacon, being elected to that office April 3d, 1856.
St. Francis De Sales Church, (Roman Catholic,) at Benning- ton Center was organized in 1855, by Rev. Z. Druon. The first pastor was Rev. Jerome Cloane, the first, and present house of worship erected of stone in 1855, will seat 400 persons, and to- gether with other church property is valued at $30,000. The number of members is 1,600, who are under the pastoral care of Rev. Father J. C. O'Dwier. A part of the church property is twenty-two acres of land on which is St. Joseph's convent and parochial school, under charge of sisters of St. Joseph. The in- stitution was founded in 1876, and is in a prosperous condition. About 225 children receive education here.
St. John the Baptist Church, (Roman Catholic,) at North Bennington, was organized in 1874, with 400 members, by Rev. J. C. O'Dwier, the present pastor. The first and present church edifice was built of wood in the same year, at a cost of $6,000, its present value.
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The First Methodist Episcopal Church, of Bennington, was or- ganized May 6, 1827, by Rev. Merritt Bates, the first pastor. The house of worship was erected in 1832, of stone, and has since been enlarged and improved. Originally with but four members, the society now numbers 305, who are ministered unto by Rev. Marvin D. Jump, the pastor. The church will seat 540 persons, and the property is valued at $15,8co. Connected with this church is a small chapel, on road 29, in the northern part of the town.
The Hinsdillville or North Bennington Methodist Episcopal Church, at Hinsdillville, was organized in 1858, by Rev. John E. Bowen the first preacher in charge, and Rev. Jacob Beeman, superannuate. The society consisted then of 40 members and 100 probationers. The church edifice which is of stone, and will seat 300 persons, was erected by the Presbyterians in 1835, and was purchased of them in 1858. The church property is now valued at $3,800. The present membership is 90, and the pastor is Rev. G. H. Townsend, who says that "being located in a manufacturing community the membership is very fluctuating."
The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, (French Catholic,) at Bennington, was organized with about 100 members, by Rev. Jas. Brouillet, Nov. 15, 1880. The society have as yet made no arrangements for a church building, but occupy a room in the Noyes Block, on Main street, which will comfortably seat two hundred people. Rev. Joseph Audet is the pastor, and the pres- ent membership about 150. The church property is valued at about $150. J. H. Germain is trustee, Leon LaMarre, treas., and H. T. Tuergeon, secretary.
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DORSET.
Dorset was chartered by Gov. Wentworth of New Hampshire, Aug. 20, 1761, but it is not known that any of the original gran- tees ever settled in town. The town lies on the north border of the county, and contains forty-one square miles of territory. The face of the country is hilly and mountainous. The mountains are thickly wooded to the top and crowned with evergreens, while the hard woods, maple, beech and birch, grow lower down.
Mount Eolus or Dorset Mountain, the most elevated peak, 3148 feet above the ocean, extends from north to south nearly through the center of the town. Owls Head, and Green Peak are smaller mountains southwest of Eolus, while the Green Moun- tains extend along the east border.
The town is well watered. Pawlet River takes its rise on the west side of Mt. Eolus, and flows southerly and west through this town into Rupert. The west branch of the Battenkill rises in the south-west part, flows south-east and joins the main stream in Manchester.
Otter Creek enters the town from Peru, flows south and curv- ing to the westward flows north along the eastern base of Mt. Eolus into Rutland County.
The Battenkill River takes its rise in the east part, on the farm of Wm. D. Ames, and flows south into Manchester. A branch of Otter Creek also rises on the same meadow. These streams are fed by numerous small brooks, and afford abundant water-power. Dor- set Pond is in the north-east part. The soil is mostly gravelly loam, well adapted for grazing, and is tolerably fertile. On the western slope of Mt. Eolus, in the valley of Pawlet River and on the west branch of the Bat enkill are many fine farms. This town is noted as being one of the earliest in the country, if not the first to export marble. The supply is inexhaustable, and is mainly of the Italian variety. Beds of brown hematite ores are found in
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the east part which have been worked to some extent. The Ben- nington & Rutland R'y enters the town from Manchester and ex- tends along the valley between the mountains in the eastern part into Rutland County.
The population of the town in 1880 was 2,199. During the year ending Sept. 30, 1880 the town contained twelve school dis- tricts and employed three male and twenty-one female teachers, at an expense of $1,742.20. The number of pupils attending school was 1,350, and the total amount expended for school pur- poses was $1,990.30. Elijah M. Torrey was the superintendent.
DORSET, a post village in the western part, contains one church, (Congregational,) one hotel, two general stores, two blacksmith shops, one grist mill, one wagon shop, one marble finishing shop, one boot and shoe shop.
SOUTH DORSET, a post village in the southerly part, on the west branch of the Battenkill, contains one grocery, one general store, two marble works, one blacksmith shop and one match fac- tory.
EAST DORSET, a post village in the south-east part, and a sta- tion on the Bennington & Rutland R'y, contains two churches, (Cong. and R. C.,) two large marble mills, one hotel, two general stores, one grocery, one cheese factory, three blacksmith shops, and one shoe shop. The male population of the village are most- ly engaged in the marble business as owners, foremen, artizans or laborers.
The East Dorset Italian Marble Works of D. L. Kent & Co., on Dorset Mountain, covers about 200 acres, of which 20 acres have already been opened. Their mills at the village, established in 1863, contain eight gangs of saws, and employ about 50 men. The annual sales are from $50,000 to $75,000.
The East Dorset Italian Marble Works of Hollister, Tyrel & Co., were established in 1855. Their mill contains twelve gangs of saws, and thirteen lathes for turning marble. The com- pany employs about 125 men, and their annual sales are about $150,000. Their quarries cover about 100 acres of territory.
Diamond Cheese Factory, established here in 1878, by James L. Cochran, manufactures the milk of about 200 cows.
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NORTH DORSET (P. O.) is a hamlet in the north-east part and a station on the B. & R. Railway. It contains an iron foundry, a marble shop, a lumber mill and a cheese factory.
Francis Maynard's Saw Mill, on Mill Brook, road 21, originally built in 1845 as a marble mill, was changed to a lumber mill about 1851; as a custom mill it now manufactures 400,000 feet per year.
The town farm of about 400 acres, of which 300 is productive, is on road 24. Adairy of 18 cows is kept here, the milk of which is taken to the East Dorset cheese factory.
J. K. Freedley & Son's Marble Quaries, on the east side of Mt. Eolus, on r 33, were opened in 1808, by Elijah Sykes. The first channelling was done in this quarry in 1841. This process of cutting around blocks before raising them from their native beds is now generally practiced, and with a diamond drill as now used is a much more rapid process than formerly. This company have a gravity railroad connection with the Bennington & Rutland Railway, a mile east, at the foot of the mountain, one and a quar- ter miles north of East Dorset Station, where their mill is situated. Here they employ eleven men and ten gangs of saws. They pro- duce, of building stone principally, from 3,000 to 5,000 tons per annum, all of which is shipped direct to Philadelphia, Pa., where the firm reside.
Hawley & Company, composed of Eli J. Hawley of Manches- ter, estate of George B. Holley, and estate of Duncan McDonald, of Philadelphia, Pa., own and operate a marble quarry on road 44, and also the Manley quarry at South Dorset. The first was opened about thirty years ago; the latter in 1841. The business of the company is managed here by Spafford H. West, agent, who usually employs from 35 to 40 men.
S. F. Prince & Co. own a marble quarry on road 19, west of "Owls Head," and a mill on road 44, South Dorset, where they operate four gangs of saws, and produce about $ 125,000 worth of marble per year. They have a government contract for fur- nishing head stones for soldier's graves, and employ from 25 to 30 men.
Smith Hilliard's Saw Mill, grist mill and cider mill on Pawlet River, in the west part of the town, produces annually from 400,-
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ooo to 500,000 feet of lumber, and 500 barrels of cider, besides grinding grain for customers.
W. B. Sykes' Saw Mill, and cheese box factory, on the Met- tawee or Pawlet River, road 12, was built in 1840, the annual amount of lumber cut is about 300,000 feet, and from 17,000 to 20,000 cheese boxes are made here in the same time.
The Dorset Cheese Association have a factory on road 5, where they manufacture about 125,000 pounds of cheese annually from the milk of some 450 cows. The factory was established in 1872.
John L. Batchelder quarries by contract marble for D. L. Kent & Co., and others. He employs about twenty-five men and quarries over 25,000 cubic feet of marble per year. By the use of the diamond boring machine, he is able to cut a channel twenty-five feet long and four feet deep, making seven holes to each foot, or 175 holes, four feet deep, in ten hours. He uses a diamond gadder which does the work of twenty-five men when running.
To stimulate a love of agricultural pursuits in the minds of young men, the State Agricultural College offered a series of prizes for products wholly raised and cared for by boys under seventeen years of age. As one of the results of such offer Arthur B. Kellogg, son of George F. Kellogg in this town, in the summer of 1880, raised from one-eighth of an acre 50 and 51-60 bushels of potatoes, and on another one-eighth acre 31 bushels of corn in the ear. When shelled on the Ist of November the corn measured 132 bushels.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
From the Vermont Historical Magazine we learn that Felix Powell, from Massachusetts, was the first settler, in 1768, in con- sideration of which he was granted by his fellow townsmen fifty acres of land, as appears by record. Following Powell the same year came Isaac Lacy, from Connecticut, and Benjamin Baldwin, Abraham Underhill, John Manly and George Page, from New York. According to Deming the town was organized March 3, 1774. (Thompson says in 1769.) Asa Baldwin was first town clerk ; George Gage, first constable; Cephas Kent, John Manly and Asa Baldwin, first selectmen. The first child born, on record, -8
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was Mary Manly, Oct. 26, 1775 ; though it is stated by members of the family that Wmn., son of Capt. Abraham Underhill, was the first born, about 1770. First committee of safety in this town, Cephas Kent, John Manley, Asahel Herman, Ebenezer Morse and Ephraim Reynolds, chosen in May, 1778; first justice by the town, John Strong, of Addison ; first by the State, Timothy Brown and John Gray, 1786. The first representative was Cephas Kent, in 1778.
William Ames, a native of Wethersfield, Conn., settled on road 31 in 1780. His descendants still occupy the farm.
One of the pioneers of this town was Zachariah Curtis, an Englishman, who settled in 1769 near Dorset Pond. He pur- chased a large tract of land in the east part, extending along the valley nearly across the town ; he lived and died on his property, raising up a family of twenty-five children, most of whom lived to maturity. His house was once burned by the Indians. Only a few of his descendants by the same name remain in town.
Captain Abraham Underhill was one of the earliest settlers, in 1768. One of his sons, William, born about 1770, is said to be the first child born in town. Another son, Lieutenant Isaac Underhill, was with his father (who raised a volunteer company,) at the Battle of Bennington. The first town meeting was held at Captain Underhill's house. He represented the town at Windsor in 1778, and died in 1796, aged 66.
John, Isaac and Asa Farwell, brothers, from Mansfield, Conn., came to Dorset when there were but a very few families in town. From them have descended several families of that name now residents of the town. Isaac Farwell, son of John, above men- tioned, was born on road 13 in this town July 14th, 1779. He cast his first vote for President Adams in ISoo, and voted for Garfield in 1880. His "centennial" was celebrated at Dorset village. He died in November or December, 1880, and was probably the oldest resident of the State.
Titus Sykes came to town before the revolution ; his father and brothers, Ashbel, Jacob, Sylvanus, Victory and Israel, followed him, and from these have descended numerous representatives, many of whom have held positions of honor in the State and ocal government.
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Experience Barrows from Hartford, Conn., settled here in 1800. He married Lucretia Wales, also from Connecticut, in 1804. A family of eight sons and three daughters blessed their union. Mr. Barrows died at 84 years of age, his wife at the age of 93.
Reuben Bloomer, came to Dorset in 1774. He married Susannah Paddock and raised 9 sons and 8 daughters. He died in 1824 at the age of 88 years, and his wife at 90. Robert, one of their sons, born here, died at the age of 83 ; his son, Robert P., now lives on road 42.
Eli Deming was an early settler near Deming Pond. He and his brother, and William Marsk, another early settler, owned most of the valley south of East Dorset. Being a loyalist, Mr. Marsh fled to Canada on the breaking out of the Revolution.
Deacon John Manley soon followed his son John, who was one of the first four settlers in the town, and located at Dorset village. The Deacon's wife was half sister of Benedict Arnold. The Deacon was a cabinet maker, and died in 1803.
Deacon Cephas Kent, one of the first settlers, was a tavern keeper. At his house, on road 45 cor. 15, on July 24th, 1776, a general convention was held to hear the report of Capt: Heman Allen, who had been in attendance upon congress with a peti- tion from the New Hampshire Grants. Thirty-one towns were rep- resented. This convention was in session two days, hearing the report and deliberating upon their future political relations. The meeting adjourned to 25th of September following, at which time it met, at the same place, and held a four days' session. At this time it was resolved "to take suitable measures as soon as may be, to declare the New Hampshire Grants a separate district." This was the germ which soon after expanded and grew into the free and independent State ; the only State, except Texas, which has been admitted to the union by petition of her people.
Deacon Kent raised six sons, several of whom were engaged in Bennington battle. He died at the age of 84 years, in 1809.
Benjamin, Asa, Eleazer and Elihu Baldwin, brothers, and Silas and Thomas Baldwin, relatives, settled here at an early day. Benjamin came in 1768, and settled about a mile east of the village, where he grew the first apples raised in town. He thrived and became one of the most forehanded men of the
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town. He was charitable and kind to his neighbors to such an extent as to finally injure his own fortune. He died in 1830 much lamented. Silas came from Conn., married Priscella Cary, in 1781, and settled on the farm, and previous to 1790 built the house where Eliphalet Farwell now lives. David C. Baldwin his son was born here in 1783 and died Nov. 28, 1876. His daugh- ter Aurora P., now Mrs. E. Farwell, is still living with her lius- band at the old homestead.
Prince Paddock, who settled in Dorset Hollow in 1769, was the ancestor of the Paddocks of the present day in this town. Abraham Underhill, Reuben Bloomer and John Manly, married three sisters, Mary, Susannah, and Mercy Paddock.
Col. Stephen Martindale, settled here in 1783. He was from: Stockbridge, Mass., and when 16 years of age was a volunteer under Col. Warner at the battle of Bennington. During the war of 1812, he was colonel of a regiment and marched to the north- ern frontier. He several times represented the town in the Legis- lature, and died in 1825.
Among other noted men who deserve more extended mention, are Justus Holley, who came here in 1780. Jonathan Armstrong, grand-father of Augustin B., when a boy of sixteen enlisted in Massachusetts, under Capt. Wm. Worth, with whose company. and others making a full regiment of provincials, he went out to assist in the capture of Cuba, an expedition so disastrous that he was. one of four of his company that lived to see his native land.
He was a volunteer at Bennington battle, and with the aid of a comrade captured six Hessian soldiers and Capt. Pfister, who was mortally wounded. He kept watch of the prisoners over night. and on the death of Capt. Pfister his portmanteau fell into the pos- session of Mr. Armstrong. Among its contents was a beautifully drawn map of the route from Skenesborough to Ticonderoga. drawing instruments, &c., besides fine linen. Some of the searti- cles are still in the possession of one of the grand-sons. After the battle Mr. Armstrong married Abigail Haynes of Bennington and settled in Dorset, where he died at the age of 83.
Amos Field, who settled about two miles north of Dorset : Capt. John Shumway, a revolutionary soldier, before he came to
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this town, Deacon Ebenezer Morse, of Connecticut, who settled in 1774, were prominent citizens.
The principal wealth of the town lies in her inexhaustible mar- ble quarries which with two or three exceptions are located upon the different slopes of Mt. Eolus from near the base to an elevation of about 1400 feet. The strata of marbles occur generally five to twenty of them together resting horizontally one upon another, with seams between them. The layers are from one to six feet in thickness, and usually retain their own peculiarities as to color thickness, texture, &c. The prevailing color is white, with occa- sional varigations of blue.
Long before any special value was set upon the marble deposits the fact of its being here was known, and as early as 1785 Isaac Underhill opened the first quarry on lands then owned by Reuben Bloomer. Mr. Underhill's line of manufacture was fire-jams, chimney-backs, hearths, and for other building purposes, which found customers for a hundred and fifty miles around.
John Manley and others soon after engaged in the business. At different periods since the other quarries have been opened.
The following incident of the war of the rebellion is related of Maj. Charles Field, a resident of this town, who was then Divi- sion Quartermaster : At the battle of Gettysburg he disobeyed orders and left only a part of his commissary train at a certain point some miles in the rear of the army. Loading several wag- ons with bread, coffee and sugar, he rode before them up the long pike and across the fields to near where he supposed the 2d Bri- gade were, tired and foot-sore after their forced marches, and with empty stomachs and empty knapsacks. Halting the wag- ons he walked toward a tiny spot of fire a few rods distant. Gen. Stannard was smoking his midnight cigar, standing by a ruined fence, and in answer to the question "Is the 14th Vermont near here ?" was answered, " Just over there; but is this you, Quarter- master Field?" " Yes; I have disobeyed orders and brought the boys their rations." "God bless you!" said Gen. Stannard, "but how did you get here? I thought the Rebs held the pike. I'll get you a guard and if possible bring up the rest of the train-we need it." In ten minutes the mounted guard were ready, but the pike was full of Rebel soldiers. "The Boys" had their rations, and the
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part they bore in the next day's decisive battle won glory for themselves and for Vermont ! On that day he asked and served with Chaplain Smart of the 14th Regiment, as aid to Gen. Stan- nard on the battle-field.
In 1849 Francis Draper built a blast furnace three-quarters of a mile south of East Dorset Station, where for eight years he man- ufactured iron. In 1865 he sold the property, and bought it back in 1875. He owns extensive beds of ore in' this town one mile north of the furnace, and expects to repair the furnace and put it in blast again.
The Congregational Church of Dorset was organized Sept. 22, 1784, probably by Rev. Elijah Sill, of New Fairfield Conn., who became the first pastor. It is not definitely known how many members constituted the society at its organization, but it is sup- posed twenty or less. Soon after there were forty members. The first house of worship, erected probably about 1790, was burned in January 1832. The present house was dedicated Feb. 6, 1833. It was re-constructed and re-dedicated Dec. 25, 1860, and will comfortably seat 350 people. There are now 116 mem- bers, under the spiritual care of Rev. Parsons S. Pratt, who has served the people here since 1856. The church propertyis valued at $5,000 to $6,000.
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