USA > Vermont > Bennington County > Gazetteer and business directory of Bennington County, Vt. for 1880-81 > Part 17
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Haynes & Livermore built a saw mill at the forks of the river in 1850. It subsequently passed into the hands of Peter Stone, and afterwards to Simon Doane, who soon allowed the property to go decay. The mill and dam have long since been washed out by the stream.
The tanning of leather was at one time an important business here. In 1842 Swift & Squires built a tannery on the River a mile above the Wilmington line, where they employed about ten
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TOWN OF SEARSBURG.
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men and tanned annually about 125 tons of sole leather. Bracket & Sawyer, of Mass., purchased the property. It was burned in August 1851. The firm however immediately rebuilt and con- tinued the business until they sold to Shaw & Metz, also of Mass., in 1857, by whom the business was continued until 1861-2, when it came into possession of Schwartz & Sons. The building burned about this time, and a new one was erected for a chair factory. This business was conducted about a year, when the firm left the country, financially embarassed. The building was taken down by the mortgagees and removed to Adams, Mass.,
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The Green Mountain House, the only hotel ever built and maintained in town, was erected by Freeman Clark. It subse- quently passed into the hands of Solomon Rich, and after his death was kept by Sherman Robinson until it was burned, about 1871. This house, situated -on the turnpike (road 8 near the bridge,) between Bennington and Brattleboro was widely and favorably known. It was a comfortable two story house. While Mr. Rich was proprietor of this house he was accidentally killed in the road just north of the bridge below Mr. Bond's. By the road side a plain marble monument is planted, bearing the follow- ing inscription :-
"Erected to mark the place where SOLOMON RICH was thrown from his wagon April 17, 1848, and instantly killed, in his 45th year. Thus sud- denly was a family deprived of a kind husband, an affectionate father, and community an enterprising citizen."
In October, 1869, a freshet carried away the lower bridge across the Deerfield, and the present covered bridge was erected in November of the same year, at a cost of something over $2,200.
In the description of Readsboro, may be found an account of the controversy and settlement of a dispute between Wilmington on the one part, and Searsburg and Readsboro on the other, concern- ing a strip of land half a mile wide along the eastern border of the latter towns.
The Deerfield River and its tributaries in Searsburg have be- come a favorite resort for fishermen from New York and other cities, who find rare sport along these mountain streams. L. L. Stevens and Daniel Snow caught 18 trout-all they took-one -12
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TOWN OF SHAFTSBURY.
afternoon, which weighed 24 pounds. Road 63 was built in 1876-'7, and opened to the public in the fall of 1877. It shortens the distance between Readsboro and Wilmington about two and a half miles.
The First Universalist Society of Searsburg was organized with about 12 members in 1858 or '9, by Rev. Warren Hicks, of Whit- ingham. There has never been any settled minister nor any church edifice erected, but Rev. Mr. Hicks held stated meetings for a long time alternately at the school houses of the town. At present there are about half a dozen members, and occasional services are held at the school houses.
Union Sunday Schools are held alternately at school houses Nos. 3 and 5, and one regularly each Sunday at No. 2, during the Summer months.
SHAFTSBURY.
Shaftsbury is centrally located on the western border of the county. It was chartered the 20th of April, 1761, and contains 23,040 acres. The first proprietors to whom the grant was given did not settle on the land; but in about two years afterward several families from Rhode Island took up land in the north- eastern part of the town, calling the locality Little Rhode Island. So the settlement properly dates at 1763.
The surface and soil are well adapted to farming, as the country is moderately level. Trumbull and Hall mountains, east of the center of the town, and West Mountain, in the north-western part, being the only elevations of any note. It is well watered, White Creek passing through the north-western part, Paran Creek being formed from numerous tributaries from the east and west, and flowing through the center of the town, south on its way to the Wal- loomsac; Furnace Brook in the eastern section, and Cold Spring Creek in the south-western, all tending to irrigate the soil.
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TOWN OF SHAFTSBURY.
The Bennington and Rutland Railway passes through the center of the town north and south, and through the south-west- ern corner.
The timber is mostly oak and chestnut. Iron has been found in some portions of the town, and some marble. Agriculture occupies the inhabitants mostly. Small grains are raised quite extensively. This town is noted for its fine sheep, and there are several quite large farms stocked with them.
The population at the census of 1880, was 1,892, of this num- ber four were colored.
The school districts are thirteen in number, employing seven male and thirteen female teachers. In the report of 1879-80, the amount paid out for teacher's wages is stated as $2, 156.00 ; the number of children attending school as 473, while the entire cost of the schools was $2,344.74. Jacob B. Stevens, superin. tendent.
SOUTH SHAFTSBURY is situated on Faran Creek in the south part of the town, also on the Rutland and Bennington Railway. It contains about seventy houses and four hundred inhabitants. The Eagle Square Manufacturing Co. is located here. There is one church, (Methodist,) one hotel, two stores, grist mill, graded school, a Granger's Hall, two wagon sheps, and two blacksmith shops. Town meetings are held in the house once used by the Universalist society.
Eagle Square Manufacturing Company. Shaftsbury is noted as being the seat of one of the most important manufactories of its kind in the world. Soon after the war of 1812, Silas Hawes obtained a patent for steel squares for carpenters' use, and was the first man in the world to engage in the manufacture of these useful implements. In the beginning, and for several years, he collected old saw plates from which with rude implements he made the squares. He came to Shaftsbury in 1817, and the next year engaged in the basiness with Stephen Whipple, a black- smith, who had the only trip hammer worked by water power in the town, and whose capital aided to perpetuate the business which was destined to be in after years the leading manufactur- ing industry of the town.
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TOWN OF SHAFTSBURY.
From its infancy, and for many years, the country was chiefly supplied through the agency of peddlers.
About 1828, at which time Mr. Hawes went out of the busi- ness, George Briggs and David Allen commenced manufacturing. John Hastings continued the business abandoned by Hawes.
About 1835-6, Rufus W. Bangs invented the " eccentric rolls," the first important improvement for the manufacture of squares, and by which the tapering process was perfected and facilitated.
Mr. Bangs and others introduced implements for graduating squares, all of which were partial or entire failures. The first successful machine built for that purpose was by Norman Mil- lington and Dennis J. George, and patented by them in 1854, and re-issued in 1868. Some improvements on the original machine have since been made.
From 1840 to 1851 the business was conducted here by Stephen A Whipple and his father, Stephen. In the lattes year Norman Douglass joined Stephen A. under the firm name of Whipple & Douglass, and by them the business was continued until 1857 when it went into the hands of Heman Whipple, who continued it until about 1859. In 1845 Dennis J. George commenced the business at South Shaftsbury. At North Bennington and vicinity were small establishments engaged in the business. The popu- larity of these goods and consequently increased demand by mechanics had brought many customers from the leading whole- sale marts of the country.
It was evident the business had a brilliant future, and the sub- ject of its extention was agitated by the leading manufacturers. which resulted in the organization of the "Eagle Square Company," Jan. 1, 1859,. with a capital of $17,000. The company was composed of D. J. George, Milo Pierce, J. Essex; Hawks, Loomis & Co., and Heman Whipple, by whom the business was conducted until 1864, when a stock company was formed under the name of " The Eagle Square Company, with a capital of $30,000.
Dennis J. George was the first president, L. J. Mattison, treas- urer. Mr. George died in 1864 and was succeeded by Thomas R. Sexton. who also died in 1867, and he was succeeded by Hon,
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A. B. Gardner. In the same year L. J. Mattison retired and was succeeded by Wm. P. Mattison as treasurer.
In 1875 the capital stock was increased to $60,000, and the name changed to "Eagle Square Manufacturing Company."
Nearly all the tools now in use have improvements made by Clark Bates and others.
Twice since the Company was organized has it suffered loss by fire. The first time in July, 1860, and from the ruins new build- ings were immediately erected. The last fire occurred April 22, 1880, destroying all but the square finishing building, and again have arisen substantial structures, better adapted to the business, and with improved machinery and other facilities the business is destined to bring additional wealth to the town. The company are also extensively engaged in the manufacture of bedsteads, commenced in 1860, and of sash and blinds, handles and boring machines.
Their buildings, five in number, cover nearly an acre of ground and with lumber, metal and other materials used in the business, occupy several acres. The company employ from eighty to one . hundred men and produce annually from $50,000 to $125,000 worth of squares. In 1879 the bedstead department turned out 21,000 bedsteads, and with the increased facilities in the new building it is expected that 35,000 will be the annual product. The sash and blind and molding business amount to about $25,000 annually. They have a saw mill here which cuts from 150,000 to 200,000 feet of lumber, and one in Glastenbury that produces from 250,000 to 500,000 feet per year, about 2,000 car- , penters' boring machines, and 2,000,000 handles for boring ma- chines, curry combs, stove lifters, &c., are manufactactured each year. The motive power used to drive the works is supplied by a two hundred horse power steam engine, aided by a moderate stream of water.
The capital stock is principally owned by Hon. A. B. Gardner, of Bennington, E Thompson Gale, of Troy, N. Y. and Fred. L. Ames, of Boston, Mass. A few shares are held by residents of Shaftsbury.
The present officers are A. B. Gardner, President; Wm. P. Mattison, Secretary and Treasurer ; Milo Pierce, Superintendent.
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TOWN OF SHAFTSBURY.
Mr. Pierce and Mr. Mattison have been connected with the business since 1850, and to their knowledge and judgement a large share of the success of the establishment is due.
Brown's Cider and Flax Mill is situated on Cold Spring Stream. It manufactures about 600 barrels of cider annually. The Flax mill dresses during the year about 10,000 pounds ot flax.
H. N. & H. C. Elwell on road 61, manufacturers of Kaolin for paper stock, began the business in 1877, and usually mine about one hundred and fifty tons per year. They also have a saw mill here.
The Flax Mill of Collins & McMahan is also on Cold Spring Creek, This mill dresses about 12,000 pounds of flax annually.
Whipple's Grist Mill is on Paran Creek. It was built in 1823, by Stephen Whipple, and has one run of stone.
Dean's Grist Mill is on Paran Creek about one mile north of the village. It has three run of stone. This mill was built by Joshua Monroe, nearly a century ago.
Hall & Whipple's Cider Mill is on the B. & R. Railway and Paran Creek, some two miles from the village. It was built in 1880. It has a capacity of making 25 barrels of cider per day.
The " Hail Mountain Grange" P. of H. was organizedin 1875, and as its name indicates, is a granger's association. It was organized by G. P. Montgomery, Myron Barton, Geo. Andrus, S. D. Mont- gomery, S. H. Whipple, S. W. Munroe, G. S. Mattison and My- ron Clark. It organized with sixty members, at present has about forty. The association meets monthly on the Saturday before a full moon, and the annual meeting is December of each year. The hall in which the meetings are held is owned by the ".Farmer's and Mechanics' Association," and leased by them to the Grangers. The present officers are, President, Charles An- drus ; Secretary and Treasurer, S. D. Montgomery ; Trustees, Charles Andrus, S. D. Montgomery, Myron Barton, S.W. Monroe, and Elmer Tinkham. ยท
SHAFTSBURY in the north part of the town and a station on the Bennington and' Rutland Railway, contains a post-office, one store, a blacksmith and wagon shop.
SHAFTSBURY CENTER, is located in the center of the town. In it is the old Town House, Baptist Church, blacksmith shop, store and a branch post-office of Shaftsbury.
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TOWN OF SHAFTSBURY.
. Bouplon's Saw Mill is in the north-western part of the town on White Creek. This mill cuts about 100,000 feet of lumber an- nually.
E. R. and S. E. Martin of road 4, own lime kilns, in Arling- ton about one mile from Shaftsbury Depot. They burn about 2,500 bushels of lime annually.
Wait's Saw Mill on Furnace Brook, eastern part of the town cuts 100,000 feet of lumber, 10,000 lath and about 5,000 pickets during the year.
. Among the pioneers of this town who settled during the year 1763, the names of Olin, Mattison, Downer, Clark, Spencer, Cole, Galusha, Andrus and Waldo are handed down. The town was organized some years previous to the Revolution, and the first town clerk was Thomas Mattison. During the Revolution but four persons were to be found in the town who owned to tory sen- timents, they were John Munro, Ebenezer Wright, Abram Marsh and Elisha King. Public opinion was so strong against these men that they were driven from the town and deprived of their lands.
Amaziah Parker and his brother Mashier, came from Long Is- land, in company with Parker, Freeborn and Benjamin Cole, and James Draper emigrated into this town at an early date. Freeborn left soon after. Amaziah Martin settled on road 66, where Peleg Cole now lives. The present house was erected in 1779, and is built of rough stone. In addition to farming he kept a tavern for many years, and died in IS19. His son followed the business and died here in 1856. Mashier and Amaziah, sons of Amaziah, emigrated in 1818 with their families to Missouri. The journey was made in a covered wagon drawn by a yoke of oxen, and consumed the time from June to September to travel the distance. Mashier, who came with Amaziah, settled on road 45 near corner of road 44. Edwin R. and Simeon E. Martin, are great-grand children of Mashier.
Parker Cole settled where S. Howard now lives. The stone for this house was cut and fitted by masons, and the house cost $17,000. (Presumeably in Continental money, which was largely circulated, and considerably depreciated in value soon after the Revolution.) He had four sons, Peleg, Seth, Abraham and
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TOWN OF SHAFTSBURY.
Uriah. Peleg settled on the old homestead and died there in 1822. Uriah, the youngest son, also died there. Hiram, son of Uriah, disposed of the place in after years to Mr. Howard, after which he moved to North Bennington, where he now resides.
By an act of the Colonial Assembly of New York, passed in 1772, a new district was constituted in Albany County by the name of Cambridge. (Districts were by the Colonial law the same as towns.) In the new district thus constituted Shaftsbury was included.
During the existence of the conflict between the inhabitants of that part of Vermont formerly known as the New Hampshire grants, and the authorities of the State of New York, and especially of Albany County, from 1771 to 1791, concerning the jurisdiction of the State of New York over the territory named; a part of the inhabitants living in the west part of the town in the vicinity known as the "Hollow," under the leadership of the notorious "Justice Munro," recognized the authority of New York, while the greater part of the people in other parts of the town made common cause with the settlers in other towns in re- sisting the New York authorities, until in the year 1791, when Vermont was admitted into the Union as a soverign State, and the County of Rensselaer was instituted in the State of New York, when the district of Cambridge was divided, Shaftsbury being a part of the new State, with its present boundary, and Cambridge being set off to Rensselaer County.
Col. Nathan Stone, from Rhode Island settled in the town pre- vious to the Battle of Bennington on Maple Hill. He was an officer in the company of militiamen commanded by Jonas Galusha, (afterwards Governor. ) During the battle a man by the name of Job Leonard said to him, "I have no gun, what shall I do?" Stone replied, "Stand by me a few minutes and you shall have one," and soon after fired at a Hessian. As the Hessian fell, Stone said to Leonard, "Run and get your gun," which order was promptly obeyed.
Col. Stone and his son Eli both died on the old farm, now owned by Peter Elwell. Clark and Russell Stone are his grand- sons. Henry L. Stillson, editor of the Bennington Banner, is a great- grand-son of Job Leonard, the man who took the gun from the Hessian shot by Col. Stone.
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TOWN OF SHAFTSBURY.
John Buck, one of the earliest settlers moved from Connecticut in 1760. He was in the Battle of Bennington, and resided in the town of Shaftsbury until his death, in 1840. His son Eliphalet was born in 1797, and has always lived on the farm taken up by his father.
Samuel Mattison was one of the pioneers, there being but two or three families when he moved to the place. He also fought at Bennington with seven of his sons and sons-in-law. The land on which he settled is still in possession of his descendants.
Peleg Mattison moved from Rhode Island before the Revolu- tion. His son David was born in 1799 and died at the age of 71.
David, son of Peleg A. Mattison, is a resident of the town. Ichabod Cross came from Hartford, Conn., and took up a tract of land. He died in 1827. The farm is now in possession of Ichabod, his great-grand son.
Thomas Mattison, another brother, came from Rhode Island in 1792. His family consisted of twelve children. The most of them moved from the town ; one lived and died here. Thomas died at Bennington.
David Millington was born in the town in 1773, and died there in 1852. Mr. Millington was the first person to use grafting wax and did a very extensive business, sending men out through all the surrounding country, even through the western states, to graft. The farm on which he was born is still owned by his son Norman, who was born in 18to, and is still living an the farm. He was a leading inventor and builder of the first successful gra- duator with twenty-four gravers for graduating carpenter's steel . squares, and has invented various other machines for making squares, having been in the business for twenty-one years.
Ebenezer Bates was one of the earliest to settle in the town, moving from Rhode Island. Three of his sons were in the Battle of Bennington. Mr. Bates lived in the town, and dying, left his farm to his sons. John Bates, a grand-son, holds the old farm, which is situated to the north-west of South Shaftsbury, about one and one-half miles.
Elijah Bottum settled in the north part of the town in 1767 moving from Norwich, Conn. He died in 1809. Simon Bottum also came from Connecticut during the early settlements, living in
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the north part of the town until [822, when he died. Lemuel, his son, was born in 1840, and died July 14, 1880, leaving three sons residents in the town, Simon, Horace B. and Edward.
Joshua Elwell, a native of Rhode Island, moved to Shaftsbury about the time of the battle of Bennington. He had four sons, one of whom, Elias, moved from the town, but came back, and died in the year 1865. Descendants are still living.
John Elwell, also from Rhode Island, settled in town in the year 1793. in the eastern part. He died in 1800. His son John now lives in Glastenbury. At his last birthday, May, 1880, he was 83 years of age.
John Huling, also from. Rhode Island, was in the Bennington Battle. He died in 1834. His grandson, George, now lives on the farm first settled by his grandfather.
Gideon Olin, from Rhode Island, was one of the representa- tive men of the State. He moved into the town in 1776, was appointed major in a regiment of militia and served on the frontier. He was one of the Councilors of State for four years, a member of the General Assembly, Speaker in the House through seven sessions of the Legislature, was Chief Justice in County Court, and was in Congress two years. He died in 1823 at the age of 80.
Jabez Elwell settled some time before the Revolution, in which he participated, serving seven years, and died in the town. Clark, his son, moved from Arlington to Shaftsbury in 1816, died in Bennington in 1870.
Jonas Galusha was also a public man. He fought at Benning- ton, and was captain of a company of State militia. He was a member of the General Assembly, and State Council, Sheriff, Judge, Governor for a period of nine years, with an interval of three years, from 1812 to 1815. He built the house now owned and occupied by Joel Harrington on road 21.
In 1767 Jeremiah Clark moved from Preston, Conn., to the west part of Shaftsbury, where he lived for fifty years. He was a member of the first council of safety till the organization under the constitution, March, 1778. He was a deligate from the town to the first convention at Cephas Kent's, in Dorset, Sept., 1776. In 1777 he was in service as a major. He was also a judge of
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the first court, and a member of the executive council. It was he who sentenced David Redding, at Bennington, the first man hung in Vermont. 1
One of the earliest settlers was George Niles, who lived to the age of 105 years,
Daniel Tinkham came from Massachusetts in 1794 and died in 1827, leaving a large family. Daniel, jr., the third, lives on the old farm on White Creek occupied by his father from 1830.
In 1790 Gardner Barton moved from Providence, R. I., and died in the town. Hiram, his son, has held the office of town clerk since March, 1825, and the office of justice of the peace for fifty-seven consecutive terms. Mr. Barton died the 7th of Oct., 1880, in his 86th year. His son Myron was appointed to fill the office of town clerk at his father's death.
Jonathan Wheelock, of Worchester, Mass., took up a farm in 1810, died in 1865. His son David now resides on the farm set- tled by his father.
Cyrus Lane was also from Rhode Island and one of the settlers in the northern part of the town. Clark D., his son, was born in the year 1814 and died in 1869.
Jonathan Wait, a native of Rhode Island, came to the town in 1801 and died in 1848. His son Joseph is still living at the age of 74.
Otis Howard became a resident of the town in 1780 and set- tled on the farm now in possession of his grandson Otis. He was a native of Massachusetts, and before moving to Shaftsbury lived for a while in Jamaica, Vt. Solomon, a grandson living in the town, has been town representative and held other offices of honor and trust.
The first deed was recorded in May, 1779. It was from John Burnham to Bigelow Lawrence. The oldest house in town, and the second frame house built, is at Shafts- bury Center, and owned by Margaret F. Huntington. It was a public house and during the battle at Bennington a prayer meeting was held there.
Shaftsbury boasts of being the birth-place of one of the oldest Baptist Associations in the United States. In 1780 the " Shafts- bury Baptist Association" was organized, and on the 12th day of June, 1781, its first anniversary was held in the town.
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TOWN OF SHAFTSBURY.
The First Baptist Church, of Shaftsbury was constituted in 1768. It had 45 members in 1786. Several ministers were here for a short time early, but in 1803 one of their own members Elder I. Mattison became their pastor and remained with them forty years. The church was located in the southwest part of the town, about a mile from North Bennington. The Church had experienced many revivals, and for a time prospered. But soon after Elder Mattison gave up his pastorate here, disagreements re- garding the discipline arose, and to obviate an open rupture the society concluded to dissolve the organization, which was done in 1844, after an existence of 76 years. Some of the members im- mediately united with others and formed the 2d Baptist Church at North Bennington.
The Baptist Church of Shaftsbury, at Shaftsbury Center, for- merly called the 4th then the 3d, and since 1844, has been the only Baptist church in town, was constituted at Bennington August 19. 1783, where the meetings were held until January 10, 1785, since which their meetings have been held at Shaftsbury Center. The first church was erected in 1786. Elder Amos Burrows was the first min ster.
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