USA > Vermont > Bennington County > Gazetteer and business directory of Bennington County, Vt. for 1880-81 > Part 7
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The first temale child born in town was, Sarah Ann, daughter of Andrew and Ann Hurd Hawley, Andrew Hawley was a son of Jehial Hawley.
Between the years 1765 and 1780, the following persons, mostly from Newtown and New Milford, Conn., moved into town; Aus- tin Seele, David Watkins, George and Daniel Outman, Caleb and Josiah Dayton, Eliakim Stoddard, Zadok and James Hard, David Crofut, John Gray, Lemuel and David Buck, Andrew, Daniel and Israel Burritt, George Mitchell, Pitman Benedict, Na- than and Israel Canfield, Simeon Hicks and others.
Like the settlers in other towns, these had located under the New Hampshire grants, and purchased their lands in good faith. "The settlers were actively engaged in securing the necessaries of life, and in laying out and improving the lands they had purchased. Some were sending for their wives and younger children, who were as yet in their old homes, while some were sending for rela- tives and neighbors. They were in no doubt as to the validity of their land title. Even the proclamation of the Governor of
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New York, in 1764, advising the people of the king's order re- specting the future jurisdiction of the territory, did not alarm them, for they supposed that the titles under the 'great seal' of a royal governor, would be respected, and not be disturbed."
So anxious were the people to make their titles secure for themselves and their successors, that in this town, as well as in others on the west border of Vermont, agents were elected and sent Jan. 1, 1761, to treat with the Stockbridge Indians, who claimed twelve townships of land, the people agreeing to pay what- ever sums their agents covenanted to give to the Indians.
The nature of this claim does not appear in any records at our command. As regards Arlington, "tradition only relates that there were Indians residing near the northwest corner of the town, who may have been connected with those at Stockbridge."
The encroachments by New York patentees, became as trouble- some in Arlington as in other towns in the New Hampshire grants,"
Ethen Allen, who then resided in Sunderland, (not yet having moved to Bennington,) Remember Baker, the Arlington miller, and others, were prominent in their opposition to the surveyors and other agents sent here by the New Yorkers. In several in- stances the surveyors were roughly handled, and sent out of the Grants with the advice never to return.
Complaints of these interferences being made to the Governor of New York, he issued proclamations, offering rewards for the apprehending and securing of the leaders, sometimes naming one set of men and sometimes another set. He also reiterated by proclamation the right of New York to the territory west of the Connecticut River, and warned the people against opposing his authority. These threatening proclamations increased, rather than allayed, the ill feeling of the settlers. A proclamation of Gov. Tryon, Dec. 9, 1871, offering rewards for the apprehension of Allen, Baker, and Robert Cochran, the latter of whom held title under New Hampshire, "was treated by them with defiant con- tempt by issuing and circulating extensively, over their signatures, a printed burlesque proclamation, offering a reward of fifteen pounds for the apprehension and delivering at 'Landlord Fay's,' in Bennington, of James Duane; and ten pounds for Attorney
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General Kempe, who were described as common disturbers of the public peace."
John Munro, justice of the peace, acting under New York authority, and who resided in Shaftsbury, near the west line, was an agent of Duane and others, and being anxious to serve his principal, and to stand well with the government, resolved, if possible, to capture Remember Baker, and take him to Albany ยท jail.
Baker lived at East Arlington, about twelve miles from Mun- ro's residence.
By means of a spy, Munro, having learned of the situation at Baker's, proceeded with his constable Stevens, and a party of ten or twelve others, and surrounded the house before daylight, on March 21, 1772, where, after a desperate struggle in which Baker was severely wounded, and his wife and little son also much in- jured, they succeeded in arresting him. He was immediately bound, and placed in a sleigh and driven towards Albany.
Two neighbors of Baker, Caleb Henderson and John Whiston, attempted to stop the sleigh, but failed. Whiston was taken pris- oner, and carried off by the party, but Henderson escaped.
A messenger was immediately dispatched to Bennington, from whence ten men were at once rallied, who rode with all pos- sible speed to the ferry across the Hudson, where the city of Troy now is; arriving there, as they had hoped they would, in advance of Munro and his party, they turned back on the road to Arling- ton, and after traveling six or seven miles, met them.
On seeing the Green Mountain Boys, most of the party fled to the woods, but Munro and his constable were captured and held, until the rescuers were well on their way with Baker toward Ben_ nington. Baker was so exhausted by loss of blood, that he had to be held upon his horse by a man riding with him.
Reports somewhat conflict as to who the rescuing party were, but the most authentic accounts agree opon the following, designated by their subseqent titles, viz: General Isaac Clark, Col. Joseph Safford, Major Wait Hopkins, Col. David Safford, and Messrs. Timothy Abbott, Stephen Hopkins, Elnathan Hub- bel, Samuel Tubbs, Ezekiel Brewster and Nathaniel Holmes. This attack upon Baker heightened the animosity of the settlers
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agains the Yorkers, and strengthened their determination to resist their encroachments at all hazards .- [Condensed from Gov. Hall.]
In Justice Munro's account of the rescue, to the Governor of New York, he names the rescuers as follows : "Joseph Bradley, Lemuel Bradley, Jesse Sawyer, Isaac Vernernum, Abel Castle, Jr., Curtis Hawley, Elisha Sherman, Philo Hurlbut, Abijah Hurd, Ebenezer Wallis, John Whiston, Austin Seela, Justin Sherwood, Caleb Henderson .- The italics indicate Arlington men."-Ver. Hist. Mag.]
By an act of the Colonial Assembly of New York, passed March 12, 1772, a new county by .the name of Charlotte was constituted, having its boundaries somewhat indefinitely defined, as extending from Canada on the north to the Battenkill River, and the south line of the New York patent of Princetown on the south, and extending west beyond lakes George and Champlain, and lying east of the Green Mountains.
Within these boundaries were included large parts of the towns of Arlington, Sunderland, and the other towns lying north of them. Prior to the passage of the foregoing named act of the New York Assembly, the territory embraced within the bound- aries of the new county, constituted a part of Albany County, but after the declaration of independence, and the organization of a State Government, in 1777, by the people of Vermont, they denied the right of New York to have jurisdiction over the new county, and claimed that Charlotte County belonged to a separate territorial government, established by Great Britain, over which General Philip Skene was appointed governor. The validity of this claim was recognized by many persons in the new county, and in February, 1781, the general Assembly of Vermont de- clared its jurisdiction to extend to the Hudson River; and in April following appointed a convention to be held at Cambridge the next month, to which delegates were chosen to represent Ver- mont. This convention was held in May, 1781, at which the following districts, (districts under the Colonial law were the same as towns,) were represented by delegates :- Hoosick, Schaghticoke, Cambridge, Saratoga, Upper White Creek, (Salem,) Black Creek, (Hebron,) Granville, Skenesboro, Kingsbury, Fort Edward, and Little Hoosick, at which these districts resolved to
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recognize the jurisdiction of Vermont. John Rogers was chair- man of the convention, and Moses Robinson, chairman of the committee.
Representatives were chosen to the Vermont Legislature, who took their seats June 16, 1781.
The next year, March 1, another convention met at Cambridge, at which it was resolved to re-consider the action of the previous year, retract the union with Vermont, and petition the State of New York to restore them to their former situation.
This controversy continued several years afterwards, partly in consequence of the resistence by New York to the admission of Vermont into the Federal Union.
In 1784, the Assembly of New York changed the name of Charlotte County to Washington, and in 1791, when Vermont was admitted into the Union as a sovereign State, the present boundary between Washington County, New York, and Benning- ton County, Vermont, was established.
The people had become weary of these exasperating land con- troversities, and at a meeting held at Manchester, October 21, 1772, by deputies from Bennington and the adjacent towns, Jehiel Hawley and James Breakenridge were appointed their agents to repair at once to London for the purpose of soliciting the confirmation of the New Hampshire grants. Hawley was chosen on account of his being a large proprietor, a prudent man, and favorable to remaining under the jurisdiction of New York, and because the people represented by him were mainly decidedly attached to the church of England. It was natural, therefore, to hope that he would aid in gaining a powerful influence in behalf of the settlers. What success attended their efforts does not ap- pear. The order of the King was not regarded by the New York officials. The people here were united as against this com- mon danger, but in 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was sent out to the world, friends became enemies. Some were honestly loyal to the King, others from policy, believing the cause of the revolutionists could not succeed, while the majority were ready to act in concert with the others who had declaired for an independent nationality.
Jehiel Hawley, "a man of great conscientiousness and fervent
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piety," was a loyalist. Although taking no active part, his known sympathies with the mother country brought, first upon his chil- dren, and then upon himself, loss of property, and the necessity of leaving all and fleeing to Canada. Under Burgoyne's protec- tion, and while on his way to Canada, he died on Lake Cham- plain, November 2, 1777, aged 66. At Bennington and at Sara- toga were men from Arlington in either army. One was killed in the ranks of the enemy, and several were surrendered as prisoners at Saratoga. Several from this town were engaged by the Brirish as spies.
At this time Thomas Chittenden, Matthew Lyon, and John Fassett Jr., moved into town and took possession of confiscated property ; Ethan Allen lived here at that time, and Ira Allen in Sunderland. The Council was held here. Upon the adop- tion of a State Constitution, and the election of Thos. Chitten- den as Governor, the Council of Safety was merged in the Gov- ernor and Council, and acquired a legal form. While in Arling- ton, Gov. Chittenden occupied the house built and previously owned by Jehiel Hawley.
Remember Baker, who was so conspicuous in his opposition to the Yorkers, entered the army, early in the revolution, and went with Montgomery to Canada, where, while on duty reconnoitering the position of the enemy, he was shot by an Indian, his head cut off and put on a pole. It was purchased from the Indians by the Americans for a guinea, that it might be buried. Thus died Capt. Remember Baker, at the early age of 35, leaving one son, Ozi.
Zadok Hard, from Newtown, Conn., came to Arlington, in 1768, and located on road 32, where he lived until his death, about 1S28. He had II children, all of whom lived to old age; the oldest died at 94. Noble, son of Zadok, died on road 32, Aug. 23, IS56 ; Levine, son of Noble, lives in town now. Zadok Hard, son of Zadok, born in Arlington, in 1775, died at the age of 86. Oran, son of Zadock, now lives on road 25, at the age of 76. There are numerous descendants of the Hard family in town.
Nathan and Israel Canfield, came from Conn. to Arlington about 1768. The former, though probably inclined to be a loy- alist, was a man of great prudence and sagacity, and held the confidence and respect of both parties. He was for many years a
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justice of the peace, and was town representative in 1786 ; he died April 16, 1809, in his 70th year. Israel, supposed to be a cousin of Nathan, was in the American service. About a hundred years ago he lived in a house still standing on the farm of Caleb Andrew. The descendants of the Canfields are numerous, and among them are leading men of the town.
Putnam Benedict, and his son Ichahod, came from New Mil- ford, Conn., previous to the Revolution, and settled on the farm where Ichabod's son Samuel, now lives. It is said that no other farm in town has been held so long by one family. Charles I., son of Abel, lives on the east part of the same farm.
Lemuel Buck came from New Milford, Conn., about 1780. He had four sons and four daughters. Zadock was born, where he now lives, eighty-six years ago. His sons were Edward, Lem- uel, Elijah, Thomas, William, Samuel, and Ezra; two are dead ; Edward, Samuel and Ezra live in this town. He had one daugh- ter, Sarah. Lemuel was doubtless a miller, for we find in Vermont Gaz., March 1788: "The grist mill in the west part of the town belonging to Samuel Buck, was burned."
The Buck family has many representatives in town.
George Outman came from Connecticut to this town, bought a farm, and built a house a little north-east of Duck Pond, in Jan. 1776. George deeded to Daniel, his son, a small tract. A house built that year is still standing, and is owned by his grand- son, David. From the first the property has been owned by the family, who sometime since adopted the name of Oatman. Eber Hill, of Stratton, Vt., moved to Arlington in 1824, lived in the village until 1877, when he moved with his son Hobart to road 25, where Hobart now resides. Eber died Jan. 25, 1880.
The place occupied by Andrew Hawley, son of Capt. Jehiel Hawley, several years before the Revolution, belongs now to two of his great grand sons, Z. H. and A. S. Canfield, and is part of the farm on which A. S. Canfield now lives. The brick house in which he resides was erected nearly one hundred years ago by Dr. Jonathan Todd. There a numerous family were born. The youngest child in the family, the only one not born there, was the eminent Dr. Todd, preacher, author, &c.
Rev. Eli H. Canfield, D. D., a native of this town, but for
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many years rector of Christ Church, Brooklyn, is spending life quietly at Arlington on his ancestral estate, where the rich bless- ings of his highly educated and cultivated mind shed light and enjoyment among his numerous friends.
The following extract from a number of the Vermont Gazette of 1786, relates to this town : "On Wednesday evening, July 19, a mad wolf emerging from the woods proceeded along the road, biting every beast that fell its way; hogs, cows and oxen alike shared the fatal effect of his fury, and geese were killed by him. At length a Mr. Hard was attacked and his great coat torn from him, by which means he escaped without being bit. Mr. H. after- wards killed the wolf." The same paper says, editorially, on the [ 4th of August following: "We hear from Arlington that distress on account of hydraphobia still continues. Two mad wolves have been killed and a third has appeared. Several hogs have been killed; one ox, a number of hogs and other creatures are infected with the malady. A cow, several dogs, hogs and other creatures being still supposed to be infected. When the malady will end God only knows."
The early town records are lost. They were buried by Isaac Bisco, a loyalisi, (who was then town clerk,) on the eve of his de- parture for Canada to avoid arrest for boldly counseling submis- sion to the British.
Soon after Jehiel Hawley built his house, in 1764, (which was the first frame house in town,) Episcopal services were held there each Sunday, Mr. Hawley reading the service and a sermon. I: 1784, the people resolved to call a minister and build a church. Rev. James Nichols accepted a call, and held services in private houses, until the church should be erected. The Vermont Ga- Zette of Aug. 14, 1786, says : " The dedication of St. James Church, (Arlington, ) will be on Thursday, 24th of August, inst., Rev. Mr. Nichols, the pastor, will deliver the sermon."
The money to build the church was raised by a tax upon the grand list of the town, and for a few years the meetings of the vestry were called by the selectmen of the town.
"In 1787, the church was represented in convention of the Prot. Ep. Church, at Stratford, Conn., by Nathan Canfield, Esq., who was appointed delegate." The old yellow church was torn
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down in 1829, and during that and the following year the present stone edifice took its place.
It was erected at a cost of $10,000, and was consecrated in 1831. The present number of communicants is -. The present pastor is Rev. John Randall; the church property is valued at .
St. Calumba's Roman Catholic Church of Arlington, was or- ganized with 75 members in 1853, by Rev. C. Baylan, the first pastor. The church edifice was erected in 1876, at a cost of $3,000, and will seat 300 persons, the present number of mem- bers. The present pastor is Rev. Thomas J. Gaffney, our inform- ant.
The East Arlington and Sunderland Congregational Church at East Arlington, was organized in 1843, with seven members, by Messrs. Sandersons, Lyman and others. The first pastor was Rev. A. W. Nott. The first and present house of worship was erect- ed in 1845, at an expense of $3,000, and will comfortably seat 250 people. The present value of church property is $5,000. The membership is 50, who are under the pastoral care of Rev. Julius C. McCollom.
BENNINGTON.
Bennington was granted by charter, Jan. 3, 1749, by Gov. Benning Wentworth, of the province of New Hampshire, and re- ceived its name in his honor.
Its area, according to the charter, was six miles square and no more. It lies upon the west border of the county, and near the southwest corner of the State. Its surface is generally a mod- erately hilly upland, broken by the valleys of the streams. Mount Anthony 2505 feet high, in the southwestern part, and Bald Mountain, 3124 feet high in the northeast, are the only tracts unfit for farming purposes. The soil is generally a fertile gravelly loam
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and amply repays careful and well directed cultivation. Mixed farming is carried on, in some cases quite extensively. Fruits are abundant and thrive well.
The town is well watered by the Walloomsac, which enters the town from Pownal, near the eastern part, and flowing north- westerly through the town, leaves it near the northwest corner. Roaring Branch enters the town on the east from Woodford, and unites with the Walloomsac at the northerly extremity of Benning- ton Village. Furnace Brook enters the town from Shaftsbury, and flows south into Roaring Branch. Paran Creek also comes from Shaftsbury, and flows south through North Bennington to the Walloomsac at Hinsdillville. Branches of all these streams, and of others, have their heads in this town.
The Bennington and Rutland, Harlem Extension, and Benning- ton and Glastenbury railways, are the principal works of internal improvement.
The population of the town in 1880, was, 6341, all of whom, except 79, where white. In point of population it stands third in the State.
During the year ending September 30, 1880, the town con- tained 15 school districts, in which were 29 common schools, em- ploying 7 male and 37 female teachers, at an expense for wages of $9,374.44. The number of pupils attending school was 1,350, and the total amount expended for school purposes was $12, 194,- 25. Dr. S. E. Ranney was the superintendent.
BENNINGTON CENTER, a post village, the first in the State to earn the title of village, is situated on a hill, and, as its name im- plies, at the geographical center of the town. It was the " Ben- nington " of olden time. During the Revolution, and well into the present century, it was the most important village in the State. At present it contains two churches, (Cong. and Roman Catholic,) one private seminary for boys, three general stores, one furniture store, one summer hotel, one blacksmith shop, and about 300 inhabitants. There are no manufacturing establish- ments here. Its elevated position and proximity to Mount Anthony, renders this village a favorite summer resort for dwellers of the cities seeking health or pleasure. Its home population is largely made up of descendants of the early inhabitants.
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Mount Anthony Seminary was first erected, with a boarding hall near by, about 1829-'36, for Prof. James Ballard, as "The Bennington Seminary." The property was purchased in 1856 by Mr. George W. Yates, who gave it the present name, and who has since conducted a successful school. His pupils are largely from the cities, sons of leading business men, who here have the advantages of careful literary instruction and moral training. The buildings are located on elevated ground, overlooking Bennington village and much of the surrounding country. Hiram Waters was the builder.
BENNINGTON, a post village, centrally located one mile east of Bennington Center, in the valley of the Walloomsac, is a thriving village of 3500 inhabitants. It was incorporated by act of gen- eral Assembly November 3, 1849, with seven wards, and contains the court house, clerk's office and jail,-for the southern district, four churches, (Bapt. Cong., Episcopal and Methodist,) probably the finest graded school in the State, one printing office, one sav- ings and two national banks, six hotels, about forty stores, and a large number of manufacturing establishments. By a judicious sys- tem of canals and water courses, the available water power is made to do an immense amount of work. Most of the mills and shops are, however, provided with steam power in addition, to be used when the supply of water is insufficient. The village has no adequate public water supply, and since this could be so easily obtained, with a reservoir at such an elevation as would render me- chanical force unnecessary for throwing streams of water over any building in the village, it is to be hoped not many years will elapse before such improvement is inaugurated.
An act incorporating "The. Bennington Gas Light Company," with an authorized capital stock of $40,000, passed the legisla- ture March 28, 1867. The project, however, was never carried out.
The Free Library, of Bennington, had its origin in the year 1865. Messrs. S. B: Hunt and T. W. Park,-honored and wealthy citizens of the' town,-purchased the property at the corner of Main and Silver streets, and having fitted up the building, and placed therein about thirteen hundred carefully
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selected volumes, presented the whole to the citizens of the place at a public meeting held June 23, 1865. The donors named Hon. Hiland Hall, B. R. Sears, Daniel McEowen, T. J. Tiffany and John V. Hall, as trustees. The deed of con- veyance provides, among other things, that the property shall be held and controlled by these trustees, and their suc- cessors in office, so long as the objects are duly carried out, for which the institution was founded ; that the library shall be " for the free use, without compensation, of the inhabitants of Ben- nington and vicinity;" that the institution shall never become sectarian in its influence ; that the rental of the stores and hall in the building shall be applied to the current expenses and in- crease of the library, and that "the trustees may commit the actual care and management of the library, reading room and building, to a Young Men's Association, having power to resume the charge of the same whenever, in their opinion, the objects of the trust would be thereby promoted."
Such an association was organized February 21, 1865, and up to the present date (December, 1880,) has continued to have the whole charge and control of the institution, having been com- mitted to them by the trustees at the public meeting above mentioned, June 23, 1865. Under their charge it has had a large success and wide influence. In the organization of the Young Men's Association, and in the first years of its history, the following persons were prominent : Rev. W. S. Apsey, its first president, Rev. D. S. Phillips, who prepared the article of incorporation and by-laws in accordance with the suggestions of the donors, and was the second president ; J. T. Shurtleff, E. A. Cobb, J. V. Hall, T. J. Tiffany, and L. P. Norton, all of whom rendered efficient aid, and have been from time to time valuable officers of the association from the first days of its history.
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