USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > Gazetteer and business directory of Chittenden County, Vermont, for 1882-83 > Part 7
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65
The first sessions of the courts at Burlington were held in a room in the southeastern part of the house of Capt. King, at Burlington Bay, as it was then called, being a settlement at the lower end of the present Battery street. The room used was about 16x20 feet. The portion of the room allotted to the judges was railed off with boards, and within, upon a slab, into which round
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poles had been inserted for legs, sat the justiciary of the county. Here courts continued to be held until the summer of 1796, when a court-house was erected on the center of Court House Square, and a jail near the northeast corner, on the ground now occupied by the Strong's block. In 1802, a court-house was erected upon the site of that now occupied by the Fletcher Library building, which was used until 1828, when it was destroyed by fire. During the same year, another was erected in its place, the present library building, a two-story brick building, forty-six feet wide and sixty feet long. The lower story was occu- pied for offices by the county clerk and sheriff, and for jury rooms, the upper for a court room. The town united with the county in erecting the building, and $1,500 was subscribed on condition of having the basement thereof to the sole and exclusive use of the town for town purposes, and was used by them for holding town meetings until 1854, when the town hall was built, since which time, until devoted to the uses of the library, it was used for housing fire engines and apparatus. This building was used as a court-house until the present court-house was completed, an elegant structure of cut and hammered stone, two stories in height, with a mansard roof, which cost between $50,000 and $60,000, and was commenced in 1871, and completed in 1873.
THE POOR.
Those who, from age, infirmity or otherwise, are unable to support them- selves, and are so unfortunate as to be obliged to rely upon public charity for sustenance, are cared for, in conformity with the laws of the State, by the towns wherein the applicants reside.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
A company was incorporated November 1, 1843, for the purpose, and with the right, of building a railroad "from some point on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain, thence up the valley of Onion River, and extending to a point on the Connecticut River most convenient to meet a railroad either from Concord, N. H., or Fitchburgh, Mass." Stock was subscribed for the enterprise, and in the spring of 1847, work upon the construction of the Ver- mont Central Railroad was commenced. Various financial difficulties and controversies with other enterprises of a like kind followed, delaying its com- pletion until 1849. when, in November of that year, the first train of cars passed over it. Its final route was decided upon as follows : commencing at Windsor, it follows the Connecticut River to the mouth of White River, thence up that stream to the source of its third branch ; thence, reaching the summit in Roxbury, and passing down the valley of Dog River, it enters the Winooski valley, near Montpelier; and thence, continuing in the Winooski valley, near Montpelier ; and thence, continuing in the Winooski valley, its terminus is reached at Burlington, a distance of 117 miles.
On the same date that the above charter was granted, November 1, 1843,
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another charter was issued to the Champlain and Connecticut River Railroad Company for the purpose of "Constructing a railroad from some point at Burlington, thence southwardly, through the counties of Addison, Rutland, Windsor and Windham, to some point on the western bank of the Connecticut River." The route fixed upon was from Bellows Falls to Burlington, a distance of 1193 miles, passing through portions of the valleys of Williams and Black Rivers, upon the eastern side of the Green Mountains, and along the valley of Otter Creek and valley of Lake Champlain, upon the western side. The first meeting of the stockholders was held at Rutland, May 6, 1845, with Timothy Follett, of Burlington, chairman, and L. Brown, of Rutland, clerk, at which it was voted to open subscriptions for stock, June roth, of that year, which was accordingly done. On November 6, 1847, the legislature changed the name of the corporation to the Rutland & Burlington Railroad Company, and sub- sequently it was changed to the Rutland Railroad Company. The first blow towards its construction was struck during the month of February, 1847, in the town of Rockingham, near Bellows Falls, and in two years and nine months it was completed, and opened through, December 18, 1849.
The Vermont and Canada Railroad Company was incorporated by the general assembly, October 31, 1845, and amended and altered, November 15, 1847, giving a right to build a railroad "from some point in Highgate, on the Canada line, thence through the village of St. Albans, to some point or points in Chittenden County, most convenient for meeting, at the village of Burling- ton, a railroad to be built on the route described in the acts to incorporate the Champlain & Connecticut River Railroad Company, and the Vermont Central Railroad Company." The route decided upon was from Rouse's Point to Burlington, a distance of fifty-three miles, passing through the towns of Colchester, Milton, Georgia, St. Albans, Swanton and Alburgh. Ground was broken for its construction early in September, 1848, in the northern part of Georgia, and completed and opened to the public early in 1851.
By the subsequent organization of the present Central Vermont Rail- road Company, however, these roads all came under its control, and are now operated by the same, as different branches of the Central Vermont Railroad. The company has its principal office at St. Albans, with the fol- lowing list of officers: J. Gregory Smith, president; J. W. Hobart, general superintendent ; J. M. Foss, assistant general superintendent ; A. Arnold, superintendent central division ; I. B. Futvoie, superintendent northern divi- sion; Jesse Burdett, superintendent Rutland division; E. A. Chittenden, superintendent of local freight traffic; and W. F. Smith, general passenger agent.
The Burlington and Lamoille Railroad Company was organized February 24, 1875, under the general laws of the State. Its construction was com- menced in May of that year, and was finished and opened for traffic, July 2, 1877, extending from Burlington to Cambridge, a distance of thirty-five miles. The track between Burlington and Essex Junction is not used by the
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company at present, as arrangements were made with the Central Vermont Company, by which their line is used to that point. The first list of officers were: William B. Hatch, of New York, president; N. Parker, of Burlington, vice-president ; E. W. Peck, of Burlington, treasurer ; D. C. Linsley, of Bur- lington, general manager. The present officers are: D. C. Linsley, presi- dent; C. M. Spaulding, vice-president ; E. W. Peck, treasurer; G. L. Linsley, general manager ; and L. Barnes, N. Parker, D. C. Linsley, Morillo Noyes, C. M. Spaulding, and G. L. Linsley, of Burlington, and Josiah Tuttle, of Essex, H. M. Field, of Jericho, L. F. Turrill, of Underhill, H. F. Wetherby, of Cambridge, William B. Hatch, of New York, George W. Hendee, of Mor- risville, and Waldo Brigham, of Hydeville, directors.
NEWSPAPERS.
During the latter part of the last century, when Chittenden County was but a youth, its first newspaper was issued ; since that time, except for short periods, it has not been without a live, energetic sheet. Two papers are now published within its limits, conducted in a manner that would do discredit to no publication or locality.
Tlte Burlington Mercury, published at Burlington, was the first publication ever issued in the county. It was a small sheet, published weekly by Don- nelly & Hill, from 1797 to 1799, when it was discontinued, and for the next two years none was issued.
The Vermont Centinel was then commenced by John K. Baker, the first number appearing Thursday, March 19, 1801. The above name was retained until December 6, 1810, when its title was changed to Northern Centinel, a new volume being commenced December 13, 1810, with its new title. Two years later, December 10, 1812, the word "Northern" was dropped, and the new volume commenced as The Centinel. A year later, January 14, 1814, a figured heading appeared upon the paper, bearing the title-Northern Sen- tinel ; the old name resumed, but with modernized spelling. This figured heading was retained throughout the year, then dropped, and the plain title of Northern Sentinel resumed. This name it retained until 1830, when it was changed to Burlington Sentinel, a title it retained until June, 1872, and then changed to Burlington Democrat.
Mr Baker, the founder of the paper, relinquished its publication on the 12th of October, 1804, in favor of Josiah King; but Mr. Baker's services were retained as assistant editor. Mr. King retained the proprietorship of the paper only one year, having relinquished it October 11, 1805, when its pub- lication was resumed by its founder, and printed by him "for the proprie- tors" (the names of whom we are unable to give), until the beginning of the following April, 1866, when it passed into the hands of Messrs. Daniel Greenleaf & Co. It was considerably enlarged in size by them, and much improved in its general appearance. The name of the publishing firm was, a
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few weeks later, changed to Greenleaf & Mills, the firm consisting of Daniel Greenleaf and Samuel Mills. The partnership between them, however, was dissolved in October of the same year (1806) ; and the Sentinel, with its printing establishment, became the sole property of Mr. Mills. It con- tinued under his proprietorship until January 1, 1818, when he retired from the printing business, having sold out his interest in it to his brothers, Ephraim and Thomas Mills. The Messrs E. & T. Mills remained the pub- lishers of the Sentinel until January 1, 1835, when they sold it to Mr. Nahum Stone. After publishing the paper about two years, Mr. Stone sold his in terest to Sylvanus Parsons, who retained it only about one year, then sold it to Azro Bishop. Bishop retained the proprietorship of the paper some two years, then sold out his interest to Dana Winslow. Winslow continued its publication about three years, then sold it to George Howard Paul, who published it several years. Not being fortunate, however, in his pecuniary affairs, Mr. Paul failed, and his property, including the Sentinel establish- ment, passed into the hands of an assignee, by whom the paper was sold to John G. Saxe, Esq. This was in the year 1851. Mr. Sax continued to pub- lish it until 1855, when he in turn sold out to Douglas A. Danforth, who continued the sole proprietor of it for several years. During the latter part of 1859, he sold a half of his interest in the paper, and the large job printing establishment connected with it, to E. Marvin Smalley ; and it was published by them, under the firm name of Danforth & Smalley, during the year 1860, and until March, 1861. Mr. Smalley then sold his interest in it to William Henry Hoyt, who also, a few weeks later, purchased from Mr. Danforth his interest in it, and thus became its sole proprietor. On October I, 1861, the firm was changed to W. H. & C. A. Hoyt & Co., who in turn sold the property to William Eaton. Mr. Eaton continued the publication until 1868, when it was discontinued. In 1871, it was recommenced by Harry C. Fay, and continued by him one year, when it was sold to Albion N. Merchant, of Champlain, N. Y., in June, 1872. Mr. Merchant removed the paper from Burlington, changing the name to Burlington Democrat, and it was issued as such for a time from Providence, R I., and finally changed to the Rhode Island Democrat, and as such is still published.
The Burlington Gazette, a weekly, published by Hinckley & Fish, was com- menced September 9, 1814, and continued until February, 1817.
The Repertory was next commenced, a weekly, published by Jeduthan Spooner, its first issue appearing October 1, 1821, and was continued but a short time.
Burlington Free Press was first issued June 15, 1827, by Luman Foote. Its establishment met with great favor in the community, and being con- ducted with great ability, it soon became one of the most influential papers in the State, a position it still continues to maintain. Mr. Foote continued its publication alone, till the latter part of February, 1828, when Henry B. Stacy, who had had the practical business of printing the paper under his charge
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almost from the issue of its first number, became associated with Mr. Foote as editor and proprietor. By them jointly it was edited and published till January, 1833, when Mr. Stacy became sole editor and proprietor, and so re- mained till July, 1846. At that time De Witt C. Clarke became its owner and editor. From the commencement of the paper until April, 1848, the Bur- lington Free Press had appeared only as a weekly sheet ; but at that time, telegraph connections having been formed between Burlington and New York, by the way of Troy, Mr. Clarke started a daily paper entitled the Daily Free Press, which was issued as well as the weekly. On the first of April, 1853, the Free Press was purchased by Messrs. George W. and George G. Benedict, who enlarged and greatly improved both weekly and daily. In July, 1868, it was transferred to the Free Press Association, and issued as a morning and evening paper, and in January, 1869, the Times, a morning paper, was united with it, and the name changed to THE DAILY FREE PRESS AND TIMES.
The Iris and Burlington Literary Gazette was commenced by Worth & Foster, in 1828, and continued about one year.
The Green Mountain Repository was published by C. Goodrich, during the year 1832, and by Z. Thompson, in 1833. It was issued monthly, at $1.25 per year ..
The Green Mountain Boy was commenced by Richards & Co., in Decem- ber, 1834, and continued by them until March, 1835.
La Canadien Patriot, by -- , was published a short time in 1839.
The Milton Herald, published at Milton, Vt., was commenced in 1843, and continued until 1845 or 1846.
The True Democrat was commenced in 1843, by Nathan Haswell, and suspended after a short time.
The Liberty Gazette, published by C. C. Briggs, was started in July, 1846. In 1848, it was taken by E. A. Stansbury and L. E. Chittenden, who changed its title to the Free Soil Courier and Liberty Gazette, and continued it un- til 1851, or 1852, when it ceased to exist.
The Liberty Herald, by -, was commenced in 1846, and continued only a short time.
The Burlington Courier was commenced by E. A. Stansbury, in June, 1848, and continued by him until June 24, 1852, when it was taken by Guy C. Sampson, who run it until 1854, when it was discontinued.
Vermont State Agriculturist, by Casper T. Hopkins and D. W. C. Clarke, was commenced July 1, 1848, and continued about two years.
The Commercial Register was commenced in 1851, by Nichols & Warren, and published about two years.
The Crystal Fount, a temperance paper, was started by James Frame, in 1852, though but one issue was ever printed.
Burlington Times, daily and weekly, was commenced by D. W. C. Clarke, May 18, 1858, and continued by him till October 10, 1860, when it was
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transferred to Bigelow & Ward. Mr. Ward withdrew from the firm, January 19, 1861, and Bigelow continued the paper until 1869, when it was united with the Burlington Free Press to form THE DAILY FREE PRESS AND TIMES.
The Vermont Watchman, a weekly, was commenced by Capt. John Loner- gan in 1868, and continued through two or three issues.
The Independent, by A. N. Merchant, was started in 1871, and continued a short time.
Home Hours, a monthly published by Benedict & Co., in 1872, was con- tinued but a short time.
The Souvenier, monthly, was commenced by A. N. Merchant, in 1873, and continued a short time.
Vermont Medical Journal, bi-monthly, by J. M. Currier, was issued a short time, beginning in 1873.
Vermont Statesman, by Charles Pomeroy Button, was commenced in 1873, and run about three months.
Archives of Science, a quarterly, was commenced by J. M. Currier, in 1874, and continued a short time.
THE BURLINGTON CLIPPER, a weekly, was commenced by C. S. Kinsley, March 26, 1874, and is still continued by him, a lively, energetic publi- cation, rapidly increasing in popularity.
The Witness a monthly, published at Winooski village, by Wilson Bros., was commenced in 1875, and continued about two years.
The Vermont National, commenced in 1875, was published only a short time, by the National Publishing Co.
The Burlington Review was commenced by H. W. Love, in 1878, as a weekly, and he soon after established a branch paper in Rutland, where the Review was published until a short time since, and where he still issues the Rut- land Review.
The Sunday Crucible, a weekly, was started by R. E. Chase & Co., May 25, 1879, and continued until July 27, when it was changed to the Vermont National, and published by Pratt & Chase, from August Ist, until December 26th, when it was discontinued.
THE VERMONT AUTOGRAPH AND REMARKER .- This paper may perhaps not be worthy of mention except as a curiosity. It is a small sheet, with a limited circulation, printed with a pen, by James Johns, of Huntington. It has been issued from time to time for many years, and its files contain much valuable historical matter.
So far as we have been able to learn, this forms a complete list of all the newspapers ever published in the county. All of them, unless especially mentioned as otherwise, were published and printed at Burlington.
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ABORIGINAL OCCUPANCY.
The territory embraced within the present limits of Vermont, previous to any settlement by Europeans, was claimed as a hunting-ground by several tribes of Indians who were hostile to each other, consequently it was often the scene of their savage wars, and constant invasion prevented its being made their permanent home. Indeed, it was Champlain's nominal purpose to help the Canadian Indians in their war with those in the region of the lake, that first brought him upon its water.
The Iroquois, or Five Nations, was a powerful confederacy composed of several tribes of Indians, who had planted themselves in Western New York, on the shores of Lakes Ontario and Erie, and were the inveterate enemies of the Canadian Indians. Champlain started from Quebec with about one hun- dred of the Canadian Indians, in 1609, and proceeded up the lake to the vicinity of Crown Point, where, on the western shore, as they had expected, they met a large party of Iroquois, who defied them. But, when Champlain, at a single fire of his arquebus, killed two chiefs and mortally wounded another, and another Frenchman fired from another quarter, they fled in alarm, ending the first battle fought on Lake Champlain. -
The origin of the Indian cannot be determined by history, nor will calcu- lation ever arrive at a probable certainty. Some writers have declared that they were indigenous, whilst others maintain the opinion of their migration ; and both classes, with perhaps a few exceptions, consider them the extreme of human depravity, and outcasts of the world. Now, while we do not dis- pute this sentiment entirely, let us, in justice, glance at the other side of the question. Criminations have been thrown upon them, they have been driven from their possessions, then in turn driven from others they had obtained, and thus, over and over again, the quietness of their dwellings has been interrupted by insolent invaders. But above all, dissipation, introduced among them by their civilized neighbors, has plunged them still deeper into wretchedness and barbarity. They are human beings, fashioned, like you and I, in the "image of their Creator." Might they not, then, had other treatment and circum- stances been brought to bear, be other than the degraded people they now are?
A branch of the Abenaquis tribe of Indians were the aboriginal occupants of this section of the country, previous to its settlement by the whites; and, indeed, they lingered upon their rightful soil, at the mouth of the Lamoille River, and thence north along the Missisquoi Bay, for a long while after the French and English had taken possession and commenced the settlement of the country to the north and south of them. Still, as we have stated before, neither this nor any other locality in the State, seems to have been the red man's permanent home ; at least not within historic times. But Vermont was rather a territory to which all laid claim, and was used in common as a hunting, fishing, and battle ground, by the St. Francis tribe on the north, their principal settlenient being at Montreal, or Hockhelaga, as it was then called ;
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the Narraganset on the east, their principal settlement on the Merrimac River, N. H .; the Pepuquoits on the south, inhabiting the northwestern part of Con- necticut; and the Iroquois, or Mohawks, as they were commonly called, on the southwest, their principal settlement being at Schenectady, on the Mo- hawk River, N. Y.
In several localities throughout the county, however, there has been found indubitable proof that the Indians have, at some period, resided here in con- siderable numbers, and for many years. In Shelburne, on the eastern side of the mouth of the river, a field of about twenty-five acres was found by the early settlers, which showed undoubted evidences of having been cleared and cultivated for a length of time, as there were no stumps of the original tim- ber. This clearing was in a square form, and had a heavy growth of the original timber on all sides, and two large trees of the original growth left standing in the center. There were numerous heaps or piles of stones on the field, which must have been carried there, probably for camp fires, as there were no stones in the soil. This clearing was evidently abandoned by the sav- ages a number of years before any settlement was made by the whites, as it was covered with a thick growth of small trees, unlike the surrounding timber, apparently of about thirty years growth. Arrow heads, flints, and other articles were also found in large numbers, which was conclusive evidence of its having been occupied by savages for many years.
Near the mouth of the Lamoille River, in Colchester, also was found the remains of an Indian encampment and burial place, together with a large mound, where the skeletons and bones of the race, buried in their usual sit- ting posture, were exhumed, and numerous arrow heads and other Indian relics found, among which was the famous "Indian urn," found by Capt. John Johnson, in 1825. This urn, which is now in the museum of the Uni- versity of Vermont, is about eight inches in height, and will hold about four quarts, is highly ornamented, and shows a considerable degree of skill in pot- tery. Its antiquity is attested by the circumstances in which it was found, it being covered with a flat stone, over which a large tree had grown, and had been so long dead as to be nearly all rotten. A similar vessel, but much larger, was found many years ago in Bolton. But these researches, however interesting they may be to the antiquarian, can only lead to conjecture. The Indian history of Vermont must ever remain as obscure as that which relates to the origin of the race itself.
WHEN FIRST SETTLED BY THE WHITES.
In 1664, as mentioned on page 35, M. de Tracy, then Governor of New France, entered upon his work of erecting a line of fortifications from the mouth of the Sorrel to Lake Champlain, and during the following year ex- tended the works up the lake. There is no direct evidence, but some circun)- stances which would seem to indicate that fortifications of some kind were
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erected upon Colchester Point, at, or about this time. When the locality was first settled, at least, it is claimed there were remains of fortifications of some sort, and the ruins of other works and buildings to be found upon the Point. Some of these remains are still visible; and it is represented that when the first settlers came on, they then had the appearance of great antiquity. Upon the old Porter place, an old chimney bottom and the remnants of the walls of some buildings were then there. Various relics, such as leaden bullets, partially decayed materials of iron, and pieces of silver and copper coin, have also been found, all tending towards the theory that during this extension of the old line of fortifications, one was established at this point, though there is no written or traditionary account to this effect.
Should this hypothesis be correct, then, the first settlement of Chittenden County dates back to a very remote antiquity. The first English settlers, how- ever, who settled in the territory, were Ira Allen and Remember Baker. They explored the country along the Winooski River, in the fall of 1772, and came into the country to reside the following spring. Baker brought his family with him; and Allen, being then a single man, resided in the family of Baker, who was his uncle. They made their pitch at the lower falls on the Winooski River, where, as a matter of security against the Yorkers and In- dians, they constructed a block-house or fort, which they christened Fort Frederick, and in which they lived. These were followed by other settlers from time to time, until there were about forty families in the county at the breaking out of the Revolution ; but they left for localities of greater security, however, in 1776, all except Joseph Brown and family, who had settled on Brown's River, in Jericho. The attack on Brown's house, his capture by the Indians, etc., are spoken of in connection with the sketch of that town ; indeed, it is not necessary to speak of the early settlement and settlers at this point only in a general way, as the details are given in the sketches of the various towns wherein they located. Suffice it to say, then, that on the return of peace, in 1783, Stephen Lawrence was the first to return with his family, and during the same year most of the settlers returned to their farms, bring- ing many new settlers with them, who were in turn joined by others, until at the taking of the first census, in 1791, the county had a population of 3,875.
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