USA > Vermont > Franklin County > Gazetteer and business directory of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vt., for 1882-83 > Part 14
USA > Vermont > Grand Isle County > Gazetteer and business directory of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vt., for 1882-83 > Part 14
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In 1880, Franklin had a population of 1,439, was divided into ten school districts, and contained eleven common schools, employing three male and twenty female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $1, 137.81. There were 385 pupils attending common schools, while the entire cost of the schools for the year ending October 31st, was $1,289.56. A L. Galusha was school superintendent.
FRANKLIN, a post village located in the central part of the town, contains three churches, (Congregational, Methodist and Roman Catholic,) one hotel, six stores, marble works, a carriage manufactory, and about fifty dwellings.
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TOWN OF FRANKLIN.
EAST FRANKLIN, a post village located in the eastern part of the town, a wation on the Canada Junction R. R., contains one church (Methodist), one store, a telegraph office, blacksmith shop and about fifteen dwellings.
W. B. Doolin's saw, planing and shingle-mill, located on road 22, employs five men, and has a capacity for cutting 8,000 feet of lumber per day.
J. L .. Barker's blacksmith shop, is located on road 103, where he does a general jobbing business.
C. H. Manley's cabinet shop, located at Franklin village, turns out all kinds of cabinet work.
J. W. Austin, located on road 19, has a blacksmith shop where he does all kinds of work in his line.
A. H. Shedd's saw-mill, located on road 16, has a capacity for cutting about 6,000 feet of lumber per day.
C. W. Bullice's saw and shingle-mill, located on Rock river, has the capa- city for manufacturing 5,000 feet of lumber and 8,000 shingles per day.
C. W. Morgan's grist-mill, located in the northern part of the town, has a capacity for grinding about 300 bushels of grain per day.
The Franklin Academy was incorporated in 1849, and went into successful operation the following year. Mr. Smith was the first preceptor, since which time there have been many changes. The school is now under the able charge of Charles W. Gates.
The first meeting of the proprietors was held at Bennington, Vt., on the day previous to the granting of the charter, March 18, 1789, when Ebenezer Wallbridge was chosen moderator, and Joseph Fay, clerk. The division of the land was made according to law, and some other business transacted. . On June 12, 1792, a warning was issued for a meeting to be held October 3, 1792, at the dwelling of Samuel Hubbard. In this meeting it was voted to make an allowance to those persons whose lots were covered by the pond, by allowing them a like quantity of land south and east of the pond. Jona- than Hunt, the principal grantee, and after whom the town was named, was a prominent man in the State, but never located in Franklin, he probably hav- ing entered the scheme as a mere speculation.
The first settler in Franklin, was Samuel Hubbard. He was born at North- field, Mass., in 1765. In 1788, he came to Franklin with a surveying party, and the following year he and five others procured the charter of the town, he retaining eighteen of the sixty-nine shares into which the township was divided. He left Northfield in March, 1789, with three hired men, one yoke of oxen, and one cow, and came by the way of Skeensboro, down the lake to Missisquoi bay, where he found a few settlers, and then came ten miles east of there, in this town, and selected the site now occupied by his son, J. H. Hubbard, where he commenced a clearing, sowed ten acres to wheat, and then returned to Northfield. In the following spring he again returned to Missisquoi bay, this time accompanied by his wife, whom he had married dur- ing the winter, and John Webster and his wife. They left their wives at the Bay
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TOWN OF FRANKLIN.
and came out to Hubbard's clearing, where they built a house and then returned for the women. Mr. Hubbard thus, with Mr. Webster's help, built the first house, he also subsequently built the first framed barn and first grist and saw mill, and during his long life here won and retained the respect and confidence of all with whom he came in contact. He was blest with a family of six sons and four daughters, the ninth child being named Jonathan Hunt, after his uncle, the largest land holder in the town, and who was at that time Lieutenant-Governor of the State. J. H. was born in 1808, and now, at the age of seventy-four years, is the oldest native resident of the town. He relates with considerable pleasure the tale of a whipping he received when a boy, administered by his father with an elm switch, which now is a giant tree stand- ing opposite the corner of roads 5 and 6. It appears that a small elm sap- ling had been set out by the elder Hubbard, and that Jonathan, in childish sport, had pulled it up and was making it serve him as a horse. His father, however, took it from him, and, after using it to "dust his jacket" with, ordered him to replace it in the earth. This he accordingly did, and it stands to-day sixteen feet in circumference, a sentinel that only the combined forces of the elements can move.
John Webster settled on land at the center of the town, where many of his descendants still resides. The settlement was soon increased by the advent of Samuel Peckham, David Sanders, John Bridgeman, and others, so that in 1800, the town had a population of 280.
The town was organized and the first town meeting held in 1793, Eben- ezer Sanderson chosen clerk, and Paul Gates, treasurer. No town records are in existence previous to 1802, so that a full list of the first officers can- not be given. The first representative was Samuel Peckham, chosen in 1794. The first attorney was Ebenezer Marvin, Jr. The first birth was that of John, son of Samuel Hubbard, August 4, 1791. The first marriage, November 29, 1792, by Samuel Peckham, Miss Zeruiah Spooner to Paul Gates. First death, Susannah, wife of Samuel Peckham, January 30, 1796. First cemetery was the one now adjoining Franklin village. First highway surveyed, the one leading south, from Samuel Hubbard's to some point on the Missisquoi river in Sheldon. John Webster kept the first mer- chandise for sale, composed of groceries, iron-ware, nails, etc., which he brought with him into town from New Hampshire. Thomas and Uri Foot kept store in a log building belonging to Samuel Hubbard; and Thomas erected the first building for this purpose about the year 1810. The first military company was formed in 1808, with Samuel Hubbard, captain ; Ephraim Joy, lieutenant ; Thomas Foot, ensign ; and William Felton, ser- geant. Clark Rogers settled early at Franklin village, where he built the first tavern stand. The first school was taught by Josiah Allen, about the year 1795. The first physicians were Ebenezer Marvin and Enoch Pomeroy. The first framed house was built by Dr. Marvin, and is still standing, on road 6.
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TOWN OF FRANKLIN.
Samuel Peckham, from Petersham, Mass., came to this town in 1790, and in 1792, brought his family here, and the following year was elected the first town clerk. He had a family of five sons, Samuel, Jr., Charles, Joshua, George, and John. Joshua, the third son, was born in Petersham, and resided in Franklin from the date of his father's coming to the town until his death. He had a family of six children, of whom Joshua, Jr., was the only one who reared a family. Joshua, Jr., married Sarah Colcored, in 1852, by whom he had one son, Charles W., who is living at the present time, on road 37.
Paul Gates was born at Petersham, Mass, in 1755, and came to this town in 1791-'92, and became the first town treasurer. He had a family of seven sons and one daughter. Philip S. Gates, the fifth child, was born in 1800, on the farm now occupied by Harrison Gates. He had a family of two sons and seven daughters, two of whom, Rodney C. and Mrs. James Randall, are living, on road 36. Paul Gates, Jr., the third child, was born March 6, 1797. He lived during his life on what is known as the Gates farm, and died in 1856, leaving a family of four children. Harrison, the second child, was born March 14, 1829, and married Rebecca Shedd in 1853. Their union has been blessed with four children, three of whom are living. Charles W., the oldest child, is now principal of the Franklin academy.
Enos Horskin, from Hinesburgh, Vt., came to Franklin at an early date, and located in the southern part of the town. Asa Horskin, his youngest child, was born about the year 1782, and died at the age of forty-two years, leaving seven children. Philo, the sixth child, was born in 1820, and married Louisa M. Rublee in 1851. He has resided for forty-six years on the farm he now occupies on road 6.
Elias Truax, born in 1727, came to this town at an early date, where he resided until his death, in 1820, aged ninety-three years. Elias, his second son, was born July 4, 1772, and died February 4, 1875, at the remarkable age of nearly 103 years, having had four sons and seven daughters. His second son, Elias, was born in 1802, in Canada, but has lived in this town for the past forty-two years. Elias, the third of that name in the family, has four sons. Stephen, the youngest, is married and has a family of two sons, Her- bert S. and Charley H.
John Hammond, from Clarendon, Vt., came to Franklin in 1800, and made a clearing on road 31, in the southeastern corner of the town, he being the first settler in that locality. He reared a family of eight sons and six daughters, of whom Sarah, the thirteenth child, was born in 1818, and mar- ried, in 1845, Chandler Willey, who was born in 1820, and had a family of two daughters, Hannah B. and Harriet M. Hannah B. married Milo L. Ken- dall, in 1862, and their family now consists of two children, Emill C. and Clyda E.
William Felton, from Vernon, Vt., came to Franklin in 1803, and located on road 19, where he built the house now standing on the Felton farm, and
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TOWN OF FRANKLIN.
in which he died, in 1852. He left six children, of whom the eldest, Charles, now resides here. He has been a delegate to the constitutional convention four terms, and was once a representative. He has a family of five children scattered about different parts of the United States and Mexico. Lyman H., the fourth son, carries on the farm, on road 36.
Joel Powers came to this town, from New York, in 1806, and located upon the farm now owned and occupied by his grandson, Edward Powers, on road II, where he resided until his death, in 1841. His second son, Samson S., was born in 1794, and resided upon the old homestead until his death, in 1874, aged eighty years. Edward Powers his oldest son, now occupies the same. Edgar J. Powers, the second son, was born in 1828, and commenced the study of medicine in 1848. He is a graduate of Castleton Medical Col- lege, and has practiced his profession in Franklin for a period of thirty-one years.
Elijah Russell was born in 1788, and lived in this town at the time of the war of 1812, in which he served a short time. He reared a family of five sons and four daughters. John D., the third child, was born in 1815, and at the age of seventeen went to the city of Chicago, which, at that time, con- sisted of one shanty occupied by an Indian trader. He was out of the State for fifteen years, then returned to Franklin and has since resided here.
Bartholomew Whitney, from Clarendon, Vt., came to this town in 1812, and settled in the northeastern corner, where he resided until his death, in 1860, at the age of sixty-six years. He reared a family of eight children, all of whom lived to have families in turn. Bart Whitney, the seventh child, was born in 1826. In 1847, he married Sarah T. Pearson, the union being blessed with three sons and three daughters. Alloway Whitney, the first son of Bartholo- mew, was born in 1814, and now lives on road 22, aged sixty-eight years. He has four children now living, Eunice E., Adolphus D., Louisa, and Elnora. Adolphus D. was born in 1855, married Mariah Colcored in 1875, and has two sons, Harlan A. and Charles.
William Giddings came to Franklin in 1814, and located upon the farm now occupied by William T. Giddings. He was born in New Hampshire, in 1791, and died here May 21, 1880, aged eighty-nine years, having lived on the same farm for nearly sixty-eight years.
Reuben Towle, from Enfield, N. H., came to this town in 1814, and located upon the farm now occupied by bis grandson, William J. He reared a family of three sons and four daughters. Reuben, Jr., the youngest child, was born in 1805, and lived upon the old homestead from 1815 until 1857, the date of his death. He married Narcissus Stanley in 1825, who is now living, at the age of seventy-seven years. They had a family of seven chil- dren. William J., the fifth child, was born in 1835, and married Caroline Marsh in 1857. He has a family of three children, one of whom, Reuben M., is in Brentwood, Col., while Julia and Carmi reside at home. Reuben Towle, son of Reuben, was born in 1828, on the old homestead. He has a family of
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TOWN OF FRANKLIN.
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four children. Theopilus Towle, the second son of Reuben, Sr., was born at Enfield, N. H., March 30, 1790, and came to Franklin with his father and located upon the place now occupied by his son, Jonathan. His family con- sisted of five sons and one daughter. Jonathan, the youngest, was born in 1828. He married Sophia Bowman in 1848, and has a family of two sons and three daughters.
Matthew Grice, born at Boston, Mass., June 17, 1776, came to Franklin in 1818, where he remained, working at his trade of saddler, until his death, in 1854. John J., his second child, was born in 1808, and for the past fifty- eight years has resided upon the place he now occupies. He married Lucy M. Learned, in 1840, by whom he had a family of five children, two of whom, Mrs. C. B. Kelsey, of Whiting, and Mrs. C. E. Boomhower, of this town, are living.
Enos Pearson came from Starksboro to this town in 1817, and located up- on the farm now owned by Whitman Hubbard, where he resided until his death, in 1846, leaving a family of four sons and six daughters.
Samuel Stanley, from Hubbardton, came to Franklin in 1820, and located upon the place now occupied by his grandson, William. He reared a family of five sons and seven daughters, many of whose descendants still reside here.
Eleazer Olmstead came from Canada and made a clearing in the north- eastern corner of the town, in 1821, he being the first settler in that part of the town. He reared a family of five sons and four daughters.
Silas N. Hefflon came into Highgate in 1806, and from there came to this town in 1823, and made a settlement on the farm occupied by Jessie T., his grandchild. Silas remained here until his death, and had a family of six sons and five daughters.
Gideon Briggs came to Franklin in 1826, and settled upon the farm now owned by his son, Erasmus, who was born in 1821, and has lived for fifty- five years on this place, which is located on road 4.
Ebenezer A. Shedd came to this town in 1824, and located upon the farm now owned by his second son, Arah H., who was born in 1833. Arah H. married Melissa H. Brown, in 1859, and had a family of three daughters, all of whom reside at home with their father.
Six commissioned officers and 127 enlisted men from the town of Frank- lin, served in the war of 1861, nineteen of whom sacrificed their lives in the cause.
The First Methodist Church of Franklin, located at Franklin village, was organized by the Rev. Henry Ryan, with twelve members, in 1802, the society's first pastor being Rev. Elisha Crane. The first house of worship was erected in 1828, a wood structure, which was succeeded by one of brick, in 1844, and in 1866, the present wooden building was constructed, and repaired again in 1881, so that it now is capable of seating 400 persons, and is valued at $6,500.00. The society has 120 members, with Rev. D. Malcom, pastor.
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TOWN OF GEORGIA.
The Congregational Church, located at Franklin Center, was organized by members of the surrounding Congregational churches, in 1817. The first pastors were Rev. B. Wooster and Rev. Mr. Parker. The first building was erected in 1826, a wood structure, the same now in use, though it has been thoroughly repaired three times, and is valued, including other property, at $2,500.00. The society now has thirty members, with Rev. C. P. Watson, pastor.
The Freewill Baptist Church, located at West Franklin, was organized by Elder Leland Huntley, with twelve members, February 12, 1832, For nearly twenty years thereafter the society struggled along with no settled minister, until Rev. Joshua Coffrin was installed. It now has about thirty members, with Rev. P. J. Russell, pastor. The church building was not commenced until 1860, an unpretentious structure capable of seating 200 persons, and cost about $2,000.00.
GEORGIA, a lake town in the southeastern corner of the county, lying in lat. 44° 44' and long. 3º 54', bounded north by St. Albans, east by Fair- fax, south by Milton, in Chittenden county, and west by Lake Cham- plain, contains an area of thirty-six square miles, chartered by Governor Benning Wentworth, August 17, 1763, to Richard Emery and sixty-four associates, with all the privileges, reservations, and conditions common to the New Hampshire grants. The town still retains its original area and irregu- lar trapezoid form, no changes ever having been made in its boundary lines. It was not long, however, before the original shares of the grantees began to change hands, and the usual land jobbing and jockying began. Ten years after the charter was issued, in the autumn of 1773, Levi Allen, of Salisbury, Ct., bought the interests of most of the original grantees, his purchases amounting to over fifty of the sixty-seven shares ; and at about the same time or during the next year, Heman Allen, Ethan Allen, and Remember Baker each bought a small interest. Ira Allen, however, subsequently became a principal proprietor, buying some part of Levi's interest and all of Heman's at private sale, but most of Levi's at public sale for taxes. There are on record in the town clerk's office over ninety deeds from Abraham Ives, a Rut- land county collector, to Ira Allen, and at a later date Caleb Henderson, a Chittenden county collector, deeded at one time forty-five shares to Ira Allen. It is said that this last sale was permitted because of some irregularity in the Ives transaction, and to perfect the title; and, in proof of this, it is stated that at that time single lots were worth more than the forty-five shares bought at public sale, although there was not wanting a goodly number of residents who had the means to make the purchase, had there been free and open competition.
Georgia is one of the most beautiful towns in the county, having a gently rolling surface, with some prominent elevations from which a grand view of
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TOWN OF GEORGIA.
the fine surrounding country and a glimpse at the blue waters of the beauty- teeming champlain may be obtained. The soil is mostly rich and productive, being sandy, in the southern part and the timber is principally pine. In the northern part it is a gravelly loom, and the timber mostly hardwood, yet there are some tracts timbered with hemlock, and some cedar swamps near the lake. The territory is well watered by numerous streams which contain some ex- cellent mill-sites. The only one of any considerable size, however, is the La- moille river, which flows a westerly course through the southern part of the town. In the northeastern part of the town there is a small body of water called Prospect pond, having an area of about forty acres. It is mostly sur- rounded by high lands, except a narrow outlet to the north. The rocks en- tering into the geological structure of the town are a bed of red sandrock in the western part along the lake shore, and a ledge of quartz rock in the east- ern part, between which is an immense bed of Georgia slate. Iron ore has been discovered to some extent, and some ledges of Swanton marble. The industrial element of the town is almost entirely devoted to farming and graz- ing, to which a decided impetus was gived by the building of the Central Ver- mont railroad, in 1847-'50, which passes through the town from north to south with stations at East and North Georgia.
In 1880, Georgia had a population of 1,504, was divided into fifteen school districts and contained fifteen common schools, employing two male and twen- ty-five female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $1,735.22. There were 345 pupils attending common school, while the entire cost of the schools for the year ending October 31st, was 2, 186.65, with J. G. Lorimer, superintendent.
EAST GEORGIA, a post village and station on the C. V. R. R., contains one church (Episcopal), one store and postoffice, a creamery, etc.
WEST GEORGIA (p. o.), a hamlet located near the center of the southern part of the town, contains a grist-mill, school-house, etc., and half a dozen houses.
GEORGIA, a small post village located in the central part of the town, con- tains one store, hotel, church (Congregational), and about a dozen dwellings.
GEORGIA PLAIN (p. o.), a hamlet located in the western part of the town, contains a store, postoffice, church (Baptist), and half a dozen dwellings.
NORTH GEORGIA is a hamlet and station on the C. V. R. R., located in the northern part of the town.
Jewett's tile manufactory, located on road 1, was established by E. Jewett, in 1857, and purchased by the present proprietor, E. T. Jewett, in 1862. The works have the capacity for manufacturing 600,000 tiles per year, though but about 300,000 are made. Mr. Jewett has also a cider-mill attached to his works, which is operated by steam power and has a large capacity.
The Franklin County Creamery, located on road 38, was established by Ed- ward J. Parker, in 1882. It has the capacity for receiving the milk from 2,000 cows. It is operated on the " cream gathering " plan, the first of the kind in the State.
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TOWN OF GEORGIA.
North Georgia Cheese Factory was established in 1870, and is now leased by Gardner Murphy & Co., of Boston, Mass. It has a capacity of thirty- three cheeses per day, using 11,700 lbs. of milk, besides making 200 lbs. of butter.
William Farrand and family made the first permanent settlement in the town, though there had been many men without families here a portion of the year previous to that in which Ferrand made his settlement, which is sup- posed to have been in the spring of 1785, though there is no positive evidence as to the date. At about the same time Andrew Van Guilder, from Egre- mont, Mass., came into town, and for many years was erroniously accredited with being the first settler. Farrand resides in the northwestern part of the town, and VanGuilder in the southeastern, ten miles apart. Farrand was pres- ent at the organization of the town, in 1788, and was elected to office on that occasion. He was also the first man in Georgia to take the oath of allegiance to the State, February 23, 1789, but left town soon after, and removed to Lachine, Canada. On February 5, 1801, he quit-claimed his right to his im- provements here, in favor of Reuben Evarts, the deed being dated at Montreal. During his residence here, a son was born to Mr. Farrand, and named by Ira Allen, Georgia Farrand, Allen promising to give the boy one hundred acres of land in honor of the name, but it is believed he never kept his promise. VanGuilder, who is said to have been a very eccentric man of Indian extrac- tion, settled upon the south side of Lamoille river, where he owned 400 acres of intervale land, a portion of which remained in the possession of his descend- ants for a great many years.
Whose was the third family that settled here is not known ; but tradition has it that when Judge Frederick Bliss moved here, in the spring of 1786, there were three families in the town who remained through the winter. It was customary for men to spend the summer here, and return during the win- ter to their homes in the southern part of the State, or in Massachusetts or Connecticut, and some quite large openings in the forest had been made and several buildings erected. These buildings, however, were but rude log struc- tures, as it is stated on undoubted authority that when Ruth Chaffee, wife of 'Solomon Goodrich, died, March 27, 1789, there were not boards enough in town to make a coffin, and no saw-mill to make them; so Thomas Terrence, a carpenter, felled a tree, split out suitable pieces, and with his broad-axe hewed them down into proper shape for a coffin. But about this time im- provements began to be made very rapidly and immigration was lively, so that in 1791, at the taking of the first census, the town had a population of 340, and ten years later, in 1800, it had increased to 1,068. Notwithstanding this fact, however, the proprietors still continued to hold their meetings, loth to give up their control of the territory even though most of the land has passed out of their possession and the inhabitants were doing the town business and managing the public lands, in their corporate capacity, and strictly in accord- ance with the laws of the State. Their last meeting was held on the first
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