Gazetteer and business directory of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vt., for 1882-83, Part 23

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Journal Office
Number of Pages: 1208


USA > Vermont > Franklin County > Gazetteer and business directory of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vt., for 1882-83 > Part 23
USA > Vermont > Grand Isle County > Gazetteer and business directory of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vt., for 1882-83 > Part 23


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Hon. Worthington C. Smith, another son of John, is one of the prominent citizens of St. Albans, being proprietor of the St. Albans foundry, manager of the Missisquoi railroad, president of the Vermont Atwood Merino Sheep Club, etc. He was born in this village, April 23, 1823, graduated from the University of Vermont in 1843, studied law, but abandoned the profession and became an iron merchant and manufacturer. In 1863, he was sent as representative to the legislature of the State; in 1864-'65, to the State Senate, officiating during the last session as president of the senate ; and, in 1866, he was elected a representative from Vermont, to the fortieth congress, serving on the committees on manufactures and on weights and measures.


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(BENJAMIN F. RUGG.)


Benjamin Franklin Rugg, son of Capt. Alexander Rugg, of Fairfax, was born in that town June 8, 1820. In early life he followed the occupation of farming, though he was a cripple for many years, from the effects of a scald received during boyhood. In 1852, he came to St. Albans, and in company with A. G. Soule, of Fairfield, commenced buying butter, and became one of the principal founders of the St. Albans butter market, which has since be- come so noted. During the same year, Hiram B. Soule joined the firm, which existed about three years, when the partnership was dissolved. Dur- ing this time, however, Mr. Rugg had displayed so much sagacity and ability as a buyer, that Mr. O. A. Burton, then president of the Franklin County Bank, offered him all the financial assistance he required to prosecute an ex- tensive business. Soon after this he began to deal largely in cattle, horses, sheep, wool, produce, and real estate, his transactions during some seasons averaging $6,000.00 per day. He often engaged in large ventures in joint account with firms in the cities. In 1864, he formed a co-partnership with M. G. Elliott, and his son-in-law, R. B. Kennison, in a general mercantile business, the partnership existing about ten years. Since 1875, in connection with his nephew, J. E. Rugg, he has owned and operated a sheep ranch in Wyoming Territory. His flock has increased rapidly, and notwithstanding the loss of 4,000 sheep and one man, perishing in a snow storm, he has sold during the past year $18,000.00 worth of sheep, and during two years $20,- 000.00 worth of wool. He also deals largely in cattle, but gave up the butter trade some time ago. Mr. Rugg has done much towards building up the vil- lage of St. Albans, having erected about fifty dwellings and two stores, one of the latter being the first built on Lake street, in 1860, and at that time thought by many to be a wild scheme. During that year he also opened and built up the street that bears his name. Our engraving represents Mr. Rugg at fifty years of age.


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Joshua Montefiore was born in England, graduated from Oxford college, and adopted the profession of law, in which he became quite learned, and wrote several works on the subject. In early life he entered the English army as captain of the 17th Light Infantry, and subsequently came to this country, and in 1827, removed to St. Albans, from New York city. He was twice married, his first wife being a sister of Sir John Russell, Bart., while he was a brother of the English philanthropist, Sir Moses Montefiore, who is now living. Mr. Montefiore died at an advanced age, on the farm now occupied by his widow, leaving several children, among whom were H. Mon- tefiore, a farmer, J. H. Montefiore, an attorney-at-law of St. Albans, Mrs. White Cleveland, of Georgia, and Mrs. C. V. Ross, of Moriah, N. Y.


William Fuller, born at Reading, N. H., in 1798, came to St. Albans when a young man, learned the harness maker's trade, married Eliza, daughter of Nathan Greene, and kept the hotel known as the Danforth Hotel. About the year 1830, he moved into the house number 102 Main street, and opened a harness shop at 104 Main street, and commenced keeping a livery stable the same year, it being the first livery kept in town. He continued in the livery business until his death, which occurred in April, 1875. His son, E. D. Fuller, born in 1833, always lived at home, with the exception of four years spent in the West, 1854, to 1859, but was engaged in the same business while away, so in fact has always been in the livery business. He entered into partnership with William Fuller, in 1854, keeping two stables at that time, one at 104 Main street, and the other at the American House. The business increased rapidly, so that at one time, in 1870, and 1871, he kept seventy-two horses. He is now alone in the business, keeping from thirty- five to fifty horses, though he makes a specialty of keeping horses for sale, disposing of from seventy-five to eighty-five per year, fine bred stock.


William Wright was born in Scotland in 1814, and came to this country in 1829. He located for a time in Montreal, where he learned the molder's trade, and from there came to this State, finally locating at St. Albans in 1842, where he has since resided, following his trade. He has been married three times and reared a family of eleven children.


John Locke Chandler was born March 4, 1793, at Pawlet, Vt., the eldest son of Benjamin Chandler, a very eminent physician and surgeon, the most distinguished of any in Northern Vermont. He was a pioneer who has left his impress upon many institutions of the State,-its colleges and medical societies especially. John's mother was Caroline Bushnell, daughter of Benajah Bushnell, who came from Norwich, Conn., to Pawlet the same year of John's birth. His parents brought him into the woods of Fairfield, where his father had decided to settle, thinking it would become the county-seat of Franklin county. They lived at first in a blacksmith shop, until they could build a log house, and afterwards built a better house in which they lived until 1807, when they removed to St. Albans, where the father died, Decem- ber 14, 1818, at the age of forty-six years, and where Dr. J. L. Chandler still


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resides. Previous to this removal to St. Albans, John had studied with the well-known Father Wooster, an eccentric, but thoroughly educated man. He had also studied the classics under Charles Adams, a teacher from Bur- lington. On arriving at St. Albans, fourteen years of age, he attended the academy, becoming a good Latin scholar, with a slight knowledge of Greek. At the age of nineteen he was sent to Burlington, under the care of Rev. Dr. Saunders, the first president of the University of Vermont, as his private pupil. After a course of study for six months, he had an inclination to study law, and went to Vergennes and read some law books, but soon returned to his father's office and read medicine. He commenced practice in St. Albans, but after one year removed to Pawlet, his native town, where he remained four years, then returned to St. Albans, in 1823, where he has since resided. He has been one of the most eminent physicians of Vermont, a man of solid attainments and sterling integrity. He has also been known as a man of correct literary taste. He wrote much for medical journals, and often upon other that medical subjects. He was fond of poetry, and many poems of his are well worthy of preservation. He married in early life Sabina Curtis, a most estimable woman, sister of the mother of Hon. J. G. and W. C. Smith. They had several children, only two of whom are now living, Mrs. C. N. Bishop and Mrs. George Farrar. Dr. Chandler is now eighty-nine years of age, and has been honored during his active life with many positions of trust and responsibility, and well has he performed his life duties. Old age finds him enjoying the gratitude of his fellow citizens and the consciousness of a life well spent.


Rev. Worthington Smith, D. D., son of Deacon Seth and Lydia Smith, was born at Hadley, Mass., October 11, 1795. His ancestors had lived upon the farm where he was born from the first settlement of that town, in 1659, and it still remains in the possession of members of the family. He entered Williams College in the year 1813, graduated in 1816, and during the same year made a profession of religion by joining the Congregational church of Hadley. Having decided to become a minister, he entered the theological seminary at Andover, in the autumn of 1816, where he completed the course in 1819. After filling the office of principal of the academy at Hadley, for one year, he came to St. Albans, in the month of August, 1822, and on June 4, 1823, was ordained pastor of the Congregational church here. He mar- ried Miss Mary Ann Little, July 1, 1823. In August, 1845, he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity, and in 1849, was appointod president of the University of Vermont, entering upon the duties of the charge in August of that year. In 1853, his health began to fail, and in 1855, he resigned the the presidency. His death occurred soon after His leaving the college, Feb- ruary 13, 1856, aged sixty-one years. Dr. Smith left a more decided and enduring impression on the public mind, probably, than any other man who ever lived in St. Albans. His ministry covered a period of twenty-seven years, during which time, with a few exceptions only, he produced two finished sermons each week, which he delivered to his people.


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Hon. Homer E. Royce, the present chief justice of the State, a nephew and heir of the late Ex-Gov. Stephen Royce, of Berkshire, was born in Berk- shire, Vt., 1819, received a common school education, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1842. He was a member of the State legislature in 1846 and 1847, was prosecuting attorney for the State in 1848, State senator in 1849, 1850 and 1851, and elected a representative from Vermont to the thirty-fifth congress, serving as a member of the committee on foreign affairs. He was re-elected to the thirty-sixth congress, serving as a member of the same committee, and was a delegate to the Philadelphia " Loyalist's Conven- tion " of 1866. Upon the death of Chief Justice Pierpont, January 7, 1882, he was elevated to the chief justiceship, which office he still retains.


Judge Asa Aldis was born in the town of Franklin, Norfolk county, Mass., in 1770. His father died when Asa was but five years of age, leaving him to the care of a maternal aunt, in whose family he lived until fourteen years old. In 1792, he entered Rhode Island College, now called Brown University, and graduated therefrom in 1796. He then commenced the study of law in the office of Judge Howell, of Providence, R. I. After his admission to the bar, he practiced his profession in the village of Chepachet, two or three years, and in the mean time married a daughter of Lieut. Governor Owen, she being then the widow of a Mr. Gadcomb, (father of W. O. Gadcomb,) who had died some years previous. In 1802, he came to this town, and soon af- ter formed a partnership with Bates Turner, though the partnership lasted but a short time, when Mr. Turner removed to Fairfield. In 1815, he was elected chief justice of the supreme court. In 1832, he took his son Asa O. Aldis, into partnership with him. Gradually, however, Judge Aldis grew weary of the profession, and several years previous to his death turned the whole business over to his son. He died October 16, 1847, after a some- what lingering illness, in the seventy-eighth year of his age. Judge Aldis was a most exemplary citizen, and possessed a powerful intellect, so that his opinion and judgment in litigated questions always had great weight with his asso- ciate counsel, as well as with the litigant parties.


The Congregational Church of St. Albans, located on Church street, corner of Bank, was organized January 2, 1803, and consisted of the following named persons : Samuel Smith, Patience Smith, Paul Brigham, Fanny Brigham, Antipas Brigham, John Hastings, Samuel Sumner, Lucy Farrar, and Noah Ripley. The first pastor, Rev. Jonathan Nye, was ordained March 5, 1805. The society is at present very large and in a flourishing condition, with Rev. Charles Van Norden, pastor. The present church edifice, a fine brick building capable of seating 750 persons, was built in 1863, at a cost of $30,000.00.


The Methodist Episcopal Church, located on Church street, was organized by Elder Henry Stead and Rev. Almond Dunbar, in 1815, and consisted of about seventy-five members. The first church building was erected in 1819, a brick structure, which through various remodellings did service until :875,


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when the present edifice was constructed, at a cost of $30,000.00. It will accommodate 500 persons and is now valued at $35,000.00. The society has at present 300 members, with Rev. N. F. Perry, pastor.


St. Luke's Parish Protestant Episcopal Church, located on the corner of Church, Fairfield, and Bishop streets, was organized by Mr. Ashbel Smith and others, to the number of fifteen, August 26, 1816, Rev. Stephen Beach being the first rector. * The first church building was erected in 1825, a wood structure, which gave place to the present beautiful stone building in 1860, which will seat 400 persons, cost $14,000.00, and is now valued at $15,000.00. The society has 320 members, with Rev. Thomas Burgess, rector.


The St. Albans Bay Methodist Episcopal Church was organized by its pastor, Rev. Simeon Gardner, with twelve members, in 1856. A church building was erected the following year, of wood, and gave place to the present brick structure in 1874, which will seat 300 persons, cost $2,000.00, and is now valued at $3,500.00. The society has at present eighty-two members, with Rev. A. W. Ford, pastor.


The Holy Guardian Angels' Catholic Church, located on Lake street, corner of Eden, was organized by its present pastor, Rev. George N. Caissy, in 1872. Their church building, a large brick structure capable of seating 1,100 persons, was erected during the same year, costing $7,000.00, and is now valued at $13,500.00. The parish now has about 400 families.


The Church of the Immaculate Conception, (Roman Catholic), located on Fairfield street, corner of Thomas, has about 900 communicants. It has also under its charge a convent, where a school is taught by eight sisters from the congregation of Notre Dame, of Montreal. Both French and Eng- lish branches are taught, the school having about twenty-five boarders and 150 day scholars. The beautiful grounds whereon the convent is situated, comprising about two acres, were bought of Hon. Bradley Barlow, Septem- ber 10, 1869, costing $20,000.00 ; the buildings cost $8,000.00; a school- house for boys, erected in 1874, cost $2,500.00, and a parsonage, built in 1866, cost an additional $5,000.00, all of which are paid for, excepting $6,800.00, yet due. The society is under the charge of the Very Rev. Z .. Druon, Vicar-General.


The First Universalist Church, located on Bishop street, although it has not been formally organized as a church society, has in process of erection a fine brick edifice, which will soon be completed, and is intended to cost $10,000.00.


The First Baptist Church, located on Congress street, was organized with twenty-one members, in 1868. Rev. D. M. Bigelow was the first pas- tor. The society now has 150 members, with Rev. G. S. Pratt, pastor. The · church building, a handsome brick structure capable of seating 450 persons, was built in 1874, at a cost of $36,000.00.


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TOWN OF SWANTON.


5 WANTON, one of the most important towns of the county, lies in the northwestern part, in lat. 44° 53', and long. 3º 54', bounded on the north by Highgate, east by Sheldon and Fairfield, south by St. Albans, and west by the waters of Lake Champlain. It was granted by the Province of New Hampshire, to Isaiah Goodrich and sixty-three associates, August 17, 1763, as a township of 26,040 acres, intended, evidently, to be square in out- Ilne, but which in reality is exceedingly irregular. On November 3, 1836, a portion of Highgate was annexed to the town, since which time no change has been made in its area. The town is said to have received its nanie in honor of Capt. William Swanton, an officer in the British service during the French and Indian war. He took an active part in the reduction of Louisburgh, in 1758, and after the war, in 1762, took up his residence at Bath, Me., where he remained until his death.


In surface, Swanton is varied, some portions being broken and rocky, while others are depressed into low, marshy swamp-land. In the southeast- ern part of the town, there is a high elevation known as Swanton Hill, the lower lands to the north and south of which are designated as East Swanton. About two miles west of this hill, near the center of the town, there is another ridge, or elevation of land, called Swanton Center. The whole of the ex. treme western part of the territory is a delta, formed between Maquam bay and the Missisquoi river. This portion of land, called West Swanton, was formerly an island, formed by Maquam creek flowing from the bay to the river. A sand-bar, however, has formed at the mouth of the creek, so that the land is completely surrounded hy water only a small part of the year. West Swanton was formerly called Hog Island, so named, it is said, from the fact that at an early day it was customary to drive hogs there, and let them remain during a full season or more to fatten upon the butternuts, beechnuts, walnuts and acorns, all of which were very plentiful. The name is a vulgar one, however, and that of West Swanton, which has been adopted in its stead, is far more agreeable to sensitive ears.


Several streams, or brooks, are distributed over the surface of the territory, but the only water-course of importance is the Missisquoi river. It enters Swanton from the east, about two miles from the village, and, after making a detour called the Bow, encircling three or four square miles, including Swan- ton village on its east bank, it strikes the line of Highgate again, about two miles from the village, whence it separates Swanton from Highgate. It emp- ties into Missisquoi bay, having three principal mouths, called the South, Middle, and East Branches, through which the water flows at all times, while there are three or four other outlets during high water, at which times it usual- ly overflows its banks. Some three or four miles from its mouth, the waters from the western bank find their way into Missisquoi bay, by way of the creek of that name, and also into Charcoal creek, which is some three-quarters of a mile south of, and flowing nearly parallel with, the river. The waters from the eastern bank find their way through the Dead creek into Goose bay. The


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river is navigable for canal boats and sloops during the early part of the sea- son, when the waters of the lake set back to the falls, where the village is situated. At low-water the sand-bar at the mouth of the river prevents navigation by large crafts.


The soil of the town is generally good, though considerable swamp-land is encountered, especially in West Swanton. In the central and southern por- tions it is gravelly: Fair crops of the cereals incident to the latitude are grown. The original timber is mostly beech, birch, pine, hemlock, hickory, and cedar.


Geologically, the formation of the town varies considerably. The whole of the western portion, from the lake to Swanton village, overlies an immense bed of Hudson river slates. This formation is followed by a parallel range of Hudson river limestone, containing some excellent varieties of marble and an abundant supply of excellent material for the manufacture of lime. Then comes a range of red sandrock, next a bed of Georgia slates, followed by a vein of quartz rock, and finally a formation of talcose conglomerate, underlying the extreme eastern portion of the town. Iron ore has been discovered in some portions of the town, and the mines were formerly worked to some extent.


Excellent facilities for the transportation of products are afforded, as the town is traversed by four railroad lines: The Missisquoi, passing across the eastern portion ; the Vermont & Canada, entering St. Albans from the south, and crossing from West Swanton into Alburgh ; the Montreal & Vermont Junction line, extending north into Highgate, from Swanton Junction ; and the St. Johnsbury & Lake Champlain road, extending from Maquam bay, east, through Swanton village into Highgate. A brief sketch of all these rail- roads is given on page 30, so we will omit their further mention here.


In 1880, Swanton had a population of 3,083, was divided into seventeen school districts, and contained eighteen common schools, employing four male and twenty female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $2,880.60. There were 620 pupils attending common school, while the entire cost of the schools for the year, ending October 31st, was $3,294.94, with Henry A. Burt, Jr., superintendent.


SWANTON, a post village located in the northern part of the town, on the Missisquoi river, and also a station on the Vermont & Canada, and St. Johns- bury & Lake Champlain railroads, has an excellent mill privilege afforded by the falls in the river at this point. The village is second in size only to St. Albans, and contains five churches, (M. E., Baptist, Episcopal, Congrega- tional, and Catholic,) a Custom House, public hall, bank, graded school, Catholic convent, two marble manufactures, two planing-mills and sash manu- factories, two grist-mills, three saw-mills, two spring-bed factories, two hotels a tannery, plaster-mill, suspender manufactory, two hardware stores, two clothing stores, a jewelry store, two meat markets, a harness shop, four black- smith shops, three dry goods stores, two drug stores, four grocery stores, two barber shops, two fancy goods stores, two tailor shops, two furniture stores,


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and one photograph gallery, and also supports two newspapers and three lawyers.


EAST SWANTON, (p. o.) a hamlet and station on the Missisquoi railroad, in the eastern part of the town, contains a church (Baptist, ) postoffice, and half a dozen dwellings.


SWANTON CENTER, (p. o.) a hamlet located a little east of the center of the town, contains a carriage shop, blacksmith shop, and half a dozen dwellings.


SWANTON JUNCTION, (p. o.) a hamlet and station on the V. & C. R. R., located in the southern part of the town, contains about a dozen dwellings and the lime kilns of C. H. Rich and W. B. Fonda.


MAQUAM, a hamlet located on the lake shore, is the western terminus of the S. J. & L. C. R. R., and the port-entry of the town. It contains the wharves and railroad buildings, a hotel, and a few dwellings.


George und R. Lester Barney's marble mills, located on Barney street, at Swanton village, were established by George Barney, the senior partner of the present firm, in 1840. Mr. Barney conducted the business until 1854, and then took William H. Blake into partnership, under the firm name of Blake & Barney. From 1859 to 1865, the business was entirely in the hands of Mr. Barney, as manager, with A. M. Clark, as partner; but from that date to 1873, Mr. Barney was sole proprietor. His son and son-in-law, R. Lester Barney and E. P. Parsons, then became connected with the business, under the firm name of George Barney & Sons. This partnership was continued only two years, when Mr. Barney again assumed entire control, retaining the same until 1879, at which time the present firm was established. The mills are operated by water-power, and have had their capacity increased from time to time until they now furnish employment to about thirty men. The special manufacture of the firm is flooring tile, from black, white, French-gray, dove, red-variegated, Le Panto, Lyonaise, and American-Italian marble, though monumental and other cemetery work is manufactured, amounting to about $25,000.00 per annum.


Calvin R. Hogle's marble and granite works, located at Swanton village, were established by J. D. Perry, in the autumn of 1860. After the death of Mr. Perry, in 1867, R. L. Barney assumed the control of the business, which he continued until June, 1881, when the present proprietor took the property. He employs four men and manufactures $6,000.00 worth of monuments and headstones annually.


Atwood & Willard's suspender manufactory, located on Merchants' Row, at Swanton village, was established in January, 1882. The firm employs about sixty hands in the manufacture of Eclipse suspenders, shoulder braces, and hose and skirt supporters.


James Bullard's carriage shop and undertaking rooms were established by Daniel Bullard, Jr., and his sons, George and James, in 1852. They con- tinued the business in partnership about six years, when the firm was changed to G. & J. Bullard, remaining thus about twelve years, since which time the business has been conducted by the present proprietor.


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