USA > Vermont > Franklin County > Gazetteer and business directory of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vt., for 1882-83 > Part 25
USA > Vermont > Grand Isle County > Gazetteer and business directory of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vt., for 1882-83 > Part 25
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Charles W. Rich, extensively engaged in the manufacture of lime in this town, came here from Shoreham, Vt., in 1840. The Rich family was one of the first to settle in the town of Shoreham, and became quite numerous and influential in that locality. The farm upon which they first located is still in the possession of the family.
Henry Stone came from Jericho to Highgate about the year 1840, remained there some ten years and then removed to Swanton, built the house now occupied by J. S. Morrill, and subsequently erected the house he now oc- cupies, on Canada street. Mr. Stone has been engaged in the marble and mercantile business, and is now one of the directors of the Union National Bank, as is also his son, Henry M. Mr. Stone is eighty-two years of age, and his wife eighty-four,
Alanson L. Wright, born in Weybridge, Vt., a distant relative of Gov. Silas Wright, came to St. Albans in 1837, remained there until 1874, and then came to Swanton, locating on Canada street. In 1880, he removed to the place he now occupies on road 13.
Asa B. Tarble, from Massachusetts, came to St. Albans in 1798, where he remained about forty years, and finally died at the residence of his son, Fletcher, in Sheldon, during the month of August, 1838. Fletcher was born at St. Albans in 1817, remained there until 1833, and then, after a residence in various other parts of the county, located in Swanton, where he now resides, on Canada street.
Ephraim Holmes was an early settler in Bakersfield, where he died at the age of eighty years. Ephraim, son of John, and grandson of Ephraim, came to Swanton in 1866, and located upon the place he now occupies.
William Chappel, a German, came to Highgate at an early day, and died at Plattsburgh, N. Y., in 1857, aged seventy-seven years. Gilbert H., a grandson of William, now resides in this town, on River street.
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TOWN OF SWANTON.
Sylvester Chadwick, born at Bethel, Mass, in 1798, came to Swanton in 1840, and located where his widow, Sally (Marsh) Chadwick,.now resides. He died July 17, 1875, leaving a family of seven children.
Mrs. Julia C. Smalley, widow of Benjamin H. Smalley, and a grandchild of Dr. Ebenezer Marvin, one of the first settlers of Franklin, has in her possession an old cabinet that was owned by Benjamin Smalley, whose grandfather was one of the first settlers in Middlebury, Vt. The desk, containing considerable valuable property, was buried during Burgoyne's invasion.
GEOW SQUIER
(GEO. W. SQUIER'S STORE, GRAND AVE. COR CANADA ST.)
George Watson Squier, proprietor of the store represented in the above cut, is a son of the late Rev. E. H. Squier, a Congregational clergyman, who graduated from Middlebury College in 1838, and Andover Seminary in 1843. He married Maria E. Watson, of Benson, Vt., June 23, 1844, and preached in several towns in Vermont until 1867, when he removed to Scipio, Cayuga county, N. Y., and died while pastor of the Presbyterian church of that place, March 4, 1870, and was buried at Rutland, Vt. George W. Squier was born at Hartland, Vt., April 19, 1848, and is the oldest of three children. His brother, Eben H., died at Edgerton, Colorado, June 20, 1878, aged twenty-three years, and was buried at Colorado Springs. His sister, Ellen M., married Gordon C. Adams, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and died April 4, 1882, aged thirty years, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery. Mr. Squier married Fannie E. Dorman, October 10, 1875, and has one child, James Orrin, born July 3, 1878. He came to this town in the spring of 1862, for the purpose of attending school, and being left to his own resources at the age of fifteen years, he entered the employ of J. W. & O. Dorman, in the autumn of 1862, and in the autumn of 1668, he was admitted as a partner, under the style of Gould & Squier, the Messrs. Dormans retiring. The new firm did a successful business for two years, or until J. W. & O. Dorman built this new block ; a new partnership was then formed, under the style of Dorman,
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TOWN OF SWANTON.
Gould & Co., September 1, 1870, Mr. Squier being a junior partner until the autumn of 1872, when Gould & Squier again assumed control, the other partners retiring. This style continued until September 1, 1875, when Mr. Squier assumed full control, buying out Mr. Gould.
Elisha Barney came to Swanton in the autumn of 1798, and in February, 1799, purchased, in company with his brother Rufus, of Bennington, Vt., a tract of land and mill privilege where the village now is, and commenced the manufacture of iron. This manufacture was continued by the family many years, but Rufus never resided here, and only retained an interest in the con- cern until 1803. The business was discontinued in 1868. Elisha was the father of George Barney, one of the present prominent men of Swanton. He was born in Taunton, Mass., July 17, 1776, and was united in marriage with Mehitable Leonard, daughter of Rufus Leonard, of Taunton, May 15, 1795. The fruit of this union was seven children, three dying in childhood, as fol- lows: Eveline, Seth W., and James Alanson. The remaining daughter married Robert Foster, July 22, 1818. Her death occurred January 19, 1835. Elisha died November 1, 1837. His wife survived him until June 5, 1871, aged ninety-five years. Horatio W., one of the three sons of this family who survived their father, died July 19, 1872; another, Rufus L., the eldest, died February 26, 1874. George, the youngest, previously mentioned, resides at Swanton village. From 1837 to 1839, he was a partner in the firm of F. V. Goodrich & Co., in the mercantile and lumber business. In 1839, he com- menced the business of selling goods, in connection with the manufacture of marble. In 1853, he bought out the firm of J. & W. H. Blake, and contin- ued to sell goods about one year, when William H. Blake became his partner, . the firm name being Blake & Barney, continuing the sale of goods with the marble business. This firm continued to do business about three years, since which time neither of theni has done anything in the way of selling goods, Mr. Barney confining himself mainly to the marble business, in connection with his son, R. L. Barney. Several brothers of Elisha were among the early citi- zens of the town, and Swanton owes much of its prosperity to this enterprising family. R. L. Barney, brother of George, at his death, February 26, 1874, bequeathed to the town a sum amounting to $20,000.00. George, in addi- tion to business capabilities of a high order, has much literary ability, as is evinced in his joint authorship, with the late Prof. John B. Perry, of the his- tory of Swanton, one of the best of this class of works we remember to have seen, and to which we are greatly indebted for this sketch of Swanton.
Marshall Nye Beebe, the fourth of a family of fifteen children, was born at Rutland, Vt., April 11, 1800. His father, Guy Beebe, a scion of an old New England family not unknown in the annals of revolutionary fame, was a native of Ludlow, Mass., and located at Rutland in 1775. During the war of 1812, he took an active part in the American cause, participating in the battle of Plattsburgh, he being at that time a resident of Milton, Vt. In 1832, he came to this county, locating in Franklin, and remained there until his
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TOWN OF SWANTON.
death. Marshall Nye became a carpenter and joiner, was for many years a successful mechanic, and is now a hale old man residing near his son, A. J. Beebe, of Swanton. On December 22, 1834, he was united in marriage with Rebecca Ricard, daughter of John and Caroline Ricard, the union being blessed with a family of nine children, as follows : Allan L., born in Decem- ber, 1835, died in infancy; Andrew Jackson, born August 23, 1837, of whom more will be said further on ; George Allison, born August 8, 1839, followed farming and mercantile pursuits until the breaking out of the late war, when he enlisted, served with honor, was commissioned captain of Co. F, 9th Vt. Vols., June 25, 1862, and died soon after of chronic diarrhoea ; Guy Anson, born September 5, 1841, is now a prominent lumber manufacturer and dealer in timber-land, at Fitzwilliam, N. H .; Ezra H., born October 17, 1842, is engaged as salesman in a clothing house and dealing in produce at Swanton; Elwin M., born May 16, 1845, died in infancy ; Ethel C., born August 31, 1847, is a prominent physician and surgeon of Oconto, Wis .; Gaylord War- ren, born October 20, 1850, is cashier of the National Union Bank of Swan- ton ; and Carrie J., the only daughter, born April 20, 1852, became the wife of Nelson Beckwith, of New Hampshire, and died June 24, 1875.
Andrew Jackson Beebe was born in Highgate, August 23, 1837. When four years of age, his father located on a ten-acre farm in Highgate, on the road leading from the Daniel Watson farm to the old furnace, where he resided until the death of his wife, in 1862, when he sold the place, removed to Canada, and in 1868, returned to Vermont, and took up his residence near Andrew. In early life, young Beebe was his mother's chief help in household duties, and in caring for his younger brothers, and later, in assisting his father about his ten-acre farm, while as much of his time as could be spared from these duties was occupied in working for the neighboring farmers, and in attending the district school. At the age of fifteen years he commenced to work with his father at the carpenter's trade ; at seventeen he worked land on shares, and at the age of eighteen he went to Burlington, where he entered the employ of Morillo Noyes, as clerk in his wholesale peddler's supply store, agreeing to work for Mr. Noyes the first two years for the same that Mr. Noyes had received for his first two year's clerkship. Young Beebe's sur- prise may be imagined when Mr. Noyes informed him that the salary was $30.00 for the first year, and $50.00 for the second, including board and washing. But his word had been given, and there was no withdrawing. By the exercise of the most rigid economy, he was enabled to get through the two years without getting into debt, proving in the end an excellent school for him. He remained with Mr. Noyes five years, and at the end of that time, having gained much valuable experience and a few hundred dollars in money, was offered an interest in the business ; but declining the offer, he returned to Swanton, in 1863, and purchased a few acres of land. He then bought a peddler's cart, supplied himself with a peddler's outfit, and com- menced trading about the county for sheep, oxen, pelts, etc., which he sold, and with the profits thereon purchased more land, which he has added to
ANDREW JACKSON BEEBE.
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TOWN OF ALBURGH.
from time to time, until he now has four farms, aggregating 500 acres, stocked with some of the finest bred horses and cattle in the county. His home farm and buildings are represented in a view on another page. On September 4, 1872, Mr. Beebe was united in matrimony with Miss Addie L. Marvin, eldest daughter of T. B. and Samantha (Meigs) Marvin, and they now have a family of five children, as follows : Rigney D. M., born March 26, 1874; Murray A. J., born December 10, 1876; Lura H., born October 11, 1877 ; Linda J., born August 24, 1879 ; and A. Winnona, born August 23, 1881. Mr. Beebe has cleared about 250 acres of his farms, and has about 100 acres more partially cleared, which together with the old land, gives him ample field for cropping and grazing. Among his commodious farm buildings is an exten- sive barn, nearly completed, which is a model stock barn in all respects. He has given much attention to growing improved stock, especially horses of the Morgan breed, having an excellent stud now on his farm. Mr. Beebe is known as an industrious, hard-working farmer, possessed of excellent ability. He believes in making two blades of grass grow where one grew before, and of raising valuable animals rather than cheap, ordinary stock.
The First Baptist Church, located in the eastern part of the town, was organized by Rev. William A. Marsh, with eleven members, in 1796. The society now has sixty-five members, with Rev. G. W. Wilkins, pastor. Their first house of worship was a Union church, which was superseded by the pres- ent structure in 1850. It is a comfortable building, capable of seating 200 persons, and valued at $3,000.00.
The Congregational Church, located at Swanton village, was organized by Rev. Mr. Huntington, with ten members, January 4, 1801, the first pastor . being Rev. Eben H. Dorman. The first building was a wood structure, erected in 1816, at the Center ; the present brick house, built in 1824, will accommodate 350 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $10,000.00. The society has 171 members, with Rev. J. H. Babbitt, pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, located at Swanton village, was organized by Rev. Almon Dunbar, with five members, in 1816. Their first church was the building now owned by the Congregational society. Their present build- ing, a commodious structure capable of accommodating 400 persons, was commenced in 1847, and completed the following year. The society now has 170 members, with Rev. Mr. Boutwell, pastor.
The Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, located at Swanton Falls, was organ- ized by Rev. J. B. Pitman, with seven members, November 3, 1867. Their building was erected the year previous, a small building capable of accommo- dating 200 persons, and valued at $3,000.00. The society has forty members, with Rev. Thomas Burgess, of St. Albans, rector.
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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
GRAND ISLE COUNTY.
6 LBURGH, the northwestern town of the State, is a narrow neck of land extending south from the Province line into Lake Champlain, having a width of about six miles at the northern line, and a length of ten miles, lying in lat. 45° o' and long. 3º 42', bounded north by Canada, and east, south, and west by the waters of the lake. It was granted by Vermont, Feb- ruary 23, 1781, to Ira Allen and sixty-four others, as a tract to contain an area of 23,040 acres. Nearly fifty years previous to this, however, the land had been granted by the French Crown, and a settlement made by the French, at Wind Mill Point, in the western part of the town, as early as 1731. This settlement was made under a charter issued to "Senior Francois Foucault, counselor to the supreme council of Quebec, and principal scrivener to the Marine, which was confirmed by another charter, bearing date April 3, 1733, ratified by his Majesty the King of France, April 6, 1734. In May, 1743, this charter was renewed and augmented, in which charter of confirmation it is recited, that Foucault had complied with the conditions of the original grant, by establishing three new settlers, in addition to eight who had settled the previous year-that he built in that year, 1731, a wind-mill of stone ma- sonry, which cost near 4,000 livers, and had taken steps to build a church, 20 by 24 feet, which was to be ready to receive a missionary the next spring, to whom a lot of land was conveyed, free of charge, of two acres in front by forty acres in depth, to serve for the building of a church, a parochial house and burying-ground, and for the maintenance of the missionary, which dona- tion was accepted by the Bishop of Quebec. This charter of concession granted to the said Foucault, was for two leagues in length upon the River Chambly; and in it srenewal the lands of the original grant were included, and an augmentation of one league in front, by the same in depth, to be taken at the end of the said two leagues, going up the said River Chambly. In view of the improvements set forth in the petition of the said Foucault, to which reference is made in the said grant, and also efforts to induce settlers to enter upon these lands, the farther augmentation above named was made in the year 17 43, of a neck of land or peninsula of about two leagues in front, joining the concession previously made, and going up the said River Chambly
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TOWN OF ALBURGH.
to the point called 'Point du Detour,' the southern extremeity of Alburgh, known as the 'Point of the tongue,' which said extent of land had been granted to Mr. De L'Isle who relinquished the same at the same time, on account of the bad quality of the land; part of which, the petitioner states, is fit for cultivation, and which the petitioner could give to some laborious young men-all the remainder being without any depth, and full of large stones and rocks. This grant or concession was signed jointly by Charles Marquis DeBeauharnois, and Gilles Hocquart, who declare therein, that they have full power and virtue thus to do by his Majesty."
Aside from the grants thus made, the territory was claimed at different periods by New York, and by the St. Francis Indians, of Canada. These numerous claims led, as a matter of course, to much litigation and trouble, it having been said that there is not a single lot of land in the town over whose title there has not been a law-suit. Sen. Foucault transferred his grant to Gen. Frederick Haldimand, who was Governor of Canada fromn 1778, to 1784, and Haldimand subsequently conveyed the same to Henry Caldwell, of Belmont, near Quebec. Caldwell caused the outlines of the town to be surveyed and lotted on the lake shore. The title of Henry Caldwell descended to John Caldwell, his son. It was afterwards purchased from John Caldwell by Heman Allen, of Highgate. The Vermont charter to Ira Allen, however, stood the test of law, and under it the inhabitants hold their land. The town has also had several different names, among which are Point Algonquin, Point Du Detour, and Point Detourrer, by the French. The latter name being translated means "turn about," so named probably by some footman who, having reached the southern extremity of the penin- sula, was obliged to turn about on account of the water. It has also borne the names Missisco Tongue, Missisco Leg, Caldwell's Upper Manor, and, finally, Alburgh, from a corruption of Allenburgh.
The surface of the territory is nearly level, there being no hills of any great altitude, and consequently no streams of importance. For the latter reason, no mechanical or industrial enterprises of any magnitude have been attempted. Near the center of the southern portion of the town there is a swamp, nearly three miles long by a half mile in width, and in the northern part of the town there extends from Canada another swamp, called Mad Creek Marsh, having a width of nearly half a mile, and a length in the town of nearly four and one-half miles. The soil, with the exception of these marshes, is mostly susceptible of cultivation, and some of the fields near the swamps that cannot be plowed make excellent pastures. A large proportion of the soil is a clay loam, and in the northern part of the territory a gravelly formation, both of which are well adapted to the different grains. The tim- ber is that common to the northern towns of the State, though extensive forests are among the things that were.
Geologically, the town overlies an immense bed of Utica slate, the rocks consisting entirely of those incident to this formation. Mineral springs,
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TOWN OF ALBURGH.
whose waters contain valuable medicinal qualities, have made the town justly celebrated, and have been resorted to since 1816. The waters of Alburgh Springs arise from an argillo-calcareous slate, are of a milky appearance, strongly impregnated with hydro-sulphuric acid, and said to be highly effica- cious in cutaneous diseases. When the C. V. R. R. bridge was erected, indications of coal were found upon the farm of James Bremmer, and in 1881, specimens were found that undoubtedly contained a small per cent of this valuable mineral.
In 1880, Alburgh had a population of 1,614, was divided into ten school districts and contained ten common schools, employing two male and seven- teen female teachers, to whom an aggregate salary of $1,103.00 was paid. There were 321 pupils attending common schools, while the entire cost of the schools for the year, ending October 31st, was $1,304.38. P. A. Wheeler was school superintendent.
ALBURGH SPRINGS, a post village located in the northeastern part of the town, received its name from the mineral springs found at that point. It contains two churches (Congregational and Methodist), one store, one black- smith and carriage shop, a number of fine dwellings and two good hotels.
ALBURGH, (p. o.) a hamlet and station on the Vermont & Canada (C. V.) railroad, located in the northwestern part of the town, contains one church (Methodist), a store, blacksmith shop, and about seven dwellings. Deputy collector N. K. Martin is also located here.
EAST ALBURGH, (p. o.) a hamlet and station on the V. & C. R. R., con- tains one store, one hotel, and about ten dwellings. One of the U. S. Custom Houses is located here, with Halsey H. Adams, deputy collector of customs.
ALBURGH CENTER, a post village located in the central part of the town, contains one church (Methodist), three small stores, and several dwellings.
The settlement, by the French, at Wind-mill Point, was of short duration. Another was commenced in 1741, only ten years after the first, and that in turn abandoned. About the year 1782, some emigrants from St. Johns made a settlement in the town. They supposed themselves to be in Canada, and were principally British refugees. These were joined by others from different localities, from time to time, until, in 1791, the town had a population of 446. Previous to the year 1792, these settlers were destitute of all civil government, except such as was voluntary. During that year, however, the town was organized, and the first town meeting held, when Thomas Reynolds was chosen clerk; Richard Mott, John Chambers, Joshua Manning, and Jacob Cook, selectmen ; Benjamin Marvin, town treasurer; Abel Parr and Joseph Mott, constables ; Moses Parr, Joseph Weeks, John Ladue, Ichabod Babcock, and Alexander Griggs, listers ; James Sweet and Gabriel Manning, leather sealers ; William Brandigo and John Ladue, grand jurors ; Richard Mott, Daniel Smith, Stephen Sweet, Sylvester Sweet, Titus Clark, Jacob Bab- cock, John Van Vleet, Alexander Griggs, and Philip Cook, surveyors of high-
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TOWN OF ALBURGH.
ways ; Michael Honsinger, pound keeper ; Jacob Mott, Ichabod Babcock, Sylvester Sweet, James Fisher, Peter Carrigan, and Frederick Hoxie, fence viewers ; Michael Dual, Daniel Beazal, Joseph Hayden, Peter "Truman, Joseph Mott, Conrad Burghardt, and Joseph Sowles, haywards; Richard Mott, David Staunton, Michael, Dual, John Griggs, Sands Helmes, Timothy Sowles, Abraham Holdbrock, and James Andrews, petit jurors; Hendrick Miller and Thomas Reynolds, tithingmen ; and Titus Clark, and Timothy Sowles, wardens.
'The first birth known to have occurred in the town, was that of Agnes, a daughter of John Gibson, December 15, 1784. The first male child born was William Sowles, in 1788. About the year 1800, Ephraim Mott, aided by some others, built a wind-mill for flouring, on the west shore of the town, about three miles south of the Province line. Previous to this the nearest mills were at Swanton, Plattsburgh, or Champlain and Lacole, in Canada, from ten to twenty-five miles distant. This mill was built of stone, in a cir- cular form, and supplied with one run of stones. It was used for several years, but finally abandoned and fell into ruins. About the year 1830, a steam saw-mill was erected in the western part of the town, near the Province line, by William L. Sowles and William H. Lyman, aided somewhat by the volun- tary subscriptions of others. Another was built the same year at the Center, by a company formed for that purpose. After about four years, the one built by Sowles & Lyman. was accidently destroyed by fire. The boiler and engine were afterwards sold and removed to the shore, near the line, and a mill built and operated by a company consisting of Manning, Williams & Gear. It afterwards passed into the hands of Goodenow, Redington & Co., and was removed to Canada. The mill at the Center proved unprofitable, and finally suspended operations.
The first to practice medicine in the town was Doctor Emerson, in 1786. The first school was taught by Reuben Garlic, a Church-of-England deacon, and doctor of medicine, of liberal education. He established a school in the western part of the town in 1789. The planing machine, one of the most useful machines we now have, was invented in this town, by Joseph S. Mott. After much study and patient application, he brought out his model and sent it to Washington to be patented; but delay ensued, his model was stolen, and he never obtained a patent.
William Bell, one of the early settlers of the town, was born in Ireland, and at the age of eight years he enlisted as a drummer boy in the English army, during the French and Indian war. He also served in the revolution, was captured by the Indians, taken to an island in the St. Lawrence, whence he escaped only by swimming several miles. His son, William, settled here soon after the revolution, and Mr. Bell took up his residence with him, remaining until his death. Orlando Bell, grandson of William, Sr., born here in 1797, is now one of the oldest residents of the town.
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