USA > Vermont > Franklin County > Gazetteer and business directory of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vt., for 1882-83 > Part 27
USA > Vermont > Grand Isle County > Gazetteer and business directory of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vt., for 1882-83 > Part 27
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The surface of the town is generally rolling, and with the exception of a Marsh near the center of the township, is well adapted to purposes of agri- culture. The soil is mostly a clay and loam, though there are some portions that are gravelly, and near the marsh mentioned it is composed of a rich deposit of decayed vegetable matter. Fruit culture thrives in all parts to an unusual degree. The island being so small and possessing no rivers or water-power, it has no manufacturing interests. The territory was originally covered with a fine growth of pine and cedar timber, most of which found its way to the Quebec market, leaving it now almost desutute of timbered land. Geologically, its formation consists principally of Chazy and Trenton limestone, and contains some sxcellent quarries of Isle La Motte marble, for which the town is quite celebrated. These quarries were the first ever worked in the State, having been opened previous to the revolution. The marble is nearly black, of a compact structure, and susceptable of receiving a good polish. When sawed it makes an excellent marble for floor lining, and spec- imens of it may be seen in the public edifices and costly mansions of the principal cities of the Union. Associated with this marble there are large and valuable beds of Chazy limestone. The limestone does not possess the jet black color, and is not susceptable of receiving as good a polish as the former, yet is valuable as a building stone from the ease and facility with which it can be qarried and splint into the required dimensions. It is much used for abutments of bridges, large quantities having been used in building the Victoria bridge at Montreal, and the piers or the New York and Brooklyn bridge. Among the principal marble quarries are the Fisk, Hall, Fleury, Hill, and Goodsell & Hayward, the Fisk quarry alone having produced 50,000 feet of marble during the year 1881.
In 1880, Isle La Motte had a population of 504, was divided into two school districts, and contained two common schools, employing one male and three female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $300.00. There were 107 pupils attending common school, while the entire cost of the schools for the year, ending October 31st, was $336.50, with H. O. Hill, superintendent.
ISLE LA MOTTE, a small post village, the only one in the town, is located near the center of the island. It contains one church (Methodist), two stores, two blacksmith shops, a Masonic hall, and about twenty dwellings.
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TOWN OF ISLE LA MOTTE.
As early as 1609, Samuel Champlain visited the lake, and between this time and 1666, a fort was built on the island, and called St. Anne. At the latter date, an expedition of an important character under De Tracy, was fitted out and proceeded from this place against the Mohawk Indians. The fort faced north and west at a point where good calibre could command the pas- uge, and its settlement precedes that of any other part of the State by nearly a century. The French government and the English after them, held it with Alburgh and with North Hero, in which was a block-house, nearly as far south as to include the island, which kept an armed vessel in its view, sus- tained thus up to nearly 1800.
The proprietors procured a survey and allotment of the town, to be made in 1785, and certified in January, 1786, by John Clark, surveyor. In 1788, William Blanchard, one of the original proprietors, settled on the island, and resided here until his decease. He was a revolutionary soldier, and died in the year 1824. About the same time of his settlement, came also Enoch Hall, with his two sons, Nathaniel and Elihu. Both of these sons raised large families, who, as well as their descendants, have served in various public trusts. Ebenezer Hyde, another of the original profjetors, was the principal actor in procuring the town organization in 1791. His energy and business tact attracted the attention of his fellows, and readily they conferred on him the first office, for which they could give a legal vote, and by which he became the first selectman. Ichabod E. Fisk was also another one of the early settlers, with a large family of sons and daughters. He was a prominent business man, a surveyor, teacher, etc. His descendants still reside here, and occupy places of public trust, with good acceptance. Abram · Knapp not only appears among the earliest settlers of the island, but his hardships and sufferings, as such, will scarcely find a parallel, he having been compelled, in order to sustain a large family, to use the buds and tender leaves of the basswood tree to form a mucilage for nourishment, and from the bark fibre to make a sort of cloth for covering and wearing apparel. It is also worthy of note, that, when grain could be had by these early settlers, there were no mills for grinding nearer than Whitehall, over one hundred miles, distant, or Chambly, thirty miles by water and twelve by land, while the mode of conveyance was to paddle their canoe to Whitehall, which was a trip of from two to four weeks, or to proceed in the same manner to St. Johns, and then carry their grain twelve miles by land, on their backs. Indeed, every stratagem was forced upon them, and actually employed, in order to prevent a dissolution of the partnership between soul and body.
In August, 1784, there appeared an advertisement in the Vermont Gazette, warning a meeting of the proprietors to be held at the house of Col. Ebene- zer Allen, of the Two Heroes, August 20, 1784. At this meeting, the most important business transacted was as follows : -
" 4ly. Voted that each proprietor have the liberty of purchasing four rights if he will settle them by the first day of June, 1785.
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TOWN OF ISLE LA MOTTE.
"5ly. Voted that the committee appointed to lay out the town into lots make their report by June next.
" 6th. Voted to raise a tax of eighteen shillings on each right, to defray the cost of the committee for scaling and tolling the town."
In 1791, the town had a population of forty-seven. The freemen met on the 24th of March of that year, according to a warning published March 11th, at the house of Nathaniel Wales, for the purpose of organizing the town. Abraham Knapp was chosen moderator and town clerk ; Ebenezer Hyde, Enoch Hall, and Nathaniel Wales, selectmen ; Ebenezer Hyde, treasurer ; William Blanchard, constable ; Nathaniel Wales, Enoch Hall, and William Blanchard, listers ; Ebenezer Hyde, collector ; Ichabod Hyde, grand juror ; and Joseph Rasey and Gardiner Wait, tythingmen. In the second meeting, held August 16, 1791, it was voted that the selectmen be directed to lay out one road through the island, and two cross-roads, one south and the other north of the marsh; but this was not done until years afterward, the first road being laid out in 1794, from Fisk's quarry near the shore around the island to a point near the southern terminus of the bridge from Isle La Motte to Alburgh. In a town meeting held March 20, 1792, it was voted that the selectmen be a committee to pitch a town plot and burying-ground, and to make a report at the next meeting. The first representative was Nathaniel Wales, chosen in 1791. An amusing anacdote of this election is sometimes related. There being but three voters, they purchased a jug of rum for the occasion, and started for the polls, and of course each became a candidate, receiving at each ballot one vote, till at last, one being on more friendly terms with the jug than the others, and perhads becoming weary of the repeti- tion of this state of things, or losing all ambition for office, votes for one of the others, Nathaniel Wales, who was duly elected. The first justice was William Utley, chosen in 1792. The first person born on the island was Laura, daughter of William Blanchard, September 7, 1792. The first death was that of a child of Abraham Knapp, previous to 1800. The first school was taught by Ichabod Fisk. In 1802, there was a school kept by John Clark, a State surveyor, in a house near the one now occupied by Amasa L. Holcomb. The first minister who ever preached here was Daniel Brumley, about the year 1800. The first physician was Luther Plympton, about 1800. The first lawyers were Seth Emmons, Solomon Morgan, and Samuel Holton, who practiced from 1800 to 1810.
The settlers who served in the war of the revolution, were Joseph Williams,- who was wounded at the battle of Brandywine, and taken prisoner by the Americans, and after having recovered from his wounds, joined our forces under Gen. Washington, and served during the remainder of the war; was present when Gen. Washington joined the masonic fraternity, he afterwards lived and died upon the island, and was buried with Masonic honors,-Will- iam Blanchard, Ezra Pike, Daniel Bixby, Gardner Wait, Elisha F. Reynolds, Nathaniel Hall, William Wilsey, Seth Strong, John Fadden, Henry Scott, and Caleb Hill. In 1812, a requisition was made for a sergeant and six men, a
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TOWN OF ISLE LA MOTTE.
detatchment from the militia to enter actual service,-headquarters at Swan- ton,-to protect the frontier from inroads of the enemy. About twenty vol- unteered. Those who went and served their term, were Orlin Blanchard, sergeant ; privates, Ira Hill, Harry Wait, Minard Hilliard, Conrad Denio, Lewis Gordan, and Amos Holcomb. In 1814, Capt. Pring, a British com- mander, landed on the western side of the island, erected a battery, mounted six long eighteen-pounder guns, commanding a passage down the lake, and claimed to exercise jurisdiction over the island. Ftom this point the enemy's flotilla started on the early morning of the memorable 11th of September, 1814, and paid their respects to Commodore McDonough, in Plattsburgh Bay. During the late rebellion, Isle LaMotte furnished seventy-three soldiers, all of whom, except four, volunteered. Fourteen were killed in battle, and four died in hospital. Included among the number of enlisted men from this town were three corporals, ten sergeants, two lieutenants, two captains and one surgeon.
Ezra Pike, from Hoosac, N. Y., came to this town at an early date, and resided here until his death, in 1840. His son, Ezra, Jr> was born in 1793. He lived at home with his father until he became of age, then settled on road 4, a little north of the old homestead. Seneca Pike, a grandson of Ezra, still owns the farm his grandfather cleared.
Enoch Hall, one of the first selectmen of the town, came here in 1788, and remained until his death, in 1 807, aged seventy-two years. Elihu, his son, succeeded him on the old homestead, and reared a family of twelve chil- dren. Carmi, his fifth son, came into possession of the farm after his father, and it is now owned by his sons, Ira A., and Jared P. Carmi took an active part in town affairs, and held most of the offices. He died in 1874, aged seventy years. His son, ransom, uccupies a farm adjoining the old place, and is the present town clerk and notary.
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Ichabod Fisk came to the island in 1788, and settled in the southern part of the town. His son Samuel succeeded him, and occupied the farm until his death, in 1858. His grandson, Hiram C., now owns the farm and marble quarries thereon, which were opened by Ichabod, and which are kept in suc- cessful operation by Nelson W. Fisk, under the the firm name of N. C. Fisk & son.
Jesse Holcomb, born in 1769, came to this town when about twenty-one years of age, and located upon a farm in the eastern part of the island, where four generations of the family have since resided. Mr. Holcomb took an ac- tive part in town affairs, and died in 1845, aged seventy-six years. Amasa L., the second of his eight childreu, born in 1804, has practiced law for the past fifty-four years, and, although he is now seventy-eight years of age, is yet an excellent authority on legal matters.
Cornie Holcomb, brother to Jesse, came here from Connecticut in 1790, and located on the eastern shore of the island, where he resided the remainder of his life. Samuel Holcomb, a third son, lived in Malone, N. Y., for a time,
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TOWN OF NORTH HERO.
but the largest part of his life was spent here, where he died in 1869, aged seventy years. Cyrus, the only living son, resides on road 14, in the southern part of the town. Ephraim Holcomb, brother of Samuel, came here at the age of eight years, resided here over fifty years, then removed to Canada, and died there in 1871. Eli, the second of his six children, was born in 1817, now resides on road 13, and has never been absent from the town twenty consecutive days in his life.
Caleb Hill, from Granville, N. Y., came to this town January 7, 1802, and located in the northern part. He reared a family of twelve children, all of whom lived to have families of their own. He was shot in his own home, on the evening of August 16, 1814, by some of McDonough's soldiers whom he had reported for unlawful depredations. Ira Hill, his second child, was born August 14, 1793, and is now the oldest resident in the town.
Charles Carron emigrated from France to Montreal, and from there to Isle LaMotte, previous to the war of 1812, and settled on the western shore of the island, about two miles from the northern extremity of the same. He reared a family of three children, of whom Jackson B., the second, born in 1834, is still a resident of the town.
The Methodist Church of Isle La Motte was organized by the Rev. Mr. Anson about the year 1816. Rev. William Wait was the first pastor. The first house of worship, a stone structure, was built in 1831. In 1847, the wood-work was destroyed by fire and rebuilt during the same year. The building will accommodate 400 persons and is valued at $4,200.00. The society now has about 54 members, with Rev. Chauncey S. Hulbert, pastor.
NORTH HERO, the shire town of the county, lies in lat. 44º 51', and long. 3° 44,' bounded by the waters of Lake Champlain. The island contains an area of about 6,272 acres, and includes several small adjacent islands, of which Knight's and Buttler's, are the only ones inhabited. . It was originally called by the French Isle Longue, and was granted by the governor of Canada, in 1737, to M. Contrecour, a captain of Infantry, and, with other grants, was for a long time a subject of dispute between the French and English. On October 27, 1779, however, all the county of Grand Isle, except Alburgh and Isle La Motte, was chartered to Gen. Ethan Allen and Col. Ira Allen with 363 associates. The Allens being heroes of the revolution, the islands were nnamed in their honor-the " Two Heroes." On October 21, 1788, this island was set off as a separate town and named North Hero.
The surface of the territory is very even and level, so that it contains no rivers or water courses of any account, and hence no water-power or manu- factories. A long, narrow strip of verdant farming land, some fifteen miles in length, as beautifully located as could possibly be imagined,-a gem in itself, and with a setting composed of the contiguous far-famed lake and mountain scenery, it forins in all a jewel whose loveliness has to be seen to
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TOWN OF NORTH HERO.
be realized or appreciated. Near the center of the island a bay on the western shore nearly cuts the town in half, it being connected only by a nar- row neck of land a few rods in width, and called the " Carrying Place," so named from boats sometimes being carried across it to prevent a longer voyage. During the embargo act of 1807, the place became quite noted, from the fact of smuggling parties taking advantage of the opportunity afforded, and when hard pressed by the government officials, would steer to this place, carry their boats and cargo across to the water on the opposite side, while the larger government craft would be obliged to sail around the island in order to continue the pursuit. On the 27th of March, 1792, at a town meeting, John Martin, Benjamin Butler, and John Hutchins, Jr., were appointed a committee to raise a subscription for building a canal across this Carrying Place, but were unsuccessful, and the project was never carried out. The soil of the territory is principally clay, and yields fine crops of grass and grains, and is also well adapted to fruit growing, though the culture is not carried on as extensively as in Isle La Motte. The timber of the town was originally a dense growth of hardwood, spruce, hemlock, and cedar, though but little is now left. Geologically, the town consists of an immense bed of Utica slate, with the usual modification of shales, etc., attending this formation.
In 1880, North Hero had a population of 637, was divided into four school districts, and contained four common schools, employing two male and six female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $625.00. There were 141 pupils attending common school, while the entire cost of the schools for the year, ending October 3 1st, was $682.16. A. K. Hibbard was superintendent.
NORTH HERO, a post village, (also known as North Island City), beauti- fully located in the eastern part of the town, on City bay, contains one church, (Methodist), the court-house, the store of Roderic R. Hathaway, and about ten dwellings The court-house was built in 1825, up to which time courts had been held in the house of Jed P. Ladd. It is built of Isle LaMotte marble, 40 by 50 feet, and two stories in height. '}The first story is occupied by the family of the deputy jailor, Roderic R. Hathaway, and also contains a debtor's room and dungeon, and the second story contains the court and jury rooms. The town paid $500.00 for the privilege of using the court-room as a place of worship.
LAGRANGE post office is situated in the northern part of the town, at the house of Giles H. Hawrican, being kept for the accommodation of the farmers in that locality.
The settlement of the town was commenced in the winter of 1783, when Enos Wood, Ebenezer Allen, and Alexander Gordon, came to the Two Heroes, traveling across the lake on snow-shoes, and drew cuts for the choice of locat- ing their claims. Wood, being unfortunate, made choice of the south end of North Hero. The other two made their claims on the isla nd south of this.
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TOWN OF NORTH HERO.
The 25th of August, of the same year, they brought their families and set- tled on their land. Mr. Wood and his cousin, Solomon Wood, with their families, were the only residents of the town until the following spring, when a few others settled near them. A small band of hardy pioneers soon settled about, who shared each others sufferings, joys and sorrows, living like mem- bers of the same family. The English also had a block-house erected here, at a place called Dutchman's Point, which was garrisoned and not given up until 1796. The settlement or the town, however, was very slow, as at the taking of the first census, in 1791, the reports show it to have had a pop- ulation of only 125. The town was organized March 17, 1789, the meeting being held at the residence of Benjamin Butler, when Nathan Hazen was chosen moderator ; Nathan Hutchins, Jr., town clerk ; Nathan Hazen, John Knight, and John Bronson, selectmen ; Solomon Wood, Benjamin Butler, and Asahel Trumbull, listers ; Enos Wood, constable; John Martin, col- lector; Nathan Hutchins, Jr., and Ephraim Sawyer, fence viewers ; and Nathan Hutchins, Jacob Ball, and Jabez Bronson, surveyors of highways. The first justice of the peace was Nathan Hutchins, Jr., who was also chosen the first representative, in 1791. The first birth was that of Adin, son of Enos Wood, November 4, 1785. Dame Knight, a daughter of John Knight, was the second, November 27, 1786. The first marriage on record was that of John Bronson to Mis. Elizabeth Bates, January 27, 1787. The first cir- cuit minister was sent here in 1802. The first school was taught by Lois Hazen, in a barn owned by John Knight. The first framed school-house was built in 1803. The first division of the town into school districts was made in 1793, the committee for the same being Nathan Hutchins, Jr., John Mar- tin, Elijah Knowlton, and Enos Wood. The first store was established by Jed P. Ladd, in 1809. The first mail route was established in 1813, with Jed P. Ladd, postmaster. The first hotel was also kept by Mr. Ladd, built in 1803, the building being used for judicial purposes until the court-house was built, in 1825.
At the time of the battle of Plattsburgh, September 11, 1814, a volunteer company was organized here under Joseph Hazen. When the British fleet passed up the lake to meet its assault, the inhabitants who were left in the town, mostly women and children, flocked to the western shore of the south- ern end of the island to watch its progress and attack, the greatest excitement prevailing among them.
Elisha Hibbard, from Bennington, served through the war of the revolution, and after its close, located in Plattsburgh, where it is said he built the third house. After a time spent there, he removed to this town and located on road 21. He reared a family of three children, of whom Orlin, the only son, born in 1786, came here with his father and continued a resident of the town until his death, in 1869. Elisha, the third child, born in 1813, now resides on road 17.
John Knight, from New Hampshire, came into this town in 1785, and
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TOWN OF NORTH HERO.
in the southern part of the island upon the farm now owned by his grandson, Guy R. Knight. John, Jr., born the second year after his father's settlement here, resided on the homestead forty-four years, then removed to the house now occupied by his son, where he resided until his death, in 1878, aged ninety years.
Joseph Hazen came to North Hero, from Connecticut, previous to 1790, with a family of eight children. He settled near the center of the southern portion of the island, upon the farm now owned by his grandson, Uriah H. Hazen. Of his children, six located in the town, while the others removed to Ohio. Solomon and Daniel, sons of Joseph, made settlements on adjoining farms on road 7. They both held positions of trust, and were much respect- ed by their townsmen. Solomon reared a family of eleven children, and Daniel thirteen. Amasa B., Solomon's sixth child, was born in 1809, on the old homestead, and there resided for sixty-six years, then removed to his present home on road 7. Uriah, the youngest son of Joseph, was about four years of age when his father came here, and upon the farm now owned by Uriah H., had resided seventy-nine years, dying in 1869, aged eighty-three years. Uriah H., his youngest son, born in 1845, has always resided on the old farm, and is now one of the largest Spanish Merino sheep breeders in the county. Flavius J., one of the grand-children of Solomon, born in 1830, has always resided on the farm settled by his father, Jesse. Chancey P., another grandson, the only living son of Chauncey, resides on road 7.
Jedediah P. Ladd, born at Franklin, Conn., in 1766, came to North Hero in 1789, and immediately took a leading part in the local government, and at various times during his long life here held town and county offices. He was the first postmaster, and kept the first store and hotel, the latter being man- aged by him for a period of forty two years, twenty-two of which it was used as a court-house and jail. Mr. Ladd died in 1845, aged seventy-nine years.
Oliver Russell, from Bennington, came here in 1792, and located about half a mile south of the court-house, upon the farm now owned by his grand- son, Charles B. His wife made the journey on horse-back, the saddle she used being a present to her when fourteen years of age, and is now in the possession of her grandson. Oliver died in 1814, at the age of forty-three years. William H., his oldest son, born in 1796, died here in 1866. Charles B., second son of William H., born in 1831, has held all the town offices, and, in 1872, represented his town in the legislature. He has always lived on the farm settled by his grandfather.
John Dodds left Ireland about the time of the American Revolution, and after a three year's residence in Scotland, came to America. He first located at Saratoga, and from there removed to this town, where hespent the remainder of his days, dying in 1832, aged sixty-eight years. When he left Ireland he had two children, a boy and a girl. The girlhe brought with him, but left the boy with a relative. This boy, James, removed to Scotland, and by some means lost track of his parents, so that they did not hear from him for many
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TOWN OF SOUTH HERO.
years. After diligent search, however, they were at last brought together, and the son finally took up his residence here, where he died, in 1856, aged sixty-eight years. James left a family of six children, of whom John, the eldest, and David, the third, now reside here.
Reuben Hyde was born in Grand Isle in 1792, and removed to North Hero in 1815. He settled in the southern part of the town, upon the farm now occupied by Charles Hyde, where he resided until his death, in 1877, at the age of eighty-four years. He reared a family of eight children, seven of whom are now living.
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