USA > Vermont > Lamoille County > Gazetteer and business directory of Lamoille and Orleans counties, Vt., for 1883-84, pt 1 > Part 12
USA > Vermont > Orleans County > Gazetteer and business directory of Lamoille and Orleans counties, Vt., for 1883-84, pt 1 > Part 12
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
Erastus Fitch, son of Darius, was born here in 1811, on the old Fitch farm, now owned by his son, Vernon D. Erastus married Sarah Brigham, of Mor- ristown, reared a family of three children, and died in 1845. His wife sur- vived him ten years, dying in 1855. Vernon D. was born on the old farm in 1840, and married Elizabeth Sumner, of Troy, Vt. The Fitch family is one of the oldest in the town, Jabez Fitch having made the first settlement on the old Fitch homestead, The house now standing thereon, built by Darius, was raised the day after the battle of Plattsburgh, in 1814.
Josiah Jones made the first clearing on the farm now owned by his son,
-
100
TOWN OF HYDE PARK.
Lorenzo P., on road 4. He reared a family of eight children, and died Feb- ruary 14, 1870.
Oliver Noyes made the first settlement on the farm now owned by his grandson, Edgar Noyes, on road 47. Oliver's son. Breed, kept the first store in the town, in the old house yet standing on the farm. Breed died Decem- ber 28, 1834. Edgar was born on the homestead in 1818, married Jane Cook, and has three children.
Nathaniel P. Sawyer, from Haverhill, Mass., came to this town in 1790, and located at Hyde Park village, where he built the first frame house, which is still standing, at the east end of Main street, owned by James M. Hill.
In June, 1809, Joshua Sawyer, upon the call of his brother, N. P. Sawyer, went to Burlington and entered the office of Hon. Judge Farrand, as a student at law, in order to comply with the bar rules then in strict force in Chittenden county, at least, that the last year's study must have been in Ver- mont, and to make out the full time required that the student must occupy before admittance. In 1810, he came to Hyde Park and commenced prac- tice, meeting with great success for a period of over fifty years. He was thirteen years in the State legislature, State's attorney for Orleans county, and held other responsible positions. He married Mary, daughter of Aaron Keeler, reared a family of ten children, and died March 16, 1869. His widow is still living, aged eighty-seven years, the oldest native born resident of the town. Edward B., son of Joshua, was born here April 16, 1828. He studied law with his father, and was admitted to the bar in June, 1849, since which time he has been in practice in the town. He served as a member of the constitutional convention, was a clerk of the county court eighteen years, editor of the Lamoille News Dealer three years, and has held other prom- inent positions. He married, for his first wife, Sarah A. Pennock, by whom he had four children, and for his second wife he married Sarah's sister, Helen M., the union being blessed with three children.
Nathan Griswold, from Springfield, Vt., located in the town of Johnson about the year 1790, when he subsequently married Lucy Morse, raising a family of fifteen children, one of whom, Almon W., now resides in New York city. Nathan died in 1844, aged seventy-five years. His grandson, Z. H. Griswold, resides in this town, on road 16.
Jacob Hadley, from Hancock, N. H., came to Hyde Park in 1796, and located on road 57, upon the farm now owned by Nathan McFarland. He remained on this place a few years, then removed to Eden, whence he subse- quently returned to this town, and died here in 1842. Joseph, his son, came here with his father, when eight years of age, married Miss A. Weld, and set- tled on the farn now owned by his son, Orson, on road 34. He subse- quently resided several years in Morristown, but died here, April 2, 1878. Orson was born in Morristown in 1822, married .Jane Morrell, and has had a family of eight children, five of whom are now living.
Benjamin Calkins, from Norwich, Conn., came to this town in 1798, and
IOI
TOWN OF HYDE PARK.
located upon the farm now owned by Barney G. Rooney, on road 46, where he resided until his death. Andrew H., son of Benjamin, born here in 1809, married Christina Whitcomb, and reared a family of six children, three of whom are now living. He died March 17, 1851. His wife survived him until August 4, 1874. Byron A., son of Andrew, born on the old farm in 1844, is now engaged in mercantile pursuits at Morrisville.
Russel S. Page, now residing in Hyde Park, was born in this town May 21, 1813. He married Martha Maloma Smalley, daughter of Francis Smalley and granddaughter of Capt. Jed Hyde, in January, 1840. Their living chil- dren are Carroll Smalley, merchant, who married Ellen F. Patch, daughter of T. H. Patch, of Johnson ; Alice D., who married L. Halsey Lewis, one of the editors of the News and Citizen ; and Belle M., who married H. C. Fisk, a lawyer of Morristown, and editor of said paper. Carroll and Lewis now reside in Hyde Park. James and Hannah Page, parents of Russel S., moved from Londonderry, N. H., to Johnson, Vt., in 1795, and two years later located upon a farm in Hyde Park, on road 31, where they continued to live about fifty years, or until they died, at a ripe old age. Russel is the young- est and only surviving child of his father's family, and his occupation since of age has been farming, dealing in cattle, and general mercantile business. He has held the office of postmaster, selectman, lister, and other town offices several terms, and has been town representative, sheriff, side judge, and judge of probate, which latter office he now holds. He has been an invalid during the last thirty-five years, caused by an injury to the spine.
Levi Edgerton, from Coventry Conn., came to Hyde Park previous to 1800, and located upon the farm now owned by his son, Alonzo, on road 57. He married Sarah G. Fitch, reared six children, and died on the old place, June 13, 1869, aged eighty-four years. His wife died in 1861. Mr. Edger- ton held most of the offices in the gift of his townsmen, performing the duties appertaining thereto in an able and acceptable manner. His children are as follows: Seymour, residing in New York ; Melissa, the . wife of N. Water- man ; Erastus, a resident of Stowe ; Edward F. and Alonzo, of this town ; and Sarah G., residing with Alonzo.
Benjamin Cleveland came to Hyde Park, from Woodstock, Vt., about 1801, and located upon the farm now owned by A. Cowen, on road 4. For his first wife he married Sally Bruce, by whom he had two sons, Lysander and Orange. For his second wife, he married Rebecca Slocum, by whom he had ten children.
Jacob Walker, from Brookfield, Mass., settled near the central part of Mor- ristown previous to the year 1800, where he died, in 1844. Three of his chil- dren are now living in the county, one of whom, Mrs. Z. B. Buskey, resides with her daughter, Mrs. L. S. Rand, in this town. She attended the first school taught in the town, and is now eighty-three years of age.
Levi Wiswell came to this town, from Townsend, Vt., in 1817, and located upon the farm now owned by Volney Gilmore. He subsequently removed
IO2
TOWN OF HYDE PARK.
to Westminster, where he died, in 1865. He has two sons living here, Orra, born in 1805, and Samuel, born in 1809.
Leander S. Small, son of George and Orpah Small, was born in Morris- town, December 3, 1820. He was educated to agricultural pursuits by his parents, together with such other knowledge as could be acquired in the com- mon schools and his own reading. At the age of twenty-one years he entered the law office of Butler & Wilkins, of Stowe, Vt., where he remained until the June term of the Lamoille county court, 1845, when he was admitted to the bar. Since that time he has practiced his profession in the county, residing in Hyde Park since 1853. He married Cornelia M., daughter of Almond and Jemima Boardman, of Morristown, with whom he has passed a happy wedded life. Mr. Small is a man possessed of excellent qualities of mind and heart, a fact that his townsmen have not been slow to appreciate, as is attested by the many positions of honor and trust they have seen fit to bestow upon him.
James Cobleigh, from Athens, Vt., came to Hyde Park in 1820, and lo- cated upon the farm now owned by Charles Holbrook, on road 19. He had a family of seven children, three of whom, Alanson, Ira, and John, now reside in the town. Alanson has been constable and collector for the past four years. James died in 1823, and his wife died in 1863.
Daniel Bullard, with his two brothers, John and Willard, came to this town, from Amherst, N. H., about 1820, and located near the north village. John and Willard remained here a few years, then returned to New Hampshire. Daniel died here in July, 1871. Of his large family of children, John, Ezekiel, Edwin, and Augusta (Mrs. Cyrus Wilcox), now reside in the town.
Charles Jewett, from Concord, Vt., came to this town about 1822, and settled upon the farm now owned by A. M. Whitcomb, on road 18. He married Betsey Lilley, by whom he had six children, two of whom are living, Eli and Mrs. M. A. Emerson. Mrs. Jewett died in 1870, and was followed by her husband in 1872. Eli resides on road 40, and has three children.
Simeon A. Spicer, born in Hebron, Conn., in 1798, came to this town in 1824, and settled upon the farm where he still resides, on road 44. Mr. Spicer married Fanny H. Waterman, and has one child, A. A. Spicer. His wife died November 16, 1846, and he chose for his second wife Harriet Standish. Mr. Spicer has been a member of the Methodist church fifty-four years, and is known as an active temperance worker.
Simeon Whitcomb, from Washington, Vt., came to Hyde Park in 1825, locating in the western part of the town. He married Betsey Young, the union being blessed with a family of eight children, five of whom, Thomas, Sylvester G., Sally, Harriet, and Louisa, now reside in the town.
Robert Campbell, from Bradford, N. H., came to this town about 1828, and settled near Centerville, upon the farm now owned by his son, Calvin, where he died, in 1865. Calvin was six years of age when his father worked here. He has been twice married, to Jane and Lucy A. Herrick, sisters, and has six children. Mr. Campbell has been engaged in mercantile pursuits
103
TOWN OF HYDE PARK.
here since 1867. David, son of Robert, came here with his father at the age of eighteen years, and has been a resident of the town since. Of his family of five children, two now live in the town.
Ebenezer Barnes, from Brandon, Vt., came to this town in 1837: and located upon the farm now occupied by his son, Eben, on road 203. Eben was ten years of age when his father came here. He married Esther W. Davis, and has one daughter. Ebenezer died in 1850, his wife in 1880.
Michael G. Bundy, from Canada, located upon the farm now owned by his son, William, on road 14, in 1840. He married Susanna Hayden, by whom he had eleven children, six of whom are now living. He died in 1866, and his wife in 1882. Four of his sons served in the late civil war.
James Lucas came to Hyde Park, from Ireland, in 1845, and located upon the farm he still occupies, on road 28, where he is one of the prosperous farmers of the town. Mr. Lucas says he is the third Irishman that settled in the town.
Seth Haskins settled in the northern part of Morristown in 1800, where he reared a large family of children, only one of whom was a son. He was named Hiram, and moved to Hyde Park, where he resided until his death.
During the late civil war Hyde Park furnished nine commissioned officers and 140 enlisted men towards suppressing the great Rebellion, twenty-nine of whom were killed in action, or died from wounds or diseases contracted while in the service.
The first public religious services held in the town were conducted by Lo- renzo Dow, very early in the history of the settlement, probably about 1793. A methodist preacher, Rev. Nehemiah Sabins, preached soon after, and formed the Methodist class. Elizabeth Hyde, daughter of Capt. Jedediah Hyde, at that time ten years of age, was first to join the class. The society now has a comfortable church at North Hyde Park, and at Hyde Park vil- lage, presided over by Rev. J. E. Bowen and Rev. Joseph W. Hitchcock, respectively.
The St. Terrence Catholic Church, located at Hyde Park village, was or- ganized in 1872, by Rev. Peter Savoy. The church building is a wood structure capable of seating 250 persons, built in 1872, at a cost of about $2,400.00.
There is also a Christian church at North Hyde Park, and societies of other denominations in the town ; but neglect on the part of members to whom we had entrusted the collection of church statistics, forces us to omit their mention in detail.
104
TOWN OF JOHNSON.
JOHNSON.
OHNSON lies in the central part of the county, in latitude 44° 40', and longitude 4° 19', bounded northeasterly by Belvidere and Eden, south- easterly by Hyde Park and Morristown, southwesterly by Morristown and Cambridge, and northwesterly by Waterville and Cambridge, containing an area of little over 23,040 acres. The tale of its charter breathes somewhat of romance. As early as 1780, a Mr. Brown, an early settler in Jericho, Vt., secured a grant of the township. He caused the outlines to be run, and commenced the allotment in the eastern part of the town, and gave to it the name of Brownville, or Brownington. In the meantime the northern hive of Indians residing upon the Canadian frontier, had begun to pour in upon the wilderness territory of northern Vermont, destroying the property of, and carrying away many of the luckless settlers into wretched captivity. Mr. Brown and his family were numbered among these unhappy ones. In 1774, he had made the difficult journey to Jericho, from Massachusetts. Here he and his family, consisting of a wife, a daughter, and two sons, had made such im- provements on their lands, as to be able to raise most of the necessaries of life, and were looking forward to days of still greater plenty ; but in the autumn of 1780, the year this town was granted to him, the family was sur- prised and made prisoners of by a party of Indians, who, after securing their prisoners, killed the cattle, sheep and hogs belonging to them, set fire to their house, and started with them for Montreal. The prisoners suffered much on their journey, from fatigue and hunger, their principal food being raw bear's meat. On arriving at St. Johns they were turned over to the British officers, and their captors received the bounty due them-eighteen dollars per head for their prisoners. For three years they were retained as nominal prisoners, though they were in reality slaves, being obliged to serve their exacting mas- ters, and receiving in return nothing but insults and the poorest fare.
During the years of Mr. Brown's captivity, the charter fees for his town grant remained unpaid, and his continued absence led to the belief that he was dead. So another grant of the territory was made to Samuel William Johnson and his associates, bearing date February 27, 1782. Upon the re- turn of Mr. Brown, a dispute arose between him and Mr. Johnson, relative to the right of the township. This difficulty was, however, compromised, by a new grant being made to Mr. Brown, of the present town of Brownington, in Orleans Co. The charter verifying Mr. Johnson's grant, however, was not obtained until January 2, 1792, issued by the governor, and bearing the name of the grantee, Johnson. Thus ended this unusual history of a town charter.
.
.
DENHOL
105
TOWN OF JOHNSON.
The surface of Johnson, especially in the western part, is quite uneven, though in the central and eastern portions there are many acres of fine, level farming land. The northwestern part of the town extends up upon a spur of the Green Mountains, while Round mountain lies in the western part, and Sterling mountain in the southwestern part, making a continuous chain from north to south. Between Round mountain and Sterling mountain lies the Lamoille valley, one of the most fertile and beautiful in the State. The Lamoille river enters the town in the southeastern part, and, running westerly about two miles, through a rich tract of intervale, falls over a ledge of rocks, about fifteen feet in height, into a basin below, making McConnel's Falls, so named in honor of one of the early settlers. Thence it runs northwesterly over a bed of rocks, about one hundred rods, narrowing its bounds and in- creasing its velocity, when it forms a whirlpool and sinks under a barrier of rocks, which extend across the river. The arch is of solid rock, about eight feet wide, and at low water is passed over by footmen with safety. Thus is re-produced in miniature the famous Natural Bridge of Virginia. The view of the river afforded at this point is extremely beautiful. For some distance above the river seems preparing for some unusual occurrence-tiny caps of snow-white foam crest each hurrying ripple, bits of drift wood and fallen leaves are whirled in circling eddies, while here and there a projecting rock attempts to impede the current, only to be angrily covered with a cloud of spray. Finally, the waters, with a sullen roar, plunge into the maelstrom and disappear. Below the "bridge," the scene is one of increased grandeur. The 'waters, with a last, triumphant struggle, cast off the granite fetters that have for a moment retarded their resistless course, and rising from a boiling cal- dron of fleecy foam, soon flow along again, a quiet, tranquil river, which, about 150 rods below, receives the waters of North Branch, and bending its course westerly, leaves the township near the southwest corner. Numerous other streams are found throughout the town, many of which afford good mill- sites, and unite with other beauties of nature in forming most attractive scenery. The timber of the township is hemlock, spruce, and trees of the hard-wood varieties. The soil is a dark or yellow loam, mixed with a light sand, is easily tilled and very productive. The alluvial flats along the La- moille are extensive, but back from the river the lands are, in some parts, rather stony.
The geological structure of the town is composed principally of rocks of gneiss and talcose schist formation. The former are found in the western, the latter in the eastern portions of the township. Small beds of steatite and saccharoid azoic limestone have also been discovered, and some beds of clay suitable for the manufacture of brick, etc. Gold is also said to exist in allu- vium in minute quantities. No other minerals of importance have been dis- covered.
In 1880, Johnson had a population of 1,495, and in 1882, was divided into fourteen school districts and contained eleven common schools, employing
IT
F
.
106
TOWN OF JOHNSON.
five male and twenty-five female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $1,413.13. There were 370 pupils attending common school, while the entire cost of the schools for the year, ending October 31st, was $1,606.80, with J. A. Pierce, superintendent.
The St. Johnsbury & Lake Champlain railroad crosses the southern part of the town, with a station at Johnson.
JOHNSON, a post village and station on the St. Johnsbury & Lake Cham- plain railroad, is beautifully located a little south of the central part of the town, at the intersection of the Gihon with the Lamoille river. Among its several manufactories are saw-mills, woolen-mill, butter-tub and starch factory. It also contains three churches, (Congregational, Methodist Episcopal, and Baptist,) State normal school, four stores, one hotel, two harness shops, and about ninety dwellings.
The State Normal School .- As early as 1836, the legislature incorporated the Lamoille County Grammar School, though the school had been estab- lished about six years previous, under Dr. Carpenter. During the years that followed, the school experienced the usual changes of government, and strug- gled through the varying fortunes common to institutions of the kind, until February, 1867, when it was changed to the State Normal School, with Rev. H. D. Hodge, president ; Samuel Belding, vice-president ; S. S. Pike, treas- urer ; Dea. H. W. Robinson, secretary ; and twenty trustees. . While under the control of L. O. Stevens the building was repaired, and, in 1866, was thoroughly rebuilt, so that it is now more than double its original size. The normal school began its career with about fifty students, under the princi- palship of S. H. Pearl, who continued in that capacity until 1871. He was succeeded by C. D. Mead, who remained only a little over a year. From that time, 1872, until 1875, S. H. Perrigo filled the position, and was suc- ceeded by William C. Crippen, who had charge of the school until 1881, when the services of Edward Conant, then principal of the normal school at Randolph, and who was also State superintendent of schools from 1874 until 1880, were secured. Mr. Conant's long experience in school work enabled him to at once put the school on a firm footing. He has thus far met with good success, and all indications point to still greater success in the future. Twenty-eight pupils were graduated during the year, ending in January, 1882.
Barnum L. Austin's cabinet shop, located at the village, was built for the purpose for which it is now used, previous to the year 1850. In 1870, it was taken by Mr. Austin, who has continued business there since.
0. & A. H. Buck have control of 2,000 acres of wood land, which they are rapidly clearing and converting the timber into lumber. They own a steam mill that has the capacity for cutting 2,000,000 feet of lumber annually, and a mill operated by water-power that will cut the same amount of lum- ber, and 500,000 feet of clapboards and 500,000 shingles, and they also lease a mill in Granby, Essex county, having the capacity for cutting 3,000,000 feet of lumber per annum.
107
TOWN OF JOHNSON.
O. W. Stearns & Son's butter-tub and water-tubing factory, located on the Gihon river, was built by the present proprietors, in 1874, who commenced business in a small way, employing only six workmen. In 1880, they insti- tuted extensive repairs, and placed in operation considerable new machinery, increasing their facilities so that they now employ eighteen men. In 1881, they manufactured 90,000 spruce butter-tubs and sap-buckets, and about 4,000 rods of spruce and pine water-tubing.
William McLenathan's grist and carding-mill was built about 1842, by Nathaniel Stearns, for a rake factory and grist-mill, and came into the pres- ent proprietor's hands in 1867. Mr. McLenathan has made extensive repairs and now does a large business.
L. H. Parkhurst's saw-mill, located on road 7, was built in 1877. Mr. Parkhurst employs six men and manufactures 500,000 feet of lumber and 180,000 feet of clapboards per year.
I. L. Pearl's woolen-mill, located on the Gihon river, was established about 1845, by Andrew and Stephen Dow, who continued in business until 1855, when Daniel M. Dow purchased Andrew's interest, continuing the business under the firm name of S. & D. M. Dow for about two years, or until the death of Daniel. In 1857, the present proprietor, Isaac L. Pearl, purchased a share of the property, continuing the business as Dow & Pearl until 1865. Mr. Dow then sold his interest to Orange Buck, who remained in the firm until 1870, when Mr. Pearl assumed entire control of the concern. On April 11, 1871, the entire mills were destroyed by fire, nothing being saved. Mr. Pearl immediately began to rebuild, and soon had the present factory erected. Mr. Pearl now empolys twelve workmen, and consumes about 40,000 pounds of wool per year, in the manufacture of heavy goods and yarns.
Horace H. Partlow's carriage and gun shop, located at the village, was established in 1866. The building is one of the oldest in the town.
R. B. Bradley's carriage and machine shop, located on Pearl street, was established in 1880, where Mr. Bradley does a profitable business.
The first settlement in Johnson was commenced in 1784, by Samuel Eaton, from New Hampshire. During the French war, before the reduction of Canada by the British, Mr. Eaton passed through this part of the country and down the river Lamoille to Lake Champlain, on a scouting expedition. At the commencement of the revolution he enlisted in the American army under Col. Beedle, and frequently passed through this township, while scout- ing between the Connecticut river and Lake Champlain, and several times encamped on the same plot which he afterwards occupied as a farm-a beau- tiful bow of alluvial flats on the right bank of the Lamoille, in the western part of the town. Like many other settlers he had many difficulties to encounter. In indigent circumstances and with a numerous family, he loaded his little all upon an old horse, and set out in search of that favorite spot which he had selected in his more youthful days. To accomplish this he had to travel
108
TOWN OF JOHNSON.
nearly seventy miles through the wilderness, guided only by the trees which had been marked by the scouts, and opening a path as he passed along. For some time after he arrived here, Mr. Eaton depended entirely upon hunting and fishing for the support of himself and a large family. Better days soon smiled upon him, however, and he lived to a good old age, much respected, · and in his latter years received a pension from the government for Revolu- tionary services.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.