USA > Vermont > Lamoille County > Gazetteer and business directory of Lamoille and Orleans counties, Vt., for 1883-84, pt 1 > Part 14
USA > Vermont > Orleans County > Gazetteer and business directory of Lamoille and Orleans counties, Vt., for 1883-84, pt 1 > Part 14
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
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TOWN OF MORRISTOWN.
west of Morrisville, on the Lamoille river, is a station on the St. J. & L. C. R. R. It contains one church (Union), a grist, saw, and planing-mill, black- smith shop, and about a dozen dwellings. The first grist-mill erected here was in 1831, by Cady & Atkins. The church was erected in 1865-'66, at a cost of about $2,000.00. The building has not been used for church pur- poses during the past year, and is now owned by N. Town and N. Terrill.
MORRISTOWN FOUR CORNERS (Morristown p. o.) is a hamlet located a little north of the central part of the town, containing a church (Baptist), and ten or twelve dwellings.
The People's Academy, located at Morrisville, was incorporated in 1847. The land upon which the building is located was donated the previous year by Jedediah Safford, and willing citizens soon contributed money and labor for the erection of the original building, which cost about $1,000.00. School was first opened September 1, 1847, with O. C. Pitkin, A. B., now of Syracuse, N. Y., as principal, and Miss Julia Bliss and Miss Elizabeth Pitkin, assistants. Mr. Pitkin remained in charge only about two years, since which time there have been many changes. The school was established under most favorable circumstances, there being pupils in attendance from several counties and from Canada during the first term. In 1866, the common school was graded, and the school building moved to the south of the academy. The school was systematically graded, the higher department being called the People's Academy and Morrisville Graded School, and the lower grades the Primary Department. In 1874, the old academy building was sold and re- moved, and the present handsome and substantial building erected upon the site, at a cost of about $10,000.00, school in the meantime being held in the town-hall. The academy now has a good library, an extensive philosoph- ical apparatus, together with all the appurtenances of a first-class educational institution, under the charge of H. S. Wilson, A. B., principal.
J. Safford & Son's saw, and grist-mill, located at Morrisville, was built in 1866. The grist-mill has four runs of stones, and has been operated by the present firm since 1853. In connection with the grist-mill they have ma- chinery for sawing chair stock. They employ eight men, and during the year 1881, dressed 1,000,000 feet of lumber.
E. E. Foster's granite and marble works, located at Morrisville, were es- tablished in 1870. Mr. Foster employs eight men, and manufactures all kinds of work.
W. S. Cheney's starch factory, located at Morrisville, was built by T. C. Ryder, in 1872. The factory is a large building, 40x60 feet, and four stories in height. Mr. Cheney uses from 10,000 to 15,000 bushels of potatoes per year, and manufactures about seventy-five tons of starch.
The Morrisville foundry was built by E. B. Merriam, in 1872. Mr. H. H. Morgan, the present proprietor, came into possession of the property in 1874. He employs four men in the manufacture of stoves and general job work.
George H. Elmore's carriage shop, located at Morrisville, was built by the
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TOWN OF MORRISTOWN.
present proprietor in 1876. Mr. Elmore employs six men in the manufac- ture of all kinds of wagons, carriages, and sleighs.
E. B. Reed's planing-mill and job shop, located at Cady's Falls, came into the hands of the present proprietor in 1867. The building was originally used as a woolen-mill.
Cady's Falls grist, saw, and carding-mill is owned and operated by N. L. Manning. The grist-mill operates three runs of stones, and the saw-mill has the capacity for sawing 100,000 feet of lumber per annum. The mill has also a tannery connected, and machinery for manufacturing chair stock.
William A. Thayer's butter-tub manufactory, located on road 44, was es- tablished by Mr. Thayer, in 1864.
W. W. Peck's steam saw-mill, located in the western part of the town, on road 46, was built in 1881, and commenced running January 9, 1882. Mr. Peck manufactures about 1,500,000 feet of lumber per year.
J. A. Ferguson's saw-mill, located on road 40, came into the possession of the present owner, in 1881. The mill is operated by water-power, furnished with a circular saw, and has the capacity for cutting 1,000 feet of lumber per hour.
James J. Billings's clapboard-mill, located in the southwestern part of the town, on road 72, was originally used as a saw-mill, from which it was re- modeled to suit the purposes for which it is now used.
Josiah Trow's granite manufactory, located at Morrisville, was established by the present proprietor in 1878. He manufactures all kinds of granite and marble work.
H. C. Boardman's saw-mill, located on road 362, was built by Mr. Board- man, in 1870. The mill is supplied with shingle, planing, and matching machinery, and has the capacity for cutting 1,000 feet of lumber per hour.
C. F. Whitney's saw-mill, located on road 362, has the capacity for cutting 1,000 feet of lumber per hour, and has a chair stock and cider-mill attached.
The Lamolle Valley pulp-mill, located at Morrisville, was established in 1881. The firm employs eight men, and manufactures five tons of pulp per day.
Clark and Daniel's butter-tub factory, located at Morrisville, employs ten hands and has the capacity for manufacturing 300 butter-tubs per day.
Settlement was commenced in Morristown during the spring of 1790, by Jacob Walker, who came from Bennington, accompanied by his brother, who shortly after returned. Mr. Walker remained here during the summer, mak- ing his home at the house of John McDaniel, in Hyde Park, to which place he returned on Saturday night, going out again on Monday, with provisions sufficient to last him through the week. In this way he labored through the summer, and in the fall he returned to Bennington. In the spring of 1791, Mr. Walker brought his family here, and continued through the summer, and in the fall again returned to Bennington. In the spring of 1792, Mr. Walker and his family came to the town, accompanied by Mr. Olds and his family.
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They built a camp, in which Mr. Walker and wife, Mr. Olds and wife, and two hired men, lived two months, during which time Gov. Butler, of Water- bury, paid them a visit. At the end of two months a house had been erected, into which they all moved. In the fall, Mr. Walker removed to Fairfax, leav- ing Mr. Olds and family here alone. Mrs. Olds was the first woman who .wintered in the town. Their nearest neighbors, on the south, were at Water- bury, fourteen miles distant, and no road. The nearest mill was at Cam- bridge, twenty miles distant. Settlers soon began to come in, however, so that the census reports for 1800, show the town to have had a population of 144.
The town was organized in 1796, with Comfort Olds, town clerk. As the records are missing it is impossible to state who constituted the remaining list. As near as can be ascertained, however, the first selectmen were Com- fort Olds, Nathaniel Goodale, and Crispus Shaw. John Shaw was probably the first constable. The first justice was Micajah Dunham, in 1796. Elisha Boardman was the first representative, in 1804.
The meeting of the proprietors of Morristown was called at Pownal, May 19, 1784. when Nathaniel Morse served as moderator, and Joseph Hinsdale, clerk. At this meeting it was voted to lay out the first division, January 17, 1787, 105 acres to each proprietor's right. Joseph Hinsdale, of Bennington, was elected surveyor of the first and second divisions. The second division was made in 1787, and the third in 1794, the latter being made by Micajah Dunham, of Morristown. The first road was laid out June 11, 1800. The first transfer of proprietor's rights was that of two shares, for the consider- ation of £36, by Daniel Kinne, of Partridgeville, Mass., to Ezekiel Williams, of Weathersfield, Conn., April 1, 1781. The first frame buildings in the town were erected by Capt. John Safford and his son, Jedediah, in 1798. They consisted of a dwelling and corn barn; The latter is still in a good state of preservation, and is used as a horse barn by Dexter Place. The first funeral was held in this building, that of Mrs. Daniel Fletcher, a daughter of Capt. Safford. The first school was kept by Martha Brigham, afterwards the wife of Nathan Gates, Jr., in a barn owned by Judge Samuel Cook. The first physician to locate here was Ralph Tinker, about 1802. The first set- tled minister was Rev. Daniel Rockwell, a Congregationalist. The first church building was a two-story brick structure, 40x60 feet, erected in 1824, by the Congregationalist and Calvinist Baptist, by whom it was used for many years. The first birth in the town was September 14, 1792, a daughter of Jacob Walker, named Lemira. The first death was that of Lydia Fletcher, wife of Daniel Fletcher, and daughter of John Safford, July 10, 1799, aged thirty-one years.
Orias Boardman, father of the four sons, Elisha, Orias, William, and Alfred, died in Connecticut, in 1780, having previously bought a right of land in this town of one of the original proprietors, intending to make a settlement with his family. Orias, the second son, at the age of nineteen years, arrived in
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town in 1793, and worked during the summer for Aaron Hunt, one of the first settlers. Orias and [William arrived by way of Lake Champlain and Cambridge, with an ox team, in March, 1794, and commenced a settlement on the farm upon which they lived during the remainder of their lives, and upon which Almond Boardman now resides. In the spring of 1795, their mother, together with the eldest son, Elisha, and the youngest son, Alfred, arrived, and lived in the town the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Lydia Board- man, the mother, died April 7, 1823, in the seventy-fifth year of her age, having for a long period been a worthy member of the Congregational church. Her sons were all noted for honesty in their business transactions with their fellow-men. Elisha was the first representative of the town, being a member of the legislature in 1804, '05, '06, '07, and '08. He was also the first militia captain, and was an able justice of the peace for many years. He died February 6, 1826, aged fifty-three years. Orias died September 10, 1843, in the sixty-ninth year of his age. William died March 18, 1851, aged seventy- five years. Alfred died February 8, 1830, aged forty-eight years. Almond, who now occupies the old homestead, was born May 16, 1807, married Jemi- ma Goodsell, and has had a family of five children, two of whom are now living,-Cornelia and Ellen. The former is the wife of Judge Small, of Hyde Park, and the latter is the wife of A. L. Noyes, cashier of the Lamoille County Bank. Almond has held many positions of trust, among which that of representative two terms.
James Matthews, one of the earliest settlers, located on road 18, upon the farm now owned by A. C. Hill. He married Clarissa Ketchum, and reared a family of eleven children, eight of whom are now living. He died March 6, 1868, aged seventy-five years. His son, Leonard, who has carried the mail between Morrisville and the Four Corners since 1875, was born here in 1826.
Cyrus Clark, another of the early settlers, located upon a farm in the western part of the town, where he resided the remainder of his life. He had a family of five children, one of whom, Roswell, married Patty Parker, and died in 1877. Three of Roswell's children are now living,-Sophia E., wife of Norman Camp, of Elmore; Caroline, wife of C. C. Keeler; and Martha M., wife of S. B. Clark.
Ebenezer Shaw was born in Middlebury, Mass., April 20, 1773. From there he removed with his father to Rochester, Mass., thence to Woodstock, Vt., and from there to Shrewsbury. At Shrewsbury he married Polly Whit- ney, daughter of Eliphlet Whitney, August 30, 1796. The following winter he moved to Hartland, and from Hartland to Morristown, in February, 1800. While living in Woodstock Mr. Shaw learned the tanner's trade, and was the first tanner and shoemaker that lived and carried on business in Morristown. His wife, Polly, died in 1835, aged fifty-eight years, being the mother of twelve children, none of whom are now living. In 1836, Mr. Shaw was again married, to Abigail Sherwin, who died in 1859, leaving no issue. Ebenezer
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died in 1866, aged ninety-three years. His son, Edwin H., was born in this town in 1818, married Pelina W. Gay in 1844, and located upon the farm where his widow and their son, Charles L., now reside. He died April 6, 1881.
Joseph Burke, from Westminster, Vt., came to Morristown in 1800, and located upon the farm now owned by A. M. Burke, on road 10. Here he reared a family of twelve children-five sons and seven daughters-and re- mained until his death, in 1846. But two of the children are now living, Joseph and Carlos C., the former aged eighty-nine years, and the latter seventy-three. Both live together on the old farm, neither ever having married. Samson, the eldest son of Joseph, came here with his father, mar- ried Levisa Haskins, and reared a family of ten children, six of whom now live in the town. Two, A. M. and C. C., constitute an enterprising law firm. Samson died October 18, 1863, and his wife died June 20, 1878.
Asa Cole came to this town in 1800, and located on road 8, upon the farm now owned by his son, Morris. He married Sally Jerold and had born to him eight children. He died in 1852, aged eighty years. His wife died in . 1832. Morris, the only one of the children now living, was born December 16, 1801, and married Mary Champlin in 1828. Two children blessed this union, Albert M., who lives at home with his father, and Mary A., wife of E. E. Brigham.
Nathan Gates, Jr., born in Plainfield, N. H., in 1777, came to Morristown in 1802, and located on a farm upon which he resided until his death, April 6, 1858. Sylvester L. Gates, son of Nathan, born here in 1809, married Lydia Ferrin, and has had two children. Mr. Gates has proven himself to be a first-class farmer, and also a man of considerable literary attainments.
Ira Edwards, from Amherst, Mass., came to this town in 1807, and located upon the farm now owned by N. S. Edwards, on road 66. He had a family of seven children, two of whom, N. S. and Adelia Borden, are living. N. S. Edwards married Alvira Stevens, and has three children.
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Luther Bingham located in the western part of the town in 1802. He be- came a prominent man, amassed a large fortune, and represented the town many years in the legislature.
Jedediah Bingham, from New Hampshire, came here in 1811, and settled on road 75, upon the farm now owned by H. B. Sturgis. He died February 28, 1870. Four of his children are now living, though he had but one son, Charles E., who resides on road 36.
Lebbens Spaulding, from New Hampshire, came to Morristown in 1810, and settled upon the farm now occupied by Frank Spaulding, on road 80, where he resided until his death, about 1868. Of his family of eight children, four are now living. Charles, in Craftsbury, Vt., J. W., Jefferson, and Isaac, in this town. Lebbens was captain of a militia company for many years, and built upon his farm the second saw-mill erected in the township.
Hon. Vernon W. Waterman was born in Johnson, Vt., July 30, 1811. When three years of age he went with his farther to Montpelier, Vt., to live,
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and remained there until nineteen years of age, when he came to Morristown to reside with his uncle, Hon. David P. Noyes, who was engaged in mercan- tile pursuits. At the age of twenty-one years he entered into partnership with Mr. Noyes, continuing the connection about eight years, when he engaged in business for himself, at Cady's Falls. For his first wife Mr. Waterman mar- ried Adaline Cady, of Stowe, by whom he had two children, George L., now an attorney-at-law, of Hyde Park, and Caroline E., wife of Hon. H. H. Pow- ers, of Morrisville. Mrs. Waterman died April 23, 1843 ; Mr. Waterman then married Amanda S. Wales, daughter of Hon. Geo. E. Wales, of Hartford, Vt., February 26, 1846, this union being blessed with three children, only one of whom is now living. Mr. Waterman has held many positions of trust, among which that of representative in the legislature for 1844-'45 ; he was also assistant judge of the county court two terms, sheriff two terms, and has been postmaster at Cady's Falls ever since the office was established there, in 1858. He has also attended every court held in Lamoille county since its organization, in 1835; was court auditor for nearly thirty years, and was one of the three delegates from Lamoille county to the constitutional convention held at Montpelier in January, 1857.
William Small, of Amherst, N. H., served all through the revolutionary war, and at its close received an honorable discharge, and the balance of his pay due in Continental money, which was almost worthless at that time. In 1812, with Patience, his wife, and six children, he removed to this town. The two eldest children, William and George, remained in Amherst until 1818, when they too came to the town. George was born at Amherst, July I, 1789. The same year he came to Morristown he married Orpha Wilkins, of Amherst, who still survives him. As a result of this union there were born five sons and five daughters-Dr. J. B. Small, of Winooski, Frank and Hiram, of this town, and L. S. Small, of Hyde Park. Mrs. W. T. Herrick, and Mary, widow of E. H. Blossom, of Winooski, survive him. Mr. Small led a very exemplary life, both public and domestic. He died May 26, 1875. William yet resides here.
Solomon Stow, from New Hampshire, came to this town about 1812, and located near the central part of the town, where he reared a family of ten children. He was born November 19, 1777, and died July 27. 1845. None of his family except Haven P. are now living. He was born June 28, 1820, married a Miss Bridge, and has two children, Fluella R. and Anna B.
Timothy Terrill, from Fletcher, Vt., came to Morristown in the autumn of 1817, resided here until 1828, when he removed to Underhill, where he died, about 1833. Moses, son of Timothy, born May 9, 1799, came here with his father and located upon the farm now owned by his son, N. A. Terrill, on road 2, where he resided until about 1848, when he removed to the farm now oc- cupied by R. S. Gallup, and a few years previous to his death located in Cady's Falls. Moses married Matilda Weld, by whom he had three children, two of whom are living. For his second wife he married Minerva Calkins,
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rearing seven children, four of whom are living. He was possessed of strict integrity, was an excellent judge of property, strictly temperate, economical and just in all his dealings, and by the exercise of these virtues he not only gained the regard and affection of his neighbors, but also amassed a hand- some property. He never sought office, but was frequently elected as one of the selectmen and listers. In his early years he was identified in politics with the then popular Democratic party, and was elected and served as a member of the legislature, in 1843. When the question of the extension of slavery was agitated he espoused the cause of universal freedom, and has been a member of the Republican party since its organization. Mr. Terrill, or " Uncle Moses," as he was more familiarly known, died April 4, 1883, and with his death the town lost one of its most respected and one of its oldest inhabitants. Mrs. Terrill is still living, at the advanced age of eighty years.
Elijah Lyman, from Pomfret, Vt., came here in 1818, and located in the northern part of the town, where he married Lydia Chamberlin and reared eight children, three of whom are living, as follows: Harriet, wife of Enos Cady, of Iowa ; George W., residing in Cambridge; and Erastus P., of this town. Mrs. Lyman died in 1843, and Elijah in 1849.
Moses Wells, a soldier of the revolutionary war, settled in this town about 1800, upon the farm now owned by his grandson, L. H. Hadley. He died November 22, 1839, aged eighty-two years.
Isaac Allen, from Randolph, Vt., came to Morristown in 1818, and located upon the farm now owned by his son, Ephraim E. He reared a family of six children, all of whom are living. He died May 28, 1871, aged eighty- two years. His wife died February 11, 1845, aged forty-three years. Ephraim E. was born here in 1822, married Ruth M. Loveland, and has two chil- dren.
Joseph E. Noyes, son of Oliver Noyes, came to this town about 1818, married Sarah Sawyer, and built the brick house now standing on the corner of Main and High streets, where he resided until his death, August 30, 1830. Mr. Noyes was engaged in mercantile pursuits, carried on two farms, and dealt largely in real estate. Mrs. Noyes died about thirty years ago, leaving four sons.
Jonathan Douglass, from Richmond, Vt., came here in 1825, and located upon the farm he now occupies, on road 71. He married Sally Cole and reared ten children, six of whom are living.
Stephen Gile came to Morristown, from Lebanon, N. H., in 1826, and located upon the farm now owned by his son, Eli B. He reared a family of nine children, and died in 1870. His wife died during the same year. Two of their children now reside in the town, Abigail, wife of James Cross, and S. S., the third selectman of the town. S. S. has also been a justice of the peace several years.
Thomas Cheney, born in Plainfield, N. H., in 1795, came here in 1827,
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and located upon the farm he still occupies. He married Sally Stevens, who died November 5, 1881, after rearing a family of eight children. William S. Cheney, son ¿of Thomas, resides in Morrisville ; Mary S., a daughter, is the wife of N. A. Terrill ; Adelia is the wife of Henry Bryant ; and Sarah, wife of Loyal Hoyt, resides in St. Lawrance county, N. Y.
David Drown, born in New Hampshire in 1800, came to Morristown in 1828, and settled in the western part of the town. In 1856, he removed to the farm now owned by his sons, H. W. and B. F. Drown, where he died, February 10, 1882.
Benjamin F. Carlton was born at Windham, Vt., July 15, 1803, and came to this town in 1828. He married Betsey Lathrop, by whom he had four children, one of whom, John B., now resides here, on road 24. Mr. Carlton died June 3, 1879. His wife survived his death until September 22, 1882, aged eighty four years and ten months.
Lucien H. Hadley, son of Abraham Hadley, was born February 12, 1816. At the age of twelve years he came to this town to reside with his grand- father, Moses, on road 36. He married Caroline C. Bingham, and had born to him three children, James M., Jane M., wife of A. B. Sturges, and Elmer V., all of whom reside on the same road. Lucien has resided on the same farm since 1830.
Horace Powers, from Corydon, N. H., came to this town in 1832. He first located at the Four Corners, where he remained until 1856, then removed to Morrisville, where he died, in December, 1867. He was a physician and surgeon by profession, and practiced until his death. In 1833, he married Love E. Gillman, who still survives him, and who bore to him three children -two sons and a daughter. The daughter died when only three years of age. George E. was a sergeant in Co. E, 3d Vt. Vols., and died of diphthe- ria, February 6, 1862, while home on a furlough. H. Henry was born here May 29, 1835, began his education at Morrisville, and graduated at Burling- ton in 1855. In 1866, he commenced reading law with Thomas Gleed, and was admitted to the bar in May, 1858, since which time he has practiced his profession in this town and in Hyde Park. He represented the town of Hyde Park in 1858, Morristown in 1874, was State senator in 1872, and State's attorney for the county in 1861-'62, speaker of the house in 1874, and was elected judge of the supreme court in the autumn of that year, a position he still retains.
F. T. George was born in Stowe, Vt., February 6, 1811, a son of Caleb, who was one of the early settlers of that town. In 1832, he came to this town, where he has since resided. He married Mary Atherton, and has been blessed with a family of three children, Josiah A., Harriet E., wife of Harri- son B. George, and Mary E., wife of C. A. Davis.
Rev. Septimus Robinson, a Congregational minister, came to this town in 1835. He was pastor of the Congregational church for twenty-five years,
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and died in 1860. Six of his seven children now are living, one, James C., in this town. He has been postmaster at Morrisville since 1865.
Baruch Darling was born in Corydon, N. H., January 10, 1799, and came to this town in 1835, and settled upon the farm he now occupies. He mar- ried Martha Shaw and reared a family of six children, five of whom are now living, four in this town. Mrs. Darling died September 27, 1882, aged eighty-four years and six months. Of their children, Chester, Alden, Plumy and Sarah, wife of Solomon Goodale, reside in this town.
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