USA > Vermont > Lamoille County > Gazetteer and business directory of Lamoille and Orleans counties, Vt., for 1883-84, pt 1 > Part 8
USA > Vermont > Orleans County > Gazetteer and business directory of Lamoille and Orleans counties, Vt., for 1883-84, pt 1 > Part 8
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
Nathaniel Hodgkins, from New Hampshire, came to this town in 1806. Of his family of eleven children, two spent their lives in the town. Stickney, the third child, was born in 1791, and was a resident of Belvidere from 1806, until his death, in 1864. He served in the war of 1812, took a leading part in town affairs, representing his townsmen in the legislature of 1840, and his death was generally lamented. He reared a family of fourteen children, of whom Harriet, the seventh child, became the wife of Heman L. Fletcher, in 1854. Mr. Fletcher died in the service of his country during the late civil war, and his only son, Heman S., now occupies the old homestead, on road Io. Joel C., the ninth child of Stickney, also resides on road 10.
Moody Shattuck settled in the northeastern part of the town in 1807, com-
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TOWN OF BELVIDERE.
ing from Athens, Vt. He filled several of the first offices of the town, repre- sented his townsmen in the legislature several times, and served in the bat- tle of Plattsburgh, ranking as captain. His brother, Jeremiah, came to Waterville soon after he located here, and subsequently removed to this town, locating on road 14, where he followed the occupation of a farmer and shoe- maker. Chauncey, a grandson of Moody, now resides in Waterville, on road 7, and Thomas W., the eighth child of Jeremiah, born in Belvidere, in 1812, still resides here, on road 16.
Martin Shattuck, son of Randall, the youngest son of Moody, was born in this town in 1842, and resided here until twenty-two years of age, then re- moved to Waterville to act as clerk in the store of E. H. Shattuck. He sub- sequently engaged in mercantile pursuits for himself, and, May 12, 1871, re- moved to Eden, where he carries on business on road 21 corner 22.
Timothy Carpenter, from the southern part of the State, came with his family to Belvidere in 1808, and located in the southern part of the town, where he died in 1814, aged forty-three years. He had a family of five chil- dren, all of whom resided in the town. Phineas, a grandson of Timothy, born here in 1815, now resides on road 6, owning one of the finest places in the town.
John Fletcher, who is one of the oldest citizens of the town, came here with his father, Artemas, on an ox-sled, from North Adams, Mass. Shortly after entering the town he located where he now resides, on road 13. He is a pensioner of the war of 1812, having served at the battle of Plattsburgh. Two of his children also reside in the town, James H., on the old home- stead, and Artemas, on road II. Elias J., the youngest son of Artemnas, served in Co. H., 9th Vt. Vols., and died here in October, 1881, aged forty- six years.
David Chaffee, from Athens, Vt., came to Belvidere among the early set- tlers, but, after a few years' residence here, he removed to Boston, Mass. Alva, the second of his nine children, born in 1796, remained in the town, continuing a resident until his death, in 1868. He reared a family of nine children, and took an active part in town affairs. One of his sons, Alva J., who now resides on road ro, represented the town in 1864, and has filled other offices of trust. Nason, another son, represented the town of Waterville in 1870, and held the office of high sheriff in 1874-'75.
Amos K. Whitternore, from Litchfield, N. H., located in Eden in 1802, and from there removed to this town, in 1835, and subsequently took up his residence in Bakersfield, where he died, in 187 1, aged eighty-nine years. He reared a family of fourteen children, two of whom, Lewis and Robert D., now reside in the town, on road 17.
Norman M. Cheeney, the second son of Joseph Cheeney, an early settler in Waterville, was born in 1820, and has resided in Belvidere about twelve years, during which time he has held most of the town trusts.
Sylvanus Brown, from Orleans county, came to this town in 1838, and.
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TOWN OF BELVIDERE.
located near the central part, where he died, in 1867, aged sixty-eight years. Curtis, his third child, born in 1826, has represented the town two years, held other town offices, and is reckoned one of the most expert hunters in the State. He has killed upwards of one hundred bears during his life, three of which he shot during the winter of 1882.
Charles B. Weston was born in Franklin county, in 1805, and came to Belvidere in 1852, since which time he has been a resident of the town. He represented his townsmen in the legislature of 1874, and has held most of the other town offices.
Eugene L. Chappell, from Canada, came to Belvidere in 1857, being the third to locate in that part of the town called the Basin, since which time, with the exception of three years spent in the service of his country during the late war, has resided in the town. He married Miss Amelia St. John, in 1861, and has a family of three children.
The Christian Church of Belvidere .- The first preaching in the town was in 1810, when Elder Morris, of Hardwick, preached a sermon in the barn of Timothy Carpenter. After the war of 1812, meetings were held under the auspices of Elders Newland, of Hyde Park, and R. Dodge, of Stowe. The meetings resulted in the organization of a church of the Christian denomina- tion, with the following list of members : Ebenezer Williams, Jerry Hodg- kin, Chester Chaffee, Eliphalet Carpenter, Jesse C. Holmes, Joseph Perham, Fanny Hodgkin, and Nancy Russell. In 1851, a neat and substantial church was erected at Belvidere village, where the society now meets, presided over by Rev. R. D. Whittemore.
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TOWN OF CAMBRIDGE.
CAMBRIDGE.
AMBRIDGE, located in the the extreme western part of the county, in latitude 44° 38', and longitude 4° 7', bounded north by Fletcher, in Franklin county, and Waterville, east by Johnson, Morristown and Stowe, south by Underhill, and west by Underhill and Fletcher, was granted Nov. 7, 1780, and chartered August 13, 1781, to Samuel Robinson, John Fassett, Jr., Jonathan Fassett, and sixty-four others. The town originally contained 23,533 acres, but two miles from the western part of Sterling were annexed to its area, Oct. 30, 1828, and again, November 1, 1841, all that portion of Fletcher which lay upon the south side of the Lamoille river was annexed, making in all, 9,184 acres, so that Cambridge now has an area of 32,717 acres.
In surface, the township is rough and uneven, having several prominent elevations, and lies at the base of Mt. Mansfield, which towers above it to an altitude of 4,389 feet. Owing to this roughness of surface, it is much better suited to grazing than grain raising, and, although grain of all kinds is grown to a fair percentage in certain localities, dairy farming is the principal occupation of the inhabitants. The soil varies from a fine intervale to clay bottoms, and is said to be much better on the uplands than on the intervales. The timber is that indiginous to the Green Mountain towns of this locality, with large quanties of maple, from which sugar is manufactured to a larger extent, it is said, than in any other town in the State.
The Lamoille river forms the principal water-course of the territory, flow- ing through the center of the town from east to west, and is joined by num- erous minor streams from the north and south, some of which contain valuable mill-sites. Geologically, the formation of the town consists of talcose schist and gneiss, the former underlying the western, the latter the eastern part.
Unexcelled facilities for the transportation of exports and imports are afforded by the St. J. & L. C., and the Burlington & Lamoille railroads, the former of which enters the town from the north, extends south to Cambridge Junction, and there turns to the east, extending into Johnson, having a station at the Junction. The latter road enters the town from the west, joining the St. J. & L. C. railroad at Cambridge Junction, having stations at Cambridge Borough, Cambridge Center, and the Junction.
In 1880, Cambridge had a population of 1,750, and in 1882, was divided into eighteen school districts, and contained eighteen common schools, em- ploying three male, and twenty-nine female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $1,583.00 There were 339 pupils attending common
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TOWN OF CAMBRIDGE.
school, while the entire cost of the schools for the year, ending October 31st, was $2, 120.03, with R. L. Flagg, superintendent.
CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH (Cambridge p. o.), the oldest village in the town, located in the western part, on the Lamoille river, is a station on the B. & L. railway. It contains two churches, (Methodist, Episcopal, and Congregational,) one hotel, six stores, a saw-mill, and about forty dwellings. It is a thriving little place, and contains more wealth than most villages of its size.
The American House, a well-appointed hotel, located at the corner of Main and South streets, was built by Peleg Stearnes, in 1826. Charles B. Waite came into possession of the property in 1868, when he changed the name of the hotel from the "Eagle " to the " Boro' House," and in 1882, Thaddeus S. Whipple became the proprietor, and changed the name of the hotel to the one it now bears.
CAMBRIDGE CENTRE (Jeffersonville p. o.), located near the center of the town, has excellent railroad communications, being located near the junction of the St. J. & L. C., and the B. & L. railroads. The village has one church (Union), two first-class stores, several shops of different kinds, and about thirty dwellings. Situated in the midst of a fine grazing country, the village becomes quite a market center, and ships a large quantity of butter each season.
In 18-, George and David C. Carleton purchased of David C. Griswold a large, never-failing spring, located on his property, and constructed a cement aqueduct from it to the village, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile, for the purpose of supplying the village with water. In 1877, the aqueduct, and control of the spring, were purchased by Alonzo Kinsley, who thus sup- plies about fifteen families with water.
PLEASANT VALLEY (p. o.) is a hamlet located in the southern part of the town, about four miles distant from either of the business centers.
NORTH CAMBRIDGE (p. o.) is a hamlet located in the northwestern part of the town.
EAST CAMBRIDGE (p. o.) is a postoffice located in a dwelling on road 6, in the extreme eastern part of the town, for the convenience of the inhabitants of that section.
John M. Safford's saw and planing-mill, located on road 19, was built by Macoy & Co., in 1865, and operated by them until 1868, when it was pur- chased by Mr. Safford. In 1877, the buildings were destroyed by fire, but were immediately rebuilt. Mr. Safford now manufactures about 1,000,000 feet of lumber, 500 sets of bent felloes, and a large amount of chair stock per annum.
Byron G. Macoy's cabinet shop, located on road 19, was purchased by Mr. Macoy in 1870, and has since been conducted under his management. He manufactures about 40 coffins and a large amount of furniture each year.
Lucius A. Wheelock's saw-mill, located on road 26, was built by him in 1877. It cuts about 100,000 feet of lumber per annum.
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TOWN OF CAMBRIDGE.
David C. Griswold's tub-manufactory, located on road 26, was built by William Lathrop, about the year 1840, as an axe factory, and was purchased by Mr. Griswold in 1857, who converted it into a carriage shop, carrying on that business until 1882, when he commenced the manufacture of tubs, turn- ing out about 50,000 per year.
Joel M. Wilcox's grist and planing mill, located on road 26, was built by D. D. Safford, in 1862, and was purchased by the present proprietor in 1876. The mill has every modern convenience, and does custom work.
W. M. Scott's cabinet shop, located on Main st., at Cambridge Borough, was built by Mr. Burgess about fifty years ago. Mr. Scott manufactures from forty to eighty coffins and a large amount of furniture per year.
The Wallbridge Saw and Planing-Mill, located on Brewster river, near road 36, is one of the oldest mills in the town. In 1869, it was purchased by its present owner, Jonathan Lamplough. It has the capacity for cutting 10,000 feet of lumber per day, in addition to the planing done.
John Spafford, the first settler in the town, came here from Pierpont, N. H., in May, 1783, cleared two acres of land, which he planted with corn, and built a log house. In the autumn he harvested his corn, which was a poor crop, as most of it had been destroyed by an overflow of the Lamoille river, and returned to Pierpont in November for his family, consisting of wife and two children. During the next summer, Amos Fassett, Stephen Kinsley, John Fassett, and Samuel Montague, from Bennington, Vt., and Noah Chit- tenden, from Arlington, located upon farms adjoining that of Mr. Fassett. These settlers were joined by others from time to time, so that in 1791, the town had a population of 359.
The first proprietors' meeting was held at the house of Jonathan Robinson, at Bennington, Vt., July 1, 1783, pursuant to a warning published in the Massachusetts Gazette. At this meeting John Fassett was chosen moderator, and Joseph Safford, clerk. It was voted to lay out the first division of lots, and Amos Fassett was appointed surveyor for that purpose. After this, ad- journed meetings were held on August 28, March 26, and May 13, 1784. At this latter meeting it was voted to adjourn until the 2d day of September, 1784, to meet at the house of Amos Fassett, in Cambridge, at ten o'clock, A. M. The records show that proprietors' meetings continued to be held up to April 21, 1795, when, with the record of a vote to adjourn until June 10th, following, the records cease.
On the first page of the town book of records, there appears the following notice :-
" These certify that all the leaves before this in this book were filled with accounts, and were cut out in open town meeting, by order of said meeting, on the 29th day of March, being the first town meeting ever held in Cam- bridge.
" Certified this 29th day of March, 1785, by me,
"JOHN FASSETT, town clerk."
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This meeting was held at the house of John Fassett, pursuant to a warn- ing issued on the 15th of the same month. On the 29th of March, 1785, then, the town of Cambridge was organized, and the proper list of town officers chosen, which were as follows: David Safford, moderator ; John Fassett, town clerk ; Amos Fassett, Stephen Kinsley, and David Safford, selectman ; John Fassett, treasurer ; Noah Chittenden, constable; Samuel Montague, grand juror ; Ezekiel Brewster, tything man ; David Safford, sealer of weights and measures ; John Brewster, and Noah Chittenden, surveyors of highways ; and Silas Billings, culler of shingles. The first justice of the peace was Amos Fassett, appointed in 1786. Daniel Kinsley was the first representa- tive, elected in 1785.
The first birth recorded is that of Samantha, daughter of Amos and Anna Fassett, November 14, 1784. She died at the age of twenty-two years. Daniel, son of Stephen Kingsley, was the second child born, in 1784. He lived until 1864. An infant of David Safford was the third, which died in infancy. Solomon Montague was the fourth. He died but a few years since, having for a long time enjoyed the title of the "oldest resident " in the town. The first death was that of Martha, a daughter of Robert and Thankful Cochran, April 13, 1788. The first grist-mill was built on Seymour brook, and owned by a Mr. Poor. As late as 1791, they came from Morristown to Cambridge to mill, a distance of twenty miles. In 1785, the first saw-mill was built, giving the settlers a chance for the first time to have regular floors and doors for their dwellings. Frederick Parker built the second saw-mill, at the junction of Bacon, Smedley, and Boardman brooks. The first arched bridge in town was built by Enoch Carleton and Joseph P. Hawley, in 1832. In 1786, the first school was opened, in a log house, by John Safford, who had a class of twenty-four scholars. The first deed on record is under the date of April 2, 1785, Cambridge being then a part of Rutland county. In 1791, the town was set to Chittenden county, and in 1796, to Franklin coun- ty, and finally, in December, 1836, is the date of the first deed on record in the town since it was a part of Lamoille county. The date of the incorpo- ration of these counties, of which Cambridge has been successively a part, may be found on page 29.
During the war of 1812, Cambridge did her full share in furnishing soldiers to defend our country, and were it available to us, we should like to print a full list of those who served in the war. When the late Rebellion broke out, also, the town was prompt in filling the quota required of her, the first to en- · list being Eli Ellenwood. The highest bounty paid by the town was $500.00. There were 45 enlisted men furnished, thirty-eight of whom were killed or died from wounds received, or from disease contracted while in. the service.
Truman Powell, from Manchester, Vt., came to Cambridge among the early settlers, in 1787, and located upon the old Powell homestead, on road 34. The farm was given to him by his father, Martin Powell. The deed for the same was drawn up by Gideon Ormsby, justice of the peace, in 1787, and
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reads as follows : "For and in consideration of the natural love and good- will I have and bear unto my son, Truman Powell, I deed, etc." Truman was a pensioner of the Revolution, and his son, Egbert, who now resides on the homestead, was present at the battle of Plattsburgh. Truman had a family of nine children, two of whom, Egbert, and Mrs. Patty Bently, of Chi- cago, are living. Egbert was born in Manchester, Vt., in 1786, and came to Cambridge with his father, so that he now, at the age of ninety-six years, is the oldest resident of the town. He has had a family of eight children, six of whom are living. Truman D., his seventh child, occupies the old farm-house, built in 1812, and has two sons.
William Campbell was an early settler from Massachusetts. He located in the northern part of the town, where he resided until his death, which was occasioned by the falling of a tree. Of his family of six children, three set- tled in Cambridge. Jeanette, the eldest child, became the wife of John Wil- son, and reared a family of seven children, of whom John M., the fifth, born in 1818, now resides here.
Ezekiel Fullington, from New Hampshire, was also an early settler in the northern part of the town, where he died in 1837. He had a family of eight children, four of whom, James, Ezekiel, Alexander, and Henry E., perma- nently located in the town. Ezekiel, Jr., born in 1800, was a resident of the town until his death, held several of the town offices, and reared a family of four children, two of whom, Fidelia and Addison E., settled in the town. Addison E. now resides on road 9.
Daniel Blaisdell came to Cambridge, from Ware, N. H., at an early day, and located near the Borough, though he finally located upon the old home- stead, on road 2. He reared a family of eleven children, four of whom set- tled in the town, and died in 1865, aged ninety years. Ralph, the fourth born, and only son now living, was born in 1813, and now resides within fifteen rods of his birthplace, having never been out of the town for a period exceeding four weeks at one time during his life. Daniel Blaisdell, 2d, son of Daniel, born in 1800, always resided here, and reared a family of nine sons, only one of whom, Daniel, Jr., is now a resident of the town. Jonathan Blaisdell, a brother of Daniel, came here with Daniel, and located in the northern part of the town, where he died in 1842, aged seventy years. Of his family of seven children, two became residents of the town. Monro, his fifth son, born in 1818, now resides on road 16. It is said he was the first to introduce pure blood Jersey cattle into the town of Fletcher.
Benjamin Macoy emigrated from Ireland, and at an early date in the his- tory of Cambridge, located in the eastern part thereof, where he resided un- til his death. Three of his seven children became residents of the town. Daniel, his second son, born in 1800, resided here until 1855, when he re- moved to Oneida, N. Y. Two of his sons, Byron G. and Wesley D., still reside here.
Jonah Brewster, from Bennington, Vt., came to Cambridge among the early
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TOWN OF CAMBRIDGE.
settlers, and is said to have cleared the first land where the present Center village now is. Here, near Brewster river, which received its name in his honor, he resided until his death, in 1833. His family consisted of eight children, five of whom settled in the town. Elijah, his second son, born in 1779, died here in 1843. Two of his family of six children settled in the town, of whom Solon Y., born in 1818, now resides on road 47.
Erastus Hawley, of Hinesburgh, an early settler in the eastern part, was a harness-maker and saddler until his death. William, the third of his four children, born here in 1801, also in the same trade, died in 1844. The third of his four children, N. A., born in 1837, now resides on road 17.
Benjamin Griswold, one of the first settlers of Bristol, Vt., removed from there to Enosburgh, and thence to Cambridge. His youngest son, Benjamin, born in 1797, came to this town with his parents, and died on the old home- stead, in. 1878. His son, Leonard S., now occupies the old farm, on road 32.
Robert Cochran, from Bennington, an early settler in the eastern part, died in old age. He reared a family of ten children, all but one of whom located in the town. Robert, his second son, born in 1790, served in the war of 1812, resided here until 1840, then removed to the West, where he died in 1850. Samantha, one of thirteen children, born in 1808, still resides here.
Walter and Amasa Cady, from Connecticut came to Cambridge among the early settlers, and made choice of farms in the western part of the town. Walter's family consisted of one son and four daughters. Alpheus, the youngest of the children, born in 1800, married Samantha Stevens in 1830, and reared a family of four sons and one daughter. The only one of the family now residing here is Harrison F., on road 42. He was born in 1836, married Sophronia M. Parker, in 1863, and has had five children, two of whom died.
John Dickinson, from Northfield, Mass., came here in 1790, located in the southern part, where he resided until his death, in 1826. Three of his nine children are now living, and one, Samuel, in this town, on road 22. Samuel has three children, all in this town as follows: Aurella E., wife of F. S. Edwards ; Loraine, wife of Charles Holmes ; and Royal A., who mar- ried Ellen Hebb, in 1866, the union having been blessed with four children.
John Wires came to this town, from Leicester, Mass., about the year 1790. In 1797, he married Miss Anna Walbridge, and shortly after purchased a farm on road 32, now owned by his son, Harlow, and where he spent the remainder of his life. He was for many years known as Gen. John Wires, having served at the battle of Plattsburgh, and also held offices in the home militia. He was high sheriff of Franklin county for twenty years, and also held other positions of trust. Of fourteen children seven are now living. Harlow, the youngest, born in 1830, and who occupies the homestead, was married in 1861, to Miss Sarah A. Morgan.
Abner Brush, from Huntington, L. I., came to this town about the year 1790, and located at North Cambridge. Soon after, he removed to Cam- bridge Borough, where he worked at the tailors' trade until 1802, when he
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TOWN OF CAMBRIDGE.
built the house where his fifth son, Salmon, was born in 1804, and now resides, being one of the oldest houses in the town. From 1802 to 1805, he was engaged in mercantile pursuits, and from that time until 1831, in the hotel business. He died during the latter year, aged sixty-eight years. Salmon commenced the practice of medicine in 1833, married Miss Seviah Lovegrove in 1835. Two of their family of five children, Edwin R., a practic- ing physician, and Mary L., wife of Burton S. Ellenwood, reside in the town.
John Safford, from Bennington, Vt., came to Cambridge in 1790, and located in the western part of the town, upon the farm now owned by his grandson, Samuel M. He reared a family of ten children, eight of whom settled in the town, and died in 1857, aged ninety-two years.
John Wood, from Massachusetts, came here in 1792, and located upon the farm now owned by his grandson, Hiram. David, the second of his four children, born in 1781, resided here until his death. Hiram, the third of his eight children, born in 1814, has always resided on the old homestead.
Levi Atwood came to Cambridge, from Massachusetts, in 1794, and located in the northern part of the town, on road 7, where his son, Norman, now re- sides. Norman was born in 1809, and has held most of the town offices.
Ephraim Fullington, from Raymond, N. H., came to this town in 1796, and located upon the farm now owned by his sons, Bradbury and John 'I'., where he resided until his death, in 1844, aged seventy-four years. Ten of his twelve children arrived at a mature age. Sarah Jane Fullington, the eighth child of Ephraim, born in 1811, now resides on road 22.
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