USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 15
USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 15
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On the 5th of Sept. 1763, the proprietors met at the house of Capt. Michael Hopkins, in Amenia Precinct, Dutchess County, N. Y., for the purpose of drawing their lots. This was performed by placing numbers in a hat, corre. sponding to the numbers of the surveyed lots, and Abraham Finch and Daniel Shepard were appointed to draw for each proprietor's lot. Thomas Rowley was surveyor in the first division, who had been employed by the committee for that purpose. Each proprietor was to pay his share of the cost of survey- ing, or forfeit his right. The drawing was all done fairly and gave general satisfaction.
In the fall of 1763 or spring of 1764, a road, or rather bridle path, was laid out from Bennington to Danby, by Darius Lobdel and Samuel Rose, and the following summer was worked some, those who worked upon it being
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paid in land. This was the same route now used as a highway, leading from Danby to West Dorset, across the mountain, and was for a long time the only road leading to the township, and accounts for this part of Danby being settled first. At the annual meeting on the second Tuesday of March, 1764, held in Amenia Precinct, N. Y., the proprietors agreed to donate land from the undivided portion of the township, to the person or persons who would make the first settlement. As yet no clearing had been made, and no attempts were made at settling until the following year, when during the summer, Joseph Soper, Joseph Earl, Crispin Bull, Luther Colvin and Micah Vail came to the township, forming the first settlement.
Joseph Soper, from Nine Partners, came first, with his family. Joseph Earl, from Nine Partners, came next and commenced a clearing west of Soper, and was followed by Crispin Bull, from the same place. Luther Col- vin and Micah Vail both came about the same time from Long Island. These five families constituted the entire population of the township in the spring of 1766, and were all active and useful men. Many of their descend- ants are still living in the township.
The first annual town-meeting of the inhabitants of Danby, was held at the house of Timothy Bull, on the 14th of March, 1769. At this meeting Timothy Bull was elected moderator; Thomas Rowley, town clerk; Stephen Calkins, Seth Cook and Crispin Bull, selectmen ; Daniel Vanolendo, consta- ble; Nathan Weller, treasurer ; Peter Irish, collector ; John Stafford, sur- veyor ; Joseph Earl, Stephen Calkins and Seth Cook, committee to lay out highways.
At a meeting, held Sept. 29, 1769, it was voted to lay out five roads in the township ; of these, the first was laid from the "notch" in the moun- tains to Joseph Earl's, which was the first road built in town. Town-meeting continued to be held at the house of Timothy Bull until 1773, when it was held at the house of Mr. Williamson Bull, and from this time until 1779 they were held at the house of Micah Vail, as that part of the township was the most thickly settled, and was hence more convenient for most of the set- tlers. Roads were increasing in number, so that in 1773 it required three surveyors, who were Stephen Calkins, Ephraim Seley and Philip Griffith. In 1786 they had increased so rapidly that it then required fourteen surveyors to locate lines.
The census of 1800 shows the population of the town to have been four- teen hundred and eighty-seven. At that time nearly every part of the town was settled, the farms cleared up and under cultivation. Three saw-mills had been built, and considerable progress made in the erection of framed houses. Roads had been built in nearly every direction ; two stores and three hotels were in operation. There were but two dwelling houses at Danby borough at that time, and one hotel, kept by Bradford Barnes, but it was very thickly settled along Otter Creek, north of the village. The central part of the town, in the vicinity of Danby Four Corners, and south from there,
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was at that time the most thickly settled. That portion of the township known as "Bromley Hollow," and "South America," had also become quite thickly settled, and the township was in a flourishing condition.
For the first fifty years after its settlement the population of the township increased rapidly, and then from that time until 1850 there was a falling off in population, owing in a great measure to emigration ; but the building of the railroad in 1851 gave a new impetus to business, and its population rapidly increased. Danby borough soon became a thriving village, while business was nearly ruined at the Corners.
Captain John Burt was the first innkeeper in Danby, having kept a hotel on road 14, about the year 1775, which he kept for many years. The first tavern at the Corners was built by Elisha Brown, in the year 1800. The first store ever kept in town was in 1790, by Henry Frost, at or near the corner of roads 32 and 35. This store was in connection with the tavern. His successor was Jozaniah Barrett, who continued the business until about the year 1810.
Joseph Soper, the first settler of Danby, came from Nine Partners, N. Y., in 1765, and located in the south-eastern part of the township, two of his brothers settling in Dorset about the same time. His log house was the first erected in town, and for several months his was the only family in town. He came with two horses, bringing his family and effects upon their backs, and finding his way by means of marked trees. A few years after his settlement here, while on his way home from mill, at Manchester, a distance of fourteen miles, he was overtaken by a severe snow storm, in which, overcome by cold and exhaustion, he perished. His body was found the following day within one mile from his home. It was buried in a hollow log, on the spot where found, it being the first grave ever made in the township.
Joseph Earl, the second settler of the township, came from Nine Partners in 1765, locating near the spot now occupied by the residence of John Hil- liard. He resided in Danby but a few years, having left during the Revolutionary war. He was a man of ability and bore a conspicuous part in organizing society.
Crispin Bull, the third settler of Danby, came from Nine Partners in 1765, and commenced a settlement near the present homestead of John Hilliard. He at once took up a leading position, and was one of the first board of selectmen, elected in 1769. He also made the first clearing on the east side of the town, about the year 1772. He received from the proprietors sixty acres of land for sixty day's work building roads, which is now some of the best land in the township. He died in 1810, aged 70 years, having passed a long, laborious and industrious life. His wife, Mary Carpenter, died in 1833, aged 92 years.
Luther Colvin came from Rhode Island to Danby in 1765. He was the fourth settler in the town, and found his way thither by means of marked trees. Luther Colvin, like all the other settlers, brought with him a scanty supply
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of household articles and furniture, and experienced much difficulty in pro- curing the necessaries of life while making a settlement. It was his custom to go to Manchester to mill and back the same day, carrying the grist upon his back. At one time, when grain was scarce, he carried the last bushel of wheat he possessed, which was to last for several months, or until harvest time came again. He was a hard working man, possessed of considerable ability, and occupied a prominent place in society. He is said to have brought the first stove into town, and to have built the second frame house. He became a Quaker, and joined the society. He died in 1829, aged about 90. His wife, Lydia Colvin, who died in 1814, was also quite advanced in
years. Their children were as follows: Stephen, Caleb, John, Catharine, Lydia, Esther, Anna and Freelove.
Captain Micah Vail, one of the original five settlers who came to Danby in 1765, was born in 1730, the seventh son of Moses Vail, of Huntington, Long Island, and of English descent. He was considered a very efficient man in town affairs, and exercised a great deal of influence among the people of his times. It may be truly said that he was one of the fathers of the town. He was the moderator of the annual town meetings of 1773 and 1774 ; was one of the board of selectmen in 1770, and again in 1775. He was associated with Allen, Warner and others, in defending the rights of the people during the struggle between New York and New Hampshire, being for several years a member of the committee of safety. He represented Danby in the conven- tion which met at the house of Deacon Cephas Kent, in Dorset, in 1776, and which declared the New Hampshire grants a free and separate district. He and his wife both died of the measles in 1777, the same day, and were buried in the same grave. They had a large family of children, some of whose de- scendants are still residing in Danby. The children were as follows: Debo- rah, Hannah, Louisa, Eunice, Moses, John, Phœbe, Lucretia, Edward and Micah.
Lemuel Griffith, born in Massachusetts, in 1745, came to Danby in 1782, locating on the farm now owned by Michael Cunningham. He afterwards became a heavy landholder, owning at one time some six or seven farms, of several hundred acres. Mr. Griffith left numerous worthy descendants, many of whom became prominent citizens of the township. Some of them still re- side in Danby, and others in different parts of the United States. He mar- ried Elizabeth Potter, who died in 1805, aged 63. He died in 1818, aged 73. Their children were David, George, Thomas, Jonathan, Mary and John.
George Sowle settled at an early date in Westport, Mass., where his son Henry was subsequently born. Henry had two sons, Wesson and Joseph. Wesson married Ruhama Robinson, of Westport, to whom was born a son James, in 1760. James, while still quite young, married Patience Macum- ber, and subsequently settled in Danby in April of 1792, locating upon the farm now owned by Albertus Warner, and occupied by James Sowle, Jr. The house was the first frame-house erected in this portion of the township,
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TOWN OF DANBY.
and is now over one hundred years old and still well preserved. The fire- places, of which there are three, were built when the house was erected, and are now in a good state of preservation, and still used in place of stoves for warming the rooms. The house was first built as an inn, but the road was changed to the valley before the building was completed, so the hotel was never kept here.
Elihu Benson came to Danby from Rhode Island, in 1798, and settled on the farm now owned by Jared L. Cook, a great grandson of Benson's. Mr. Benson married Huldah Brow and resided upon the old homestead until his death, in 1806. They had a family of ten children, seven boys and three girls. Their daughter Elizabeth married Stephen Cook, and resided upon the old farm about thirty-five years and then removed to Dorset, where her husband died in 1852. She then returned to Danby and has made it her home on the old farm until the present time.
Ira Cook, father of Jared L., who now resides in Pawlet, was born on this farm. He married Artemesia Lobdell, which union was blessed with one child (Jared L), she dying about 1850, when Ira subsequently married Rachel Herrick, and has one daughter. Jared L. married Lucy Colvin, and has two daughters.
Oliver Harrington came to Danby previous to the Revolution, locating in the north-east part of the township, on the farm now owned by Benjamin Brown, where he resided until his death, at an advanced age. Andrew, son of Oliver, was born here, where he resided until his death. He married Lydia Miller, and had a family of seven children, three boys and four girls.
Daniel Parris came to Danby from Williamstown, Mass., about the year 1785, locating in the western part of the town, buying a small farm, to which he kept adding from time to time, until he finally owned one thousand acres, upon which he resided until his death, leaving a large family of children. Many of his descendants still reside in the township.
Edward Vail, son of Capt. Micah, was born in Danby and resided there all his life, dying in 1841. He was colonel of militia, and a captain in the war of 1812. Started for the battle of Plattsburgh, but did not proceed any farther than Whitehall, where he learned that the danger was over, and re- turned. His son Edward was born in 1824, and has been a resident of Danby up to the present time.
Harris Otis came to Danby from Mass. in the year 1794, locating upon the farm now owned by Harris F. Otis, son of William, and grandson of Harris. Harris was a physician and practiced in the township many years, and at the same time took a great interest in farming. He died in 1847, aged 72. William Otis was born on the old Otis homestead in 1807, and is still a resident of the township, a very popular man and ex-representative. Has had a family of nine children, three of whom, William F., Harris F. and Grant M., are residents of the township.
In the year 1778, Caleb Smith, from Uxbridge, Mass., came to the town
MOSS ENG CO. N.Y.
RESIDENCE OF A. D. SMITH, ESQ., DANBY, VT .- Erected 1799.
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TOWN OF DANBY.
of Danby, then a vast wilderness, and settled on the south-western part of the farm now owned by A. D. Smith. The spot chosen by him was one of the most picturesque and beautiful in Vermont, overlooking as it does the broad valley of Otter Creek. Mr. Smith built a log house, then, after hard work, succeeded in cutting and burning over a space of twenty acres, and a year or two afterwards, planting a large field of corn on a piece of ground where now stands a large sugar orchard. Mr. Smith continued to improve his farm until his death, which occurred at the age of 80 years. Nathan Smith next located on the homestead, and in 1799 he built the house in which his grandson now resides, which at that time was considered one of the best in town. Upon the door handle is stamped the date 1799, which is considered a valuable relic, being still kept in use. Daniel Smith succeeded to the homestead. He was an industrious farmer, a good citizen and greatly esteemed. He died in 1830, aged 36 years. And now the old homestead is in the possession of Augustus D. Smith, whose enterprise and ability has made the farm renowned throughout New England as one of the greatest fruit and sugar producing farms in Vermont.
Mr. Smith married Charity S., daughter of William Herrick, the union be- ing blessed by three children, Augustus N. W., who resides with his father and has charge of the farm, Charity V., also living with her parents, and Dan- iel C., a resident of the town. A. D. has always been a public spirited man, and has held various town offices during a period of many years. For seven years he held the office of justice of the peace, was Supt. of common schools from 1857 to 1861, and has been president of the County Agricultural Society. The old homestead is the subject of the engraving on opposite page.
The first Church society organized in the township was of Baptist denomi- nation, organized in 1781, and the Rev. Hezekiah Eastman was the first set- tled minister. The organization was kept up for some twenty years, and then began to decline. There is no organized society of this denomination at the present time.
The first church was built in 1795, by a Methodist society, and stood west of the Corners, near the burial ground, and was torn down in 1822, after which time meeting was held in the brick school house. In 1838 the present Congregational church at Danby borough was erected by a union society, composed of Episcopal Methodists, Close Communion Baptists and Friends. The church south of the Corners was finished next, 1839. The society was composed of Methodists and Baptists. The church at the corners was com- pleted about the year 1840. This was designed as a union church, and dedi- cated as such, all the denominations being represented.
The only society supporting a resident clergyman at the present time is the Congregational Church at Danby borough. This society was organized in 1869, by the Rev. Aldace Walker, D. D., having at its organization but twelve members, their first pastor being James P. Stone. They occupy the old church built in 1836, a comfortable structure capable of seating 225 per- -9:
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TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN.
sons. It cost about $2,300, but is now only valued at about $2,000, includ- ing the entire church property. The society now has about twenty-three mem- bers, with Lucean D. Mears as pastor.
AIRHAVEN is located in the western part of Rutland County, in lat. 43° 36', and long. 3° 48' east from Washington ; and is bounded north by Benson, east by Castleton and a part of Poultney, south by Poult- ney River, which separates it from Hampton, N.Y., and west by Westhaven. It originally comprised within its limits the towns of both Westhaven and Fairhaven, and was granted by the General Assembly of Vermont, convened at Manchester, on the 27th day of October, 1779, to Ebenezer Allen and 75 others. It was then a wilderness, and until after the close of the Revolu- tionary war the territory was not improved to any great extent. Along the shore of the lake and the borders of the bay and rivers, there were a few settlements commenced, but mainly the township was the wilderness it was at the time the charter was issued.
The surface consists of swells and vales, though there is nothing which deserves the name of mountain, but might perhaps, if the term is admissible, be called ranges of mountainous hills, extending principally in a north and south direction.
Along the west line of the township extends a belt of talcoid schist about one mile in width, while the rocks east of this are composed entirely of the Georgia slate deposit, containing some of the finest and most lucrative slate quarries in the county. To these quarries, and to the manufacture of the slate taken therefrom, Fairhaven owes its principal wealth ; still, the verdant, picturesque vales, scattered plentifully over the township, present a large area of arable land that can scarcely be surpassed for productiveness, possessing a soil of great variety, consisting of gravel, sand and marl, and along the river valleys, alluvial deposits of rare fertility, and the whole is irrigated by numerous small streams issuing from the hill-tops, but the only ones of any considerable note are Poultney and Castleton Rivers. The former on ar- riving at the west line of Poultney, begins to form the boundary line between Vermont and New York, and running between Fairhaven and Westhaven, on the north, and Hampton and Whitehall, N. Y., on the south, falls into the head of East Bay, an arm of Lake Champlain. From Fairhaven it receives Castleton River.
In the year 1783 a most remarkable change took place in the course of Poultney River. A little above its junction with East Bay, a ridge of land crosses in a northerly direction. The river at this place running a north- westerly course, on meeting the ridge, turned suddenly towards the northeast, and, after keeping that course about half a mile, turned westerly, rushing down a steep ledge of rocks, and forming a number of fine mill-privileges. The river had, for some years, been observed to be making encroachments upon
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the ridge at the place where it turned to the northeast ; and in May, 1783, during a violent freshet, the river broke through the ridge, and, meeting with no rocks, it cut a channel one hundred feet deep, lowering the bed of the river for some distance above, and carrying immense quantities of earth into East Bay. The bay, which was before navigable for vessels of 40 tons bur- den, was so completely filled for several miles that a canoe could with diffi- culty pass at low water ; but the obstructions have since been mostly removed by the force of the current. On the north side of what is now known as the " Dry Falls," General Clark had commenced the erection of a saw-mill, which was of course rendered useless by the change of the stream. Numerous stories and traditions are told, claiming that the stream was diverted from its original course by human agency, and for the purpose of revenge on the above mentioned Clark ; but none of them are authentic, and have, we believe, no foundation in fact.
Castleton River crosses the southern portion of the town and unites with Poultney River. In the north-east corner of the township is situated Glen Lake, a small, though handsome sheet of water, extending into Castleton on the east and Benson on the north.
Inman Pond, located about three miles north of the village of Fairhaven, from which the village receives its water supply, is somewhat peculiar in its formation. It is located on the top of a hill, 207 feet above the village, cov- ering an area of from 80 to 85 acres, fed entirely by springs, and has been sounded to the depth of 200 feet and no bottom found ; which fact, taken to- gether with the peculiar formation of its shores, and the volcanic rock found while making excavations for the water-pipes, have led many, and with reason, to believe it to be the crater of an extinct volcano.
The D. & H. C. Co's R. R. passes through the southern part of the town, with a station at the village of Fairhaven, affording good facilities for trans- portation of the manufactures of the town.
Although the present town of Fairhaven comprises but two-fifths of the original grant, its business interests and wealth is far in advance of the portion separated from it in 1792. It is not only an agricultural, quarrying and manufacturing district, but its hills afford pasturage for large herds of sheep and cattle, the products of which form no mean item in the aggregate wealth of the people.
Formerly the inhabitants were devoted, to a considerable degree, to the manufacture of lumber ; but the steady stroke of the woodman's axe has so gradually but surely thinned the forests that lumbering is now of minor im- portance. The timber consists of pine, hemlock, beech, maple, walnut, but- ternut, button-wood etc.
In 1880 Fairhaven had a population of 2,212; it was divided into five school districts, and contains ten common schools, employing two male and thirteen female teachers, at an aggregate salary of $2,799.50. There were 479 pupils attending school, and the entire cost of the schools for the year ending Oct. 30th, was $3,035.04, with Mr. Seth Thompson, superintendent.
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TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN.
FAIRHAVEN, a post-village and station on the D. & H. C. Co's Railroad, is the only village of the townhip. It is beautifully situated in the southern part of the town, on Castleton River, at which place there are falls, two affording fine mill-privileges. The village contains two banks, several churches, num- erous mercantile and manufacturing interests, and about 1800 inhabitants. Taken all in all, it is one of the most thriving as well as beautiful villages of its size to be found in the State. It was first laid out and established Dec. 21st, 1820, under a general law of the State, by Isaac Cutter, John P. Colburn and Harvey Church, selectmen of the town at that time. From this time until the fall of 1865 no action was taken by the citizens relative to a village government, farther than a formal survey; but in the fall of the above mentioned year the Legislature of the State passed a charter, or Act of incor- poration, erecting a tract of one square mile into a corporate village, and at a meeting held in the hall over Adams store, on the 4th of Dec. following, the inhabitants adopted the charter by a vote of 71 to 52, and the village, has ; since, annually, at the meeting on the first Monday in December, elected its board of officers. By-laws were adopted on the 21st of February of the year following.
In the centre of the village is a fine park, containing about six acres, sur- rounded by a neat fence and filled with fine maple shade-trees. From this park the principal streets of the village diverge, and around it are situated some of the finest residences of the town ; the marble residence of Mr. Adams facing it from the south, being perhaps the most conspicuous. The land in- cluded within the park was given to the town in October of 1798, by Col. Mathew Lyon, "for the friendship of the town of Fairhaven." In the spring of 1855 a "Park Association " was formed, the members paying one dollar annually for the purpose of planting trees in the park grounds. But few meetings were held, officers being last chosen in April of 1860. Under the charter granted in 1865, the village corporation has full authority and power over the park, side-walks, streets, etc.
One feature of the village, of which its inhabitants are justly proud, is its fine water-supply. At an adjourned village meeting, held on the 12th of Jan., 1880, the trustees were empowered to bond the village for $30,000.00, for the purpose of raising money to construct the water-works. On May 7th an ad- ditional appropriation of $5,000.00 was made, and on the 12th of July work was commenced, thirty-five men being employed. Water is brought by means of large iron pipes, from Inman Pond-located about three miles north of the village, a natural reservoir of pure, cold, spring-water, affording a head of 207 feet. The works were completed and tested on the 14th of December, giving entire sat- isfaction, and having cost the village $37, 147-35. On the 20th of the same month, tapping of the main water-pipes was commenced. On the 11th of De- cember, a box containing seventy dynamite cartridges, stored in the engine- house of the works, near the pond, was accidentally exploded, causing a loss of several hundred dollars; fortunately there was no loss of life. Dwelling
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