USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 22
USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 22
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The Pittsford Baptist Church, located at Pittsford village, was originally organized Dec. 2, 1784, by Elisha Rich and six others, Elder Rich being the first pastor. The first house of worship was erected in 1785, and occupied till 1795, when the town-house was used. In 1802 the present building was erected, and was kept up a few years, when the society disbanded and the edifice was fast going to ruins, till in 1841 the society was reorganized with fourteen members, and the building remodeled and improved, so that it is now a neat structure, with seating room for 160 persons. The society now has 90 members, with Rev. M. M. Mills, pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, located at Pittsford village, was organ- ized in 1799, by Elder McLain, with four members. In 1816 the church building was erected, with a seating room for 300 persons, the property being now valued at $8,500. The society at present has 149 members, with Rev. Andrew Heath, pastor.
The East Pittsford M. E. Church, located just over the line, in Chitten- den, was organized in 1851, by Aruna Lyon, the first pastor, with thirty mem- bers. During the same year they erected a church edifice that will accom- modate 150 persons, at a cost of $800, being about the present valuation of the property. The society is now in a prosperous condition, with Rev. J. S. Mott, pastor.
St. Alphonso's Church, (Catholic,) located at Pittsford Mills, was organ- ized by their first pastor, Rev. Chas. Baylen, in 1870, and soon after a com- fortable building was erected. The society now has 450 members, with Rev. J. M. Gelot, of Rutland, pastor.
OULTNEY is located in the western part of the county, in lat. 44° 32' and long. 3º 54' east from Washington, and is bounded north by Castle- ton, east by Middletown and Ira, south by Wells, and West by Hamp- ton, in New York, and a part of Fairhaven. It was chartered by Benning Wentworth, the " Royal Governor of New Hampshire," September 21, 1761, and contained an area of 23,040 acres, or six miles square, bounded in said charter as follows :---
" Beginning at the north-west corner of Wells, a township lately granted in this province, and from thence running due north six miles ; thence turning off at right angles, and running due east, six miles ; thence turning at right angles, and running due west, by Wells aforesaid, to the north-west corner thereof, being the bounds begun at."
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TOWN OF POULTNEY.
On the 28th of October, 1784, 2,388 acres were taken from Poultney to- wards forming the town of Middletown, and again on the 31st day of Octo- ber, 1798, five thousand five hundred and forty-three acres were set to Poultney from the north part of Wells. Except from these changes the territory re- mains as it was originally.
The surface is pleasantly diversified by hills and vales, the highest eleva- tions being Spruce Knob in the eastern, and Mount St. Catherine in the southern part, while the whole is rendered fertile and picturesque by numer- ous small streams, containing some excellent mill-sites. Poultney River, the largest stream, and only considerable one in the town, enters from Middle- town, flows westerly to the western boundary line, whence it flows north on the said line for a short distance, and then turns westerly again and forms the line between Fairhaven and the State of New York. Lake St. Catherine, or Lake Austin, extends from Wells, on the south, to nearly the centre of Poult- ney, and is the only sheet of water in the township, with the exception of a small pond in the north-western part, which is not deemed of sufficient im- portance to receive other than a purely local name.
The soil is warm and productive, especially along Poultney River, where are found alluvial flats of rare fertility, though in some places quite consider- ably mixed with gravel. The geological formation is mainly slate of the Georgia slate deposit, containing many excellent quarries that are worked to a considerable extent, forming an important item in the wealth of the township.
The timber is principally deciduous, consisting of elm, oak, pine and hem- lock, and, on the higher lands, beech and maple predominating. But a remnant, however, is left of the grand old forest that densely covered the territory at the time of its first settlement.
The Rutland & Washington Railroad enters the township from New York near the center of the west line, traversing the township in a north- easterly direction, entering Castleton at about the center of its south line, thus forming a speedy and convenient mode of transportation for the products of the township.
In 1880 Poultney had a population of 2,717, was divided into sixteen school districts, and contained eighteen common schools, employing three male and twenty-five female teachers, at an aggregate salary of $2,658.30. There were 541 pupils attending common schools, and the entire cost of the schools for the year ending October 30th, was $2,965.93, with Mr. Calvin Granger, superintendent.
POULTNEY, a post village and station on the Rutland & Washington Rail- way, is a very handsome little town, pleasantly located, near the western border of the township, on Poultney River, and contains four churches, two banks, two hotels, several manufactories, and is the seat of the Troy Con- ference Academy and of St. John's Parish School.
Troy Conference was organized in the year 1833. At its first session it was decided to build a Conference Academy. Poultney was selected as the
TROY CONFERENCE ACADEMY, POULTNEY, VT .- Rev. C. H. Dunton, M. A., Principal.
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TOWN OF POULTNEY.
seat of the institution. The buildings were completed and opened for stu- dents in September 1837. (See Illustration on opposite page.) The school, however, was opened a year earlier, in a house that stood on the Academy grounds, with Rev. Sabin S. Stocking as principal. From the first the num- ber of students was large and the school took a high stand. The institution has been very fortunate in its Principals. They have been, without exception, men eminent in the Church. Stocking was succeeded by Rev. Daniel Curry, D. D. The third principal was Rev. James Cowel. The fourth, Jesse T. Peck, D. D., since Bishop, who served from 1840 to 1848. His successor was Rev. J. Newman, D. D., who held the position till 1851, when he was called to a professorship in Union College. The next principals were Rev. Oran Flavilla and Jason O. Walker. Some of the subordinate teachers dur- ing this time were James Strong, S. T. D., Rev. E. Wentworth, D. D., Pro- fessor W. P. Codington, now of Syracuse University ; Rev. R. H. Howard and Rev. George G. Saxe. In 1855 the Academy passed out of the hands of the Conference. A considerable portion of the cost of the buildings had never been paid, and although the debt had been somewhat reduced, enough remained to prove a great embarrassment to the trustees. To rid themselves of this burden they gave a perpetual lease of the property to Rev. Joshua Poor. From 1855 to 1873 the school was conducted as a private enterprise. In 1863 Mr. Poor sold his interest to Rev. J. Newman, D. D., who changed the school to one for ladies only, under the name of Ripley Female College. Con- vinced that the interests of education within its bounds demanded a school that should be conducted on broader principles than the private institutions they were compelled to patronize, the Conference in 1874 bought back the property, and the institution was re-chartered under the old name, Troy Con- ference Academy. Rev. M. E. Cady, A. M., was principal till 1877, when he was succeeded by the present incumbent, Rev. C. H. Dunton, A. M. It has been the design of the trustees to make it a first-class college preparatory school, and the high rank taken in college by the young men prepared here, testifies to the success that is being achieved. Four other graduate courses are maintained. The management of the school was never more vigorous and successful than at present, the graduating class numbering fifteen.
St. John's Parish School, located on Church street, was established by Rev. E. H. Randall in 1870, who invited all classes of children. Since that time it has been in successful operation, and is still conducted by Mr. Ran- dall with an efficient corps of assistants, who have always maintained for the school an excellent reputation, both for instruction and discipline.
The Bank of Poultney was chartered Oct. 29, 1820, with a capital of $100,- 000, and Merritt Clark, who still retains the position, was chosen cashier, The bank was reestablished under an act of Nov. 13, 1856, with a capital of $100,000.
The First National Bank of Poultney was organized June 23, 1881, with a capital of $50,000. J. B. Beaman, president ; Leonidas Gray, vice-presi- dent ; and M. D. Cole, cashier.
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TOWN OF POULTNEY.
Ruggle's foundry and machine-shop, located on Furnace street, was built by J. & H. Stanley, about the year 1828, and is now owned and operated by Henry Ruggles, who rebuilt the property about the year 1850, and is now en- gaged there in the manufactory of slate and marble working machinery, and doing all kinds of custom work ; the shops having manufactured up to the year 1860 about 5,000 stoves, though that branch of the business has since been discontinued. Mr. Ruggles employs about twenty-five men.
Chapin's dairy apparatus manufactory, located in this village, is engaged in the manufacture of all kinds of dairy fixtures, and employs about six men.
Clark's carriage manufactory, located on Grove street, was established in 1842, by Andrew Clark, who still carries on the business and employs four men.
Holliday's wagon and carriage shops, located on York street, were established in 1875, by D. H. Holliday, who is still engaged at this place in the manu- facture of all kinds of wagons, carriages and sleighs.
The Poultney Slate Works, located at this village, were established by a stock company in January of 1881. They are engaged in the manufacture of slate-goods, making a specialty of tile-roofing for flat roofs. They operate three quarries in the northern part of the township, and employ thirty men.
Ripley & Stanley's lumber, sash and door manufactory, located on Church street, was established in December of 1870. They now employ from fifteen to twenty men, and manufacture 400,000 feet of lumber per annum. Their sashes and doors are consumed to a great extent in the county.
The Poultney Nurseries were started by their present owner, Mr. Elijah Ross, in a small way in 1872. He has since added to his stock from time to time until he now has one of the finest nurseries in this part of the State. They cover an area of a number of acres, containing from forty to fifty thousand grafted and budded trees.
Beaman's Hotel, pleasantly located on Main street, corner of Beaman, was built in 1828 by Joel Beaman, though it has since been remodeled by its present proprietor, Mr. C. C. Beaman.
The Poultney House, very pleasantly located at this village, with accommo- dations for seventy-five guests, was built and used as a store nearly forty years ago, afterwards changed to a commercial college, and since 1868 has been used as an hotel.
The Poultney Cemetery is very beautifully situated in the east part of the village, on a gentle rise of ground, affording a fine view of the village. It covers an area of about eight acres, and is kept in fine condition. The Cemetery Association was incorporated in 1863 ; Merritt Clark was chosen the first president, Edward Clark, treasurer, and Rev. E. H. Randall, superinten- dent.
The Poultney Industrial Society is the result of an earnest desire for a town fair that should embrace the good and exclude the bad features which usually attend fairs. It has been a decided success since its organization, in
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TOWN OF POULTNEY.
the fall of 1877, and steadily grown in usefulness. In the autumn it holds a fair, and in the winter, meetings, at which questions of interest are discussed in such a manner as to engage the attention of all classes. The purpose to maintain its high standing has been rigidly adhered to, and the result has shown that a fair without a horse-trot is not only possible, but really most successful.
EAST POULTNEY, a post village, located near the centre of the township, on Poultney River, contains three churches, two stores, one hotel, two black- smith shops, one cheese factory, a tannery, saw mill, grist mill, etc., and a number of neat, substantial dwellings. The east village, though now the smallest of the two, was formerly the business centre of the town, and con- tinued so until the building of the railroad, completed in 1852, and the springing up of the slate business in the west part of the town, when the west village outstripped it and is now much the larger place. Among the old houses of this village is that of Joseph Mears, built about the year 1780, and for a time used as a church by the Thompsonites, a division of the Congregational Church. The houses occupied by Stephen Scott and Mr. C. Ross, were built by John and Josiah Grant about the year 1800. The old Eagle Tavern, now occupied by Alexander Murdock, was built previous to the year 1800.
Shaw's grist and cider mill, located about half a mile east of East Poultney, operates two runs of stones, and manufactures about 450 barrels of cider per year.
The Green Mountain Grist Mill, owned by E. J. Williams, was built by him in 1872. It operates four runs of stones, and does custom work to a great extent.
Benjamin Lewis & Co's slate quarries are situated in the north-western part of the town. The slate is of a purple and variegated color. They manufacture about six squares per day and employ six men.
The Globe Slate Co's quarries, opened in 1869, are situated in the north-west part of the town, on the land owned by L. C. Spaulding. They employ about ten men.
Lloyd, Owens & Co's quarry is situated in the north-west part of the town, on road 24. They manufacture unfading green, purple, sea-green and variegated slate, employ thirty men and manufacture from six to seven thousand squares per year.
J. Evans & Co's quarry is situated in the northern part of the town, on road 24, where they manufacture about 1,000 squares of unfading green slate per year.
Lewis' cider-mill, located on Lewis Brook, manufactures about 1,000 bar- rels of cider per year.
Evergreen Slate Quarry, owned by Hiram Ainsworth, of Castleton, is located in the north-west part of the town, on road 1, and employs about 50 men, manufacturing 12,000 squares per year.
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TOWN OF POULTNEY.
The Eureka Slate Co's quarry, situated about three miles north of Poult- ney, was opened by John Humphrey in 1852, and is now owned by an English company, and managed by H. G. Hughes. It employs 55 men and yields 15,000 squares of slate per year.
The Great Western Slate Co's quarry is situated about three miles north of Poultney. They employ twelve men.
H. F. Smith's saw-mill, located on Lewis Brook, was built in 1870, and replaced one burned a month earlier. The mill cuts 100,000 feet of lumber per year.
The Royal Purple Slate Quarry, situated about two and one-half miles north of Poultney, is owned by Jones & Ainsworth, and employs six men.
The Culver slate quarries, situated two and one-half miles south of Poultney, were opened by D. Culver in 1872, and manufacture about 4,000 squares of sea-green slate per year.
Gardner Parker & Son, manufacturers and dealers in all kinds of roofing slate, operate two quarries in Hampton, N. Y., and one in Poultney, employ- ing about fifty men.
Anthony Flagg has been in the business of carriage and ornamental paint- ing at Poultney for fourteen years, and employs two men.
The Centennial Grist Mill, near East Poultney, on Poultney River, was built by James Bullock in 1876. It has two runs of stones.
Mear's saw-mill, located on Poultney River, at East Poultney, was burned and re-built in 1870. It cuts about 100,000 feet of lumber per annum.
Dewey & Co's carriage manufactory, located at East Poultney, was established by Morse Bros. in 1858. The present firm employs six men and manufactures all kinds of wagons, carriages and sleighs.
Gibbs' cheese-factory, located in East Poultney, was built by a stock com- pany in 1866. In 1871 the factory was purchased by Ira Gibbs, the present proprietor, who manufactures cheese from the milk of 400 cows.
The East Poultney Tannery was destroyed by fire in 1840, and subsequently rebuilt, and again in 1872 it burned and was rebuilt. It does a business of about $300.00 per month.
The Williams Slate Mill, located one and one-fourth miles south of Poultney, on the Rutland & Washington R. R., was erected in 1872 by W. R. & J. R. Williams, who manufacture there all kinds of slate goods, em- ploying about thirty men.
Griffith & Nathaniel's slate quarries and manufactory are situated some two and one-half miles south-east of Poultney, and manufacture about 15,000 squares of slate per year, employing fifty men. .
H. R. Clark's carriage and sleigh manufactory, located in Poultney, does all kinds of blacksmithing and manufactures quarrying tools in connection with the carriage business.
The Poultney Marble Works, located at Poultney, were established in 1858 by J. J. Rowe & Son. Harvey Rowe, the present proprietor, employs two men and does about $3,000.00 worth of business per annum.
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TOWN OF POULTNEY.
The Moseley & Stoddard Manufacturing Company was organized January 25, 1881, to continue the business previously conducted for 14 years by F. W. Mose- ly and by Moseley & Stoddard, consisting mainly in the manufacture of dairying apparatus. The business of the firm was largely increased by the manufac- ture of Moseley's Cabinet Creamery, invented by F. W. Moseley in the spring of 1879, and still further increased by the manufacture of the Stoddard Churn, the invention of M. O. Stoddard. The present company are employing about thirty-five men, and steadily increasing their business. During the year 1880 the old company manufactured and sold eight hundred of Moseley's cabinet creamneries, and about the same number of Stoddard's churns. From the present indications, double the number will be sold during the year of 1881.
The Lake View House, located on Lake St. Catherine, about three miles from Poultney, was built in 1876, and has accommodations for about twenty guests. The building is handsomely located in a pine grove on the shore of the lake, affording a fine view of this popular summer resort. In connection with the hotel are three pleasant cottages. The property is owned and under the management of Mr. P. J. Griffith.
Oak Dale House, located on the east shore of the lake, in a fine oak grove, was built by R. O. Dyer and F. J. Buckingham in 1878. It is much resorted to by pic-nic and pleasure parties, and has a boat-house well supplied with boats for their accommodation. During the boarding season the steam-boat stops at the house.
The town-farm is situated in the north-east part of the town, on road 31, and contains 275 acres, with a building 30 by 40 feet, with an addition. Dur- ing the winter of 1881 the farm had from fifteen to seventeen inmates, under the management of James T. Ballard.
Although the town of Poultney was chartered in 1761, there was no white person dwelling within its limits until 1771, a period of nearly ten years after it was granted. On the 15th of April of this year, Ebenezer Allen and Thomas Ashley came into the town, the former bringing his family with him, and both settling on the banks of Poultney River, near where the old turn- pike crosses it at Poultney village. Where Allen came from is not known, but probably from Connecticut, as he was in company with Ashley, who came from that State. Each erected a shanty, and Ashley cleared a small patch of land and planted it with corn, which occupied his time for about a month ; then returned for his family, consisting of seven. During this year Allen had a son born, the first white child born in the town. Allen remained here only a few years, when he sold his improvements and removed to Grand Isle. Ashley remained on his farm until his death, in 1810.
Later in the season of 1771, Allen and Ashley were followed by the families of Elijah and John Owen, Isaac Ashley and Nehemiah Howe. From this time immigration was quite rapid, so that in 1777 there were over thirty fam- ilies in the town, among which are found the names of Hyde, Marshall, Ward, etc., all of which became familiar in the subsequent history of the town.
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TOWN OF POULTNEY.
The infant colony became scattered, however, on the invasion of Burgoyne in the summer of 1777, being all driven off by his army and the Indians ; most of the men joining the American forces, where several of them became noted.
The first town meeting on record was held March 8, 1775, with Zebulon Richards, moderator. Heber Allen was chosen town clerk, and Nehemiah Howe, Zebulon Richards and Cotton Fletcher, selectmen ; Isaac Ashley, con- stable, and John Ashley, tithing man. This was the first regular town meet- ing, though meetings had been held as early as April, 1772, one year after the first settlement, at which Samuel Howe was chosen moderator. Much that would throw light upon the obscurity that now envelops the proceedings of the early settlers, was burned with the town clerk's office in East Poultney, January 9, 1862.
The first grist-mill was built by Nehemiah Howe, some little time before 1777, at the falls where the east village now stands. Previous to this the settlers were obliged to carry their grain to Manchester to get it ground, a distance of thirty miles, until a mill was erected in Pawlet. The first burial ground was started in 1773, by the interment of Joel Grannis, who was frozen to death while lost in the forest, and the first death that occurred in the town. This burial ground is the present cemetery located on Main street, a little east of the east village.
Hon. William Ward, of New Marlboro, Mass., married Lucy Church, December 11th, 1763, and removed from New Marlboro to Poultney in November, 1775, locating in the north part of the town, upon the farm now occupied by one of his descendants, Mrs. Sophia Ward, the old homestead having never since left the possession of the Ward family. William had a family of twelve children who left numerous descendants, the nearest residing in this State being C. C. Ward, now a resident of this town, on road 8. Mr. Ward was the first Representative of the town, holding the office eighteen consecutive years, and in all served more terms than any other man that ever resided in the town ; was judge of probate twenty-two years, and justice of the peace over forty years. He died August 3d, 1819, at the age of 76 years. His wife died January 6th, 1846, aged 98 years.
Ichabod Marshall was born in New Marlboro, Mass., in August, 1741 ; married Lydia Stearns in November, 1760, and in Deeember, 1772 removed with his family to Poultney, locating where the east village stands, upon the farm now occupied in part by his grandson, Harvey Marshall, and which has never been owned out of the Marshall family. Ichabod died in Novem- ber, 1792. His widow died in October, 1836.
Josiah Lewis emigrated from Connecticut in 1771 or'72, and located upon the farm, on road 5, now owned by Mark Lewis, the old homestead having always been kept in the Lewis family. Josiah was a Revolutionary soldier ; was in the battle of Hubbardton, and at the taking of Ticonderoga. He died previous to the year 1800.
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TOWN OF POULTNEY.
Ebenezer Hyde, with his three brothers, emigrated from Connecticut soon after the first settlement, and located near the present village of Poultney, where he died about the year 1815. His grandson, Martin Hyde, resides in the village, on Main street, at the age of 76 years.
William Preston, from Connecticut, came to Poultney in 1781, locating in the north part of the town, on road 21, upon the farm now owned by Martha Preston, and it has since been in the possession of the Preston family. William died April 15, 1815, at the age of 99 years, 11 months and 10 days.
John Bliss emigrated to Castleton in 1783, locating on a charter lot in the south-west part of the town, where he resided until his death, in 1825. His son George, one of twelve children, was born there in 1818, and commenced the study of medicine at the Castleton Medical College, in 1841, graduating in 1844, and for the last thirty years has been a practising physician of Poultney.
Lindsey Joslin emigrated to Poultney from Massachusetts in 1785, and with his brother, Samuel, erected a forge about half a mile east of the east village ; he continuing his residence in the town until his death, which occurred August 12th, 1826, in the 77th year of his age. His son, Joseph, one of six children, still resides in the town, at the age of 82 years, and has long been one of the prominent men, has held several town offices, having been Repre- sentative three terms, and been a deacon of the Baptist Church for the last fifty years.
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