USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 27
USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 27
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During the war of 1861 and 1865, the fair ground, located about a mile south of the village, was used as a veteran reserve camp, and called Camp Fairbanks, in honor of Governor Fairbanks, and the Ist and 2d regiments, mustered into service at Rutland, were camped here several weeks.
One of the first bridges of any importance erected in the town of Rutland over Otter Creek was near Double Road Crossing, and built by a small school district, the raising being completed on October 1, 1795, and was given the name of "Federal Bridge."
Rev. William Emerson, grandfather of Ralph Waldo Emerson, joined the Revolutionary army as chaplain, from Concord, Mass., on the 16th of August, 1776, and was at Ticonderoga under Gen. Gates, where he was at- tacked with bilious fever and obliged to resign. On the 18th of September, 1776, he started on his journey home, and had proceeded as far as Rutland, when his illness increased so much that he was obliged to stop, staying with the Rev. Benjamin Roots, where he died on Sabbath morning, October 20th, 1776, in the 34th year of his age. He was buried the following day with military honors. In 1790 his son, William, disinterred the remains and again buried them. A few years since, Ralph Waldo Emerson came to Rut- land in search of the grave, but failed to identify it.
The first medical society ever organized in the State, held its first meeting at the house of Joseph Munn, innholder, at Rutland, in August, 1795, at which Dr. Ezekiel Porter was made chairman ; Dr. Benjamin Walker, clerk ; Drs. Samuel Shaw, Daniel Reed and Benjamin Walker, censors. Messrs. Enos Bell and Jonathan Shaw were examined by said censors and recom- mended.
CHURCHES.
The First Congregational Church of West Rutland was re-organized under its present name on the 13th day of March, 1818. Soon after the division of the town into parishes, the society had erected a church in West Rutland, across the road from the present brick building, and south of the old burial ground, which was given to the Church and congregation in a deed, dated October 30th, 1787, by William Roberts, one of the founders of the society, -15
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TOWN OF RUTLAND.
and in it, over his grave, is a marble slab bearing the following inscrip- tion :--
WILLIAM ROBERTS, Died November, 1788, Aged about 70 Years.
A short time before his death Mr. Roberts gave this ground to the Congre- gational Society for a burial place, and his own body was the first here buried.
This Monument is erected by some of the members of the Society as a token of respect to his memory.
The present house of worship was completed and dedicated on the 30th o May, 1855, and is a large comfortable structure, capable of seating 600 per- sons, and cost $18,000, about its present value including grounds. The society now numbers 248 members, under the pastorate of Rev. John K. Williams.
The Congregational Church of Rutland, the first religious society estab- lished in the township, was organized on the 20th day of October, 1773, three years after the settlement of the town, by a small company assembled at the house of their first pastor, Rev. Benajah Roots, formerly pastor of the First Church of Simsbury, Connecticut, and consisting of the following named members :- Ebenezer Hopkins, Samuel Crippen, David Hawley, William Roberts, Charles Brewster, Abraham Jackson, John Moses, Enos Ives, Joseph Bowker, Jehiel Andrews, Sarah Bowker, Sarah Andrews, Anna Ives and Me- hetabel Andrews. Mr. Roots remained with the society until his death, of consumption, on the 15th day of March, 1787, in his 62d year. The first house of worship was erected soon after the organization of the society, on the west side of what was long known as "Meeting House Hill," at Center Rutland, occupying the present site of Mr. George H. Beaman's residence. This building was used by the society till the year 1787, when, on the 22d of October, the town was divided into two parishes, East and West, the dividing line beginning at the center of the north line of the town, thence parallel with the east and west lines till it strikes the Otter Creek, and thence up the creek, as the stream runs, to the south line of the township, and in each parish a Congregational Church organized, the Church in the East Parish being established on the 5th of October, twelve days before the division of the town, with thirty-seven members, and Rev. Samuel Williams, LL. D., as pastor ; and subsequently the West Parish erected an edifice at West Rutland, opposite the present brick structure, under the pastorate of Rev. Lemuel Haynes.
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TOWN OF RUTLAND.
The society of the East Parish, located at Rutland village, has erected three churches-the first, a frame building, on the south-east corner of the old burial-ground on Main street, near the residence of Moses Perkins, and the second on the east side of the same street, upon the site now occupied by the residence of Col. George Merrill. This edifice was built by Gershom Cheney in 1819, costing in the neighborhood of $10,000, and was used by the society until 1860, when the present brick church on Court street was erected, at a cost, including chapel, &c., of $54,017.54, and, together with the grounds, is now valued at $75,000. Mr. Williams remained with the Church as a "supply" until Rev. Heman Ball, D. D., was settled, in January of 1795. The society is now in a flourishing condition, with 620 members, and a Sab- bath school with 500 scholars, under the very able charge of Rev. James Gibson Johnson, D. D.
The Baptist Church of Rutland, located on Center street, was organized on the 25th of November, 1823, with fifteen members; Daniel Ford,
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(THE BAPTIST CHURCH OF RUTLAND.)
moderator, and Adonijah Ford, clerk. The first settled minister was the Rev. Hadley Proctor, of China, Me., his pastorate commencing with the opening of the year 1827, and continuing until 1834. In 1827 the first church building was erected on Main street, which was used until 1871, when the rapid growth of the village north and west of that parish, necessitated the choice of a more central location. Accordingly, on the 18th of July, 1871, the corner stone of the present structure on Center street was laid, with becoming ceremonies, and on the evening of February 1, 1872, the new
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TOWN OF RUTLAND.
house was opened with appropriate services. It is a handsome brick struc- ture, capable of accommodating 600 persons, and cost $42,000. The society now has 380 members, with Rev. Judson K. Richardson as pastor, settled May 1, 1875.
Trinity Church, (Episcopal,) at Rutland, located on West street, was organized on Wednesday, February 19, 1817, with Rev. George T. Chapman as rector. The parish was without a house of worship until 1833, when a building was erected on Main street, not far from the north side of West. The corner-stone of the present beautiful stone structure was laid in 1878, by the Right Rev. W. H. A. Bissell, D. D., Bishop of Vermont, and the church was consecrated by the same, December 4th, 1879. The present rector, Rev. Walter Mitchell, was elected on Easter, 1877.
The First Methodist Episcopal Church, located on West street, was origin- ally organized at Centre Rutland, in 1831, with a membership of fifty-two. In 1854 it was reorganized at Rutland village, by their first pastor, Rev. John Parker, and consisted of only six members,-William A. Burnett and wife, Mrs. Mary and Miss Jane Thrall, and Misses Jane and Lucy Dunklee. Services were first held in the old depot, the preacher standing on the plat- form and the people sitting in passenger coaches drawn up in front, and subsequently in the third story of the old Perkins block, on Merchants' Row, until the first church was erected in 1855-'56, which was followed by the present edifice in 1873, which cost $5,000 and will seat 800 persons. The present site was donated by William J. Ripley, then a member at Centre Rutland. After the first church at the east village was erected, the heirs of Mr. Ripley bought the old Centre Rutland church, which they preserve as a memento of respect to their parents. The society now has 305 members, a sabbath-school numbering 325 scholars, and church property to the amount of $18,000. Rev. John Wesley Quinlan is the present pastor.
St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, located at Rutland village, was organ- ized by its first pastor, Rev. Father Druon, in 1855, with a membership of 500. During that year a church was erected, which was followed by the building of the present elegant structure in 1873, of brick, with trimmings of stone, erected at a cost of $57,000, with seating capacity for 1,300 persons. Father Druon was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. Chas. Boylan, under whose efficient management the society has increased to 2,500 mem- bers, with church property to the amount of $100,000. Under the direction of the Church there are also six Catholic schools, with an average attendance of 387, taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph.
The Second Advent Christian Church, located on West street, was organ- ized with forty-two members, by Miles Grant, in 1858, with Rev. Mathew Batchelder as first pastor. During the following year the church building was erected, a modest affair, costing $1,215.35. The society now has ninety members, with no regular pastor.
Grace Protestant Episcopal Church of West Rutland was organized in
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TOWN OF SHERBURNE.
1859, and Rev. D. Ellis Wills was the first pastor, the society now being under the pastoral charge of the Rev. Edward P. Lee. The church building was erected in 1878. Porter Howe, Esq., the senior warden of this parish, is one of the oldest, if not the oldest Churchman in Vermont. He was born in 1791, and was a member of the convention that elected Bishop Hopkins in 1832.
The Church of The Sacred Heart of Mary, (French Catholic,) located on Lincoln Ave., at Rutland village, was organized by its first pastor, Rev. Father Gagne, 1870, with a membership of 800. The present edifice was erected during the same year, at a cost of $6,000.00, and will seat 500 persons, now valued, including grounds, at $8,000.00. The society also has a branch church at West Rutland, bearing the same name and organized the same year, having 350 members, and a church building that will accommodate 300 persons and cost $3,000.00.
CONVENT.
The Convent of our Lady of Vermont, situated on West street, is an insti- tution directed by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. They came to Rutland in January, 1870, locating on Main street, where they re- mained until June, 1874, when they removed to their present location, hav- ing purchased the premises. Their course of study is the same as in the Mother House, at Hochelaga, Montreal, and comprises the various branches of a solid, useful and ornamental education.
SHERBURNE is located in the eastern part of Rutland County, in lat. 43° 38', and long. 4° 15' east from Washington. In form it is nearly square, set diagonally, with its longest diagonal line pointing north and south, and is thus bounded on the north-east by Stockbridge, and on the south-east by Bridgewater in Windsor County, on the south-west by Mendon, and on the north-west by Mendon and a small part of Chittenden. It was chartered July 7, 1761, by Governor Benning Wentworth, of New Hamp- shire, to Ezra Stiles and Benjamin Ellery, of Newport, R. I., under the name of Killington, and then contained 23,040 acres ; but that area has since been increased by a portion of a tract of land called Parker's Gore, formerly lying between Sherburne and Bridgewater, which was annexed November 4, 1822, so that the township now has an area of about 30,000 acres. In the year 1774 the township was surveyed by Simeon Stevens, and allotted in 70 shares, 65 shares to the proprietors and the usual reservation of five shares for public purposes. Although settlement was begun as early as the year 1785, the town was not organized until 1794, with Albro Anthony as first town clerk.
The surface is very mountainous and broken ; the highest peak, and next · to the highest in the State, is Mount Killington, located in the western part, on the line between this town and Mendon. The formation of Mount Kil-
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TOWN OF SHERBURNE.
lington is mostly gneiss ; the summit entirely barren and sterile, frowns down upon the surrounding landscape from an altitude of 4,380 feet above the level of the sea. It is distant about ten miles from Rutland village, from which is a very pleasant drive, and in the sultry days of midsummer, its cool sides and sum- mit attract many excursionists, the view of scenery it affords from above Mt. Killington House being one of the grandest in the State. To the north of Killington, and crowding close on its base, is another prominent mountain, called Pico Peak. This elevation is thickly covered with a dense forest nearly to its summit, which is 3,917 feet above tide-water.
The town is watered by several streams that have their sources among the mountains ; the only one of any importance, however, is Quechee River, which rises in the northern part of the town, traverses its whole length and enters the town of Bridgewater on the south, having numerous small tribu- taries, whereon are situated a number of good mill-sites. There are but few good farms except those located in the valley of this river, where the soil is an alluvial deposit and very rich, producing quite readily, wheat, barley, oats, rye, buckwheat and Indian corn. Stock and dairy farming, however, greatly exceeds the grain-growing industry. Many farmers have neglected both, and turned their attention to lumbering, which they consider more remunerative. The town in most parts has heavy forests of beech, birch, maple, hemlock and spruce, with some black and white ash. From the maple large quanti- ties of sugar are manufactured, which forms quite an article of export.
The population of Sherburne in 1880 was 450; and it was divided into seven school districts and had seven common schools, employing two male and eight female teachers, at an aggregate salary of $529.52. There were 124 pupils attending common schools, and the entire cost of the schools for the year ending October 31st, was $594.96, with Millie A. Johnson as super- intendent.
SHERBURNE, (p. o.) a small hamlet, located in the central part of the town- ship, on Quechee River, contains one church, one hotel, one store, one black- smith shop, one saw and grist mill, and about fifty inhabitants.
NORTH SHERBURNE, (p. o.) a hamlet, located in the northern part of the town, contains one blacksmith shop, one saw-mill, one steam saw and plan- ing-mill, and several dwellings. These constitute the only settlements ap- proaching anything like a village in the township.
Milo J. Moore's saw-mill, located on Quechee River, near road 17, was built by J. P. and B. Wood in the year 1858. Mr. Moore employs six men and manufactures $3,000 worth of chair-stock, 200,000 shingles and about 300,000 feet of lumber per annum.
Russell Madden's chair-stock factory, located on Quechee River, near road 17, was built by Mr. Madden in 1876. He employs four men and manufac- tures twenty car loads of chair-stock per annum.
Charles C. Willard's saw and grist-mill, located in the western part of the town, on one of the tributaries of the Quechee, called Thundering
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TOWN OF SHERBURNE.
Brook, has one run of stones and manufactures 2,000 feet of lumber per day.
1 capacity for cutting 4,000 feet of lumber per day.
Owen WV. Bates' saw-mill, also located on Thundering Brook, has the
D. M. White & Co.'s saw-mill was built in 1880, and now operated by Reuben Ranger of Mendon, who employs twenty-five men and manufac- tures 10,000 feet of lumber per day.
Lewis A. Willard's saw mill, located on Thundering Brook, was built by him in 1872. Mr. Willard manufactures 25,000 feet of clapboards and 50,000 feet of lumber per week.
Isaac A. Morse's saw and planing mill, located at North Sherburne, was built in 1874, and enlarged and steam-power added in 1880, so the mill now has the capacity for cutting 10,000 feet of lumber per day.
A. D. Estabrook's saw and shingle-mill, located at North Sherburne, was erected in 1873, with facilities for cutting 6,000 feet of lumber and manufac- turing 10,000 shingles per day.
The settlement of Sherburne is said to have been commenced by Isaiah Washburn in 1785. At the organization of the town, in 1794, the meeting was held at the house of Nathan Eddy, inn-holder, when the following offi- cers were chosen :- Albro Anthony, town-clerk ; John Anthony, Nathan Eddy, Sr., and Seth Fuller, selectmen ; Samuel Anthony, Amasa Fuller and Richard Estabrook, listers, and Nathaniel Eddy, grand juror.
The first marriage recorded is that of Nathan Eddy, Jr., and Rebecca Safford, October 28th, 1794. The first birth recorded is that of Luther, son of Asa and - Briggs, some tinie in the year 1790. Asa settled at an early date in what is known as Sherburne Hollow, when bears were numer- ous. It is related of him, that while upon west mountain one day, in the fall of the year, he caught a cub or young bear in his hands. He was closely pursued by the mother, and defended himself with a club. He would drive Bruin up a tree, and then run with the cub, until he would again have to defend himself from the attack of his pursuer. Being a tall, powerful man he succeeded in bringing home the cub. It was domesticated sufficiently to be admitted to the kitchen. When he sought winter quarters, he crawled into a large trough, hewed out of a log that stood partly in a temporary shed. The storms of winter came, his bed was covered with snow and ice, and he was completely frozen in. During the winter Mr. Briggs had visitors that wished to see the occupant of the trough in the wood-shed. He succeeded in removing him from his icy bed, and carried him into the house and warmed him by the fire. His bearship walked about the house, but was very cross at being disturbed in the midst of his winter's slumber, and returned to his resting place to await the return of spring. Bears have always been peculi- arly abundant in Sherburne, there being quite a number found there at the present time. Elisha Colton, son of Silas Colton, who was one of the first settlers, has resided in the town about sixty-five years, and during that time has killed 100, three of them during the past year.
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TOWN OF SHREWSBURY.
The first hotel in the township was built by Josiah Wood in 1825; the house is located on road 16, and is at present occupied by George A. Petty. Park Wood, son of Josiah, was a graduate of Union College ; he studied law, and engaged in practice in Pekin, Ill. In January, 1832, he com- menced a journey from that place to Chicago on horseback. When about forty miles west of Chicago, in crossing Fox River on the ice, his horse broke through, and they both struggled for a time in the water, but succeeded in reaching the shore, when the man crept to a tree and leaned against it. This account was given some days after by an Indian to the Indian agent, who immediately sent a person to the place, and it was found he had died there, his name being learned by papers found upon his person. He was a man of fine talent, and promised to be a useful member of society and a blessing to the world. The first store was built in 1835 by Rufus Richard- son, and kept by Charter Baxter and Asa Gaines. John Anthony was the first Representative from the town. On the 4th day of December, 1798, an election was held at the house of Asa Briggs to elect a representative, at which six votes were cast for Samuel Williams, Esq.
During the late war of '61 and '65, Sherburne furnished seventy soldiers, seventeen of whom did not live to see the war closed. She paid $13,500 in bounties to her soldiers, raising the larger part of the money by taxation, at the time it was used, leaving the town comparatively free from debt.
The Union Church, located at Sherburne village, was organized by Noah Johnson in 1840. Mr. Johnson was the first settled minister in the town, and organized the Church as a union institution, with about twenty-five members. This number has since increased to fifty, with no regular pastor at present. The building is a modest affair, erected in 1840, at a cost of about $1,000, raised by subscription. It will comfortably seat about 200 persons, and in- cluding the whole church property, is now valued at $1,000.
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SHREWSBURY is located in the eastern part of the county in lat. 43º 31' and long. 4° 11' east from Washington, bordering on the west the FAME town of Clarendon, while Mendon lies to the north, Plymouth, Windsor County, on the east, and Mount Holly and Wallingford on the south. The township contains an area of 25,392 acres, lying mostly on the Green Mountain range, which is here quite elevated. Shrewsbury peak, lying in the north-eastern part, near Mendon, being 4,000 feet above tide water, is one of the highest peaks in the Green Mountain range. Round Hill, in the north-western part, is also a high elevation.
The country is well watered by numerous streams that have their sources among the mountains. Mill River, the most considerable, flows a north- westerly course through the south-west part of the town, and contains numerous mill privileges, of which there are many that are not occupied. Cold River, the next in size, rises in the central part of the town, flows a
JOHN P. BOWMAN Esq.
MRS. JOHN P. BOWMAN.
MISS ELLA H.BOWM
1398
LAUREL GLEN MAUSOLEUM,">
A Magnificent Private Family Tomb, Founded and Built at Cuttingsville, Vermont, by John P. Bowman, Esq. Designed by G. B. Croff, Architect and Constructing Engineer, and Special Designer of Mortuary Architecture, Mausoleums, Tombs, Vaults, Monuments, Horticultural and Floral Decorations, and General Cemetery Art Work.
OFFICE, 335 BROADWAY,
NEW YORK CITY.
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TOWN OF SHREWSBURY.
north-westerly course, its waters being discharged into Otter Creek, in Claren- don. Roaring Brook, one of the head tributaries of Black River, rises in the north-eastern part of the town, flows an easterly course and empties into Black River in Plymouth. Gould Brook heads on Shrewsbury Peak, flows westerly and empties into Cold River. Near the mouth of Gould Brook is a mineral spring called "Sulphur Spring," the waters of which have been used for medicinal purposes. There are two considerable ponds in the south part of the town-Ashley's and Peal's, and another near the Willard Johnson farm, which was once bought by a Rutland company for the purpose of dig- ging peat for fuel. There never was much done at it however. Spring Lake, formerly called Shrewsbury Pond, is situated in the south-west part of the town, several hundred feet above Mill River, and is one mile in length by a half mile in width, abounds in trout and has no visible inlet.
The principal rocks of the town are those peculiar to the Green Mountain range. In the southern part is found a considerable deposit of copperas, at a point called Copperas Hill. In 1828 it was purchased of Calvin Robinson, of Cuttingsville, by a company chartered as the "Green Mountain Manufac- turing Co." conducted by Jeremiah Dow. The company employed some thirty men and made nine tons of copperas daily ; the works have long since been abandoned, though great quantities of copperas still remain in the mine.
The soil is a very fertile, light loam, well adapted to grass, wheat, oats and potatoes, affording facilities for a great dairy town, "Shrewsbury butter " being noted for its excellent quality throughout the State. Lumber is quite an article of export, the timber being mostly beech, birch, maple, hemlock and spruce, with some balsam and black ash, large quantities of sugar being manufactured from the maple. There is but little fruit grown.
Shrewsbury was chartered September 4, 1761, by Benning Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, to Samuel Ashley and sixty-three others, only one of the original proprietors ever settling in the town. It was not or- ganized until March 20, 1781, and still retains its original limits, except one square mile taken from the town of Plymouth, Windsor County, and annexed to Shrewsbury, October 21, 1823. At the first town meeting, held March 20, 1781, the following officers were chosen : Lemuel White, moderator ; Aaron Esty, town clerk ; Lemuel White, Samuel Benton and Nehemiah Smith, selectmen ; Benedict Webber, town treasurer; Zebediah Green, constable and collector, and Samuel Benton, Joseph Randall and William Smith, listers ; Samuel Benton, grand juror.
The Central Vermont Railroad passes through the south-western part of the town, affording the township good facilities for transportation. The population of Shrewsbury, in 1880 was 1,235, of which all but one family were whites. During the year ending October 31, 1880, the town had four- teen school districts, employing four male and seventeen female teachers, whose united salaries amounted to $1,404.55. The number of pupils attend- ing school during the year was 316, and the entire cost of the schools was $1,642.82, with Geo. Rustedt superintendent of public schools. -15%
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