USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 6
USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 6
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 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68
The Inquirer was subsequently purchased by Geo. E. Richardson, who suspended its publication in 1881, for the purpose of starting a new paper, to be known as the RUTLAND STANDARD, the initial number of which is expected to be issued about September Ist of this year. It is the intention of the publisher to maintain in this paper an independent position in regard to politics, and aim to make the interests of Rutland County its interests. Mr. G. E. Richardson, its publisher and editor, has had considerable experience in the newspaper business, having at one time been proprietor of the Thomaston, (Me.) Herald and Printing House, in which capacity he acquired a reputation for marked ability and sagacity, which cannot fail to be of great value to him in his present undertaking.
On September 1, 1879, The Rutland Times, a daily and weekly, was com- menced by James L. McArthur. It was issued about three weeks and then discontinued.
THE VERMONT BAPTIST was started in March, 1879, by Rev. Justin K. Richardson, and is still continued by him. It is issued on the 10th of each month, devoted to the interests of the Vermont Baptist State Conven- tion.
POULTNEY .- The Poultney Gazette was started in November, 1822, by Sanford Smith and John R. Shute, at East Poultney. This paper was con- tinued by them until January, 1825, when it was changed to The Northern Spectator, which they continued to publish for just one year, when it became the property of an association, with "D. Dewey and A. Bliss, agents for the proprietors." They continued in this capacity several months, when they were succeeded by E. G. Stone. He was succeeded by several others, until June 11, 1830, when the paper was discontinued.
The Spectator will always remain famous, as being the office where Horace Greeley learned the printer's trade.
The Poultney Owl was published about six months, in 1867, by James H. Lansley.
On March 12, 1868, the first number of The Poultney Bulletin was issued by J. A. Morris, with John Newman, editor, and Geo. C. Newman, assistant editor. It was published by Morris one year, when Geo. C. Newman became publisher. On October 7, 1869, Hon. Barnes Frisbie became editor, and re- mained until June, 1870. In September, 1870, H. L. Stillson and William Haswell became publishers, Stillson again selling his share of the concern to Haswell, on August 8, 1871, who published it until November, 1873. In -4
50
RUTLAND COUNTY.
December following, R. J. Humphrey bought the Bulletin office, and issued the first number of the
POULTNEY JOURNAL, December 8, 1873. The Journal has been published since that date to the present time-four years by Mr. Humphrey, two and a half years by Frisbie & Neagles, and then by Frisbie & Ross, until about April 1, 1881. when Mr. Charles W. Potter purchased Mr. Frisbie's in- terest, and it is now published by Potter & Ross.
The T. C. A. Casket was issued for a time by the students of the Troy Conference Academy, during the time Bishop Jesse T. Peck, now of Syracuse, N. Y., was principal of that institution.
The Ripley Female College Quarterly, composed of contributions by stu- dents, was edited and published here for a time by John W. Newman, D. D., president of the college.
The Golden Sheaf, a paper issued by the students of Troy Conference Academy, during 1876-'77, was printed at the Journal office.
WALLINGFORD .- A part of the time between the years 1855-'60, there was a small sheet published at this village by P. H. Emerson and Amasa Bishop, called the Local Spy. The printing was also done here.
In 1877 The Wallingford Standard was established by Addison G. Stone, a part of the time issued by S. Sabin, and continued until 1880, when it was discontinued, The printing was done a part of the time at Bennington and a part at Brandon.
DANBY -. The Otter Creek V'alley News was begun in September, 1878, printed at Bennington, Vt., by A. S. Baker & Son, and published by J. C. Williams, editor, issued every Friday, independent in character. Was discon- tinued in 1880.
NOTES ON BRANDON NEWSPAPERS .- ( See Table opposite page. )
The Telegraph was started by a joint stock company, to some extent under the supervision of the Baptist State Convention. Ephraim Maxham, now connected with the Waterville, Maine, Mail, was publisher for the proprie- tors. Murray, on becoming editor and publisher, made the paper anti-slavery, and finally infidel. Rev. Nathan Brown, one of the early editors of the Tele- graph, went as a missionary to India ; he translated the New Testament into the language of the Rig-Veda, Vajur-Veda, Sama-Veda and Authora-Veda, and afterward founded the American Baptist.
The Voice of Freedom was published at Montpelier four years before it was removed to Brandon.
The Vermont Record was removed to Brattleboro.
D. C. Hackett, who started the OTTER CREEK NEWS, brought his office to Brandon from Ludlow, where he had been publishing the Black River Gazette, the Gazette being printed for some months in the News office, and then suspended.
5 ℃
NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHED IN BRANDON.
NAME.
CHARACTER.
PUBLISHERS.
EDITORS.
BEGAN.
CLOSED.
PRICE.
Vermont Telegraph,
Religious-Baptist,
Ephraim Maxham, printer, John Conant.
Rev. J. M. Allen, Rev. Nathan Brown. Wareham Walker.
Sept. 30, 1828,
$1.75
John A. Conant.
James Long.
Willard Kimball.
Oct. 4, 1843.
2,00
Vermont Argus,
Democratic,
Brandon Whig Association.
De Witt C. Clark. Jedediah Holcomb.
Sept. 1834. 1840. June 29, 1843.
Sept. 1835. close polit'l camp'n June 15, 1847.
1.00
Voice of Freedom,
years Liberty party.
J. F. McCollam, printer. Wm. C. and S. M. Conant, P. Welch, printer.
Samuel M. Conant.
1847.
1849.
1.00
Vermont Union Whig.
Politics-Whig.
Patrick Welch.
Patrick Welch.
Oct. 4, 1849.
1855.
1.00
Vermont Tribune,
Politics- Whig.
Wm. C. Rogers.
Wm. C. Rogers.
Jan. 4, 1850. 1856.
Dec. 1856.
1.00 .
Western Vermont Transcript,
Politics-Republican.
Rev. A. C. Rose, Rev. Wm. Ford. A. C. Rose, W. Ford.
Jan. 1857.
Dec. 18 58.
1.00
N. E. Christian Advocate,
Religious-Methodist. Religious-Methodist.
Rev. Wm. Ford.
Rev. Wm. Ford.
Jan. 6, 1859.
Mar. 7, 1861.
1.25
Brandon Gazette,
Politics-Republican.
Hiram Truss.
Hiram Truss.
May 30, 1861.
July, 1862.
1.00
Brandon Monitor,
Politics-Republican.
D. L. Milliken.
D. L. Milliken.
July 11, 1862.
July 10, 1863.
1.00
Vermont Record,
Politics-Republican.
D. L. Milliken. J. F. McCollam, printer,
( Ed. P. Ackerman,
D. L. Milliken. Hiram M. Mott.
Nov. 30, 1872 ..
2.00
BRANDON UNION,
Independent -- Local.
Albion N. Merchant.
Mott & Tobin.
Republican-Local.
Hiram M. Mott.
Hiram M. Mott.
Mott Brothers.
Mott Brothers.
1.50
Norman A. Mott.
Norman A. Mott.
Hiram M. Mott.
Hiram M. Mott.
Stillman B. Ryder.
Stillman B. Ryder.
OTTER CREEK NEWS,
Independent-Local.
David C. Hackett.
David C. Hackett.
Oct. 20, 1876.
Still issued. IStill issued.
1.50
[NOTE. - The above having been furnished us in tabulated fo. m, we publish it thus, instead of in the manner of the other towns. - EDITOR
RUTLAND COUNTY.
Infidel,
Orson S. Murray.
Orson S. Murray, H. and E. W. Drury.
H. and E. W. Drury.
Rutland & Addison Co. Whig, Politics-Whig,
Always anti-slavery, two| Jedediah Holcomb,
1.50
Brandon Post,
Politics-Free Soil.
Julius H. Mott, Rev. A. C. Rose. J. H. Mott A. C. Rose.
D. L. Milliken.
July 17, 1863.
1.25
Northern Visitor,
Mott & Tobin.
to
Willard Kimball.
52
RUTLAND COUNTY.
FAIRHAVEN .- In 1793, Mathew Lyon has been said to have started the Farmers' Library in this village. This statement is, however, probably in- correct, as the first number of that paper is dated at Rutland, April 1, 1793, and published by his son James.
In 1794, Lyon commenced the Fairhaven Gazette, which was printed by James Lyon, and by Judah P. Spooner during a part of its existence. It was succeeded by the Farmers' Library or Fairhaven Telegraph, the first number of which was issued July 28, 1795, by J. P. Spooner and W. Hen- nessy. This was continued under the management of these gentlemen until March, 1796, when Mr. Spooner took entire charge. The name of the paper was again changed in November, 1797, to The Farmers Library, or Ver- mont and New York Intelligencer, and was continued until 1798.
[In 1796, '97 and '98, The Vermont Almanac and Register, giving the dates of the grants, and the ratable property of each town in the State, was pub- lished by Mr. Spooner. ]
On October 1, 1798, The Scourge of Aristocracy and Repository of Im- portant Political Truths, was commenced by James Lyon, and continued one year, as a semi-monthly. It contained several articles from the pen of Mathew Lyon, who was at that time imprisoned in Vergennes under the " Alien and Sedition Act."
In 1854 and '55, a small monthly paper called The Banner was issued by DeWitt Leonard.
In January, 1861, one number of a small sheet called the Golden Sheaf was issued.
In September, 1863, the first number of the Fairhaven Advertiser was issued as an advertising medium ; other numbers were issued from time to time, until 1866, when the office was purchased by William Q. Brown and it was made into a regular monthly publication, and the name changed to The Rutland County Advertiser, and continued until April, 1868.
On September 5, 1868, the first number of The People's Journal was issued by Jones & Grose, with Rev. P. Franklin Jones as editor. This paper was continued until July, 1869, when it was purchased by DeWitt Leonard and E. H. Phelps and the name changed to The Fairhaven Journal, with E. H. Phelps, editor. It was finally discontinued in 1877.
On January 1, 1879, The Vermont Era was commenced by the Inman Brothers, who after three weeks sold out to Joseph E. Colton, and the name was changed to
THE FAIRHAVEN ERA, and continued by him till September 15, 1879, when it was again sold, to Frank W. Redfield who still publishes it.
CASTLETON .- The Vermont Statesman was commenced in 1824 by Ovid Miner. Whig in politics. Mr. Miner was connected with it but a few years, when he left Castleton. Under the management of different editors, retain- ing essentially the same political character, the Statesman continued till 1855.
53
RUTLAND COUNTY.
In 1832, The Green Mountain Eagle was established under the excite- ment of " Anti-Masonry." Judge Howe was the prime mover and principal proprietor of the enterprise. Its existence terminated with the Anti-Masonic party.
ABORIGINAL OCCUPANCY.
Though no direct or positive knowledge exists that the county was ever the permanent home of any particular tribes of Indians, yet it is fair to presume that some time in the remote past it was. It was long a disputed territory among the various tribes of New England, New York and Canada, and used as a hunting and camping ground during seasons of the year by all. It is cer- tain that a large portion of the territory now included within the limits of the county, was owned, or claimed by the Mohawk Indians of New York, and by them deeded, or given to John Henry Lydias of that Province, the present township of Rutland, having at one time been granted by him, under the name of Fairfield, on the strength of their deed, although his grant was pronounced illegal. More will be said on this subject in connection with the history of the various towns.
WHEN FIRST SETTLED BY THE WHITES.
Just at what time the first settlement of the county was made, we cannot state. About a century and a half ago, between Massachusetts and Canada there was a brisk trade kept up, Massachusetts being able to sell goods at Fort Dummer, cheaper than the French could sell them in Canada. Goods were transported by the traders, across what is now the State of Vermont, to Crown Point, and thence down the lake, into Canada, the line of travel being directly across the territory now included within the limits of Rutland County. Also, in King William's wars, soldiers passed from Massachusetts to the lake. From the journal of one Coss, a trader, who made the journey from Massa- chusetts to Crown Point in the Spring of 1730, we learn that he was greatly impressed with the richness of the soil along Otter Creek. It is fair to pre- sume that this fact may have also been observed by others, and induced them to emigrate thither.
The trade between Massachusetts and Canada was finally swept away by the breaking out of the French war in 1755, and which extended its opera- tions from Canada to the adjoining colonies of New England, New York and Pennsylvania, causing tracts of land to be traversed that had heretofore been a dense, unexplored wilderness, the war being finally terminated by the great battle fought on the plains of Abraham, near Quebec, September 13th, 1759, in which the British arms were victorious, and the whole Province of Canada surrendered to Great Britain. This event at once awakened atten- tion to the territory of Vermont, to which the adjoining province had been transformed from a hostile to a friendly neighbor.
54
RUTLAND COUNTY.
Many of the soldiers, doubtless, who had crossed Vermont on their way to the war, and had become impressed with its beauty and richness, at once set- tled within its limits. Most certain it is, at least, applications for towns were now made in rapid succession to Benning Wentworth, the colonial governor of New Hampshire, who was disposed to grant them on the most liberal terms, so that the principal towns now included within the counties of Bennington, Rutland and Addison, were chartered in 1761. In most of these towns there was an interval, however, of several years between the time the patents were granted and the commencement of settlement. In ten towns of Rutland County whose charters were granted between the 26th of August and the 20th of October, 1761, settlements were commenced at the following periods: Pawlet, 1761 ; Danby, 1765; Clarendon, 1768; Rutland, Castleton and Pittsford, 1769; Tinmouth, 1770; Poultney and Wells, 1771, and Bran- don in 1772. These settlements, and those of the other towns of the county, will be spoken of in connection with their respective histories.
LAND TITLE CONTROVERSY.
Under this head, it is our purpose to speak briefly of the trials that nerved the " brave men of the mountains" to declare and maintain their independ- ence, and to emerge as a free and independent State. The aristocratic government of New York had little ken of the stern, democratic spirit, possessed by their Green Mountain neighbors, or they never would have at- tempted to wrest. from them their humble homesteads.
Immigration was rapid and prosperity seemed to smile upon the inhabit- ants, until the dark day of April 10, 1765, when a proclamation was issued by Lieut. Gov. Colden, of New York, giving a copy of an order of the King in Council of the 20th of July, preceding, declaring the boundary line between New Hampshire and New York to be the Connecticut River, and notifying his Majesty's subjects to govern themselves accordingly.
That a twenty mile line from the Hudson, extending northerly to Lake Champlain, was the eastern boundary of New York, is proven by the charter title of the Duke of York upon his accession to the throne in 1685, making New York a royal province. The disputed territory had been repeatedly and uniformly recognized by the King's government as belonging to the Province of New Hampshire, and never to that of New York.
The King, in 1741, commissioned Benning Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, describing his province as reaching westward "until it met his other governments," thus bounding it westerly by New York. Gov. Went- worth, with authority from the King to grant his lands, issued charters of over one hundred townships, each of six miles square, within such territory. Among these charters, nearly all the land in the present Rutland County had been granted in sixteen different townships, viz: Brandon, (by the name of Neshobe,) Castleton, (by the name of Harwich,) Pawlet, Pittsford,
55
RUTLAND COUNTY.
Poultney, Rutland, Sherburne, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Tinmouth, Wallingford and Wells.
The reasons for this change of jurisdiction were those of State policy, a preference of the Crown for the aristocratic institutions of New York, to the more democratic institutions of New England, and a desire to extend the area of the former by curtailing the latter.
Upon the receipt of the King's order annexing the territory west of Con- necticut River to New York, Lieutenant Governor Colden proceded at once to grant the lands to others than the New Hampshire claimants, and when the latter applied to the New York Governors for a confirmation of those not thus granted, such enormous patent fees were demanded as to make it impossible for them to comply. It was well known in New York that these lands had long been granted by New Hampshire, and were actually occupied under such grants, and the new patents were procured in utter disregard of the rights and claims of the settlers. So all attempts to survey the new patents, or to eject the present holders, were met with sturdy resistance on the part of the settlers, and thus it came about that those who opposed the authority of New York were stigmatized as "rioters," "conspirators," and "wanton disturbers of the public peace," while the "Yorkers" were in turn called " land jobbers," "land pirates," etc.
The dangers of the settlers from the patents already issued, as well as from new grants, were imminent, and they resolved to apply directly to the Crown for relief. Accordingly Samuel Robinson, of Bennington, as agent for the several towns west of the Green Mountains, armed with petitions of the people, setting forth their grievances, was sent to London to present them to the King. This he did early in the year 1767, and was so successful as to obtain an order from the King in Council, of July 24, 1767, forbidding the granting of more land by New York, in the disputed territory, “ until his Majesty's further pleasure." But while Mr. Robinson was yet asking for relief from the grants which had already been made, his mission was un- fortunately terminated by his sudden death from small pox.
That this order of the King's was merely a matter of form, is proven by the fact that the New York Governors, notwithstanding "his Majesty's pleasure," continued to grant the lands within the disputed territory, making such grants up to the period of the Revolution, having granted more than a million acres in direct and palpable violation of such order.
The inhabitants of the several townships, as fast as they had become sufficiently numerous, had organized themselves into municipal communities in conformity to their charters, and had adopted rules and regulations for their local government. The maintenance of the possession and title to their lands against the New York claimants, soon became an absorbing in_ terest, and town committees were appointed, whose special duty it was to attend to their defense and security. Few records of the proceedings of these conventions remain, though sufficient accounts of them have been preserved
56
RUTLAND COUNTY.
to show that they exercised a general supervision over the affairs of the settlers, and that their decrees in regard to their land title controversy, were received and obeyed as laws. These several committees, towards the latter part of the year 1771, instituted a military organization, with Ethan Allen, of Bennington County, as Colonel. The duties of these men were to watch and detect in their several neighborhoods, any hostile movements of their adversaries, and to hold themselves in readiness to repair to any part of the territory to which the general convention or its executive committee should require them to go for the proper defence of the persons or lands of the settlers.
These organizations eventually assumed the name of Green Mountain Boys, in derision and defiance, it is said, of a threat of Gov. Tryon, to drive the settlers from their possessions into the Green Mountains. This name, by the bravery and military exploits of those who bore it during the revolu- tionary period, became an honorable appellation, and is often used to desig- nate all the troops of the State, and sometimes the whole people.
In carrying into execution the resolves of the General Convention, col- lisions with the New York officers and claimants were not unfrequent, and they occurred occasionally through a series of years. The following extracts from a letter of a New York official, in 1771, will show something of the spirit of the times. It is taken from Hall's "Early History of Vermont" :-
" ALBANY, September 10, 1771.
"SIR :- Your favor of the 16th of August, and the £60. 2s. 9d. of Mr. Robert Yates, I received on my return here, after being the second time stopped in Socialborough, by James Mead and Asa Johnson in behalf of the settlers in Rutland and Pittsford. I have run out lots from the south bounds to within about two miles of the Great Falls. I found it in vain to persist any longer, as they were resolved at all events to stop us. There have been many threats pronounced against me. Gideon Conley, who lives by the Great Falls, [Sutherland Falls] was to shoot me, and * * your acquaintance Nathan Allen, was in the woods with another party blacked and dressed like Indians, as I was informed. Several of my men can prove Townsend and Train threatened my life, that I should never return home, etc. * * * * *
"'The people of Durham [now Clarendon] assured me, these men intended to murder us if we did not go from thence, and advised me by all means to desist surveying. * * * * * I found I would not be allowed to go northward, as they suspected I would begin again, and therefore intended to convey us to Danby and so on to the southward, and by all accounts we should not have been very kindly treated. I was advised by no means to go
that road. * *
* On my assuring them I would survey no more in those parts, we were permitted to proceed along the Crown Point road, with the hearty prayers of the women, as we passed, never to re- * * * turn. * *
" I have not been able to fix Kier's location and Danby people have been continually on the watch always. *
* * * Since I have been here, several have visited me, asking questions, no doubt to be able to know us, should we venture within their territories, and at the same time warning us of the danger, should we be found there.
57
RUTLAND COUNTY.
"Marsh's survey is likewise undone, as I did not care to venture myself that way. I shall be able to inform you more particularly at our meeting, and am "Sir, your most obedient servant, WILL COCKBURN. "JAMES DUANE, New York."
Thus the people struggled on until the breaking out of the Revolution against the mother country, when the minor trouble of the land controversy was swallowed up in the greater.
When this became cleared, it found Vermont an independent common- wealth; an independent State that had struggled into existence through a double revolution. The land controversy was finally given up by the young State's haughty neighbor, upon the payment of $30,000, and they have since lived together on the most amicable terms.
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
The active part the people of the "grants" took in this war, and the hearty zeal with which they entered into the contest for American liberty, was owing not only to their love of liberty, but more to their general hostility and deep distrust of a monarch who permitted his greedy servants, in his name, to grant his lands twice over, and persecute his first grantees as felons and outlaws.
At the opening of this war, although the people were nominally under the jurisdiction of New York, they never recognized her authority, and were sub- stantially independent, obeying only the decrees of committees and conven- tions, and of their own town meetings.
The approaching struggle with the mother country had for some time been foreseen, and the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, on the 15th of Feb- ruary, 1775, to guard against an apprehended attempt of the emissaries of the British ministry to engage the Canadians and Indians in hostilities against the colonies, directed the committee of the town of Boston to open a cor- respondence with the Province of Canada in such manner as they should think proper. That committee appointed John Brown, Esq., a young lawyer of Pittsfield, to repair to Canada, to obtain information of the state of the Province and to endeavor to counteract any unfriendly efforts of their enemies. Mr. Brown had a consultation with the "grand committee " at Bennington, who furnished him with a guide for the undertaking, one Peleg Sunderland.
In a letter written by Mr. Brown to Samuel Adams and Joseph Warren of the Boston Committee, dated March 29, 1775, he speaks of the fortress of 'Ticonderoga as follows : "One thing I must mention to be kept a profound secret. The fort at Ticonderoga must be seized as soon as possible should hostilities be committed by the King's troops. The people of the New Hampshire Grants have engaged to do the business, and in my opinion are the most proper persons for this job. This will effectually curb this province [Canada] and all the troops that may be sent here." When, therefore, a few days after the battle of Lexington, messengers arrived at Bennington from Connecticut, accompanied by Brown, for the purpose of collecting a force to -4%
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.