USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 9
USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rutland county, Vt., for 1881-82 > Part 9
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Among the whole number of troops, it is to be expected that some were not true, and the records show that 2,219 men (mostly if not all of whom were · substitutes,) deserted.
The number of Engagements in which the several Regiments, Batteries and Detached Troops, (officered in part by Rutland County men,) bore honorable part during the War, are as follows :-
First Regiment, Infantry. I
Second Regiment, Infantry 28
Third Regiment, Infantry. . 28
Fourth Regiment, Infantry 26
Fifth Regiment, Infantry .. 25
Sixth Regiment, Infantry
25
Seventh Regiment, Infantry
5
Eighth Regiment, Infantry
7
Ninth Regiment, Infantry
4
Tenth Regiment, Infantry.
13
Thirteenth Regiment, Infantry
I
Fourteenth Regiment, Infantry
I
Sixteenth Regiment, Infantry .. . 1
Seventeenth Regiment, Infantry
13
First Regiment, U. S. Sharpshooters
37
Second Regiment, U. S. Sharpshooters 24
First Battery, Light Artillery 4
First Regiment, Cavalry . 73
IN CONCLUSION.
It may be well to state that the War Department accredited to this State thirty-five thousand two hundred and forty-two men ; being one thousand and four more than are shown by the State records, and gives the State credit over the aggregate quotas under all calls, of fifteen hundred and thirteen men. " This discrepancy may be and probably is to be accounted for," says Adju- tant General P. T. Washburn, "by enlistments in organizations of other States, to the credit of this State, which appear upon muster-rolls of those organizations and were not reported to the State."
12
Eleventh Regiment (First Regiment Heavy Artillery)
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
ENSON is located in the extreme north-west corner of the county, in lat. 43° 42' and long. 3º 46' east from Washington, and is bounded, north by Addison County, east by Hubbardton and a small part of Sud- bury and Castleton, south by Fairhaven and Westhaven, and west by Lake Champlain, and contains an area of about 28,340 acres, or 422 square miles. Benson derived its name in honor of Hon. Egbert Benson, of the State or New York. The township was chartered October 27, 1779, (the charter was not signed until May 5, 1780,) by "the Governor, Council and General As- sembly of the Representatives of the Freemen of Vermont," to seventy-five individual proprietors in eighty shares ; five being for public uses, as follows : " One share for the use of a Seminary or College within the State, one share for the first settled minister of the gospel, one share for the County Grammar Schools throughout the State, one share for the use of schools in the town, and one share for the glebe for the Church of England."
The surface is very broken and uneven in the northern, south-eastern and south-western part, making about one-third of the territory rocky and moun- tainous. Through the center of the town, from north to south, extends a range of slate, from a mile to a mile and a half in width, covered with a good soil, furnishing a fair share of upland for tillage. Otherwise, except in the north-western part and in the mountain valleys, the soil is mostly clay. The climate is delightful, the water very pure and the scenery picturesque, al- though Benson is not as good a farming district as the lake towns in Addison County.
The country is well watered by numerous lakes, streams, ponds and springs, of which Sunset Lake, a beautiful little sheet of water situated in the northern part of the town, is the largest, being nearly circular and about one mile in diameter. Glen Lake lies in the south-eastern part of the town, extending south into Fairhaven and Castleton. Little Pond is in the northern part of the town, and several others, mostly small ones, are located in various parts of the township.
Hubbardton River, with its tributaries, forms the principal stream. It rises in the north-western part of Hubbardton, and flows in a south-westerly course through Benson into Westhaven on the south.
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TOWN OF BENSON.
There is still considerable timber in the town, beech, maple, pine and hem- lock, interspersed with oak, ash and walnut, being most abundant.
In 1880 Benson had a population of 1,104, was divided into eleven school districts and had eleven common schools, employing six male and sixteen fe- male teachers, at an aggregate salary of $1,725.11. There were 271 pupils attending common schools, and the entire cost of the schools for the year ending October 30th, was $2,017.37, under the superintendency of Royal D. King.
BENSON, a post village, is beautifully located in the central part of the town, and contains three stores, two blacksmith shops, one hotel, two churches, (Methodist Episcopal and Congregational,) one shoe shop, one marble shop, and has a population of about 250.
BENSON LANDING (p. o.) is a small hamlet located in the western part of the town, on Lake Champlain. It contains one store, one store-house, and about eight dwellings.
Ira E. Morse's saw mill, located on the north branch of Hubbardton River, near Sunset Lake, was built in 1875. It manufactures about 200,000 feet of lumber and 250,000 shingles annually.
Francis WV. Johnson's shingle factory and cider mill, located on Hubbard- ton River, at Tumble Falls, near road 10, was erected in 1880, and has a fine water-power of twenty feet fall. Mr. Johnson manufactures 500 to 600 bar- rels of cider per year.
N. O' Donald's grist and saw mill, located on Hubbardton River, about two miles from Benson village, is the only grist mill in the town, manufac- tures in connection with flour, etc., 500,000 feet of lumber, 400,000 shingles, and 1,000 barrels of cider each year.
The Walker Cheese Manufacturing Company was organized in 1873. Its present list of officers is as follows :- J. S. Griswold, President ; R. D. King, Vice President ; William Bascomb, Secretary; L. H. Kellogg, Treasurer. Directors :- Philo Wilcox, J. S. Griswold and B. A. Carter. This company manufactures 100,000 lbs. of cheese, from the milk of 500 cows, each year.
Benson Butter and Cheese Factory, located upon the farm of O. H. and R. E. Brown, was organized by a stock company in 1874. Its present officers are :- J. D. Hunt, President ; E. Norton, Vice President ; H. S. Howard, Secretary ; R. P. Walker, Treasurer. Directors-R. E. Brown, A. J. Gibbs and E. S. Howard. This company uses the milk from 400 cows.
A grist-mill at Bangall, (local name for a settlement on the Hubbardton River on road 10,) was built and operated by William Cutler and Ethan Allen prior to the year 1810.
The first person who settled in the town of Benson was Walter Durfee, who made some improvements on his farm previous to the Revolution, but was driven off his claim by the invasion of Burgoyne in 1777. In 1782 he re- turned to the town and made a permanent settlement. Mr. Durfee resided here until the year 1835, when he removed to West Chazy, N. Y., where he
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TOWN OF BENSON.
died in the summer of 1843, aged over 90 years. Traces of his first cabin are still extant.
The same year with Mr. Durfee, Daniel Barber of Pittsfield, Mass., came to the town in search of a mill-site. He followed Otter Creek from Pittsford to Vergennes, but found too much water in that stream for mill purposes, so concluded to build on the Hubbardton River, about two miles from Benson, near where N. O'Donald's mills now stand. The following year, 1783, Mr. Barber returned to Benson with his wife, and in 1784 began the first dam on Hubbardton River, on the site aforesaid. Here he built a saw-mill and the following year a grist-mill, the first mills built in the town. During this time Jonathan Meacham, James Noble and several others, with their families, had settled in the town. Previous to the building of these mills the settlers were obliged to carry their grain through the wilderness to Poultney to get it ground. Ruth, wife of Daniel Barber, was the first woman settler of the town. In August, 1785, her eldest son, Roswell, was born, who resided in town all his life, dying in 1849. Roswell left two sons, D. R. Barber, of Minneapolis, Minn., and E. L. Barber, who still resides on the old homestead, which has never been owned out of the Barber family since first purchased by his grandfather. Daniel Barber had a large family of sons and daughters, most of whom, with their families, have "followed the setting sun." Mr. Durfee, the first settler, has now no descendants in the town.
The first seven years after the first settlement, immigration was so rapid that in 1792 the population was 694, while in 1800 it was 1164, about the same as now.
The first child born in the town was Thomas, son of Thomas and Elizabeth Hale, born August 22, 1784. The first marriage was that of Levi Barber and Rebecca Hinman. He was born in Worcester, Mass., April 6, 1763, and died in Westhaven, January 13, 1856, aged 93 years. She was born in Woodbury, Ct., February 15, 1768, and died in Westhaven, March 4, 1857, aged 89 years. Both were buried in Benson. The date of their marriage is not known.
The first death that occurred is not now known, though the first re- corded in the town record of deaths was that of James, an infant son of Benoni and Lucy Gleason, who was born April 5, 1789, and died on the following day.
The village burying-ground was surveyed and laid out October 5, 1790 ; but previous to that time there had been burials in the south-east part of the farm of E. S. Howard, and also in the north-west corner of the school lot. There never were any monuments placed to mark these burials, and no traces of the graves now remain. Captain William Barber is supposed to have been the first adult who died in the town, his death occurring August II, 1789. On road 44, fronting road 41, is a small, white, stone monument, bearing the following inscription, which tells its own story :-
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TOWN OF BENSON.
"MEMENTO MORI.
" DANIEL W. LEBARON WAS KILLED HERE BY BEING THROWN FROM A HORSE OCTOBER 12, 1842, AGE 10 YEARS.
" JAMES D. LEBARON WAS KILLED BY A FALL IN A BARN, AUGUST 16, 1840, AGE IO YEARS.
" SAMUEL A. LEBARON WAS KILLED BY A CART, JUNE 28, 1856, AGE 5 YEARS. SONS OF JAMES AND LOVISA LEBARON."
Chauncey Smith was the first physician located in the town, practicing from 1786 to 1815. The house called the "Ark," at Benson village, now owned by A. G. Sherman, was built by Dr. Smith in the year 1795, and for a long time was used as a tavern.
James Noble, son of Captain James, came to Benson from Pittsfield, Mass., in 1786. Mr. Noble had a family of four daughters and three sons, and died in Benson in 1843, aged 81 years.
James Noble, Jr., was born in Pittsfield, Mass., January 24, 1784, married Bethia Noble in Benson, February 8, 1808, having settled on the farm now owned by his son Loren S. By his wife Bethia, he had one son and one daughter. After her death he married Mary Brooks. Loren Stephen Noble was born December 9, 1821; married Mary E. Brooks, and has two sons. He is very much respected, is a deacon of the Congregational Church, and still resides on the old Noble homestead.
Asa Farnham, one of the first settlers of the town, and one of its first magistrates and legislators, died June 13, 1811, in his 48th year. His wife, Polly, died August 7, 1796, aged 35 years.
One of the first settlers in the eastern part of the town was Benoni Gleason, born in Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Mass., in 1761. His father, Jacob Gleason, moved from Westfield, Mass., to Pittsfield, during the early settle- ment of that township, himself and family numbering ten persons, and being one of 138 families in the town of Pittsfield at its first enumeration, Novem- ber 1, 1772.
Jacob Gleason entered the Revolutionary army from Pittsfield, in Lieu- tenant William Barber's Company, September 30, 1776, and marched to New York, afterwards serving in other expeditions.
Benoni entered the army in Captain William Ford's Company, from Pitts- field, and was present at the capture of Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis, October 19, 1781. After his discharge from the army he re- turned to Pittsfield, where he shortly after married Lucy Hubbard, daughter of Captain James Hubbard. M2y 1, 1786, he moved to this town, building a log house on what was known as the Ticonderoga road, leading from the fort to Hubbardton and passing across the north side of the farm. Plainly marked in this old house is the date of Sally Gleason's birth, July 29, 1788, the first child born in this part of the town. She became the wife of Sheldon Root.
James Gleason, born April 27, 1799, in the house which he now occupies,
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TOWN OF BENSON.
(built about 1794, of timbers and plank,) has held all the most important offices within the gift of the town. Was justice of the peace for many years. He married in January, 1824, Esther Renejine, and they are now living where they began house-keeping 57 years ago.
Rollin Gleason, born November 27, 1825, and married December 4, 1862, now resides, with his family, on the old homestead with his father and mother.
Dr. Seth Ransom, a native of Woodstock, Vt., studied medicine at Castle- ton ; removed to Sudbury, from thence to Westhaven, and from Westhaven to Benson, about the year 1810, where he practiced medicine until his death, July 8, 1857. His widow died January 27th, 1879. Mrs. Nelson Ladd is a grandchild.
Gen. Perry G. Ladd, born January 1, 1774, died in Benson, March 23, 1838. He came to Pittsford from Coventry, Conn., at an early date, and subsequently moved to Benson, where he was engaged in the blacksmithing business many years. He was a large, powerful mian, and by industry and economy amassed a large property.
Philo Wilcox, born in Goshen, Conn., January 22, 1783, came to Benson at an early date, where he died August 26, 1865. He was a liberal minded man, an active member of the Congregational Church and much respected.
Captain Asher Olmsted, from Williamstown, Mass., came to Benson in 1789 with his father, Stephen Olmsted, and settled upon the farm now owned by E. A. Walker, on road 47. The house is still standing that he built over 82 years ago. Asher married for his first wife ---- Frost, and for his second wife, Sallie, daughter of William Barber, his family consisting of four sons and two daughters. He died in 1855 at the age of 80 years. His son, William D., now resides on road 22 and is over 82 years of age, and his wife 77. Their daughter, Catharina G., married Wm. C. Dickinson, and resides on road 48.
Samuel Higgins and family came from Killingworth, Conn., to Castleton about 1781. From there they removed to Benson in 1788, settling on road 39, corner of road 40. His family consisted of five sons and five daughters. He died June 30, 1811, in the 68th year of his age. Temperance, his wife, died February 6, 1831, aged 73. Their son William and his wife Betsy occu- pied the old homestead many years. Their son, William Orson, now resides on road 20, at the age of 67 years.
Dan Higgins, son of Samuel, settled in Westhaven, from whence he re- moved to Genesee County, N. Y., and from there returned to Vermont, set- tling in Benson upon the farm now owned by Z. D. Husbrook, on road 40. Dan had eight sons and two daughters, of which seven sons and one daughter are still living. He died February 15, 1859, in his 75th year. Three sons, James, Alphonzo and Francis, are still residents of Benson.
Isaac Griswold, sen., came to this town from Norwich, Conn., about the year 1800, and settled upon the farm now owned by his grandson, J. S. Gris- wold, located on road 36. Isaac died in 1817, aged 82 years ; his wife, Abi- gail, dying the same year at the age of 79 years.
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TOWN OF BENSON.
Isaac Griswold, Jr., came from Norwich some two or three years previous to his father, and took up his residence with his sister, wife of Asa Farnham ; but as soon as his father came to the town he went to reside with him, where he remained till his father's death, when the farm came into his possession. Soon after, he built the house now occupied by his son, J. S. Griswold. Isaac, Jr., married for his first wife Naomi Barber, by whom he had seven children, two of whom died in infancy. Naomi died May 4, 1814, aged 32 years. For his second wife he married Huldah Dickinson, by whom he had two sons and three daughters. Of these children six sons and two daughters are still living. Isaac jr. was justice of the peace many years, and died in 1844, aged 65 years. His second wife died in 1858, aged 80 years.
Daniel Howard, an early settler, came to Benson from Hartford, Conn., with his father and two brothers, James and Samuel, settling upon the farm now owned by J. D. Hunt, on road 26. Daniel was born August 10, 1769, and died in 1848. His son J. J. still occupies the old homestead, at the age of 73 years.
Amos Root came from Pittsfield, Mass., in 1787, making his difficult way through the forest with an ox team, his wife riding horse-back and carrying their child, Sheldon, then about one year old. They settled upon the farm now owned by C. W. Fay, but afterwards removed to the farm now owned by Frank Halsted on road 31, where he built the first frame house in that portion of the town, in the year 1794, and which is still standing. Amos had three sons and two daughters. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and died in the great epidemic of 1813, his son Stephen dying at the same time. His son John lived upon the farm till 1849, when he moved about { mile west on road 31, and there died in 1846, aged 49 years. His wife, Laura, resides with her daughter, Eliza Jackson, in Minnesota. His son Stephen now re- sides on road 51.
Sheldon Root married Sally Gleason and settled upon the farm now owned by George Root. He died October 31, 1862, aged 76 years. His wife died October 31, 1870, aged 82 years.
Ezra Strong came to Benson from Pittsfield, Mass., at an early date, and located upon the farm now owned by Edwin Walker. His son, Wareham, came at the same time and settled in Westhaven upon the farm now owned by George Adams.
Robert Barber came to Benson from Worcester, Mass., in March, 1790, locating upon the farm now owned by his son, M. G. Barber, on road 2. He died March 9, 1827, his wife, Rebecca J., following him March 18, 1856, aged 92 years.
Abel Torrey came to Vermont from Massachusetts in 1788, settling in the town of Sudbury. In March, 1816, he removed to Benson, locating on the farm now owned by his only surviving child, Mrs. R. Manley, widow of A. D. Manley.
Stephen Crofoot came to Benson from Pittsfield, Mass., in 1778, and set-
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TOWN OF BENSON.
tled upon the farm now owned by Edwin A. Walker, on road 47. Mr. Cro- foot had three sons and two daughters, and died in March 1812. His wife followed him in 1815. William Crofoot, his son, lived upon the farm until his death, which occurred in June, 1829. Rhoda J., wife of William, died in June, 1844.
Daniel Crofoot, son of William, now resides on road 35, at the age of 77. He has been justice of the peace forty-seven years, represented the town in the State Legislature from 1864 to '66, and was also associate judge of the County Court in 1868 and '69.
Amos King, from Cheshire, Mass., came to Benson in 1797, accompanied by his wife Eunice, and one son and a daughter, Dexter and Ruth, aged respectively twelve and ten years. The farm upon which he settled is still in the possession of the family, being owned by his grandson, M. F. King. Amos lived an active, busy life, dying in the year 1822. His wife, Eunice, lived to the age of 86 years. Dexter King, upon arriving at man's estate, married Sally Frisbie, of Poultney, by whom he had six children, as follows : M. F., Eunice P., Noble C., Joseph D., Sarah R. and J. W .; all of whom are now living. M. F., who retains the homestead, is a very busy, active man, possessing the regard of all who know him. He was the town representative during the years 1862-'63.
Philo Wilcox, father of Philo E. Wilcox, was born at Goshen, Conn., January 22, 1873. He immigrated to Benson in 1788, where he resided until his death, which occurred August 26, 1865, aged 82 years and seven months.
John Quincey Dickinson, son of Cornelia (Coleman) Dickinson, was born in Benson, November 19, 1837, and was a paternal grandson of Capt. Joel Dickinson. He was a graduate of Middlebury College. In 1862 he enlisted as 2d Lieut. of Co. C, 7th Regiment, serving all through the war, resigning as Capt. of Co. F, October 10, 1865. He afterwards removed to Florida, where he became Assistant Secretary of the Senate of that. State. He was assassin- ated on the 3d of April, 1871, the assassination being for political motives. His body was interred in Benson, on Wednesday, April 19, 1871, in the pres- ence of the largest funeral procession ever gathered in the town.
The record of the first two town meetings, although stating that the meet- ings "were held in Benson," does not state in either case at what place in the town the meeting was held; and no notification or warning for any town meeting held in the town, previous to November, 1798, is recorded in the town records. At a town meeting held September 18, 1786, it was voted "to raise six pounds " and "to raise it by the pole," [poll] and " that there be six days' work per man done on the roads, with what has been done this year ;" and also " voted to petition to the General Assembly a tax on all lands of one pen- ny per acre." At the October session of the General Assembly, in 1786, an Act was passed empowering the selectmen to levy a tax of one penny on each acre of land in the town, for the purpose of making and repairing public
-6
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TOWN OF BENSON.
roads and bridges in the town. At the same session were passed resolutions providing for taking the sense of the freemen of the State on a proposed project for "emitting a small bank of paper money on loan or otherwise." In reference to these resolutions it was voted at a town meeting held in Ben- son November 23, 1786, "to say nothing about paper money."
At a town meeting held June 13, 1786, Capt. Asahel Smith was chosen the delegate from the town to the State Constitutional Convention, held at Man- chester on the last Thursday of June, 1786, called by the Council of Censors to consider certain proposed amendments to the Constitution.
The town was first represented in the General Assembly in 1788-Asahel Smith representative ; and it has been represented in that body at every ses- sion since that year, up to the present time; though in 1812 the election of the sitting member was successfully contested, and he was unseated.
Among the early merchants we find the following who were doing business in the year 1795 :-
Jonas Abbott advertises, June 12, that he " has again refurnished his cheap store with a fresh stock of European and India goods."
Timothy Watson was doing a boot and shoe business.
Stephen Olmsted and Tilly Gilbert were engaged in trade as general mer- chants, the partnership being dissolved on April 7th of this year, and the busi- ness continued by Olmsted.
At the annual town meeting held March 19, 1787, at the house of Stephen Olmsted, it was "voted to fix the house lately occupied by Solomon Chit- tenden and now the property of Asa Farnham, so it shall be convenient to meet in on the Sabbath," and also " voted to hire Mr. Ralph [minister] the space of one month, to pay in wheat after harvest, at a market price ; " and it was also " voted that the committee appointed to hire Mr. Ralph are to hire him one-half of the time for two months, if he will be hired for or under four dollars per Sabbath, to be paid in grain after harvest."
At a town meeting held December 29, 1788, it was "voted to hire a Minis- ter one-half the time next summer, with Fairhaven." Mr. Levi Hackley was employed as a preacher in 1789-'90. At a town meeting held on the 22d of March, 1790, it was "voted to have Mr. Levi Hackley settle with us for our Minister," and " that the town will raise thirty-five pounds in necessary articles for building, to be paid to Mr. Levi Hackley for a settlement, exclu- sive of the right of land which naturally belongs to him as soon as he becomes our Minister," and "to give Mr. Hackley seventy pounds salary for a year, to begin with forty pounds the first year, and to rise with the list of the town, until it amounts to seventy pounds, and there stand ; " but the vote to settle Mr. Hackley was reconsidered at an adjourned town meeting, March 30, 1780. The Rev. Dan. Kent became the first settled minister in Benson, he having a "call to settle with us in the work of the ministry " on the 4th of June, 1792. This pastoral relation continued until the 11th of July, 1828, when he was dismissed.
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TOWN OF BENSON.
In the winter of 1795-6, the canker rash, or ulcerous sore throat, (scarlet fever,) was very prevalent and malignant in the township and vicinity. During the winter of 1812-13, there were cases of the spotted fever in town ; and, in the latter part of February, 1813, these were followed by the typhoid pneumonia, or lung fever, which became a prevailing and frightful epidemic. Its principal ravages were in the months of March and April, and there were no new cases after the middle of May following. There were about sixty deaths from this disease in less than three months. Aside from these, the town has never been visited by epidemic diseases.
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