USA > Vermont > Windham County > Gazetteer and business directory of Windham county, Vt., 1724-1884 > Part 29
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Lieut. Abijah Livermore purchased three lots of land on West Hill in 1787, and during the following year his sons Ezra and Abijah, Jr., came on and began to clear the same, and a little later Lot Livermore came on and began a settlement on another place. Ezra Livermore was a man of considerable education and an ardent Congregationalist, which facts caused him to be held in much esteem and led to his being elected to many town trusts, among which was that of town clerk, an office he held over forty years.
Abiah Fuller, from Connecticut, came to Putney in 1793, with his four sons, Abiah, Jr., Abel, Joshua and Joseph, and several daughters. Abiah, Jr., subsequently married Betsey Blandin, as early as 1800, and died in Jamaica, February 15, 1859. Only one of his nine children, Abial P., is liv- ing. He resides in Jamaica, on road r, where he has cleared two farms during the past forty-nine years, and has acceptably filled many positions on the official board of the town. He married Phebe Stiles, June 13, 1843, and has three sons and two daughters. His brother, Amora E., born September 3, 1812, spent most of his life in Londonderry, where he held many offices of trust, and died in March, 1872.
David Young came from Arlington, Conn., about 1796, purchased a lot of wild land on South hill, which he cleared, and where he erected a dwelling
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and reared thirteen children, seven by his first wife, Polly Fitts, and six by his second wife, Elisabeth Streeter. He was one of the founders of the Bap- tist church here. Jonathan and Job, two of his elder sons, and Jerry, one of the younger children, always resided in Jamaica, where Jerry still lives, the only one of the family now left. Jerry married Candace D. Knowlton, and has had born to him three sons and two daughters.
John E. Butler, a son of Aaron and Lucinda (Howard) Butler, was born at Jamaica, on December 14, 1809, and died at Beaufort, S. C., May 9, 1867. He lived with his parents upon their farm until after he was seventeen years of age, and attended such district schools as the times afforded. The spring after he was seventeen he went to Coxsackie, N. Y., and worked in a brick yard. The following autumn he returned home and attended the district school during the winter, returning the next summer to Coxsackie, where he worked in the same brick yard during the last of summer, and returned home "in season to attend a select school that fall at West Townshend. The fol- lowing winter, 1828-'29, he taught a district school in Londonderry, and in the summer of 1829 he worked some with his father on the farm, and also on the highways, in the fall attending the select schools again at West Towns- hend. The winter following, 1829-'30, he kept school in the southwestern part of Townshend, and the next summer went to Worcester, Mass., to find employinent, working on a farm a few months. In the winter of 1830-'31, he taught school in Townshend, in the spring of 1831 attending the Chester- field Academy, N. H. In the winter of 1831-'32, he taught school at Wind- ham, and attended the Chesterfield academy again during the spring and fall terms of 1832, returning to Jamaica in the summer, and continued thus, part of the time attending or teaching school, and part of the time working on the farm, until 1834, when, in March, he commenced the study of law with Epaphroditus Ransom, Esq., at Townshend, continuing there until the latter removed to Michigan, after which he went into the office of the Hon. John Roberts, of Townshend, where he remained until the spring of 1836, when he went to the office of Horace Roberts, Esq., at Whitingham, where he remained until he was admitted to the bar, at the April term of the court of 1837. While studying his profession, in the winter seasons he taught district schools at Townshend and Winhall, and in the summers labored for a short season for his father on his farm, to gain means with which to pursue his studies. Immediately after he was admitted to the bar he commenced prac- tice in company with Horace Roberts, Esq., at Whitingham. October 25, 1837, he married Roccina Brooks, of Winhall. He continued his practice of law with Mr. Roberts until the latter died, early in 1838. In 1838 he was appointed postmaster at Whitingham, which office he held and continued to. practice his profession there until 1843. While he resided at Whitingham, an academy was established and provided with a building and apparatus mainly through his efforts. July 24, 1843, he removed to his native town, and com- menced the practice of the law here. He was elected representative to the
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JOHN E. BUTLER.
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general assembly from Jamaica, in the years 1848, '49, '51, and 53. In 1853, mainly through his influence, the West River Bank was incorporated, and located at Jamaica. In 1854 the bank was organized and he was elected cashier, continuing to hold that office while he lived. In 1854 he formed a partnership for the practice of law with Benjamin L. Knowlton, and they continued to practice law together until Mr. Knowlton died, in 1859. In 1857 he was a member of the constitutional convention. In 1858 and 1859 he was State senator for the county of Windham. The Jamaica Leather Company was incorporated, located at Jamaica, and commenced business in 1859, largely through his influence. In December, 1859, he commenced a law partnership with H. H. Wheeler, which continued while he lived. In 1861 he had many friends in various parts of the State, who urged his name for the office of governor, and many of them attended the State convention of that year for the purpose of procuring his nomination for that office. Mr. Holbrook's claims were urged by some, however, and so strongly that Mr. Butler's name was withdrawn. He was the father of three children, of whom the youngest, George A., died at the age of eighteen, in 1864. The eldest, John A., assisted him in the care and management of the bank from about the time it was incorporated until his death, and then took his father's place as cashier, a position he still holds. His second son, Henry A., was lying dangerously sick at Beaufort, S. C., where he had gone to visit him at the time of his death.
Solomon Goodell came to this town in 1798, locating in the southern part of the town. Mr. Goodell was a benevolent man, and gave much for one of his means, to religious charities. He died in 1815, aged seventy years.
Josiah Gleason, in company with his brothers Benjamin, Jonathan and Elisha, came to Jamaica from Spencer, Mass., previous to 1800. Josiah made the first clearing on the Squire Gleason place on road 38. Squire, the youngest of five children, spent his life on the old homestead. He married Candace Howard and reared three children, Charles H., William F. and Ella. He was a liberally educated man, taught school a number of terms, was a justice of the peace many years, and was a member of the Methodist church of Wardsboro from the time of its organization until his death, which occurred in 1877, at the age of seventy years. His widow survives him, residing at Wardsboro.
Jared Sage, son of Jonathan, was born at Shaftsbury, Vt., in 1780. He married Elizabeth Howard, and removed to Jamaica about 1803, locating on Turkey mountain. Later, however, he removed to the western part of the town, where many of his descendants now reside. Of his family of ten chil- dren, S. Emery, Jared and John B. reside in Jamaica, Jesse in Stratton, and Mason A. in Wardsboro. John B. and S. Emery married sisters, Nancy and Martha S. Holton. The former has reared four sons and one daughter, while the latter married for his second wife Lois Richmond, and has reared a large family.
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Willard Smith, eldest son of Rufus, came to Jamaica with his father, from Mendon, Mass., in 1806, locating upon the farm now occupied by Titus Howe. He now, at the age of eighty-four years, resides on road 14. He has been a member of the Baptist church here fifty years. The younger children were Ruth, Anna, Abigail, Samuel, Sally, Nahum, Rufus and Eme- line. Willard lived with his father, in the western part of the town, until his marriage to Jerusha Howe, in 1829. Two of his seven children are living. Hezron W. and Emerson W., the former postmaster at North Windham, in Londonderry, and the latter in this town.
Benjamin Felton was born in Brookfield, Mass., .July 21, 1771. He learned the clothier's trade in his youth, married Nancy Ellis, in September, 1794, and resided in Massachusetts until after the birth of their four children, Eliza C., Nathan B., Dwight F. and Asa E. About 1806 he purchased the grist and saw-mill at " Wardsboro City," and brought his family to Vermont. Here he carried on business until 1828 and had four more children born to him, Lucy D., Horatio L., Henry H., and Theodocia R. In 1828, with his wife and four younger children, Mr. Felton came to Jamaica and spent the remainder of his life here, dying October 19, 1858, aged eighty-seven years. Mrs. Felton died May 1, 1836. Five of their children are now living, four in Jamaica, viz. : Asa E., Horatio L., Henry H. and Theodocia R.
Charles Barnes, from Leicester, Mass., came to Jamaica in 1823. He fol- lowed the blacksmith trade and died here in 1871. Eight of his nine children are still living, of whom William L. succeeded to the business established by his father and also owns an hotel and several dwellings. He was also a mem- ber of Co D, 16th Vt. Vols.
Asa B. Kingsbury, with his three brothers, Arnold B., Squire A. and Ward P., made the first settlement here in West river valley, just north of Bald mountain, about 1820. They were all born in Chesterfield, N. H., where their father, Philip A. Kingsbury, was also born, in 1780. These brothers bought land here and made clearings adjoining each other, and each reared a large family, numbering thirty-four in all. Ten of these children were in the late civil war, of whom Merritt W. and Daniel O. now reside in Jamaica, and Ezra lives in Chester. Arnold B. removed to Rawsonville in 1838, where three of his sons now reside, Ward C., Austin A. and Benjamin A. Ward P. removed to Rawsonville about 1867, locating on road 4, where his son, Merritt N., now lives, and where he died, in February, 1867, aged seventy-five years. His widow still resides on the homestead, while another son, Daniel O., resides on road 18, and two daughters, Mrs. C. H. Landman and Mrs. Betsey M. Kingsbury, reside in Jamaica on road 7. Asa spent his life on the farm he cleared. His surviving children are Dea. Nelson Kingsbury and the widow of Rev. Ralph Lyon, in South Windham ; Mrs. Rev. Willard Bishop, of Meri- den, Conn. ; Rev. Zenas Kingsbury, of Windsor ; and Rev. Arnold Kings- bury, of Fredonia, N. Y. Squire A. Kingsbury reared five children, only one of whom, Loren Kingsbury, of Londonderry, is living. Elliot O., his third
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son, married Betsey M., daughter of Ward P. Kingsbury, and reared two sons, Charles H., residing in this town on road 74, and Loren K., of Fort Ann, N. Y. Elliot O. served in Co. E, 5th Vt. Vols., was mustered out of service in 1865, and died three months later, of disease contracted while in the service.
Dr. Joel Holton was born in Dummerston, May 14, 1803, and settled in Jamaica in 1831, where he has practiced as a physician and surgeon for over fifty years. He is a graduate from Bowdoin college, has been town clerk here many years, a justice of the peace several years, was a delegate to the constitutional convention in 1850, and has represented the town in the gen- eral assembly two terms. He married, first, Lucretia Bugbee, of Dummers- ton, who died in 1839, and second, Paulina Dalton, of Wardsboro. The latter marriage resulted in the birth of three children, Warren L., George W., and Lucretia E. (Mrs. David Eddy).
Luke C. Landman originally came from Richmond, R. I., to Vermont, locating in Brattleboro, in company with his father, Levi, in 1810. Here he grew to manhood, and, October 30, 1830, married Hannah Butterfield, a daughter of Zenos Butterfield, and a granddaughter of Capt. Ezra Butter- field, who served under Gen. Stark at the battle of Bennington. In 1836 he came to Jamaica with his family, and has resided thirty-seven years on the farm he now occupies, on road 7. Ten of this aged couple's twelve children are now living, of whom John T., the eldest, resides ;in Londonderry, and Charles H. and Luke T. in Jamaica. Mr. and Mrs. Landman celebrated their golden wedding October 30, 1880.
Wales Cheney was born in this town in 1836, and has resided here all his life. During the late war he served in Co. I, 18th Vt. Vols., and was wounded at the battle of Bull Run.
Myron L. Boynton was born at West Townshend in 1838, and came to Jamaica with his father when seven years of age. During the late war he enlisted in Co. H, 8th Vt. Vols., and served three years. most of the time on detached duty. At the opening of the B. & W. R. R., he was appointed station master here, and has held the position ever since.
George H. Ellis was born here in 1839. He married Hattie L. Harring- ton, was a member of Co. F, Ist Regt. of Sharpshooters, and has carried on the business of a carpenter and builder here thirty years.
Royal E. Taft, one of the younger sons of Josiah and Olive Taft, was born in West Townshend. He married Frances H. Wood, of Randolph, and now resides on road 14. He has reared five children, Willis H., Lillie G., George F., Rosa M. and Marcia M., all of whom, except George F., reside in Jamaica. Roval E. Taft's mother is still living, aged ninety years.
Isaac N. Pike, son of Capt. William Pike, was born in Somerset, married Jane H. Stiles, of Stratton, and came to Jamaica about 1846, building a saw- mill at Pike's Falls, where he carried on the lumber business about thirty years. Mr. Pike was also the agent of Massachusetts parties owning large tracts of land in this vicinity, was a practical surveyor, and in early life was
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a practicing physician of the Thompsonian school. Mr. Pike reared nine children, one of whom, Norman, died in Andersonville prison, during the late war. He now, with three sons and two daughters, resides in the county. at the advanced age of eighty years.
Hon. Hoyt H. Wheeler, born in Chesterfield, N. H., in 1833, located in Jamaica in 1859, where he is now a distinguishe dresident. He represented the town in the legislature of 1867 ; was State senator in 1868-'69 ; judge of the supreme court from 1869 to March, 1877, then was appointed United States district judge, a position he still retains.
Harvey E. Spencer, son of Mark Spencer, was born in Westminster in February, 1837, where his great-grandfather, Ephraim, was one of the early settlers. Harvey E. removed from Westminster to Londonderry in 1862, and came to Jamaica in 1868.
Philemon Holden, son of Phineas Holden, of Worcester county, Mass. was an early settler in Londonderry. He married Sally Faulkner, of that town. and reared five children, Charles F., Henry G., Lauren W., Sylvenus M., and Mary J. Charles F. went West about 1859, and now lives in Nebraska Henry G. spent twelve years in the West, returned in 1869, and now resides on road 7. Lauren W. was a member of the Windham county bar, and lived in Londonderry until his death, October 10, 1882. Sylvanus M. resides in Londonderry. Mary J. died in Londonderry at the age of eighteen years. Philemon died in the spring of 1881, aged seventy-two years
Seth L. Randall was born in Kingfield, Me., and located here upon the farm he now occupies, in 1869. He enlisted at East Bridgewater, Mass., in the 40th Mass. Vols., in August, 1862, and while on picket duty in Florida was taken prisoner with seven others, remaining in Andersonville prison 363 days, where his seven companions all died of exposure and starvation.
George Wells, the second son of Samuel Wells, was born in Blandford, Eng., came to America in 1870, and followed shoemaking in this town ten years, when he retired. He is one of seven sons, six of whom are custom shoemakers.
Jeptha Frost, one of the early settlers of Mount Holly, Vt., reared a family of seven sons and two daughters. Two of the sons, Stephen and Daniel perished in the late war. Two, Alvin and Ransel, came to Windham county in 1877, Alvin locating in Jamaica, where he established the business of manu- facturing trays. He married Sarah A. Wilder, of Wallingford, Vt., and had five daughters. Ransel located in West Townshend, but now resides in Jamaica,
Samuel Ryder, from Massachusetts, settled in Stratton about 1820. He reared nine children, and died in June, 1840. The only ones of the family now in the county are Henry R. and Fred M., of Jamaica. Fred M., from the time he was six years of age, was brought up by Oliver Maynard, who made the first clearing in the district now known as Maynard Hollow, in 1812 or '14. He now occupies a part of the original Maynard homestead farm.
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Alonzo P. Clough, born in Peru, N. Y., came to Jamaica with his widowed mother when he was nine years old. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. K, 9th Vt- Vols., serving three years. After the war he returned to Jamaica, married Mrs. Lydia Allison, whose husband was killed in the battle of the Wilderness, and has four sons and two daughters. He resides on road 34.
Levi Baldwin, born in Dummerston, married Miss A. Fisher, of West Brat- tleboro, and was an early settler in Jamaica. Ebenezer F., one of eight chil- dren, born here in 1808, married Miss T. M. Ward, of Wardsboro, carried on the cabinet making business in that town thirty-six years, and now resides at West Brattleboro.
During the war of 1812 the quota first called from Jamaica was five men, which was filled by the following, viz. : William Davidson, Sylvester Hiscock, Vajazatha Daniels, Abram Gage and Timothy Bolton.
During the late civil war the town furnished 149 men, and paid bounties amounting to $48, 179.85. The first enlisted were Dennis Chase and Fred- erick B. Felton, May 1, 186r.
The First Congregational church, located at Jamaica, was organized Sep- tember 25, 1791, by the society's eight original members, viz .: Reuben Wellman, Aaron Whitney, John Wellman, Margaret Whitney, Mary Well- man, Mary Gage, and Lucy Blancher, and under the advice of the pastors of the churches in Duminerston and Newfane. The first pastor was Rev. John Stoddard, settled November 4, 1794. The church building, a wood struture capable of seating 200 persons, was erected in 1808. The society now has a total membership of sixty-six persons, with Rev. O. G. Baker, pastor.
The Baptist church, located on Main street, Jamaica village, was organized, probably, in 1796, though the Baptist association records say 1790. We make this assertion for the reason that one of the charter members of the Congregational church was a Baptist, and joined that society for the reason, say the records, "that there is no Baptist church in town." This was in 1791, one year after the date claimed by the association. It is barely possible that in making the record the clerk caused his figure six to resemble a cipher. The first regular pastor, Elder Simeon Coombs, was settled in 1798 or '99. In 1811 Elder Coombs deeded two acres of land to the society for a church site, under condition that a building should be erected inside of five years from the date. In 1816 this restricted time was extended two years, and the building was completed the following year, 1817. It is a neat, comfortable structure, having undergone extensive alterations and repairs in 1883. Rev. E. Small is the present acting pastor of the society.
The Seventh Day Advent church, located on road 21, was organized about 1858, by Elders A. C. Bourdeau and A. S. Hutchins, with nine members, the first settled pastor being Elder Nahum Orcutt. The church building, erected in 1868, will seat 200 persons and is valued at $1,000.00. The society now has about seventy members, with no regular pastor.
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TOWN OF LONDONDERRY.
L ONDONDERRY lies in the northwestern corner of the county, in lat. 44° 7' and long. 4° 19', bounded north by Landgrove, in Bennington county, and Weston and Andover, in Windsor county, east by Wind- ham, South by Jamaica, and west by Landgrove and Winhall, in Bennigton county. The township originally included the town of Windham, and was granted by New York to James Rogers, February 23, 1770, under the name of Kent. Rogers was a regular colonel of colony militia, under king George III. In 1778, because of his Tory principles, Col. Roger's property was confis- cated and he was obliged to fly to Canada, and on the 20th of April, 1780, the Vermont legislature chartered the confiscated land to Edward Aiken, Samuel Fletcher and Joseph Tyler, reserving five sixty-fifths thereof for relig- ious and educational purposes, and changing the name of the territory from Kert to Londonderry. In 1792 Londonderry was divided, the eastern part becoming the town of Windham, though the boundary line was not then established, but was supposed to be near the western base of Glebe Mountain. In 1795, through the influence of Esquire Arnold in the legislature, a por- tion of Windham was re-annexed to Londonderry and the boundary estab- lished as it now is, ranging with the summit of the mountain. In 1795 James Rogers, Jr., petitioned the legislature to grant him one half of the confiscated lands that remained unsold, which petition was granted. In 1797 he petitioned again for the other half, alleging as a reason, that if it was right for him to have one half it was also right for him to have the whole. The legislature recognized the force of his logic and again granted his petition.
Though the surface of the township is broken and uneven there yet remains a large amount of fine, arable land, with a warm, easily cultivated soil, the alluvial lands along West river being considered unusually good. This stream forms, with its tributaries, the water course of the territory, flowing a south- erly course through the center of the town, into Jamaica. It receives Win- hall river and Utley brook from the west, and a good sized mill stream from the east. Upon the latter, in the northern part of the town, is located Lowell lake, a fine large pond, and above it a smaller body of water, called Lily pond.
In 1880 Londonderry had a population of 1,154, and in 1882 its thirteen school districts contained thirteen common schools, employing three male and twenty-two female teachers, at an aggregate salary of $1,194.80. There were 278 pupils attending common school, while the entire cost of the schools for the year, ending October 31st, was $1,332.52, with W. L. Gibson, superintendent.
LONDONDERRY is a post village located in the northern part of the town. It has one church (Congregational), one hotel, machine shop, saw and grist- mill, a tin shop. two general stores, and about forty dwellings. West river, along which the village is located, affords several good mill-privileges, which are utilized by the manufactories mentioned.
SOUTH LONDONDERRY is a post village consisting of about sixty dwellings. scattered for the length of nearly a mile along the valley of West river, a little
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south of the center of the town, being the western terminus of the Brattleboro & Whitehall railroad. It has one church (Baptist), a good hotel, a weekly paper, The Sifter, and various manufactories, including that of lumber, leather, flour and feed, a harness shop, tin shop. livery stable, etc.
LIVERMOREVILLE is a hamlet located in the southwestern part of the town. The Londonderry grist-mill, located at Londonderry village, was built by A. A. Curtis, in 1880, on the site of one originally built about one hundred years ago. The mill has three runs of stones and grinds about 1,200 bushels of merchant grain and 8,000 bushels of custom grain per year.
A. A. Curtis's saw-mill, located with and built at the same time of the above grist mill, is furnished with circular saws and the necessary inachinery for manufacturing 400,000 feet of lumber per year.
Francis F. Churchill's saw-mill, on road 32, was placed on its present foundation about 1871 or '72, by Joseph Bailey. It was purchased by Mr. Churchill in 1884, and has the capacity for cutting 2,000 to 4,500 feet of lumber per day.
Williams & Hayward's machine shop, on Main street, at Londonderry, was commenced here in January, 1884, a continuation of the business carried en at Chester, by Horace A. Hayward. The building is a three story wood structure, 36 by 50 feet, erected in 1867. In 1883 Mr. Williams built a stone dam, one hundred feet in length, across West river, which gives a fall of seven and one-half feet. The firm has ample machinery for carrying on their busi- ness, the manufacture of iron planers, power and lever punches, drilling machin- ery. screw machines, etc.
William A. Shattuck's grist-mill, at South Londonderry, has three runs of stones and does custom work.
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