USA > Vermont > Windham County > Gazetteer and business directory of Windham county, Vt., 1724-1884 > Part 35
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Thomas Aplin, from Providence, R. I., came to Putney in 1789, locating upon the farm now occupied by William S. Aplin. Mr. Aplin was a college graduate and a man of good business capacity. He married Mary Fuller. and had three children when he came to the town, Thomas, Jr., Rebecca. and Mary. Alexander A., born in 1790, fitted himself for teaching, but was killed at the age of twenty-five years, by a log pile rolling upon him. Thomas, Jr., married Mary Reynolds, daughter of Grendal Reynolds, and reared two sons and one daughter. William S. Aplin, the surviving son, born Septem- ber 21, 1822, married Mary Blanchard and has one son, George T., and one daughter, Nellie M.
Leonard Blanchard was born in Weston, Vt., January 30, 1797, married Eleanor Spaulding, and reared two sons and four daughters. John, one of the sons, resides in Marlboro, and the other, Ira S., in this town. Two of
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the daughters, Mrs. W. S. Aplin, of this town, and Mrs. Francis Black, of Marlboro, N. H., are living. Leonard Blanchard purchased and settled on the farm he now occupies in Putney, in March 1833.
James Crawford came from Union, Conn., to Westminster about 1767, and in' 1799 removed thence to Putney, locating on the[farm where his great- grandson, Henry Crawford, now lives. He served as a minute man in the Revolution. His son Thophilus, who was born in Connecticut about 1764, died in January, 1855, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. He took an active interest in public affairs. He represented the town for many years, and was a senator from this county. He was a member of the Governor's Council, was high sheriff of the county, and justice of the peace. He had ten children, all of whom reared families. Mark Crawford, son of Theophi- lus, was born in Putney in 1800, on the farm on which his son Henry and daughter Eliza M. now live, and died there in 1861. He also represented his town. Henry Crawford has in his possession a clock which belonged to his great-grandfather, James Crawford.
Deacon David Crawford, son of Theophilus, was born in Westminister, August 6, 1789, and was ten years old when he moved with his parents to Putney, where he spent the remainder of his life. He held various commis- sions in the war of 1812, and distinguished himself in several hard-fought battles. When, at the close of the war, the army was reduced to a peace foot- ing of 10,000 men, he was retained with full rank, but ill-health compelled him to decline this complimentary distinction and resign. He represented the town of Putney in 1828, '29, '32 and '33 ; was a member of the last execu- tive council in 1835 ; a presidential elector in 1836; a senator from this county in 1840 and '41; a member of the convention to revise the State constitution in 1843; and a member of the council of censors in 1848. He was also a select- man for many years and a justice of the peace for a quarter of a century. He united with the Congregational church in November, 1833, and in March following was chosen deacon. He was a man of correct moral principles and strong mental powers. He was slow to form an opinion, but when a conclu- sion was reached he exhibited great firinness and decision. He died March 1, 1871. He had seven children, four of whom are living, one son, James, and one daughter, Ellen, in this town. Another daughter, Mrs. Julia Clark, lives in New York, and another son, George, in Desmoines, Iowa. His son David went to New York and was engaged in railroading. He was at one time a director of the New York Central railroad.
Hon. Phineas White, son of Dea. Enoch White, was born in South Hadley, Mass., October 30, 1770. He graduated at Dartmouth college in 1797, and studied law with Hon. Charles Marsh, of Woodstock, Vt., and Judge Samuel Porter, of Dummerston. In 1800 he commenced the practice of his profes- sion in Putney, where he resided through life. He was called to many posi- tions of honor and responsibility. He was postmaster at Putney from 1802 to 1809. He was for several years State's attorney for the county of Wind-
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ham, was judge of the probate court, and from 1818 to 1820 was chief judge of the county. In 1820 he was elected a representative in congress, and served one term. In 1836 he was a member of the covention for revising the constitution of Vermont, and from 1838 to 1840 was a State senator, having previously served three terms as representative from the town. He belonged to the Masonic order and was grand master of the lodge of Ver- mont. After his election to congress he almost wholly abandoned his law business and engaged in farming. The colleges of the State and various benevolent institutions shared largely in his counsels and liberality. He was a trustee of Middlebury college, and was for several years president of the Vermont Bible Society, and the Vermont Colonization Society. He was also an active member of the Congregational church of Putney. He died July 6, 1846, aged seventy-six years. He married Esther Stevens, of Plainfieldl, Conn., who was born in 1777, and died in 1858, aged eighty-one. Only two of his children are living. One, the wife of John Kimball, resides on the old White homestead. Another, Mrs. Abby Williams, lives in North Carolina. William Wallace White, son of Phineas, was born in Putney in 1816. He was a law- yer and practiced for a few years in New York and St. Louis. He was mayor of Burlington, Iowa, and president of the Desmoines County Savings Bank. He died in 1871.
Dan Davis came to Putney from Connecticut among the earliest settlers and located in the west part of the town, on the farm on which Samuel Goodell now lives. He was a hatter by trade and also engaged in farming. He had four children, only two of whom lived to maturity. His son Alanson was born in Putney in 1798. He married Experience Orvis, by whom he had three children, only two of whom are now living, Charles D. and Deni- son, both in this town. He died in 1859, aged seventy-one years. Denison is one of the selectmen of the town.
Samuel Wheat was one of three brothers who emigrated from England to Connecticut, from whence he came at an early day to Putney, and settled in the northwest part of the town, on the farm now owned by Mrs. Ann Holton. He had eight children, all cf whom are dead. His son Samuel was born in Putney in 1788 and lived here until his death, in 1869. He married Rebecca Wilcox, by whom he had two children, John D. and Samuel E., both of whom reside in town.
John Roberts settled at an early day on the farm on which his grandson, James C. Roberts, now lives, and died in the town of Thetford, Orange county, in 1829. His son John was born on the farm on which he settled, in 1768, and resided there until his death, in 1832. Two of the latter's sons, Charles and James C., and one daughter, Mrs. Minerva Fuller, still reside in the town, Charles, on road 19, aged eighty-eight, and James C., who has car- ried on the carriage business for eighteen years, on the homestead.
Caleb Harding came to this town from Connecticut at an early day and settled at East Putney, where he cleared a farm and raised a family of five chil-
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dren. One son, Charles, is living in Springfield, Mass. Another, John R., was born here about 1794, and lived in the town till his death in 1878. He married Lucy Bennett, and had six children, three of whom are William B., who is principal of a school in Hatfield, Mass., and Mrs. J. K. Parker and John R., who reside in Putney, the former in the east part of the town and the latter off road 32.
Chapin Bolster, a native of Sullivan, N. H., came to Putney at an early day, and after living here a short time removed to Londonderry, where he died in 1865, having, however, lived some twenty years elsewhere. He was the father of twenty-one children, by three marriages. One of his sons, Joel C., lives in Putney, and two daughters in other parts of the county.
Richard Cobb, from Taunton, Mass., settled at an early day in the east part of Putney and resided here till his death, about 1832. His son David, who was born in 1778, was a small boy when the family came to Putney. He died here in 1805, leaving three children, all of whom are living. Mrs. Amelia Crosby, in Waltham, Mass., Josiah, in Charlestown, N. H., and David R., in Putney.
Abiah Fuller came here from Massachusetts at an early day and died here about 1836. He was a Revolutionary soldier, His son Joshua spent most of his life here, and died here about 1855. Gracia Fuller, living in the east part of the town, and Proctor J. Fuller, living on road 4, are children of Joshua.
Josiah Parker came to Putney from either Massachusetts or Connecticut and settled on the farm on which Denison Davis now lives. He is said to have been the first man who drove a team through Putney street. He cleared a farm and raised a family of children. His son Roswell was born on the homestead, but afterwards settled in the east part of the town. He was a clothier by trade, and had a large family. He died in 1844. Warren Parker, son of Roswell, was born in the east part of thetown and spent most of his life here. He died January 14, 1882, in his ninety-first year. In his younger days he was captain of a company of horse. Three of his six children are living, Mrs. James Booth, of Springfield, Vt., Mrs. Caroline Booth, of Arlington, Iowa, and Sterne O., who resides on road 45 in Putney.
Rufus Pierce came to Putney from Westmoreland, N. H., in company with his father, Ebenezer, previous to 1790, and settled at East Putney. He raised twelve children, of whom Leroy is the only one living. Ebenezer was at the battle of Bennington and was shot by a Tory at Hoosac.
Ephraim and James Clay, brothers, settled at an early day at East Putney. Ephraim's son Ephraim was born in Putney and lived here till about 1838, when he removed to West Fairlee, Vt., where he died in 1845. Three of his seven children are living, one son, William B., on road 65 in Westmins- ter, another, Jabez, in California, and a daughter, Mrs. Stephen C. Ranney, in Athens.
Judge Noah Sabin came to Putney from Taunton, Mass., at an early day. He was a judge under King George III. at the time of the massacre at West-
Gúnyle
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minster court-house. His son Noah was born in Putney and died there. He raised a large family of children. His son Prentiss was born in Putney and spent his life here, with the exception of about eight years spent at Malone, N. Y., where he died. Three of his five children are living, two of them, George P. and Arabella, in Westminster, Vt.
Lorrin D. Thwing was born in Putney about 1805 and spent most of his life here. He died about 1861. His son Orrin S. now resides at Putney, where he operates a grist-mill.
James Clark came to Putney from East Windsor, Conn., about 1808. He died in Brandon, Vt. His son Hiram was born in East Windsor, Conn., in 1799 and came here with his father at the age of nine years. He has spent most of his life in this town and now resides on road 11.
Obadiah Parker was born in Putney and learned the tanner's trade in Brat- tleboro. He afterwards removed to Westminster, and subsequently to North- field, Vt., where he died. His son William was born in Brattleboro in 1803, and came to Putney at the age of seven years. He has since lived here most of the time, and now resides with his son Edgar C. on road 1 1.
William M. Clough came to Putney from Sullivan county, N. H., about 1813, and settled about a mile north of the village, where he engaged in farming. Six of his seven children are living, four of them in Putney. He died in 1869 aged eighty-one years. His son Dorr, who resides at Putney, is deputy sheriff.
Tisdell Cobb came to Putney from Coventry, Vt., about 1814, and located at East Putney, on the farm on which his son Norman now lives. He was a blacksmith by trade, and lived in this town about fifty years, when he removed to Westminster, where he died about 1862. He had nine children, six of whom are living. His son Norman was seven years old when the family came to Putney, and has since been a resident of the town. For fifty years he carried on the blacksmithing business, in which he was succeeded by his son Norman.
Joel Willard came to Putney from Warwick, Conn., about 1820, and settled on road 19, where he pursued the vocation of blacksmithing. He had ten children, four of whom are living, three of them in Putney village, William, J. D., and Warren. J. D. served four years in the late war.
Patrick C. O'Neal was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, about 1807, and came to Putney about 1817. He has since resided here. He married Mary A. Johnson and has had twelve children, ten of whom are living.
John B. Pierce came to Putney from Berlin, Mass., about 1822 and located near Putney village. He was a carpenter by trade, and died in 1849. Five of his seven children are living, two of them, Mrs. A. B. Hewitt and George L. Pierce, in this town.
Rev. Amos Foster was born in Salisbury, N. H., March 30, 1797. He was graduated from Dartmouth college in 1822, and ordained as a minister at Canaan, N. H., in 1825. In 1833 he came to Putney, where he preached
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twenty years and eight months. After an absence of three years in Lud- low, Vt., and nine in Acworth, N. H., he returned to Putney and acted as pastor for seven years. He married Harriet A. White, daughter of Rev. Broughton White, a native of Westmoreland, N. H. They have had seven children, five of whom are living. One son, Broughton, died in Plymouth, N. C., in 1867 ; another, Henry D., died in Grafton in 1869.
George Robertson, a native of Scotland, came to Putney about 1823, and in company with his brother William established a paper-mill where the mill of Cole & Gough now stands. About 1828 he established the business where his son William is now located.
John Kimball was born in Haverhill, N. H., in 1796, and graduated from Dartmouth college in 1822. He studied law with Moses P. Payson, of Bath, N. H., and was admitted to the bar in January, 1828, in which year he com- menced the practice of his profession in Claremont. In January, 1829, he came to Putney, where he has since resided. Hehas taken an active interest in pub- lic affairs, and has been honored with various public trusts. He was State's attorney in 1836-'38 ; a member of the State senate in 1846-'48 ; and repre- sented the town in 1861-'62. He has also been a justice of the peace. In 1834 he married Frances M. White, and has one son, Charles W., who resides with him.
Reuben G. Page came to Putney from New Hampshire about 1840. He worked for many years in the woolen mill. He died on the farm on which his son Charles R. now lives, on road 31, April 26, 1882.
Alexis B. Hewitt was born in Windham in 1822, and came to Putney in March, 1843. He worked for twelve years in the woolen-mill, and in 1857 purchased a store and was engaged in mercantile business till 1882. He was appointed postmaster at Putney in 1861 and held the office till 1882, when he resigned. He has been treasurer of the town since 1867, and town clerk since 1868. He married Abby F. Pierce. Their only child, Mary J., died in 1867.
Marshall Pierce came to Putney from Westmoreland, N. H., about 1844, his parents having been early settlers in that town. He run a ferry across the Connecticut river for twenty years, has been railroad station agent for the last twenty-eight years, and is also engaged in farming.
Josiah K. Parker came to Putney from Landgrove, Bennington county, in 1847. He is a farmer and has lived for twenty-two years on the farm on which he now resides. He has served as justice of the peace twelve years and selectman three years.
Warren Leach was born in Westmoreland in 1812 and came to Putney in 1849, locating on the farm on which he now resides. He has been lister eight years and overseer of the poor seven years. Only one of his three chil- dren is living, George W., in Langdon, N. H.
Haynes E. Baker was born in Pawlet, Vt., in October, 1810, and in 1835 removed to Newfane, where he was engaged in mercantile business for about
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fifteen years. He then came to Putney and pursued the same business here till the spring of 1871. He died in Minneapolis, Minn., while there on a visit, in July, 1877. His first wife was Hannah Adams, by whom he had three children, all of whom are dead ; his second, Fanny A. Eager, of New- fane, by whom he had two children, both of whom are living.
Hazen Ayer was born in Newbury, N. H., in 1813, and came to Putney in 1865. He settled on West hill, and three years later removed to the farm where he now lives, on road 48.
George P. Parke removed from Landgrove to Londonderry in 1864, and from thence to Putney in 1874. He settled on the farm on which be now resides. He is an auctioneer and farmer.
Putney S. Hannum was born in Williamstown, Mass., in 1827, and removed with his father, Henry Hannum, to Weston, Windsor county. In 1880 he came to Putney, and is now one of the prosperous farmers of the town.
Congregational church of Putney .- The first religious meetings in the town were held at the house of Joshua Parker, by whom they were conducted, or in the barn of James Cummings, and afterwards, when the settlers became more numerous, in more convenient places, until 1773, when a church build- ing was erected. The society was organized October 16, 1776, with four members, Rev. Josiah Goodhue being the first settled pastor. In 1803, the old building was superseded by a new structure, which in turn gave place to the present edifice, in 1841. The present wooden structure will com- fortably seat 400 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $9,000 00. The society now has about one hundred members, with Rev. Lincoln Har- low, pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal church, located at Putney village, was organized at East Putney in 1832, and removed to Putney village in 1842. At its organization the society had seventy-five members, Rev. Edward A. Rice being their first pastor. Their first house of worship was erected in 1832, and the present one in 1842, which is a brick structure capable of seating 250 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $6,000.00. The society now has seventy members, with Rev. F. H. Knight, pastor.
The Universalist church, located at Putney, was organized by Rev. J. H. Farnsworth, with sixty members, in March, 1881, Rev. Edward Smiley being their first pastor, who still retains the position. The society has not erected a house of worship yet, holding their meetings in the town hall.
R OCKINGHAM lies in the northeastern corner of the county, in lat. 43° II' long. 4° 32, bounded north by Springfield, in Windsor county, east by the west bank of the Connecticut river, south by Westminster, and west by Grafton and a small part of Athens. This township was char- tered by Gov. Benning Wentworth, of New Hampshire, under the usual re- strictions and reservations, December 28, 1752, to Samuel Johnson and
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fifty-eight associates, being bounded in the charter deed as follows, and said to contain an area of 24,955 acres :-
"Beginning at the northeast corner of Westminister, and running up by Connecticut river until it extends six miles in a straight line northerly, to a stake and stones upon Hickup meadow; thence running due west six miles to a stake and stones ; thence running southerly six miles to the northwesterly corner of Westminster; thence running due east to the bounds first men- tioned."
There are, however, accounts of the town being originally chartered by the name of Goldenstown, which name the locality bore more or less, up to 1850, though no records of such a charter are extant. There are also still more plausible accounts that the first settlements were made under a charter from the Old Bay State, and that the place was called Fallstown, which was sub- sequently changed to Great Falls. Then again, too, there is a strong pre- sumption that at the time Westminster was granted, by the name of Number One, Rockingham received similar privileges from Massachusetts, under the name of Number Two. But be these conjectures as they may, there is little value to be attached to them, except in the way of antiquarian lore, for to the Wentworth charter of 1752, as above stated, the inhabitants look for a valid title to their lands, and in its authority is vested the strength of their deeds.
Rockingham is pleasantly diversified in surface, being sufficiently broken to form a beautiful landscape picture, yet not so uneven as to retard cultiva- tion of its soil, which is, in general, warm and productive. From the meadow lands of the Connecticut river valley, the territory brokenly rises towards the west, being well wooded and watered, the timber being that peculiar to the border towns of the Connecticut, the township in its early history having been noted for its fine pines. The principal tributaries of the Connecticut, each in turn having several branches of their own, are Williams and Saxton's rivers. The former has its source in Andover, Windsor county, and flows a southeasterly course through Rockingham, emptying into the Connecticut about three miles above Bellows Falls; the latter rises in Grafton, takes a southeasterly course through Rockingham to the Westminster line, thence, just within the line to the Connecticut. These streams, with the Connec- ticut, afford excellent advantages for manufacture.
The Connecticut is proverbial for its beauty, though here in Rockingham it throws 'aside its usual aspect of calm, placid lovliness, as if to show, in Bellows falls, what it is capable of in the way of sublime and imposing scenic beauty. Above the falls, located in the southeastern part of the town, and which are reckoned among the first of the natural curiosities of Vermont, the river varies from sixteen to twenty rods in width, and at their verge a large rock divides the stream, so that at low water the river flows only through the western channel, which is contracted to a width of sixteen feet. But at the times of high water, the appearance of the river and falls is sublime. Through its rocky bed the stream rushes with irresistable force, masses of water being broken by opposing ledges of rock and dashed many feet into the air, until
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the whole volume is thrown to the lower level, a distance of forty-two feet, forming a scene so sublime that, in the words of the poet, it may be said of it :-
" Its voice was like the Thunder, and its sleep Was like a Giant's slumber, loud and deep."
In the following extract from the " History of Connecticut, by an English- man," dated April 28, 1781, some idea may be gained of what Bellows Falls was in the eighteenth century. At this late day, however, we cannot, of course, vouch for the truthfulness of this bit of discriptive "history," but will leave the reader to draw his own conclusions :-
" Two hundred miles from the Sound, says the Record, is a narrow of five yards, only, formed by two shelving mountains of solid rock ; through this chasm are compelled to pass all the waters which, in the time of the floods, bury the northern country. Here the water is consolidated, without frost, by pressure, as it swiftly passes between the pinching, sturdy rocks, to such a degree of induration that no iron bar can be forced into it ; here iron, lead, and cork have the one common weight ; here, steady as time, and harder than marble, the stream passes, irresistible, if not as swiftly as lightning. The electric fire rends trees to pieces with no greater ease than does this mighty water. The passage is about 400 yards in length, of a zigzag form, with obtuse corners. At high water there are carried through this strait masts and other timber, with incredible swiftness, and sometimes with safety ; but when the water is too low, the masts, timber and trees strike on one side or the other, and are rent in one moment into shivers, and splintered like a broom, to the amazement of the spectator. No living creature was ever known to pass through this narrow, except an Indian woman, who was in a canoe, at- tempting to cross the river above it, but carelessly let herself fall within the power of the current. Perceiving her danger, she took a bottle of rum she had with her, and drank the whole of it; then lay down in her canoe to meet her destiny. She miraculously went through safe, and was taken out of the canoe quite intoxicated. Being asked how she could be so daringly impru- dent as to drink such a quantity of rum with the prospect of instant death before her, the squaw, as well as her condition would allow her, replied: " Yes, it was too much rum to drink at once, to be sure ; but I was unwilling to lose a drop of it, so I drank it, and, you see, have saved it all."
Who but an "Englishman " could have written such a truthful, thrilling. historic account ?
The scenery, both above and below this point, is of more than common interest and beauty, while the views from the surrounding hills, as well as from the banks of the river, are exceedingly attractive. At the base of the falls are engraved the Indian picture writings mentioned on page 57. Capt. Kidd, the pirate, traditions tells us, ascended the Connecticut in boats laden with treasure, to this point, where, it is asserted, he buried his ill-gotten gains : but no discoveries have been made to authenticate the legend, nor to verify the old statement,-
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