USA > Vermont > Windham County > Gazetteer and business directory of Windham county, Vt., 1724-1884 > Part 36
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"Ever since the days of Captain Kidd, The Yankee's say there's money hid."
The physical and geological structure of Rockingham opens a rare and in- teresting field of study for many of its characteristics in this respect are strongly marked. The rocks are mostly asoic, the principal veins being gneiss, calcif-
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erous mica schist, clay slate and talcose schist, distributed in parallel ranges, extending north and south, in the order as named, beginning on the west and varying in width from one to three miles. What is known as the fourth geological section of Vermont commences at Bellows Falls, and from this vicinity the following specimens have been placed in the State cabinet, at Montpelier : clay-slate, and clay-slate with garnets, hyaline quarts, argillo- mica slate, silicious limestone, mica schist passing into gneiss, red granite, horn- blendic gneiss, thick bedded gneiss, and hornblendic schist. While of minerals from Rockingham are the following : kyanite, wavellite, native alum, pinite, rubellite, staurotide, prehnite, chiastolite, adularia, black tourmaline, silver mica, indicolite, fluor, feldspar, fibralite, calcite, pinite, pyrope, stilbite and tre- molite.
Great changes have taken place in the vicinity of Bellows Falls in past ages. The gorge at this point, which has been spoken of, lies between Kilburn, mountain, which rises precipitously from the eastern bank of the river, and land which rapidly rises on the west to the Green mountains. In examining the passage of the river, geologists have concluded that it has been worn out by the passage of the stream, and that the valley above must have formed a lake eight hundred feet in depth, its surface being seven hundred and twenty-two feet above the present level of Bellows Falls. At Saxton's river village there is found a bed of peat four feet in depth, and underlying it a bed of marl of unknown thickness proving that here once rested an immense body of water.
The natural terraces of Saxton's, Williams and Connecticut rivers, in Rock- ingham, are objects of common observation and interest to all who visit the locality. Many of them are so clearly cut and finely formed as to be almost considered works of art, rather than the deft handiwork of nature. At the village of Rockingham, on the tongue of land lying between Connecti- cut and Williams river, is an ancient sea beach, now lying nearly seven hun- dred feet above the level of the ocean. Above this point it is mostly worn away, and a sloping hill of gravel and sand takes its place.
The freshets to which the town has been subjected from time to time in later years, have, without doubt, worked many changes in the land formations and alluvial deposits. In 1797 a freshet filled what was known as the " swamp hole" at Bellows Falls, with vast quantities of earth, so that land which had hitherto been utterly worthless was made valuable property, upon which is built many of the shops and mills of the village. The years 1818, '28 and '39 are especially memorable for severe freshets. In 1841 the guard- gates of the canal gave way during a freshet, and the resultant flood excavated a place one hundred feet in width near the grist-mill, removing not less than 7,000 cubic yards of earth, while the rise of the eddy below the falls was twenty-two and one-half feet. This highwater mark, however, was exceeded by that of the freshet of 1861.
In 1880 Rockingham had a population of 3,797, and in 1882 had twenty- one school districts and twenty-one common schools, employing three male
19
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and twenty-seven female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $5,515.43. There were 692 pupils attending common school, while the entire cost of the schools for the year, ending October 31st, was $7,073.36, with S. H. McCollister, superintendent.
BELLOWS FALLS, one of the most important manufacturing villages in the State, is beautifully located in the southeastern part of the town, on the falls from which it derives its name, and which in turn were named in honor of Peter Bellows, one of the original proprietors of the town. It has six churches, (Baptist, Congregational, Methodist, Universalist, Episcopal, and Roman Catholic), a number of large manufactories, fine rows of business blocks, many elegant private residences. and about 3,000 inhabitants.
The village is located on a plain about 172 feet above the bed of the river, and is laid out in streets pleasantly shaded by maple trees, while in the north- ern part is a beautiful grove of pine trees, a remnant of what was once the grand pine forest that covered the locality. Here a fine view of the Connecticut and the country way through to Ascutney mountain may be obtained. In 1831 there was incorporated a society to be known as "The Bellows Falls Fire Society," the limits of whose jurisdiction was to be confined within the following bounds :-
" Commencing at the southeastern corner of said town, running on the southern line of the same to the southwest corner of Solomon Hapgood's farm ; thence northerly to the northwest corner of Loran and James Mor- gan's farm; thence easterly on the north line of said farm to the Connecticut river ; thence southerly to the place of beginning."
Little, however, if anything, was done under this act, as in 1833 the village was incorporated under an act approved January 30, 1834, the provisions of its charter including all purposes for which the first charter was granted. The village has grown materially since the railroads were built through this sec- tion, in 1849, though not so much as might have been expected in view of the magnificent water-privilege afforded here, and its location as a central point, there being now four railroads centered here, viz. : the Rutland & Burlington, Sullivan, Cheshire, and Vermont Valley (see page 43).
MANUFACTURES.
The Fall Mountain Paper Co. is the largest paper making firm in this sec- tion of the country, its productions being furnished to a number of the large New York and Boston papers, and exported to a great extent. The company operate seven machines and manufacture news, glazed, rolled and sheet manila paper, and card middles. The company have selling agents in Bos- ton, at 53 Devonshire street. William A. Russell is president and A. N. Burbank treasurer of the company. The officers of the Fall Mountain Paper Company are also interested in the Bellows Falls Canal Company, and con- trol the water-power of the place.
The Vermont Farm Machine Co., Nathan G. Williams, treasurer and man- ager, is the largest manufactory of farm machines in the country. Their
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specialties embrace the Cooley creamer, the Davis swing churn, Eureka but- ter worker, and the improved evaporator for the manufacture of maple and surghum sugar.
Osgood & Barker's machine shop was established in 1873. At the death of Mr. Barker, in 1881, Mr. Osgood assumed entire control of the business, though it is continued under the original firm title. He employs about fifty men, manufacturing a large amount of paper machinery, and doing consider- able job work per annum. His foundry, located on Wells street, was built in 1873, destroyed by fire in November, 1881, and rebuilt the same year.
Bacon Bros.' lumber-dressing mill, located on Mill street, was established in 1873, where the firm now employs five men.
Moore, Arms & Thompson's paper-mill was established by Moore & Arms in 1870, Mr. Thompson being admitted to the firm in 1882. The firm employs about sixty hands in the manufacture of manila paper, turning out from eight to ten tons daily.
John Robertson & Son's paper-mill was established in 1881, by Robertson, Moore & Co., commencing operations in January, 1882. During this latter year Mr. Moore retired from the firm, the title being changed as it now appears. They manufacture tissue and medium manila paper, employing twelves hands and turning out 7,000 pounds per day.
Wyman Flint & Son's paper-mill gives employment to about fifteen hands, turning out 6,500 pounds of tissue and medium minila paper per day.
Norman S. Brockway manufactures and repairs target and sporting rifles, and deals in all kinds of fire-arms and ammunition.
The Bellows Falls grist-mill, operated by Frank Adams & Co., was estab- lished in 1861. It has the capacity for grinding 800 bushels of grain per day.
George B. Wheeler's steam laundry was established about ten years ago, coming into Mr. Wheeler's hands in June, 1883. He employs fourteen hands.
The Bellows Falls bakery, H. L. Canady, proprietor, was established by John Partridge, in 1879.
The Fall Mountain Paper Co.'s steam saw-mill, located on Green street, Simon D. McLeod, foreman, was established in 1880. It gives employment to thirty men, in sawing pulp wood for the company's mills.
The Bellows Falls marble works, Hiram King, Jr., proprietor, were estab- lished in 1874. They give employment to four men in the manufacture of all kinds of marble work.
F. M. Barber's picture frame and molding manufactory was established by George Underwood, in 1872. It gives employment to eight hands.
Willard Russell & Co. operate one sixty-two inch machine and manufacture wood manila paper ; they also run a pulp-mill in connection with their works.
Orrin H. Whitman's carriage and wagon shop was established by Mr. Whitman in 1874. He does about $2,500.00 worth of work per year.
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Derby & Ball are engaged in the manufacture of scythe snaths. Mr. Ball was engaged in this branch of manufacture at Springfield, Vt., about thirty years, the factory there being destroyed by fire in 1872.
The Beollws Falls Brewing Co., whose brewery is located just across the river, in Walpole, N. H., have facilities for brewing about 50,000 barrels of ale and beer per annum. The firm is Walker, Dewey & Blake, Mr. Walker being ar esident of Boston, Mass. The company was organized in 1877.
John T. Moore's paper-mill was built in 1872. He employs about twelve hands in the manufacture of tissue, manila, and toilet paper, turning out about 1,500 pounds per day.
BANKS.
The Bellows Falls National Bank was chartered as a State institution in 1832, with Daniel Kellogg, president, and William Henry, cashier. In 1866 it was made a national bank, with a capital of $100,000.00, and Nathaniel Fullerton, president, and James H. Williams, Sr., cashier. In 1872 Mr. Williams was elected president, retaining the position until his death, in 1881, when his son James H. was elected to the vacancy, which position he still occupies. Preston H. Hadley is the present cashier, having been appointed to that office in August, 1881.
Bellows Falls Savings Institution was incorporated November 23, 1847, with Nathaniel Fullerton, president ; Asa Wentworth, vice-president ; Hugh H. Henry, 2d vice-president ; James H. Williams, treasurer ; and William F. Hall, secretary. The present officers are Henry C. Lane, president ; John A. Farnsworth, vice-president ; and John H. Williams, treasurer. The Insti- tution has always enjoyed a high degree of confidence on the part of its depositors, and has done a flourishing business.
EDUCATIONAL.
The schools of the village are governed under a good system of graduation, consisting of five departments, taught in two school buildings. The first building was elected at a cost of about $17,000.00, and was completed in the winter of 1867-68, the old school building on the same site having been destroyed by fire late in the autumn of 1866. Before the erection of this building the district schools were taught in two departments, in a building on School street, now the Roman Catholic church building. The second school building is located on land west of Atkinson street, erected in 1877. Both buildings are brick, two stories high, and well finished.
There are also select primary schools, and St. Agnes Hall, a seminary for young ladies, conducted under the auspicies of the Episcopal church. This school was first put in operation in 1869, by the late James H. Williams, president of the Bank of Bellows Falls, at the time of his death. The build- ing was originally the homestead of S. R. B. Wales, and is now the property of the Williams estate, and is under a lease for twenty years. The school will accommodate twenty-five boarders, under the immediate supervision of Miss Jane Hapgood, principal.
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FIRES.
Several destructive fires have visited the village at different times, the first of which we have any record occurring in May, 1812, when a fine armory and the shops and manufactories on the canal were destroyed, entailing a loss of from $30,000.00 to $40,000.00. July 12, 1846, Flemming & Green's paper mill and other buildings were burned ; loss $12,000.00 to $15,000.00. May 20, 1849, two dwellings, belonging to Horace Baxter and Dr. Robbins, re- spectively, were burned; loss $5,000.00. September 25, 1849, the Island House burned ; loss $10,000.00. In 1850 a machine shop burned; loss $ 1,500.00. In 1856 Coolidge's pail, and Flint's peg manufactories were burned. In November, 1857, the American House burned. In 1858 a building owned by Norman Harris, on Canal street, was destroyed. March 14, 1870, however, occurred the most disastrous fire the village ever experi- enced. It originated in "Wood's block," and before it was discovered it had made such progress that Mr. Wood's family barely escaped from the burning building. By this fire was destroyed Wood's block, in which were the stores and dwelling of O. F. Wood, the barder shop of F. F. Streeter, the grocery and restaurant of Henry Russell, the postoffice, Argus office, and the law office of C. B. Eddy. The following buildings were then successively burned :. A small dwelling next to the block ; a brick store owned by W. H. H. Barker, and occupied by A. S. Clark; the Bellows Falls hotel, Charles Towns, propri- etor ; a livery stable, connected with the hotel; Gray & Alexander's store ; a building owned by Jabez Hills, occupied by P. W. Taft, and south of it an- other small dwelling. The burnt district comprised the entire eastern side of the " square" and part of Westminster street. The fire was finally quenched by the aid of engines from Brattleboro, Charlestown and Keene. September 28, 1860, a building belonging to Jabez Hill burned ; a short time after this a large tenement north of Whightman's Hall was destroyed ; in the autumn of 1866, the school house burned ; in July, 1868, a large frame building owned by O. F. Wood, occupying the "burnt district" of 1860, burned, and at the same time there was destroyed a building that stood south of Wood's and King's block, occupied by .J. C. Goodwin, where the fire originated. The fol- lowing winter the postoffice and the boot and shoe store of Elbridge Hap- good burned; March 1, 1870, a frame building owned by Jabez Hill, in the location now occupied by Bingham's block, was destroyed ; in May, 1870, the dwelling of Joshua Webb, on Atkinson street, burned. There have been, in addition, several fires among the buildings of the railroad companies, and also some others that we have not mentioned, among the more recent of which is that of the Vermont Farm Machine Co.'s buildings.
WATER SUPPLY.
The Bellows Falls Water Co. was chartered in 1848, and the company was soon after organized, with James H. Williams, Asa Wentworth, George Slate, William Conant, and John Arms, directors. Water is obtained from a
Gúnyle
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pond about a mile and a half northwest of the village, having a head of about 290 feet. The original cost of the construction of the works was estimated about $ 10,000.00, $5,000.00 of which was raised by stock subscriptions, and the remainder by the directors, on their own responsibility. The laying of the mains was finished in 1850, and in 1873 the works were sold to the village corporation for $22,000.00, since which time about $5,005.00 has been expended in improvements. At the organization of the company, James H. Williams was elected treasurer and George Slate, superintendent, who held their respective offices until the sale of the works. Mr. Slate was also treasurer of the Connecticut River Mutual Fire Insurance Co., from 1869 till the close of its business, in 1882.
SAXTON'S RIVER is a pleasant little post village located on Saxton's river, about four miles west of Bellows Falls. It has two churches (Congregational and Baptist), the Vermont academy, one hotel, several stores, a woolen manufactory, tannery, carriage manufactory, two grist-mills, two saw-mills, etc., and about 700 inhabitants. On January 5, 1820, the limits of the vil- lage were defined as follows :-
" Extending west, on the road leading to Grafton, as far as the division line between Ebenezer Lovell's land and Samuel Ober's land; and north, on the road leading to John Pulsifer's, as far as the division line between Ebene- zer Lovell's land and Jonathan Barrow's land ; and north, on the road lead- ing from Saxton's River village to the center village, in said Rockingham, as far as the division line between Gates Perry's land and James Willard's land. and east on the road as far as Josiah Fay's house ; andalso east, on the road to Bellows Falls, as far as the bridge, near Whitcomb's mill; and south, on the road leading from Saxton's River to Westminster (West Parish), as far as the north line of the House farm, so-called ; and east, leading up Balle's hill, so-called, fifty rods beyond Joseph Elliott's house; and west, on the road to Samuel Mott's, as far as the top of Beaver Dam hill, meaning to include all the public highways within the extreme limits above mentioned."
These limits, however, were enlarged August 21, 1821, as follows : " Be- ginning near Gates Perry's farm, on the road leading from Saxton's River, by Timothy Clark's extending as far as Hezekiah Rice's farm."
THE VERMONT ACADEMY.
Efforts towards the establishment of this institution were instituted by prominent Baptist clergymen of Vermont, in 1869, and the institution was in- corporated in 1872. It was proposed to attempt to raise by subscription a permanent endowment fund of $100,000.00. The project met with good encouragement from the first, as Charles L. Jones, of Cambridge, Mass .. being desirous of conferring a substantial benefit upon his native village, gave to the enterprise $20,000.00, while the citizens of Saxton's River added to it $30.000.00, on condition that the academy should be erected in this vil- lage, which was accordingly done. In 1873 the whole amount was made up. Soon after, nearly $10,000.00 was raised for the purchase of land and erec- tion of buildings. The school grounds consist of a plateau of thirty-five acres.
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upon which are two brick buildings and a ladies' dormatory and boarding- hall, all comfortably arranged and well adapted to the purposes for which they are intended. The present list of teachers is as follows : Horace M. Willard A. M., principal; Mrs. Ruth B. Pulsifer, lady principal; Rev. E. J. Colcord, A. M., Major Charles H. Spooner, B. S., Miss S. Kendall, A. B., and Miss E. Bertha Whittaker, assistant teachers; Mrs. C. H. Spooner, teacher of painting and drawing ; and Miss H. Estelle Woodruff, teacher of music.
CAMBRIDGEPORT, another pleasant little post village, is located about three miles west of Saxton's river, on the same stream, and lying partly in Grafton- It has one church (Union), several stores, a soapstone manufactory, etc., and about twenty dwellings. Its name is derived from J. T. Cambridge, who com- menced the clothier's business here in 1825, and so named by Esquire Weed, then of Saxton's River.
The following facts relative to the early settlement of the village, were got- ten of Mr. Uzziah Wyman, whenhe was over eighty years of age: "In 1792 a Mr. Adams came from the settlement at Saxton's River, making his way by marked trees, to what is now Cambridgeport, and built a hut, moving his family thereto in the same year. He remained only a short time, however, and for some years no other settlement was made. In 1810 some parties by the name of Bulling purchased a tract of 1,000 acres of land in this vicinity, including the present site of the village and extending over into the town of Athens, upon which they erected mills, where the village now is. In 1812, Nathaniel Bennett purchased the mills, erected two dwellings, and the following year the first school house was built. In 1814 Simeon Evans built the first store and commenced trade. During this year the first road was laid through, running east of the present factory pond, and over the hills to Grafton. Mr. Evans also built the old tavern, which he occupied a few years. He died in 1819. In 1825 Mr. Cambridge, as before mentioned, commenced the clothier's business here, and soon after the mills were destroyed by fire, together with a quantity of dressed and undressed cloth. In 1838 the Union church was built called the Cambridgeport Union House, preaching being supplied by the Baptist, Congregational, Methodist, and Universalist denominations. Dur- ing this year, also, a factory was erected by Royal Earl, John Campbell, Josiah Stoddard, and Roswell Minard, who worked it a few years, when it fell into the hands of Ithamer Balls, who sold it to George Perry, Benjamin Scofield, and others. In 1860 this factory was burned, though immediately rebuilt. In 1866 the factory was sold to the Rockingham Woolen Co., and was afterwards owned by George Wellington. A Mr. Cochran was the first blacksmith in 1819. Mr. Mitchell, a hatter, came the same year. A man by the name of Howard opened a law office here about 1840, and died soon after.
ROCKINGHAM, a small post village located in the central part of the town- ship, on a branch of Williams river, has one church (Congregational), the first erected in the town, an hotel, one store, a blacksmith shop, and about a dozen dwellings. This village is principally noted as having been the location of the
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town house, and as the place where, in early times, the towns people con- vened for public worship. The old tavern here was noted for the thriving business it drove, being largely given up to the entertainment of teamsters in their journeys to and from the markets. Since the advent of the railroad, however, even though the station here is only half a mile distant, the village has declined in importance.
BARTONSVILLE is a small post village and station on the C. V. R. R., located about four miles northwest of Rockingham, on Williams river, in the north- western corner of the town. It has one general store, a blacksmith shop. cider-mill, and an old hotel (not in use), and about.twenty dwellings. The village received its name from Jerry Barton, one of the first settlers in the locality. In times past it has been somewhat noted for its manufactures ; but the violent freshets it is subjected to at times, precludes much enterprise in this direction. In 1869 a freshet effected such a transformation in the locality that people are often at fault in locating old landmarks, or even in recogniz- ing the locality. The railroad depot was washed away, with many rods of track which is now laid several feet lower than its former level.
BROCKWAY'S MILLS, a hamlet located on Williams river, is a station on the Central Vermont railroad. It has a saw and grist-mill and tannery, and about ten dwellings.
George R. Farnsworth's grist- mill, located at Saxton's River, was estab- lished in 1879. It has one run of stones, for grinding meal and feed.
S. R. Earle's wagon shop, located at Saxton's River, was built by Elliot R. Osgood, and came into Mr. Earle's possession in 1879.
Leonard C. Hubbard's grist and saw-mill, located at Saxton's River, was built in 1868. He manufactures about 150,000 feet of lumber per year, and grinds meal and feed. Mr. Hubbard was born in Walpole, N. H., and became a resident of the town in 1851. He has been a justice of the peace over twenty years, and a notary public fifteen years.
Butterfield & Smith's soap-stone manufactory, at Cambridgeport, was built about fifty years ago, and was rebuilt by the present firm about twenty-five years ago. They manufacture a large amount of goods, their quarry being located in Grafton.
M. R Lawrence's grist and saw mill and turning works, located on Wil- liams river, were originally built about one hundred years ago. He employs about fourteen hands. The grist-mill has three runs of stones.
Barry & Scofield's wool pulling and tanning establishment, located at Sax. ton's River, has been maintained by them since the autumn of 1877. The firm also deals extensively in wool, sheep pelts, hides, calf skins, etc.
Farnsworth & Co., manufacturers of fancy cassimeres, located at Saxton's River. operate 646 spindles and eight broad looms, employing about forty-five hands, and turning out 400 yards of narrow goods per day. The factory was established in 1847, by George Perry & Co. In 1869 the works were all washed away by high water, entailing a loss of $45,000.00.
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