USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Gazetteer and business directory of Windsor County, Vt., for 1883-84 > Part 17
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Edward Kneeland, from New Haven, Conn., came to Hartford in 1811, and soon after put a set of machinery for carding wool into rolls in a mill that stood upon the present site of Moore & Peck's grist-mill, the first of the kind in the county. He continued this business of wool carding about ten years, then gave it up, following the carpenter trade. He died in 1872, aged seventy- nine years.
Andrew Tracy came to Hartford, from Connecticut, about 1788, locating where his grandson, Charles Tracy, now resides. He married a Miss Bliss, of Lebanon, N. H., and reared seven children, none of whom are now living.
Abijah Taft, son of Artemas Taft, an early settler in Hartland, came to Hartford about 1812, locating in the Russ neighborhood. He married Betsey Bugbee and reared a family of ten children, four of whom, Asaph T., Orrin A., Sarah J. and Mrs. George L. Tarbell, now reside in the town. Abijah died in August, 1854, aged sixty-eight years. Mrs. Taft died in 1871, aged eighty-one years.
Hon. Samuel Everett Pingree, the present lieutenant-governor of the State, son of Stephen and Judith (True) Pingree, was born at Salisbury, N. H., August 2, 1832, and married Lydia M. Steele, of Stanstead, P. Q., Septem- ber 15, 1869. Mr. Pingree graduated from Dartmouth college in 1857, studied law with Hon. A. P. Hunton, of Bethel, Vt., and was admitted to the bar of Windsor county in December, 1859, and commenced practice at Hart- ford village. In 1861 he enlisted a private in Co. F, 3d Vt. Vols., serving three years, during which time he was severely wounded, at Lee's Mills, Va., and came home in command of his regiment, being mustered out July 27, 1864. Since the war he has followed the practice of his profession, at Hart- ford, and has twice been elected State's attorney, has been town clerk a number of year, and September 5, 1852, was elected lieutenant-governor of the State.
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Justus Warner French was born at Hardwick, Vt., October 13, 1816, the fifth child of Samuel and Tabitha (Dow) French, the latter being a sister of the famous preacher, Lorenzo Dow. Mr. French received a good practical education and went into business at Randolph Center, Vt. After a few years he began the manufacture of hay and manure forks at Brookfield, Vt., and in 1852 removed the business to Hartford, subsequently establishing the firm of French, Watson & Co. Mr. French was twice married, reared a family of five children, and died September 5, 1874. His widow and one daughter survive him.
The Congregational church of Hartford was organized, probably, a few years before 1786. Previous to this, the first settlers had shown great inter- est in the religious welfare of the town. As early as 1762, the year before the town was surveyed, the proprietors reserved a lot "for the first settled minister." At the organization of the town, in 1768, the people were called " to see if they will agree to hire a minister to preach the gospel some part of the next year and raise a tax for that purpose," In 1774 steps were taken " to build a meeting house as near the center of the town as convenient." A tax of one hundred pounds was voted and committees were appointed to pur- chase land and materials. But the building here contemplated was not erected, probably, till near the close of the century. It had two stories of windows, a gallery on three sides, and a sounding board. It is still standing, having been used till within a few years as a town house. For a long time the town as such exercised its function as a religious society ; but in 1805 "the broken situation of the inhabitants with respect to religious order," many having withdrawn from the majority because of different sentiments, led the town to form a new society, with Joseph Marsh, as moderator, and Freegrace Leavitt, as clerk. This organization continued till the removal of the church to Hartford village. The second Congregational society was organized December 25, 1827, at the village. Its present house of worship was erected the next year and dedicated January 8, 1829. The church and congre- gation at the Center were invited "to make the new meeting-house their place of worship," which they did soon after. The parsonage was built in 1848 and the chapel in 1860. The church building was remodeled and a new organ purchased in 1872. The support of preaching has been mainly from the first by annual subscriptions, these having been payable weekly since 1875. The present pastor, Rev. S. Ingersoll Briant, began his labors in March and was installed May 20, 1875.
The Congregational church of West Hartford was organized June 3, 1830, Rev. Mr. White being the first pastor. The church building was erected in 1834. The present pastor is Rev. Fred Newport.
The Congregational church of Quechee was organized January 13, 1831, with ten members, Rev. John P. Stone being the first pastor. The church building was erected in 1833. The present pastor is Rev. N. F. Carter.
St. Paul's Episcopal church, located at White River Junction, was organized
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by Rev. James Houghton, with twelve members, in 1868, Rev. Thomas J. Taylor being the first pastor. The church building was erected in 1874, a neat structure capable of seating 225 persons, and valued, including other property, at $6,000.00. The society now has forty-seven members, with Rev. A. B. Flanders, pastor.
St. Anthony's Roman Catholic church, located at White River Junction, was organized by Rev. M. Pigeon, with 150 members, in 1868. The church build- ing was erected during that year. It is a wood structure capable of seating 300 persons and valued, including grounds, at $3,000.00, The society has about 500 members, with Rev. D. Lynch, pastor.
The Methodist church, located at White River Junction, was organized by Rev. A. J. Hough, with six members, in 1877. The church building, a wood structure valued at $3,000.00, was built the following year. Mr. Hough still remains pastor of the society.
H ARTLAND lies in the center of the eastern range of townships, in lat. 43° 34' and long. 4° 34', bounded north by Hartford, east by Con- necticut river, which separates it from Plainfield, N. H., south by Windsor and West Windsor, and west by Woodstock. It contains an area of 25,350 acres, originally granted by New Hampshire to Samuel Hunt and his associates, in seventy-one shares, by the name of Hertford, July 10, 1761. On the 23d of July, 1766, however, the territory was re-chartered to Oliver Wil- lard and his associates, by New York. The name of Hertford was retained until June 15, 1782, when it was changed to the one it now bears, by the following act of the legislature :-
" Whereas, The town of Hertford lies contiguous to the Township of Hart- ford, which makes it difficult for strangers to distinguish which of said towns may be meant when either is spoken ; and many other inconveniences do attend the having two towns so near of one name in the State ; which to re- move : Be it enacted by the Representatives of the Freemen of the State of Vermont, in General Assembly met, and by the authority of the same, That the Township of land and incorporate Body, heretofore known by he name of Hertford, shall be hereafter called and known by the name of Hartland."
The surface of the town is diversified with hills and valleys, most of which are only great enough in extent to form a pleasing landscape picture without retarding cultivation of the soil, which is of a rich, arable quality, producing large crops of grain and grass with comparatively little labor. The timber is that common to most of the towns in this vicinity. The territory is well watered by numerous streams, the principal of which are Quechee river, flowing through the northeastern part, and Lull brook, flow- ing through the southern portion of the township, emptying into Connecticut river. Many excellent mill-sites are afforded, some of which are utilized. In the extreme western part of the town the rocks entering into the geological
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structure of the territory are of the calciferous mica schist formation. This range is very narrow in extent, however, when there comes a large range of gneiss, extending quite to the center of the township, north and south ; from this point to the Connecticut the rocks are mostly calciferous schist again, except a small bed of clay slate and a bed of talcose schist in the northeastern corner. No minerals of importance have ever been found.
In 1880 Hartland had a population of 1,604, and in 1882 was divided into sixteen school districts and contained fifteen common schools, employing six male and nineteen female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $2,069.65. There were 391 pupils attending common schools, while the entire cost of the schools for the year, ending October 31st, was $2,530.20, with D. F. Rugg, superintendent.
HARTLAND, a post village, contains two churches, (Congregational and Methodist), one hotel, two stores, a tin shop, harness shop, blacksmith shop, tailor shop, etc., and about thirty dwellings. It is located on Lull brook, nearly a mile from Connecticut river and about the same distance from the south line of the town. The brook affords several good water-powers, and on it, so near as to almost be said to be a part of the village, are a blanket fac- tory, grist-mill, saw-mill, and two sash and blind factories. The C. V. R. R. station is about five-eighths of a mile from the village, where is located the depot and an hotel.
HARTLAND FOUR CORNERS is a post village located about a mile and a quarter northwest of Hartland village. It has one church (Universalist), a general store, blacksmith and carriage shop, and about seventeen dwellings.
NORTH HARTLAND is a post village located in the northeastern part of the town, on Quechee river. It has one church (Congregational), two stores, woolen-mill, saw-mill, and about twenty-five dwellings. The railroad station of North Hartland is about a quarter of a mile distant.
J. E. Ashworth's blanket factory, formerly the Sturtevant woolen-mills, locat- ed on road 26, is operated by water-power, has five looms, one set of carriages and jacks, and all necessary machinery for manufacturing horse and army blan- kets. Mr. Ashworth employs twelve men and manufactures 10,000 blankets per annum.
A. A. Martin's sash and blind factory, located on road 62, gives employ- ment to fifteen men, and manufactured during the past year (1882), 500,000 feet of lumber into sash, blinds, etc.
Martin & Stickney's sash and blind manufactory, located at Hartland vil- lage, does a large amount of business in the manufacture of blinds, sash, house finishings, brackets, moldings, etc.
J. F. Lyman's saw and shingle-mill, located on road 62, is operated by water-power and manufactures 400,000 feet of lumber, 500,000 shingles, and 15,000 lath per annum.
F. Gilbert's foundry, located on road 56, was established by Darling & Gil- bert in 1862. Mr. Darling retired in 1866, since which time the business has
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been conducted by Mr. Gilbert. He employs three men and uses seventy-five tons of iron annually.
The Ottaquechee Woolen Mills, V. J. Brennan, superintendent, located at North Hartland, on the Quechee river, are operated by water-power, have 1,680 spindles, sixty looms, and employs seventy-five hands.
The first settlement in Hartland was make in May, 1763, by Timothy Lull, who had previously been living at Dummerston. Having concluded to settle in Hertford, as it was then called, he purchased a log canoe, and taking with him his family, which consisted of a wife and four children, and such furniture as they needed, paddled up Connecticut river. Arriving at the mouth of a stream just north of the southern line of the town, he anchored his boat and landed his family. Taking then a junk bottle, he broke it in the presence of his wife and children, and named the stream Lull brook-the name by which it has ever since been known. Proceeding up the brook about a mile, he came to a deserted log hut, situated upon the farm now owned by E. M. Goodwin. Here he commenced a settlement. For many years he suffered privations and hardships, " but possessing a strong constitution and a vigorous mind, he over- came all obstacles, accumulated a handsome property, lived respected, and died at the age of eighty-one years, generally lamented." He reared a family of nine children, of whom Timothy was the first male child born in the town. This birth occurred in December, 1764, on which occasion the doctress was drawn on the ice twenty-three miles, from Charlestown, N. H., on a hand-sled. Joab, son of Timothy, married Ruth Burlingame, of Weath- ersfield, and had eight children, six of whom are now living. Chauncey, son of Joab, married Laura Pratt, of Hartland, and had two children, Alfonso and Laura A., both of whom are living, the former in Hartland and the latter, Mrs. Laura A. Stevens, in Rutland.
Other settlers soon followed Mr. Lull, mostly emigrants from Massachusetts and Connecticut, so that two years later, in 1765, the town had thirty inhabi- tants. Six years later, when the census of old Cumberland county was taken, in 1771, the returns show the town to have had within its limits forty-eight males under the age of sixteen, thirty-one between the ages of sixteen and sixty, one over sixty, thirty- five females under sixteen, and twenty-nine (one a negress) above sixteen, making a total population of 144 souls. In 1791, ac- cording to the census of that year, the population had increased to 1,652, mak- ing Hartland the most populous town in the county, containing nearly fifty in- habitants more than it does to-day.
The town was organized and the first town meeting held, March 1I, 1767, though the records do not state where it was held. The following list of officers were elected : Oliver Willard, Esq., moderator and supervisor ; Capt. Zadock Wright and Lieut. Joel Matthews, assessors ; Timothy Lull, treasurer ; Ensign Taintor and Lieut. Joel Matthews, overseers of highways; Oliver Willard and James Harwood, overseers of the poor ; Nathan Call, collector ; and Capt. Wright, Timothy Lull, Ebenezer Call and Joel Matthews, con-
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stables. According to the records no clerk was chosen until 1769, when Oliver Willard was elected to the office. The first justices appointed were Elias Weld and Thomas Cotton, in 1786. William Gallup was the first rep- resentative, in 1778.
Though the settlement of the town seems to have moved along so smoothly, many privations had to be borne, much hard work had to be patiently per- formed, and the strictest economy maintained and the coarsest fare thank- fully received. Nothwithstanding all this, however, many happy hours were passed around the old fireside, at the " bee," or at the back-woods party. On the other hand, scenes of violence were not unfrequent, for they seem to be necessary concomitants of a new settlement, let the settlement be where it will. One instance of the latter description may be mentioned. In 1782, a man by the name of John Billings was found guilty of some contemptible act and was punished therefor in such a manner as to cause considerable physi- cal suffering and was humiliating in the extreme. This punishment, however, does not seem to have been thought sufficiently severe by the majority of the people, for on the night of May 30th, a party of men composed of Jedediah Leavins, Phineas Killam, James Williams, Timothy Lull, Jr., Aden Williams, Timothy Banister, Simeon Williams, Joab Belden and William Miller, with Amos Robinson and Moses Morse of Windsor, "with force and arms, un- lawfully, riotously, and routously" assembled and assaulted the unfortunate citizen. As was more clearly set forth in the presentment of the grand jury, they "did beat, wound, and ill-treat " him by " placing him upon an old horse without a saddle, tying his feet under the belly of said horse, and hang- ing to his feet a heavy weight, and in that situation causing him to ride to a considerable distance, by which he suffered great pain and inconvenience."
This particular instance of lawlessness seems to have been brought about by a feeling of dislike of the delay which usually accompanied the execution of the law. These offenders against good order were taught, however, that there was majesty in the law ; for they were prosecuted by Mr. Billings and were punished by pecuniary mulcts and were compelled to bear the costs of the prosecution.
In 1786, another cause for riotous behavior came up, the main points being briefly as follows : During the summer of that year, "the sufferings of the people becoming severe, and their complaints loud, on account of the extreme scarity of money, Governor Chittenden, in the month of August, published an address to the inhabitants of the State, which was evidently dictated by a paternal regard for their welfare and happiness." In this care- fully considered paper, he earnestly exhorted his fellow-citizens to be indus- trious and economical ; to avoid, as much as possible, the purchase of foreign productions ; and to devote their attention to the raising of flax and wool and the various articles necessary for food and clothing, etc. Most of the people were inclined to suffer inconvenience rather than disturb the peace of the State, ceased to complain, and endeavored to quiet the murmurings of their
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neighbors. Others, however, who owed debts and could not obtain money to pay them, determined " to prevent the sitting of the courts in which judg- ments and executions might be obtained against them. By the terms of the statute, a session of the court of common pleas for the county of Windsor was appointed to be held at Windsor on Tuesday, the 21st of October. On the morning of that day, a mob of about thirty armed men, from Hartland and Barnard, under the command of Robert Morrison, a Hartland black- smith, and Benjamin Stebbins, a Barnard farmer, assembled near the court- house at Windsor, a little after sunrise. Though no movements to that effect were made, yet their obvious design was to hinder the sitting of the court. Stephen Jacob, the State's attorney, and Benjamin Wait, the high sheriff, waited on the malcontents, read them the riot act and several other acts relative to such assemblages, ordering them to disperse, which they finally did.
On Tuesday, the 14th of November, a term of the supreme court was held at Windsor, when warrants were issued for the arrest of the rioters, and Mor- rison and several of his men were taken and placed in confinement. Com- plaints were then exhibited against them by Stephen Jacob, in which it was charged that they, on the 31st of October, "with guns, bayonets, swords, clubs, drums, fifes, and other warlike instruments, unlawfully, and tumul- tuously did assemble and gather themselves together, to disturb and break the peace of the State ; " and that being thus assembled, they " did parade themselves in the front of the court-house in said Windsor in martial array, and with fixed bayonets did resist, obstruct, and hinder," the sheriff of the county and of the county court " from entering the said court-house, and there did impede from opening and holding the said court, then and there by law to be opened and holden." To these charges Morrison pleaded guilty and threw himself upon the mercy of the court. The court sentenced him to suffer one month's imprisonment ; to procure bonds of £100 for his good behavior for two years ; to pay a fine of fro, and to bear the costs of the prosecution. The punishment of the other offenders, who either pleaded guilty or were found guilty, was proportioned to the offences they had committed.
Soon after the result of the trial had been announced, about fifty of the in- surgents, most of whom resided in Hartland, assembled under arms at the house of Capt. Lull with a fixed determination to rescue Morrison from im- prisonment. The court having been informed of these proceedings on the 16th of November, directed the sheriff to procure assistance, proceed to the place where the insurgents were collected, arrest them, and commit them to prison. In obedience to these commands Sheriff Wait, who was also colonel of the third regiment of the Vermont militia, ordered Capt. Dartt, of Weath- ersfield, to march his company to Windsor. On the evening of the same day the soldiery of the latter place assembled to aid the civil authority. The court and some of the higher military officers then called a council, and having taken into consideration the character of the mob, determined that it would
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be true policy to take them by surprise. In conformity with this conclusion, Col. Wait, with a force of forty men well armed, set out for the stronghold of the insurgents very early on the morning of the 17th, and reached it between the hours of three and four.
Having evaded the notice of the guards by taking a circuitous route, Wait and his men entered Capt. Lull's house in two divisions, and after a short, but " very resolute" attack, captured twenty-seven of the insurgents. During the conflict the leaders of the revolt escaped. So expeditiously was this performed that Wait's party returned to Windsor and lodged the culprits safely in the jail at that place before sunrise. Though the victory over the insurgents was gained with comparative ease, yet several wounds were received by the sheriff's party. Stephen Jacob, the State's attorney, did not escape without injury, and Wait himself was " badly wounded in the head." Still he was able to attend court, and, observed a chronicler of that time, would " have headed his regiment if necessity had required it." The results of this attack would have been far more disastrous, but for the humanity and firmness evinced by the military. The conduct of Capt. Dart was highly applauded, and it was publicly an- nounced at the time that he and his company were entitled to "the particu- lar thanks of the freemen" of the State.
On the 18th, the State's attorney exhibited a complaint against the insur- gents, in which they were charged with having assembled for the purpose of hindering the supreme court from proceeding with the trial of certain per- sons who had been " informed against for a high misdemeanor," and for the purpose of rescuing Robert Morrison, " then a prisoner in the goal at said Windsor, pursuant to a legal order from said court." In answer to these ac- cusations the prisoners pleaded guilty, and appeared "very humble and peni- tent." In consequence of these manifestations, they were "treated with great tenderness by the court." Fines were imposed upon them, and they were also required to discharge the cost of the suits and to procure bonds for their good behavior for one year. Fears had been entertained that an insurrection of the people was about to happen, which would endanger the government of the State and jeopardize the lives and liberty of those who refused to join it. Preparations for such an event were accordingly made, and on Saturday, while the trial of the insurgents was in progress, six hundred soldiers under the command of Brig .- Gen. Peter Olcott assembled under arms at Windsor. Meantime the insurgents, having received reinforcements, had collected at Lull's house to the number of a hundred. While in doubt as to the course they should pursue, information was brought to them of the preparations for defense or attack which were in progress at Windsor. Satisfied that the gov- ernment was too strong to be overcome by their puny efforts, the rioters dis- persed, studious only to avoid detection and disgrace. Early the following week the soldiers returned to their homes, and peace was again restored to the distracted community. Thus ended this miniature Shay's rebellion. In one of the State's attorney's complaints against the rioters, the persons
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informed against were as follows : Amos Kendall, Benjamin Hole, Silas Hole, David Hole, and Abijah Capen, of Windsor; Benjamin Munsill, Timothy Wooster, Eleazer Bishop, Jr., Paul Rogers, Oliver Rogers, Samuel Danforth, Sylvanus Wood, John Jenne, Elzi Evans, Asa Evans, Zera Evans, Elish Gal- lup, Jr., James Kelsey, and William Hopkins, of Hartland ; and Josiah Clark, and Josiah Hurlburt, of Woodstock.
Let us take a look at the country in the vicinity of these stirring scenes as it appeared in 1807. At the Four Corners there were no buildings except the tavern, which stood on the southeast corner, a gambrel-roofed house occupied by Dr. Friend Sturtevant, who came here from Woodstock that year and was the only educated physician in the town, one other occupied by a Capt. Farwell, who owned and run a saw-mill on the brook, and a small . school house. On the road leading to Hartland village, or the Three Cor- ners as it was then called, there were no buildings until you came to what was recently known as the C. W. Warren place; below this there were dwellings in nearly the same places of those now occupied by Elisha Barrell, Wilson Britton, and the late residence of E. H. Bagley, also one opposite the large elm tree still farther east, and at which point the road turned to the north and led over the hill instead of passing directly east as it does now, coming into the village by the Quechee road. Near the corner of Ira Rogers' farm, on the north side of this road, stood one of the first stores in town, kept at this time by "Johnny " R. Gibson. At Hartland village the Con- gregational parsonage then stood as now; the hotel building, two stores, standing on the sites now occupied for the same purpose, three houses and Mr. Hamilton's blacksmith shop, with the school-house opposite the parson- age, constituted the settlement. Back or west of the Pavillion Hotel, kept by Lyman Childs, a large forest of pine timber extended northward and westward, covering all the hills in sight.
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