USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Gazetteer and business directory of Windsor County, Vt., for 1883-84 > Part 34
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Dea. Hezekiah Thompson came to Windsor among its first settlers, in 1765, locating about a mile north of the village, where he died in 1803. He was a deacon of the Congregational church from 1768 until his death. He reared a family of three sons and four daughters.
Ephraim, Josiah and Nathan Stone, three brothers, sons of Joseph Stone, were among the early pioneers of this section, and were all held in high esteem by their associates. Ephraim located in Windsor, and Josiah subsequently located in Cornish, N. H., and Nathan in Barre. Samuel Stone, another brother, was born in Stoughton, Conn., November 24, 1756. His father died while Samuel was yet a boy, and he then resided with an uncle until six- teen years of age. Soon after this he was pressed on board a British vessel and taken to the West India Islands, where he was kept a prisoner six months. Before he was twenty-one years of age he came to Windsor to visit his brothers, who induced him to remain here. He married Anna, daughter of Deacon Thompson, and died here in 1837. The only one of his nine chil-
*This carriage was built at Baltimore in 1824, for Gen. La Fayette's special use, and is now owned by Mr. Frank Dennison of Syracuse, N. Y.
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dren now living is Mrs. Jonathan Smith, of Brattleboro, Vt. Samuel Stone, Jr., born in 1801, married Lucy Shattuck, and for his second wife, Mrs. Z. Hawley. He died August 16, 1864. Seven of his children are now living, four in this town.
Ebenezer Hoisington, whose descendants are now reckoned among the prominent families of Windsor, came here among the earliest settlers. He became a large landowner, held many of the town offices, reared a large family of children and died about twenty-five years since. His wife, Hannah Wilson, died about 1830. Elias Hoisington settled at an early date upon the farm now owned by his grandson, David H., where he reared a large family. Elias, Jr., married Phebe Huggins, reared seven children, and died in 1830. Three of his children are now living.
Jonathan Hall, from Sutton, Mass., came to Windsor at an early date and located upon the farm now owned by his son, Alfred. He married Mercy Cady, December 11, 1785, and soon after built the old homstead occupied by. Alfred. Alfred and Sophia (Mrs. S. Blood, of St. Louis, Mo.,) are the only surviving members of his family of seven children. Mr. Hall died Sep- tember 24. 1845. Mrs. Hall died December 19, 1860, aged ninety-two years. Alfred was born in 1804. He has held many positions of trust, among them the office of selectman for twenty-five years.
Seth Sabin made his way to Windsor on an ox-sled, from Pomfret, Conn., at an early date. He was a tanner by trade and located in the northern part of the town. William, son of Seth, was born here and died in 1864. He married Rachel Stevens, of Hartland, and reared seven children, two of whom, Louisa M. and William H., are living. The latter has been twice married, to Mary C. Kraus and Lucy E. Pettis. His only son, George K., is now a physician of Brookline, Mass.
Aaron Ely, from Springfield, Mass., came to Windsor in 1774, locating at Windsor village for a time, then removed to what is now West Windsor. Abisha, son of Aaron, was three years of age when his father came here. He married Isabel Cady and reared a family of eleven children. He owned a large farm in West Windsor, where his son Frederick now resides. He taught school thirty-one winters in the same district in West Windsor. Rev. Richard M. Ely, son of Abisha, became a Baptist clergyman, and it is said, baptized and married more people than any other minister in the association. His death occurred June 10, 186 1.
Samuel Ruggles, from New Braintree, Mass., came to Windsor in 1783, locating on road 24, upon the farm now owned by his grandson, S. H. Ruggles. He reared four children, -Betsey, Polly, Jonathan F., and Samuel, Jr., and ,lied in April, 1818. Samuel, Jr., married Flora Hoisington, reared eleven children, and died June 2, 1856. Mrs. Ruggles died in 1868. Cyrus F., third son of Samuel, Jr., occupied the old farm until 1883, when he sold it to his son, Samuel H.
Nathan Savage came to Windsor about 1783, and made the first clearing
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on the farm now owned by his grandson, Ira B. Savage. He reared three children,-Ira, Lucy and Belinda, and died in 1814. Ira was born in Feb- ruary, 1784, and reared seven children, four of whom are living. Ira B. was born here September 19, 1817.
Dr. Nathan Trask, a veteran of the Revolution, came to Windsor soon after the close of the war and practiced medicine here until his death, March 5, 1837.
Dr. Isaac Green, born in Leicester, Mass., March II, 1759, came to Windsor in 1788. He married Ann Barrett, daughter of Hon. Samuel and Elizabeth (Salsbury) Barrett, reared four children, and died here in 1842. Dr. Green was one of the first directors of the Ascutney Bank, a director of the Cornish Bridge Company, was instrumental in getting the prison located here, was a merchant here for a long time and also practiced medicine. His son, George B. Green, born April 4, 1798, married Mary Hatch Jones and still resides here.
Jonathan Hatch Hubbard was born at Tolland, Conn., May 10, 1768, and when ten years of age removed with his parents to Claremont, N. H. He studied law at Charlestown, N. H., and when about twenty-five years of age married Elizabeth Hastings, of Charlestown, and located in Windsor about 1795, where he became one of the oldest and most esteemed citizens of Ver- mont, and distinguished as a jurist. He was a representative in congress from 1809 to 1811, and for many years was one of the judges of the supreme court of Vermont. He closed his life here September 20, 1849. His only child, Marie E., is the wife of Thomas S. Fullerton and resides at the old homestead.
Joseph Pettis, from Amherst, Mass., came to Windsor in 1793. He pur- chased the property where the Windsor House now is, where he kept an hotel for many years. In 1835 he moved to the farm now occupied by his son, F. D., where he died in 1868.
Benjamin Skinner, from Wilbraham, Mass., came to Pomfret in 1780, the first blacksmith who located in the town. He lived in this vicinity for many years, and died at Windsor at an advanced age. Benjamin, Jr., served in the Revolutionary war, and in 1799 came to Windsor, locating upon the farm now owned by C. H. Dudley. Sarah Harris, one of his six children, born June 6, 1790, now resides with Ryland F. Ely, and is the oldest person in the town.
Silas Cady came to this town, from Cornish, N. H., previous to 1800, locat- ing upon what is now known as the Cady farm. He married Mary Chase, of Cornish, reared nine children, and died about 1858. Mrs. Cady died in 1848. Two of their children are living, Henry B., in this town, and Edward P., in Massachusetts.
Allen Hayes came to this town about 1800 and in partnership with I. W. Hubbard, entered into mercantile pursuits. He reared three children and died in 1830. His only son, Dr. Augustus Hayes, became a noted chemist of Cambridge, Mass.
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Watts and Eldad Hubbard, brothers, came to Windsor, from Meridan, Conn., about 1800. Eldad located as a farmer, while Watts established a distillery at the village. He reared nine children and died in 1827. Isaac Watts Hubbard, son of Watts, came here with his parents. He was a mer- chant here for forty years, was for a time superintendent of the State prison, and died May 16, 1871, aged seventy-six years. His widow now occupies the old homestead.
Allen Wardner, whose father, Joseph, was an early settler in Reading, was born at Alstead, N. H., in 1786. In 1800 he came to Windsor, from Read- ing, and entered the store of Dr. Isaac Green, as a clerk, where he remained until twenty-one years of age. He then spent one year in the Naval Academy at West Point, and in 1809 entered into partnership with Dr. Green. This connection was kept up about ten years, after which, with vari- ous partners, he continued the business until 1848, when he retired. Mr. Wardner was treasurer of the State one year, represented Windsor in the legislature, and held numerous other offices ; was one of the directors of the Windsor bank, president of Ascutney bank about twenty years, one of the building committee for erecting the new State House, a large stock- holder and actively interested in building the stone dam, a director of the Cornish bridge, etc. Mr. Wardner married Minerva Bingham, in 1814, reared a family of twelve children, seven of whom are living, and died August 29, 1877. Mrs. Wardner died in 1841. Of the chil- dren, George and Edward reside in Windsor; Henry in Spring- field, Mass .; Helen M. is the wife of Hon. William M. Evarts; Char- lotte, widow of A. G. Johnson, resides in Brooklyn, N. Y .; Elizabeth, widow of T. B. Harrington, resides at West Chester, N. Y .; and Martha is the wife of E. E. Lamson, of this town.
Prof. Edward E. Phelps. M. D., LL. D., son of Dr. Elisha, was born in Peacham, Vt., April 24, 1803, and came to Windsor with his parents when quite young. He attended Mrs. Seaton's private school at Cornish, N. H., studied with Parson Crosby, of Charlestown. N. H., and graduated from the military school of Captain Partridge, at Norwich, Vt., before he was eighteen years of age. He then entered Dartmouth Medical College, studied two years with Dr. Nathan Smith, of New Haven, Conn., and finally graduated from Vale College with the class of 1825. In 1828 he commenced the prac- tice of his profession at Windsor and died here in November, 1870. Dr. Phelps married Phebe Foxcroft Lyon, of Boston, Mass., who, with her daughter, Mary A., now occupies the old homestead.
Moses White, from Watertown, Conn., came to Windsor in 1806, locating on road 19, upon the farm now owned by George F. Davis, and built the house now occupied by Mr. Davis. Mr. White reared three children, and died in 1811. Henry, his only son, born in 1792, married Eliza Clark, reared ten children, and died in 1862. His son, Luther C., is now treasurer of the Windsor Savings Bank.
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Isaac Townsend, born in Boston, Mass., came to Windsor in 180g and established a jeweler's business, and died here three years after, in 1812. The only one of his ten children now living is Sarah A., widow of I. W. Hubbard.
Caleb Kendall came to Windsor, from Woodstock, Vt., about 1812, estab- lishing a jewelry business at the village. He held the office of town clerk several years, and died in 1847. His only son, Caleb P., born in 1819, died in 1853.
Hon. Carlos Coolidge, son of Nathan, who came to Windsor from Water- town, Mass., was born June 25, 1792. He graduated from Middlebury Col- lege in 1811, studied law two years with Hon. Peter Starr, of Middlebury, Vt., and completed his studies at Windsor with Hon. Jonathan H. Hubbard. He was admitted to the bar and practiced law at Windsor. He was speaker of the house of representatives in 1836, and subsequently held the same position four years, also being returned several years to both branches of the legislature. During the years 1848-49 he was governor of the State. Mr. Coolidge was an eminent lawyer, and often acted as master in chancery, and as referee in the decision of important cases. Mr. Coolidge married Har- riet Bingham, who died June 6, 1877. He died August 15, 1866.
Hon. John H. Colton, born at Middletown, Conn., in 1779, was in public here for a period of nearly half a century, dying May 1, 1850. Mr. Colton was a lawyer by profession, a judge of the county court, represented the town in the legislature a number of years, and was superintendent of the State prison twenty years.
Lyman S. McIndoe was born at Barnet, Vt., June 17, 1819, and while yet a young man came to Windsor and purchased the Vermont Journal, which he published until his death, December 25. 1873. Mr. McIndoe was twice married, his first wife being Miss L. Porter, of Lyme, N. H., and his second wife Miss Abbie B. Locke, also of New Hampshire. By his first wife he had one son, Robert, who now resides in Windsor. His second wife bore him four children, two of whom, Clara A., wife of Marsh O. Perkins, and Flor- inda, now reside here.
Rollin, son of America M. Amsden, was born in West Windsor in 1829. Mr. Amsden has been a deputy sheriff thirteen years, and in 1880 was elected county sheriff. During these years he has executed three persons and assisted in executing seven others. He married Mary A. Wilder and had three sons, two of whom, Frank W. and Charles, are engaged in mercantile pursuits with him at Windsor.
William Harlow, son of Levi, was born in Rockingham, Vt., in 1785, and removed to Springfield, Vt., with his parents when quite young, where he died January 27, 1873. Hiram, one of his twelve children, was born in Rockingham, October 16, 1810, and in 1829 removed to Springfield, where he learned the wheelwright trade. He represented the town of Springfield in 1843, '44 and '45, and in December, 1845, was appointed superintendent of
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the State prison, a position he held eighteen years. Mr. Harlow represented Windsor in the legislature of 1849, '50, '51 and '59, was State senator in 1866-'67, and has been a selectman twenty-two years.
George S. Young, son of Sanford, was born in Cornish, N. H., September 17, 1826, and now resides on road 7. His grandfather, Thomas Young, a native of Brookfield, Mass., was a United States soldier nine years, serving all through the Revolution. George S. is a breeder of Jersey cattle.
Samuel Russell Stocker is one of the oldest inhabitants of the town, and has been closely identified with the interests of the town for many years. He was born in Windsor, November 12, 1815, and at about the age of twenty commenced clerking for his brother in the town of Hartland, and after a few years he was taken into partnership. He moved to Windsor in December, 1847, and commenced a business, which he successfully continued until his failing health compelled his retirement to private life, in 1878, being in active business in town over thirty yerrs. For many years he served the town as selectman, and the corporation as school committeeman, warden, etc. In his capacity as selectman he enlisted many men during the late war.
Hon. William M. Evarts, ex-secretary of State, has a summer residence here, spending his winters in New York city. His large family, with retinue of servants, etc., occupies several houses. Mr. Evarts was born in Boston, Mass., in 1818, and in 1837 was for a time in the law office of Horace Everett, at Windsor. He was attorney-general under President Johnson, and was sent abroad in 1862. Under President Hayes he was secretary of State, and is now at the head of the well-known law firm, Evarts, Southmoyd & Choate. Mr. Evarts has a beautiful river farm here, upon which he spends many thousands of dollars each year. One point on his estate, just north- west of the village, he has converted into a beautiful park-a miniature Cen- tral Park, which has been named Paradise. In the northern part of the vil- lage limits there was formerly quite an extensive marsh of low land, through which flowed Pulk Hole brook. This marsh, by daming up the brook, he has lately converted into a beautiful lake.
Hon. Horace Everett, one of Vermont's great lawyers, was born in 1780, and at an early date settled in Windsor, becoming one of the most successful jury advocates in Vermont. He served in the legislature in 1819, '20, '22, '23, '24, and '34 ; was State's attorney for Windsor county from 1813 to 1817, and was a prominent member of the State constitutional convention of 1828. He was also a representative in congress, from 1829 to 1843, and had the title of L.L. D. conferred upon him. He died here January 30, 1851.
The part that Windsor has taken in military affairs is very ably set forth in the following quotation from the centennial address of Rev. Dr. Sewall S. Cutting, delivered in 1876. Dr. Cutting now resides in Brooklyn, N. Y., though he was formerly a citizen of Windsor, Vt. His address runs as follows :-
"The military history of Windsor belongs among the essential themes of
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this dav. I could wish my knowledge of it more complete. The fame of Seth Warner's regiment was shared by men of this town. After the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, after the capture of Ticonderoga by Allen, Capt. John Grout, of that regiment came in the summer of 1775 to Windsor for recruits. Among those who enlisted under him were Asahel Smith, John Heath, Zenas Lull, Joshua Slayton, and William Hunter, the last named enlisting as sergeant, and becoming the orderly of the company. Laying down their sickle,-for an old narrative says it was 'reaping time,'-they proceeded to join their regiment at Crown Point, and, descending the lake to Canada, took part in the brilliant operations which resulted in the capture of St. Johns and Montreal, and in the flight of Carlton to Quebec. Young Hunter, then twenty-one years of age, was attached to the person of General Montgomery, and for his good conduct at the siege of St. Johns, received a commission as first lieutenant. The time for which the men had enlisted having expired, Hunter came back to Windsor in December of that year for more recruits. There were already militia companies in the town, and there is a record of the drill of one of them by Lieutenant Hunter after his return at that time. His mission was successful. Early in January, 1776, on the broad eastern slope of 'the hill' of the West Parish, where to-day green fields smile under the summer-sun, the snow was lying deep. There, at the house of Samuel Root, Hunter mustered his recruits, of whom are preserved the names of Ebenezer Hoisington, Phineas Killam, John Heath, Joel But- ler, Asa Smead, Jonathan Hodgman, and 'an elerly man named Emmons.' These, with perhaps as many more, he marched away on snow-shoes to Skeensborough, now Whitehall, whence, descending the lake on the ice, they reached the army destined to Quebec, and finally encamped on the Plains of Abraham.'
"In the disastrous retreat of the ensuing spring, Warner's regiment was the last on the field, and kept the rear. It was on this retreat that Lieutenant Hunter, discovering a sick Cornish soldier who had laid down to die, inspired with hope the despairing man's heart, and, lifting him on his back, carried him three miles to the bateaux and saved his life. During the re- mainder of the war the military of Windsor were perpetually on the alert, and were frequently called into service. Under Capt. Benjamin Wait and Major Joab Hoisington, they were of the troops who kept back the English and In- dians from the northern towns, and when Royalton was attacked and burned, marched in such numbers to repel and punish the invasion, that most of the women of Windsor, left unprotected, fled with their children to Cornish, 'until the return of the men.' Declining a captaincy in the Continental service, Hunter became lieutenant of the Windsor company, under Capt. Samuel Stow Savage, and succeeded him as captain in the year 1789.
"In the war of 1812 this town contributed its share of officers and men to the armies who fought our battles. Churchill, already referred to, and Mat- thew Patrick remained in the public service to the end of their lives. A few veterans of that war remain to this day to have their fitting recognition by an appropriate place in our festivities. The Jefferson Artillery, significant, politi- cally, by its name, came into being in 1810, amid the omens of the coming war. Its organization was not, however, complete till the ensuing year. Will- iam Tileston was its first captain. My father's commission as lieutenant bears the date of 1811. About 1820 there were four companies in the town, one of artillery, one of light infantry, and two ununiformed, reproachfully termed "floodwood." Harry White was one of the village captains, as was, likewise, David Smith, the brilliant and popular merchant whom Windsor lost
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by a sudden calamity ; Capt. Back commanded the light-infantry of the West Parish. Training days were holidays, and General Musters were great events. The boys caught the military infection of the time, and under the command of John A. Spooner, now a venerable and honored clergyman, marched beneath a banner which bore a patriotic and impressive legend.
"That Windsor was true to her historic principles and renown in the late struggle which saved the Union, and gave us a country unstained by slavery, is fresh within your knowledge, and eulogy from one so unfamiliar as myself with your later history, would for that reason be inadequate and unsatisfac- tory." [See page 57.]
The First Congregational church of Windsor, or Old South church .- The first church organized in Windsor was called the church of Windsor and Cornish. The covenant was adopted at Windsor, September 21, 1768, four years after the permanent settlement of the town was commenced, and at Cornish one week later, at which time an ecclesiastical council publicly recog- nized the church according to Congregational usage, and installed Rev. James Wellman as pastor. The church consisted of ten members, four of whom, Israel Curtis, Ebenezer Hoisington, Joab Hoisington and Hezekiah Thompson, were residents of Windsor. It was arranged that the pastor should preach one-third of the time in Windsor and the remainder in Cornish, receiving as a settlement two hundred acres of land, and an annual salary of 7 40. in currency of New Hampshire, one-third of which was to be paid by the people of Windsor, to secure which payment a bond was given, signed by ten citizens of Windsor. The payment was to be made in October, either in money or " in Graine, or Pork, or Beef, or Day's Labor," the engagement to expire in five years. On the third of April, 1774, eleven members of the church requested and received letters of dismission, for the purpose of form- ing a separate church here. Soon afterwards we find the church of Windsor in existence, but we have no record of its organization, and there is no evi- dence that a council was convened for that purpose. It is not improbable that it was assumed that the church of Cornish and Windsor had now become two distinct bodies, and that no further organization was thought to be neces- sary. The church building was erected in 1798, a wood structure capa- ble of seating 350 persons, and is now valued, including grounds, at $15, - 000.00. The society has 153 members, with Rev. William Greenwood, pastor.
The First Baptist church of Windsor, located on the corner of Main and River streets, was organized December 3, 1785, by "eleven members of the Woodstock church, residing in Windsor," Rev. Roswell Smith being the first pastor. The first church building was a wooden structure, erected in 1802, and in 1815 it was replaced by a brick edifice, which in turn gave place to the present wooden edifice, in 1874. This structure, including grounds and parsonage, is valued at $14 500, and will comfortably accommodate a congre- gation of 400 persons. The society has at present 141 members, under the pastoral care of Rev. J. Mervin Hull.
St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal church, located on State street, was organ- ized in the autum of 1816, with twenty-five members, Rev. George Leonard
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being the first rector. The church building was consecrated November 20, 1822. It is a brick structure, capable of seating 325 persons, originally val- ued at $6,000, but through remodelling, etc., is now valued at $10,000. The society has at present seventy-five communicants, with Rev. Edward N. God- dard, rector.
The First Unitarian Society of Windsor was organized by its first pastor, with forty members, in 1836. Their first church building was erected in 1838, and was superseded by the present structure in 1847, which is a wooden edifice capable of seating 350 persons, valued, including grounds, at $6,000. The society is now under the pastoral charge of Rev. C. E. Churchill, of Hartland.
The Windsor Methodist Episcopal church was organized April 25, 1870, Rev. David Megahy being the first pastor. The society now has about one hundred members, with Rev. P. M. Frost, pastor. They have no house of worship, but hold their services in a hall in the Amsden block, on Depot avenue.
The St. Francis Roman Catholic church, located at the village, has about seventy-five families in its membership, under the charge of Rev. Pat- rick Cunningham. The church building was not erected until 1882, though there has been a society in existence here about forty years. The building is a wooden structure, capable of seating 350 persons, and is valued, includ- ing grounds, at $6,000.
W WOODSTOCK, the shire town of Windsor county, lies in the central part of the same, in lat. 43° 36' and long. 4° 27', bounded north by Pomfret, east by Hartland, south by Reading, and west by Bridgewater. The original charter of the town was given by Benning Went- worth, July 10, 1761, granting 24,900 acres of land to David Page and others, in sixty-eight shares ; but in 1764, George III. having confirmed the claims of New York to the disputed territory of the New Hampshire Grants, a re-charter of the several towns granted by New Hampshire came to be considered necessary, and among others the grantees of Woodstock applied to Governor Tryon, of New York, and were granted a re-charter in 1767. A third and last charter, however, was applied for by Oliver Willard and twenty- three others, when the town was again granted by New York, February 28, 1771, and chartered June 23, 1772, with an area of 23,200 acres, bounded as follows :-
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