USA > Vermont > Essex County > Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vt. 1764-1887 > Part 20
USA > Vermont > Caledonia County > Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vt. 1764-1887 > Part 20
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Joshua Warren married a Miss Walter, and reared three children. His son Ira was born in Lyndon, married, first, Mary Bemis, of Spencer, Mass., who bore him three children, Lorenzo, Charles and Edwin, and second, Abigail Merryfield. He died in West Royalston, Mass., in 1875, aged seventy years. His son Lorenzo came to West Burke in 1843, married Amanda M. Colby, July 2, 1858, and has had born to him four children, namely, Anna M., Nellie A., Frank L. and Ernest J. Anna M. married Frank W. Norris and lives in Springfield, Vt. Mr. Warren has served the town three terms as selectman.
Daniel Way, son of Thomas, was born in Lyme, Conn., in 1744, married Ruth Moor, and reared eight children. His son Martin moved to Sutton in 1828, married Lucinda Gee, of Marlow, N. H., and had born to him two children, Nathan and Erastus. The latter came to Burke in 1860, married Cynthia Newell and has two children, Emerson A. and Ida L. He is a hard- ware merchant at West Burke.
Zeeb Gillman married Hannah Kendrick, and reared six children, of whom David married Betsey Perkins, and has had born to him five children, John,
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Zeeb, Julia, Mary and George. The last mentioned lives in this town with his father on road 26.
Josiah Ladd, son of Elias, was born in Sandwich, N. H., in 1777, moved to Lyndon, and died there at the age of sixty-seven years. He married Marion Webster, and had born to him eleven children, of whom Asa H. married four times, first, Mercy Quimby, who bore him one son ; second, Dolly Quimby, sister of his first wife, who bore him five children. He married for his third wife Hannah Whitten, and for his fourth wife Sophia Dow. His daughter Mercy M. (by his second wife) married David W. Wishart, and her children are Mary H., and Alice E. and Albert H., twins. They live on a farm on road 25.
Richard T. Boyce was born in Newbury, Vt., now lives in Stark, N. H., and has reared children as follows : William A., Osman B., George P., Eliz- abeth A., Mary A., Martha, Carrie, John W., who served in the late war in Co. K, roth Vt. Vols., James M., who served in Co. B, Ioth Vt. Vols., and Allen R. The last mentioned married twice, first, Sarah D. House, who bore him five children, viz .: Alice, Alma, Flora, James W. and Alfred A. He married for his second wife Helen M. Howard, and resides on road 47. He served as county judge in Essex county from 1882 to 1884, represented the town of Granby in 1861, has served as selectman, justice of the peace, town superintendent and notary public.
Moses Dunklee was a native of Lisbon, N. H., moved to Victory, Vt., in 1840, and married Jemima Jesseman. He died in Sutton, June 3, 1872, aged eighty-four years. Of his eight children, George J. married Alzina M. Keyes, and has had born to him five children, viz .: Florence A., Flora A., George F., Harley K. and May I. He is a veterinary surgeon and farmer and lives on road 48.
Hugh Ross, a native of Scotland, located in Barnet for a few years, and finally moved to Canada. Of his four children, William, born in Barnet, married Margaret Shaw, and reared ten children, of whom John A. came to this town in 1879, married Mary Bean, of Sheffield, and resides on a farm on road 48. Richard Jenness, grandfather of Mrs. Ross, was a soldier in the War of 1812, was a custom-house officer at Sheffield, and died in that town about 1848, aged about seventy-five years.
Solomon Nichols, a native of Charlestown, Mass , moved to Concord, Vt., at an early day, and married Mary Goodell. His son Asa was born in Con- cord, and moved to Waterford, where he died in 1876, at the age of eighty- two years. He married Sally Goodell, and had born to him five children, of whom Robert married Katherine M. Whipple, and has had born to him nine children, viz .: Alvin D., Alura M., Elmira M., Elwin F., Charles D., Merritt A., Katie M., Bertrand F. and Glenn D. He now resides in West Burke on road 41.
Stephen Blanchard was born in 1780, married first, Polly Bigsbee, who bore him two children, and second, Rebecca Lake, and had born to him seven
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children, of whom Silas R., a native of West Windsor, Vt., came to this town in 1864, married Olive S. Collins, and has one daughter, Ella J. He lives on road 27.
Dyer Griffen, a life-long resident of England, reared six children. His son William married Mary Dow, moved to Granby, where he died April 22, 1835, at the age of seventy two years. Of his five children, Edward D. came to Burke from Granby in 1866, married Hannah Mathews, and has had born to him eight children, viz .: Caroline S., Oscar C., Otis E., William H., Curtis G., Benjamin J., Harry W. and Willis L. He lives on road 40. Otis served in the late war, in Co. A, 9th Vt. Vols. William H. served in Co. A, Ist Vt. H. A.
John Dodge married first, Louise Powers, who bore him three children, and second, Abigail Lyon, by whom he has had six children as follows : Her- bert L., Louise P., Arvilla A., Eugene, Emmett and Willie. He now lives in Lunenburgh. Herbert L. married Laura M. Nichols, has one son, Murray A., and lives in this town on road 48.
Walter Bowman, a Revoluionary soldier, was a native of Littleton, N. H., and reared nine children, viz .: Walter, Daniel, Baxter, Zadock, Wallace, Royal, Hannah, Casandra and Cosby. Walter, Jr., married Martha Hall, and had born to him nine children, as follows : Martha J., Zadock, Janet W., Mariette, Cordelia M., Lovisa C., Louisa J., Lucretia A. and Walter R. The last mentioned married Louisa Kilby, and has had born to him eight children, viz .: Wallace B., Fayette W., Jeanette L., Willard E., Emeretta A., Mary L., Martha A. and Guy E. He lives in this town on a farm on road 14.
Nelson Barney married Fanny Stacy, and had twelve children. He died in Charleston, Vt., in 1868. His son Alonzo married Ruth Gilson, and has one daughter, Martha M. He served in the civil war, in Co. H, 15th Vt. Vols., and now lives in this town, on road 14.
The Universalist church at West Burke, organized by its first pastor, Rev. Frank E. Healey, with twenty members, at an early period in the town's his- tory, now has twenty-five members. The church building will seat 250 per- sons, and is valued, including grounds, at $4,000.00. Rev. J. Powers is the present pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal church, at West Burke, was also organized by its first pastor, Rev. E. W. Culver, at an early date, with about forty members. The church building, capable of seating 300 persons, is valued, including grounds, at $4,000.00. The society now has fifty members, with Rev. H. P. Cushing, pastor.
The Congregational church, at East Burke, was organized by John Fitch, of Danville, with eleven members, March 1, 1807. The first church building was erected in 1839. The present building, erected by the Baptists in 1845, will seat 300 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $5,300.00. The society now has thirty-five members, with Rev. C. B. Hulburt, pastor.
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TOWN OF DANVILLE.
The Union church, at Burke Hollow, was built by the several denomina- tions of the town in 1825. The present pastor is Rev. C. T. McKensey.
The Union church, of East Burke was built in 1842. It will seat 300 per- sons. The society now has 139 members, with Rev. John McDowell, pastor. The Baptist chapel, at East Burke, was originally built in 1856. The pres- ent building was erected in 1870. Services were first held here by Elder Rufus Godding. The chapel is valued, including grounds, at about $1,300.00.
D ANVILLE is a large, irregularly outlined township, lying in the central part of the county, in latitude 44° 26' and longitude 4° 54', and is bounded on the north by Wheelock, east by St. Johnsbury, south by Barnet and Peacham, and west by Walden and Stannard. In order to briefly trace the history of the tract thus noted one must look back into the period when New York contended for the possession of the "New Hampshire Grants." On a New York map of 1779 there appears, among other town- ships and "plantations" traced thereon, a tract marked "Hillsborough." This tract embraced nearly that now covered by Danville and parts of Walden and Hardwick. But thanks to Ethan Allen and the " Green Mountain Boys," the New York title had to be given up. On October 27, 1786, Vermont granted to Jacob Bailey, Jesse Leavenworth and others, a new township lying about the center of the Hillsborough grant, which was named Danville, for the following reasons : During the struggle of the people of the New Hamp- shire Grants for a separate state existence, the efforts of the Green Mountain Boys were encouraged by the French consul, Hector St. John Crevecoeur, then at Boston. They, wishing to show their appreciation of this service, named several townships in honor of distinguished Frenchmen, and among them this township, for the distinguished French admiral, D' Anville.
Soon after this township was granted, difficulties began to arize between the settlers and the several grantees, respecting the quantity of land to which they were entitled. Settlers' meetings were holden, and committees chosen ; there were proprietors' meetings and conferences ; but, seemingly, all to no purpose. Finally, the matter was referred to the assembly. Commissioners were appointed, the grounds of difference investigated, and a report made. The result of these investigations and deliberations was, that the general assembly decided in issuing, and did accordingly issue, a new or " quieting charter " to the proprietors, November 12, 1802.
The first survey of the township was made by Eben Thompson, who came here as early as 1787, and was one of the first who settled in the northern part of the town. Joshua Stevens sometime after made a re-survey, alter- ing the former lines in certain cases, clipping certain lots, and adding to others. His survey was considered the nearest correct, and the lines as established by him were adhered to in all later transactions. Considerable additions to
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the original area of the township have been made however. The first was made on October 29, 1792, when Walden Gore, containing 2,828 acres, and situated in the western part of the town, was annexed. The next addition was the annexation of a part of Dewysburgh, a tract of 5,310 acres. This lay between Danville and Peacham, and from its shape was called "The Boot." It was chartered to Elijah Dewey and associates, February 28, 1782, was subsequently organized as a township, and was represented in the gen- eral assembly four years. In November, 1810, it was divided by the legislature and a part annexed to Peacham and a part to Danville, thus increasing the township to its present large area of 33,483 acres. On November 5, 1792, Caledonia county was incorporated and Danville was subsequently settled as its shire town. This honor it enjoyed till 1855, when St. Johnsbury became the county seat. During this period the town received one other mark of distinction, viz. : In 1805 the general assembly convened here, the House meeting in the old court-house and the Council in the hall of the hotel. The court-house then stood on the west side of the green, nearly opposite the bank.
The surface of Danville is rough and mountainous, though the town is well watered and timbered, and not surpassed in the northern part of the state for the depth and richness of its soil and the abundance and variety of its productions. The eastern part of the town is elevated about 200 feet above the Connecticut, and thence rises to about 800 feet in the western part. It is watered by numerous streams of pure water, which rise in the higher lands of Wheelock, Walden and Cabot. Joe's pond lies mostly in the west- ern part of the township and covers about 1,000 acres. It discharges its waters into the Passumpsic by Merritt's river, or Joe's brook. At its outlet a large, never failing sheet of water falls seventy-five feet over a limestone ledge. In the northern part of the town are Sleeper's brook and North brook.
In 1880 Danville had a population of 2,003 souls. In 1886 the town had nineteen school districts and nineteen common schools, employing twenty- three female teachers, to whom was paid an average weekly salary, including board, of $4.65. There were 462 scholars, twenty-seven of whom attended private schools. The entire income for school purposes was $3,010.83, while the total expenditures were $2,970.61, with T. W. Darling, superintendent.
DANVILLE, a post village, universally known as "Danville Green," is the principal center of business in the township. When the location of the court-house and county buildings was the ruling theme in the newly organ- ized county of Caledonia, Danville having been selected as the site, two men, the Messrs. Hartshorn, offered to give a site for the buildings if they would be located upon their land. Accordingly, the committee chose the beautiful and sightly spot where the village now stands, and deeds were passed conveying the land which comprised the " Green " and the sites of many of the surrounding buildings, " for so long as the county buildings were contin-
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TOWN OF DANVILLE.
ued thereon." A village had begun to grow about a mile to the east, but it was rapidly abandoned and the new one more rapidly built up about the court-house, continuing to increase until the removal of the courts to St. Johnsbury. The old court-house is now occupied as a town hall. Five streets radiating from the "Green " are bordered upon each side by the dwellings and places of business of the citizens. The Congregational and Methodist societies have church edifices here. Caledonia National bank, with a capital of $100,000.00, accommodates the public financially, while the Elm House furnishes entertainment for transient travelers and summer boarders. Sit- uated 2,500 feet above sea level and 900 feet above St. Johnsbury, its broad views and pure air draw hither many seekers after rest. Danville station, on the Vermont division of the B. & L. R. R., is less than one-fouth of a mile from the " Green." The North Star, a local weekly paper, is published here.
NORTH DANVILLE (p. o.) contains a Baptist church, store, grist-mill saw- mill, several shops, and about twenty dwellings. It is situated about five miles northeast of the "Green," and two miles from the line of St. Johns- bury. George D. Gilman owns the oldest house at this village. It was built by General Chamberlain about 1787.
WEST DANVILLE (p. o.) is the name of a station on the B. & L. R. R. and a village about two and a half miles west of the " Green," at the outlet of Joe's pond. A score of dwellings, a sash and blind manufactory, grist-mill, saw-mill, and two stores constitute the remainder of the village. A hotel was formerly kept here, but being destroyed by fire has not been rebuilt, though Joe's pond, widely celebrated as a fishing ground and pleasure resort, attracts numerous visitors, and there is no hotel within three miles of it.
SOUTH DANVILLE (p. o.), though small, was a busy place until the destruction of Greenbank's woolen-mills, by fire, December 14, 1885. A general store and grist-mill now do business here, and the valuable water- power will undoubtedly soon be improved for manufacturing.
The Caledonia National Bank was originally organized in 1826, as a state institution, with a capital of $50,000 00. In May, 1865, it was re-chartered as a national bank, and its capital increased to $100,000.00. The first president of the institution was William Palmer, who served only six months, when he was succeeded by Augustine Clark. Since then the succeeding presidents have been Samuel Sias, George V. Chandler, Ira Brainard, L. H. Delano, Orra Crosby, Bliss N. Davis, Samuel Ingalls and James W. Simpson, the present incumbent. As near as can be ascertained the first board of directors were as follows: William Palmer, Samuel Sias, Franklin Deming, Dr. Shedd and William Baxter. The present officers are as follows : James W. Simpson, president ; James B. Mattocks, cashier; and James Crane, George B. Davis and John Farrington, directors.
Benjamin Greenbank's woolen-mill at South Danville, was originally built by Harrison Bolton, in 1845, and was purchased by Mr. Greenbank in 1849,
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He made large improvements on the structure in 1855, and again in 1875, so that he lately employed forty-five hands, had thirty-six broad looms, and manufactured about 700 yards of cloth per day. The mill was burned De- cember 14, 1885, and Mr. Greenbank has removed to Enfield, N. H., where he is employed in business.
C. M. Gilbert's grist-mill, on road 71, was originally built in 1787. Mr. Gilbert purhased the mill in 1875, and grinds about 7,000 bushels of wheat per year. The mill has three runs of stones.
Amos C. Morse's machine and repair shop, on road 73, was established by William H. and S. H. Nutting, about 1847, and was purchased by Mr. Morse about 1863.
L. W. Fisher's saw and grist-mill, on road 84, was built by Alvin Morrill and Oliver Morse about 1830. In 1871 Mr. Fisher, in company with M. J. Morse, purchased the property, and in 1875 he became the sole owner. The grist-mill has three runs of stones and grinds about 15,000 bushels of grain per year, and the saw mill cuts about 150,000 feet of lumber per annum.
The Danville woolen mill, John Spencer, proprietor, was built by C. C. Shattuck, in 1878. It has fourteen broad looms, two sets of cards, and has the capacity for making 100 yards of cloth per day. Mr. Spencer employs six hands.
D. C. Farrington's grist-mill, at West Danville, purchased by him in 1884, has four runs of stones.
George Merrill & Son's sash, blind and door factory, at West Danville, was built by Knight & Farrington, in 1870, for a blacksmith and repair shop, and was purchased by Mr. Merrill in 1871, and converted by him into its present use in 1872. They manufacture about $1,000 00 worth of goods per year and also do a general repair business.
S. N. Hubbell's saw mill and butter-tub factory, on road 6, was re-built by him in 1870, and again in 1882. He manufactures 350,000 feet of lumber, 75.coo shingles and 4,000 butter-tubs per year, also doing matching and planing.
James B. Barron's grist-mill, located on the outlet of Joe's pond, at West Danville, is operated by five Buzzell turbine wheels, under twenty feet fall. It is fitted with four runs of stones, does a merchant business, using from fifty to one hundred car-loads of corn per annum, He also does custom grinding, and deals in flour. He has put in a side track from the railroad, which furnishes the best of facilities for unloading grain.
B. Greenbank's saw-mill, on road 70, is operated by water-power, and does custom-work, cutting about 250,000 feet of rough and undressed lumber per annum.
Gardner J. Sanborn's wheelwright shop was purchased by him about 1872, and then contained a custom provender mill. In 1886 he put in another run of stones for grinding corn and feed.
F. W. Green's grist-mill, at North Danville, was purchased by him in 1875-
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TOWN OF DANVILLE.
It has three runs of stones and grinds about 60,000 bushels of grain per year.
Asa Randall's threshing machine and repair shop, at North Danville, was established by him, in company with his two brothers, in 1847. They manu- factured fifty-one machines, but he now does mostly a repairing business.
Alice M. Wells's saw and planing-mill, at North Danville, cuts coarse tim- ber, shingles, etc.
Of the early settlement of the town, we quote the following from one of the writers in Miss Heminway's Historical Magazine :-
" In the spring of 1783 or '84, Charles Hackett, the pioneer of this moun- tain region, opened a spot for his cabin just south of the house now occupied by Peter Bovee, on what is now called the ' Isaac Morrill pitch.' This improvement was bought by Isaac Morrill, who subsequently settled on the farm. Mr. Hackett made a second pitch upon a spot just north of this first, now called the 'Charles Sias pitch.' This improvement was bought by Capt. Charles Sias, for which he gave a cow. Mrs. Hackett was the first woman who came into this town ; but, dreading the severity of the winter, she remained only through the summer, and returned to Peacham. In March, 1784. Capt. Charles Sias, with his family, made the first actual settlement here. His wife was the first woman who dared to breast the long and dreary winter of this deep and unbroken wilderness. Mr. Sias drew his family and effects into
town from Peacham on a hand-sled. Mr. Sias brought with him ten chil- dren, seven sons and three daughters, as follows : Solomon, Joseph, Charles, John, James, Nathan, Samuel, Sarah, Polly and Abigail. The snow was very deep, and the way was trackless. No mark was there to guide them, save the long line of spotted trees leading away into the dark forests. The father, with Solomon, Joseph, Charles and John, and three daughters, made the first
company. Mr. Sias, with two men to assist, went forward on snow shoes, and drew the sled, loaded with the girls and some goods, the boys following. They reached their log cabin early in the afternoon, dug it out from beneath the snow, which had nearly buried it, left John and the sisters to take care of themselves through the night,-the others returned to Peacham. John was but eleven years old, and was the first male child that ever slept in Danville. The next day came the mother with the other children on the hand-sled. In three days more the effects were all moved, and the lone family began their hard labors upon the wilderness. They commenced by tapping the maples, which stood thick around them in the most beautiful groves, affording them sugar in abundance, and supplied, in a great degree, the lack of other food. Thus was settled the first family in this town. The father, Charles Sias, was the first captain of the first military company in town, and was one of the first members of the Calvinist Baptist church in Danville. In this year, also, Sargent Morrill commenced chopping in town. During the year 1785, or in the spring of 1786, some fifty emigrants from New Hampshire and Massachusetts, Essex county, had settled here as 'squatters.' The first settlers in Danville were Charles Sias, Sargent Morrill, Daniel Wheeler, Daniel Cross, Abraham Morrill, Jeremiah Morrill, Abner Morrill, Paul Morrill, Joseph Magoon, Tim- othy Batchelder, E. Howard, James Kiteridge and Israel Brainard. In Gen- eral Bailey's list of some years after, among the proprietors' records, the num- ber of settlers was fifty-four."
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TOWN OF DANVILLE.
As winter approached in 1786, all of those who had come into the town, except Charles Sias and Daniel Cross, returned to their homes. In the fol- lowing spring they returned, their numbers being augmented by forty addi- tional families, and as early as 1789 this number had increased to 200 families.
The town was organized March 20, 1787, the meeting being held at the house of Daniel Wheeler, when the following list of officers was elected : Sargent Morrill, moderator ; Abraham Morrill. town clerk ; Charles Sias, Is- rael Brainard and Jeremiah Morrill, selectmen ; Daniel Wheeler, constable ; Zebediah Parker, tythingman ; Abner Morrill, Charles Sias, James Kiteridge and Joseph Magoon, surveyors of highways ; Samuel Fuller, - Hayward and Timothy Batchelder, fence viewers.
The first birth was that of Danville Howard, in the summer of 1787. He only lived three years. The first marriage was that of Joseph Page to Abi- gail Morrill, December 25, 1788. The first store was opened by John Web- ber, in 1790.
During the war of 1812 Danville raised a company to serve six months, which was stationed near the Canada line. Joseph Morrill was the captain John A. Stanton, lieutenant ; Luther Bagbee, ensign; Harvey Kelsey, Luke Swett, Plummer Sawyer (who had already served in the war of the Revolu- tion), Samuel Langmaid, John Bickford, Peter Heath, William Heath, Asa Glines, Moses Varney, Jason Wilkins, Samuel Long, James Watson, Leavitt Daniels, Stutson West, Ephraim Hartshorn, Jerry Walker, Josh Otis, Noah Willey, privates ; who were stationed at Portsmouth, N. H. At the expiration of the six months, Captain Morrill's company was discharged. He then raised a volunteer company of "year's men," who served till peace was de- clared. Solomon Langmaid served as a dragoon at the battle of Plattsburgh. Hiram Kelsey raised a company, but was not called out. During the winter of 1812, also, two companies of Kentucky dragoons, commanded by Captains Hall and Butler, were quartered here on account of abundance of forage and provisions.
During the years from 1861 to 1865, inclusive, Danville furnished, under the different calls of the President of the United States, 245 men, an excess of five men more than she was called on to furnish for her share. But, al- though she furnished that number under the several calls, she never had that number of different men in the field, for as the time of some expired they re- enlisted, others who had been discharged by reason of disease contracted in the service, recovering, re enlisted, and each man that re-enlisted counted twice on the town's quota. During the draft, when $300.00 was considered equal to a man, eighteen were drafted, fourteen of whompaid their commuta- tion, two furnished substitutes, and two entered the army. Taking from the whole number 245, those who re-enlisted and those who paid commutation under the draft, it leaves 194 different men who entered the service. Of this number nine entered the naval service. The whole number killed, or who died immediately after of wounds received in battle, were twelve. The whole
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