USA > Vermont > Essex County > Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vt. 1764-1887 > Part 23
USA > Vermont > Caledonia County > Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vt. 1764-1887 > Part 23
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Moses Page came here, from Maine, about 1808, married Hannah Seavy, and reared thirteen children, nine of whom are living. His son George G. enisted in the late war, in 3d Vt. Vols., when only fifteen years of age, was run over by a lot of cavalry during a battle, and in consequence thereof is an invalid, suffering with curvature of the spine. He married Jane S. Cunning- ham. Moses, Jr., was also a soldier in the 3d Vt. Vols. He married Lydia W. Gardner.
John Page came here about 1811, and first located where his son Benjamin now lives, off road 39. He married Meriba Wormwood and reared eleven children, Mrs. Page giving birth to four boys at one time. Three of their children are now living, James, in Kansas, William, in Washington, Vt., and Benjamin, of this town. The latter married Betsey Frost, and has had born to him eight children, George W., now deceased, Carlos, of Barnet, Cyrus B., of Ryegate, Isaiah F., in Monroe, N. H., Lizzie (Mrs. James R. Dunn), of West Concord, Albert, Frank M. and Lucy J. Albert married Mary A.
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Page, and has four children, namely, Newton H., Lois J., Herbert C. and Charles M. Frank M., son of Benjamin, was born in Topsham, Vt., in 1845, attended the academy at Barre, Vt., for three years, and graduated there. He studied law with J. O. Livingston, of Montpelier, and in 1873 was ad- mitted to the bar. He came here at once and has been here since. In 1876 he was elected to the legislature, and the same year he married Laura E. Wrinkle, and has had three children, Leslie W., Harlan R. and Roy M. Harlan and Roy died in infancy. In May, 1884, his wife died. She was a member of the Baptist church, and was a daughter of Rev. Thomas Wrinkle, who was pastor of the Baptist church in this town several years. In 1885 Mr. Page married Roslia Wrinkle, a sister of his former wife.
John W. Page was born in this town, where J. Baldwin now lives, on road 19, February 16, 1831, married Rachel Goodwin, and has had born to him three children, viz. : Arvilla, who died at the age of thirteen years, Aleck and Frank W., both of this town.
Moses Plummer was born in Sanford, Me., in 1788, came here in 1810, married Betsey Paul, of Maine, and reared six children. Moses, Jr., mar- ried twice, first, Jane Mclaughlin, in 1842, who born him one child, Eliza, who married James Dunn, and is now deceased. The wife of Moses, Jr., died in 1853, and he married for his second wife Sarah (Frost) York.
Ebenezer Plummer, son of Samuel and Nancy (Morrison) Plummer, was born in 1819, married Anna Whitehill, of Ryegate, and had born to him eleven children, eight of whom are living, viz. : Maria, Nancy, Christie, Samuel, Phebe (Mrs. John Young), of Peacham, Mary A. (Mrs. Carlos Page), of Bar- net, Martha (Mrs. Charles Jones), of Nebraska, and Ida M. Mr. Plummer's wife died in February, 1885, and he married for his second wife Mary (Page) Whitehill. He has served as selectman and lister, and has been grand juror twelve years. His son Samuel was born July 8, 1854, married Jennie Frost, and has three children, Jesse A., Sadie and Ebenezer 2d. He lives on the homestead on road 8.
Bradley Plummer was born in Groton in 1826, married Nancy Brown, and had born to him five children, four of whom are living, namely, Mamie (Mrs. J. Ingraham), of Ryegate, Willis, of Ryegate. Helen (Mrs. Benjamin Ricker), of this town, and Robert S. The latter married Lovisa McLane, and has had born to him three children, Roscoe, Lois and Henry.
Otis Glover, son of Samuel, was born in West Fairlee, Vt., in 1811, and came to this town with his parents in 1818, where they lived five years, and then moved to Topsham, Vt. Otis learned the joiner's trade. He married Esther Everett, in 1835, and had born to him eight children. His son Henry C. married Nancy Jackson, in 1872, and has one child Waldo F: He has been sheriff since 1881, is constable and justice of the peace, was town rep- resentative in 1884, and has been selectman.
Levi Wilson came here when a boy, with his parents, from Maine, married Annie Emery, and had born to him four children, three of whom are living,
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namely, William, who lives in Peacham, Patience (Mrs. George Blaisdell), of Corinth, Vt., and Isaac. Mr. Wilson became a member of the Congrega- tional church of Peacham when a young man, and died in 1863, aged fifty- two years. His son Isaac married Caroline Heath, and had born to him six children, viz .: George M., Levi, Althea, Robert B., Hazen and Carrie J.
William Orr, son of John, a Revolutionary soldier, lived in Ryegate, mar- ried Rachel Rogers, and reared eight children, two of whom are living, John and James. Chester, son of John and Achsa (Thompson) Orr, was born in Ryegate, in 1835, and married Cynthia Martin in 1862. He served in the late war in Co. D, Ist Vt. Cav., was taken prisoner at the battle of Stony Creek, June 30, 1864, and was carried to Andersonville, where he was kept ten months. He came here in 1877. He has five children, namely, Pliny, Mattie, Amelia, Ada and Mabel.
Thomas B. Hall was born in this town in 1834, attended the Newbury seminary two terms, and worked as a clerk for John Buchanan from 1855 to 1858. He then engaged in buying wool, sheep and cattle, and then in the lumber business. In 1876 he began the charcoal business with his father, I. N. Hall; in 1878 began business in the lumber-mill where he now is, and in 1882 bought the store now run by Hall & Cochran. Mr. Hall served in the legislature from 1874 to 1876, has been selectman twelve years, overseer of the poor eight years, lister several times, justice of the peace ten years, and notary public twenty years. Mr. Hall married Elizabeth M. Donalson in 1862, and has had born to him four children, viz .: William H., who died in infancy, George N., who died, aged nine years, Isaac N., 2d, and Elizabeth M.
Martin Weld, son of Daniel and Lydia (Fuller) Weld, was born in Cor- nish, N. H., in 1817, came to this town in.1836, and learned the trade of axe making of a brother who was engaged here in the business. He bought his brother out, and carried on the business himself until about 1870. He mar- ried Imogene L. George, of Topsham, Vt., and has had born to him five children, namely, Charles B. and Lydia A., both of whom died in infancy, Ella M., Benjamin M. and Fuller N., who is in Boston, Mass. Benjamin is a graduate of Montpelier seminary, also of Middlebury college, Vt., and is now principal of the academy at Orford, N. H. Martin has served the town as lister, selectman and grand juror.
Eliphalet Carpenter came here from West Fairlee, Vt., in 1839, and after living just over the line in Topsham for three years, he moved to Groton pond. He served about six weeks in the War of 1812. He married twice, first, Bet- sey Morey, who bore him five children. He married for his second wife Hannah Glover, and had born to him twelve children, of whom Andrew J. married Sarah Morrison for his first wife, lived in Ryegate two years, and now resides here. He has been engaged for several years in the lumber business, with Hon. J. R. Darling, and was a soldier in the late war, serving in Co. D, 15th Vt. Vols. He had five children by his first wife, viz .: Curtis, Ro- sette, Lizzie, John F. and Harvey J. He married for his second wife Emily
el save M Kicken
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Welch, and has had born to him nine children, viz .: Minnie E., George W., Joseph, Katie, Peter, Sewel C., Flora B., Warren E. and Ambrose B.
James Dunn, born in Ryegate in 1800, married Nancy Holmes, March 24, 1835, and came to Groton the same day. He was a member of the Presby- terian church of Barnet, and died in 1874. His wife died in 1860. Of his three children, James, Jr., lives in West Concord, John K., who married Vic- toria Whitehill, lives in this town, and Nancy A. (Mrs. Oscar Gibson) lives in Peacham.
Isaac M. Ricker was born in Groton, April 10, 1839, and lived at home with his parents during his minority. At home during his school days he read in the papers the glowing accounts of the rich mines discovered in the Pike's Peak country, and when of age he struck out to try and make his fortune in that direction. Arriving in Sioux City, he found more people returning from than going to those mines. This fact served to cool his ardor, and he con- cluded he had gone far enough in that direction. After visiting two of his brothers, who lived in Nebraska, he returned to Money Creek Valley, Minn., and worked for his brother-in-law, William Vance, during the summer, and returned home to Vermont the same fall. It was his fortune while making the above journey to pass through several scenes of excitement and danger, of two of which we will make brief mention. While traveling in a four-horse coach from St. Joseph to Sioux City they were overtaken by a blizzard, and the cold was so intense that all were nearly frozen. The driver became so benumbed and bewildered that his horses changed their course towards the marshes of the Missouri bottom. Ricker saw this, and that it was death to the whole party if they continued in that direction. He tried to convince the freezing driver that he was wrong ; and, failing in this, he seized the reins, brought the horses back in their proper course, and in about half an hour, though nearly perished with cold, reached the desired station alive. While in Nebraska, Isaac and one of his brothers started on horse-back to go and visit another brother who lived about thirty-five miles distant. When near their journey's end they came to a stream which was greatly swollen, in con- sequence of the melting snow, so that they had to leave their horses and cross the stream in an Indian canoe, and travel the few remaining miles on foot. His brother was living in an unfinished frame house, and during the night such a terrific wind arose that the family became frightened and went to a neigh- bors, who lived in a substantial log house. In the morning the brother's house was still standing, and of course they had their fright that time for nothing. The next day they started to return, taking the other brother with them. Upon reaching the river they found it had overflowed its banks and spread out far and wide. In trying to recross the stream the wind and waves proved too much for their frail bark, which capsized, and they were all plunged headlong into the icy cold stream. Isaac caught an old stump, and, climbing upon it, saw his brothers carried down the stream. Being good swimmers they struck out and soon reached the natural bank of the stream, where they
13*
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found the water was only waist deep. They then shouted to Isaac that he must swim for his life, which he did, and finally succeeded in reaching the bank, but some distance below his brothers. They got together as soon as- possible, and, taking hold of hands, waded about three-fourths of a mile, through water of various depths, to the land. One of the brothers was so terribly chilled he would have perished had not the others kept constantly shaking and buffeting him to keep him aroused, while they almost carried him along. After leaving the water and traveling about a mile, with their cloth- ing frozen stiff, they reached a hotel kept by an old Vermonter, and were saved. A good rousing fire and a little whiskey, judiciously used, in such a time, will do wonders for a man. After his return to Vermont Mr. Ricker devoted his time to agriculture till the breaking out of the civil war, when he enlisted in the 12th Vermont Volunteers and served to the end of his time. Just before his discharge he was taken very sick with diphtheria, and he thinks he almost owes his life to the kind treatment he received at the hands o ladies of the Sanitary Commission at New York, and of his brother Frank on his way home. December 3, 1863, he married Mary Jane, the seventeenth child
of John and Phebe Taisey. Mrs. Ricker is a lady of rare natural ability, devoted to her husband's interests, and well calculated to help him on the road to success. His first business partnership, which continued only one year, was with his brother William, who was a live stock and produce broker. It was a year of prosperity, and the profits gave Isaac quite a start in the business in which he soon engaged and has since followed. In 1866 he en- tered into partnership with Hon. J. R. Darling, in the lumber business, buy ing timber lands, and manufacturing and selling the lumber, doing business under the firm name of Darling & Ricker for a term of eighteen years. Mr. Darling then retired from the firm, and Mr. Ricker succeeded to the business, he purchasing all of Mr. Darling's interest in lands, mills, lumber, teams, etc., and continues the business at the present time. He is also a leading partner in the firm of I. M. & C. Ricker, also extensive dealers in lands and lumber. An important key to his continued success is that he is a first-class salesman and collector. His popularity is such that several other large manufacturers of lumber employ him to market their lumber for them. All of these facts combine to make him one of the most active, energetic and reliable men in the county.
Amaziah H. Ricker, son of Joseph and Maribah (Morrison) Ricker, was born January 9, 1831, attended the common schools and the academies at Peacham and Bath. He worked in Boston, Mass., a few years, and in 1857 bought the mill where he now is. In 1864 he formed a partnership with William and Artemas W. Dawes, under the firm name of Ricker, Dawes & Co., which continued a year, since which time he has been engaged in the- business alone. He married twice, first, Mary D. Wood, in 1860, who died the next year, and second, Marcia Dascomb, of Greenfield, N. H., in 1862. He has had four children, namely : Edmund D., born January 24, 1864, and
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married Phebe J. Harvey, April 6, 1886 ; Harry M., born December 23, 1866, Mary Emma, born September 25, 1869, and Lela M., born June 10, 1873, and died June 5, 1874. Mr. Ricker has been superintendent of the Sabbath-school, and has served the town as moderator three times. Joseph, Jr., is not married. Joseph, Sr., father of Amaziah, was a member of the Baptist church, and died February 28, 1870, aged sixty-seven years.
Benjamin M. Ricker, son of Orson and Lydia (Taisey) Ricker, was born in 1845, and began business for himself when only sixteen years of age, by buy- ing a car load of lambs and taking them to Boston, Mass., on which venture he cleared $250.00. Later he has been engaged in the lumber and bark business. He has held nearly all the town offices. He married Helen M., daughter of Bradley and Nancy Plummer, and has had born to him six chil- dren, viz. : Maggie, Ira, Orson, Jennie, Vangie, Berty, Roscoe and Benja- min F.
Charles A. Ricker, son of Orson, was born in this town, in 1854, attended the common schools and the academy at Peacham, and is engaged in the lumber business. He married Charlotte Vance, of Topsham, and has three children, namely : Jenness E., Myrtie M. and Inez D.
Alman L. Clark, who moved to Montpelier in 1884, where he now resides, was for many years the owner of the grist-mill now owned by Heman Gil- man. He married first, Jane Hatch, who bore him two children, Horace C. and Wallace. The former married Jane Noyes, and has four children, namely, Almon, Ross I., Stephen L. and George N. Wallace lives in Illi- nois. Almon'L. Clark married for his second wife Betsey Gilbert, and has. had born to him four children. .
Heman L. Gilman, son of Solomon L. and Diantha (Powers) Gilman, was. born in Marshfield, Vt., in 1847, engaged in the lumber business for a few years, was emploped by the railroad eight years, and run the first train over the road from Bethlehem Junction to Bethlehem Street, N. H., in 1881. He married Abbie L. Richardson, October 27, 1880.
Charles H. Frizzell, son of Rodolphus and Harriet (Weber) Frizzell, came here from Topsham, Vt., married Luella Lampher, for his first wife, in 1876, who bore him three children, Jennie, Ellsworth and Ida. His wife died May 2, 1885, and he married for his second wife Cora L. Whiting. He served in the late war, in Co. I, 5th N. H. Vols., and served in several battles.
Seth N. Eastman, M. D., son of Bernard and Hannah (Weed) Eastman, was born in 1844, is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Medical college, and also of the Dartmouth Medical college, at Hanover, N. H. He married Evalonia, daughter of Hon. J. R. Darling, and has two children, Cyrus D. and Bernard S. Mr. Eastman was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in Co. B, 6th Vt. Vols., when only seventeen years of age, was wounded at the battle of Savage Station, and was in Libby prison, Andersonville and Belle Isle.
Nathan C. Powers was born in Thetford, Vt., in 1828, remained there till
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1870, when he moved to Boston, Mass., then to Danvers, then to Northamp- ton, Mass., then to Derry, N. H., and came here in 1880. He married Mary A. Mison, of Manchester, N. H., in 1863.
Rev. George W. Clough, son of Marise and Martha A. (Foss) Clough, was born at Haverhill, Mass., January 12, 1849, and is a graduate of Colgate academy, at Hamilton, N. Y. He was ordained at Newton Junction, N. H., in 1879, and in 1882 went to Rumney, N. H., as pastor of Baker's River Baptist church. He came to this town in August, 1884. He married Mary E. Kimpton, of Malone, N. Y., June 4, 1879, and has four children, namely, Ida E., Ervin W. and Eva A., twins, and Arthur W.
Daniel Coffrin was born in this town, and served as town representative in 1848-55-55-56. His son Albert W., was in the grocery business at Mont- pelier, for a short time, and came here in 1876, where he has since been in business as a merchant. He married Martha Frost, in 1880, and has two children, Lilla and Morris D.
Frank P. Smith was born in Groton, N. H., is a shoemaker by trade, and came to this town in 1865. He married Elmira Minard, and has two chil- dren, Elner and Birdie E.
George P. Rand was born in Dorchester, N. H., came to this town and began working for Mr. Ricker in 1878. He married Martha Fisk, of this town.
Jonathan W. Randall was born in Newbury, Vt., in 1820, married Eliza- beth Orr, and has had born to him three children, only one of whom is living, Sidney G. The latter married Clara Lambert and lives at home.
Henry Hutton, son of George and Hannah Hutton, was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1837, and came to this country in 1849. He married for his first wife Lavina Mack, of Bradford, Vt., and has had born to him seven children, viz .: Elizabeth, John H., and Annie, who are dead, Patience L. (Mrs. Thomas Eastman), of Topsham, Vt., Mary (Mrs. John Page), of Newbury, Vt., Robert and Blanche L. Mrs. Hutton died January 1, 1878. Mr. Hut- ton married for his second wife Mrs. Elsie (Welch) Davis, and has one child, Jeremiah P.
The Baptist church, at Groton village, was organized in 1813. The first house of worship, a wood structure, was built in 1824, and the present edi- fice in 1866. The latter is a wood structure capable of seating 250 persons, and is valued at $3,000.00. The society now has ninety-one members, with Rev. G. W. Clough, pastor. Within the last twenty-five years the society has buried three pastors, Rev. N. W. Smith, T. Wrinkle and W. A. Worthing- ton, each of whom was eminently useful and his labor greatly blessed. The second of these, Thomas Wrinkle, had a somewhat romantic history. He was born in Rockbrook, Dublin county, Ireland, February 21, 1821. He ob- tained an excellent education there, and came to this country when seven- teen years old. He soon conceived the idea that the Romish church in which he was educated was false in doctrine, and he left it. He was then skeptical
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of all religion for a time, but at the age of thirty-six years he became con- verted and joined the Baptist church at Colebrook, Conn. He soon began to preach at Pleasant Valley, Conn., and not long after he was called to Whitingham, Vt. When the war broke out he enlisted as a private soldier, was made chaplain of the 8th Vt. Vols., which he was with till the war closed. He then preached in Bernardston, Mass., and was called from there to this town. His labors were greatly blessed by his Master everywhere. He mar- ried Betsey Hall, January 8, 1844, at New Marlborough, Mass. They had three children, Sarah J., Laura E. and Rosalia. Mr. Wrinkle died October 26, 1870. Rev. Watson A. Worthington came from Bernardston, Mass., to this town a few years after Mr. Wrinkle died. He preached but a short time before he also was called from his labor by the Great Master. He was greatly beloved by his church, and was very sound in doctrine. His widow still lives in the town.
The Methodist Episcopal church of Groton was organized by Rev. Paul Richards, with ten members, in 1828. Rev. Newell Culver was the first pas- tor. The church building was erected in 1836, at a cost of $1,250.00. In 1866 it was thoroughly repaired, so that it is now capable of seating 300 per- sons, and is valued, including grounds, at $3,500.00. The society has 148 members, with Rev. C. H. Farnsworth, pastor.
H ARDWICK lies the northwestern corner of the county, in latitude 44° 31' and longitude 4º 39', bounded north by Greensboro, in Orleans county, east by Walden, south by Woodbury, in Washington county, and west by Wolcott, in Lamoille county. It was originally granted Novem- ber 7, 1780, and chartered August 19, 1781, to Danforth Keyes and his asso- ciates, and contains about 23,040 acres, or an area six miles square.
The surface of the town lies in gentle swells, with a general southerly slope. It has a rich, fertile soil, and is heavily timbered, mostly with hard wood, among which is a large quantity of sugar maple. Most of the inhabitants are engaged in farming, though several enterprising firms carry on the lumber business. The town is well watered, the principal stream being the Lamoille river, which enters the township from Greensboro, and taking a circuitous course passes through it in a westerly direction into Wolcott. This and sev- eral of its tributaries furnish a number of excellent mill privileges.
In 1880 Hardwick had a population of 1,484 souls. In 1886 the town had eleven school districts and eleven schools, employing three male and twenty female teachers, at an average weekly salary, including board, of $7.13 for the males and $4.85 for the females. There were 399 scholars, eighteen of whom attended the private schools. The entire income for school purposes. was $2,376.18, while the whole expenditures were $2, 161.93, with W. I. Leonard, superintendent.
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TOWN OF HARDWICK.
HAZEN ROAD, commonly called "The Street," is the oldest village in the town. It is situated on high land near the north line of the town. The first settlement was made here in 1793. It was formerly a place of activity and considerable local business importance.
EAST HARDWICK, a post village and railroad station, is situated on the La- moille river, about three miles from the north and one mile from the east line of the town. Samuel Stevens made the first settlement and built the first mills here, about 1797. It now contains two churches, Congregational and Baptist, two general stores, jewelry store, tinshop, and the following manufac- tures : Livingston & Montgomery, carriages; Keith & Lawrence, lumber ; G. L. Johnson, grist-mill; G. D. Goodrich, bee keepers supplies.
HARDWICK, a postoffice and railroad station, is located on the Lamoille river about two miles from the south line of the township. The first settler in the neighborhood was Captain John Bridgman, about a mile north of the present village, in 1797. The first saw-mill and grist-mill were built here by Willard Bugbee, who also put in a carding machine. Mark Goss bought and rebuilt the grist-mill about 1828. A woolen mill was for many years operated here, Azro Crane, Erastus Nichols. Ira Atkins and Samuel K. Remick having owned it at different times, and while owned by the latter it was burned, about 1850. David Tuttle built a tannery here and with his son Samuel carried on the business many years. It was last operated by D. W. Aiken in 1883. Amasa Wells carried on a pottery at this village several years. The first merchant at Hardwick village was Dorman Bridgman, about 1825, and he was also the first postmaster. He had as partner a Mr. Kellogg. The latter died, and in 1832 Daniel W. Aiken became a partner with Mr. Bridg- man, and since that time has been in trade here. Some of the other mer- chants who have been in trade at different periods were Dodge & Hutchins, Pennock & Dodge, Downer & Sanborn, A. E. Jeudevine with various part- ners, Adolphus Holton, - - Baker and others, H. A. Shedd and Mr. Clement. The present manufacturers are H. R. Mack and S. P. Wheeler, granite; H. G. Swerdfeger, miller; M. E. Tucker, Wheeler & Shipman, and Cate & Bunker, lumber; and L. H. & W. H. Ward, machine shop. 'Hardwick academy is located here. There are two churches (Methodist and Adventist) in the place, and two hotels, the Centennial House, a tastily arranged, modern structure, built by J. Drennan in 1876, now conducted by the owner, Mr. I. F. Batchelder, and the Maple Park House, kept by Mr. A. R. Pike.
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