USA > Vermont > Essex County > Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vt. 1764-1887 > Part 27
USA > Vermont > Caledonia County > Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vt. 1764-1887 > Part 27
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BARNS ON GROUT HOMESTEAD.
Reared a Democrat, he remained such till 1854, when the Democratic party repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which opened Kansas and Nebraska to the introduction of slavery. This was too much for his party fealty, and with his pronounced anti-slavery convictions, he naturally drifted into the Republican ranks, where he was permanently settled by the War of the Rebellion. He cast his first Republican vote for Abraham Lincoln, in 1864. He was not, however, very active in politics, but found greater satis- faction in the cultivation of his farm and the care of his family. He died at the age of sixty-nine years. There were born to Josiah and Sophronia (Ayer) Grout ten children :-
(I) Helen M., December 17, 1831, married Martin Perkins, and died at Stevens Point, Wisconsin, August 26, 1856.
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(2) William W., May 24, 1836. See sketch.
(3) George W., June 26, 1838, farmer, resides in Derby, Vt.
(4) Josiah, May 28, 1841, lawyer and farmer, resides in Derby, Vt .; was major of cavalry in the late war, has been several times member of Vermont legislature, and was speaker of House of Representatives in 1886.
(5) Sophronia, September 17, 1842, married George O. Ford, who was captain 8th Vt. Vols. in the late war, and resides on the old homestead in Kirby.
(6) Mary, March 15, 1845, married Charles H. Dwinnell, and resides in Barton, Vt.
(7) Victoria, September 27, 1846, resides with William W., in Barton, Vt.
(8) Theophilus, September 3, 1848, lawyer, state's attorney, and member of legislature, resides in Newport, Vt.
(9) Susan, September 21, 1850, married F. W. Baldwin, of Barton, Vt., died in September, 1879.
(10) James, July 3, 1852, resides on the old homestead in Kirby.
The following biographical sketch of William W. Grout, by the pen of Hon. George H. Blake, of Orleans county Monitor, is taken from " The Bar of Orleans County," a book published by F. W. Baldwin, Barton, Vt .:-
William Wallace Grout was born of American parents in Compton, Prov- ince of Quebec, May 24, 1836. His ancestry is traced back in New Eng- land to as early a period as 1640, and the record shows that in each genera- tion the Grouts were distinguished for push, strong common sense and integ- rity. They held various offices, and occupied prominent places in their dif- ferent spheres of life. From Massachusetts they found their way into New Hampshire, as the new country opened up, and Theophilus, grandfather of William W., came to Vermont in 1792, and settled in Kirby. Josiah, father of William W., was born in Kirby and resided there most of his life, though he spent a few years in Canada. William Wallace was the second child in a family of ten ; his mother was Sophronia Ayer, an intelligent, estimable lady of Scotch-Irish descent, whose marked characteristics were transmitted to her children.
William W. Grout, like other Vermont boys, had a fair opportunity to at- tend the common schools, but was ambitious to obtain an education, and hoped to enter one of the professions. He spent his leisure hours in reading and study, and later procured a good academic education. Having decided upon the profession of the law, he entered the law school at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he graduated in 1857. Returning from school, he entered the law office of Hon. Thomas Bartlett, of Lyndon, to spend a few months there, and was admitted to the bar in Caledonia county in December of the same
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year. The next summer he went to Barton and established a law office of his own. The town at that time was the terminus of the railroad and the business center of the county. Several lawyers resided there, and the bar of the county was honored by many members then, and afterwards, distin- guished. The young lawyer was pitted against older lawyers than himself in his own town, and against John P. Sartle, an antagonist who was very jeal- ous of his own standing, and imperious in his bearing and conduct. Local litigation soon gave young Grout opportunity to show what material he was made of, and many well remember the fierce battles that were fought in jus- tice courts when Grout and Sartle were engaged as counsel. Here Mr. Grout began to display that good common sense, unfaltering courage, and indomitable perseverance which have ever been the elements of his success. His practice in the local courts increased, and he soon took respectable standing at the bar, both in Orleans and Caledonia counties.
In 1862 he was nominated for state's attorney by the Republicans of his county, but he declined the nomination, having decided to enter the army. He recruited a company in Barton, and at its organization was chosen cap. tain. When the line officers met to choose field officers, Capt. Grout was chosen lieutenant-colonel of the 15th Vermont regiment. The regiment was immediately sent to Virginia, and did much marching and picket duty through the winter, camped and tramped all through the guerilla country, and participated in the Gettysburgh campaign ; yet it was singularly fortunate in escaping the perils of battles. Col. Grout made an active and efficient officer, and was foremost in seeking the place of danger ; he won the confi- dence of the officers and the esteem of the rank and file of his regiment. The delicate health of his wife forbade that he remain longer from home, and he was mustered out with the regiment in August, 1863, and returned home to resume the practice of the law. The next fall the legislature created a state militia, and Col. Grout was chosen brigadier-general. During the same year he was elected state's attorney, and held the office two years. The some- what celebrated Baxter-Hoyt campaign for member of congress occurred at this time, and Gen. Grout, having espoused the cause of Mr. Hoyt, made some enemies, who fought him in politics long afterwards. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1868, and his town paid him the high com- pliment of sending him to the legislature three successive years. His career in the legislature was marked by a faithful attention to business, a careful re- gard for the interests of the common people, and a war against the Shylocks
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who were trying to raise the rate of legal interest above six per cent. He was chosen a delegate to the national convention which first nominated Gen .. Grant for the presidency. In 1874 Gen. Grout was again sent to the lower house of the legislature, and in 1876 he was chosen to the Senate, where he- was made president pro tem. of that body. Two years later, after a very sharp political canvass, he was nominated for representative to Congress over Bradley Barlow. The nomination was bolted by Mr. Barlow. A fusion was. made with Greenbackers and Democrats; money was freely used in the cam- paign, and Gen. Grout was defeated. The injustice of the act was felt all' through the state, and the refluent wave of favor was such that, in 1880, both friends and former political enemies made haste to right the wrong, and he- not only received an almost unanimous nomination, but a triumphant elec- tion to the Forty-seventh Congress. As a first-term member he began his: work under disadvantages, but the Congressional Record shows that he was neither an idle nor a silent member. Among the most important measures which he advocated in this congress may be mentioned the creation of a cab- inet officer for the head of the agricultural department, the Geneva award, the American shipping bill, the North Dakota Territory bill, and a bill on French spoliations. During the full term of his congressional service he was. very faithful to duty, doing a great amount of work, both for the country and his constituents. Just at the close of his work at this time in congress, he- was prostrated by a very severe illness which threatened life for some days, and made him unfit for labor several months afterward. The new apportionment had diminished the number of representatives in Vermont to two, and the state had been divided by legislative act into two districts, by a line running. along the Green Mountains. This brought Gen. Grout into the second dis- trict, and it became to be felt that the interests of the district and the state- demanded that he be returned to Washington from this district. At the. time the caucuses were held before the district convention, Gen. Grout was busy in Washington, and a few days later prostrate with sickness, so that his. canvass was not looked after, and the friends of Judge Poland, taking ad- vantage of the situation, carried a majority of the primary meetings and the convention. Many were dissatisfied with the result, and there was a strong disposition to bolt the nomination. Gen. Grout discountenanced the move, and counseled his friends to support the nominee. At the September elec- tion a large number of votes were cast for Gen. Grout, but Judge Poland won, and his work in congress was very creditable to the state and to him-
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self. Previous to the time of the district convention in 1884, Judge Poland took himself out of the canvass, and the names of Gen. Grout, Col. G. W. Hooker and Hon. William P. Dillingham were most prominently mentioned for member of congress. Gen. Grout was successful in the convention, and was elected by a majority said to have been the largest given to any congressman chosen from the state in many years.
*At this time Gen. Grout is serving his second term in congress ; he has been in his place every day of the session, and has won no little credit for himself and the state by his faithful attention to duty. Among the most nota- ble speeches he has made are those on the Fitz John Porter and the Oleo- margarine bills. Should the people again decide to return him to congress, we see no reason why his usefulness and influence may not increase as his opportunities are extended.
Gen. Grout's course in congress has been in keeping with his character ; he has been very faithful to the interests of his constituents and his friends ; he has been ambitious to do well whatever he has undertaken to do, and has succeeded. In this exalted and difficult sphere, Gen. Grout has been able, as in all places where he has been placed, to exceed the expectation of his friends and to disappoint his rivals.
While Gen. Grout has been largely engaged in political affairs, he has all the while kept up a good law practice, and has been engaged in many im- portant civil and criminal suits. Prominent among them were the cases of Hayden and Turner, indicted for murder, and Moore for forgery. Judge Powers, before whom the Hayden case was tried, remarked to the writer that Gen. Grout's effort before the jury was one of the most able arguments he ever heard. Turner was acquitted and Moore was released on his own bail after a disagreement of the jury. Gen. Grout, without disparagement to other counsel, was the chief man on the defense in these important cases. It is a somewhat singular circumstance that in a large practice of several years Gen. Grout only lost a single case where he brought the suit, prepared and tried the case. Whenever he has put himself into a case, he has managed it with admirable skill and with great wisdom. As an advocate he is pleasing, per- suasive and able; he seeks to convince a jury by plain and vigorous argu- ments, caring more to present his case clearly by simple language, than to
* Mr. Grout is now on his third term, He was unanimously re-nominated in 1886, soon after the above article was written, and was elected by an increased majority, running sev- , eral hundred ahead of the vote for Governor in his district.
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charm the ear with smooth and elegant phrases. He is intuitively familiar with the principles of justice, and seeks to attain what is right, regardless of the technicalities and the intricacies of law. Had he concentrated his thoughts and his energies upon the law alone, few lawyers would have been his superior.
For many years Gen. Grout has been actively engaged in agricultural mat- ters. He purchased the old Grout homestead in Caledonia county, hired his brother-in law, Capt. Ford, as manager, and commenced both practical and scientific farming. He took the farm in a run-down condition, but at once entered upon the work of reclamation. He erected large barns-the largest in the vicinity-he built silos, purchased thoroughbred stock, laid miles of underdraining, and resorted to approved methods of labor without and with- in. He has been successful, and has far more than attained that most de- sirable thing which Justin S. Morrill once declared to be worthy the highest aim of the Vermont farmer-" the raising of two blades of grass in the place of one." His farm demonstrates the fact that intelligent farming can be suc- cessful and profitable in Vermont.
Gen. Grout married Loraine M. Smith, of Glover, in 1860. She was a woman of most lovely and amiable disposition, and was highly esteemed for her intelligence and womanly virtues. The union was a most happy one. Two children were born as the fruits of the marriage, but they passed away early, and the mother, stricken and bereft, survived them but a brief time, and died in 1868. The loss to the husband was irreparable, and he has felt that no other could fill the place of his early love. He remains single, and his home in Barton is in charge of his sister, Victoria Grout.
As a citizen Gen. Grout endears himself to his community by his charity, honesty and public spirit. The poor always find in him a friend ; he con- tributes largely to all churches, and his gifts to schools and other institutions have been large. His word is truth and his honor is unquestioned. He is ever ready to assist in any enterprise that promises to be a public benefit. In religious matters he is liberal, but his liberality does not tolerate anything of infidelity, or sanction aught but the cardinal principles of Bible religion. He is a man who grows in the esteem as acquaintance and association be- come more intimate. Industrious, persistent, able, honest, courageous and ambitious, Gen. Grout is made of that stuff and of those elements which always succeed, and which bespeak for the future, should_his life_be spared, a career that will be an honor to his name, his profession and his state.
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Dr. Abner Mills was the first and only physician who ever located in the town. The first birth was that of Lovina Harrington, June 2, 1801. The first marriage was that of Nathaniel Reed and Sukey Sweat, February 8, 1804. The first death was that of Henry White, September 3, 1803.
Ebenezer Damon, of Ashby, Mass., came to Kirby about 1800, and settled on the farm where H. L. Wetherby now lives, on road 5. He married, first, a Miss Morse, and second, Rhobe Sheldon, and his children were as follows : George, Sally M., Lyman, Eben, Franklin, John, Ruth, Job, Esther and Will- iam. The last mentioned married Clara E., daughter of Josiah and Clarissa (Spaulding) Clark, and has had born to him six children, namely, Frances S., William E., Clara E., Rhobe E., Benjamin F. and Charles U. He now re- sides on road 3.
Timothy Locke, a native of Ashby, Mass., came to Kirby in 1803, and settled on road 5, where he remained until his death, April 4, 1850, aged seventy-one years. He married Rebecca, daughter of Joseph Dutton, and was a justice of the peace. Of his six children, Joel was born June 14, 1815, married twice, first, Hannah C. Judd, of Landaff, N. H., who bore him one child, Myron J., and second, Louise, daughter of Joel Harrington, and had born to hin: two children, Henry and Albert S. Mr. Locke died in 1859, aged forty-three years. Albert S. married Luvia Mathews, of St. Johnsbury, and resides on the homestead with his mother.
Charles Church married Hannah Little, was a resident of Hancock, Vt., and had born to him seven children, of whom James was a native of Springfield, N. H., came to this town in 1814, and was the first settler on a farm on road 23. He married Betsey Willis, of Enfield, N. H., and reared six children. Mr. Willis died in 1875, aged eighty-three years. His son Elhanan W. mar- ried Lydia L., daughter of Josiah and Delia (Hibbard) Gregory, and has three children, namely, Celia A., Leis A., and Luvia A. who married Chand- ler C., son of Lemuel and Philenia (Kibby) Walter, of Burke. Mr. Church has served as town representative four terms and two special terms, and served as recruiting officer during the late war.
Moses Graves, son of Jeremiah and Lucinda (Hubbard) Graves, was born in Conway, Mass., September 17, 1781, came to Kirby in 1814, and was the first permanent settler on the place known as the Graves farm, on road 6. He married Wealthy Carpenter, had born to him two children, Charles H. and Wealthy A., and died October 10, 1854. Charles H. married Mary Goodell, and reared two children. He served as town clerk sixteen years, justice of the peace twenty years, and represented the town six years. His son Pres- ton H. married Almira S., daughter of Lewis and Sarah (Hall) Jenkins, and granddaughter of Lemuel Jenkins, a soldier in the Revolutionary war. His children are Harry S., Nellie M. and Harvey P., and he resides on the home- stead. Mr. Graves has been selectman twenty years, justice of the peace sixteen years, town clerk eighteen years, and town representative two years.
Russell Risley, son of James who served in the Revolutionary war, was
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born in Hartford, Conn., in 1800, came to this town in 1827, and was the first one to settle on the Risley farm, on road 16. He married Achsah Wood, and reared seven children, of whom Russell resides on the homestead with his sisters, Hannah and Achsah W. Russell, Sr., died in 1870, aged seventy years, and his widow died in 1875, aged eighty-three years.
Rebert Ford, a native of Grafton, N. H., came to this town about 1830, and settled on road 15, where he remained until his death in 1862, aged seventy- five years. He married a Miss Hale, and reared nine children, of whom James married Ann McCoy, and his children were as follows : Alonzo L., Philander C., David W., Capt. George O., Charles W., Laurestine B. and Linette. George O. married Sophronia E., daughter of Josiah and Sophronia (Ayer) Grout, has one son, Lew W., and resides on a farm on road 29. He served in the late war, in Co. K, 8th Vt, Vols., and was promoted to captain. He has served the town as selectman.
Reuben Bean, son of Daniel, came here in 1833, and was the first settler on the farm where L. Page now lives, on road 16. He married Sally Hale, and reared nine children. He died in Lyndon in 1872, aged eighty years. His son Sewell H., born in 1814, married Miranda Hartwell, and his children were as follows : Martha A., Reuben, Mary E., Amanda C., Lura A., John A. and Charles H. Mrs. Bean died June 18, 1870, aged fifty-seven years. Mr. Bean now resides on road 12. Charles H. married Clara M., daughter of Moses and Clarinda (Houston) Emerson, and his children are Emily M., Carrie J. and Luvia L. He resides with his father on road 12.
Ichabod Young, a native of Weathersfield, Vt., reared seven children, of whom David married Eusebia Kendall, came here in 1835, and located where his son now resides, on road 8. He died in 1843, aged sixty years. Of his eight children, Huntley D. married Eliza Spaulding, and has had born to him six children, namely, Jeannette A., Eusebia E., Rosella U., Henry H., Rufus E. and David S. The latter married Leis A., daughter of Elhanan W. and Lydia L. (Gregory) Church, and resides on the homestead with his father. Mr. Young served as town representative in 1861-62, was recruiting officer in the late war, has been selectman several years, overseer of the poor twelve years, and has been justice of the peace. Eusebia E. Young married William H. McGaffey, now at Lyndon Corners, where he has been a merchant many years.
Jonathan Houghton, son of Jonathan, was a native of Westminster, Vt., and was the first settler on the farm where his son Jonathan now lives, on road 3. He married Polly Wilder and had born to him three children, Amanda E., Mary A. and Jonathan. He died at the age of thirty-eight years. Jonathan, Jr., married Emeline W., daughter of Moses and Clara (White) Hosmer, of Burke, who bore him five children, viz. : Amanda E., Helen E., Carlton J., Florence A. and Celia E. His wife died October 11, 1880. Celia E. married Bion Humphrey, son of Joseph B. F. and Marilla C. Humphrey,
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and they have two children, Bertha F. and Marion M. She resides with her father on the homestead.
Josiah Brown, a native of Rhode Island, located here on road 1I, where he remained until his death, at the age of sixty-four years. He married Susan Willmarth, and reared eight children, viz. : Esther, Abel, Zenas, Hopestell, Mary, Joseph, Ira and Samuel. The last mentioned married Lucy Gale, and had six children. Mr. Brown remained on the home farm until his death, in 1883, aged eighty-one years. His son Josiah married first, Amelia, daughter of John W. and Amelia (Fuller) Brown, who bore him three children, Carrie M., Minnie A. and Mary E. He married for his second wife Abbie, daughter of Harrison and Betsey (Ward) Weeks, and has had born to him four children, viz. : Addie J., Grace E., Harley J., now deceased, and Florence B. He resides on the homestead.
Luther Russell, son of Luther who died in Kirby at the age of ninety-six years, was born in this town. He married, first, Annie Wood, who bore him eight children, and second, Maria Easterbrooks, who bore him one daughter, Annie. Mr. Russell moved to Sutton, where he died. One son, Palmer W., married Laura J., daughter of Nathan C. and Louise (Farnham) Chase, and had born to him six children, viz. : Nellie A., Flora D., Walter S., William P., Dessie M. and Eugene L., Palmer W., born in Kirby June 9, 1829, went to California and Australia, returned to Kirby, locating on the Deacon Locke farm, but later bought the Jonathan Jenkins farm, where he died, April 14, 1883, aged fifty-four years. He held many of the town offices, served as lister, selectman, agent, justice, overseer of the poor, served as town represent- ative three times, and held five town offices at the time of his death. He was a member of the Congregational church, at East St. Johnsbury.
Archibald Chase, of Royalston, Mass., moved to Concord, Vt., in 1807, married Margaret Nichols, and his children were eighteen in number. He died in Concord, February 15, 1853. His son Elmore married three times, first, Nancy Taggart, who bore him two children ; second, Cynthia Hill, who bore him six children, and third, Jane D., daughter of Solomon and Hannah (Dunham) Hudson, who bore hirn five children, as follows : Lucy J., Frank K., Fred M., Nancy M. and George A. Mr. Chase died August 27, 1882, aged seventy-five years. George A. lives on the homestead with his mother.
Wheeler Richards, a native of Sharon, Vt., married Betsey Marsh, and came to Kirby, in 1844. He afterwards moved to Sheffield, where he died at the age of seventy-five years. His son Joel was born in Derby, Vt., ınar- ried Lovinia, daughter of John and Alice (Knights) Russell, and had born to him five children, viz. : Alice, Charles, Mary, Celia and Winfield S. He died in 1880, aged sixty years .. Winfield S. married Emily, daughter of Michael and Sarah A. (Stephens) Conley, has two children, Everard K. and Clarence M., and lives on the homestead, on road 27.
John C. McGinnis, son of William, and grandson of Joseph, a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, came to America in 1857, and came here about 1861,
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locating on road 30, where he now resides. He married Ellen, daughter of George and Elsie (Cotton) Drew, and has had born to him seven children, viz. : George, Sherman J., Bertie, Elbina, Frank, Inez and Jennie W.
Lewis Jenkins, son of Lemuel, a Revolutionary soldier, was born in Ches- terfield, N. H., in September, 1799, was an ordained Methodist minister, and resided in Burke, where he died in 1877. Milo, one of his eleven children, married first, Amelia, daughter of Jacob and Sally (Pierce) Sanderson, who bore him five children, viz. : Adna, Fred E., Harris E., Charles A. and Willie L. He married for his second wife Ellen A., daughter of Asa and Aseneth (George) Etheridge, and has one daughter, Nellie A. He has served as lister several years, and was town representative in 1882-83.
Nathan Wetherby, a native of Westminster, Mass., came to this town and located on the place where W. Damon now lives. He married Tyla Leach, and had born to him three children, viz. : Silas H., Mary J. and Henry L. He died in town in 1873, aged seventy three years. His son Henry L. married Emeline, daughter of Alanson and Polly (Haywood) Wright, and has had born to him four children, namely, Revillo W., Elmer E., Alson N. and Eva J. He resides on road 5, where he has lived eighteen years. He is town treasurer, has been selectman four years, and represented the town in 1872 and 1884. Alanson Wright, father of Mrs Henry L. Wetherby, served in the War of 1812, and died at Lowell, Mass., in 1872, aged seventy-six years.
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