USA > Vermont > Essex County > Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vt. 1764-1887 > Part 4
USA > Vermont > Caledonia County > Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vt. 1764-1887 > Part 4
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The great interest of late shown in the enquiry about atmospheric phe- nomena has led to the preparation of the following tables and charts, to con-
28
CALEDONIA AND ESSEX COUNTIES.
vey to the mind at a glance the amount of rain fall, general temperature, and comparative conditions. The diagrams have been carefully prepared from actual observations, and show the comparative rain fall for sixty-eight years, on the coast ; and also for shorter terms of years for Lunenburgh and Win- nepiseogee lake. The figures at the left of the diagram indicate the percent- age of rain fall, which is indicated by the black filled spaces. One hundred indicates the mean amount. The second diagram represents, in like manner, the rain fall at Lunenburgh for twenty-six years, and the following tables show temperature and rain fall for thirty-eight years. There is also a com- parative table showing the amount of rain fall at Lunenburgh and on the summit of Mt. Washington, which will be readily understood with the help of explanations accompanying them :-
TABLE showing amount in inches of monthly rain-fall (including melted snow) at Lunen- burgh, Vt., as recorded by Dr. Hiram A. Cutting.
Years.
January.
February.
March.
April.
May.
June.
July.
August.
September.
October.
November.
December.
Yearly totals.
Depth of Snow in Win- ters ending that year,
1848
2.68
4.75
3.60
1.12
2.72
1.84
4.20
3.82
1.10 5.84 3.38 5.95
3.71 3.00
35.80
71
1850
2.90
3.95
4.50
2.00
3.50
1.75
3.90
4.00
2.05
2.80
3.00
1.50 . 45 4.00
.57 .95
39.00
48: 86 100
1853.
4.00
4.55
2.10
2.80
3.10
2.80
4.20,
4.50
3.15
3.75
4.20
4.05
2.00
2.95
33.25
70
1856
3 25
3.00
5.20
2.10
4.10
2.50
2.85
4.00
2.25
3.06
4.50
2.50
2.85
4.77
35.30
78
1860.
2.25
2.16
1.93
1.56
1.50
1.06
3.62
9.06
4.52
2.32
5.37 2.18
3.50 1.70 47.00
58
1861
3.20
3.00
2.95
5.85
6.75
4.00
6.00
1.75
5.00
4.62
4.00
6.75
4.07
45.80
101
1864
2,63
1.83
2.92
1.90
6.85
1.32
2.75
3.92
1.00
4.62
3.35
2.95
1.02
39.69
87
1866
1.55
3.35
1,40
2.50
2.00
3.00
6.00
5.25
6.00
1.95
1.50
2,45 7.15|
2.45
43.37
68
1869
4.30
4.12
4,45
2.05
2.85
5.00
3.50
4.34
6.42
3.00
3.95
6.52
1.30
45.65
100
1871
3.15
2.10
3.65
5.72
3.62
2.12
4.35
7.35
2.30
3.90
1.00
3.70
42.96
55
1872
2.00
3.05
2.70
2.00
8.20
7.33
2.00
7.06
4.98
4.38
1.35
1.15
2.71|
3.07
39.45
117
1875
3.60
4.03
3.00
3.00
2.75
4.70
7.05
5.22
1.35
5.94
1.50
1.67
2.82
43.15
102
1877.
2.15
.65
6.40
2.35
1.05
3.00
4.22
5.95
2.05
4.70
3.65
1.87
38.04
70
1878
1.65
.80
2.25
6.15
2.45
4.65
3.35
4.45
1.20
2.60
2.70
2.30
34.55
32
1879.
3.45
2.75
3.15
2.70
1.40
3.05
2.30
2.45
3.09
2.75
2.45
4.85
5.19
4.92 38.20
191
1882
3.75
3.75
1.75
1.55
2.20
4.93
2.85
1.05
5.26
1.45
1.27
2.40
32.21
117
1883.
2.10
3.65
2.40
1.30
4.00
4.34
4.80
1.18
2.90
4.50
2.83
2.60
36.60
113
1884.
3.30
2.30
4.60
1.26
4.45
1.95
2.50
2.55
2.55
5.00
2.50
2.80 35.76
116
1885
.3.40
2.35
2.25
.60
1.00
3.88
6.46
5.77
3.00
4 51
2 55
1.70 37.47
Means
3.01
2.89
3.34 2.74 3.61
3.54 3.98
3.70| 3.38
3.61
3.23
2.94 40.03 90.73
41.00
1849
2.25
3.85
6,10
2.22
2.47
2.00
4.00
1.75
2.20
2.25|
4.90
3.50 3.05
40.00
84
1851
4.00
1.15
3.50
4.10
5.25
5.80
4.20
2.75
2.00
3.25
3.75
2.80
3.75
41.75
1854
4.80
3.90
3.25
2.10
2.20
2.50
5.80
3.75
3.25
3.50
3.20 3.00
3.00 2.95
4.18
3.00 2.50
4.00 2.07
39.80 37.25 38.50
79 69
1853.
3.25
3.00
1,50
4.25
1.25
2.40
1.75
1.70
1.50
8.70
2.90
3.05
2.75
6.12
3,70
3.65
39.02
51
1865
3.35
1.70
5.13
3.35
6.55
9.47
3.75
4.40
5.05
1.83
8.02
1.30
2.27
5.05
5.00 2.65
60.01 40.51
95
1873. .
3.85
3.35
4.50
2.65
4.05
2.85
3.73
5.70
2.55
3.45
4.35
5.26
2.92
1.40
42.84
127
1876.
3.55
2.60
1.70
2.60
1.00
4.55
2.20
5.00
4.67
3.78
2.40
4.70
2.18
4.30. 43.43 2.55 31.14 71
1880
2.25
2.60
1.47
1881
2.90
4.00
1.47
2.50
3.60
3.60
4.18
1.25
1852.
2.75
3.75
2.25
4.25
3.75
4.70
2.40
83
1857.
2.60
2.90
4,50
3.00
2.80
2.75
3.50
3.25
3.80
5.00
3.00
1.85
38.10 39.65
73
1868
1.87
1.45
2.80
1.30
5.75
2.75
2.50
2.60
8.10
2.21
3.02
43.95
114
1870
3.80
5.02.
3.56
4.70
2.85
4.50
2.75
6.00
4.00
3.60
2.25
5.10
46.00
41
1867
2.05
4.30
2.60
2.70
2.64
2.95
7.25 12.58 2.50 3.95
4.75
5.45
2.22
167
1874.
3.70
1.80
2.25
7.10
.85
33.50
52
1855.
2.50
3.25
2.20
3.15
1859
1.07
2.05
1863.
5.45
1.40
3.25
1.75
38.90
99 147
1862
3.30
2.00
3.33
3.75
2.00
3.48
2.20
4.18
103
1.45
5.80
1.10 3.20
.75
3.75
2.75
4.00.36.60
1.40
4.55
3.79
1804
1810
1810
1820
1825
1830
1835
1840
1815
1850
1850
1860
1865
130
1.25
1.50
113
1.10
1.05
1.00
.95
.90
.85
.80
.75
.70
.65
DIAGRAM Fluctuations in Annual Rainfall on the Atlantic Sea - coast, Maine to Maryland; from Smithsonian Rain Table, by C. A. Scholl.
18455
1830
185.5
1860
1865
1870
1875
1.50
1.45
1.40
1.55
1.30
1.25
120
1.15
1.10
1.05
1.00
.95
.
.90
.85
.80
DIAGRAM II. Fluctuations in Annual Rainfall of The Upper Connecticut Valley; from Observations by H . A. Cutting , M.D., Lunenburg, Vt.
1843
1850
1855
1860
1865
1870
1875
1.200
1.85
1.80
1.75
1.70
1.65
1.60
155
1.30
1.45
1.40
1.35
1.30
1.85
2.20
1.15
1.10
1.0-5
1.00
.95
.90
.85
.80
.75
.70
.6.
.60
.55
.50
.45
DIAGRAM III. Fluctuations in Snowfull of the Upper Connecticut Valley of ; from Observations by H. A. Cutting, M . D., Lunenburg, Vi.
1855
1860
1865
1870
1875
1.15
110
1.05
1.00
.95
.90
.85
DIAGRAM IV. Fluctuations in Annual Rain- fall at Lake Village ; from Ob- servations by the Winnipiscoyee Lake Company.
-
METEOROLOGICAL TABLE .-- Observations made by Dr. Hiram A. Cutting, at Lunenburgh, Vt. Lat. 40 ° 27' 43", Long. 71 ° 40' 47". Elevation of barometer 12.10 ft.
Year.
Average monthly Temperature in degrees and hundredths.
Yearly Means.
Rain & melted Snow.
Winters.
Snow in inches.
1848
19.50
17.00
30.40
41.30
50.00
67.65
70.30
69.25
58.50
44.50
26.00
20.40
42.90
41.00
-1848
71.00
1849
10.70
14.50| 30.00
14.07
25.50
35.00
55.00
69.50
67.60
64.00
58.30
50.00
29.73
21.00
41.64
40.00
1850-51
52.00
1850.
20.50
14.22
31.75
39.16
57.00
62.50
64.25
70.00
.51.50
40.00
25.80
19.00
41.31
33.50
1851-52
48.00
1851
20.50
19.28
21.00
32.00
50.50
64.50
69.00
65.50
58.00
43.00
30.00
21.00
41.19
39.00
1852-53
86.00
1852
22.00
12.70
23.50
38.00
54.00
63.50
69.75
67.00
56.50
43.50
28.70
23.75
41.91
41.75
1853-54
100.00
1853
10.50
9.00
22 34|
34.16
52.30
67.10
70.40
64.50
57.25
45.75
32.30
15.25
40.07
36 60
1854 -- 55
70.00
1854
21.70
14.30
29.20
39.60
40.80
63.70
67.20
68.25
60.00
43.75
30.00
21.00
41.63
38.25
1855-56
83.00
1855.
22.00
18.50
20.40
35.50
51.30
67.40
68.50
64.00
57.70
44.00
28.90
20.00
41.51
39.80
1856-57
79 00
1856
14.20
20 00
24.50
32.70
50.60
65.30
60.80
62.30
52.00
42.50
31.00
19.50
39.62
37.25
1857-58
69.00
1857.
8.30
23.10
24.70
34.60
50.00
59.15
65.30
62.40
53.00
42.50
33.40
21.50
39.83
38.50
1858-59
78.00
1858
17.75
19.00
25.50
33.00
51.50
63.00
64.50
67.00
57 00
39.50
34.00
14.00
40.48
35.30
1859-60
58.00
1859
18.20
16.00
28.50
38.00
58.50
66.50
69.00
66.00
55.50
49.00
39.00
19.00
43.60
38.90
1860-61
99.00
19.50
22.00
27.00
41.50
48.50
63.25
68.00
66.00
54 00
45.00
32.00
21.00
42.31
47.00
1861-62
147.00
16.00
19.50
26.50
39.00
55.00
63.00
68.00
62.00
59.50
48.00
30.00
20.00
42.21
45.80
1862-63
101.00
24.00
19.00
19.20
36.10
59.20
64.30
70.20
70.00
56.00
47.00
26.70
18.40
42.51
46.00
1863-64
51.00
18.00
20.60
31.00
41.00
55.00
68.20
71.90
70.90
55.88
48.10
33.86
22.56
44.75
30.02
1864-65
87.00
1864
14 80
19.06
33.80
40.97
49.21
67.30
60.84
70.82
56.55
37.42
34.56
24.46
42.48
39.69
1865-66
41.00
14.45
20.35
27.50
37.98
45.10
69.00
73.25
60.90
52.37
48.68
45.72
20.91
43.02
38.10
1866-67
73.00
9.62
23 52
24.61
39.10
49.34
65.97
70.06
64.83
49.37
44.93
30.05: 10.90
40.19
39.65
1867-68
68.00
11.69
8.87
28.45
19.67
23.89;
43.31
54.08
69.12
72.57
67.63
60.42
36.69
33 71'
22.15
44.33
45.65
1870-71
55.00
1870.
13.74
17.42
34.45
42.00
53.99
64.92
68.18
66.86
55.21
47.75
26.69 17.27
42.37
42.96
1871-72
95.00
1871
14.62
16.31
16.72
38.74
54.88
66.95
70.43
69.66
59.77
45.48
47.10
23.37
19.97
40.62
40.51
1873-74
117.00
1873.
20.26
17.40
24.84
31.08
51.50
64.17
70.45
63.75
58.61
46.42
27.68
15.26
40.95
39.45
1874-75
127.00
1874.
5.96
9.79
21.77
33.47
52.06
61.43
64.96
68.15
65.48
55.22
40.28
34.33
12.00
40.69
43.15
1876-77
70.00
1876.
9.78
24.10
27.70
42.40
52.48
63.99
68.96
66.84
58.71
43.83
36.86
24.36
43.33
38.04
1877-78
32.25
1877
15.02|
20.83!
32.41
46.70
52.10
61.88
68.46
65.70
60.92
54.05
50.27
31.61
21.79
40.69
43.43
1879-80
71.75
1879
24.41
21.74
24.10
40.10
57.85
62.67:
65.53
64.51
59.08
43.28
27.85 15.88
42.25
31.14
1880-81
191.00
1830
9.03
18.25
32.64
37.77
56.79
57.50
65.72
66.32
62.90
44.16
32.00
28.45
42.62
38.20
1881-82
117.50
1881
13.27
20.05
25.33 34.16
46.78
61.93
66.52
65.62
57.30
48.11
30.54
18.64
40.69
32.21
1882-83
113.00
1833.
9.87
15.00
16.83
36.90
52.07
65.56
66.12
63.41
55.95
41.51
34.33
17.43
39.66
36.60
1883-84
116.00
1884.
9.09
21.80
24.85
39,23
51.49
65.49
64.61
64.76
58.38
43.59
3.55
21.65
41.29
35.76
1884-85
104.50
1885.
15.39
8.75
15.63
41.07
62.99
61.70
66.16
61.41
53.27
45.731
35.63
22.97
40.89
37.47
1885
Means.
.
15.54 17.28 25.82 37.89 52.50
64.21
67.94
65.43| 56.55
44.66
31.46 19.36
41.55
40.03
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb. | Mar. April. May. June.
40.50
53.70
58.90
59.60
54.75
.56.40
40.90
30.40
19.50
39.90
35.80
1849-50
84.00
10.00
15.20
24.31
38.69
51.85
62.17
69.66
65.48
57.00
66.73 51.96
41.22
24.05
18.44
37.66
42.84
1875-76
102.50
1875
19.39|
16 17
25.95 37.04
50.18
65.57
72.07
67.26
54.98
41.49
43.30
30.53
22.03
41.78
43.95
1869-70
100.00
19.27
20.00
38.80
51.91
61.78
68.19
63.83
62.07
1869
22.08
16.31
41.20
60.91
1872-73
167.50
1872.
12.69|
13.08
13.00
25.84
35.80
54.73
60.82,
66.43
58.82
48.72
32.20
21.19
43.67
34.55
1878-79
103.00
1867.
40.04
43.37
1868-69
114.00
1868
34.61
53.04
63.65
1860
.
1861
1862
1863
1865
1866
29.55 14.86
31.80
9.09
1878
1882
-
July. | Aug. | Sept. | Oct.
TABLE OF COMPARATIVE PRECIPITATION, by Dr. Hiram A. Cutting, of Lunenburgh. By months in inches and hundredths.
Year.
Jan.
Feb.
March.
April.
May.
June.
July.
Ang.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Annual rainfall.
1872 .. Mt. Washington.
1.67
.30
.89
.07
4.69
18.46
3.59
6.41
9.56
5.53
. 4.01
1.38
56.56
1872 .. Lmenburgh
2.00
3.05
2.70
2.00
8.20
7.43
7.25
12.58
3.48
2.27
5.05
5.00
60.91
1873. . Mt. Washington.
3.39
5.20
5.81
2.72
4.55
3.26
13.54
5.81
13.66
9.23
5.50
5.95
78.62
1873. . Lunenburgh.
3.85
3.35
4.50
2.65
2.64.
2.00
3.95
2.50
4.75
5.45
2.22
2.65
40.51
1874. . Mt. Washington.
4.40
2.47
6.71
5.74
6.53
13.44
7.94
9.51
5.52
2.96
2.34
3.07
70.59
1874. . Lunenburgh.
3.70
1.80
2.25
4.05
2.95
7.06
4.98
4.38
1.35
3.15
2.71
3.07
39.45
1875. . Mt. Washington.
1.82
1.00
2.13
2.00
2.50
6.83
7.40
7.95
11.34
6.30
2.67
3.84
55.78
1875 Lunenburgh.
3.60
4.03
3.00
2.85
3.73
5.70
2.55
3.45
4.35
5.26
2.92
1.40
42.84
1876. . Mt. Washington.
2.80
3.50
6.30
3.12
7.83
9.32
14.51
2.20
14.89
3.21
3.49
6.48
77.65
1876. . Lunenburgh.
3.55
3.60
3.00
2.75
4.70
7.05
5.22
1.35
5.94
1.50
1.67
2.82
43.15
1877 .Mt. Washington.
2.06
.33
11.64
3.40
3.72
8.78
11.27
11.11
2.79
7.75
17.55
6.01
86.41
1877. . Lunenburgh.
2.15
.65
6.40
2.35
1.05
3.00
4.22
5.95
2.05
4.70
3.65
1.87
38.04
1878. . Mt. Washington.
8.54
5.88
10.66
23.41
9.28
7.67
11.00
11.35
7.36
5.78
4.78
8.77
114.48
1878. . Lunenburgh.
1.65
.80
2.25
6.14
2.45
4.65
3.35
4.45
1.20
2.60
2.70
2.30
34.55
1879. . Mt. Washington.
7.13
7.01
7.51
6.71
4.40
11.84
10.23
9.55
6.33
5.03
9.53
5.56
90.83
1879. . Lunenburgh
3.45
2.75
3.15
2.70
1.45
5.80
5.00
4.67
3.78
2.20
4.18
4.30
43.43
1880. . Mt. Washington
4.24
2.56
4.87
3.47
5.51
5.86
7.24
5.82
15.23
7.96
9.37
7.80
79.93
1880 .. Lunenburgh.
2.25
2.60
1.47
1.40
3.05
2.30
2.45
3.79
2.40
4.70
2.18
2.55
31.14
1881. . Mt. Washington.
3.94
6.62
8.51
5.08
12.50
7.03
9.93
11.96
6.13
18.38
15.10
15.95
121.13
1881 .. Lunenburgh.
2.90
1.70
2.60
1.00
4.55
2.20
3.09
2.75
2.45
4.85
5.19
4.92
38.20
1882. . Mt. Washington.
7.20
5.94
14.52
11.20
8.91
11.40
10.03
2.81
13.32
6.19
3.25
2.64
97.41
1882. . Lunenburgh
3.75
3.75
1.75
1.55
2.20
4.93
2.85
1.05
5.26
1.45
1.27
2.40
32.21
1883. Mt. Washington.
4.16
5.65
4.18
6.29
9.10
11.30
11.14
6.06
6.90
5.55
3.72
2.66
76.71
1883 .. Lunenburgh.
2.10
3.65
2.40
1.30
4.00
4.34
4.80
1.18
2.90
4.50
2.83
2.60
36.60
1884. . Mt. Washington.
1.69
7.55
4.16
3.29
9.54
8.08
23.90
8.63
7.58
12.91
7.99
4.70
100.02
1884. . Lunenburgh.
3.30
2.30
4.60
1.26
4.45
1.95
2.50
2.55
2.55
5.00
2.50
2.80
35.76
1885. . Mt. Washington.
5.49
1.87
.95
2.66
2.29
11.34
11.34
14.26
5.56
11.11
4.67
4.83
76.37
1885. . Lunenburgh ..
3.40
2.35
2.25
.60
1.00
3.88
6.46
5.77
3.00
4.51
2.55
1.70
37.47
Mean for Mt. Washington. Mean for Lunenburgh.
84.46 39.59
TABLE OF COMPARATIVE PRECIPITATION.
3I
32
- CALEDONIA AND ESSEX COUNTIES.
MANUFACTURES.
CALEDONIA COUNTY.
The manufacture of lumber in its various branches constitutes the prin- cipal industry in this line, if we except the large scale works of the Fair- banks Co. Machinery, etc., is also manufactured to a limited extent at St. Johnsbury and other localities. Granite is also manufactured to a large ex- tent. Sketches of the manufactories of the county will be given in connec- tion with the history of the towns wherein they are located, however, incor- porating their history and resources, so we will dismiss the subject at this point with the following statistics from the census reports of 1880 : There were 174 manufacturing establishments, giving employment to 1,356. persons. There were $3,691,234.00 invested in manufacturing interests, while the manufactured products were valued at $3, 224, 139.00.
ESSEX COUNTY.
The manufacture of lumber is the principal industry in this line, and is so variable and uncertain in amount that no definite figures can be given ; but it is very large compared with the past, and seems rapidly increasing. The various mills will be noticed under town heads. According to the United States census report for 1880, the county had forty-four manufacturing estab- lishments, giving employment to 215 persons. There were $367,400.00 in- vested in manufacturing interests, while the manufactured products were valued at $456,467.00. .
COURTS AND COUNTY BUILDINGS. .
CALEDONIA COUNTY.
Court House at Danville .- When Caledonia county came into existence as a political division there was the usual rivalry among the towns to secure the county offices and buildings. Peacham and Danville were the strongest in presenting their claims, and Danville secured the prize. Two of her citi- zens, Mr. Dow and Mr. Hartshorn, offered to give land for a site for the buildings and a common, and therefore they were placed where " Danville Green " village now is. The line separating Dow's and Hartshorn's land passed north and south through the village. The original court-house was erected upon the corner of the streets northwest of the common, and was constructed of wood. It contained a large room in which court sat, and two smaller rooms for the accommodation of jury and lawyers. The precise date of its erection we have been unable to learn ; but the county court docket of January 7, 1797, the first court term held in the county as then existing, records that they " met at the court-house in Danville, Monday, January 7,
33
COURTS AND COUNTY BUILDINGS.
1797, and a ljourned to Daniel Smith's," from which we may understand that it was then unfit for occupancy. The next record concerning the court- house which we find is an order of the court, January, 1801, accepting the court-house, " provided it is painted and a stove procured by January term next." Various records appear showing the appropriation of money at sub- sequent dates for the repair of the court-house, and some years before the county seat was changed to St. Johnsbury the building was removed back to its present position and raised up, giving the town a hall on the ground floor, while the court-room was fitted up above, and the pillars on the front were added. A "gaol" was built and accepted by the court at the January term, 1799, which also fixed the limits of the gaol-yard wherein persons arrested for debt could remain. It is remarked by persons who lived in the early part of this century, that parties who became amenable to the law regarding de- linquent debtors, that they paid their debts by taking up their residence within the jail limits, which were extended in 1810 to "one mile north, east, south and west from the gaol." This gaol was of logs, hewn square, and notched at the ends so as to interlock with each other, and pinned together. The docket of the January term, 1807, records the drawing of orders for $3,000.00, in favor of David Elkins, for building the gaol. This is under- stood to have included the jail house in which the keeper was to live.
The second jail was built by subscription, and cost about $2,000.00. It was built of immense granite stone, some of them twenty feet in length, quarried in Danville, hewn and dowelled together. The notorious counter- feiter "Bristol Bill," was once confined in this jail, and tried here; and it is said that the authorities at Boston sent an officer to Danville to warn them of his desperate character, and get him sent to Boston for safe confinement, who, after inspecting the jail, returned, saying he was safer here than there. When he came to trial, Bliss N. Davis was state's attorney, and " Bristol Bill " became so enraged at him that he stabbed him in the throat, and barely missed taking his life, as is more minutely mentioned in another place. The stone jail was built under the supervision of Mr. Ira Brainard, who now lives in Barnet, at the age of eighty-four years, and who is authority for these state- ments. It went into disuse when the present one at St. Johnsbury was built, and when the North Congregational church at St. Johnsbury was erected, the old jail was demolished, and the material used in the foundation of the church. It was customary for the committee or grand jury, when called upon to inspect the jail, regularly to report it as " insufficient," as a measure of relief to the jailer if any prisoner should escape. It was ordered by the court, in 1838, that a " picket post " fence should be built around the jail, and, accord- ingly, a solid fence of plank was built about ten or twelve feet high, each plank sharpened to a point at the top.
At the December term, 1842, the court ordered the appropriation of $1,000 to purchase land and erect a building for the office of the county clerk and the safe keeping of the records. This appropriation augmented by others
34
CALEDONIA AND ESSEX COUNTIES:
to amount to $1,390.00, was used in building the brick structure which stands just west of the court-house; and since the removal of the courts, has been used as a library building.
The growth of St. Johnsbury, the construction of the railroad through the town, and other causes, made it desirable that it should be made the shire town, which was done, and the court-house in St. Johnsbury was erected and first occupied by the court in the December term, 1856. The contract to construct it was taken by the Fairbanks firm, and the expense was shared by the town, which has a commodious hall on the ground floor, and the county, which has its court-room and jury-rooms upon the second floor, and county clerk and judge of probate offices, with vaults for the records, upon the ground floor. This court-house is of red brick, tastefully and conveniently built, heated by furnaces, and is in every respect a credit to the county. The voluminous growth of the records must soon necessitate an increase of the storage capacity of the vaults for their accommodation and protection against fire. The court-house is finely located in Court square, at the corner of Eastern avenue' and Main street, upon the brow of the steep bluff which descends eastward, overlooking the eastern portion of the village. The en- trance to the building is at the north end, and directly before the door, about forty feet distant, has been erected the beautiful soldiers' monument, bearing the names of St. Johnsbury's sons in the civil war. The county jail, on Cherry street, is a substantial building, well suited for keeping in custody those who transgress the laws of the commonwealth. The supreme court holds its sessions at St. Johnsbury on the second Tuesday in May, and the county court on the first Tuesday in June and December. The following lists give the principal officers of the county from its organization to the present time, with the years in which they served :--
Supreme Court of Judicature.
CHIEF JUDGES.
Nathaniel Chipman. . . 1797, 1814-15
Israel Smith . 1798 Enoch Woodbridge 1799-1801
Jonathan Robinson. 1802-1805 Royall Tyler 1808-1813
Asa Aldis. . 1816 Richard Skinner . 1817, 1823-29
William A. Palmer 1817
Cornelius P. Van Ness . . 1822-1823
Samuel Prentiss. 1830
Titus Hutchinson. 1831-1833 Charles K. Williams . . 1834, 1836-39,
1841-43, 1845
Stephen Royce 1835, 1848-52
Isaac F. Redfield . . 1853-57, 1859-60
Milo L. Bennett 1858
Asa O. Olds. . 1861-1866 Dudley Chase . . . . . 1818, 1820-1821
James Barrett. 1867-71, 1880
John Pierpoint. 1872 to 1875
ASSISTANT JUDGES.
In the following table the numbers separated by a dash indicate the first and last date when the individual named is shown upon the Supreme court docket of Caledonia county:
35
COURTS AND COUNTY BUILDINGS.
Lot Hall 1797 to 1801
Noah Smith 1799 to 1801
Royal Tyler. 1802 -- 1805
Milo L Bennett .
. 1839-1857
Stephen Jacobs. 1802-1803
William Hebard 1843-1846
Charles Davis . 1847-1848
Jonas Galusha.
1 808 -- 1809
David Fay
1810-1813
Daniel Farrand .
1814-1815
Jonathan H. Hubbard 1814-1815
Richard Skinne
1816
James Barrett
1858-1878
Loyal C. Kellogg.
1860-1866
Asahel Peck
1861-1874
William C. Wilson 1867-1870
John Prout
1868-1869
Hoyt H. Wheeler 1870-1875
Timothy P. Redfield 1871-1883
Homer E. Royce ..
1871-1884
H. Henry Powers
1875-1886
W. C. Dunton. .
1877-1878
Wheelock G. Veasey
1880-1886
Jonathan Ross.
. 1880
Russell S. Taft
1881-1885
J. W. Rowell.
1884-1886
William H. Walker
1885-1886
From 1797 to 1826 the presiding judge and two assistant judges consti- tuted the bench. As now constituted the Supreme bench of Vermont con- sists of the chief justice and six assistant justices; of whom not less than three have been present at each Caledonia county term since 1826.
Caledonia County Court.
CHIEF JUDGES. 1225218
William Chamberlin . . 1797-1804, . 1814-15
David Wing. Jr., 1 804-1806
Reuben Blanchard 1807-1808
Cyrus Ware 1809-1811 John Cameron 1812-1814
Isaiah Fisk 1815-1823 Samuel Sias 1823-1825
Stephen Royce, Jr. . . . . 1826, 1827,
1831, 1833, 1835, 1847
Samuel Prentice 1826-1828 Ephraim Paddock 1829-1831 Nicholas Baylies 1832 Jacob Collamer 1833-1834 Isaac F. Redfield. 1835-1845 Daniel Kellogg .1846
Charles Davis. 1847
Hiland Hall.
1848
Luke P. Poland. 1848-1865
Benjamin H. Steele 1865-1870
Jonathan Ross 1870-1886 Asahel Peck presided part
of December term, 1854 and 1870 T. P. Redfield presided part of December term. . 1871
Homer Royce presided part of December term . 1872
Henry H. Powers presided part of December term 1874 and through Decem- ber term. .1886
William A. Palmer 1817
Joel Doolittle.
1818 to 1825
William Brayton
1818to 1822
Charles K. Williams
1823-1833
Asa Aiken.
1824-1825
Samuel Prentiss
1826-1828
Titus Hutchinson
1826-1829
Bates Turner .
1828-1829
Stephen Royce .
1826-1846
Ephraim Paddock
1829-1831
Nicholas Baylies 1832-1833
Jacob Collamer.
1834-1842
John Mattocks 1834-1845
Samuel S. Phelps . 1836-1838
Isaac F. Redfield 1837-1852
Theophilus Herrenton
1804-1813
Luke P. Poland 1849-1850
Pierpont Isham
1852-1857
Asa O. Aldis
1858-1860.
John Pierpoint
. 1858-1866
James Fisk . 1816-1817
36
CALEDONIA AND ESSEX COUNTIES.
ASSISTANT JUDGES
Benjamin S'as. 1797-1801
David Wing, Jr. . 1797-1803
John W. Chandler 1801-1806
Joseph Moffett 1804-1807
John Cameron
1807-1811
Isaiah Fisk .
1808-1813
A. W. Burroughs
1852-1854
Wm. Cahoon, 1812-1813, 1814-1820
Luther Jewett
1814
John W. Chandler
1814-1817
John Rankin .
1817-1819
John W. Dana.
. 1819-1821
Samuel Sias, 182 1-1823, 1826-1829,
. . 1833
Pres West . 1820-1821
Joseph Morrill, 2d . 1822-1824
Timothy P. Fuller, 1823-1824, 1827-
1832, 1835-1836
Augustine Clarke 1824-1825
Samuel A. Willard.
.
1824-1826
William A. Palmer 1827-1828
Jacob Blanchard.
1832-1834
Sylvanus Hemingway
1833-1835
Benjamin Conner
1835-1837
Marcus O. Fisher
1836-1840
G. W. Denison. 1837-184I
Ezra C. Chamberlin
1838-1841
Isaac N. Hall.
1841-1845
Epaphras B. Chase
1839-1843
James Gilchrist
1843-1846
Calvin Morrill.
1843-1846
John P. Ingalls, 1844-1845, 1847-
.
.1848
Moses Kittridge I846-1847
Lucius Denison . 1846-1847
Robert Harvey 1847-1849
SHERIFFS.
John Rankin. 1797-1800|
David Elkins 1801-1807
Joseph Armington 1808
Israel P. Dana 1809-1813
Adam Duncan 1814-1815
Jude Kimball
1815-1817
Nathan Fuller
1817-1827
Silas Houghton 1828-1831
Charles Roberts
1832-1836
John Currier.
1836-1841
James Roberts, Jr
1841-1843
Alexander Harvey
1843-1844
Joseph Preston
1844-1847(?)
O. H. Freeman
. 1847
Jonas Flint .
1847-1848
Hiram Perkins 1848-1849
Sargent Field
1849-1850
Hiram Perkins
1850-1851
George Ide .
1851-1854
Horace Evans .
1854-1856
Orenzo P. Wakefield
1856-1858
Xerxes C. Stevens
1858-1860
Emerson Hall
1860-1862
Wm. L. Trussell
1862-1864
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