USA > Vermont > Orange County > Gazetteer of Orange County, Vt., 1762-1888 > Part 38
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"Province of New Hampshire, 2 Grafton County, ss.
" Orford, May 21, 1774.
"This is to certify and warn the proprietors of Fairlee, in the County of Gloucester and Province of New York, to meet at the dwelling-house of Israel Morey, Esq., in Orford aforesaid, on Monday, the 20th day of June next."
At this meeting Col. William Simpson was chosen moderator, and William King, clerk, and it was also
" Voted, Israel Morey, Esq., and Lieut. Jonathan Child, be a committee to agree with Moses C. Willard and John Paine, Jr., surveyors, to allot the township into equal divisions between the proprietors, in such form as shall appear most just and equitable to said committee ; and cause a plan of said
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TOWN OF FAIRLEE.
survey to be returned on the first day of August next,-to which time this meeting stands adjourned."
The first meeting for a choice of town officers, to be found on the records, was held in March, 1780, although the town was organized previous to this- probably about 1775, as the meeting was warned by Amasa Woodworth and Samuel Smith, selectmen. At this meeting Samuel Smith was chosen town clerk ; William Marston, constable; Peletiah Bliss, Ichabod Ormsby and Jacob Marston, selectmen. Ichabod Ormsby was the first representative, in 1778. The same act of legislature, which divided the town, restricted the towns-Fairlee and West Fairlee-to one representative ; which restriction, although unconstitutional, was submitted to for twenty-five years, until 1822, when, by mutual consent, each town agreed to elect a representative, and Capt. Solomon Mann was chosen to represent Fairlee, and Samuel Graves, Esq., West Fairlee.
The early settlers of this, as in other new towns, endured many privations and hardships. It was no uncommon occurrence for the sturdy pioneer to walk six or eight miles to his nearest neighbor, and, after toiling all day, bring home at night the product of the day's labor, which usually consisted of a quantity of grain ; and, on arriving home, the plumping-machine, for want of mills, was used to prepare the material for the "Indian bannock " for the hungry housewife and children.
The first settler in Fairlee was John Baldwin, who came from Hebron, Conn., to Thetford, and, after staying here one year, settled in this town in 1766. In 1768 Samuel Miller, Samuel Bentley, William and David Thomp- son, Noah Dewey and Joel White were settled here. The population rapidly increased with these sturdy pioneers as a foundation, until, in 1880, the inhabitants of Fairlee numbered 469. In 1886 the town had five school districts and an equal number of common schools, taught during the year by nine female teachers, to whom was paid an average weekly salary, including board, of $4.35. There were seventy-eight scholars, fourteen of whom were attending private schools. The entire income for school purposes was $536.93, while the total expenditures were $585.97, with M. W. Smith, superintendent.
FAIRLEE, a post village and station on the Passumpsic R. R., contains one church, a hotel, two stores, and about 100 inhabitants.
The D. C. Abbott saw-mill, on road 9, was purchased in 1862, and in 1866 a grist-mill was added. The saw-mill cuts about 300,000 feet of rough lum- ber per year, also a quantity of clapboards, shingles and lath. The grist- mill has four runs of stones, and grinds about 6,000 bushels of grain per annum. The business of the estate is managed by W. E. Abbott.
General Israel Morey, born in Hebron, Conn., May 27, 1735, moved to Orford, N. H., in October, 1765, and in 1782 moved to this town. He became the owner of a large portion of the town, and built the first saw and grist mill, on Pond brook. He procured a charter for the first ferry across
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TOWN OF FAIRLEE.
the Connecticut river at this place, which was the only mode of communica- tion between Fairlee and Orford until 1802, when the first bridge was built, connecting the two towns, and opened for travel on October 4, of that year. He married Martha Palmer, of Hebron, Conn., who bore him a family of five sons and two daughters, and died in Fairlee in 1810. They made the journey from Connecticut with an ox-team, the wife carrying an infant of six months in her arms. Gen. Morey died in Orford, August 10, 1809. Maj. Israel Morey, the oldest son of Gen. Morey, held a major's commission in the United States service for a short time. Capt. Samuel Morey, second son of Gen. Morey, should, perhaps, be accorded the honor of first applying steam-power to navigation, as has been fully shown in the County Chapter of this work.
Samuel Smith located in Fairlee before the Revolution, between 1773 and 1777. He was from Ashford, Conn., and when nineteen years of age was one of the first three settlers in Ackworth, and taught the first school there. He afterward removed to Lyme, where he married Lucy Grant. He was commissioned captain of Fairlee militia in 1778, and served as a volunteer scout at Lake George over six weeks in 1778, dying at the age of seventy- two years. His son Grant, born in 1778, went with the Fairlee volunteers to Plattsburgh, although at the time serving as town clerk and holding other civil offices which exempted him from military duty. He died at the age of seventy-four. Two of his sons, Myron W. and Newton W., served in the late civil war, the latter dying while in the service. Myron W. was a mem - ber of the legislature from Fairlee in 1840.
John Colton came to West Fairlee from Long Meadow, Mass., about 1797, and located in the southwest corner of the town. His three sons, John, Jr., .Oliver and George, came with him. He died February 9, 1813, in his eighty- fifth year. His son Oliver always resided in town, and died in 1840. His only son, George, was born in October, 1792, and resided in town until his ·death, in 1821. He was a carpenter and farmer, and also took an active interest in town affairs. He had two children, only one of whom, Harvey S., is living, on road 8, in this town.
Darius Child was born in North Woodstock, Conn., December 26, 1777. About 1802 he settled in West Fairlee, and some years later removed to Fairlee and settled on the farm now occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Mary Gilmore. He possessed a vigorous mind and powerful physical constitution, and held many offices of trust in the gift of liis townsmen. He died in 1862, aged nearly eighty-five years. Two of his children, Mrs. Gilmore and Mrs. Amelia C. Blodgett, are residents of this town, and one son, William, resides in Cambridge, Mass.
Alexander H. Gilmore was born in Ackworth, N. H., in 1804, came to Fairlee in 1815, and settled on the farm now occupied by his son W. H. December 10, 1829, he married Mary May Child, and reared a family of eight children, only two of whom are now living-one, J. W., in Montana.
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TOWN OF FAIRLEE.
Alexander H. was a prominent man in town and county affairs in his day. He served five years in the Vermont legislature, was eight years Judge of Probate, one year county judge, and he nearly always held some office in the town. He died in 1873. His son William H. was born in Fairlee in 1839, and has always resided in the town. He was a representative in the state legislature in 1878 and 1882, was a senator in 1882, and has also taken an active part in town affairs. He served three years in the War of the Rebel- lion, and was also a member of Gov. Barstow's staff in 1882-83.
John Gaffield came to Bradford from Connecticut sometime previous to the Revolution, moving his family and goods with an ox-team. He located about a mile and a half west of Bradford village, there built a log cabin, cleared a farm, and reared a family of twelve children, all of whom are now dead. His son Josiah was born in Bradford, and resided there until his death, in 1878. He occupied the old homestead, where he reared six chil- dren, all of whom are now living-Erastus in New York, Gardner on the old homestead in Bradford, George, at present postmaster, in Bradford, William P. on road 12, in this town, a daughter, Mrs. Josiah Munn, in Bradford, and Mrs. Orrin Olcott in St. Johnsbury.
Able M. Rice, originally from Claremont, N. H., came to Fairlee from Orford, N. H., at which place he kept a hotel for a number of years. He also, at one time, owned the St. Johnsbury House, in St. Johnsbury, Vt. He died in this town about 1874. His son Lonson L. was born in Claremont, and was about fourteen years of age when he removed with his father to Orford. He died in Fairlee, April 30, 1883, aged seventy-five years. His son Hiram L. is engaged in mercantile business in Fairlee, where he held the office of collector of taxes in 1880-81-82.
Elisha Celley came to Corinth from Andover, N. H., about 1803, and located in the eastern part of the town, where he cleared a farm and reared a family of five sons and three daughters, only two of whom are now living,- John, who resides in Corinth, and Benjamin in this town. He died in Corinth, aged about eighty years. Benjamin was born in Andover, N. H., and was seven years of age when he came to Corinth with his father. When twenty-one years of age he went to Boston and remained until about 1842,. when he removed to Fairlee, and has since resided here, having a fine farm on the Connecticut river. His two children, W. E. S. Celley and Mrs. M. E. Rugg, also reside in town. Mr. Celley helped to roll the first railroad iron ever used in this country.
William E. S. Celley, son of Benjamin and Jane M. (Sawyer) Celley, was born in Roxbury, Mass., January 7, 1838, came to Bradford, Vt., in 1841, and the following year to Fairlee, where he has since resided. He married Jane C., daughter of Jasper and Celinda (Heath) Moore, June 13, 1865. They have a daughter, Emma J., born February 18, 1867, and a son, George E., born November 18, 1868. Mr. Celley was educated at the common schools and at Bradford academy, has held various town offices, having been
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TOWN OF NEWBURY.
chairman of the board of selectmen six years, and was a member of the legis- lature in 1876-77. He is a farmer and lives in the northeast part of the town.
Peter Bragg and son Robert, originally from Salisbury, Mass., removed to Thetford from Strafford in 1818. Peter resided in Thetford until his death. Robert died in Salisbury. William H., son of Robert, moved to Fairlee in 1858, and has since resided in town. He now lives on road 13.
Sullivan Melendy, son of Ebenezer and Sybil (Marcy) Melendy, was born in Orange in 1814, whither his parents had removed from Grantham, N. H., several years previously. In 1861 he removed to this town, where he passed the remainder of his life, owning several farms, and being largely engaged in teaming for the Eli copper mines, employing regularly more than thirty horses, and from fifteen to twenty men. He was an extensive dealer in live stock, grain and flour, and owned a blacksmith shop and harness shop. A wise and conscientious counselor in legal and business affairs, his advice and assistance were often sought. He served acceptably in various public offices in his native town, but neither sought nor desired such recognition from his towns- men. He wedded with Harriet Bohonon and was the father of nine children, eight of whom are living, viz .: Ira R, Gardner S. and Clinton R., in this town; Cassius P. in Strafford, and Byron K. and three daughters in the West. Mr. Melendy died in 1878.
John McIndoe came from Clarern, Scotland, in 1784, and settled in Bar- net, at the place since known as McIndoe's Falls, his son James, who came with him, then being but four years old. The latter married Abigail Baker, of Thetford, a niece of Richard Wallace, and about 1820 removed to West Newbury, where they reared five sons and three daughters. The sons were John, a farmer ; Robert, a piano manufacturer ; Lyman J., a publisher in Newbury and Bradford, and of the Vermont Journal at Windsor; David, a Methodist Episcopal clergyman ; and George, a farmer in this town.
The Congregational church of Fairlee, located on Main street, was organ- ized by the Congregational Council in 1833, with thirty-four members, Sylvester Dana being the first pastor. The first church building, a wooden structure, was erected in 18to, received repairs in 1850 and in 1886, making its cost about $3,000. The present building, which will comfortably seat 300 persons, is valued, including grounds, at $4,000. The society now has forty-four members, with Rev. J. W. Lees, pastor. The Sunday-school has a membership of fifty.
N EWBURY, the largest town in Orange county, is situated in the north- west corner of the county, in latitude 44° 6' and longitude 4º 52', and is bounded north by Ryegate, in Caledonia county, east by the west bank of Connecticut river, south by Bradford and a part of Corinth, and west by Topsham. It was first granted by Governor Benning Wentworth to
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TOWN OF NEWBURY.
Gen. Jacob Bailey (or Bayley) and seventy-four others, in eighty-one equal shares, March 18, 1763. The boundaries described in the charter are as follows :-
"Beginning at a tree marked standing on the bank of the westerly side of Connecticut river opposite the mouth of Amonoosock river, so-called, from thence southerly or southwesterly down Connecticut river as that runs, till it comes to a tree there standing, marked with the figures 10:11, and is about seven miles on a strait line below the mouth of Amonoosuck, aforesaid. From thence running worth fifty-nine degrees west, six miles and one quarter of a mile to a stake and stones; from thence N. 20° E. six miles and one- half mile to a stake and stones ; from thence to the marked tree on the side of the river, the bound first mentioned."
About the same time that Gen. Jacob Bailey obtained for himself and others the charter of Newbury, John Hazen obtained a corresponding char- ter for Haverhill; and in June of that year, 1763, the proprietors of New- bury and Haverhill had a meeting, with the view to the survey and allotment of shares, of the respective townships, and employed Caleb Willard as chief surveyor, and Benjamin Whiting as his assistant. Willard began his survey from the northeast boundary of Newbury, as made by his predecessor, Joseph Blanchard, in March, 1760, and proceeded down the river to Blanchard's next boundary, which he found to be over seven miles distant ; but without stopping there he continued directly on, one mile and seventeen chains further, into the unchartered tract, where he made a new southeast corner of Newbury. Willard having set that bound went directly across the river and performed the same service for Haverhill. His assistant, Whiting, pursuing the survey of Newbury, ran north fifty-nine degrees west from the new boundary eight miles, thus making the large addition of one and three-fourths miles on the west, giving the proprietors 40,000 acres, when entitled by the charter to but 27,000. Newbury now has 38,000 acres, appraised, including buildings, at $862,992, with a personal property appraisal of $795,768, and 515 taxable polls.
The rocks entering into the geological structure of the town are of calcif- erous mica schist in the western part, clay slate in the eastern-central part, and in the eastern part, bordering on the Connecticut river, is talcose schist. The surface of this town is hilly, the ranges of hills extending northerly and southerly, parallel with the Connecticut river, and rising terrace-like from the river to the summit of Wright's mountain, about 1,700 feet, and about 2, 100 feet above tide-water. The climate is rigorous and severe in winter, the temperature sometimes reaching as low as 50°, and in the extreme heat of summer up to 100°. The forest trees are principally maple, birch, beech, elm, pine, hemlock and spruce. The town is well watered, the numerous brooklets and springs affording an abundant supply to nearly every farm. The more pretentious streams are, first, the "Beautiful Connecticut," extend- ing along its entire eastern boundary, Wells river in the northern part, Hall's brook in the southern, and Peach brook flowing through the central portion- Hall's, Harriman's, Long and Round ponds are also located in this town. .
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TOWN OF NEWBURY.
From many of the elevated places in the town the views are grandly picturesque, looking eastward ; but from the summit of the highland known as Wright's mountain the beautiful and sublime scenery can hardly be sur- passed. The position is in the center of a vast amphitheater bounded and encircled by the Green mountains sweeping around from the east to the west, and the mountains of New Hampshire from west to east, with the towering peaks of Mt. Washington, Moosilauke, the Twins, and Ascutney, Mansfield and Camel's-Hump clearly outlined in the distance. The beauties of the place, the bracing and pure air, fine roads and genial inhabitants, make this a favorite resort for denizens of the cities during the heated period of our short but hot summers.
There was no settlement by the white people in the valley of the Con- necticut above Charlestown, in N. H., (then called "No. 4,") until 1762, nor was there but three towns settled south of Charlestown in the valley. Hins- dale, or " Fort Dummer," was settled in 1683 ; Westmoreland, or "No. 2," in 1741 ; and Walpole in 1752. At Hinsdale and Charlestown forts were built and soldiers were stationed for the double purpose of affording pro- tection to settlers and arresting the progress of the Indians from Canada while meditating incursions upon the frontier of Massachusetts.
In 1752 the governor of New Hampshire made surveys of several town- ships on both sides of the Connecticut river, and formed a plan to take pos- session of the " Rich Meadows of Cohos." The design was to cut a road from "No. 4" to the Cohos, and to lay out two townships on each side of the river, and opposite each other, where Haverhill and Newbury now are. To induce people to emigrate to this new plantation they were to erect stockades, with lodgments for two hundred men in each township, and inclos- ing fifteen acres, in the center of which was to be a citadel containing the public buildings and granaries, which were to be large enough to receive all the inhabitants with their effects, in case of danger.
In pursuance of this plan a party was sent up in the spring of 1852, to explore the meadows of Cohos and lay out the proposed townships. But the whole plan was defeated by the timely remonstrance of the St. Francis tribe of Indians.
In the spring of 1752, John Stark (later Gen. Stark), Amos Eastman. David Stinson and William Stark were hunting in the town of Rumney, on Baker's river, and were surprised by a party of ten Indians. John Stark and Amos Eastman were taken prisoners, Stinson was killed, and William Stark escaped by flight. Jolin Stark and Eastman were carried into captivity to the headquarters of the St. Francis tribe in Canada, and were led directly through the " Meadows" so much talked of in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. These men returned from captivity during the ensuing summer, and gave an in- teresting account of Cohos, and as the country was expecting the war with the French and Indians would soon be renewed, and that the French would desire the Cohos country for a military post, the general court of New Hampshire de-
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termined to send a company to explore the region. Accordingly, in the spring of 1754, Col. Lovewell, Maj. Tolford and Capt. Page were sent out with instructions to pursue the track of the Indians as they came from the great valley to Baker's river and the Pemigewasset, and returned with their prisoners They left Concord, March 10, 1754, with John Stark for a guide, and in seven days reached Connecticut river, at Piermont. But they spent but one night in the valley, when they made a precipitate retreat to Concord. The probable cause of this failure to explore the region to which they were sent was their fear of an Indian foe superior to their own force. The government was not discouraged by this failure, and the same season, 1754, Capt. Peter Powers, of Hollis, N. H., Lieut. James Stevens and Ensign Ephraim Hale, both of Townsend, Mass., were appointed to march at the head of a company to effect what had hitherto been attempted in vain. Capt. Powers's journal sets forth each day's march, and shows that he left Rumford (now Concord), Saturday, June 15, 1754, and also that he reached what is now Haverhill, in Cohos, on the Connecticut, Tuesday, June 25. He continued his explora- tion up the Connecticut as far as the mouth of Israel's river, in Lancaster, N. H., and on Friday night, July 5, we find them on their return encamped on the west side of the Connecticut, and a little below Wells River. The last entry in the journal on the homeward trip was July 6, and is as follows: " Saturday, July 6th. Marched down the great river to Great Coös, and crossed the river below the great turn of clear interval, and there left the great river, and steered south by east about three miles, and there camped. Here was the best of upland, and some quantity of large white pines." No further attempt to explore or settle this valley was made until 1761, when Col. Jacob Bailey, of Newbury, Mass., and Capt. John Hazen, of Haverhill, Mass., were the principal agents in the first settlement of Newbury and Haverhill in the Coos country. They both had been officers in the old French war and both stood high in the estimation of the government. It is supposed that they were encouraged to expect each a charter of a township in the Coos country if they commenced a settlement therein. They agreed to act in con- junction, and proceed harmoniously in the undertaking. Capt. Hazen was to go on first and take possession on the east side of the river, and Col. Bailey was to take possession of the west side, as soon as he could find suitable persons to do it, and come on himself as soon as his affairs at home would permit.
Capt. Hazen sent on two men with his cattle in the summer of 1761, Michael Johnston and John Pattie. They took possession of the Little Ox Bow on the east side of the river. They found this and the Great Ox Bow on the west side of the river "cleared interval," as Capt. Powers had de- scribed it in his journal. This had in former years been cultivated by the Indians in growing corn. The hills were turfed over and a tall wild grass grew luxuriantly, and afforded an abundance of hay for the cattle, and was easily procured. At this time the Indians dwelt on these meadows, and were
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amicable and friendly. They had lost their strong ally, the French, at the close of the war in 1759, which, if unpleasant, was less repugnant to their ideas to have an English colony take possession of these meadows than it was in 1852 when they threatened war if the country was explored for the purpose of a settlement. It was a fine country, with a rich soil, easily culti- vated, and well suited to their primitive means of husbandry.
The river abounded with salmon, the adjacent streams swarmed with trout, and the forests were plentifully stocked with game-moose, deer, bears and wild fowls. It was a half-way station and resting-place between the Atlantic and Canada, and, what was still dearer to the Indians, it was the burial grounds of their honored chiefs and braves. It is strange indeed that they quietly submitted to the usurpation, and allowed their pale faced brethern to possess their heritage in peace.
There are indisputable evidences that this section of country was the permanent abode of the Indians, and there is no spot in all New England that could have afforded greater inducements.
The late David Johnson, who resided his life time on the place of which he wrote, said: "On the high ground, east of the mouth of Cow Meadow brook, and south of the three large projecting rocks, were found many indica- tions of an old and extensive Indian settlement. There were many domes- tic implements. Among the rest was a stone mortar and pestle. Heads of arrows, large quantities of ashes, and the ground burnt over to a great extent, were some of the marks of a long residence here. The burnt ground and ashes were visible the last time it was ploughed. On the meadow, forty or fifty rods below, near the rocks in the river, was evidently a burying-ground. The remains of many of the sons of the forest are there deposited. Bones have frequently been turned up by the plough. That they were buried in the sitting posture, peculiar to the Indians, has been ascertained. When the first settlers came here, the remains of a fort were still visible on the Ox Bow. The size of the fort was plain to be seen. Trees about as large as a man's thigh were growing in the circumference of the old fort. A profusion of white flint stones and arrow heads may yet be seen scattered over the ground. It is a tradition that I have frequently heard repeated, that after the fight with Lovewell, the Indians said they should now be obliged to leave Coossuck."
Among the Indian families who returned to Coos after the old French war were two of special distinction-John and Joe, or Captain John and Captain Joe, as they preferred to be called. John belonged to the St. François tribe and had been a noted chief. He was fierce, barbarous, and cruel, and the terror of the boys as long as he lived. He was at the battle when Braddock was defeated, and related how he shot a British officer who had knocked him down, and tried to shoot young Washington, but could not. He had used the tomahawk and scalping knife upon the defenseless inhabitants of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He was present at Boscawen when
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