Gazetteer of Orange County, Vt., 1762-1888, Part 57

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers
Number of Pages: 836

USA > Vermont > Orange County > Gazetteer of Orange County, Vt., 1762-1888 > Part 57

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The principal water-courses traversing the town are the Ompompanoosuc river, which enters from West Fairlee near the northeast corner, flows in a nearly southerly course into Norwich about two and one-half miles west of the southeast corner of Thetford ; and the west branch of Ompompanoosuc, which, entering from Strafford on the west line about one mile north of the southwest corner, flows southeasterly and joins the main stream about a mile north of Union Village. There are two small streams on the eastern side of the town which empty into the Connecticut, the more northerly one known as Gun brook, from the tradition that a settler of the lower "Cohos," who was one of a party who came down the river in a canoe and followed this stream back into the forest, broke his gun in leaping the brook while hastening back in alarm to his canoe, fearing an Indian attack. No large ponds lie wholly within this town, although Fairlee lake is one-half within its borders, finds its outlet by way of Ompompanoosuc, and furnishes an unfailing reservoir for the manufacturers at Post Mills and below. Mud pond, on Thetford hill, is of little importance except as the source of the ice supply of that village and the Center. Child's pond is smaller but is worthy of special note as a natural curiosity. Lying less than 200 feet from Connecti- cut river its surface is over 150 feet above that stream, while the soil under- lying the pond is composed of quicksand, a fact in itself sufficient to make it remarkable that it remains there. There is no visible outlet or inlet to the pond, and the land slopes away to a lower level within a short distance on all

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sides, yet through all seasons the pond remains with little variation and un- known depth.

The underlying rocks in Thetford are mica schist,, clay slate, and calcifer- ous mica schist, the latter predominating. Lead and silver have been taken in noteworthy quantities from a mine worked fifty years ago on the farm now owned by H. A. Cummings at the " Hill." Beds of steatite are in the south- eastern and eastern part near Connecticut river. The surface of the town- ship is very irregular. That portion bordering upon Connecticut river con- sists of a free, light soil, easily worked, extending back at an easy grade, or in a series of broad terraces, from one-fourth to one mile in width. The principal ridge of land extends north and south through the town, about midway between the Connecticut and Ompampanoosuc rivers, being highest toward the northern line. The western portion is cut up by many small streams, and steep hills and narrow valleys predominate. There is an abun- dance of excellent pasturage, and many fine farms are cultivated. Some pine timber remains in the eastern section, but most of the present forest growth is sugar maple, the product from which, in quantity and quality, is justly noted.

In 1880 Thetford had a population of 1,529. In 1886 the town had fif- teen school districts and an equal number of common schools, employing three male and twenty-four female teachers, who received an average weekly salary, including board, of $6.50 and $4.50 respectively. There were 333 scholars, sixty-six of whom attended private schools. The entire income for school purposes was $2,263.36, while the expenditures amounted to $1,891.38, with W. L. Paine, superintendent.

THETFORD (p. o.) village is probably first in age in the town, its settle- ment dating back to 1785, when the stake for the location of the meeting- house was set near Beriah Loomis's house, on the present common. It now consists of one broad, beautifully-shaded street, extending about one-fourth of a mile north and south, intersected by another, near the north end, lead- ing east and west. Along the former are situated the store, postoffice, Thet- ford academy, Latham Memorial library, and from twenty to thirty dwellings, while the Cougregational church stands near the northwest angle, on the cross street.

POST MILLS (p. o.) village was so named from Eldad Post, who built the first saw-mill and grist-mill there, which he sold to his sons Aaron and Israel in 1782. From its location-the convenient falls and unexcelled reservoir- the village has ever been a manufacturing one. A saw-mill at the outlet of the lake was sold by the Posts to Jeremiah Dodge, and is now owned by T. H. Chubb. A mill for the production of linseed oil was erected about the beginning of this century, by Joseph Hinckley, where the fishing-rod factory now is. His grandson, Dea. Lyman Hinckley, continued the business until about 1860. Fulling-mills were operated for many years in this place by Jeremiah Tyler and Capt. William Heaton, and their sons, Monroe Tyler

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and S. G. Heaton, and by George and Daniel Dodge. Cabinet-making was carried on by G. W. and Alanson Johnson. The merchants here have been John Mann, David Bruce, George O. Strong, Silas Mann, George May, John Pratt, Dea. Walker, D. G. Carlton, H. Colton & Sons, Frank Fuller, O. Prescott & Son, William A. Dodge, Samuel Niles, Capt. Orange Comstock, Alonzo George, Truman M. Taylor, George W. Comstock, and perhaps others. The physicians located here have been Dr. Samuel Niles, Dr. Hazel- ton, Dr. H. H. Niles and Dr. H. H. Gillett. The village is principally upon one street, which extends for a hundred rods along the west bank of the Ompompanoosuc, and two radiating streets leading from this to the lake shore. One store, two saw-mills, a grist-mill, a blacksmith shop, furniture shop, and the fishing-rod factory of T. H. Chubb are located here. The church edifice of the Congregational society, Peabody Library building, and an elegant public hall, recently erected by the Odd Fellows, are the princi- pal public buildings. The village contains about fifty dwellings.

THETFORD CENTER (p. o.), situated a little west of the geographical center of the town, was formerly the scene of considerable manufacturing ; but fire, flood, and the difficulty of transportation have had the effect of discontinuing most of it. Undoubtedly the first mills were the grist-mill and saw-mill ; but by whom they were established is unknown. Charles Hopkins owned them in 1807. He was soon succeeded by Hezekiah Porter and Samuel Farnsworth, who rebuilt the mills and operated them many years. They have since changed owners several times, and were burned about fifteen years ago. The grist-mill was rebuilt by S. A. Fish and sold to Moulton Brothers in 1883. A carding and cloth-dressing mill was established here about 1806, was con- ducted many years by Hezekiah Porter, and afterwards by J. B. Moore. The manufacture of carriages was carried on by Hiram B. Sloan, beginning before 1830. A scythe and axe factory by A. S. Briggs and Harmon Porter, a bed- stead shop by S. A. Fish, a musical instrument manufactory by H. R. Smith, a sash and blind factory, a potato starch factory by Fletcher & Ray, a shoe factory by H. E. Brown. Center and extension tables have been made here by James Allen, succeeded by William Tewksbury, and now by Sayre Brothers. Below the village an extensive business was done for some years in the manufacture of straw board and paper, by S. G. Rogers, who built the mill about 1848, and his successors have been S. M. Gleason, H. E. Brown, and J. B. Cram. This mill was burned about 1875. Stephen G. Rogers & Son built a large woolen-mill a mile below the village in 1865 and operated it about ten years. It was later owned by a Mr. Litchfield and A. D. Carter, and was burned several years since. The first store at the Center was near where Mrs. Truman Burr now lives, in which for many years different mer- chants carried on business. Melvin N. Russ did busines here, and was town clerk from 1836 to 1845. One store, town house, church (Methodist), grist-mill, table and carriage shop, and twenty-five or thirty houses comprise

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the present village. One lawyer, Hon. S. M. Gleason, the present judge of probate, has his residence and office here.

NORTH THETFORD (p. o:) village, a station on the Passumpsic railroad located in the northeastern part of the town, contains two stores, one steam saw-mill, two church organizations (Congregational and Methodist) occupying one house of worship, two or three shops, and fifteen or twenty dwellings. One or two merchants have done business. here since about 1835. But little manufacturing was carried on until 1883. The first merchant here was Asa Merrili, who came from Orford, N. H., before 1830, and the second was Harvey Allen, from Lyme.

UNION VILLAGE (p. o.) is located where the river Ompompanoosuc crosses the town and county line in both Thetford and Norwich. On the Thetford side are located the store, postoffice, hotel, harness shop, a saw and grist- mill, and about fifteen dwellings. Nearly one hundred years ago Samuel B. Locke and his father built saw and grist-mills here, which formed the nucleus of the village then called " Locke's Mills." James Waterman, Alba Tucker, John Hall, and others were successively owners of the mills. John Hall also built a woolen factory which was afterwards operated by Stephen Eastman, who sold it to P. C. Cambridge about 1845, but these were all destroyed by the great freshet in the fall of 1869. The principal merchants here have been John Hall, M. J. Walker (forty years), and J. K. Blaisdell.

Thomas H. Chubb's fishing rod manufactory, at Post Mills, was estab- lished by the present proprietor in 1869. He first bought and enlarged the old Hinckley oil-mill, but had barely placed the necessary machinery in position when it was swept away by the October freshet, in 1869. He imme- diately rebuilt, erecting a wooden building, 35x120 feet, three and a half stories high, with an ell 24x30 feet for an engine-room, and began business in the spring of 1870. In February, 1875, the buildings were destroyed by fire, and immediately rebuilt. The works are lighted by gas, heated by steam, and the machinery operated by either steam or water-power. Since the start the business has steadily increased, new machinery and appliances eave been added as the necessity appeared, and now one man can with the machinery used do the work of five in 1872. The business furnishes employ- ment for from fifty to sixty persons, and produces about $75,000 worth of rods, reels, and fishing tackle annually. Mr. Chubb supplies the trade and does a custom order business. The best rods are made of selected split bamboo, and range in weight from four to twenty-four ounces. Mr. Chubb also controls two saw-mills, which furnish lumber for the fishing-rod fac- tory. It is expected that this factory will soon be removed to Bradford, where the business will be run by a stock company.

Sayre Brothers' extension table manufactory, at Thetford Center, has been owned and operated by the present proprietors since 1883. They manufact- ure from cherry, birch and ash, do custom planing, sawing and turning, and

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repair wagons and sleighs. The machinery is operated by an excellent water-power.

Moulton Brothers' grist-mill, at Thetford Center, was built by Stephen A. Fish & Son about sixteen years ago, upon the water-privilege of the old Por ter mill. It was bought by the present proprietors in 1883, contains two runs of stones, is operated by water-power, and does custom grinding. They also manufacture butter tubs, meat barrels, etc.

S. M. Ladd & Son's steam saw-mill, at North Thetford, was built by S. M. Ladd in 1883, and burned in April, 1886. It was at once rebuilt and fitted with machinery for sawing and dressing lumber, sawing shingles and lath, turning chair stock and grinding feed. It has the capacity for manu- facturing from 300,000 to 700,000 feet of lumber annually, and gives employ- ment to from two to five men.

John A. Kennedy's saw-mill, on road 14, corner 18, was purchased by the present owner in 1884. It is run by water-power, does custom work, and has the capacity for manufacturing from 100,000 to 150,000 feet of lumber and about 200,000 chair stretchers annually.

Watson & Thicket's carriage repairing, painting and blacksmith shop, at North Thetford, was established in 1882.

James E. Barrett's saw and grist-mill, near Union Village, came into his possession in 1881. The grist-mill was added in 1884. They are operated either by steam or water-power, saw from 50,000 to 60,000 feet of lumber and grind about 20,000 bushels of grain per year.

The Star flour and grist mill, at Post Mills, is a new, commodious, and well-appointed establishment owned by Phineas Kimball, of Nauvoo, Ill., and operated by H. C. Putnam.

Burr & Bacon's cider-mill, on road 15, manufactures about 400 barrels of cider a year.

Thetford academy is perhaps more widely known than any other public institution in the town because of the large number who have pursued the road to knowledge through its portals. It was established in 1819, largely through the influence and labors of Capt. Lyman Fitch, who urged and secured in the legislature the division of the state fund, and also gave the timber and did much of the work to erect a building for its use. The first principal was John Fitch, who was succeeded by Carlos Smith, E. E. Marsh, and DeForest Richards. Hiram Orcutt, now at the head of the Bureau of Education in Boston, Mass., was the next principal, and held the position from 1843 to 1855, during which time over 2,500 pupils were given instruc- tion here. After Mr. Orcutt severed his connection with the school Gilbert E. Hood served from 1856 to '58, and J. W. Norton till 1861. David Turner was principal from March, 1869, for over twelve years, and was suc- ceeded by B. M. Weld, who held the position from December, 1881, to May, 1883, and W. H. Cummings from that time to the present. Under Mr. Cum- mings's management the school has averaged from sixty-five to one hundred

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pupils and has enjoyed a high degree of popularity. His own large and suc- cessful experience, and an able corps of assistants, make this equal in effi- ciency to any similar institution the state affords.

Latham Memorial library, which now numbers about 3,000 volumes, is. the result of a bequest in the will of Mrs. Azubah Latham Barney, in 1875. She was a daughter of Capt. William Harris Latham, for many years a highly esteemed member of the First Congregational church of Thetford. To her leg- acies of $5,000 to the Congregational church and $5,000 to the society, other members of the Latham family have added gifts, making the total amount about $16,000 donated by this family for the public institutions of the town. The library building was built partly' by subscription and party from the fund, and cost about $2,000. The library was opened to the public in July, 1877.

Peabody library .- In the early part of this century there came to Post Mills a poor boy to live temporarily in the family of his mother's brother, Eliphalet S. Dodge. His name was George Peabody. How his after life was passed, his grand financial success, and his memorial benefactions are well known. Among them he remembered the village where a portion of his youth was passed, and in the summer of 1866, while on a visit here, tendered the gift of a public library to the two school districts composing the village. Accordingly, in September, 1866, he transferred to a committee chosen for the purpose $5,000 in books and securities, $2,000 of which was safely invested, the income to be used in the purchase of new books. He after- wards gave $500 additional to the building fund. The building, a tasteful wooden structure, cost $1,500. The site was presented by Hon. Harvey Dodge, who has always served as librarian. The benefits to be derived from over 3,000 volumes are thus made free to the inhabitants of this vil- lage, and the privilege may be extended at the discretion of the board of trustees.

September 15, 1769, by vote of the town, Col. Jacob Bayley, of Newbury, was selected as agent to petition the governor of New York for " privileges both civil and military, or either of them," for the inhabitants of Thetford, a mission he seems to have undertaken in behalf of several towns jointly.

In 1774 warnings for meetings were dated " Province of New York, Glou- cester, ss."

Early in 1777 a negative vote was passed on the question, " whether we are willing the convention of the State of New Connecticut should emit a bank of £10,000," and later chose Abner Chamberlin representative "to the convention of Vermont " at Windsor, with the munificent salary of nine shillings per day, " he to bear his own expenses."

In 1777 Capt. John Strong, John Wright, John Robinson and William Moor served as a committee of safety, and the same year seven men suspected of tory sentiments were disarmed by the committee and made to take the oath of allegiance before their arms were restored. March 26, 1777,

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William Moor, Abner Howard and Joseph Hosford, the " committee of inspec- tion," took, according to an act or resolve of Congress, the real estate and personal property of Thomas Sumner, who had left town on account of tory sympathies, and placed Capt. John Strong in charge of it, with instruc- tions " to inspect the boys and see that they are kept at work " for the main- tenance of themselves and the family.

August 25, 1780, the town " voted to raise six men one month as scouts to guard the frontier," and chose Solomon Strong, commander, and Amos Chamberlin, captain. Capt. William Heaton and Major Israel Smith were selected as a committee to provide for the six. The remuneration to each soldier was eight bushels of wheat per month, as wages ; and by vote of a subsequent meeting an allowance of " a gill and a half of Rhum per day and other necessary provisions."

February 21, 1784, "voted to petition the Assembly to make Thetford a half shire town," and an almanac for 1786 shows that the supreme court of Vermont was to be held in Thetford on the third Tuesday in February, and the Orange county court the second Tuesday in June.

The following is a list of the soldiers of the Revolution who are buried in the several cemeteries in Thetford, and is as complete as we have been able to make it : Richard Wallace, Solomon Cummings, Joshua Tyler, Joshua Palmer, John Frizzle, Josiah Hubbard, Thaddeus Ladd, Richmond Crandall, Ensign Joseph Ware, Simon Gillett, Col. Jonathan Child, Cyrel Child, Capt. William Heaton, Capt. Howard, Capt. Ryley, Bethuel Newcomb, Solomon Strong, Robert Forest, Joseph Foster, Lemuel Southworth, John Guild, Joseph Bruce, John Godfrey, James Tyler, - Keyes, Job Morse, Daniel D. Bryant, and Levi Parker.

The following soldiers of the War of 1812, including many " Plattsburgh Volunteers," are also buried in this town : Timothy Abbott, Nehemiah Howe, Eliakim Frizzle, Capt. John Tyler, Elijah Tilden, - - Putnam, Col. Lyman Fitch, Lyman Walker, George W. Holton, Thomas Ware, Joseph Ware, Capt. Oliver Taylor, Josiah Palmer, Jared Hosford, Aaron Wilcox, Calvin Hosford, Eben Cummings, Ira W. Johnson, Capt. W. H. Latham, Lyman Howard, Capt. Isaac Balch, Capt. Orange Heaton, Lieut. William Heaton, Col. Oramel Hinckley, Capt. Ambrose Strong, Joseph Hosford, Alva Heaton, Bela Child, James Heaton, George Maltby, Lemuel Colburn, Jesse McClary, David Bruce, John Godfrey, Jr., Henry Gillett, Ebenezer West, Joseph Chamberlin, Darius Moore, and Thomas Colby.

Thetford furnished, under all calls in the civil war, 133 men, including two captains, three lieutenants, nine sergeants, eleven corporals, two quarter- master-sergeants, and two surgeons. Of these, fourteen died of disease while in the service; two died of wounds, or were killed in battle; nine were wounded in action ; sixteen were discharged for disability ; twenty (of whom seventeen were substitutes) deserted ; five were taken prisoners ; seven residents from Thetford served from other states, and nine from other towns. The

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town paid $28,525 in bounties, and $500 expenses. Commutations paid by individuals amounted to $1,500, and $6,600 was paid for substitutes. The following soldiers of the civil war are buried in this town : Lieut. L. Sanborn, Solon Porter, Chester Franklin, Charles H. Hall, Isaac A. Balch, J. Foster Palmer, William C. Babcock, Phineas S. Palmer, Arthur W. Combs, Capt. E. P. Frost, Quincey Carey, George Currier, Lucian Currier, Orange Aldrich, Ransom Aldrich, Timothy Rowell, John Squires, Ira W. Moore, Joshua N. Stevens, William Yarrington, Samuel Mackey, - Cilley. Rufus D. Robinson, James W. Parker, Silas Turner, Edward Carpenter, and Will- iam Carpenter.

A short sketch of the early physicians here will be of interest to many. The first practitioner of the "healing art " in Thetford was undoubtedly Dr. Augustus Burgoyne, who settled where Henry A. Cummings now lives, and was the only physician in town for a number of years. His name is first found upon the records in 1781. His successors have been many ; but of few can we present any definite account. At Thetford Hill Dr. Elijah Ham- mond settled about 1790. He was born in Tolland, Conn., and when he was fifteen years old his parents removed to Norwich. He studied medicine with Dr. Lewis, of Norwich, married Lydia Hutchinson, of that place, and passed most of his life in Thetford, dying at Hebron, N. H., at the age of eighty-six years. Dr. Thomas Kendrick came from Hanover, N. H., to Thetford Hill, and was a physician and merchant. Of Dr. Leffingwell an:1 Dr. Joram Allen we only learn that they practiced here.

Dr. Daniel Palmer removed from Poultney to this place in the summer of 1825, and continued in practice here six years, when, having been appointed to a professorship in the medical college at Woodstock, he removed thither. With no early educational advantages save those afforded by a district school, by unaided effort he attained an enviable position as a practitioner and lecturer upon the science of medicine. His death, October 22, 1852, at the age of fifty-two years, occurred at Pittsfield, Mass., resulting from an acci- dent which happened during the delivery of an illustrated lecture on chemi- istry.

Dr. Samuel W. Thayer removed to Thetford from Braintree in 1832, and remained until about 1846. He passed his last years in Burlington.

Dr. Ezra C. Worcester located here in 1846. He graduated from Dart- mouth Medical college in the class of '38, dying in this town in July, 1887.

At Post Mills Dr. Samuel Niles was the first resident physician. He was a son of Sands and Anna (Ludden) Niles, of West Fairlee, where he prac- ticed a few years before locating here (1807), where he continued in practice until his death, in 1826. He married, first, Elizabeth Kezar, who bore him one son, Harry H., and by his second wife, - Wild, he had two sons, George and Edward. Dr. Harry H. Niles, born in October, 1807, graduated from Dartmouth Medical college, and began practice at Post Mills in 1831, where, until 1881, he was an acknowledged leader as well in social and politi-

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cal affairs as in his profession. He was one of the original members of the Congregational church, of which he was deacon for eleven years. He served as representative three terms, and in the state senate in 1870-71. He mar- ried for his first wife Lucy Heaton, who bore him three daughters, viz .: Eliza- beth K. (Low), of Washington, D. C .; Frances W. (Dodge), of Post Mills, and Kate (Garey), of Columbia, S. C. By his second wife, Catharine (Gil- lett) Niles, he has one daughter, Mary G.

Dr. Heman H. Gillett was born on his present homestead in 1824, the eldest son of Henry and Hannah (Wallace) Gillett. He was educated at Thetford academy, graduated from Dartmouth Medical college in 1846, estab- lished a practice in Corinth in 1848, where he continued until the breaking out of the war. Being at Montpelier in 1861 as representative from Corinth, he was commissioned assistant surgeon of the 8th Vermont Volunteers, and entered upon the performance of his duties. Most of his army life was passed in the Louisiana campaigns, and he was mustered out at the close of the war as surgeon-in-chief of the second division of the sixth army corps. Returning to Thetford he settled down upon the paternal homestead, where, with his sister, he still resides. He has served his town two years as represent- ative, was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1869, and since 1886 has served on the United States examining board for pensions.

At Thetford Center there is now no physician, though there have at dif- ferent times been a number located here in the practice of medicine, among whom were Dr. Clark, Dr. Tobin, who was killed in the army, Dr. How- ard, an Englishman, who acquired wide notoriety by his daring experiments and many notable cures, and who left the town somewhat under a cloud, and Dr. Goodwin.

Union. Village has not lacked for numbers in the profession, though but few remained any considerable length of time. Dr. William Swett came from Salisbury, N. H., practiced about forty years, and died here. Dr. Tyler, a graduate of the Vermont Medical college when at Woodstock, went to Vershire. Dr. Israel Hinckley, son of Joseph, graduated from Dart- mouth college, and died in this town. Dr. Spencer also practiced here. Dr. Cyrus Hamilton Allen left town as assistant surgeon of the 8th Vermont Volunteers, became assistant surgeon of the 5th Regiment, and now resides in California. Drs. Gillespie, Blanchard and Welch each remained here for a brief period. Dr. William L. Paine, the present physician, is a native of Randolph, and a graduate of the Medical department of the University of Vermont. He settled here in 1883.

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Gazetteer of Orange County, Vt., 1762-1888, Part 57

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers Number of Pages: 836

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers
Number of Pages: 836