USA > Vermont > Washington County > Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889 > Part 15
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ROME GREEN BROWN, of Montpelier, son of Andrew Chandler and Lucia (Green) Brown, was born at Montpelier, June 15, 1862, graduated at Har- vard University in 1884, read with B. F. Fifield, was admitted at the general term, 1887, and went, in November, 1887, to Minneapolis into the office of Benton & Roberts, where he now is. He married, May 24, 1888, Mary Lee Hollister, of Plainfield.
HOWARD HASELTINE, of Waterbury, son of Eben and Lydia (Marshall) Haseltine, was born in Moretown, August 28, 1859, read with W. P. Dilling- ham, was addmitted at the general term, 1887, and has since practiced in Waterbury.
FRED LESLIE LAIRD, of Montpelier, son of Henry S. and Lora (Dwinell) Laird, was born in Plainfield, September 26, 1860, graduated at Dartmouth in 1884, read law in Montpelier, was admitted at general term, 1887, and has since practiced in Montpelier. He married, November 15, 1888, Nellie Cox, daughter of Capt. B. A. and Victoria Louise Cox, of Randolph, Me.
A FEW ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS.
Charles Robinson, of Barre, noted as practicing there from 1814 to 1833, was a descendant of the famous Rev. John Robinson who died at Leyden before the Mayflower sailed. He was born at Tolland, Conn., January 25, 1787, and married Nancy R. Wheeler, and died in 1834. Their son Charles was a lawyer. See Baldwin, p. 190.
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BENCH AND BAR.
Stephen S. Jones, noted as admitted in November, 1835, was of Barre, practiced a time at Hyde Park, married Lavinia M., daughter of Philo G. Camp, of Hyde Park, went to St. Charles, Ill., went into Spiritualism, estab- lished a " Religio-Philosophical Journal " at Chicago, and about ten years ago was shot in his office. He had several children.
Newell Kinsman, of Barre, noted as admitted in 1822, died in Montpelier, December 28, 1858. His son Edward Center, born in August, 1831, gradu- ated at Dartmouth in 1852, read with Peck. & Colby, and practiced in Cleveland, O.
Guy C. Samson, admitted in the forties, was probably a son of Rev. Guy Samson who was at Waitsfield in 183 [.
Anson Sargent, noted as admitted in April, 1834, was born in East Ran- dolph, and a son of Benjamin and Orpha Belknap Sargent, and his name was Jonathan Anson Sargent ; he practiced in Orange county and left the law and became book-keeper for J. A. S. White at Northfield, and after that worked for the Central R. R. See Child's Orange County Gazetteer, p. 134.
Ira Young Burnham, noted as practicing in Northfield about 1855 and 1856, was admitted in Orange county, January 25, 1854, from Randolph.
Frank Richard Bates, of Northfield, noted as admitted March term, 1879, was born in Berlin, November 26, 1855, and the exact date of his death was September 26, 1883.
It seems to me that Arthur H. Hazen, who read with Durant and after- wards with Wing, was admitted here,-about 1880,-but I do not find any record of it. He was from Grand Isle county and has since been in Fargo in successful business.
I have not attempted to make note of the many students who have read here-the older ones like Perkins Bass and George B. Damon or the later, like Donahue who is booming at Fort Payne ; nor of the many boys of the county who have studied elsewhere and practiced without the state, like William B. Perrin now of Nashua, Iowa, and his brothers of Berlin, C. A. Braley, of Northfield, now in Kansas City, and Fred W. Gregg, of North- field, now of San Bernardino, Cal. Nor of the assistant judges under the system of the last sixty years, nor of the lawyers admitted here at the general term from 1884 to the present time from other counties, nor of the Supreme Court judges who, not residents of the county, have presided here. The line as given did seem as though it would "stretch out to the crack of doom."
I have not read the proof of this article, and presume the type-setters will add some of their blunders to mine ; but as a rule it will be just to shoot at me as the one guilty of sins of omission and commission. And I shall for answer have a precedent in the four words my good, old friend Gen. Thomas used to the rebels when he rode into the ravine the morning of the battle of Cedar Creek.
I have attempted no estimate of the lawyership of members of our bar ad-
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WASHINGTON COUNTY.
mitted since the sixties closed. As to what I have said of the others, " right or wrong, regular or irregular, that's the way it's been done."
JUDGE HARVEY TILDEN .*- The Tilden family is one of the oldest in New England. Joseph Tilden was one of the London merchants who assisted in fitting out the Mayflower, and one of the family, Thomas Tilden, came to Plymouth, Mass., in the ship Ann in 1623. In 1637 Nathaniel Tilden was appointed one of four commissioners to determine the boundaries of Scituate, and was one of the first settlers of the town. "Nathaniel Tilden, the ruling elder of the first church, is said to have come from Tenterden, County Kent, England. He has been followed in the old town, upon whose settlement and history he early exerted so large an influence, by a race worthy of their an- cestor." The late Samuel J. Tilden, of New York, was of this family. Every generation has produced its men of mark, and, wherever located, its members have done honor to the name.
Harvey Tilden, of the Connecticut branch, sixth child of Leonard and Phobe (Royce) Tilden, was born July 29, 1812, in Williamstown, Vt., whither his parents had removed, from Windham, Conn., as early settlers.
The environments of a pioneer farm-life were not favorable to educational facilities, and, as his health was feeble, he was compelled to forego many ad- vantages possessed by those of stronger physique. He was a diligent student, had a remarkably retentive memory, and began to teach school when sixteen. In this he was successful; he was a strict disciplinarian, and at the same time interested and imparted instruction to his pupils. He taught several seasons in Barre and surrounding towns. After some years he attended one term at Chelsea Academy, and this closed his school education. His lungs becoming affected, he traveled as a merchant, and in this way visited the New England, Middle, and Western states. He also brought horses from the West to Boston markets. He became manager of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Cooperative store at Northfield, and conducted it until 1847. Here he not only gained many strong friends, but held various positions of public trust, and manifested a keen shrewdness and ability in commercial dealings.
He married, September 25, 1849, Mariah, daughter of Rev. Doane and Polly (Twing) Cook. Their children were Willie Cook, born April 27, 1852, died December 27, 1852 ; Stella Cleora (Mrs. A. C. Averill), born Decem- ber 15, 1855 ; Alice Maud, born April 11, 1859, died June 10, 1859; and Blanche Jane, born October 13, 1861, now residing in Barre with her mother. They commenced housekeeping where Dennis Tilden now lives.
He also this year (1849) represented Barre in the legislature, and secured the charter of Barre Academy. Mr. Tilden had been settling the affairs of L. W. Tilden & Co. (with whom he had been connected) for two years prior
* Contributed by a friend.
· A.LITTLE, PHILA,
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BENCH AND BAR.
to his marriage. He now associated himself with Dennis Tilden in the manufacture of door-latches, handles, trunk-nails, etc., thus continuing the line of the old firm at Factory Village. He had previously invented the old style door-handle with a thumb-latch, and large numbers were manufactured at the present Moorcraft stand. New Jersey competition, however, caused the business to become unprofitable, and it was finally abandoned. He was then engaged for some time in obtaining pensions and land warrants for old soldiers. In 1856 he purchased the homestead of his wife's father (now owned by J. R. Langdon), removed thither, and this was his home until he pur- chased the place in 1860 where he lived until his death, and which he im- proved and beautified.
Mr. Tilden had often been chosen executor, administrator, etc., and to settle estates, and thus became thoroughly versed in probate law, and in 1856 he was elected judge of probate for the district of Washington and held the office two years. In 1862 he was appointed assessor of U. S. inter- nal revenue, his jurisdiction extending over eight towns of the county. In 1870, after nearly nine years of unintermitting and faithful service, he resigned this office, and again assumed the duties of probate judge, for which the people deemed him preeminently well qualified. To this office he was again and again elected. He impartially administered justice, holding that a public servant should not be influenced by personal preferences. After the Probate Court became a Court of Insolvency many conflicting opinions were held as to the construction of the law, but the one given by Judge Tilden was uni- versally accepted. His reputation for judicial erudition increased each year, but his failing health caused him to resign this office in April, 1883, to take effect June I. He did not enjoy here freedom from official cares, for May 19, 1883, death called him from earth.
Judge Tilden was of a sanguine, nervous, and positive temperament, tak- ing hold with energy of everything he undertook. He was in accord with the highest principles of humanity, and was the determined opponent of every form of oppression and wrong. He was an Abolitionist when popular clamor denounced all holding the belief. During the anti-slavery period he invited Vice-President Henry Wilson to Barre to speak in a political meeting, and paid for lecture and lecturer's expenses himself. He was one of the founders of the Republican party, and gave the great weight of his nature to the cause of freedom untiringly, and was ever a prominent factor in all things tending to the betterment of morals, enlightenment, and education. Much of his time for four years was passed in securing the location of the seminary in Barre, and in strenuous exertions for erecting its buildings. Not only his time, but his money and entire credit were devoted to this work, and his name was on its paper for the full value of his property. It is not too much to say that the successful establishment of this school is due to him above all others. At his suggestion the present name, Goddard Seminary, was adopted, and for several years he was its honored secretary and treasurer.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY.
A firm believer in Universalism, he took an active part in all church work, and was ever ready with his sympathy and help for those in need. Wise in counsels, most energetic in labors, of a generous and loving nature, Judge Harvey Tilden left an abiding memory in the hearts of his townsmen and a record worthy of the historic family from which he sprung.
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
B ARRE lies in the southeast part of the county, in latitude 44° II' and longitude 4° 31', and contains 19,900 acres. It is bounded north by East Montpelier and Plainfield, east by Orange, Orange county, south by Williamstown, Orange county, and west by Berlin.
This town was chartered by the name of Wildersburgh, and granted to Will- iam Williams and his associates November 6, 1780.
The surface is uneven and hilly, but there are no great elevations, Cobble and Millstone hills being the highest, and composed of an almost solid mass of granite. Mainly the town has a good soil, and Barre ranks with the good farming and dairying towns of the state. Large quantities of maple sugar are also produced and exported annually.
The town is abundantly watered by its numerous springs and running brooks. The principal streams are Stevens Branch and Jail Branch. Stevens Branch has its source in Williamstown, Orange county, flows in a northerly direction, crosses the south line of Barre, continues a north course until it reaches Barre village, then takes a northwest course, and crosses the north- west corner of Berlin and unites with the Winooski river. In the early his- tory of this location a hunter by the name of Stevens had a camp near the mouth of this stream, and was found dead in his hut on a bed of beaver skins. From this circumstance the branch received its name. Jail Branch rises in Washington, runs northerly into Orange, thence westerly into Barre, and unites with Stevens Branch near the center of the town, a little south of the lower village. Gunners Brook is also a considerable stream. The only natural pond in town is Peck's pond, situated in the northwest corner, and is quite small in size. There is a mineral spring near Jail Branch, and about two miles southeast of Barre village.
The first settlement was made in Barre in 1788 by Samuel Rogers and John Goldsbury, and their families, and from 1790 the town was rapidly set- tled by an enterprising and industrious class of pioneers who came from Mas- sachusetts and Rhode Island, and hewed out of the wilderness homes which are in many instances now occupied by their descendants.
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TOWN OF BARRE.
The town was organized, with the charter name, " Wildersburgh," March 1I, 1793. The officers then elected were: Joseph Dwight, town clerk ; Joseph Sherman, Joseph Dwight, Nathan Harrington, selectmen ; John Nichols, treasurer ; Job Adams, constable ; Isaac S. Thompson, Apollos Hale, Elias Cheney, listers.
The long name of the town (very justly, too,) soon became unpopular with the inhabitants, and a town meeting was called and held at the house of Cal- vin Smith, September 3, 1793, for the purpose of selecting some other name to present to the legislature for their approval. The town records of Barre show that the transactions of this important meeting are as follows :-
"Voted, that the man that will give the most towards building a meeting- house in said town shall name the town, and the town will petition the Legis- lature for that name. The name of the town vendued and bid off by Ezekiel Dodge Wheeler, for 62 £ lawful money, he being the highest bidder, and said Wheeler named the town Barre."
Thompson, in his History of Vermont, part third, page 9, gives the follow- ing version of the origin of the name of Barre : -
"The meeting being opened, freedom was given for anyone to present the name he chose, and the choice among the number presented was to be de- cided by vote of the town. Several names were proposed, such as Paris, Newburn, &c. Two of the voters present, Capt. Joseph Thompson and Mr. Jonathan Sherman, the first from Holden, the other from Barre, Mass., each in their turn strenuously contended for the name of the town from which he came ; and as the matter seemed to lie chiefly between these two, it was pro- posed that it should be decided between them by boxing, to which they readily agreed. The terms were that they should fight across a pole ; but if one should knock the other down, they might then choose their own mode of war- fare. The meeting then adjourned to a new barn-shed, erected by said Smith, over which a floor of rough hemlock plank had just been laid, and on this the issue was to be decided. Agreeably to this arrangement, the com- batants advanced upon each other, and soon Thompson, by a well-directed blow, brought his antagonist to the floor, and springing upon him at full length, began to aim his heavy blows at his head and face ; but Sherman, being more supple, avoided them, and they generally fell harmless on the floor, ex- cept feeling his own knuckles. During this process, Sherman was dexterously plying his ribs from beneath, when Thompson was soon heard to groan, and his blows became palsied and without effect. Sherman then rolled him off, and springing upon his feet, exultingly exclaimed-' There, the name is Barre, by God !' Accordingly, a petition for the name Barre was presented and sanctioned by the legislature the same year."
The foregoing is the current tradition of the people of Barre. The writer has no doubt that, in the heat of the contest for the name, the belligerents, Thompson and Sherman, did resort to fisticuffs on their own account, and in the manner described; and that the supple Sherman overcame his stronger but less active antagonist ; but thinks that the honor of naming the town justly belonged to Mr. Wheeler, as shown by the town records.
In 1880 Barre had a population of 2,700 and is estimated to have 5,000 now. In 1886 the town had fourteen school districts and fourteen schools,
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TOWN OF BARRE.
taught by six male and twenty-two female teachers, at an average weekly sal- ary, including board, of $12 for males and $7 for females. There were 678 different scholars, and forty-six attended private schools. The whole amount of revenue for school purposes was $4,943.86, and the whole amount ex- pended for all school purposes was $5,063.98.
The rapid and almost unprecedented increase of the population of Barre village has made it necessary for that district to adopt the graded school sys- tem, and provide adequate accommodations for all their children. The district has recently bought the buildings and ample grounds of Barre Academy, and appointed a committee to draft a plan for a fine new structure capable of seat- ing and accommodating 500 scholars.
BARRE village is located in a beautiful valley on Stevens Branch, a tribu- tary of the Winooski, which here furnishes a fine water-power, and lies about six miles east of Montpelier on the Central Vermont, Barre branch, and Barre railroads. It is the busiest and most flourishing town of its size in the state. In 1880 the entire population of Barre was but 2,700; now the village alone, as estimated, has a population of 3,500, and including the township 5,000. This unprecedented and phenomenal growth is explained and by two words, Barre granite.
The village was incorporated November 24, 1886. Mail matter is sent from the postoffice here to adjacent towns by several star mail routes. Barre has four churches, Congregational, Universalist, Methodist, and Roman Catholic. The Union graded school and Goddard Seminary afford superior educational advantages, and offer the acquisition of a good academic educa- tion to all her sons and daughters. There are several flourishing manufac- tories, besides about forty granite firms, and several fine business blocks occupied by numerous and enterprising wholesale and retail merchants, lawyers, doctors, and business men. The village also boasts of its fine opera house, and " The Village " and "Currier " parks. The latter was donated to the village by Hon. S. C. Chubb.
FACTORY VILLAGE, THWINGVILLE, and GOSPEL VILLAGE are now included in the corporation of Barre.
SOUTH BARRE is a post village located on Stevens Branch, about two miles south of Barre village. In the early history of Barre this was the important village, and here was located the postoffice for the town, which received its mail from a postman on horseback, and later by the old stage coach drawn by six horses. Here also was Ira Day's tavern, where he entertained General LaFayette. And here flourished the leading merchants, a foundry, two saw-mills, a tannery, and cab-shop. Now it contains a large granite polishing- mill, a sash and blind factory, general store, blacksmith shop, livery stable, and about forty dwelling houses.
EAST BARRE (p. o.) lies in the southeastern part of the township. Jail Branch passes through this village, and furnishes its water-power. The village con- tains a granite and blacksmith shop, one store, and about twenty dwellings.
,
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TOWN OF BARRE.
GODDARD SEMINARY.
Goddard Seminary is the child of the Universalist denomination, and has ever received the fostering care of the members of that fellowship.
The institution, in common with many others of the Universalist church owes its being to a great interest in educational matters that began to be manifest in the denomination about the middle of the present century. The early fruit was the founding of Tufts College, which in ten years drew to itself funds to the amount of nearly $800,000. Later came the foundation of St. Lawrence University, New York, and Dean Academy, Massachusetts, and large gifts to these and older schools. The tide of interest reached Vermont and its people became keenly alive to all educational interests. In the state there were already two schools under the patronage of the Universalists, the Orleans Liberal Institute at Glover, founded in 1852, and the Green Moun- tain Institute at South Woodstock, founded in 1848, one of the oldest acade- mies in the state. For some years the school at Glover had kept within its income by having but two terms in a school year, while that at South Wood- stock had kept its doors open for the full school year only by a constant drain on the means of its friends to supply the inevitable deficiency. Both these schools had done excellent work, and had been loyally supported, but without endowment it was not possible to maintain a school of the highest academic grade that should be able to prepare for the best colleges.
The growing educational sentiment inspired the denomination with the thought that their growth as a church and true Christian zeal demanded of them more careful attention to the education of their youth. The sentiment crystallized at a meeting of the State Convention of Universalists held at Montpelier in August, 1863, when a committee, consisting of Rev. J. S. Lee, William R. Shipman, and Hon. Heman Carpenter, reported a resolution, "that it is expedient for our denomination to establish and endow a scien- tific and classical school of the grade of an academy." This resolution received a unanimous vote, but to pass a set of resolutions never yet accom- plished anything, and many feared that the movement would not outlast the enthusiasm and glow of the convention. But those who wished well, but prophesied failure, were to be happily disappointed. At the session of the General Assembly in the fall of 1863 a charter was granted to Eli Ballou, of Montpelier, Harvey Tilden, Barre, Heman Carpenter, Northfield, L. H. Tabor, Concord, Isaiah Buckman, W. R. Shipman, Woodstock, R. B. Fay, Williston, G. W. Chaplin, Rutland, J. S. Moore, Royalton, Riverius Camp, Jr., St. Albans, William B. Dennison, Irasburgh, W. T. Stowe, Brattleboro, James T. Parish, Stowe, Martin Burnham, Williamstown, Kittredge Haven, Shoreham, and T. R. Spencer, St. Johnsbury, as trustees of a school to be called the Green Mountain Central Institute. Rev. Eli Ballou was chosen first president of the board, and Hon. Harvey Tilden, secretary and treasurer.
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TOWN OF BARRE.
W. R. Shipman, late principal of the school at South Woodstock, was chosen financial agent to canvass the state for subscriptions. It was not deemed expedient to locate the school until $30,000 should be pledged.
At the first broaching of the subject of a school in Vermont, Thomas A. Goddard, of Boston, interested in the institution both for itself and as a fitting school for Tufts College, of which he was a devoted friend, had offered to give one-tenth of any amount raised up to $50,000. He was already pay- ing the interest of $5,000 toward the expenses of the school at South Wood- stock, and recognized the necessity of endowment to any school that was to be properly sustained. With the promise of this sum as an incentive the agent entered upon his work. The first town canvassed was Woodstock, which, despite the fact that it had the interests of its own school at heart, came loy- ally to the support of the new institution with a subscription of more than $3,000, Major Gaius Perkins heading the list with $1,000.
Mr. Shipman canvassed a small part of the state and raised about $10,000, when he relinquished this work in the summer of 1864 to accept a professor- ship in Tufts College. His retirement seemed to block the wheels for a time. After a futile effort to advance the work by constituting all the ministers of the state agents, it remained for a conference of churches at South Wood- stock, in February, 1865, called for the ordination of Prof. Shipman to the ministry, to give a new impetus to the work, fifty persons pledging them- selves to be responsible for the salary of an agent for one year. Soon after J. J. Lewis, who had also been principal of the South Woodstock school, took the field and the outlook again brightened. Subscriptions were not large but quite general. When the work began to flag it was thought advisable to authorize the issue of scholarships to those subscribing $100 or more, and with this impetus the work went on until, at a state convention held at East Mont- pelier, in August, 1865, amid much enthusiasm, $6,000 was pledged, complet- ing the $30,000 that was to be raised before locating the school.
The locating committee, as provided by the charter, consisted of Rev. A. A. Miner, D. D., of Boston, Ex-Gov. Eliphalet Trask, of Springfield, Mass., and Rev. G. W. Bailey, of Lebanon, N. H. In November this committee visited each of the competing towns, Springfield, South Woodstock, Bethel, Northfield, Barre, and East Montpelier, and made a thorough inspection of the towns themselves and of the sites suggested. At the close of this visita- tion representatives of each town appeared before the committee at the court- house at Montpelier and presented the claims of their towns. The towns, in addition to a general subscription, made certain pledges of money, free sites, and building material. The competition was an earnest yet friendly one.
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