Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889, Part 18

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836-, comp; Adams, William, fl. 1893, ed
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers
Number of Pages: 898

USA > Vermont > Washington County > Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889 > Part 18

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John Wheaton came with his wife and six children from Leicester, Mass., and settled in the eastern part of Barre, about 1793. His first habitation was a log cabin in the woods, and he at once set to work clearing his land and making a home. All his children lived and married. His four sons. settled on farms in his school district. His children were Phebe, Pliny, Joseph, Benjamin, Sarah, and John. Phebe married Peter Taft and emigrated to the West. Pliny married, first, Martha Wheeler, and their union was blessed with seven children. His second wife was Mary Catlin, who was the mother of one child. Four of his children are now living, Maria (Mrs. Nathan Trow), Lorinda (Mrs. C. C. Phelps), John, a successful farmer, who married, first, Emeline Perrin and had children Porter Perrin and Eliza E. His second wife, Rhoda Reed, was also the mother of three children, two of whom, Sarah A. and Eva M., are living, and Charles, who married Harriet Eastman and has two children.

Oren Wheaton, son of Pliny and grandson of John, was born in Barre, January 1, 1812. He was a practical granite cutter, and with his father owned the quarry from which the granite was procured to build the State House at Montpelier. He was both farmer and quarryman. He united in marriage with Eliza, daughter of Daniel and Rebecca (Parker) Thompson, and sister of Hon. D. P. Thompson, lawyer, historian, and novelist. Mr. Wheaton died December 6, 1861. Their three children are all living. Pliny O. married Hattie Barnes, of Chelsea, and resides on the home farm. Daniel T. emigrated to Morris, Minn., married, and settled there. Mary (Mrs. Malcolm Crockett) resides in Ohio. Mrs. Wheaton still survives and resides with her son Pliny O.

Erastus Wheaton, son of Benjamin and grandson of John, was born Octo- ber 17, 1812. He united in marriage with Nancy C. Clark, January 3, 1839, and settled on the homestead of his grandfather where he was born, and where he has always lived. Mrs. Wheaton is also living. They are parents of five children, three of whom are living and reside in Barre. George E. C., who is his only son, is in company with his father on the homestead. He married Alice M. Kinney and has one child. Emily married William Clark,

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and resides in Barre village. Alfaratta married Albert C. Reed, has two children, and lives on road 38.

Benjamin Wood was born in Mendon, Mass., September 30, 1778. At. the age of twenty-five years he came to Barre from his native town on foot, with several others, and brought his axe on his shoulder. He married, first, Hannah Clapp, and settled on East hill in Barre. Later he moved to Gospel hill, and manufactured woolen and linen spinning wheels, and spin- dles for woolen factories. The children of his first marriage were Angeline, Lucy, Solomon, and Hiram. His second wife was Jennie C., daughter of Richard and Jennie C. Town. Their eight children were Hannah, Orrilla, Allen T., Mary T., Benjamin O., Jane M., Elijah B., and Harriet O. The latter married William E. Whitcomb. They have one son, Will A., and reside in Barre village.

James Thwing came from Wilbraham, Mass., about 1793, to Willaims- town, where he resided two years, and then settled in Barre. His first wife, Hannah Carpenter, was the mother of sixteen children. He married, second, Mrs. Nancy Carpenter, the mother of his seventeenth child. John Thwing, son of James, was nine years old when his father settled in Barre. He was a prominent man in his town, and was adjutant of the 3d Regt., 2d Brigade, 4th Division, Vt. militia, in 1818 and 1819. He was selectman of the town of Barre fifteen years, and a member of the state legislature two years. John Thwing married Sarah Smith, and they had seven children, of whom James, the only one now living, is seventy years old, and resides in Barre. He mar- ried Eliza C. Peck, and they had three sons and three daughters. All but one of the daughters are now living. Joshua Thwing, brother of John, was eleven years of age when his father settled in Barre. He was a millwright. At the time he commenced his apprenticeship, he and his brother had but one hat between them. He started from home bareheaded, met his brother, who was returning home from an errand, and took the hat from his head and continued his journey. In 1818 he built an iron foundry, and grist and saw-mill, which, enlarged and improved, is now the Barre iron works. Mr. Thwing married Judith French. Three of their six children are now living, viz .: Mary A., Roxana (Mrs. Noah Dodge), and Auraina (Mrs. H. S. Loomis) resides in Montpelier.

Joseph Browning, with his wife and four children, came from Hubbardston, Mass., to Barre, in 1793, and settled on the farm now occupied by his son Alfred. His wife was the sister of Mr. Sherman, who fought and vanquished Mr. Thompson, at the time of the excitement and rivalry for the honor of naming the town of Barre. Mr. and Mrs. Browning had a family of twelve children, but two of them are now living, Alfred, before mentioned, and Emily, who also resides in Barre.

Timothy Patterson came to Barre about 1794, and settled near John Goldsbury, on West hill. Mr. Patterson's parents and four brothers and sis- ters came with him. Their bill of fare for the first year was not very exten-

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sive, and was often bread and water sweetened with maple sugar. For a change in diet Mr. Patterson occasionally received three pounds of pork for a hard day's work chopping for Judge Paine, in Williamstown ; and this, with fresh trout caught from the brook, would give an agreeable change from the monotony of "bread and water." Mr. Patterson married Content Cook, whose parents were pioneer settlers. They had twelve children. Those now living are P. C. and Merrill Patterson, residing in Barre.

Samuel Doane Cook came from Greenfield, Mass., with quite a large family, in 1794, and settled on the farm now owned by C. R. Allen, on road 33. His children were Content, who married Timothy Patterson ; Samuel, who married Mercy Thompson ; Rebecca (Mrs. Carroll Smith) and Doane, who settled in Barre ; Phineas, a Methodist minister ; Noah and Phebe, who emigrated to New York ; and Seth, who settled in Plainfield, and later removed to Danville, where he died. Rev. Doane Cook married Miss Polly Thwing, and settled in Barre. He entered the ministry of the Methodist church, and besides cultivating his farm he preached in Barre and surround- ing towns. He was one of the noble and devoted band of workers in the Master's vineyard, whose zeal was to preach the gospel, without fee or re- ward unless voluntarily contributed. The children of Rev. and Mrs. Cook were Mina, Alpheus, William, Truman, John L., Maria, and Benjamin B., three of whom are living, viz .: John L. in Haverhill, N. H .; Benjamin B., a member of the firm of Smith, Whitcomb & Cook, of Barre ; and Maria, widow of the late Harvey Tilden.

Ebenezer Fitch Willard was born in Barre in 1795. He married Lovisa Clark, and settled on the fine farm in the northwest corner of Barre, where his son, Ebenezer Fitch Willard, now lives. [See a more extended sketch in East Montpelier, in this work.] His daughter Sophia married Gilbert L. Dix. Her children are Addie L., John L., Clara L., and M. Willard. Mrs. Dix resides on the homestead of her father in Barre. Ebenezer F. Willard married Ruth Page, and resides on the old homestead, as before mentioned. He has two sons, C. Fred and George C.

William Goldsbury, brother of John, the second settler of Barre, was also one of the pioneers of the town. January 28, 1794, he married Bathsheba Walker, and at once settled on the farm now owned by his grandson, Joel W. Goldsbury, on road 7. His first residence was a log cabin. A few years later the frame house now occupied by Joel W. was erected. The first glass window in their neighborhood was one of the adornments of this house, and is still sound and doing service. It was brought by Mrs. Goldsbury on horse- back from Brookfield, Mass. Mr. and Mrs. Goldsbury were parents of four · sons,-William, Joel, John, and Oliver. William died at the age of twenty- four years. Oliver was killed and entombed at once, and in an instant, when he was but five years old. He had accompanied his father to the woods. The father was busy cutting off the trunk of a prostrate tree, which had been turned out of the ground by the roots. The earth from a deep

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cavity in the ground adhered to the roots of the tree, and the ill-fated little child had stepped into this cavity. As soon as the unwitting father had severed the trunk of the tree from the stump, by its own great weight, as sudden as the spring of a trap, it sprung back into its original place, crushed, and buried the child. John was a merchant at Montpelier, and died at the age of thirty-two years, supposed to have been poisoned. December 9, 1819, Joel married Charlotte Collyer. Their children were Maria, Bathsheba, Mandama, Orlantha, Julia, Charlotte, Annette, Joel W., John N., Ellen V., and William A., six of whom are now living.

Asaph Sherman married a Miss Norton, of Suffield, Mass., and was an early, influential, and prominent settler of Barre. He represented the town in the General Assembly in 1794, '95, and '96. He reared five sons and three daughters. A granddaughter was the wife of General Stannard. His sons all became eminent physicians. His son, Dr. Socrates N. Sherman, was medical director of the department of Virginia in the late war, and was a member of Congress one term. He settled in Ogdensburg and was the postmaster of that city at the time of his death, in 1873. Dr. Mason Sher- man settled in Michigan City, Ind., where he still resides. Drs. Minot and Bradley Sherman emigrated to Williamsburg, Canada. Minot is dead, and Bradley still resides there. . Dr. B. Franklin Sherman also located in Ogdens- burg, has amassed a fortune, and still resides there.

John Gale came from Walpole, N. H., and settled in Barre, as near as can be ascertained, about 1795. He located on the farm where his son Lewis now lives, and where he continued to reside until his death, in March, 1842. Lewis Gale, son of John and his second wife, Phebe (Bancroft ) Gale, resides, as before mentioned, on the old homestead. He married Lucinda Pettingill, and their children are Clarence A., who married Ellen Woodbury and resides in Big Rapids, Mich .; Cortland A., who is now in Chicago; Martin P., who married Kate E. Griswold and also resides in Big Rapids; Elgin J., who married Clara A. Hatch and resides in Montpelier ; Burton L., who lives in Port Leyden, N. Y .; and Lillian (Mrs. Fred L. Eaton), who resides in Mont- pelier. Lewis Gale owns and cultivates a large farm, and is an extensive dairyman.

Israel Wood came to Barre, from Worcester county, Mass., about 1795, and settled in the wilderness on the farm now owned by William Mears, on road 16. He was quite successful, and extended his domain until it included three other adjoining farms. Such was his benevolence that he gave one-half of all he then possessed to build the old church on Gospel hill. His wife was Abigail Wheeler, and their children were Israel, Abraham, Huldah, Josiah, Lewis, Leonard, and Abel, all deceased. Lewis married Ruby Bancroft, and settled on the farm now owned by his son Israel. Their children were Eme- line (Mrs. Hosea Jacobs), who resides in Cabot; Elizabeth (Mrs. Martin Freeman), who died July 4, 1874; Israel, as before mentioned, who resides on the homestead, married Emma Willey, of Topsham, Vt .; Ezekiel, who

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resides in Iowa, married, first, Mary Collins, and second, Mary Degroot ; and Albert, who went West and married.

Calvin Smith came from Wildersburgh, Mass., and made one of the first claims, or pitches, in Wildersburgh, now Barre, and assisted in the survey of the town soon after. He also performed a journey of thirty miles on foot to Royalton, and returned carrying a bushel of corn in an iron kettle. Mr. Smith continued to reside on the farm where he first settled until his death. John Kelley now owns the farm. The memorable battle at fisticuffs for the honor of naming Barre was fought in Mr. Smith's barn. His first wife, Miss Sherman, was the mother of seven children, and his second wife, Mrs. West, bore him two more. His third wife was Mrs. Wright. Calvin S. Smith, son of his first wife, settled in Elmore, but returned to Barre and the old home, and cared for his father till his decease. Calvin S. has been mar- ried twice, first to Betsey Thompson, and second to Mrs. Mary Sanborn. Five of his children survive him, viz .: James, Whitcomb, Cook, Joseph, and Maria (Mrs. Wesley Hill), of East Montpelier.

Thomas Mower, of Jaffrey, N. H., removed to Berlin about 1797, remained one year, and then settled in Barre on the farm now owned by E. T. Mower. This farm has been in the Mower family since the settlement of Thomas Mower in 1798, and the homestead has sheltered the fifth generation. Thomas married a Miss Raymond, and they were parents of three daughters and one son. Ezra, the son, was born, lived, and died on the homestead. His wife, Sally Webster, was the mother of eight children, four of whom are now living, viz .: David W., Ezra, Jeanette (Mrs. H. S. Martin) in Barre, and Ann (Mrs Holly Gale) in Williamstown.

Jacob Worthen and his wife, Betsey, were early pioneers of Barre. They came from Cornish, N. H., and settled near the line of the town of Orange. Eventually they moved into Orange, where Mr. Worthen died. Their only child, Samuel, was born April 28, 1797. His wife was Susan Owen, and their children were Eliza, born July 26, 1818, deceased ; Andrew, born February 16, 1821, deceased; Jacob, born September 7, 1823, who resides in Newbury, Vt .; Silas, born March 27, 1826, who lives in Orange ; Linus L., born February II, 1829, who lives in Barre; Sarah O. (Mrs. Nye), of Barre, who was born July 13, 1832 ; George L., born June 23, 1835, who resides in East Montpelier ; Hiram O., born August 16, 1838, who is a physician in Barre ; and David O., born January 9, 1842, deceased.

Ezekiel Wood came from Westminster, Mass., to Barre about 1797, on horseback, bringing the proverbial axe with which to carve out a home in the new country. He located where Perrin Bancroft now lives, made a clearing, and put up a house. The next year he married Judith Baker, of Westminster, and returned to Barre, and lived on the farm of his choice until 1800, when he moved to what is known as the "Chubb place." In 1805 he moved to "Gospel Village," which then contained but three houses. His farm is now occupied by a portion of the village, and his residence was on

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the site of the cemetery. When the first church was built he gave liberally, even denying himself to assist in the project. April 27, 1800, he was elected deacon of the Congregational church, which position he held until his death in 1812. He was an industrious, hard-working man, cultivated his farm in summer, and in winter made woodenware, for which there was quite a demand. At his death he left his widow with five small children, and an adopted son. Mrs. Wood was equal to the task thus imposed upon her. She remained on the farm, and brought up her family, all of whom married and settled within one mile of home. Judith, the eldest, married Cheney Keith. She died in 1886, aged eighty-five years. Drusilla married David Leach, and had seven children, three of whom grew to maturity. Her sons settled in Iowa. After her husband's death she went to Iowa, and died there. One of her sons, Ezekiel E., is now living in California. Ezekiel Wood, the eldest son, mar- ried Emily Foss and settled on the homestead. They had eleven children, six of whom are living, three, Mrs. Henry P. Gale, Mrs. William Mears, and Mrs. H. N. Bailey, in Barre. H. N. Bailey lives on West hill and has two children. The other daughter married I. K. Bancroft, and lives in West Randolph, Vt. Of the sons J. Orville lives in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and J. B. in Pine Valley, Oregon. Martha, youngest daughter of Deacon Eze- kiel Wood, married Artemas Miller, and settled in " Thwingville," and had two children, one of whom, Mrs. J. W. Payne, is living in Barre.

Francis Keith was born in Barre, as near as can be ascertained, in 1797, and was thrice married. His first wife, Persis Bigelow, bore him six children, viz .: Mary, Charles, Erastus, Lewis, Ellen, and Almira. His second wife was the mother of his three children, Clinton, Flora, and Agnes, two of whom are living. His third wife, Persis Cook, had no children. Mary Keith first mar- ried Henry Taft, of East Montpelier. Her second husband is Dennison Batchelder, of Barre, and their only child is Persis ( Mrs. William Batchelder), Charles Keith married Silence D. Vincent He died in 1858, from injuries received while quarrying granite to repair the State House. Erastus Keith married Laura M. Bradford. Their three children are Alma, Nellie, and Bert M. Lewis Keith married Morancy S. Wilson, and they had one child, Mary M., who married Richard A. Hoar. Ellen Keith married J. W. Rollins, has four children, and resides in Elgin, Minn. Almira Keith married Ira Trow, has one child, and resides in Weston, Mass. Clinton Keith resides in Hardwick, Vt.

Ira Day and his wife, Martha (Clark), came to Barre from Royalton, Vt., about 1797. He located at South Barre, and was for many years the leading merchant in Barre. He also bought large droves of beef cattle, which he drove to Boston market, and which afforded him an extensive and lucrative business. He also, with Mr. Cottrell, of Montpelier, owned the first stage and mail route between Boston and Burlington, Vt., and at the time General Lafayette made a tour of New England he was the guest of Mr. Day, who furnished a splendid coach and six beautiful white horses for the transporta-

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1 tion of the General and his suite. His son, Clark Day, born February 5, 1811, received his early training for business in his father's store, and with whom he was a partner ten or twelve years. In consequence of failing health he gave up mercantile business and engaged in farming, cultivating and living on the same farm forty-four years. Mr. Day married Emily, daughter of Alvin and Betsey Clark, June 2, 1841. He died March 25, 1886. Mrs. Day still survives. They had five children, viz .: Gertrude R. (Mrs. Henry H. Wetmore), who resides in Chicago; Alvin C., who married Stella Brown ; Martha P., who married Emory L. Smith; William P., who married Sadie V. Clark. All reside in Barre. Mary died at the age of five years.

David Sherburne was born in Goshen, N. H., February 28, 1778, and came to Vermont in 1801. He settled in Orange, and bought his farm soon after reaching there, but did not take a deed of it until 1806. The farm is the one now occupied by Chester Beckley. It was then an entire forest, which he cleared and lived upon for more than half a century. He married Wealthy, daughter of Rev. Jonathan Kinney, of Plainfield, in 1803, by whom he had ten children, four of whom died before reaching adult years. Lydia, the eldest, married Andrew F. Waterman and died at Barre in 1860. Joel married Polly Perkins, of Plainfield, and they have lived on the same farm in Plainfield for more than fifty years. They are the parents of the Rev. J. O. Sherburne, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Montpelier. Jona- than married Eliza Seavy, who died early, leaving one daughter (Mrs. Samuel Cutts, of Barre). He died in 1841. Laura married David B. Merrill and died in Marshfield, at the age of seventy-one years, leaving three sons. Joseph A. was born November 22, 1821, in Orange, Vt. He married Miranda Barrows, of Jamaica, Vt., by whom he had one daughter and four sons, viz .: Ada J., born August 27, 1850, at Weathersfield, Vt .; Leslie 'A., born March 30, 1853, at Athens, Vt .; Herman K., born July 12, 1855, at Wilmington, Vt .; Frank A., born January 11, 1858, at Corinth, Vt .; and Fred W., born March 13, 1860, at Pittsfield, Vt. She died at Barre in 1884. He subsequently married Mrs. Hattie L. Dickey, of Barre. He is pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Chelsea. George N. married Orlesca A. Dodge, of Barre, and is now a successful farmer in Dakota, where he has three sons settled near him. David Sherburne died in 1863. His wife, Wealthy, died in 1857. When a call was made for men to go to the battle of Plattsburgh, N. Y., David Sherburne was one who took his gun and started with a company from Barre. When they reached the battlefield it was too late to take any part in the engagement. As a reward for services in the war the government gave him a land warrent for 160 acres, which he subsequently sold for $100.

Enos Towne came to Barre from Hillsboro, N. H., about 1798, and brought his wife and a family of small children with him, and settled on the farm where Mr. J. P. Ladd now lives, on road 52. His first crop was corn, planted in Indian style, after burning off the brush among the logs and

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stumps. His son Thomas M., the eldest of a family of eight children, mar- ried Jerusha Dix and settled on the farm where his son Jude now lives, and where he spent most of his long life. He died at South Barre, May 7, 1867, aged eighty-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Towne were parents of ten children, two of whom died in infancy and six are now living, viz .: Loantha (Mrs. William Bancroft) at South Barre ; Osman, who has been twice married, and lives in Brookfield ; Edna (Mrs. L. P. Wood), who lives on road 31 ; Jude, before mentioned, occupies the homestead, and has been twice married, first to Miss Clarissa Gale, who was the mother of five children, of whom those living are George J., of the firm of G. J. Towne & Co., Merton L., and Clarissa (Mrs. John Dix), all in Barre. Luke Towne's second wife was Lottie Walter. Calista, daughter of Thomas M. Towne, married John Colby, of Williamstown, and Hosea Towne resides in Waitsfield.

Gardner Wheeler and his brother Dodge wended their way from Grafton, Mass., with an ox-team, which brought their families and household goods to the forests of Barre at a very early date. Their route lay through the woods, and a part of the way they were guided by " blazed " trees. Their first night in Barre was spent at the hospitable mansion of Maj. C. T. Bond, which was a log cabin of but one room. Gardner Wheeler settled on the " Wheeler farm, " now owned by Mr. Sumner Kimball, of Montpelier, and Dodge located where Albert Paine now lives, and was the father of five children, only one of whom is now living. Gardner Wheeler was for many years a prominent man in Barre, and conducted very much of the town's business. He lived to the ripe age of eighty years. His daughter Mary Ann, aged seventy-seven years, is his only surviving child. Only two of his eight children were married, viz .: Patty, who was the wife of Judge Cyrus Ware, of Montpelier, one of whose daughters, Mrs. Joel Foster, now resides in that town; and Elijah, who married Lydia Herrick, who was mother of his ten children, three of whom are now living, viz .: Adaline in Barre ; Artemas in Wheaton, Ill; and Martha (Mrs. Harrison Johnson) in Springfield, Mass.

William Bradford came from Mt. Vernon, N. H., and settled on the farm where L. L. Worthen now lives, on road 43, about 1800. His first residence was a log cabin. After living about thirty years on this place he removed to the farm now owned by A. S. Parkhurst, on road 44, where he resided until his death, March 3, 1866, aged eighty-six years. He, too, was a pioneer in hauling freight, and for some ten or fifteen years drove an eight-horse team between Montpelier and Boston. The herculean enterprise of his life was in fulfilling his contract with the state of Vermont to supply the granite for constructing the State House at Montpelier, which was commenced in 1833 and completed in 1838, and which he executed with integrity, but with heavy loss. The granite was obtained at the quarries of P. & O. Wheaton, on Cobble hill. The state afterwards made a small appropriation in his favor, which partly reimbursed the loss he had sustained. Mr. Bradford married Miss Mary Green, and their children were Rodney, Jefferson, Ambrose,

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William, Alvira, and Mary. The only one now living is Alvira. Rodney was twice married, first to Mary Farrington, who bore him three children, and second to Maria Bullock, who bore him one child. Jefferson Bradford mar- ried Thankful Vincent, and their children are Laura, George, Wilbur, Satira, Milinda, and Oscar. Ambrose married Harriet Batchelder, and their child- ren are Lucy, Leonora, Charles, Alice, and William A. William was twice married, first to Rosalind Smith, the mother of his children Frank and Rossie, and second to Lucina Carpenter. Alvira and Mary did not marry.

Jonathan G. Claflin, son of Ephraim, was reared in the family of John Gale. Ephraim was twice married, and was the father of fifteen children, fourteen of whom lived to maturity. Jonathan G. married Lucy A. Gale, and settled in the southwestern corner of the town, where he lived thirty-four years. He then removed to a farm on road 56, where he resided until his death, March 11, 1880, aged eighty-three years. Mrs. Claflin died in 1863. Their children were Augustus, Elbartus T., Byron J., and Lucy C. Augus- tus Claflin was born in Barre, October 17, 1822. March 11, 1847, he married Rocina, daughter of Jesse and Betsey (Blanchard) Scott, who was born No- vember 17, 1824. Mr. Claflin has disposed of his old farm on road 56, where he resided the past twenty-nine years, and has erected a pleasant residence at South Barre, to which he retires. He has been selectman twelve years, and has held other town offices. He has been indrustrious, honest, and worthy, and has the confidence and esteem of all who know him.

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Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889, Part 18

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836-, comp; Adams, William, fl. 1893, ed Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers Number of Pages: 898

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836-, comp; Adams, William, fl. 1893, ed
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers
Number of Pages: 898