Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889, Part 19

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 19

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Judge Chapin Keith was born in Uxbridge, Mass., May 17, 1771. He came to Barre from his native town in September, 1801, with his family, the · youngest being only three months old. Judge Chapin Keith was judge of the Probate Court many years, and afterwards was sheriff of Washington county several years. While he was sheriff it became his duty to proclaim from the balcony of the State House the governer-elect, after the votes had been counted Although he could perform the general duties of his office well, and was at home in business transactions, he was not able to speak in public without great embarrassment. He intended to finish his proclamation of the election of the governor by saying, as was the practice then, " God save the people," but instead he cried out " God save the King !" He often said that the mis- take cost him several gallons of wine. With the fees that accrued to him as sheriff one year, he built his tavern on Gospel hill. When he first arrived in Barre he was duly warned out of town lest he should become a charge on the tax-payers. Fortunately for him and his family he was always able to take care of himself. His great energy and perseverance generally won success in all enterprises that he undertook. He was very successful as a tavern-keeper, and his wife was truly his helpmeet, and excelled as a landlady. Judge Keith was married to Elizabeth Taft, June 24, 1790. They had five sons, viz .: Hon. Roswell Keith, who was the late Judge Keith, of Montpelier, where he died October 25, 1874, and at his death was in the eighty-fourth year of his age; Erasmus, who was born July 23, 1792, and died February 12, 1813.

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Hon. Leonard Keith, who was born in Duxbury, July 15, 1795, was a lead- ing man in Barre, where he resided until his death, January 21, 1868, and was many years justice of the peace, represented his town in the state legislature and his senatorial district in the Senate. In early life he engaged in the man- ufacture of woolen flannels, and in cloth-dressing and wool-carding. He also built the first starch factory in town, where all the farmers round about found a ready market for thousands of bushels of potatoes, and the product of starch yielded a large income to this enterprising manufacturer. In religion he affiliated with the Methodist church, and gave liberally for its sup- port, was a constant attendant, and the efficient superintendent of its Sab- bath-school. In 1824 he married Nancy B. Choate, who died in 1853. She was the mother of Orvis C., William H., and Elizabeth, none of whom are living. In 1858 he united in marriage with Susan S. Cook, who survives him. Cheney Keith, fourth son of Chapin, was born in January, 1798. He married Judith Wood, and was a leading man, and active and influential in the affairs of his town. He was well educated, industrious, and fairly successful in busi_ ness. He died August 8, 1864.

Calvin J. Keith, youngest son of Chapin, was born April 9, 1800. He commenced fitting for college at Randolph Academy in the spring of 1816, and in 1818 entered Union college, at Schenectady, N. Y., where he gradu- ated with honor in 1822. He was a private tutor in the family of a wealthy planter in Virginia a year or two. He returned to Montpelier and took up the study of law with Hon. William Upham, was admitted to the bar in 1826, and practiced his profession with Mr. Upham three or four years succeeding 1830. He was secretary of the Vermont Mutual Fire Insurance Company a year or two, and successfully settled a large estate in St. Louis for a deceased brother of C. W. Storrs, of Montpelier, and a much larger one in New Orleans for one of the Elkins brothers, of Peacham, Vt. In 1852 he made the tour of Europe, returning to Montpelier in 1853, where he was attacked with brain fever, and died September 23.

Rev. William Farwell, a missionary, organized the Universalist church in Barre, October 27, 1796. He came from Charlestown, N. H., in 1803, settled in the southeast part of the town, and was the first resident Universalist minister in Barre. He gave the church there much of his labor, and was a prominent factor in its growth ; but took long tours in missionary work in Vermont and other states. Mr. Farwell was a man of sterling worth, fervent piety, and was greatly loved, not only in his society, but by all who knew him. He died at the residence of his son, near his old home. His son Lemuel came to Barre with his father in 1803, married Patience Walker, and settled where his grandson, William Farwell, now lives. Their children were William, Enos W., Lemuel, Cynthia, Nancy, Patience, and Caroline. Will- iam married Rebecca, daughter of Jacob, Jr., and Katie (Taplin) Davis, who were the first couple married in Montpelier. Mr. Farwell was a very success- ful teacher, a man of talents and promising usefulness. He died of a malig-

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nant abscess at the age of twenty-nine years. Only one of his three children lived to mature years, viz .: William, who was born in Barre, February 26, 1829, and was thrice married. His first wife, Martha G. More, was the mother of his son George G., now in Oregon. His second wife was Orrilla White, of Calais, and the third was Janette Chamberlin, of East Montpelier. In 1862 he bought the old homestead, on which he now lives. Mr. Farwell has always been an energetic and industrious farmer.

Zebedee Beckley and his wife, Elizabeth (Dix), emigrated to Weathersfield, Vt., from Weathersfield, Conn., about 1785, and settled at the foot of Ascut- ney Mountain. In 1803 they removed to Barre and located on the northeast lot of the town, which was then a wilderness. Here he made a home and spent the remainder of his life. Their children were Horace, Oramel, Samuel, Oran, and Luther. Horace settled near his father, on road I, where he re- mained until 1860, when he removed to the place now owned by his son George I., and where he resided until his decease, in 1877, aged eighty-five years. He was thrice married. His first wife, and the mother of all his children, was Abigail Wellington. Their children are H. Wilson, Solomon W., Adaline, Matilda, D. Warren, Abba A., and George I. George I. mar- ried Helen E. Wolcott, and their children were Emory, George W. (de- ceased), Georgia A., and one who died in infancy. Oramel, son of Zebedee, first settled in Barre, but later removed to Michigan, where he died. Samuel also married three times, raised a family, and died in Illinois. Oran married twice, had a family of six children, and always resided in Barre. Luther married Lovila Goodell, who was the mother of six children, five of whom are living, viz .: Viena (Mrs. David Boles), of Berlin ; John L., who mar- ried Emma C. Batchelder, and has two children ; Lizzie (Mrs. L. M. Averill) has one child ; Frank and Fred D. reside on the homestead. The latter married Ida Hooker, and has three children. Zebedee Beckley was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and his son Horace served in the War of 1812.

Mrs. Lucy (Whitney) Wood, the centenarian of Barre, was born at Jaffrey, N. H., January 16, 1786, being one of a family of eleven children of Elias and Lucy (Barnes) Whitney. When she was an infant her parents moved to Sterling, Mass., and after nine years went to the adjoining town of Milford. There at the age of seventeen she married John Wood, a native of Milford, who died thirty years ago. In 1805 they moved to Barre, where she has since resided. She has been the mother of ten children,-six sons and four daughters,-of whom there are living three sons, and one daughter, Miss Sophia Wood, aged about seventy years, who resides with her mother. She has thirty two grandchildren, as many great-grandchildren, and several great- great-grandchildren, so that now she is the head of a family of five living generations. When she and her husband settled in Barre it was almost a wilderness. Mr. Wood and his wife had a horror of living in a log house, and with great difficulty procured sawed timber for their first home. One side of their abode was open, and as the old lady facetiously observed, afforded a

TOWN OF BARRE.

splendid opportunity for ventilation and the escape of smoke which the rude chimney failed to carry off. Mr. Wood erected a stone oven outside the. house, and in this the cooking for the family was done. Mrs. Wood proudly declared that she did as good cooking in that oven as she had ever done subsequently in the most improved stoves and ranges. Mr. Wood, during the War of 1812, drove a team for the government between Wells River and Burlington. and on Mrs. Wood, therefore, in a great measure, devolved the care of the farm and family. Their house was twice burned, the last time during the absence of Mr. Wood on one of his trips ; and in saving an infant child from the burning structure, Mrs. Wood was severely burned on her hands and arms, the scars remaining to this day as reminders of her maternal devotion. Her hair was all burned from her head, so closely was she wrapped in the fiery embrace of the flames. This daughter died only a short time ago, aged seventy-three years. Mrs. Wood has been a hard-working woman all her life, and has never had a fever or other illness, except such as are inci- dent to the mother of a large family, and her health is now nearly perfect. She has had many thrilling incidents in her long life, especially during the early years of her residence in Barre. The country then abounded in game, and it was by no means an uncommon thing for her to have to cope with bears and other wild beasts, in the protection of her home and the stock on the farm. Her nerve never failed, and she invariably came out best in all such encounters. Though her life extends so far beyond the number of years allotted to mortals, she has not outlived her usefulness. She can thread fine needles without the aid of glasses, and has, since she was ninety, pieced up two bedquilts, the last one containing nearly 7,000 pieces. This she finished on her 100th birthday. She still manages her household affairs, attends to buying the supplies, and handles the finances herself. Of this privilege she is very tenacious, and in her dealings she shows that her business acumen is not dulled by years. Her religious views are in accordance with the Metho- dist Episcopal church, of which she has been a staunch member ever since she settled in Barre.

George Bradford Nichols, M. D., only child of Joel C. and Clarissa (Barnes) Nichols, was born in Montpelier (now East Montpelier), December 23, 1839. Until George B. was twenty years of age he remained at home, acquiring his early education at a private school in his native town. He attended Barre Academy until he graduated ; entered Dartmouth College in the summer of 1860, and graduated in 1864. He graduated from Eastman Business Col- lege in 1865, and while there taught mathematics. In 1881 he entered Rush Medical College in Chicago, and graduated in the spring of 1883. In the summer following he came to Vermont, and in March, 1884, he moved to Barre, where he has built up an extensive practice. Dartmouth College, in 1882, conferred on him the degree of A. M. November 19, 1866, he mar- ried Emma A., youngest daughter of Junius B. and Sarah (Holbrook) Davis, of East Montpelier. They have had three children, Myrtie E., who died in

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childhood, Mortimer G. and Madine C., who are students, at Goddard Seminary.

Josiah Gale came to Barre from Warwick, Mass., in 1800, and moved into a log cabin on the farm where his grandson, Josiah Gale, now lives. His children were nearly full grown, and John, his only son, settled on the farm with his father. John Gale was twice married. December 9, 1802, he mar- ried Rebecca Boutwell. Their children were Betsey, Polly, Lyman, John, Hiram, Rebecca, Sullivan B., and Harriet, three of whom are now living (1888). September 12, 1820, he married Sally Taft, who was the mother of four children, two of whom are now living. Josiah, before mentioned, resides on the homestead. He married, first, Miss Ruth Wilson, who was the mother of John W. Gale, and, second, Ellen A. Hancock, who is the mother of one child, Nellie R. Ira L. Gale, son of John, resides in Barre village. He mar- ried Lydia M. Burrell, and they have an only child, Ida M.

John and Dolly (Jones) Trow came to Barre in 1807, and settled where his son Dexter now lives. They came in early spring, and commenced house- keeping in a rough board cabin, which they repaired and occupied the en- suing ten years. They reared four sons, viz .: Nathan, Dexter, Luke, and Levi. Nathan married Maria Wheaton, who bore him five children, of whom John is the only one now living. Luke married Judith French, and Levi married Adaline Richardson. They had no issue.

Dexter Trow, son of John and Dolly (Jones) Trow, was born on the farm where he now lives, in Barre, July 10, 1810. His house was built in 1818, and, as near as can now be ascertained, was the first house built of brick in Barre. Like other farmers' boys of that period, he had more days at hard labor than days at school. When he was allowed the luxury of attending the common school of his district at Gospel Village, as his father was an exten- sive farmer, he assisted in the care of their numerous live stock morning and evening, and made the journey of a mile and a half on foot to and from

- school. He remained on the farm and was a hard laborer with his father un- til he was thirty-two years of age, when, April 8, 1842, he united in marriage with Mary D., daughter of John and Sally (Doton) Chandler, who were early settlers in Barre. Mr. Chandler was a native of Kingston, Mass., and a mill- wright. Mrs. Chandler was a native of Pomfret, Vt., where they were mar- ried. After Dexter Trow was married his father justly rewarded him for his years of hard labor by deeding him the homestead and giving him the live stock. By his early acquired and continued habits of industry, economy, and sterling integrity, and also by his good judgment in making judicious invest- ments of his accumulations from time to time, he now ranks with the wealthy men of Barre. Mr. Trow has always been systematic in his labor and busi- ness, and "everything in order, and a place for everything, and everything in its place " is his motto. He has been a director of the Stafford & Holden Manufacturing Company most of the time since the erection of the new buildings after the fire of March 30, 1876, and now owns quite an amount of

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Dexter

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its stock. He also owns stock in the National Bank of Barre, and quite an amount of western bank stock, and has owned stock in several other Ver- mont banks. Mr. and Mrs. Trow are a genial and hospitable couple, and cherish a love for the old home which has sheltered them almost half a cen- tury, and where they expect to pass the remainder of their days. Mr. Trow has never been so ill as to prevent him from attending to business, and now, at the age of seventy-seven years, is so well preserved that he retains much of the vigor of early manhood. He has been governed by correct principles in all his business transactions, and has built up an enviable reputation. He commands the respect of a large circle of acquaintance. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Trow are Adela (Mrs. John W. Averill), who resides in Barre is and the mother of seven children ; Emma S. (Mrs. James W. Averill), who resides in Michigan and is the mother of seven children ; Rosalind (Mrs. Byron W. Phelps), who resides in Barre; and Edgar M., who married Miss Clara Richardson, of Orange, has one child. and also resides in Barre.

Luther Taft and his wife, Deborah (Keith), with their children Amanda, Charles and Maria, came from Mendon, Mass., and settled on a lot of wild land in the eastern part of Barre, in 1807. The daughters are now living (1888). Charles married Cynthia Albee. His children are Emily M., born May 23, 1842, married Miles Morrison, and has two children; Joseph M., born August 20, 1844, married Ada E. Patterson ; and Lyman A., born August 1, 1848, married Eva Huntington. Maria married Merrill Albee, and has two children, Myra and Abbie. Myra married Clark Holden, and Abbie married Fred Marcy and lives near Beloit, Wis.

Stillman Wood, son of Ezekiel and Judith (Baker) Wood, was born in Barre, December 6, 1808. His father died when Stillman was a small boy, leaving five children, only one of whom is now living. His minority was spent in assisting his mother on their farm (on which now is the cemetery), and in attendance at the district school, and later in teaching. Soon after attaining his majority he married Miss Harriet Clark and settled on a farm, which is now included in Clark Averill's. About 1840 he removed to Barre village, which then contained scarcely a score of dwellings, and engaged in tanning with his brother-in-law, Charles Clark. In 1857, in the evening of Freemen's day meeting, his tannery and the hotel standing on the site of the residence of the late E. E. French, Esq., were destroyed by fire. In 1859, in company with N. A. Morse, he contracted with the town for the erection of the town hall. In 1864 he succeeded G. B. Putnam in the office of postmaster, and sale of drugs and notions, which he continued until 1877, when, conscious of the approaching infirmities of age, he resigned the office, and retired from business. In 1844 he was elected justice of the peace, and for about twenty years was the prominent trial justice of Barre. He also gave attention to military affairs and held commissions as lieutenant and captain. During the year 1871 he published the Barre News, a monthly sheet, and the first paper published in the town. Mr. Wood was an earnest advocate of education, (a

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trustee of the academy,) religion, Sabbath-schools, and the cause of temper- ance. He possessed a mind of intense activity, did not fear to investigate for himself, put on no man's opinions without, and, in short, he had a mind of his own. Mr. Wood married his second wife, Sarah Pinks, in 1875. A son, Henry Wood, Esq., of Boston, and a daughter, Mrs. R. B. Fowler, of Worcester, Mass., are now living.

Cyrus Barber and his wife came to Barre from Warwick, Mass., as near as can now be ascertained, in 1810 or 1812, and settled on the farm with only three acres cleared, where his son Cyrus W., and grandson, Charles N. Barber, now live. In 1860 he left this farm and moved to the village of Barre, where he resided until he died, in 1867, aged eighty-three years. Mr. Barber was twice married. His first wife, Caroline Babcock, was the mother of eight children, only two of whom are living : Cyrus W. and Patience (Mrs. James Holden), in LeGrange, Wis. His second wife was Nancy Cook, of Greens- boro, Vt. His son Cyrus W. was born June 19, 1823, and has since resided in Barre with the exception of four years spent in Calais. Mr. Barber married Elvira Willey. Their children are Charles N., Edwin C., and Ella L., all of whom reside in Barre.

David Weston Averill, son of Daniel and Polly (Weston) Averill, was born in Mt. Vernon, N. H. He married Submit French, and in 1810 came to. Barre and located on a farm in the eastern part of the town. He cleared a. patch of ground, built a log cabin, roofed it with bark, and returned to New Hampshire. Early the next spring he returned with his wife and one child. Mrs. Averill was composed of the right material for pioneer life, and worked with willing hands and hopeful heart with her industrious husband in making a home. Mr. Averill was one of the military company that started from Barre for Plattsburgh, N. Y., when it was invaded in the War of 1812, and got only as far as Burlington. Of his large family of eleven children, only three are now living, viz .: Lovinia (Mrs. William Paine), of Manitowoc, Wis .; Sophronia (Mrs. Stratton Matoon) of Sheboygan, Mich .; and Ambrose B., who married Elizabeth, daughter of Orrin and Lucretia (Ball) Meaker, Sep- tember 10, 1850. Mr. Averill is a successful farmer, and has always been a resident of Barre. In 1881 he moved to Barre village, where he has dealt in real estate, and built and sold about a dozen houses. He now owns several farms. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose B. Averill were Ella, who died in early childhood ; Arthur C., born January 19, 1854, who married Stella C. Tilden, March 30, 1881, resides in Barre, and their children are Alice, Nora, and Harvey F .; Charles W., born February 6, 1859, married Rose J. Carpenter, April 19, 1882, and has three children, Ivis M., Eula E., and an infant ; Linly A., born May 13, 1861, married Frankie M. Bigelow, July 15, 1885, and has one child, Annie B .; Nora E., born August 21, 1866, died November 28, 1878 ; and Sarah P., born March 11, 1873, resides with her parents. Weston Averill, son of David W., was born in Barre, was a farmer, and spent his whole life in his native town. He married Mercy Wil-

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son. Of his seven children only John W. resides in Barre. John W. mar- ried Adela Trow, is a farmer, and the father of seven children. His brother David was killed in the war for the Union.

Amaziah Peck came to Wildersburgh, now Barre, from Rhode Island, when there were only four or five families in the town. He had made a pitch on West hill, near the line of Berlin, the summer before, cleared a plot of ground and built a log cabin. In the latter part of the winter he left Rhode Island, or Rehoboth, Mass., with his wife, four children, and house furniture loaded on a stout sled, and drawn by a pair of steers and one horse. Mr. Peck was forty years of age when he came to Barre, and died at the age of sixty-six. He was an active and vigorous man, with a strong constitution, and applied himself closely to business. He met his death by inhaling poisonous gas. He had sent a lad to the bottom of his well to clean it, and from whom he received no answer from repeated calls. Mr. Peck descended into the well to look after the boy, and met his fate as had the lad before. His estate set- tled for $13,000. His children were Hannah, Jonathan, Carpenter, Levi, Otis, Orinda, Lewis, and Charlotte. Otis always resided in Barre. He mar- ried Miss Sally Bailey, and their children are Austin, unmarried, who resides on the old homestead ; Jason, who married twice, first, Miss Martha Fuller, whe bore him one child, Martha F., and second, Selina Perkins, who was the mother of three children; Eliza (Mrs. James Thwing) was the mother of seven children ; Zebitha, unmarried, resides with her brother Austin, on the homestead ; Lutheria, who married Daniel E. Bassett ; Lacyra, who married A. J. Morse, and had six children ; Heman A., who married Keziah Nye, and has four children ; and Oregin O., who married, first, Susan E. Doty, and had one child, Heman E., and second, Minerva Morton, of Washoe, Nev. Oregin O. Peck has been a miner thirty years in California, Nevada, Washington Territory, and Idaho, and owns mines and real estate in Idaho, and at his home in Spokane Falls, W. T.

Enos T. Fuller, son of Emory and Hannah (Towne) Fuller, was born in Barre, October 2, 1816. He was the third child in a family of twelve children. His parents were early settlers of Barre. His father was a team- ster, and drove a team of eight horses, without reins to guide them, and carried freight from Montpelier and Barre to Boston, and loaded with mer- chandise on the return trip. He also fitted horses for market. Enos T. commenced the trade of iron molder when twenty years of age, which has been principally the occupation of his life, and now at a little more than threescore and ten he is still engaged at his trade and has held his present situation seventeen years. Like his father before him he has always been an admirer of fine horses, always takes pride in owning a good one, and occasionally fits one for market. Mr. Fuller married Maryette Walker, and three of their six children are now living, viz .: Martha E. (Mrs. A. Patter- son), of South Barre ; Aurora S. (Mrs. N. S. Robinson) ; and Edward E., a molder residing in Montpelier.

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Francis Clark, with his wife, Mehitable (Gould), and two children, came to Barre and located in the northeast part of the town at any early day. Eight children were afterwards born to them, two of whom are now living, viz .: Charles L. in Enfield, N. H., and William, now at the head of an educational institution in Florence, Italy. Francis, Jr., fifth child, married Nancy, daugh- ter of Capt. John Dodge, who bore him five children: Edward, Mary M., William, Elizabeth P., and George F., two of whom are living, viz .: Edward, who resides in Brattleboro, and is general agent for the Estey Organ Co .; and William, who enlisted, in July, 1862, in Co. B, toth Vt. Vols., and served three years. With the exception of the time spent in the army he has always resided in Barre. On account of chronic trouble resulting from his army life, he was obliged to retire from farming. In 1882 he reluctantly disposed of the old homestead, moved to Barre village, and engaged in floriculture and mar- ket gardening, at Fairview greenhouse on Clark avenue, corner of Prospect. street. Mr. Clark married Emma H. Wheaton.

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Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889, Part 19

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