USA > Vermont > Washington County > Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889 > Part 27
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" 2dly. Voted and Chose Stephen Fay, Proprietor's Clerk.
" 3dly. Voted that Mr. Stephen Fay to apply to the Authority of the State of Vermont for the Charter of incorporation of s'd Township, and for Each Proprietor to pay their Money to him, the s'd Fay, the sum of Eight Pounds silver money, or Cont'l Currency equivalent thereto, it being in full for Grant- ing fees for each Right in said Township. By the thirtieth day of December Next (or be excluded from any further Right or Property in Said Township).
" 4thly. for the Clerk to give Notice of the above article by Posting.
" 5thly. Voted for each Proprietor to Pay their Equal Proportion of their Agents time and expenses to obtain the grant of said Township by the 11th
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. Day of December next, and for the Clerk to enter their names, or cause their names to be entered, in the Charter of said Township.
"6thly. Voted to adjourn this Meeting to the first Wednesday in April next, at one o'clock afternoon, to this place.
" Errors Excepted. Attest,
" STE'N. FAY, "Pro. Clerk." " Arlington 29th of Jan'y., 1781.
" Rec'd of Mr. Stephen Fay, Two Hundred and Thirty-three Pounds, four- teen Shillings and three Pence, Lawful Money, Towards Granting fees of the town of Calais.
" Rec'd. Pr. Me.
THOMAS CHITTENDEN,
"Committee."
The time for paying the balance due the state was extended to the ensuing March. The charter was granted August 15, 1781.
" Arlington 10th of September, 1781.
" Rec'd of Stephen Fay, By the hand of Noah Chittenden, three Pounds, thirteen Shillings, as Part of the Granting fees of the Town of Calais. Rec'd by me,
" THOMAS CHITTENDEN."
" Boston 28th of September, 1781.
" Rec'd of Col. Jacob Davis, Two Hundred and forty-two Pounds, Twelve Shillings and Ninepence in full of the Granting fees of the Town of Calais, in the State of Vermont, within mentioned.
" Pr. NOAH CHITTENDEN."
We copy the following from Thompson's Gazetteer :-
" In the summer of 1783, the proprietors sent a committee consisting of Colonel Jacob Davis, Capt. Samuel Robinson, and others, to survey a divi- sion of this town of 160 acres to the right. A Mr. Brush, from Bennington, was the surveyor. The committee and surveyor found their way to Calais with their necessary stores, and after running four lines on the north side of the first division, they abandoned the survey. Of their stores, then left, was a much valued keg, containing about 10 gallons of good W. I. run, which, in council, they determined should be buried, which ceremony was said to have been performed with much solemnity, and a sturdy maple, towering above the surrounding trees, on the westerly side of Long Pond, with its ancient and honorable scars, still marks the consecrated spot.
" In August, 1786, Capt. Samuel Robinson, E. Waters, J. Tucker, E. Stone, Gen. Parley Davis, came from Charleston to this town, to complete the survey of the first division and survey another.
"This party, after arriving at the settlement nearest this place, which was at Middlesex, laden with provision, cooking utensils, blankets, axes, survey- ing instruments, etc., passed a distance of 13 or 14 miles to the camp, erected by the party who commenced the survey three years previous ; often on the way expressing their anxiety to arrive, that they might regale them- selves with the pure spirit which had been permitted to slumber three years ; and which they imagined must be much improved in quality by its long rest ; but judge of their surprise, astonishment, and chagrin, when on raising the earth, they discovered the hoops had become rotten-the staves parted, and the long anticipated beverage had escaped.
" Whatever tears were shed, or groans uttered at the burial of the keg, they were not to be compared with the bitter agony of its disinterment."
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The surface of Calais is quite uneven and hilly. The easterly boundary runs along the summit of a high ridge ; but the highest elevation in the town is found on the range of hills in the west part. From these elevated posi- tions the views are grandly picturesque. Looking eastward the beholder commands a view of nearly the whole town, and sweeping onward rests upon the eastern range of the Green Mountains and a "glimpse of the White Mountains in the far distance." Then turning westward the whole of Worcester is "unrolled" to view. Although the town is somewhat broken, it contains but little, if any, waste land.
The rocks that enter into the geological formation of Calais are calciferous mica schist in the eastern half, a broad belt of clay slate in the central extend- ing into the western part, and talcose schist in the western part. A belt of granite runs through the calciferous mica schist.
The soil is generally rich and fertile. Dairying is the leading industry, while stock growing receives considerable attention. The water supply is abundant. The principal stream is Kingsbury Branch, the outlet of Sabin pond, which receives the waters of numerous other ponds in Woodbury, and also, with its numerous tributaries, drains most of the surface of Calais. It flows in a southerly direction and passes through the hamlet of North Montpelier, and falls into Winooski river about two miles below.
Calais may justly boast of its numerous and beautiful ponds. Sabin and Nelson ponds lie on the northern boundary, but mostly in Woodbury. Those wholly within the town are Wheelock, Curtis (Long pond), and Bliss ponds.
It is presumed that Col. Jacob Davis, who was interested in the settlement of this town and Montpelier, suggested the name Calais as he did Montpelier, and consequently two old French cities had namesakes in the Green Mount- ain state.
The first permanent settlement made in Calais was in the last part of June, 1787, by Abijah, Asa, and Peter Wheelock. Francis West had begun to fell timber on a lot joining Montpelier in the spring of the same year. The Messrs. Wheelock started from Charlton, June 5, 1787, with two yoke of oxen and a wagon, and reached Williamstown on the 19th. They were laden with provisions, tools, etc. At Williamstown they were obliged to leave their wagon and take a sled, and cut their way through the woods, which con- sumed two days, and necessarily they encamped two nights in the woods, and reached Col. Davis's camp in Montpelier. Here they left their oxen to graze in the woods, proceeded on to their pitch in Calais, and commenced a vigorous onslaught upon the forest. They returned to Charlton in October. Abijah and Peter Wheelock returned in the spring, accompanied by Moses Stone. This season they built log houses, and the Wheelocks and Stone re- turned to Charlton to spend the winter. Mr. West went to Middlesex. In March, 1789, Abijah Wheelock, with his family, Samuel Twiss, with his newly- married bride, Moses Stone, and Gen. Davis arrived at Col. Davis's house in Montpelier, which served as a hotel for all comers. Here they remained
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about two weeks. On the 13th of April Messrs. Wheelock, Stone, and Twiss, with their beds and some light goods loaded upon hand sleds, accom- panied by Mrs. Wheelock, Mrs. Twiss, and Gen. Davis, on the crust over snow three feet deep, went on foot to their home in the forest of Calais. Mrs. Wheelock carried in her arms an infant four months old, while their son two years old was drawn on the hand sled. They reached their destination the same day, and thus commenced the permanent settlement of Calais.
In February or March, 1789, Francis West moved his family to his claim, where he lived several years.
The first grist-mill and saw-mill in Calais were built near the center of the town by Col. Jacob Davis and Samuel Twiss, in 1793. Messrs. Holbrook and Waters were the first to card wool. They began in 1802 or 1803. They also manufactured wooden clocks, and cast bells up to 200 pounds weight. As early as 1800 Lemuel Perry made potash. About 1812 Jonas Hall man- ufactured axes and scythes, but his was not a large establishment. The first distillery was started in 1812. At one time there were seven, all doing a flourishing business. Lucinda, daughter of Peter Wheelock, born in 1790, was the first child born in Calais. Calais was first represented in the legis- lature, October, 1795, by Peter Wheelock. Dr. Samuel Danforth was the first physician. He settled in Calais in 1800.
The first town meeting of Calais was held at the house of Peter Wheelock, March 23, 1795. The following list of town officers were then elected : Joshua Bliss, moderator ; Peter Wheelock, town clerk ; Joshua Bliss, Edward Tucker, and Jonas Comins, selectmen ; Samuel Fay, treasurer ; Jonas Comins, collector and constable; Jedediah Fay, Abijah Wheelock, and Aaron Bliss, listers ; Amos Ginnings, grand juryman ; Edward Tucker, Frederick Bliss, and Goddard Wheelock, surveyors of highways ; Amos Ginnings, sealer of leather ; Moses Haskell, keeper of the pound ; John Crain, tithingman ; Aaron Bliss, James Ginnings, Samuel Fay, and Jennison Wheelock, hay wardens; Asa Wheelock, Stephen Fay, and Abraham Howland, fence viewers ; Jonathan Tucker, sealer of weights and measures.
In 1880 Calais had a population of 1,253. In 1888 the town had eleven school districts and maintained ten common schools, in all thirty-one terms, and employed two male teachers and twenty female teachers, who received an average weekly salary of $6.39 for male and $5.26 for female teachers. There were 265 scholars, ten of whom attended private schools. The entire income for school purposes was $1,994.14, and the amount expended was $1,945.36. M. S. Hathaway was superintendent.
EAST CALAIS is a post village in the eastern part of the town, on Kings- bury Branch. The nearest railroad station is Plainfield (six miles distant), on the Montpelier & Wells River railroad. Formerly this was a place of considerable manufacturing .. It now contains a Union church, two general stores, a saw-mill, a box manufactory, a grist-mill, a wood turning shop for manufacturing handles for hoes, rakes, and forks, a shingle-mill, and several
15*
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mechanics' shops. It is also noted for its neat residences and well-kept yards.
NORTH CALAIS is a post village situated at the outlet of Wheelock pond, in the northern part of the town. It has a daily mail, and contains two stores, a saw-mill, and about thirty dwelling houses.
KENT'S CORNERS (Calais p. o.) is a hamlet situated on the "old County road," about one mile west of the center of the town. It is noted as the place where Abijah Wheelock settled with his family in a log house, April 13, 1789. This place was built up by Remembrance Kent and his descendants. Mr. L. A. Kent is the only merchant of the place, and is also the post- master.
Beniah Shortt, son of Shubael, was born in Calais, February 14, 1788. He was a farmer and blacksmith, settled in Calais, and went from there to Bethel in 1821, where he remained until about 1844. He then returned to Calais, settled on a good farm to which he gave most of his attention until his death, November 17, 1861. He was a good and energetic farmer, an upright citizen, and a kind neighbor. Mr. Shortt was three times married, first to Miss Sarah Bugbee, who died March 18, 1814. He then married Mrs. Olive (Ainsworth) Wilder, who died March 16, 1841. His third wife was Miss Lavonia Burt, who still survives (1888). His second wife was the mother of all his children. Sarah (Mrs. Alonzo Snow), of East Montpelier, is the only one who resides in Washington county.
Abijah Wheelock was born in Charlton, Mass., in 1764, married Lois Nichols in 1786, and came to Calais in the spring of 1789 with his family : Mrs. Wheelock, a son two years old, and a daughter only four months old. They settled on the farm now owned by Benjamin Wheeler, near Kent's Corners. Here he cleared a farm and reared to maturity eleven children, none of whom died under forty years of age. After a residence of many years on this farm he sold it and next settled on the farm now owned by W. V. Peck, and commenced anew. Here he planted a large orchard, and enjoyed this home quite a number of years. This he sold, and bought the farm now owned by Mrs. Achsa Dutton in the northeasterly part of the town, where he spent the remainder of his long and active life. He died in April, 1846, aged eighty-two years. Mrs. Wheelock died in 1847, aged eighty-three years. Mr. Wheelock was distinguished for his honesty and sterling integrity, and was appreciated and honored by his townsmen, who placed him in several of the offices in their gift. He possessed a fund of quaint, dry humor that was really original and quite pleasing, and made him a favorite with children especially in his old age. He related to them many of the early incidents of his life, and boasted that at one time he was the likeliest and wisest man in the whole town of Calais. This is literally true. Mr. Wheelock was for a week the sole inhabitant of Calais, before he brought his family into the town. His children were Jonathan, Lucy, Laura, Alynda, Cyrus, Perry, Elfrida, Titus, Jairus, Rachel, and Abijah.
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Titus Wheelock, son of Abijah the pioneer, was born in 1802, and married Eliza, daughter of Elias Heath, of Woodbury. He died September 12, 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Wheelock were parents of five children, of whom all but Julius S. died young. The latter was born in 1834, and married Hattie N. Blod- gett, of Somerville, Mass. At the age of eighteen years he became the ap- prentice of the late Dennis Lane, of Montpelier, then of Plainfield, and assisted him to build the first board-mill which made Mr. Lane so famous as an inventor. After three years' service with Mr. Lane, Mr. Wheelock began the manufacture of doors, sash, and blinds at East Calais. In 1863, in com- pany with J. O. Lamb, he manufactured shoe pegs, continued this till 1866 or '67, and then sold to the late Joel Wheeler. In 1870 he bought the lumber and grist-mills on Dog river, in Berlin, where he had a successful business the next sixteen years. He then sold the mills and retired to his farm near by. In the spring of 1888 the inhabitants of East Montpelier induced him, by very liberal inducements, to rebuild the mills at the East village recently destroyed by fire. He has just completed a very substantial building, with a foundation of stone work that cost $1,000, and equipped the mills with the latest improved machinery. Mr. Wheelock is a thorough business man, and quite popular with the people. He is a Republican in politics, and while a citizen of Berlin was most of the time in town office. He was one of the board of selectmen four years, chairman three years of the time, served as lister, justice of the peace, and represented that town in the legislature of 1886-87. He now resides at East Montpelier.
Moses Haskell, of Rochester, Mass., was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and after its close he returned to Massachusetts, married Hannah Lebaron, and in the fall of 1789 settled in the forest of Calais. They en- dured the hardships of pioneer life ; began in the woods, cleared a farm, made a comfortable home, and were the parents of eleven children, nine of whom attained adult age. John, their third child, was born August 19, 1793, and spent his whole life in Calais. About 1821, when he was twenty-eight years of age, he married Polly McKnight, and reared to maturity five of their eight children, viz. : Andrew J., Mary, Delia, John Q., and Irena. John Q. Haskell was born in September, 1833. At the age of twenty-seven years he married Lavina Rideout, of Cabot, who died March 13, 1862. She was the mother of one daughter, Clara E. (Mrs. Jared Holt), of Middlesex. In April, 1871, Mr. Haskell married Kate A. Slayton, who has borne him two children, Dora B. and Robert L. Mr. Haskell is a worthy citizen, and an en- terprising farmer on one of the best farms in Calais.
Walter P. Slayton, son of Jerry and Betsey (Kendall) Slayton, grandson of Simeon, and great-grandson of Phineas who came to Calais in 1790, was born on the farm where he now resides, July 1, 1831. Mr. Slayton is a thorough and practical farmer, and a very capable and influential citizen. He has held the office of constable ten years, and has served in all other town offices ex- cept clerk. He represented the town in the legislature of 1872-73. Phineas
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Slayton, his great-grandfather, was an officer in the Revolutionary war. His maternal grandfather, Isaac Kendall, was also a soldier, and present at the battle of Bunker Hill, and was then nineteen years of age. The remains of both these veteran patriots repose on the farm of Walter P. Slayton.
Phineas Slayton, son of Thomas and grandson of Thomas, from England, was born in Barre, Mass., in 1736. In 1761 he married Jane Gray. He was an officer in the Revolutionary war and a magistrate of his town. He moved to Montpelier in 1790 and settled near the Calais line. He dressed in old English style : wore short velvet breeches, with long stockings that reached above his knees, fastened with silver knee buckles. Hence he was called " Long Stocking." His son Jesse, born in Barre, Mass., in 1764, married Betsey Bucklin, and settled in Calais about 1790. He was a Revo- lutionary soldier, and a voter at the organization of the town. Bucklin- Slayton, son of Jesse, was born in Brookfield, Mass., in 1783, and in 1804 he married Sally Williams. He was a carpenter. Up to his time buildings were framed by scribe rule. He was the first, or among the first, who could lay out a frame by square rule ; and he planned and set out many of the frame buildings (stores and dwellings) in Montpelier and Calais. He laid out the factories in Nashua, N. H., in 1823 and 1829. He was a volun- teer in the War of 1812.
Col. Caleb Curtis, son of Rev. Caleb Curtis, the first minister of Charlton, Mass., was born March 12, 1770, and was three times married. His first wife was Polly, a daughter of Levi Davis, who was a brother of Col. Jacob Davis. Col. Curtis and his wife settled in Calais, at the head of the pond named for him, as early as 1795. His second wife was Miss Anna Robinson ; the third was a Mrs. Daggett. He was father of two sons and seven daugh- ters. Col. Curtis was prominent in town affairs, held both civil and military" offices, and was one of the most influential promoters of education and re- ligion, and largely through his influence and liberality the fine Union meeting- house was built in the west part of the town. Col. Curtis, in religion, was a Universalist, as was his remote ancestry. This is the faith of a large major- ity of the inhabitants of West Calais, and was also the faith of the first settlers. The Union church is now owned and controlled by them. This has always been a liberal, moral, intelligent, and independent neighborhood.
Remember Kent, son of Ezekiel, was born in Rehoboth, Mass., June II, 1775, and came to Calais in 1798. In 1799 he married Rachel, daughter of Abdiel Bliss. He settled at the location of what is now known as Kent's Corners, so-named in honor of him and the family. There he cleared a large farm and spent the remainder of his days. He was successively ensign, lieu- tenant, and captain of the militia, and filled various town offices. Their children were Remember, born in June, 1799; Rachel Bliss, born in September, 1800; Ira, born in April, 1803; Abdiel, born in November, 1805 ; Georgia, born in September, 1808; Ezekiel, born in May, 1811 ;. John V. B., born November 21, 1813 ; and Samuel N., born in 1817, who.
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died in June, 1835. Mr. Kent died May 13, 1855, and Mrs. Kent Novem- ber 2, 1843. Their son Remember was a farmer and millwright. In January, 1824, he married Delia Tucker, and spent the most of his life in Calais. He died February 19, 1881. Ira married Polly, daughter of Col. Caleb Curtis, and always resided on the homestead where he was born. He was one of the firm of I. & A. Kent, manufacturers of boots and shoes, and merchants, and was postmaster sixteen years, and held several town offices. Abdiel married, first, June 7, 1845, Fanny H., daughter of Caleb Curtis, who died December 24, 1854, and second, Lucy A., daughter of Vial A. Bliss. At the age of twenty-one years he went to Nashua, N. H., and worked on the foundation of the first factory built there. He continued to work at the masons' trade summers and taught school winters until about 1830. He then returned to Calais, and built a shop where the store and postoffice now stands, and established the boot and shoe manufactory, later forming the partnership of I. & A. Kent. In 1832 they added merchandise. In 1837 he built the brick house and kept a hotel until 1847. In 1844 this company, with other persons, built a starch factory. In 1847 they put iron working machinery into the red shop at Maple Corners, which was run by N. W. Bancroft about four years. They owned a woolen factory, mills, and hotel at Craftsbury, built and stocked a store in Woodbury, owned the Norcross mill in Woodbury, the Ira Brown saw-mill in the northwestern part of Calais, and the old saw-mill at Maple Corners. They were also large owners of real estate in this and other towns. Besides transacting this large amount of business for himself, he found time to fill most of the offices in town, in an acceptable manner. George, son of Remember Kent, married Mehitable Hill, April 24, 1835. He was a successful farmer in his native town.
Ira Richardson Kent, son of Ira, familiarly known as "Rich Kent," was never of robust health, but possessed great energy, and comprehensive busi- ness ability, which, in a great measure, compensated for his lack of physical strength. At the age of twenty years he assumed the entire management of the mercantile business of I. & A. Kent, which he continued about six years. He next engaged in buying and selling cattle and horses, and at the same time was an acceptable town officer. In 1860 he formed a partnership with J. E. Bacon, of Spencer, Mass., in the manufacture of boots, and did an extensive business until he died, October 9, 1875.
J. V. R. Kent, son of Remember and Rachel (Bliss) Kent, married, first, Laura A. Curtis, who died August 31, 1851. December 26, 1856, he married Mrs. Catherine Morse, to whom was born a son, Charles V., December 19, 1858. Mr. Kent was in the employ of his brothers, I. & A. Kent, as their foreman in the shoe factory fifteen years. He then settled on a farm at Maple Corners, where he resided until 1887, when he retired from active business. He represented Calais in the legislature of 1862-63, and has done a great amount of town business and settled numerous estates. His son Charles V. married, November 23, 1882, M. Martella Peck, of Calais,
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and is a dealer in fine stock horses. Several fine " high bloods " can be seen at his stables in Calais.
Gideon Hicks, born in Taunton, Mass., emigrated to Calais in 1800. In September, 1804, he married Sally Peck, of Rehoboth, Mass., and they were parents of eight children, six of whom lived to raise families, viz .: Clarissa, Emeline, Gideon W., Alfred P., Celia M., and Fanny M. Mr. Hicks cleared a large farm, and lived to see the town converted from the wilderness into well cultivated farms. He was the third town clerk of Calais, and held the position thirty-six years, and also served as selectman and justice many years. Alfred P. Hicks succeeded his father on the farm and in town affairs, and held many positions of public trust. January 8, 1837, he married Elnora Wing, of New Bedford, Mass., and reared a family of three children. He was engaged in mercantile business fifteen years ; afterwards he devoted his whole time to his farm. He died June 6, 1886. His wife survives him, and with the aid of her nephew carries on the farm with success.
Amasa Ainsworth married Hannah Bancroft, and came from Petersham, Mass., to Calais, at an early date. He was in the battle of Plattsburgh, and died at Calais Center soon after. His son Harry was born in Calais, September 23, 1807. In 1828 he married Mary Ann G. Spalding, of Plainfield, N. H., settled in Waterbury, Vt., and resided there four years. He cleared and put in order the grounds for the second State House and labored on its construction. In 1840 he resided in Burlington, and voted for Gen. W. H. Harrison for Pres- ident. About 1843 he returned to Calais, with his family, but went to Boston to work on Fort Warren. He also assisted in building the Central Vermont and other railroads. After he had finished work on Fort Warren he returned to his family in Calais, and finally settled on a farm near Kent's Corners. Mr. and Mrs. Ainsworth were blessed with a family of nine children, seven of whom are living (1888). Mrs. Ainsworth died September 1, 1874. She was an amiable lady of fine mental abilities. Six of her children taught school.
Isaac Robinson, son of Capt. Samuel Robinson, of Charlton, Mass., was born July 8, 1781. He married Julia Harwood, October 21, 1808, and some time in that year emigrated to Calais. They were parents of five chil- dren. Mr. Robinson died July 30, 1826. His widow married Col. Cyrus Johnston, and died, a widow, July 27, 1878. Samuel Robinson, born Decem- ber 27, 1816, is the only one of this family now living in Calais. He married Mrs. Harriet (Arnold) Simpson, of Boston. Mr. Robinson followed harness- making until 1841. Since then he has been engaged in farming. He is a highly respected citizen, was elected town clerk in 1875, treasurer in 1876, and has since continually held both of these offices.
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