USA > Vermont > Washington County > Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889 > Part 33
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ber, 1843. He was educated at Norwich University, especially in military tactics and mathematics. In the late war he served as captain of a colored company, and held some important positions that required ability and skill. At the close of the war he entered the regular army as second lieutenant, and now holds a captain's commission. On account of broken health he is now on the retired list.
Truman C., son of Nahum and Fanny (Vincent) Kelton, was born on the homestead where he now lives, May 11, 1817. At the age of sixteen years he commenced the trade of mason, and followed it a portion of the time, in summer, for the next thirteen years. The remaining part of his time was occupied on the farm. June 3, 1846, he married Emeline E., daughter of Joel and Ruby (Metcalf) Bassett, who was born September 28, 1823. Their children are George, born September 28, 1848, who married, April 20, 1878, Miss Ada M. Rich, and is a farmer on the Rich homestead at North Montpelier ; Herbert, born June 28, 1850, who married Mary A. Wheeler, March 22, 1882 ; Henry, born October 20, 1851, who married Flora H. Coburn, June 21, 1877 ; Fanny, born June 22, 1854, married Arthur D. Coburn, October 15, 1878 ; Walter, born May 17, 1857, who died June 12, 1858; and Edwin, born July 4, 1860. Truman C. Kelton is a very promi- nent and influential citizen of East Montpelier, and by his honesty and integrity won the confidence of his townsmen in his early manhood, which, by a correct life, he deservedly retains. He has served as selectman and lister, for the last nineteen years has been justice of the peace, town clerk since 1863, treasurer since 1877, and represented his town in the legislature in 1863 and 1864.
Jonathan Stanley Dodge, son of Ebenezer, Jr., and grandson of Ebenezer, the pioneer of Marshfield, was born in Marshfield in 1800. He married Sabra Kelton, and settled in his native town, where he spent his entire life, dying in August, 1873. Mrs. Dodge was born in 1804, and survived her hus- band until January, 1878. Mr. Dodge was well informed, a great reader, and especially a fine Bible scholar. In religion he was liberal, and a firm believer in the final salvation of the entire human race. He was a prominent and influential member of the Universalist church and a liberal contributor to all its interests. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Dodge were Elminia, Corrilla, Ira C., Merrill, Lovell, Harry, Olive, and Mary. Ira C. Dodge married, first, Laura C. Bliss, who was mother of his only child, Gertrude (Mrs. Benjamin Buzzell), who resides in Middlesex. Mrs. Dodge died April 16, 1873. Mr. Dodge married, second, Miss Susan Templeton, daughter of William Temple- ton, Jr., and resides on the Gove farm, near East Montpelier Center. Mr. Dodge has a silver dollar (Spanish milled) earned by his grandfather by work- ing one week, barefooted, at clearing land of brush, when he was a small boy. The coin is to be handed down to the oldest son of each succeeding gener- ation.
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Joseph Coburn, or Lieutenant Coburn, as he was always called, was born in 1775, and came from Charlton, Mass., to Cabot, Vt., in 1803. He was a clothier by trade. He died of typhus fever at the time of the epidemic in 1813. Although but thirty years old when he died, he was called the richest man in town. He left a widow, who died several years afterwards, two sons, Larnard and Joseph Leander, and four daughters, viz .: Sally, who married Dea. Carter, of Peacham; Clara, who married Andrew Edgerton, of Cabot ; Lucy, who married Ira Barnes, of Randolph; and Mary, who married James Griffen, of Peacham.
Larnard Coburn, oldest son of Joseph Coburn, was born April 8, 1800. Soon after the death of his father, in 1813, he came to the northeastern part of Montpelier (now East Montpelier) to one James Allen's, to whom he let himself until he was of age, being only thirteen at the time of his arrival. He was to receive $100, and have four months in the winter to go to school or work at some trade. He gave Mr. Allen $30 to risk sickness, leaving him $70 when twenty-one to add to the small property left him by his father. He attended school all except two winters, these being spent at the clothiers' trade. It was about this time when going to school to Daniel P. Thompson that the latter advised him to study law, thinking him specially adapted for the profession ; but Mr. Coburn left the law to be taken up by his youngest son, Lewis, and he himself took to cultivating the soil instead. He married Lovisia, only daughter of James Allen, in 1823. Mr. Allen's parents came from New Bedford, Mass. For nearly two years Mr. Coburn worked at the clothiers' trade. December 2, 1824, he came back to Montpelier and bought about fifty-seven acres adjoining his father-in-law's farm. This he made the nucleus of one of the best farms in town. By three other purchases he increased this small piece of land to over 230 acres. He demonstrated the fact that a farm can be made to pay, for from it alone he payed not only for the land itself, and as much more for improvements, but also accumulated consider- able property besides. March 26, 1866, he sold his farm to his second son, J. Leander. After that he lived part of the time with his children and part in Plainfield. He died at his daughter's, Mrs. Dwight Hollister, in 1872. His wife died a short time before at his son's, Hon. James A. Coburn, of East Montpelier. He lived nearly as possible a private life, neither seeking nor wishing for public honors. He was content with his family and farm. He was temperate in all his habits, and perfectly upright in all his dealings. He
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represented the town in 1857 and again in 1858. He had six children-four boys and two girls. West Allen, the first, died when about two years old. Flora S., the wife of Dwight Hollister, of Marshfield, was born March 26, 1826. James A. was born April 6, 1828. J. Leander, born January 16, 1830,- died April 6, 1888. Susan A., wife of C. C. Eaton, of Montpelier, was born. January 17, 1832. Lewis L. was born November 2, 1833.
Major J. Leander Coburn was born in 1810. He graduated at West Point, was soon promoted to the rank of captain in the regular army, and partici -- pated in the Mexican war. After the war he was stationed in Texas for ten years. During the time he married a lady from Kentucky, first cousin to Gov. McCrary, of that state, and second cousin to Henry Clay, the states- man. They never had any children. At the breaking out of the civil war he resigned and came home to Vermont. After staying there a few years he- went to Washington, D. C., for a short time, then moved to Chicago, where he has since lived. In President Johnson's administration he was given the rank of major. Since then he has been only a private citizen of Chicago.
Hon. James A. Coburn, the oldest son of Larnard Coburn, was born April 6, 1828. He received a common school education, taught school winters for a number of years, and married Abbie B., daughter of Arthur Daggett, of East Montpelier, in 1850. In 1855 he bought out Mr. Daggett's interest in: his farm, the latter after a little time removing to a farm in Barre. Mr. Coburn has carried on this farm since that time. He has been honored with many of the offices in the gift of his townsmen. He served as justice of the- peace several years, represented his town in the legislature of 1869, the last annual session in Vermont, and again in 1870-71, the first biennial session .. In the fall of 1878 he was elected an assistant judge of Washington County Court, and reelected in 1880. Since then he has declined public office. The. children of Mr. and Mrs. Coburn are Larnard C., born April 2, 1852, married' Carrie Bennett, of Calais, and resides in Fulda, Minn .; Arthur D., born August 31, 1855, married Fanny Kelton, daughter of Truman Kelton, Octo- ber 15, 1878, and is a farmer in his native town ; Flora H., born June 25, 1858, married Henry Kelton, June 21, 1877 ; James Lee, born November- 3, 1859, resides in Dakota ; and Dwight H., born September 15, 1861, died when quite young. Mr. Coburn is a Republican, and believes in a govern- ment " of the people, for the people, and by the people." He is also a man. of sterling integrity, a fair dealer, and highly respected by a large acquain -
J. Se Cobran
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tance. He is an extensive reader, well informed, and a fine and natural mathematician, which is a distinguishing talent of the Coburn family.
J. Leander, second son of Larnard Coburn, was born January 16, 1830,. and received a common school education supplemented with a few terms at an academy. Most of the time until he was twenty-five years old he worked on his father's farm, except several winters, when he taught a common school. In 1853 he went to Chicago, then the " far West." Here he was employed for awhile, as clerk, by Marcus D. Gilman, late of Montpelier, and was other- wise engaged until March 6, 1859, when he married Caroline A., daughter of Dr. Daniel Corliss, of East Montpelier. The next year Mr. Coburn ex- changed his lots in the city for a farm near Elgin, about thirty miles from. Chicago, where he lived five years, and sent the milk of his dairy to Chicago. In 1865, at the earnest request of his father, he sold his farm and bought the homestead, and returned to East Montpelier, his old home, where he spent the remainder of his life, although he moved twice. He died April 6, 1888 .. He was Master of the Grange of his town several years. He held several town offices, represented his town in the legislature of 1876-77, and in the last few years of his life settled several important estates. Mr. Coburn was a. Republican in his political faith, a citizen of sterling integrity, kind and gen- erous in his feelings ; and frank and manly in bearing he possessed the friend- ship and respect of the leading men of his section, and was a representative farmer in Washington county. By his industry, perseverance, and admirable. management he accumulated a fine fortune for a farmer. In the closer re -- lations of the home circle, as husband and father, he was loving, attentive, and devoted. In bestowing his property there was no favoritism. His chil- dren shared alike. His family is composed of his widow, who has been his companion twenty-nine years, and their daughter Laura B., born October 17, 1860, and their sons F. William, a farmer, born August 24, 1862, who mar- ried Sarah Cate, of East Montpelier, March 14, 1886 ; and Lewis D., born May 11, 1865, who graduated at Tufts College in the spring of 1888. Their son Curtis L., born December 16, 1867, died August 10, 1881.
Lewis L. Coburn, born November 2, 1833, graduated at Barre Academy in 1855 and at the University of Vermont in 1859; attended the Harvard Law School two years, and was admitted to the Boston bar. He went at. once to Chicago, where he has since practiced. He has made patent right law" a specialty. He started by buying out one Mr. Gray, who had a small law
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practice, for $500. At once his law practice commenced to increase, and doubled year by year until now it is among the largest in the city of Chicago, his income being between $50,000 and $75,000 yearly. At the breaking out of the civil war he came back to East Montpelier and entered the army as a volunteer, and was chosen captain of his company. Like the rest of the Coburns he has never taken a very active part in politics. He has been offered a representative's seat in Congress, but refused it, preferring to attend to his profession.
Arthur Daggett, of English descent, came to East Montpelier, then Mont- pelier, a little before 1800, and settled where the late J. Leander Coburn lived, and where he died at an advanced age. He left three sons, Arthur, Stephen, and Simeon, and one or more daughters. Simeon settled on the homestead with his father. Arthur and Stephen located at East Montpelier, then Quaker Village and for many years Daggett's Mills, built the first saw- mill in the place, about 1800, and later Arthur Daggett, with Richard Ken- drick, built a saw-mill and grist-mill on the site now occupied by J. S. Wheelock. Arthur Daggett married a widow West, and had born to him two sons, viz .: Arthur, born in 1804, and Freeman, born in 1807. Arthur mar- ried Nancy Farwell, was a farmer, and reared one child, Abbie B., who was born January 30, 1831, and is the wife of Judge James A. Coburn, of East Montpelier. Freeman Daggett married Calista Ingalls, of Barre. He was a successful general mechanic, and could turn his hand to any trade,-the most delicate work or heavy machinery.' By his skill he accumulated a fine prop- erty. He left one son, George Daggett, who resides at Winooski and inherits his father's mechanical genius.
Dr. Daniel Corliss was born in Bradford, December 16, 1802. He graduated at Castleton Medical School in 1827, and practiced at Marshfield two years. October 29, 1829, he married Caroline T. Taplin, of Corinth, granddaughter of Col. John Taplin of the British army. He then settled in East Montpe- lier and practiced there until his death, October 17, 1850. He left a widow and two children, a son and daughter. The widow died six years afterwards. William, born January 28, 1831, died in California, September 2, 1878, leaving only a widow. Caroline A., born October 9, 1834, was the wife of J. Leander Coburn, late of East Montpelier. Mr. Corliss was a man of strict integrity and a strong Methodist.
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Nathaniel Ormsbee, born in Warren, R. I., emigrated to Montpelier, now East Montpelier, as near as can be ascertained, in 1800, and located on a. farm in the wilderness where his son Joel T. now lives. He and his bride lived with a neighbor, Mr. Pope, a few months, while he made a small clear- ing and built a small house, and then settled on the farm where he resided the rest of his long life. He died May 7, 1857, aged eighty-four years. His wife was Sally Merrill, a native of Worcester, Mass. She survived her hus- band until December 21, 1861, aged eighty-two years. They enjoyed a mar- ried life of fifty-five years, and were parents of ten children who attained mature age, viz .: Thomas J., Jonas G., John A., Joel T., Sally (Mrs. Joseph Parker), Relief (Mrs. Elias Wakefield), Jesse S., who was in the late war, Lewis, Louisa (Mrs. Dr. Town), and Lyman W. Joel T. Ormsbee married Mary Parmenter, and settled on the old homestead where he was born, and where he still resides.
Eseck Howland, son of John, was born in Middleboro, Mass., Septem- ber 15, 1760. In 1778 he married Phebe Sears. They early emigrated to Plainfield, Vt., purchased a tract of land and went to housekeeping, two miles from the nearest neighbor, and sixteen miles through the forests to the nearest grist-mill. He was a successful farmer. Later he moved to East Montpelier, where he spent the remainder of his long life. He died September 15, 1841, aged just eighty-one years. His wife survived him until May 30, 1846. They were parents of six children. His son Eseck, born probably in Mid- dleboro, about 1793, married, first, Rhoda Holt, and second, Laura Hol- den, settled in Barre, where he resided until two or three years before his death, when he went to East Montpelier to reside with his son George, and where he died in 1872. Mrs. Howland survived until 1874, and also died at the residence of her son George. George, son of Eseck Howland, Jr., was born in Barre, March 18, 1831, and married Angeline Buzzell, April 19, 1859. In April, 1866, he moved from Boston to East Montpelier, where he now resides. He is a farmer and auctioneer. He represented his town in the state legislature in 1882, and has served as selectman two years, lister five years, constable ten, and deputy sheriff one year.
Susan Clark, daughter of Theophilus Clark, Sr., was born in Rochester, Mass., February 20, 1793. Her second birthday was celebrated on board of the ox-sled, en route from Massachusetts to Montpelier, Vt. In February, 1812, she married Jeduthan Doty and resided on a farm near the site of East Montpelier depot, where she died. Mr. Doty died at the home of his only daughter, Orlana (Mrs. M. D. Willard).
Capt. Stephen Foster married Miss Mary King, sister of Dr. Nathaniel King. They came to East Montpelier at a very early date, from Massachu- setts, on horseback, riding the same horse, and settled in the wilderness on the farm where his grandson, Edwin H. Foster, now lives. He commenced clearing his farm at once, and soon built a saw-mill, which was a great advantage and convenience to the pioneer families. He took quite an interest in military
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affairs, and received the title of captain. He was also active in all the affairs for the advancement of the society in which he lived, and especially aided with his money and influence the society of the Universalist church, of which he was a very worthy member. He died on the place where he first settled, aged seventy-seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Foster were parents of four sons and four daughters. His son Henry D. married Sarah G., daughter of Joel Bassett, and settled on the homestead, and cared for his parents in their declining days. He was an industrious and prudent man, loved his family and home, where he was very generally found. He was also appreciated by his towns- men, and held the offices of selectman and representative. Mr. Foster died July 27, 1884, aged sixty-nine years. Mrs. Foster died February 1, 1888, aged seventy-one years. Their children are Julia A. (Mrs. William H. Glad- ding), who resides in Barre ; Edwin H., who married Fanny M. Clark, resides on the old homestead, as before mentioned, is now first selectman of his town, and has served as lister ; Mary K., who married Austin Templeton, a a farmer, and resides on the Templeton farm ; Austin S., who married Miss Sarah D. Holmes, is a farmer, resides near the center of the town, and has served as lister ; Emma (Mrs. William Cleveland), who resides in West Som- erville, near Boston, Mass .; and Charles W., who married Flora Wheeler, is a farmer, and resides in Calais.
Rufus Hill, son of Samuel, born in Smithfield, R. I., January 31, 1771, first settled in Danby, Vt. In the spring of 1801 he removed to East Mont- pelier. His log house was surrounded by a small clearing. The farm con- taining about 300 acres he cleared with the aid of his stalwart sons, and be- sides found time to do quite a business for his neighbors in carpentering. He was an unusually hard worker, and by precept and example early taught his sons habits of industry. December 8, 1797, he married Laomi Angell, who was born September 25, 1774. Mr. Hill died August 5, 1827. Mrs. Hill survived until September 10, 1852. They had born to them fifteen children, one of whom died in infancy, the others attained mature age, and thirteen married. Of this large family none but Philip settled in their native town. He was born March 2, 1808, and settled on the homestead where he was born. March 17, 1836, he married Elvira Dodge, of Barre. In 1867 he sold the place to his oldest son, S. Wesley Hill, with whom he and his aged wife now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Philip Hill celebrated their golden wedding March 17, 1886. They have twenty-three grandchildren. Samuel Wesley Hill married Miss Maria C. Smith, resides on the old farm, and has been selectman and lister. He offered his services to the 4th Vt. Regt., and was rejected on account of a defective eye, but was more than a year in the com- missary department.
Benjamin Ellis was born November 16, 1779. About 1804 he married Susannah Guernsey. In the spring of 1806 they came to East Montpelier and settled in the wilderness, where his son Sylvanus now lives. Mr. Ellis, with the aid of his industrious sons, soon had a good home. He lived on the
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place until his death, at the advanced age of ninety-seven years. Mrs. Ellis died at the age of eighty years. His son Sylvanus was born July 4, 1819. At the approach of old age Mr. Ellis transferred the farm to this son, who paid off the heirs and provided for all the wants of his worthy parents. Sylvanus Ellis married Miss Julia Cox, of Calais, who was the mother of his daughter and only child, Cleora F., who went to Portland, Oregon, as a teacher, and there married Byron Reynolds, an enterprising and very exten- sive farmer located near the city. Mrs. Ellis died July 8, 1865. July 4, 1866, Mr. Ellis married Marcia Cox, his present wife. He has always lived on the homestead where he was born, and has built and rebuilt an entire set of very fine buildings, and otherwise greatly improved his farm.
John Vincent was born in Portsmouth, N. H., September 4, 1789. De- cember 25, 1815, he married Rebecca K. Wallace, of Thornton, N. H. They came from Woodstock, N. H., April 2, 1816, and settled on a farm in the southeastern part of Middlesex, Vt. They commenced housekeeping in a log house, and had but three acres of cleared land. Mr. Vincent was a Jacksonian Democrat and represented Middlesex in the legislature in 1835 and 1836, and held several town offices. April 16, 1838, he moved to East Montpelier, where he resided the remainder of his life. He died November 25, 1852.
Aurora Mallory, born in Connecticut, in 1809, came to East Montpelier when only nine years of age, and had a home with his uncle, Lemuel Brooks, where he resided until he married Martha, daughter of Levi Templeton, in 1831. He settled on a farm near the center of the town, which he bought of Dr. James Templeton. He died at East Montpelier village in 1870. His son, Levi T. Mallory, born June 27, 1832, had only a common school educa- tion, but by a course of close observation and extensive reading he has a good practical education. August 28, 1855, Mr. Mallory united in marriage with Miss Julia Shortt, settled on the homestead of his wife's father, which he eventually purchased, and where he now resides. Early in life he engaged in buying cattle, sheep, and swine. In the fall of 1870 he was enployed as superintendent of construction in building the M. & W. R. railroad, which position he held till the completion of the road, in 1873. In 1885, under a contract, he excavated and covered all the ditches required in laying the Montpelier water works.
Ebenezer Fitch Willard was born in Barre, in 1795. His parents were early settlers in his native town, where his father kept a public house, dealt in live stock, but eventually died with his son Jack in Montreal. Ebenezer F. Willard married Lovisa Clark, of East Montpelier, and settled on a farm in the northwest corner of Barre. He was always a farmer, and at his death left each of his children a farm. And what is remarkable the entire real estate of this family is all in their hands, with the single exception of the farm owned by his oldest son. Mr. Willard was a man of rare judgment of property, and was always ready to buy or sell any and every thing that farmers
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had to sell. He dealt largely in live stock from Montreal to Boston. He died on one of his farms in East Montpelier, in 1851, where he resided the last twenty years of his life. Mr. and Mrs. Willard were parents of four sons and two daughters, all of whom lived to be married and reared children, viz .: Charles C., Sophia (Mrs. G. L. Dix), who resides on the old homestead in Barre, Matthew D., Ebenezer, Jr., who also resides on the homestead in Barre, John M., and Pliebe (Mrs. Pierce Welch), who resides in Berlin and has had two sons, Leon and Herbert P. Matthew D. received only a common school education. He married Orlana, daughter of Jeduthan Doty, of East Montpelier, March 23, 1852, and next day moved into their home on the Hezekiah Davis farm, where they lived twenty seven years, and where their only son, Frank P., now resides. They are also parents of an only daughter, Susan L., who married Clark Sibley, an enterprising farmer who resides in the village of East Montpelier. Mr. Willard has always been a Democrat, and although his party is greatly in minority, he has held the offices of selectman and lister, and has performed the duties of these positions faith- fully and well. At the present time he resides in the village of East Montpe- lier, where he holds the position of postmaster, and deals in agricultural im- plements.
Charles Clark Willard, son of Ebenezer F., was born in Barre, September 14, 1820. Early in life he had more days of labor than school days. January 2,. 1842, he united in marriage with Livia, daughter of Judge Israel Goodwin, of East Montpelier, and resided on the homestead the next six years. He afterwards owned the Marshall farm, where he rebuilt and repaired the entire set of buildings, which he sold to Mr. George Howland in 1866, and removed to the village, where he resided about twelve years. He now resides on a small farm half a mile southeast of East Montpelier village. He is a Demo- crat, but not an office seeker. Mrs. Willard died May 5, 1882, and Mr. Will- ard married Mrs. Julia S. (Severance) Hinds, June 20, 1883.
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