USA > Vermont > Genealogical and family history of the state of Vermont; a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol I > Part 11
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In 1874 General Dodge visited Europe, pri- marily on account of his health, and until 1879 he spent a portion of each year abroad. During this period, at the solicitation of President Grant, he met the German and Italian engineers engaged in building the St. Gothard tunnel, and also ex- amined the system of internal improvements in various parts of Europe. In January, 1880, he organized the Pacific Railway Improvement Com- pany, of which he became president, and com- pleted a large section of the Texas & Pacific road. He was subsequently president and promoter of various railroad organizations in the United States and Mexico. In 1871 and 1886 the Chinese government invited the aid of General Dodge in carrying out certain internal improvements, but he declined. Since the Spanish-American war he has
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surveyed various railroad routes in Cuba. It is not too much to say that no man of his day con- tributed so much to the establishment of transcon- tinental railroads, and he has been to the present time a constant inspiration to railroad projectors and builders throughout the land.
General Dodge enjoys the distinction of being the last surviving corps commander of the old Army of the Tennessee, which was organized and long commanded by Grant, who was succeeded by Sherman. General Dodge was an original mem- ber of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, and has been its president since the death of Gen- eral Sherman. He was vice-president of the Grant Monument Association, and he was com- mander of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the state of New York in 1897-8. He is a member of the Union League, Colonial, United States and other clubs, and of the Grand Army of the Republic. He was a delegate at large from Iowa to the national Republican conventions at Philadelphia, Chicago and Cincinnati, and he has taken an active part in every presidential cam- paign beginning with that which resulted in the first election of Lincoln. When war was declared with Spain in 1893 General Dodge was proffered by President Mckinley a commission as major general, which he declined on account of his years and professional duties. He was appointed one of the commissioners to investigate the conduct of the war department during the war with Spain. He has taken an active interest in Norwich Uni- versity, of which he has long served as trustee, and Dodge Hall was built and donated by him to the institution. He is an honorary member of the New York Society of Vermonters.
DAN IRA PAGE.
Dan Ira Page, a highly respected citizen of Plainfield, Vermont, was born in the town of Plainfield, Washington county, Vermont, Jan- uary 10, 1851, a son of Ira Fuller and Eunice Page. About the year 1810 Daniel Page, grand- father of Dan Ira Page, removed from Goffs- town, New Hampshire, where he had been a resident for many years, and settled on a farm in the town of Marshfield, Washington county, Ver- mont, where he was engaged for the remainder of his life in the production of a general line of gar-
den products. He was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Fuller, and eight children were born to them : Mark M., Lovina, Seth F., Daniel B., Ira Fuller, Nathaniel C., J. Parker and Clar- rissa F. Page.
Ira Fuller Page, fifth child in order of birth born to Daniel and Rebecca Page, was born in the town of Marshfield, Washington county. Ver- mont, March 2, 1816. He attended the district schools of his birthplace, and after completing his education learned the trade of blacksmith, which occupation he pursued in the village of Plainfield for the following seven years. He was then engaged in teaming for a number of years, transferring freight between Plainfield and Mont- pelier, and subsquently became interested in mercantile trade in Plainfield with Dennis Moul and his brother-in-law, William Bancroft. This connection continued for some years, but finally Mr. Page purchased the interest of his partners, and conducted the business successfully for nearly ten years, owing to his energy, determination and perseverance, directed by an evenly balanced mind and by honorable business principles. At the expiration of that period of time he traded the store property for a farm in the town of Plainfield, where his son, Dan Ira, now resides, while he remained in the village for the re- mainder of his life. In his political affiliations Mr. Page was a firm adherent of the principles of the Democratic party, and he always took an active interest in all matters that pertained to the welfare and advancement of the town. For a number of years he served as overseer of the poor, and he also acted in the capacity of town treasurer. On March 4, 1840, Mr. Page was united in marriage to Miss Eunice Bancroft, who was born April 29, 1815, a daughter of Asa and Malinda (Tyler) Bancroft. Their children were : Mason Tyler, born February 12, 1841, now a resident of Barre, Vermont ; Josephine May, born May 1, 1843, died January 12, 1892; Anna Lui- ella, born August 3, 1845, died November 6, 1870; Emma Rebecca, born February 2, 1848, and resides with her brother, Dan Ira, on the old homestead; Dan Ira; Alice Patience. born February 9, 1855, died November 22, 1873. The father of these children died November 12. 1897, and his wife died January 3, 1888.
Dan Ira Page, second son of Ira Fuller and
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Eunice Page, acquired his education in the dis- triet schools of Plainfield, Vermont. After com- pleting his studies he was employed for a few. years in his father's store, and when the latter disposed of his store and located on a farm, young Dan Ira assisted him in the management of it, and in due course of time succeeded to the old homestead, where he has resided up to the present time (1902), and devotes his time and attention to farming and dairying. His farm is well cul- tivated, neat and thrifty in appearance, and is furnished with all conveniences and accessories.
Mr. Page is a Democrat in his political views, and has always taken an active part and interest in all movements tending toward public improve- ment. He has been honored by his townsmen with the office of selectman, a position which he held for over eight years, and at the present time he is a member of that board; he proved himself to be an efficient officer and is worthy of the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens. On November 28, 1877, Mr. Page married Miss Melvina Tay- lor Martyn, who was born January 31, 1857, a daughter of Albe Fisk and Catherine (Taylor) Martyn, of Plainfield, Vermont. Their children are: Catherine Alice, born in Plainfield, Ver- mont, July 12, 1882; and Raymond Dan, born in Plainfield, Vermont, December 5, 1886.
ARTHUR J. DEWEY.
Fortunate is the man who has back of him an ancestry honorable and distinguished, and happy is he whose lines of life are cast in harmony there- with. In person, in talents and in character, Mr. Dewey is a worthy scion of his race; though his life has been one rather of modest reserve than of ambitious self-seeking, he has, nevertheless, occu- pied a leading position in the historic town of Bennington, where he is now the postmaster. His ancestral history is one of close connection with the annals of the Green Mountain state, and through different generations the family has been represented by men of strong force of character, loyal in citizenship, public-spirited and progres- sive. The first Vermont ancestor was the Rev. Jedediah Dewey, who came to Bennington from Westfield, Massachusetts, on the 24th of May, 1763, to accept the pastorate of the first church or- ganized in this state. He was greatly loved and
respected by all who knew him. He had a strong admiration for Shakespeare, was a deep student of that master of English poetry, and when he was laid to rest in the cemetery at Bennington Center, an appropriate quotation of that loved author was carved upon his tombstone. Rev. Dewey was twice married and left a large family of chil- dren. He passed away December 24, 1778, but left the impress of his individuality upon the in- tellectual and moral development of the com- munity with which he was associated.
One of his sons was Captain Elijah Dewey,
ARTHUR J. DEWEY.
who was born in Westfield, Massachusetts, on the 28th of November, 1744, and came to Ben- nington with his father in the fall of 1763. He was a private in the first militia company formed in this town. in October, 1764. He had not then attained the age of twenty years but won distinc- tion in military circles and served as a captain in a company raised in Bennington for service in
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the Revolutionary war. He was among the he- roes who won fame during the war for independ- ence, making the term "Green Mountain boys" an honored one from that day to the present. With his company he participated in the engagement at Ticonderoga, and was again present when that fort was evacuated by General St. Clair in July, 1777, being also at the head of his company at the famous battle of Bennington, which occurred on the 16th of August, of the same year, the Green Mountain boys there covering themselves with glory by their spirited and heroic attack on the British troops. He was also in active service at Saratoga at the time of the surrender of Gen- eral Burgoyne in October, 1777, and was a brave and loyal officer, valiantly aiding in winning in- dependence and establishing the American re- public. He also served in various stations of civil life, the people honoring him by election to the general assembly, in which he served in 1786, 1787, 1788, 1796, 1812 and 1813. He largely aided in promoting the legislation enacted during those terms and took an active part in forming the laws of the state. He was also a member of the council of censors in 1792. He was a Fed- eralist in his political affiliations, and in 1796 and again in 1800 headed the list of presidential electors of his state. Captain Dewey was a man of sound and discriminating judgment and of un- tiring integrity, and faithfully and capably per- formed whatever he undertook. As a public of- ficial, his record was one above reproach, and his efforts in behalf of the state proved of the great- est benefit. His death occurred October 16, 1818, and thus passed away an honored citizen, whose loyalty was proved in both civil and military circles.
Eldad Dewey, the brother of Captain Dewey, was the great-grandfather of Arthur J. Dewey. In 1771 he built the old family homestead, which is still standing and is yet occupied by his de- scendants. He continued to improve his farm, which at that time covered a large part of the vil- lage, much of the town at the present day hav- ing been laid out upon land which he once owned. He was a progressive agriculturist and was also a valued citizen. His son Jedediah Dewey was the father of Charles Edward Dewey.
Charles Edward Dewey was born in Benning-
ton at the old family home, November 29, 1826, and in the common schools of the locality, ac- quired his education. Early in life he became actively connected with the ochre trade, but dur- ing the greater part of his business career car- ried on agricultural pursuits in conjunction with his manufacturing interests. He lived at the old family home, around which cluster many inter- esting historic associations ; under its sheltering roof reposed some of the hardy rangers just before the famous battle of Bennington ; here many dis- tinguished guests have been received, and the old place is an interesting landmark, which through more than a century has looked upon scenes of importance connected with American history. Mr. Dewey was married on the 5th of February, 1856, the lady of his choice being Martha Hamlen, a daughter of Samuel I. Hamlen, of Cleveland, Ohio, and seven children have been born to them : Mary, the wife of Charles Merrill, of Benning- ton ; Arthur J .; Sarah, who married Dr. B. C. Jenney ; George H .; Charles H .; Edward E .; and Edith M. Dewey.
In his political views Charles Edward Dewey has been a Republican from the organization of the party and has held a number of town offices, including that of selectman. He has also been an important factor in educational circles. and as trustee of the schools of Bennington his labors have been effective. He was one of the building committee which had in charge the organization of the graded high school building. He belongs to the Congregational church, is a charter mem- ber of the Vermont Historical Society and of the Bennington Battle Monument Association. He still resides on the old home farm, which is now in the heart of the village, and his brother Elijah, a prominent and wealthy farmer, also lives on the ancestral home.
Arthur J. Dewey was born at the old home- stead in Bennington, which has been occupied by his ancestors for more than one hundred and twenty-five years. Like all who have borne the name, public offices have been conferred upon him. He represented Bennington in the state leg- islature for two years, has been president of the village of Bennington, and at the present time is serving as postmaster, having been appointed to the latter position by President Mckinley in
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1807 His administration of these offices has gained for him high commendation, for he is not- ably prompt and reliable in the discharge of all his public duties.
M. JUDSON FRANCISCO.
The two allied families of Francisco and Holmes, to which M. Judson Francisco is related by ancestry and marriage, are among the most an- cient and honorable in New England. The earliest American ancestors were Henry Sampson and Ann Phimmer of the company of Pilgrims who came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620. The direct line of ancestry is traced as follows: Caleb Sampson, who married Mercy Standish, a daugh. of Alexander Standish, the eldest son of the re- nowned Captain Miles Standish and Mercy Al- den, the daughter of John Alden; David Samp- son, who was united in marriage to Mary Chaffin ; Jonathan Sampson, who married Mary Chandler ; William Sampson, who was joined in marriage to Judith Merrill ; and Daniel Sampson, who married Mary Woods.
John Francisco, father of M. Judson Fran- cisco, was one of the early pioneers of West Ha- ven, Vermont, taking up his residence there in the year 1795. He was an active participant in the war of 1812, and displayed great bravery at the battle of Plattsburg. After the termination of that struggle he returned to Ticonderoga on one of Commodore McDonough's vessels, and thence marched to his home in West Haven, Vermont, where he resided for eighty-three years. Mr. Francisco had the distinction of being the first preceptor of Horace Greeley, the great American journalist, and for many years the ed- itor of the New York Tribune.
M. Judson Francisco was born at West Ha- ven, Vermont, August 5, 1835, and his early edu- cation was obtained at the Castleton (Vermont) Seminary. In 1852 he entered Oberlin College, and after completing his studies in that institu- tion spent several years in traveling through the western and southern states. After his return he became a student in the Albany College, and after his graduation was appointed principal of the Northwestern College at Fort Wayne, Indi- ana. While a resident of that city Mr. Francisco took an active part in recruiting volunteers for
the service of the United States, and in this man- ner incurred the displeasure and opposition of the Knights of the Golden Circle and the Ku Klux Klan and was finally involved in a riot in- cited by members of these disloyal organizations. Leaving Fort Wayne, Indiana, Mr. Francisco ac- cepted the presidency of the Pennsylvania Col- lege of Trade and Finance at Harrisburg, Penn- sylvania, and with the co-operation of Governor Geary, ex-Governor Curtin, Senator Cameron and Hugh Mccullough, who was then acting in the capacity of Secretary of the United States Treasury, he founded a large and flourishing in- stitution, the graduates of which are now filling positions in the government and at the head of large corporations. After acting in this capacity for several years his health failed, and he was compelled to relinquish his position and return to his native state, where, at its mineral springs, he found renewed strength, and he then entered upon that sphere of activity which has made his name familiar in every city in the United States. When the English fire insurance companies were negotiating for admission into the United States Mr. Francisco assumed the general man- agement for the state of Vermont of the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company of Edinburgh, Scotland, and the Liverpool, London and Globe Insurance Company of London, Eng- land. Later he was appointed manager for Ver- mont, New Hampshire and northern New York of several other large companies, and while in the service of these corporations he made his memorable argument before the joint committee of the senate and the house of representatives in opposition to the "valued policy bill." He had also the distinction of writing the largest fire in- surance policy ever issued in New England, the face value of which was two million one hundred thousand dollars.
In 1887 Mr. Francisco was elected president of the Rutland Electric Light Company, and after operating it tor twelve years sold it to the pres- ent company. He was the organizer and has been a director in the Rutland Trust Company for nearly a quarter of a century ; is president of the Holmes & Griggs Manufacturing Company of New York, and is the senior member of the firm of M. J. Francisco & Sons, of Rutland, Vermont. He became a member of the National Electric
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Light Association of the United States in 1888, was appointed a member of the executive commit- tee. and at the convention of this association, held in Providence, Rhode Island, was elected second vice-president, was appointed first vice-president at the St. Louis convention, and at the conven- tion which convened at Washington, D. C., was elected president. His first work on electric lighting was published in 1890 and went through two editions, and two editions were printed of his review of the "Postmaster General's Limited Post and Telegraph Bill," which was delivered before the committee of the senate and house of representatives at Washington, D. C., in 1891. Two years later he was called before the Massa- chusetts legislature as an expert upon the subject of municipal ownership, and in 1897 the Con- necticut legislature employed him in the same ca- pacity. He is the author of "Municipal Owner- ship and its Fallacy," which went through four editions : "Government, State and Municipal Ownership," and of "Municipalities versus Pri- vate Corporations," which has reached its fifth edition. He has also contributed many articles to the leading magazines and journals of this country and Europe, and is recognized as the best authority on this subject, being called to all the principal cities of the United States to discuss the question of public utilities. He is the ex-presi- dent of the Rutland Association of Underwriters, a member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the Masonic fraternity. In his political affiliations he is an adherent of the principles of the Repub- lican party.
In 1863 Mr. Francisco married H. Margaret Holmes, a daughter of Israel Holmes, who up to the time of his death was a prominent resident of Waterbury, Connecticut. Two children were born to them, I. Holmes, who married Estelle Tytler, of New York city ; and Don C. Francisco, both of whom are associated in business with their father in the management of the oldest in- surance office in western Vermont. They also conduct a large summer hotel known as "Lake View in the Pines," situated on Lake St. Cather- ine, near Poultney, Vermont.
Mrs. Francisco traces her descent through Israel and Ardelia (Hayden) Holmes, to Abigail
Shepherd and Daniel Hayden; to Major Joseph Shepherd and Abigail Hodges; to Lieutenant Elijah Hodges and Elizabeth Reed; to Thomas Reed and Sarah Tisdale; to Joseph Tisdale and Mary Leonard, who were married in 1681; to Major Thomas Leonard and Mary Watson; to Ensign Watson and Phoebe Hicks; to Robert Hicks and Margaret Winslow; to James Hicks and Phoebe Allyn ; to Rupert Hicks and Evesond ; to Thomas Hicks and Margaret Atwood : to John Atwood; to John Hicks, of Gloucester, England, the lineal descendant of Sir Ellis Hicks, who was knighted by Edward the Black Prince, on the field of Poitiers, September 9, 1456.
Israel Holmes, father of Mrs. Francisco, was sent to England to discover the method of manu- facturing brass and tubing, and to procure ma- chinery and men, but when the object of his visit was discovered by the English government and the manufacturers of brass they adopted every plan possible to defeat his project. After the manufacture of brass kettles was attempted in this country, Mr. Holmes made another voy- age to England, but the English government and manufacturers had now become fully aware of the nature and object of his repeated visits, and every plan was adopted to entrap him, as English law at that time prohibited the employment of men or machinery in a foreign country. A de- tective was sent to him who represented that he wished employment in the United States and that he was a skilled workman in brass, but Mr. Holmes knew by looking at his hands that he was not a brass worker, and informed him that he could not assist him in any way. The govern- ment thought at last they had secured enough in- formation to hold him, sent an officer to make the arrest, but Mr. Holmes escaped by a rear exit and reached Liverpool, where he managed to hire the captain of a small ship to take him out and intercept the vessel upon which his ma- chinery and employes were secreted. After his arrival in the United States he immediately com- menced the manufacture of brass and brass ket- tles, and this was the foundation of the business in this country, which has since developed into one of the largest industries now in existence. He devoted nearly thirty years to the establish- ment and development of large and flourishing factories in Connecticut and New York, which
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gave employment to thousands of men, and at his death the care of these extensive interests de- volved upon Mr. Francisco, who was appointed trustee of his estate. Mr. Holines was also thie founder of the firm of Holmes, Booth & Hayden, Phime & Atwood Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut, and Holmes & Hotch- kiss Manufacturing Company, the largest firms in this line of industry in the world.
THEOPHILUS HOIT.
After an honorable and active business carcer Mr. Hoit is now resting from his labors, and is regarded as one of the most highly respected citi- zens of Saxton's River, Vermont. He is a de- scendant of Joseph Hoit, the founder of the American branch of the family, who was an orig- inal settler of Salisbury, Massachusetts, where he acted in the capacity of selectman in 1681 and was also chosen moderator of the town meeting. The line of descent is as follows: John Hoit, son of Joseph Hoit, became the father of John Hoit, who was the great-great-great-grandfather of Theophilus Hoit.
Joseph Hoit, great-great-grandfather of The- ophilus Hoit, was born July 14, 1666, and his en- tire life was spent in the occupation of tilling the soil. He was one of the prominent men of the town and served as selectman and member of the grand jury. On October 5, 1702, he was united in marriage to Dorothy Worthen.
John Hoit, great-grandfather of Theophilus Hoit, was born July 2, 1703, and on December 15, 1726, married Mary Eastman of Salisbury, Massachusetts, and the following named chil- dren were born to them: Captain Joseph, who married Sara Collins for his first wife, and for his second wife he selected Ruth Clough Brown, of Poplin ; they resided in Brentwood ; their ehil- dren were John, Jonathan, David, Benjamin. Samuel and Eastman Hoit.
Eastman Hoit, grandfather of Theophilus Hoit, married Martha Clough and resided in Southampton until 1765, when he removed with his family to Windsor, Vermont, and later set- tled in Westmoreland, New Hampshire, where his death occurred. Their children were: Han- nah, born in 1767. became the wife of Thomas Quinby ; Sara, born in 1769, became the wife of
Jacob Clement ; John, born April 30, 1771, mar- ried Joane Terry ; Martha, born in 1773, wife of Timothy Flanders; Theophilus, born February 4, 1775; Mollie, born March 19, 1777, became the wife of James Clement and later was the wife of Jesse Evans; Richard B., born in 1779, mar- ried Rhoda Merril; Mary Wilson ; Jonathan, born November 17, 1782, married Mary Eastman ; and Joseph, born July 21, 1786, married Betsy Quinby.
Theophilus Hoit, father of Theophilus Hoit, was born February 4, 1775, and after acquiring a common school education he was engaged in farming for a short period of time; subsequently he was employed as a guard in the state prison at Windsor, Vermont. After his retirement from this office he was engaged in mercantile and farm- ing pursuits at Westmoreland, New Hampshire, where he was chosen by his fellow townsmen to serve as town clerk, selectman and to various other local offices. After his marriage to Miss Sobrina Shaw, a daughter of Abiatha Shaw, who served during the Revolutionary war as a major fifer and lived to be over ninety years of age, Mr. Hoit went west and settled in Wisconsin, where his death occurred.
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