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 117
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the grand lodge of Vermont. In his political con- victions he is a Democrat, and in his religious views follows the tenets of the Universalist de- nomination.
On October 9, 1888, Mr. Greene married Frances Thorne, daughter of Thomas Thorne, whose uncle, William Thorne, is the present may- or of Cape Town, South Africa. Mrs. Greene was born in Wales, and during her childhood came with her parents to Canada, and thence to. St. Albans, Vermont. Their children are: Mor- ris, Chanin, Ruth and Nora Greene.
HON. ROBERT C. CRISTY.
Hon. Robert C. Cristy, of Johnson, Vermont, a highly respected citizen, who has frequently been placed by his neighbors in positions of honor and trust, is the grandson of Moses Cristy, who was born January 29, 1763, in Windham, New Hampshire, whence he removed to New Boston, in the same state, where he followed the occupa- tion of a farmer. He was a prominent man in the life of the town, a Federalist in politics, and saw service in the war of 1812. He married, Novem- ber 20, 1785, Rebecca Clark, and they were the parents of the following children: John, born January 29, 1789, mentioned at length herein- after; Amos, born August 28, 1790, died August 17, 1854; William Clark, born August 12, 1792; David, born September 2, 1794, died September 7, 1802; Robert, born January 27, 1797, died March II, 1797; an infant born in 1798, died at the age of four weeks; James, born February 6, 1800; Elizabeth, born January 18, 1802, died April 24, 1835; Letitia, born May 18, 1804, died September 24, 1826; Susanna, born May 26, 1807; Mary, born June 18, 1809, died November II, 1836; Nancy, born November 23, 1812, died July 15, 1824; Moses, born April 21, 1814, died in November, 1815; and Moses (2), born Oc- tober 30, 1817 .. The mother of this family died in New Boston, October 26, 1818, and some time later Mr. Cristy married again. This wife died December 25, 1853. Mr. Cristy died while on his way home from a visit to his son John, who was then living in Johnson, Vermont.
John Cristy, son of Moses and Rebecca (Clark) Cristy, was born January 29, 1789, in- New Boston, New Hampshire, where he lived'
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until February, 1829, when he removed to the town of Johnson, Vermont, settling on the farm which is now owned by his son, Robert C. Cristy. He was a schoolmaster for many years in New Boston, and also in Johnson. In politics he was a Whig, and afterward a Republican, being one of the first seven voters in the town of Johnson. He was a strong abolitionist, his house being one of the stations of the underground railroad. He was enthusiastic in the cause, and has been known to send his sons with teams to carry negroes to Canada. He was prominent in local affairs, and held at different times all the town offices. He and his wife were two of the seven charter mem- bers who organized and helped to build up the First Congregational church, to the support of which he was a liberal contributor. He was twice married. By his first wife, Polly B. Dodge, he had one child,-Ephraim D., born October 24, 1812, lived in the west and died in September, 1836. Mrs. Cristy died April 16, 1814, and Mr. Cristy married, March II, 1818, Roxana Baker, by whom he was the father of the following chil- dren : John B., born August 5, 1819, died De- cember 13, 1875; Rebecca C., born March 2, 1821, died January 19, 1824 ; Mary B., born Janu- ary 15, 1824, died February 25, 1902; Harriet, born December 20, 1825, died in California Feb- ruary 27, 1902; Robert C., mentioned at length hereinafter; Joseph W., born September 28, 1829 : and Frances E., born August 3, 1831, died May 29, 1852. Mrs. Cristy died July 22, 1866, and Mr. Cristy in 1878.
! Robert C. Cristy, son of John C. and Roxana (Baker) Cristy, was born April 24, 1827, at New Boston, New Hampshire, but is practically a life- long resident of Johnson, having been but two years old at the time of his father's removal to that town. His education was completed in the Lamoille county grammar school, and at the Bakersfield Academy. Mr. Cristy's home farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres is pleas- antly situated about two and one-half miles from Tohnson village, and is one of the best hill farms in the town. He has devoted himself to general farming, and has attained a handsome competence solely from the management of his estate. Dairy- ing and the manufacture of maple sugar are the leading resources. For fifty-five years Mr. Cristy had the care, each winter, of thirty-five or forty
cows and horses. He has recently retired from active labor, and his time is now chiefly occupied in attending to his numerous financial interests.
Mr. Cristy has always participated in all movements having for their object the advance- ment of the town and the welfare of the com- munity, and his neighbors have repeatedly testi- fied to the esteem and confidence in which they held him. He has filled the offices of lister and selectman, and served in the legislature during the sessions of 1866-67-68. In 1866, in connec- tion with Edward Conant and Colonel John B. Mead, he was influential in procuring the legis- lation for the establishment of the three normal schools. It was during this time that the charter for the St. Johnsbury & Lake Champlain Railroad was obtained, the project meeting with the most determined opposition on the part of competing lines. The town of Johnson took a very large private subscription of stock, which was practic- ally a gift to the road. In 1884 Mr. Cristy was state senator from Lamoille county, discharging the duties of the office in a manner thoroughly creditable to himself and satisfactory to his con- stituents. He is a member of Waterman Lodge, F. & A. M. He also belongs to Tucker Chapter, of Morrisville. He is a liberal contributor to the support of church work and public enterprises.
Mr. Cristy married, March 27, 1856, Mehita- ble Johnson, of Winchester, Massachusetts, and they were the parents of one son,-Charles H., who was educated in the Johnson Normal School and at the People's Academy, followed civil en- gineering for a time, and is now draughtsman for the Barney Marble Company, of Swanton. Mrs. Cristy died October 10, 1891, and Mr. Cristy married, January 18, 1898, Junia L. Spaulding. They have one daughter,-Roxana Frances, born February 10, 1902. In addition to the homestead on which he resides, Mr. Cristy also owns out- lying timber lands and farms, and is the pos- sessor of a residence at Los Angeles, California. He took a prominent part in the Clement cam- paign of 1902. He is a man of high standing in the community, and has acted as the executor of many estates. Joseph W. Cristy, brother of Robert Cristy, is a merchant in Ringwood. Illi- nois. He has held various offices ; served one year as chairman of the board of supervisors, and was elected representative to the state legislature, but
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has now retired from active political life, Mr. Cristy married. November 30, 1854, Sarah L. Whiting, of Johnson, and they are the parents of two sons: Willard N. and Joseph E.
PAPHRO D. PIKE.
Paphro D. Pike, a leading inventor and manu- facturer of Stowe, Vermont, is a great-grandson of Jonathan Pike, whose son Seth removed from Windham, Connecticut, to Brookfield, Vermont, later living at Sterling and finally in the town of Morristown. He was a farmer, and a member of the Baptist church, as were all his family. He married Mary Flint, and the following children were born to them: Joseph; William ; Samuel; . to civil life he was variously engaged as carpenter Seth B. ; James ; Eunice ; Hannah ; Lydia ; Sarah'; and millwright, and in 1871 commenced the man- ufacture of butter tubs. and Louisa. In addition to these ten who reached maturity, there were two who died in infancy. Seth Pike died at the age of seventy-five years, and his widow attained to the dignity of a cente- narian, passing away at the great age of one hun- dred years.
William Pike, son of Seth and Mary (Flint) Pike, was born February 20, 1799, in Brook- field, Vermont, and passed his boyhood at Will- iamstown, near Randolph, Orange county. He was a farmer and a member of the Vermont mi- litia. His politics were those of the Republican party, and he was a firm adherent of the princi- ples of the abolitionists. His religious connec- tion was with the Baptist church. He married Nancy, daughter of Caleb and Nancy (Eaton) Hitchcock, the former a farmer of Westfield, Vermont, and Mr. and Mrs. Hitchcock were the parents of the following children: Arad, Har- vey, Hiram. Ephraim, Emily, Eunice, Nancy and Alvira. William and Nancy Pike had the following children: Lucy, Paphro D. and Lydia Emily. Mr. Pike died in January, 1874, at the age of seventy-five, and the death of his widow took place October 31, 1884, when she was sev- enty-six years old.
Paphro D. Pike, son of William and Nancy (Hitchcock) Pike, was born December 1, 1835, in Morristown, Vermont, and received his educa- tion in the district schools of his native place, and at Johnson Academy. He was for a time a school teacher in Stowe, and, having a natural aptitude for mechanical pursuits, began to work
in mills before coming of age. In the course of time he became the owner and operator of a saw- inill, which he abandoned not long after the out- break of the Civil war. August 9, 1862, he en- listed, at Stowe, in Company D, Eleventh Regi- ment, Vermont Infantry, Colonel A. F. Walker commanding. The regiment was sent to Wash- ington to assist in the defense of the capital, dur- ing which time it was made a heavy artillery reg- iment. Mr. Pike remained with the organiza- tion during its entire period of service, includ- ing the last grand advance on Richmond. He was constantly at his post, with the exception of two months spent in the hospital, and was hon- orably discharged in July, 1865. After his return
In this new line of business he continued for fourteen years, and at the end of that time sold his establishment and went to Brooklyn, New York, where he was employed in the Hatters' Fur Cutting Company. After four years he re- turned to Stowe, and again purchased his old mill, where, with improved machinery, the firm of Pike & Son are now engaged in the manufac- ture of butter tubs, round boxes and veneer pack- ages, making use of several important mechanical appliances of the trade, invented and patented by Mr. Pike himself. Among these may be men- tioned three of the most important: An appli- ance for cutting hoops, one for cutting, fitting and riveting the five-pound butter boxes, and, most important of all, a machine for cutting ve- neer packages from steamed logs, at the same time imparting a finish to them. The packages, hold- ing one pound each of butter, are cut, perfect in: shape and dimensions, from the log, at the al- most incredible speed of three hundred per min- ute. The firm has thus far manufactured about seventy thousand tubs per year, but is now reduc- ing the number, and devoting more exclusive at- tention to the five-pound round packages, of which a quarter of a million were sold last year, and to the veneer packages. Pike & Son em- ploy from fifteen to twenty men, a majority of them heads of families, and residing in town. The business of the firm is constantly increasing, and its success promises much for the future prosperity of Stowe. Politically Mr. Pike is a:
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Republican, and, although in consequence of the urgent and various demands of his private affairs he has found little time for official life, his fellow citizens testified to their confidence in him by electing him, in 1880, to the legislature, where he served on the committee on manufactures, and a member of the senate in 1900, serving on the committees, temperance, military affairs, general commerce and manufacture. In religious belief he is a Universalist.
Mr. Pike married, in 1860, Abigail, daughter of Luke J. and Eunice (Camp) Towne, and they have three sons: Arba A. is associated with his father in business, and is also a member of the firm of Pike & Benson, who conduct a gencral store at Stowe. He married Carrie Edgerton, and they had one child, Harry E. After the death of his wife, Mr. Pike married Anna Culver, and three children were born to them : Marion, Muriel and Beatrice. Lewis A. is a salesman, and resides at Stowe. He married Emma Slay- ton. and they have one child, Margaret. Fred M. is an electrician, married Sarah Rublee, and resides at Mansfield, Ohio.
ISAAC L. PEARL.
Among the prominent business men of John- son, Vermont, may be mentioned the name of Isaac L. Pearl, a member of the firm of I. L. Pearl & Company. He was born in Milton, Ver- mont, November 17, 1832, the son of Zimri Allen and Eliza (Blake) Pearl. Zimri Allen Pearl also claimed the town of Milton, Vermont, as his birthplace, having been born there June 1, 1807. He attended the district school, where he obtained a practical education, and early in life became in- terested in the operation of sawmills in Milton, where he conducted an extensive business for many years. He then removed to West Milton and for two years successfully conducted a wool- en mill, after which he located at Milton Falls and continued the same line of industry up to the time of his decease. His trade was largely custom work for the farmers. In politics Mr. Pearl was a Whig, and was chosen by his fellow citizens to serve in various local offices ; in re- ligion he was a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church, in the affairs of which he always
took an active part. He was united in marriage to Eliza Blake, and three children were born to them : Phoebe ; Rebecca, widow of George Haw- ley, a former resident of Johnson, who served in the Civil war and died in the service of his coun- try at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and they had one son, Pearl Hawley, who resides in the west ; Isaac L. Pearl. The father of these children died March II,' 1852; his widow passed away January 8, 1872, in the sixty-third year of her age.
Isaac L. Pearl, youngest child of Zimri A. and Eliza Pearl, pursued the customary educational course at the public schools and Milton Academy, after which he commenced his business career by entering the Winooski woolen mills, where he be- came thoroughly familiar with every detail of the business. He then entered the establishment of Messrs. S. & D. M. Dow in Johnson, Ver- mont, and, after the death of the latter named, purchased a half interest in the factory, where, in partnership with Stephen Dow, he continued in business for eight years. After the expiration of this period of time Mr. Dow severed his con- nection with the firm, but after a few years again renewed his interest in the business. In April, 1871, the mill was totally destroyed by fire, but was immediately rebuilt, and since that date the firm of I. L. Pearl & Company have enjoyed the success and prosperity which are invariably the sequence of good management, honest principles and strict integrity in all business transactions. Mr. Pearl is a director of the Lamoille County National Bank of Hyde Park, and for a number of years has served in the capacity of secretary and president of the board of trustees of the Johnson State Normal School.
In his political convictions Mr. Pearl is a Re- publican, was elected judge of probate of La- moille county in 1870, was county commissioner for four years and for a quarter of a century served as auditor : he was appointed chairman of the board of trustees at the organization of the village of Johnson; served as school director for a number of- years, trustce of the public money. and was chosen to represent the town of Johnson in the state legislature of 1888. serving as chair- man of the manufacturing committee in that body. Mr. Pearl is a member of Waterman Lodge No. 83, F. & A. M., of Johnson, having
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filled the chair of worshipful master four times ; he is also a member of the Baptist church.
On March 11, 1858, Mr. Pearl married Hat- tie N. Tracey, daughter of Sylvester N. and Car- oline (Green) Tracey. Their children were : Jed A., who is associated with his father in business, married Hattie E. Elkins, and they are the par- ents of two children, Leonard Isaac and Lloyd Mason Pearl; Jed A. Pearl is a Republican in politics, served as selectman four years, first se- lectman for three years, was town representative in the session of 1902 and served as chairman of the manufacturing committee, and at the pres- ent time (1903) is chairman of the village trus- tees ; he is master of Waterman Lodge No. 83, F. & A. M., and an carnest member of the Bap- tist church. Flora Alice acquired her education at the Johnson Normal School, and is now serv- ing her sixth year as teacher in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Morton Isaac died in 1871, at the age of four years. Lizzie Hattie obtained her education at the Johnson Normal School, and subsequently became the wife of Dr. George Goodwin, a practicing physician at Johnson, Ver- mont.
EDWARD LYMAN. .
Edward Lyman, late of Burlington, Vermont, for many years a leading business man and highly respected citizen of that place, was in the seventh generation from Richard Lyman, who was born in High Onger, Essex county, England, in 1580. Born in the stirring times of that great queen whose reign marks one of the most important epochs in English history, and passing his early manhood amid the religious and political agita- tions which characterized the reigns of her imme- diate successors, Richard Lyman was one of those who, for various reasons, sought a home in the new world, whither he emigrated in the sum- mer of 1631, and became one of the proprietors and a leading citizen of Hartford, Connecticut.
Job Lyman, the sixth in descent from Rich- ard, was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, December 9, 1781, and was graduated from Dart- mouth College in 1804. He was admitted to the bar of Windsor county in 1808, and settled, for the practice of his profession, at Woodstock, Ver- mont, where he became identified with a num-
ber of important public interests, among which was the Woodstock branch of the old Vermont State Bank, of which he was cashier throughout its whole existence, and he also served for many years as president of the Woodstock Bank. Mr. Lyman was for a long period court auditor of Windsor county, and also a member of the gov- ernor's council. In 1850 he relinquished all busi- ness pursuits and came to Burlington, Vermont, where he died September 10, 1870, at tlie ad- vanced age of ninety years. He left behind him an enviable reputation as a man of substantial character, public spirit and blameless life. Mr. Lyman married, in January, 1811, Mary Parrot Hall, of Westminster, Vermont, a daughter of Hon. Lot Hall, of that town. Lot Hall was a representative to the state legislature for four ses- sions, a presidential elector in 1792, a member of the council of censors in 1799, and a judge of the supreme court of Vermont from 1794 to 1801. In 1786 he married Mary Homer, of Boston.
Edward Lyman, the seventh in descent from Richard, the founder, was the son of Job and Mary Parrot (Hall) Lyman, and was born Jan- uary 21, 1826, at Woodstock, Vermont. He was educated in the schools of that town, and at the widely known Kimball Union Academy of Meri- den, New Hampshire. Mr. Lyman began his business career as clerk in a dry-goods store in Woodstock. In 1848 he came to Burlington and became the junior partner of the firm of E. & E. Lyman. After a lapse of three years he pur- chased his partner's interest in the business, of which he remained sole proprietor until August, 1868, when he formed a partnership with Her- man W. Allen under the firm name of Lyman & Allen. The new firm sustained and furthered the enviable reputation of the house for the high- est integrity and the most unquestioned credit. In 1855, when the institution now known as the Merchants' National Bank was chartered, Mr. Lyman was chosen one of its directors, and re- mained in that position without interruption for a long period, being also elected to the offices of president and vice president respectively. He resigned the presidency of the bank in January, 1885, but retained his directorship until his death.
In politics Mr. Lyman was an ardent Repub- lican, but never would accept public office. He
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and his family were attendants at the College street Congregational church. Mr. Lyman's whole record testifies to the fact that, to the unyielding strength of moral principle which he inherited from his ancestors, he added the qualities which soften the stern outlines of the Puritan charac- ter, and also a spirit of charity which widens the influence of the Puritan faith.
Mr. Lyman married, October 25, 1853, Minerva B., daughter of the late George Lyman. of White River Junction, Vermont. Their union was blessed by two children, of whom the first, Mary Louise, born in 1857, died March 14, 1862, at the age of five years. The second daugh- ter, Minnie Elizabeth, is the wife of Hon. Robert Roberts, of Burlington. By the death of Mr. Lyman, which occurred May 23, 1890, Burling- ton lost one of its best and most respected citi -- zens, a man of the highest integrity and most winning personal qualities.
COLONEL GEORGE FARNHAM LELAND.
Colonel George Farnham Leland, a prominent man of affairs of Springfield, Vermont, belongs to an ancient family of English origin, which first appears in history in the person of John Leland, who was born about 1512, in London, England, and flourished in the reign of King Henry the Eighth as a celebrated scholar and writer. The coat of arms of the Leland family is thus de- scribed : Gules a saltier argent, charged with three pallets azure, on chief or crest, with a crow, rising transfixed with an arrow. The motto : Cui debeo, fidus.
Henry Leland (I), the founder of the Amer- ican branch of the family, was born in 1625, in London, England, and came to America in 1652. He died in 1680, in Sherburne, Massachusetts. Ebenezer Leland (2), son of Henry Leland, was born, lived and died in Sherburne. He was the father of ten children. Janus Leland (3), son of Ebenezer Leland, was born in 1687, in Sherburne, and was the owner of large tracts of land. In
the latter part of his life he removed to Ontario county, New York. His family consisted of eleven children, and his death occurred at Graf- ton, Massachusetts, in 1768. Phineas Leland (4), son of Janus Leland, was born at Grafton, in 1730. He followed the occupation of a farmer,
and died at his birthplace in 1773. Caleb Leland (5), son of Phineas Leland, was born in 1765, at Grafton, Massachusetts, and married Lapin Willard. Their children were: Nancy, Otis, Joshua, Maria, Caleb, Lapin, Joseph W., Hannah R., Charles and James A. Caleb Leland died in 1843, in Baltimore, Vermont, at the age of sev- enty-eight. Joshua Leland (6), son of Caleb and Lapin (Willard) Leland, was born in 1794, and followed the occupation of a farmer at Baltimore, Vermont. He was a Republican in politics, and was elected to the Vermont legislature. He mar- ried Betsey Boynton, and was the father of the following named children: Oscar H., born in 1826, is now in Texas ; Marcella D., born in 1830, is in Springfield ; and Charles A. Charles A. Le- land (7), son of Joshua and Betsey (Boynton) Leland, was born November 15, 1832, in Balti- more, Windsor county, Vermont, and in early life resided at his birthplace, but for the last twenty- five years has made his home at Springfield. Un- til twenty years ago he was engaged in farming, but since then has devoted himself, with his son, to mercantile pursuits. He is a Republican in pol- itics, and has served as selectman and held other local minor offices. In 1866 he represented the town of Baltimore in the state legislature. He married Susan Farnham. He attends the Uni- versalist church.
George Farnham Leland (8), son of Charles A. and Susan (Farnham) Leland, was born Jan- uary 25, 1858, in Baltimore, Windsor county, Vermont, and was educated in the Springfield public schools. At the age of seventeen he be- came a clerk in his father's store, where he re- mained two years. At the end of that time, his father having sold his business to the Hon. F. G. Field, of North Springfield, the son remained with the latter as a clerk for four years. He was then employed for one year by W. H. H. Putnam in the hardware business, and in April, 1882, in company with his father, bought the large mer- cantile business of the firm of Cobb & Derby, of Springfield, the establishment being thenceforth known as that of C. A. Leland & Son. They oc- cupy a large and commodious building, consist- ing of three stories and a basement, fifty by fifty feet, comprising two stores combined. They deal in general merchandise, and have conducted their business on the principle of a farmers' exchange,
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thus giving general satisfaction to the community in which they reside. By this method they have been enabled to greatly increase their stock, and their conutry trade is now larger than that of any other establishment in the vicinity.
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