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 121
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On December 15, 1863, Mr. Ranny married Harriett Philips, a daughter of Gardner and Parmelia (Carpenter) Philips, and her death oc-
curred May 20, 1886, at the age of forty-one years. Mr. Ranny was then united in marriage June 7, to Miss Mary F. Clark, a daughter of Fessenden and Mary C. (Hunt) Clark. Mrs. Ranny is a prominent member of the Woman's Relief Club and the Vermont Chapter in the Society of Colonial Dames.
DR. FREDERICK GEORGE PETTEE.
Dr. Frederick George Pettee, an accomplished dental practitioner, and who has been a resident of Brattleboro since 1865, is a descendant of one Joseph Pettee, who located in Weymouth, Massachusetts, in 1681, and was the father of
DR. FREDERICK GEORGE PETTEE.
Samuel, who was born in Dorchester, Massa- chusetts, October 24, 1685. The next in descent was also Samuel, born in Walpole, Massachu- setts, April 3, 1736. Silas Pettee, the son of Samuel and the grandfather of Dr. F. G. Pettee. was born in Foxboro, Massachusetts, whence he
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removed to Hinsdale in 1800, and thence to Wilmington in 1804, He was a miller and also followed blacksmithing. lle is remembered to have been one of the carhest settlers of Wil- mington, as his father and two brothers were among the earliest settlers of Foxboro, Massachu- setts, anad were principally instrumental in caus- ing the incorporation of that town.
Dr. A. Lewis Pettee, the son of Silas and the father of Dr. F. G. Pettee, was born at Reads- boro, Vermont, was a graduate of Middlebury Medical College, in the class of 1836, and was for many years a practicing physician of Wilm- ington, Vermont. In 1888 he went to Flandreau, South Dakota, where he died in the following year at the age of sixty-six. His wife was Mary Ann Conant, who was the grandfather of Heze- kiah Salisbury, a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and whose name appears on the Windham county pension list under the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. He served with the Rhode Island militia at the battle of Bunker Hill as corporal and sergeant.
Frederick George Pettee was born in Wil- mington, Vermont, September 10, 1853, and was educated in Brattleboro, where he finished his literary education in the high school. He at first decided upon a medical career, and with this end in view took lectures at the Long Island College Hospital, but subsequently took up the study of dentistry under the preceptorship of his father. He was later associated in practice with Dr. Strang, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and with Dr. Brush. of Brooklyn, New York. In the fall of 1883 he came to Brattleboro, where he was in partnership association with his father for five years, since which time he practiced alone till October, 1902, when his son, Dr. A. L. Pettee, became a member of the firm, which is known as Drs. F. G. and A. L. Pettee.
Dr. Pettee affiliates with the Masonic fra- ternity, in Columbia Lodge No. 36, and with the Order of the Eastern Star. January 1, 1875, he married Eugenia M. Bingham, daughter of Pro- fessor B. F. Bingham. The eldest of the three sons of this union is A. L. Pettee, who received his early schooling at Brattleboro, then entered the dental department of Baltimore Medical Col- lege, and was graduated with the class of 1900. For one year following he was with Dr. S. R.
Adams, of Boston, and in 1902 became associated with his father. He is a member of the Vermont Dental Association. He marks the third suc- cessive generation which has devoted itself to the profession of dental surgery. The other two sons of Dr. F. G. Pettee are Ralph B. and Frederick Clinton.
The Bingham family, of which Mrs. Pettee is a member, is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and in the carly day was connected with the English nobility, and enjoyed the possession of a coat of arms. Deacon Thomas Bingham was the first American ancestor, and he settled in Saybrook, Connecticut, but his death occurred in Windham, Connecticut, in 1730, at the age of eighty-eight years. He was one of the prominent figures of that day and place. He married Mary Rudd. of Saybrook, the daughter of Lieutenant Jonathan Rudd, and her mother was known as the cele- brated "Bride of Bride Brook." Thomas Bingham was the eldest child of this marriage, and was born in 1667 in Norwich, Connecticut, and was, in succession to his father, one of the proprietors of that town. He married Hannah, daughter of Lieutenant W. Backus. Their fam- ily consisted of eight children, of which number Deacon Joseph Bingham was lieutenant of a company in the French and Indian war. His son Jeremiah was a resident of Bennington, Ver- mont, and later of Cornwall, where he was an early settler. He was one of the heroes at the battle of Bennington on the 16th of August, 1777, when General Stark totally defeated the British. Asaph Bingham, the son of Jeremiah, served as a volunteer at the battle of Plattsburg in 1814, and was later a colonel of militia, a man of distinction in the community, and represented Cornwall in the legislature, and for a period of twenty years was clerk of the town. He was twice married, first to Laura Smith, and second to Hannah (family name unknown), and by these wives had the following children: Joel, Sarah, Sarah S., Asaph H. and Benjamin F. The last named, the father of Mrs. Pettee, was born April 9, 1824, was a distinguished educator, and for a period of twenty-six years before his death in 1889 was principal of the high school of Brattle- boro. He married Frances Pease, and they be- came the parents of Cora, Lena, Louise, Eugenia, and Charles.
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THE STATE OF VERMONT.
WILLIAM LUTHER GREENLEAF.
The Greenleaf family were originally Hugue- nots, who left France on account of religious persecutions and settled in England some time in the sixteenth century. The first of the name in America was Edmund Greenleaf, who came from Ipswich, county of Suffolk, England, and settled in Newbury, Massachusetts, early in the year 1635. In 1637 he commanded a company of mili- tia in an excursion against the Indians. He was ordered to be ensign of the Newbury company in 1639. In 1642 he was commissioned lieuten- ant of Massachusetts provincial forces, and in 1644 was commissioned captain. He died in Bos- ton, Massachusetts, March 24, 1671.
Stephen Greenleaf, son of Edmund, was born in Ipswich, England, in August, 1628. He was appointed ensign of Massachusetts militia, May 31, 1670; lieutenant in 1685, and captain in 1686. As captain in the Massachusetts forces he went with the expedition against Port Royal in Octo- ber, 1690, and while landing from the ship was wrecked and drowned on December 1, 1690, with nine others of his company.
Stephen Greenleaf, Jr., son of Stephen, was born in Newbury, Massachusetts, August 15, 1652. In the old records of the town of New- bury he is called "Captain Stephen," and served in the "King Philip's war," and was severely wounded in a battle with the Indians at Hatfield, Massachusetts, August 25, 1675. He was after- wards made captain and was distinguished in the Indian wars of the time. He is mentioned in "Mather's Magnalia" as commanding a com- company in the celebrated battle with the French and Indians at Wells, Maine, in 1690.
Dr. Daniel Greenleaf, son of Captain Stephen, served as surgeon of a regiment of Massachusetts troops at the siege of Louisburg, Cape Breton, in 1745, and also as surgeon on one of the colony ships during the same war.
Rev. Daniel Greenleaf, son of Dr. Daniel, married the granddaughter of General Daniel Gooking, who was elected major general of all the forces of the colony of Massachusetts, May II, 1681, and was the last major general of the colony under the old charter, and he was also the first under the charter of William and Mary.
Stephen Greenleaf, the son of Rev. Daniel,
served as a private in Captain John Carter's mounted company, which was detached from Col- onel Oliver Wilder's regiment and served in the Fort William Henry alarm. He was afterwards a sergeant in Captain Asa Whitcomb's company of Colonel Jonathan Bagley's regiment raised for the invasion of Canada, and served eight months and twelve days. In the fall of 1771 he moved from Boston, Massachusetts, to Brattle- boro, Vermont, where he had purchased the tract of land of about eight hundred acres, known as the "Governor's Farm," comprising all that is now known as the East village of Brattleboro. Here he built mills and opened, as is believed, the first store in Vermont. He built the first dwell- ing house, the first sawmill and the first grist- mill ever erected in Brattleboro. His eldest son, Stephen, served as town clerk of Brattleboro for forty-five successive years. He died in Brattle- boro, June 8, 1802.
James Greenleaf, the second son of Stephen, who settled in Brattleboro, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, December 9, 1770. He was one of the earliest settlers of the town of Derby, Ver- mont, to which town he removed from Brattle- boro in 1799, and built mills which he operated until shortly before his death, which occurred November 5, 1845.
William Fairbanks Greenleaf, son of James and father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Derby, Vermont, May 6, 1812. He was a millwright and machinist by trade. He died in Winooski, Vermont, February 18, 1877.
William Luther Greenleaf was born in Derby, Vermont, September 1, 1842, and removed to Burlington with his parents in 1846, and after- wards to Winooski, Vermont, in 1847. He was educated at the district schools and at Williston Academy. In 1857 he went to Iowa, where his father was engaged in building mills, and while there learned the trade of compositor in the office of the North Iowa Gasette, returning to Winooski in 1858.
In May, 1861, he joined a company that was being formed for the Second Regiment of Ver- mont Infantry Volunteers, but owing to the large number of men offering themselves for that regiment the company was not accepted. He afterwards enlisted as a private in Company L. of the First Vermont Cavalry, August 11, 1862.
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was made second sergeant at the organization of the company, and was instered into the serv- ice of the United States as such, September 29, 1862. He participated with his regiment in the battles of the Gettysburg campaign, and at Hagerstown, Maryland, July 13, 1863, was three times severely wounded, and had his horse shot under him while engaged with his company in charging a Confederate battery (gunshot throughi right arm, breaking bone, through both shoulders, and in left hip; was left inside the lines of the enemy concealed until the following day).
Recovering from his wounds he returned to his regiment in season to participate in the Wil- derness campaign of General Grant in May and June, 1864, having in the meantime been com- missioned second lieutenant of his company to date from February 28, 1864. While on "Wil- son's Raid" inside the Confederate lines south- west of Petersburg, Virginia, he was severely wounded (gunshot wound through right leg be- low knee, shattering bone), June 23, and fell into the hands of the enemy on the 29th, when General Wilson was obliged to abandon his ar- tillery and wounded. After being exchanged he again returned to his regiment, and was commis- sioned first lieutenant of his company to date February 9, 1865. He was honorably discharged June 15, 1865, by special orders of the war de- partment for disability from wounds received in action ; having participated in twenty-five battles and engagements, and been four times severely wounded and a prisoner of war for several months.
At the reorganization of the Vermont state militia after the close of the Civil war, he was commissioned captain of Company E, first Regi- ment Vermont Militia, March 25, 1869, and was successively promoted inajor, lieutenant colonel, and colonel of his regiment. He was elected by the legislature to the office of brigadier gen- eral, December 1, 1866, and as such commanded the National Guard of the state until December 1, 1892, when he was retired upon his own appli- cation. The order retiring him says : "The commander-in-chief takes this occasion to con- vey to Brigadier General Greenleaf his high appre- ciation of his long and faithful service of nearly twenty-seven years, and to extend the thanks of the state for the part taken by him in
bringing the National Guard of the state to its present state of discipline and efficiency. In ac- cordance with the provisions of the act creating a retired list, he is the first officer to be placed thereon, and is entitled to wear the uniform of his rank on all occasions of ceremony."
After his return from the army he engaged in business as a retail druggist, which business he followed successfully at Milton and Winooski, Vermont, until 1884. In 1881 he was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue, and in Feb- ruary, 1882, was made deputy collector of cus- toms by his former colonel, General William Wells, which position he still holds, having served as chief deputy for the district of Vermont under Collectors Benedict, Smalley and Merrill.
While residing at Winooski he was for sev- cral years clerk of the town of Colchester, and also served the village at different times as clerk, trustee, treasurer and chief of the fire department.
He joined Webster Lodge No. 61, F. & A. M., in 1865 and was master of the lodge for nine successive years ; also member of the grand lodge of Vermont for twelve years; became a member of the Grand Army in 1868 and has served as commander of Stannard Post No. 2, assistant quartermaster general of the department, and commander of the department of Vermont ; joined the Vermont Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion at its organization in November, 1891, and was elected recorder of the commandery, which position he still holds by successive elections.
JAMES ROSS AND JOHN IMLAH.
James Ross and John Imlah are actively iden - tified with the manufacturing interests of Hard- wick as proprietor of the Ross-Imlah Granite Company. Both are young men of undoubted business ability and enterprise, well endowed with the determination, courage and persistency that bring success in all undertakings. This firm uses the best grades of Hardwick, Woodbury and Barre granite in its monumental work, making a specialty of artistic carving, and has built up a prosperous business, keeping a salesman traveling throughout the west, from whom a full supply of orders is constantly on hand. Messrs. Ross and Imlah are progressive in their methods, using the most im-
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THE STATE OF VERMONT.
proved and approved machinery and appliances in their plant, including traveling crane and giant lift, polishing wheels, electric power and pncu- matic tools.
James Ross, senior member of the firm, was born November 8, 1871, in Aberdeen, Scotland, the birthplace of both his parents, James and Mary (Jessman) Ross. His father, who was a ship carpenter, lost his life by a shipwreck while on a voyage from Hong Kong, China, to Scot- land. Mr. Ross lived in Scotland until eleven years of age, when he came to Montreal, province of Quebec, where he spent four years. Coming then to Vermont, he served an apprenticeship at the granite-cutter's trade in Barre, after which he worked several years as a journeyman. In Sep- tember, 1899, he located in Hardwick, where he worked at his trade a few months before enter- ing into a copartnership with Mr. Imlah as a granite manufacturer. In December, 1899, Mr. Ross married Mary Downie, who was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and came to America in 1892, with her parents, William and Mary (Lowe) Downie, the former of whom is a gran- ite cutter at Barre, Vermont.
John Imlah, junior member of the firm, was born in Cumminstown, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, January 19, 1875, a son of Robert Imlah, who emigrated to Vermont in 1887, and is now a polisher in the Barre Granite Works. His wife, whose maiden name was Catherine Rettie, and his son John carne to this country five years later, joining him in Barre. John Imlah learned his trade as a granite cutter in Barre, where he was employed until 1899, when he came to Hard- wick, subsequently entering into business, as above mentioned, with Mr. Ross, their works being located about three-fourths of a mile south of the village, on the line of the Woodbury. Rail- way.
Mr. Imlah is a member of the Odd Fellows Order, and of Clan Gordon of Barre, Order of Scottish Clans, and is a Mason. Mr. Ross is also a Mason and a Forester.
DANIEL CLAY WRIGHT.
Daniel Clay Wright, a prosperous farmer, stock-raiser and dairyman of Westminster, Ver- mont, was born on the old homestead where he
now resides, August 14, 1823, a son of Hollis Wright, and grandson of Medad Wright, the pioneer. Medad Wright was born in Northfield, Massachusetts, in 1734, and lived there through- out the days of his youth and early manhood. Coming to Westminster, Vermont, in 1760, he took up a tract of heavily timbered land that was in its primitive wildness and by dint of per- severing industry hewed out a farmi, on which he spent the remainder of his years. In the first opening that he cleared, he put up a rough brush camp, which he occupied until a log cabin was built, and this in turn was replaced by a small frame house, and when that was outgrown, and money had become more plentiful, he erected a hip-roofed house, with timbers of solid oak, and this remained the family domicile until 1869. He was a soldier in the Revolution, serv- ing as lieutenant, and an order that he received, written by John Sessions, of the committee of safety, dated July 3, 1777, commanding him to collect the men of his company and push forward to the relief of the American army at Ticonder- oga, is now in the possesison of one of his de- scendants, Edward P. Wright. Of his union with Irania Holton, nine children were born, namely : Asaph, born in 1763; Rufus, born in 1765; Elihu, born in 1769. Solomon, born in 1771 ; Obed, born in 1773; Hollis, born in 1776, died in infancy ; Hollis, born in 1780; and Me- dad, born in 1781. After the death of his first wife he married again, and had one son of that union, Neri.
Hollis Wright was born February 22, 1780, on the old homestead in Westminster. He was well educated for his times, and during the days of his early manhood he taught school several terms. Succeeding to the ownership of the parental farm, he was there engaged in agri- cultural pursuits most successfully until his death, in 1864. He married, first, Lucy Beck- with, who was born October 8, 1784, and died in September, 1820. He married, second, April 24, 1822, Elizabeth Clay, daughter of James Clay, Jr., of Putney, Vermont. and they reared two sons, namely: Orin Prescott, who was born February 17, 1825, went to California with the gold-seekers in 1849, and lived there until his death, April 23, 1880; and Daniel C., the special subject of this brief sketch.
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THE STATE OF VERMONT.
Daniel Clay Wright spent a few years of his carly life in Deerfield, Massachusetts, but with that exception has resided on the ancestral home- stead, profitably engaged in general farming. He has paid considerable attention to sheep and cattle raising, and has carried on dairying to a large extent, meeting with success in cach branch of agriculture. He has one hundred and ninety acres of land. a large part of which is in a good state of cultivation, yielding him profitable re- turns for the time and money expended in its care. Of late years he has carried on a good in- surance business in connection with his other work. He is prominent in town affairs, having served as selectman a longer term of years than any other man, for eight years of the time being chairman of the board, and has also had charge of trust funds. He is a Republican in politics, and was a representative to the state legislature in 1898. He takes great interest in the temper- ance cause, and is an active member of the Con- gregational society, for many years serving on its committee.
Mr. Wright married, in 1851, Sarah Ritchie Cragin, who died July 21, 1900. Three children were born of their union, namely: Edward P .; George Cragin; and Harriet Elizabeth, who was graduated from the Vermont Academy, and is now a teacher in a private school at New Haven, Connecticut. Edward P. Wright, born in 1853, died in December, 1900. He was a commercial traveler for many years, in the interests of his business, visiting nearly every state and territory of the Union. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Erwin, died December 29, 1884, leaving two daughters, Edna Foy, attending school in Boston; and Mary Louise, a graduate of the Bellows Falls high school, is now a teacher in the public schools of this city. George Cragin Wright, one of the leading farmers and milk producers of Westminster, and proprietor of a milk route to Bellows Falls, is a citizen of worth, and has rendered excellent service to his towns- men as a member of the board of selectmen. He married Mabel Roberts, of Putney, and, they are the parents of eight children, namely : Martha Clay, Daniel Charles, Margaret Ritchie, George' Roberts, Hollis Cragin, Mabel Sophia, Helen Elizabeth and Sarah Louise.
JOHN BARRON PECKETT.
John Barron Peckett, an eminent attorney at law of Orange county, Vermont, was born De- cember 21, 1856, in Bradford, Vermont, a worthy descendant of Giles l'eckett, a native of York- shire, England, whence he emigrated to this coun- try in 1774. He located first at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, later removed to North Haverhill, and in 1779 or 1780 became a pioneer settler of the town of Bradford, Vermont. Mr. Peckett was married twice, his first wife having been Betsey Cole, who died childless ; his second wife, Margaret Appleton, bore him four sons and two daughters. Mr. Peckett's will was made in Brad- ford, Vermont, April 10, 1795.
Edward Peckett, eldest son of Giles and Mar- garet Peckett, was born in England, and had at- tained the age of fifteen years when his parents. removed to America. He was united in marriage. to Deborah Barron, of Haverhill, New Hamp- shire, and six children were born of this union. Subsequently he located in Newbury, Vermont, where his death occurred while his children were all of a tender age.
John Barron Peckett, fifth child in order of birth of Edward and Deborah Peckett, was born November 29, 1789, at Newbury, Vermont, and was bereft of his father at the early age of two. years. From that time until he was nine years of age he resided in the family of his maternal. grandfather, after which he came to Bradford, Vermont, and lived on a farm with Mr. and Mrs. Cheney, the latter named being a daughter of Colonel John Barron, of Bradford, Vermont, who was a cousin of Mrs. Peckett. With little op- portunity for securing an education, yet he made the most of his advantages, and in due course of time was successfully engaged in teaching school. For twenty-seven years he was employed in raft- ing on the Connecticut river, disposing of his lum- ber usually at Hartford, Connecticut, and often returning to his home on foot. Mr. Peckett was very slight in physique, but muscular and rugged, and hard work was a habit and pleasure. with him; when about seventy-nine years old he plowed three acres of land in one day. For thirty years he acted in the capacity of overseer of the poor ; represented his town in the state legisla-
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ture in 1831 ; served as selectman and town agent many years, and was several times appointed by the county court as commissioner to lay out roads in his own and other towns. He was an carnest temperance worker and supporter of the prohib- itory law, the principles of which he firmly ad- hered to. On January 8, 1817, he married Mar- tha Tilton, and three sons and two daughters were born to them. Mr. Peckett died November 16, 1868, and his wife's death occurred December 23, 1858, aged sixty-six years.
John Barron Peckett, son of John Barron and Martha Peckett, was born December 19, 1822, in Bradford, Vermont. After completing his education in the common schools he served for several years as clerk in the store of Asa Low, and subsequently became a partner of Adams Preston in a mercantile business, this connection continuing for three years. In 1854 he formed a partnership with George and Edward Prichard in the ownership and operation of a grist and saw mill at Bradford, which was a profitable en- terprise. In March, 1865, he purchased the brick homestead on the lower plain, where he made his home for the remainder of his life. He was actively interested in town affirs, and was elected on the Republican ticket to serve as town treas- urer and justice of the peace, being the incum- bent of these offices for many years; he was a strong advocate and supporter of the cause of temperance, both by precept and example. On Sep- tember 9, 1847, Mr. Peckett married Caroline Low, daughter of Asa Low, who was a prominent citi- zen of Bradford, and one of the representative men of eastern Vermont. Mr. Low was active in securing the construction of a railroad through Bradford, which so materially aided the advance- ment and growth of the town. One of his daugh- ters married David Blakely, the organizer of the present Sousa's Band, who lost considerable money in placing the organization on a success- ful basis. The following named children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Peckett: Asa Low, who served as railroad claim agent at the time of his death ; Caroline Frances, who died in May, 1874, she was the wife of Dr. Horace Berry, of Cam- bride, Massachusetts; John Barron ; and Martha Lucinda, who died in childhood. The father of these children died May 12, 1894.
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