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 40

Author: Carleton, Hiram, 1838- ed
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1032

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 40

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HENRY W. BOOTH.

Henry W. Booth, deceased, was one of the most active and useful business men of Benning- ton, and one of its most exemplary and public- spirited citizens. The Booth family is of Scotch origin, and dates back to carly colonial times. Roger C. Booth located in Bennington in carly life, and pursued a successful carcer as a stone- cutter, and died at the advanced age of eighty years. His son Asahel, who lived to the same age, became a prominent manufacturer, and op- crated the Wadding Mills in Bennington during his entire active life.

Henry W., son of Asahel Booth, was a native of Bennington, as was the father, and was born April 7, 1830. He received an excellent educa- tion, beginning his studies in the common schools of his home village, and taking advanced courses at Manchester in the Burr and Burton Sem- inary, and Westfield Academy in Massachusetts. He began his business life in association with his brother, in the general dry-goods line in Benning- ton, whence he removed to Erie, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged for seven years in a gro- cery business. He subsequently removed to New York city, and afterward located permanently in Bennington, where he was senior member of the knitting mills firm of Booth & Valentine, and was otherwise actively identified with commercial en- terprises until his death, which occurred in 1885. He was deeply respected for his business ability, integrity and sterling traits of personal charac- ter. He took a deep interest in all movements looking to the advancement of the community in material, moral and social ways, and was par- ticularly active in the maintenance of the free li- brary, and in extending the scope of its useful- ness. He was elected to numerous important lo- cal offices, and was a member of the fraternity of Odd Fellows.

Henry W. Booth was married January I, 1852, to Miss Mary Squire, who was also a na- tive of Bennington, born in the present Cooper house, on Main street. Her parents were Buckley and Lucretia (Norton) Squire. Her father was a tanner and conducted a large establishment for many years, and was also interested in a chair manufactory ; he was a man of high character and a leader in all worthy public movements, for many

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years a selectman, and occupied other important local offices; he died at the age of sixty-eight years. He was a descendant of Saxton and Syl- via (Newell) Squire, the former a Revolutionary soldier, who enlisted at the early age of sixteen years, and became drum major and subsequently captain in the patriot army. In the more recent generations the family has been prominently iden- tified with the manufacturing interests of the region.

JAMES H. WALBRIDGE.

Colonel James H. Walbridge, a veteran of the Civil war and one of the prominent and esteemed citizens of North Bennington, Ver. mont, was born July 29, 1826, in Paper Mill Village (now Bennington Mills), Vermont. Stebbins D. Walbridge, his father, was born March 25, 1801, in Paper Mill Village and after attending the common schools of the town, he followed the occupation of farming, and in addition to this purchased a woolen mill, which he operated successfully for many years. His entire life was spent in the vil lage in which he was born, where he was elected to serve in various local offices of trust. He was united in marriage to Miss Harriett Hicks, who was born in Bennington Center, and five children were born to them, all but one of whom lived to be over seventy years old. . Mr. Walbridge and his family were active and consistent members of the Universalist church, and his death occurred August 27. 1885, at the age of eighty-two years, and his wife passed away in August 1832.

James H. Walbridge obtained his educa- tion in the common schools of his native town, and when he reached the age of sixteen years went to the Massachusetts coast, off Hing- ham, to fish for mackerel, but returned home in the fall and was engaged for one year in his father's woolen mill: he then decided to return to the mackerel fishing again, but not liking the occupation any better, he returned again to his father's woolen mill at Paper Mill, where he remained for one year. At the expiration of that period of time he located in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he was em-

ployed in a paper mill for two years, and with the Berkshire Paper Company for one year. In April, 1842, he started all alone for California. making the journey from Massachusetts by rail- road and boat until he arrived at the head of Chagres river ; then he traveled fifty-four miles by land to Panama and from there to San Fran- cisco. He then went into the mines, and after securing quite an amount of gold returned to San Francisco, and three years later sent to New York for a printing press, which he took with him to Sacramento, and up to the year 1857 con- ducted a printing office, meeting with a large de-

JAMES H. WALBRIDGE.

gree of success. In 1856, while he was residing in San Francisco, he became identified with the peace and order committee known as the "vig-

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ilantes," and he also enrolled with the Home Guard, and still has in his possession the certi- ficate of membership. He also assisted in the hanging of four men from the windows of the fort, and remembers all of its horrible details. In 1857 he returned to his native village in Ver- mont and purchased the old property belonging to General Ebenezer Walbridge, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1861, when President Lincoln issued his first call for troops. Hle at once organized Company A, Second Ver- mont Regiment, this being the second regiment organized in the state, and of which he was placed in command. Later he enlisted for three years and participated in the following named battles: first battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, Lee's Mills, Millersburg, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Campbells Gap, Antietam, Fred- ericksburg, where he lost one hundred and seven men, Mary's Heights, Solon Heights, second bat- tle of Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Lunkstown and Rappahannock Station. For the heroism he displayed on the field of battle, he was pro- moted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, January 8, 1853, and to that of colonel February 9, 1864; through exposure he contracted spinal disease, from which he never fully recovered, and he was discharged for disability April 2, 1864. He com- manded his regiment during the exciting times of the draft riot in 1863, and after his discharge from the service of the United States army, he returned to Bennington, Vermont, and was em- ployed as assistant assessor and department col- lector of internal revenue. He retained this posi- tion for fifteen years, after which he was em- ployed with the Panama Railroad for one year. He then located in North Bennington, and re- sided in the house which he had built in 1860; for a number of years he has been in the employ of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Ver- mont, and has succeeded in building up a very extensive business.

Mr. Walbridge is a firm and staunch adherent of the principles of the Republican party, and has served as selectman for three years, justice of the peace for a number of years, village trustee, a member of the committee on highways, and a member of the school board for several years. He is also a prominent member of Custer Post, G. A. R., and he had the honor of being called upon

to deliver the address June 20, 1887, at the twen- ty-fifth annal reunion of his regiment.

On March 3. 1862, Mr. Walbridge was united in marriage to Miss Eliza A. Burgess, who was born in Hoosick, New York. Her death occurred April 25, 1862. On February 26, 1867, he mar- ried for his second wife Mrs. Delia Bruce, who was born in White Creek, Washington county. New York, daughter of Islihu Perry, a native of White Creek, who followed farming as an occu- pation all his life and who married Miss Sarah Sherman: to them five children were born, of whom but one survives, Mrs. Walbridge. Aaron Perry, grandfather of Mrs. Walbridge, was a prominent farmer of White Creek, and was an active participant in the war of the Revolution. He married Miss Anna Hoag, whose mother lived to be over one hundred years old. Mr. Wal- bridge had one child by his second wife, George Hicks Walbridge, who acquired his education in the common schools, graduated from Cornell Uni- versity, and subsequently became a civil engineer, he located in New York city, where he was con- nected with the J. G. White Electrical Supply Company in the capacity of secretary and treas- urer ; he married Miss Mary Taylor, of Ithaca, New York.

J. OLIVER BURT.

J. Oliver Burt, senior member of the firm of Burt Brothers, dealers in men's furnishing goods at Bennington, has advanced to a prominent posi- tion in commercial circles from a humble clerk- ship, and his life history illustrates the power of enterprise, industry and perseverance in the active affairs of life. His paternal grandfather was a farmer of this locality, but died before the birth of our subject. The grandmother bore the maid- en name of Catherine Knox, and was a descend- ant of one of the old families of New England ; her death occurred in Bennington, when she had attained the advanced age of eighty-seven years. She had quite a large family but only one is now living, Mrs. David Rockland, who resides on a farm just without the corporate limits of this vil- lage and is now eighty-four years of age.

Job H. Burt, one of this family, was born in Bennington, was reared and educated there and throughout his life carried on agricultural pur-

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suits on the place which is still known as the Burt homestead. He married Ellen Moulds, a native of England, who came to the United States when her father brought his family to the new world, and settled in Bennington, where he lived to an advanced age. To Mr. and Mrs. Burt were born three children, all of whom are yet living: J. Oliver ; Nellie C., the wife of William Scott, of Hagaman, New York ; and Sidney A., who is as- sociated in business with his brother.

J. Oliver Burt was born on the old family homestead, October 29, 1860, and at the usual age entered the public schools, continuing his educa- tion in the high school. When but a boy he en- tered upon his business career as an employe in the clothing store of C. G. Cole and has since been connected with this line of commercial interests. His close application and reliability won him pro- motion from time to time, and he was admitted to a partnership in the business, continuing his asso- ciation with Mr. Cole until 1893. The partner- ship was then dissolved, and in partnership with his brother Sidney, he established the store which they still own, and which is proving to them a profitable source of income. They carry a large and well-selected stock of men's furnishing goods, and their straightforward dealing and earnest de- sire to please have secured to them an extensive patronage.

In 1884 J. Oliver Burt was married to Miss Hattie Burgess, a native of Bennington and a daughter of Henry and Mary (Woodward) Bur- gess, both natives of this place and the later a daughter of Arnold Woodward, a farmer who was born in Woodford, Vermont. Henry Bur- gess was engaged in the livery business for a number of years, and still makes his home in Bennington, where he is dealing extensively in live stock. He and his wife had five children, all of whom are living: Mrs. Burt ; Olive, at home ; H. W .. a practicing veterinary surgeon of Ben- nington ; Mrs. E. M. Aiken, a widow residing in Springfield, Massachusetts; and Charles A., of California. To the marriage of Mr. Burt and his wife were born seven children: Curtis S., Cole, Kathryn, Barbara, Eugene, Harriet and Roger. Mrs. Burt holds membership in the Baptist church, and Mr. Burt is a member of the board of trustees. In his political views he is a stalwart Republican, but has never sought or desired the

honors or emoluments of public office, preferring to give his time and attention to his business- affairs.

MERRETT ELIAS BURGESS,

When a citizen of worth and character has departed this life, it is proper that a record of his honorable and useful career be perpetuated and a tribute of respect and honor be accorded his mem- ory. The late Merrett E. Burgess lives in the- memory and affection of his family and friends as- a devoted husband, kind neighbor and public- spirited citizen. During the long years of his residence in the village of Bennington he was to. the people all that is required in good citizen- ship, public enterprise and sympathetic friend- ship. In the love of his family he found his cares. lightened, and in the respect of his fellow citi- zens he received the reward of his faithfulness. No man was more honored in the community and few had done more for the advancement of the- general good. Mr. Burgess was a man of most kindly nature, of marked executive ability and genuine public spirit, and this brief memoir will be read with satisfaction by those who knew the- man and recognized his sterling worth of char- acter. He was summoned into eternal rest on the 27th of September, 1896, in the prime of his no- ble and useful manhood, and the community felt a sense of personal loss when he was thus called from the scene of his earthly labors.

Mr. Burgess was a scion of one of the old and prominent families of the Green Mountain state. He was born in Bennington county, near the historic site of the battle of Bennington, the date of his nativity being July 16. 1845. He was a son of Richmond Burgess, who was born at White Creek, New York, the son of Archibald' Burgess, who removed thence to Hoosick, New York, being one of the first settlers in that local- ity, where he devoted his life to agricultural pur- suits, passing away at the age of eighty-seven years. Richmond Burgess married Sarah Rock- wood, who was born in Newfane, Windham coun- ty, Vermont, on the 22d of December, IS16, be- ing the daughter of Samuel J. Rockwood, who. was a soldier in the continental line during the. war of the Revolution. She was one of a family of fourteen children and is the only one now sur-

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viving, having attained the venerable age of eighty-six years and still remaining in the old home in Bennington. Four of her five children are still living and all are residents of Benning- ton, namely : Henry ; Richard ; Sarah, the wife of William R. Woodward ; and Frank ; all being members of the Baptist church, of which Mrs. Burgess has been a devoted adherent from her youth up.

Merrett E. Burgess was reared in Bennington and secured his educational discipline in the pub- lic schools. He began his independent business career by engaging in the livery business in Ben- nington, continuing in the same until 1866, when he went to Chicago, Illinois, where he continued his residence about two years. Mr. Burgess re- turnel to Bennington in 1870 and became pro- prietor of the Putnam House stables, which he conducted until 1883, keeqing about one hundred and seventy horses and having the largest livery business in the state. His industry was unflag- ging, his business ability of the highest order, his integrity of the most inflexible nature, and he achieved a noteworthy success through his able and discriminating efforts : he accumulated a for- tune, having an estate valued at more than one hundred thousand dollars at the time of his death. He took a deep interest in his city and did much to further its progress and substantial upbuild- ing. He erected several houses, including the present family residence and also the hotel ad- joining and the express office, with the extensive stables in the rear of the hotel building. He was the owner of a fine farm in Bennington county, and on the same he erected a fine dwelling, which is picturesquely located at the foot of Mount Anthony, while he also retained possession of the old homestead farm which had been his father's. In politics he gave his support to the Republican party, and his religious faith was that of the Bap- tist.church, of which his widow and children are members.

On the 28th of March, 1871, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Burgess to Miss Jennie Mussey, who was born in the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, the daughter of Alvy and Lucre- tia (Powers) Mussey, both of whom died when she was a mere child and left three children, all of whom are living, namely : Emma, who resides near Saratoga. New York; Nellie, who is the wife

of Charles E. Gilman, of Cohoes, New York ; and Jennie, the widow of the subject of this memoir. Mrs. Burgess was reared and educated in Ben- nington, where she has thus spent practically her entire life, and where she has the loving esteem of a wide circle of friends. Her two children are: John 11., who remains at the parental home, having been associated with his father in busi- ness and now giving his entire attention to the management of the estate ; and Annie Louise, who is the wife of Sidney S. Pike, and who has one son, Sidney S., Jr.

HON. GEORGE W. RANDALL.

George W. Randall, an enterprising citizen of Waterbury, whose active life extended over al- most two-thirds of a century, and who has ren- dered his state useful service in a legislative ca- pacity, is descended from two old and well known Vermont families. His father, Oliver C. Ran- dall, was the son of William and Dolly (Wingate) Randall, and his mother, who was Electa Coffin, was a daughter of Moses and Lydia (Dustin) Coffin. Lydia Dustin was a daughter of Thomas Dustin, who was a son of Thomas Dustin, of In- dian war fame.

George W. Randall was born in Waterbury, September 18, 1825. He was deprived of his par- ents when he was only five years old, and he had scarcely emerged from infancy when he was obliged to make his own way in the world, with his own strength and character as his only capi- tal and resources. He managed to secure the rudiments of an education in the common schools of his native village, and when sixteen years of age became apprenticed to a blacksmith, in whose employ he remained for three years, and during this time he not only performed all the tasks de- volving upon him and gained a thorough prac- tical knowledge of the trade, but he added largely to his store of knowledge by industriously ap- plying himself during his spare hours to all such books as he could procure, and these studious habits characterized all his after life. After his apprenticeship had ended, he took brief courses in the Stowe and Bakersfield academies, paying his own expenses out of his meagre earnings. His advancement was, however, rapid and substan- tial, so much so that he entered upon the duties

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of a school teacher and acquitted himself most creditably, displaying such aptitude for the call- ing as to assure his success in the educational field.

He had another ambition, however, and after a brief schoolroom experience he entered the of- fice of Hon. Paul' Dillingham, in Waterbury, and took up a course of law reading. Later his attention was attracted by the reports from the newly discovered gold fields in California, and in August, 1849, he sailed for that region, and, re- gardless of the ravages of the yellow fever, crossed the Isthmus of Panama, and finally reached San Francisco. His experiences were varied-at times serious and then, again, ludi- crous. The night of his arrival he paid fifty cents for the privilege of sleeping upon a pile of shavings, and the next day he earned a dollar an hour for five hours' labor at a blacksmith's forge. He went on to the gold mines, where he worked for seventeen months, and then returned home, with six thousand dollars in gold dust as the reward of his efforts. Two years later he again went to California, but was so unfortunate as to contract that dreadful disease, yellow fever, and was the only survivor of a company of thirty men. When he finally recovered he was so debili- tated that to longer remain in that climate was out of the question, and he returned to his native state and gave his attention to farming and the real estate and lumber business. His operations in the latter line were large and remunerative from the beginning, and he is yet owner of large tracts of timber land, and of sawmills in Bolton and Waterbury.

In early life Mr. Randall was a Whig, but when the party went out of existence he allied himself with the Republicans, and from the day of Lincoln has been numbered among the most active and influential of their number in his state. At various times he was called to public positions of important usefulness. He had occupied var- ious positions, and in 1872 he was elected to the legislature, and proved a most industrious and ca- pable member of that body. One of his most creditable accomplishments was in securing ap- propriations for the establishment of the State Reform School, a result which was in large meas- ure due to his influence and persistent effort. During a subsequent term of service in the same

body (in 1882) he served upon the railroad com- mittee. In 1890 he was elected to represent Washington county in the state senate, and he rendered valuable service as chairman of the committee on the care of the insane and as a mem- ber of the committee on claims.

In recent years Mr. Randall has lived a com- paratively retired life, in the enjoyment of well earned repose. He maintains, however, close touch with all that affects his property interests, and affords his counsel and influence to all move- ments designed to advance the interests of the community. Mr. Randall was married June 21, 1854, to Leefie, daughter of John White; she died in 1874. He was then united to Belle, a daughter of Henry and Betsey (Woodward) Gleason, and of the union were born two children, Pearl and George W. Randall, Jr. George W. Randall, Jr., was married January 7, 1903, to Eva Luce, of Duxbury, Vermont, and they re- side in Waterbury, Vermont. Pearl Randall graduated from Wellesley College with the class of 1901.

MATTHEW HENRY BUCKHAM, D. D.

Matthew Henry Buckham, D. D., president of the University of Vermont and State Agricult- ural College, located at Burlington, Vermont, was born July 4, 1832, in Hinckley, Leicestershire. England, coming from substantial Scotch ances- try on the paternal side of the house, and from equally distinguished English stock on the ma- ternal side. His father, the Rev. James Buckham, was an independent clergyman of England for fourteen years, but after his emigration to Amer- ica, in 1834, he preached as a Congregational min- ister in Vermont and Canada; he died at Bur- lington, Vermont, at the age of ninety-two years. His mother was, before her marriage, Margaret Barmby, of Yorkshire.

Matthew Henry Buckham, son of the parents named, made his preparatory studies under his father, who was an accomplished classical scholar. He obtained his bachelor's degree at the Univer- sity of Vermont in 1851, at the age of nineteen. receiving the highest honors of his class, and the next two years served as principal of the Lenox Academy in Massachusetts. After a year's ex- perience as tutor in languages at his alma mater,

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he went abroad for study and travel, and spent the years 1854-6 mainly in England and Germany. Upon his return he was made professor of Greek in the University of Vermont, a position which he retained until his promotion to the presidency in 1871, acting also as professor of rhetoric and English literature in 1856-7 and 1863-71. At the date last named he assumed the duties of the chair of political and social science.

Mr. Buckham's presidency of the University of Vermont is not only by far the longest in the history of the institution, but has embraced the period of greatest expansion as to numbers and facilities. During his administration the main college edifice has been reconstructed, a new building for the Medical College purchased and fitted up, a building and plant for the department of mechanical engineering added, the Billings library, Converse dormitory, and Williams Science Hall, three structures of unsurpassed beauty and fitness for their uses, erected; in 1901 a magnificent gymnasium was erected at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars, and fitted up with all of the most modern appliances; a dormitory for young women students was added ; an agricultural experiment farm purchased and necessary buildings put up, and three houses pro- vided for professors' residences. Additional pro- fessorships have been endowed, the library funds increased, and the library greatly augmented ; laboratory facilities multiplied, additional courses and the elective system of studies introduced, and the work of the experiment station much ex- tended. The number of academical and scientific students has risen from sixty-seven in 1871 to two hundred and ninety-seven in 1897; and of medical students from forty-eight to two hundred and two. The teaching staff has been increased from a total of fourteen in 1871 to fifty-three in 1897. gains which indicate a well founded confi- dence in the wisdom and prudence of President Buckham's leadership.

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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 40

Author: Carleton, Hiram, 1838- ed Publication date: 1903 Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1032

Author: Carleton, Hiram, 1838- ed
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1032