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 53

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 53

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Jacob Cummins was born in Topsfield, May 12, 1717, and in early life learned the carpen- ter's trade, which he followed for many years. In 1733 he removed to Sutton, Massachusetts, where he was married on the 21st of January, 1740, to Miss Mary Marble, and to them were born eleven children, five sons and six daughters. All of the sons entered the Continental army dur- ing the Revolutionary war, and valiantly fought . for the freedom of the colonies. The names and dates of birth of their children were as follows: Mary, May 5, 1741 ; Jacob, July 21, 1742 ; Daniel, October 17, 1743; Jesse, November 6, 1745 ; Bet- sey, July 29, 1747; Hannah, October 4, 1748; Free, August 3, 1751; Asa, November 4, 1753; Zipporah, October 17, 1756; Anne, April 28, 1758; and Huldah, May 20, 1763.

Daniel Cummins, the third in order of birth, was the great-grandfather of our subject. His early life was spent in Sutton, and from there he removed to Auburn, Massachusetts, where he worked at his trade, that of a shoemaker, until life's labors were ended. On the 16th of May, 1765, he was united in marirage with Rachel Hayden, who was a woman of more than ordin- ary intelligence and capability. They became

the parents of the following children : Daniel, born January 22, 1766; Elisha, January 22, 1768; Jacob, January 12, 1770; Jolin, February 1, 1772; Rachel, February 3, 1775 ; Lydia, April 10, 1779; Simon, August 8, 1781; Safford, January 17, 1784 : and David, August 10, 1787. Of this fam- ily, Elisha, Jacob, John, Simon and Safford came to Verinont and located in and near Montpelier, and cleared and improved three farms in Mont- pelier and two in Berlin, Washington county, making for themselves homes in the midst of the wilderness and laying a foundation for the pres- ent beautiful city. They were all industrious, frugal men and reared large families.

Elisha Cummins, grandfather of Albert Oren, was born in Auburn, Massachusetts, and was a young man when he came to Montpelier, with whose development and upbuilding he became prominently identified. He married, February 3, 1796, Miss Rachel Eddy, and in an ox cart they traveled from Oxford, Massachusetts, to their new home on what was then the frontier. As a Democrat he took an active and prominent part in local politics and served as selectman of his town. He died November 21, 1860, and his wife passed away on the 12th of November, 1852. Their children were Joel, born February 10, 1797; Sophia, February 25, 1799; Oren, Feb- ruary 20, 1801 ; Avery, April 8, 1803; Amassa, May 18, 1805 ; Elmira, January 1, 1808; Lorinda, who was born January 11, 1810, and is still living, the wife of Luke Bowen; Luman and Lucius, twins, born March 10, 1812.

Oren Cummins spent his entire life in Mont- pelier. A man of considerable mechanical genius, he invented the first cyclometer ever made, and also invented locks of different kinds. On the 3Ist of May, 1827, he married Miss Betsey Wheeler, who was born November 24, 1802, a daughter of Jerathmel B. and Sybil (French) Wheeler, also early settlers of Montpelier, who were from Rehoboth, Massachusetts. Her father was a man of more than ordinary ability, and served as the first town clerk of Montpelier. Mr. and Mrs. Cummins became the parents of five children, namely : Henry M., born April 28, 1828, died August 7, 1881; Albert Oren is the next of the family ; Timothy S., born January 7, 1833, is a retired locomotive engineer and makes his

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home in East Montpelier; Elizabeth, born July 26, 1837, is the wife of Henry S. Towne; and Luther W., born July 6, 1841, is an engineer liv- ing in Waterbury, Connecticut. In early life the father affiliated with the Democratic party, but became a Republican on the organization of that political party, and continued one of its stanch adherents. He died on the 21st of April, 1884, honored and respected by all who knew him, and his wife, who was a consistent and faithful mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church, passed away February 22, 1878. He was called upon to fill a number of local offices of honor and trust.

In early life Albert O. Cummins attended the district schools near his boyhood home, and com- pleted his education in the Washington county grammar school. Subsequently he engaged in teaching in the public schools during the winter months for thirteen terms, and also conducted a select school for two fall terms. For some years he worked in shoe factories in Milford and Wor- cester, Massachusetts, and became foreman for the firm of Draper & Houghton of the latter place. He subsequently formed a partnership with W. N. and R. K. Peck and successfully engaged in business as a tanner and currier for twenty-four years. They built a large plant in Montpelier and enjoyed an excellent trade, being able to give employment to a large number of men. For sev- eral years Mr. Cummins was eastern agent for a banking company, and is now vice president of the First National Bank of Pierre, South Dakota. After a long, busy and useful life he has now laid aside all business cares and is living retired, enjoying the fruits of former toil.

Mr. Cummins was first married at Millbury, Massachusetts, November 24, 1853, to Miss Maria P. Merriam, a daughter of Amassa and Philena K. Merriam, who also belonged to a good old New England family. By that union were born two children : Fannie Maria, born Sep- tember 13, 1854, was married October 15, 1875. to F. E. Pitkin, who died March 26, 1897, leav- ing one child, Carrol A. Elizabeth, born October 19, 1858, was married June 18, 1882, to Charles H. Moore, an attorney of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and died August 6, 1885; their only child died in in- fancy. The mother of these children departed this life March 3, 1862.

On the 9th of December, 1863, Mr. Cummins was again married, his second union being with Miss Mary F. Ellis, of Hardwick, Vermont, a daughter of Timothy A. and Jane (Dow) Ellis. Five children bless this marriage. Mertie J., born February 17, 1867, died May 19, 1868. Berton A., born April 3, 1869, received a good high school education and also took a business course at Bryant & Stratton Commercial College. He then accepted a position in a national bank at Sioux City, Iowa, and from there wert to Pierre, South Dakota, as assistant cashier in the First National Bank of that place; the second year of his residence there he was made cashier and later president of the Bankers' Association of Dakota. He was married, April 3, 1890, to Miss Clara Belle Merrick, of Sioux City, Iowa, and they had two children, Albert Oren, born Feb- ruary 24, 1893, died February 26, 1896; and Aline, born February 19, 1897. Flora M., second daughter of our subject, was born April 11, 1875, and was married October 2, 1895, to Frank E. Howe, of Brattleboro, Vermont, by whom she has two children, Edmund Perry, born December 14, 1896; and Paul Cummins, September 19, 1900. Harle Oren, the next of the family, was born July II, 1877, and is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, June, 1902, with the degree of B. S .; he pursued a course in mining and mechanical engineering. He is private assistant of Professor R. H. Richards, head of the mining department of the above in- stitution. He is author of a book of short stor- ies called "Welsh Rarebit Tales." Another child, Mary Hessie, born April 13, 1884, died Novem- ber 30, 1884. Mr. Cummins is engaged in com- piling a genealogy of the Cummins family in America.

Mr. Cummins affiliates with the Republican party and has taken quite an active and influential part in local politics, serving as a member of the board of assessors three years and as water com- missioner when the water works were put in. He is what the world terms a self-made man, his suc- cess in life being due to his own industry, per- severance and good management, and now in his declining years he can well afford to lay aside all business cares and live in ease and retirement. He is widely known and is universally respected and esteemed.

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EUGENE GOODRICH.

Among the leading agriculturists and dairy- men of Chittenden county, Eugene Goodrich, whose portrait appears herewith, ranks among the first and is probably the largest in the latter named class, not only in the county, but in the state of Vermont. He is the son of Blossom Goodrich, who was for many years a leading farmer and a prominent and highly respected citizen of Richmond, Vermont, and belonged to a family which has been more than a century res- ident in the state. The date of their emigration from England is unknown, but the first ancestor to come to Vermont was Daniel Goodrich, the grandfather of Blossom Goodrich. Of this grandfather we know that he died in Wells, and that his son, also named Daniel, went to Rich- mond about the year 1811, and settled on a farm now occupied by his grandson, Jerome Goodrich, the son of Blossom Goodrich. Daniel Goodrich, son of Daniel, died in Forestville, New York, September 21, 1852, leaving three daughters and four sons, one of whom was Blossom Goodrich.

Blossom Goodrich was born January 11, 1812, in Richmond, Vermont, where he was educated in the district schools. On reaching manhood, he determined to follow the occupation of his father, which was that of farming, and accord- ingly settled upon the homestead in Richmond, where by virtue of diligence and calculation, he increased the original limits of a small farm until the acres numbered four hundred and fifty. In politics Mr. Goodrich was a Republican. It was his habit to abstain from office, though he voted whenever he deemed it his duty to do so, and voted with an intelligent and definite purpose. He was, by preference of creed, an adherent of the Universalist church, and to that church con- tributed the benefit of his financial support.

Mr. Goodrich married, January 2, 1834, Na- omi, daughter of Zebulon Morton. She was born January 22, 1809, near Hartford, Connecticut, and was taken by her parents to Williston in 18II. Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich were the parents of nine children, of whom six are living, named as follows: Cornelia, born October 31, 1834, be- came the wife of Lorenzo D. Whitcomb, of Essex Junction, and died December 17, 1881, leaving three children, Laura F., Edgar W. and James

W .; Eleanor, born June 30, 1836, now living in Henry, Illinois ; Harriet, born December 7, 1837, now living in Lincoln, Nebraska ; Frederick Je- rome, born September 5, 1839, now occupying the farm settled by his grandfather; Eugene, mentioned at length hereinafter ; Morton B., born August 21, 1843, died September 30, 1849; George, born June 13, 1845, now living in Wil- liston, near the farm of his father and near the town line between Williston and Richmond; Laura F., born September 21, 1850, died May 19, 1863 ; and Charles, born September 21, 1852, now living on a part of the old homestead with his brother George. Mr. Goodrich lived for a few years at Norwood, Michigan, and then returned to Williston, where he died at the age of eighty- two, leaving as a legacy to his descendants, the inestimable blessing of the memory of a well- spent life, a life devoted to his family, his friends, the community in which he lived, and the furtherance, to the utmost of his power, of every good cause which was brought to his no- tice. Mr. Goodrich survived his wife but a short time, her death having taken place at the age of eighty-four.

In addition to the children who survive him, Mr. Goodrich had thirteen grandsons of his sur- name. Arthur, Raymond, Frederick, Harry, Morton, Blossom, Clifford, Clarence, and the five sons of his son, Eugene : Arthur, Raymond, Frederick, Harold and William. He also had thirteen granddaughters of his surname: Mary, Naomi, May, Bell, Dora, Georgia, Flora, Daisy, Maud, Laura, and three daughters of his son Eugene: Mary, Caro Florence and Grace Ellen, the latter deceased.

Eugene Goodrich, fifth child and second son of Blossom and Naomi ( Morton) Goodrich, was born October 6, 1841, in Richmond, where he re- ceived his education, after which he assisted his- father until January, 1862, when he settled on a farm of four hundred acres near his present abode. Here he established milk routes, keep- ing sixty cows and buying large quantities of milk. In 1891 he moved to Essex Center and rented a farm of two hundred and fifty acres, on which he continued the dairy business until 1898, when he removed to his present farm of four hundred and fifty acres, situated a mile and a half from the city hall of Burlington, and

Eugene Bovalnich -

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near Winooski, Vermont. Here he keeps one hundred cows and they produce more milk than any herd of its size in this section, and he also buys large quantities of milk, handling seven hundred and fifty quarts per day and using three wagons for its distribution. Mr. Goodrich has himself built up the large trade which he now conducts, having given it his constant personal attention. He is the owner of the largest farm inside the limits of the city of Burlington, where he is not only one of the oldest milk dealers, but one of those having the most extensive connec- tions.

In politics Mr. Goodrich is a Republican, al- though he is bound so closely to his party but that he casts his vote independently when in his judgment the interests at issue so require. He is a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal church. Mr. Goodrich was married to Miss Mary A. Brown, a native of the state of New York. Her father, Hamilton Brown, also a native of the same state, was a son of Captain Hamilton Brown, also born there, who removed to Scranton, Iowa, where he died. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Goodrich were eight in number, seven living, named as follows: Arthur, born April 29, 1867, now living in Es- sex, on the farm formerly occupied by his fa- ther ; he married Miss Jennie Becknell, and to them were born two children, Dana and Eu- gene. Grace Ellen, born September 16, 1870, and died January 19, 1874. Mary Ellen, born December 9, 1871; she married Albert Wyman, and to them were born three children, William, Mary and Abel J. Raymond, born September 1, 1873, is now a resident of the state of Washington ; Frederick, born April 18, 1875, and Harold, born September 27, 1881, are both associated in business with their father. Caro Florence, born February 21, 1884, and William, born March 10, 1888, are at home with their fa- ther. Mrs. Eugene Goodrich died October 27, 1895, at the age of forty-six years.

FRANK GEORGE HOWLAND.

The family of Howland, represented in the eighth generation by Frank George Howland, a prominent citizen and man of affairs in Barre, is one of the oldest of New England families, and

through its various generations has been conspicu- ously identified with the history of that region. It springs from Henry Howland (1), who was born in England and probably came to Plymouth. Mas- sachusetts, before 1625. He was noted for his in- tegrity, thrift and uprightness, and also for his steadfastness in his religious belief. He married Mary Newlander. He died January 17, 1671, and his wife died June 17, 1674, both at the old home- stead in Duxbury, Massachusetts.

Samuel (2), their son, was born in Duxbury, Massachusetts. He settled in Freetown, Massa- chusetts, where he became a large landholder and prominent in the affairs of the town, and was selectman and assessor of the town in 1694. His wife's name was Mary. He died in Freetown in 1716.

Joshua (3), their son, was born in Freetown, Massachusetts. He lived for a time in Taunton, but the greater part of his life was passed in the place of his nativity. He was married December 5, 1709, to Elizabeth Holloway, of Taunton, and she dying, he was married February 17, 1725, to Dorothy Lee.

John Howland (4), son of Joshua and Eliza- beth (Holloway) Howland, was born in Free- town, Massachusetts, in 1710. He married, Oc- tober 28, 1736, Abigail (or Elizabeth) Peirce, daughter of Isaac and Abigail Peirce, of Mid- dleboro, Massachusetts. He died in Freetown in 1790, and his wife died in 1786.

Eseck (5), their son, was born in Middleboro, Massachusetts, September 15, 1760. He moved to Plainfield, Vermont, where he was a successful farmer. He finally removed to East Montpelier, where he died September 15, 1841. His wife, who was Phoebe Sears, of Middleboro, Massa- chusetts, and to whom he was married in 1778, died May 30, 1846.

Eseck Howland (6), their son, was probably born in Middleboro, Massachusetts, about 1793. At the time of the British raid from Canada, during the war of 1812, he was living in Barre, Vermont. He, with others, took possession of the cannon belonging to the town, hauled it to Bur- lington, Vermont, while the battle of Plattsburg was being fought, and they were crossing Lake Champlain to engage in the fray, but did not reach the scene of the engagement until it was over. He married Rhoda Holt. His second marriage

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occurred early in 1825, to Laura Holden, who was born in Windsor, Vermont, February 22, 1800, and who died at the residence of her son George, in East Montpelier, Vermont, January 21, 1874, surviving her husband, who died in 1872. Their children were all born in Barre, Vermont. This family contributed largely to the army in the Civil war of 1861.

George Howland (7), son of Eseck and Laura (Holden) Howland, was born in Barre, Vermont, March 18, 1831. His education was received at the district school. In early boyhood he began earning his own livelihood as a clerk in Mont- pelier, Vermont. He then located in Boston, Massachusetts, and was in the employ of a firm in that city for a number of years. In April, 1866, he returned to East Montpelier, Vermont, and located on the farm where he now resides. He has always been a successful farmer, and has borne a large share in public offices. He is a director in the National Bank of Barre, and also a director in Barre Savings Bank and Trust Company, and he has held the office of selectman, lister, constable and deputy sheriff. In 1882 he was elected to represent the town of East Mont- pelier in the state legislature, and served for a term of two years, and is one of the county road commissions. In politics he is a Republican. A man of remarkable force of character and broad intelligence, he has filled many positions of honor and trust, with fidelity and ability and to the full satisfaction of his constituents. He married, April 19, 1859, Angeline Buszell, who was born September 3, 1830, in Tunbridge, Vermont. Their children are: Frank George; and Merrick E., born March 26, 1870, and resides with his parents.

Frank George Howland (8), eldest son of the parents named above, was born in Boston, Massa- chusetts, August 27, 1863. His education was received in the public schools in East Montpelier, Vermont, where his father located on a farm in April, 1866. He afterward entered the Vermont Methodist Seminary at Montpelier, Vermont, and he was graduated from that institution in 1884. He taught school for one term, and secured a position in the National Bank of Barre as clerk, February 16, 1885. He served in this position until January 1, 1887, when he was made cashier of the same bank, and has served in that capacity to the present time. In 1892 he secured the char-

ter for the Barre Savings Bank and Trust Com- pany and was chosen as the first treasurer of this institution, a position which he yet occupies. He also secured the charter for the Barre and Mont- pelier Traction and Power Company, in 1892, of which he was made treasurer in 1899. In 1892 he was elected to represent the town of Barre in the state legislature, and he rendered service of signal usefulness during his official term. He has held the office of justice of the peace since 1890. In all his varied relations, as inan of affairs, in official position and as citizen, he has acquitted himself with unsullied integrity and ability of the highest order. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Epis- copal church of the Good Shepherd in Barre.

Mr. Howland was married March 29, 1888, to Miss Mary Wells, daughter of Sidney O. and Irene A. (Heath) Wells, of Barre. She was born June 27, 1864. Her father was born in Woodbury, Vermont, November 13, 1836. He was a last manufacturer until he removed to Barre, Vermont, in 1878, when he became en- gaged in the granite business as a member of the firm of Smith & Weils, until 1883, when the style was changed to Wells, Lamson & Company. He was an accomplished business man. He was a Republican in politics, and served in the legisla- ture in 1872. He died in Barre, Vermont, April 22, 1892. His wife was born August 13, 1835, in Woodbury, Vermont, where she died Decem- ber 20, 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Howland were the parents of one child, Doris Irene, born March 8, 1900, who lived only two days.

CAPTAIN BURT HEATH WELLS.

The Wells family, represented in the present generation by Burt Heath Wells, an active busi- ness man of Barre, and prominent in public and military affairs, traces its ancestry to English im- migrants who came to America in the latter part of the seventeenth century. The first of the name known in Vermont was Isaac Wells, who came from southern New Hampshire. He had left home surreptitiously, to carve out his own for- tune, and, a barefooted boy only seventeen years old, he reached the site of Montpelier, where was then standing only one house, about 1790. Such independence and pluck, characteristic of the

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New Englander of his day, could not but com- mand success. He labored hard, and endured privations, but he prospered and reared a large and excellent family. He was a carpenter by trade, and bore a large share in building up the embryo town of Woodbury, in which he settled. He was twice married. His first wife, who was Tabitha Bennett, bore him thirteen children, Schuyler, Susan, Hiram, Tabitha, Benjamin, Mandana, Calistie, Isaac, Laura and Clara (twins). Charlotte, Stephen and Celia. His sec- ond wife, whose name is unknown, bore him five children, William, Elvira, Alvah, George and Tibatha. The father of this remarkable progeny lived to the extreme age of ninety-two years.

Isaac, of the family thus named, was born in 1804 and died in 1882. He was a farmer by occu- pation. He married Susanna, a daughter of Jazeb Town, and their children were Janette, Sid- ney O., Irving, Henry C., Lucy, Ella and Frank.

Sidney Orman, eldest son of Isaac, was born in Woodbury, November 13, 1836. He received a high school education, and became a successful business man, and was noted for his integrity, ability and enterprise. For many years he was a manufacturer of lasts. In 1878 he located in Barre, and engaged in granite manufacturing as a member of the firm of Smith & Wells, which in . 1883 became Wells, Lamson & Company. He occupied various positions of honor and trust, and served as captain of militia for three years, and was elected to the legislature in 1872. He was a Universalist in religion and a Republican in politics.

He was married to Irene Abbott Heath, who was born in Woodbury, August 13, 1835, a daugh- ter of Elias and Ruth (Blanchard) Heath, and she was a teacher in the People's Academy in Morrisville prior to her marriage. On the ma- ternal side she was a direct descendant from George Abbott, who settled in Andover, Massa- chusetts, in 1643. Her father was a cabinet- maker and farmer, a prosperous and highly re- garded citizen, and held many local offices. He died in 1879, aged seventy-nine years, and his wife died aged thirty-eight years, both at Wood- bury. Sidney Orman Wells and wife had five children, Burt Heath, Mary, Dwight Sidney, Lucy and Charles Henry.

Burt Heath Wells, eldest son of Sidney O.

and Irene Abbott (Heath) Wells, was born De- cember 9, 1860, at Woodbury, Vermont. He re- ceived his early education in the district school in his native village, and in Union School, Mont- pelier. In 1872, when twelve years old, he was a page in the house of representatives in the Ver- mont legislature, and his intercourse with men ot affairs was potent in stimulating his ambition for knowledge and ultimate advancement in life. When fifteen years of age he left home, and was for several years engaged in farm labor, applying his earnings to supporting himself while attending school during the winter months. When twenty years old he came to Barre and apprenticed him- self to a tool sharpener. After two years' serv- ice he took up the trade upon his own account, and followed it until October 24, 1890, when he was appointed postmaster at Barre by President Harrison, and his elevation from so humble a position in life to one so important occasioned no little surprise in the community. In his new place he manifested excellent business qualifications and a peculiar aptitude, and he introduced various substantial innovations, among them adding new mails and establishing a Sunday service, greatly to the advantage of the community. He occupied the office for three months beyond the four years' term for which he was commissioned, and re- linquished it January 20, 1895. In March fol- lowing he was elected city clerk and treasurer, and in that twofold position acquitted himself so satisfactorily that he has been re-elected at each of the succeeding seven elections to the present time, and in 1902 he was paid the unusual compli- ment of receiving every vote cast for the candidate for that office. In 1901 he became a member of the pharmaceutical firm of Rickert & Wells, at Barre, operating the best equipped drug store in Vermont.

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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 53

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