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 67

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 67

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Lafayette Hamlen was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Thayer, who was born in Wards- boro, Vermont, September 30, 1825, a daughter of Nelson Thayer, whose birth occurred March 29, 1798. Nelson Thayer followed agricul- tural pursuits and spent the greater part of his life in Bennington, where he died in 1874. His wife was Lucretia Elwell, who was born June 3, 1801, and by whom he had twelve children. Those still living are Mrs. Hamlen, who makes her home with her son Mortimer; Oscar C., of Erie, Pennsylvania : Mrs. William C. Riddell, of

Buffalo, New York; R. H. who is also living in Buffalo; Mrs. J. B. Meachem, of Bennington ; Mrs. Enos S. Gould, of Buffalo ; and Mrs. Nellie Hughes, of Erie, Pennsylvania. To Lafayette and Mary J. (Thayer) Hamlen were born two children, but the daughter died February 28, 1888, at the age of thirty-one years, leaving two chil- dren, Marguerite and Carl Martin. On both sides Mr. Mamlen is connected with distinguished relatives. Hannibal Hamlen was descended from the ancestry from which our subject traces his descent. The latter's father was also a second cousin of Senator Dawes, and Mrs. Lafayette Hamlen is also. collaterly connected with Millard Fillmore, president of the United States. Mrs. Hamlen has several brothers and sisters still living. One of her brothers, Edward, was a second lieutenant in the Union army during the Civil war and acted as a captain in the Fourteenth Vermont Regiment in the battle of Gettysburg. He lived to return home and later became con- nected with a store in the south, but soon after- ward made his way to the north and died at the comparatively early age of thirty years. A sister, Martha, became the wife of Halsey Cush- man and the mother of Harry T. Cushman. a representative citizen of Bennington ; she died at the age of seventy-three years. Another sister, Mrs. C. G. Meachem, is still living in Benning- ton. Ancestors on both sides of the family were in the patriot army in the war of the Revolution.

Mortimer T. Hamlen; the son of Lafayette Hamlen, acquired his early education in the com- mon schools of Bennington, took an academic course at Manchester and afterwards enjoyed the advantages of a collegiate course in the Univer- sity of Vermont, in Burlington, taking a special course of four years in chemistry, and gaining a comprehensive and accurate knowledge of that science both in theory and practice. For eight- een months he was engaged in the drug business in Pennsylvania, but on the expiration of that period returned to Bennington and joined his father in business, practically having charge of his extensive interests. During the past eight years he has been in full control of the cider and vine- gar business of this town, employing five men throughout the year and sometimes having a force of eight men in the summer months. He is also engaged in the wholesale and retail ice

374

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

business, and his sale of that product is large and constantly growing. He owns an extensive farm, on which he raises all the supplies for his stock. His business interests are extensive and varied, completely occupying his time. In poli- ties he is a Republican, but has no desire for pub- lic office, even if he had the opportunity to seek political preferment. His integrity stands as an unquestioned fact in his history.

JOHN W. SAWYER.

John W. Sawyer, a prominent business man of Whitingham, is a miller, a lumber manufac- turer and dealer and a prosperous fariner. He was born October 11, 1832, in Whitinghanı, which was the birthplace of his father, the late Houghton Sawyer. Phineas Houghton Sawyer, his grandfather, was one of a family of four brothers, two of whom, George and Abner, re- mained in Calais, Maine, the town in which they were born, while Silas, the oldest of the family, removed to Templeton, Massachusetts, and Phineas migrated from Calais to Vermont. Lo- cating in Whitingham in 1803, he took up land, later bought a mill property and water privileges, and was here employed in general farming and milling until his death, in 1846, at the age of six- ty-six years. His wife, whose maiden name was Rebecca Orcutt, was born in Athol, Massachu- setts, and died in Whitingham at the age of eighty-five years. They reared four sons and one daughter, as follows : Houghton; Emory, spent his early life in Whitingham, then removed to Brattleboro, where he operated a grist mill until his death : Mary, a life-long resident of this town, married Foster Willis ; Abner settled in Sa- vannah, Georgia, where he at first drove a stage between that city and Darien, a distance of sixty- five miles, later having a livery business in Sa- vannah, where his widow, formerly Harriet E. Calkins, is now living ; and George H., who lived in Boston, Massachusetts, a few years, rigged out a ship in 1849, went to California, where he was engaged in mining a number of years, afterwards being in the grain business in Milwaukee until his health failed, when he moved to Brattleboro, Vermont, where he spent his last years.

Houghton Sawyer, a life-long resident of Whitingham, was one of the leading farmers

of the place, and was also extensively engaged in humbering. A man of integrity, honorable in all of his dealings, he had the confidence of the entire community, and filled many offices of trust, being chairman of the boards of selectmen and listers, trial justice and town treasurer many years, and having charge of the settlement of many large estates. In his early days he was a Whig, later an Abolitionist, then a Free-soiler until the formation of the Republican party, when he became one of its stanchest supporters. He was an active member of the Methodist church, contributing liberally towards its support, and serving for many years as class leader. He mar- ried Almeda Brown, who was born in Phillips- ton, Massachusetts, a daughter of Nathan Brown, who was born in Lexington, Massachu- setts, where his father took an active part in the battle of Lexington, on April 19, 1775. Of their union nine children were born, seven daughters and two sons, and of his family seven have passed away as follows: Martha A., who married Lu- cius Murray, died at Boston Highlands ; Keziah R., died in Brooklyn, New York ; Elizabeth, died in Whitingham ; Faustina, died in Brooklyn, New York ; Harriet, died in Whitingham ; Charles H., died in Whitingham; and Martha A., who died in August, 1852, at North Adams. The two living are John W. and Mary J., wife of Gusta- vus Foster, of Boston Highlands, Massachusetts. Neither of the parents is living, the father hav- ing died at the age of sixty-seven years and the mother when eighty-four years old.

John W. Sawyer obtained an excellent edu- cation in his early days, and from the age of fifteen until nineteen years taught school in Whitingham or Brattleboro. Going to Gardner, Massachusetts, he worked in a chair factory for awhile, then went to Templeton, Massachusetts, where he remained five years. The ensuing five years he carried on a milk and grocery business in Brooklyn, New York, but on account of ill health returned to Whitingham. Entering then into a co-partnership with his father, he carried on farming and milling for six years under the firm name of H. & J. W. Sawyer, during that time building a large mill and the house which he now occupies. In 1866 he bought his father's interest in the various enterprises and conducted the en- tire business alone until 1881, when he sold out

375

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

to his son Lincoln, with whom he has since been associated. In 1899 the plant was enlarged by the erection of the present grist mill, which is equipped with the latest improved machinery. Mr. Sawyer has never been an aspirant for offi- cial honors, his private interests demanding his entire attention, but he is a member of Unity Lodge No. 89, F. & A. M., of Jacksonville, to which his son also belongs.

Mr. Sawyer married October 17, 1855, Ca- lista D. Gillette, a daughter of Dr. Waters Gil- lette, who was one of the leading physicians of Bennington county, practicing medicine in Whit- ingham for upwards of sixty years. Doctor Gil- lette was very prominent in the town, and served as representative to the state legislature. He lived to the venerable age of ninety-one years. His wife, whose maiden name was Brittinna Whitney, bore him nine children, of whom four are living-E. F., of Shelburne Falls; Abbie, who married Chester B. Newell, of Wollaston, Massachusetts ; Ransom W., of North Heath, Massachusetts ; and Cora B., wife of John Gould, of North Adams, Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Sawycr are the parents of six children, viz : Nellie C., Charles W., Harry Waters, Lincoln H., Clara S. and one child that died in infancy.

Nellie C. Sawyer, formerly a school teacher, married Wallace Cook, of Brattleboro, and died in February, 1892, aged forty-four years ; Charles W. died at the age of twenty years.

Harry Waters Sawyer lived beneath the parental roof until eighteen years old, then went to Gardner, Massachusetts, where he was em- ployed in the chair factory, or as traveling sales- man, until 1885, when he went to South Dakota, where he had a real estate and loan agency in Miller until 1898. Since then he has resided at Sioux Falls, where he was at first secretary for the railway commissioners, but is now in the real estate business. He married Grace E. Strong, and they have one child, Pierre Sawyer. Lincoln H. Sawyer, who purchased his father's business in 1881, and has since conducted it most successfully, is a man of influence, and repre- sented Whitingham in the legislature in 1900, serving on the committee on manufactures. He was elected on the Democratic ticket, although the town is a Republican stronghold. In 1890 he married Clara V. Negus, of Charlemont, Mas-

sachusetts, and they have two children, Vesta S. and Houghton N. Clara S. Sawyer married, March II, 1891, E. J. Roberts, of Jacksonville, by whom she has two children, Raymond S., born December 10, 1895, and Calista C.

HON. ROSWELL FARNHAM.

Hon. Roswell Farnham, of Bradford. ex- governor of Vermont, was the thirty-seventh governor of the state. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, July 23, 1827, a son of Roswell Farnham, Sr., and a direct descendant in the eighth generation from Ralph Farnham, the im- migrant, the line of descent being as follows : Ralph, Ralph, Ephraim, Ephraim, Benjamin, John, Roswell, Roswell.

Ralph Farnham (I), with his wife, emigrated from Farnham, England, to America in 1625, subsequently settling in Andover, Massachusetts. His grandson, Ephraim Farnham (3), was one of the signers of a petition still extant, addressed to Governor Shute of the province of Massachu- setts Bay asking permission to make a settlement on the "Merrymake" river, and was one of the original settlers of the town which was granted by Massachusetts in 1725 under the name of Pennacook, was incorported as Rumford in 1762, and, having become a part of New Hamp- shire, was again incorporated as Concord, becom- ing the capital of the state. He was a citizen of prominence in Pennacook, serving as selectman and as deacon of the Congregational church. His wife was Priscilla Holt. Ephraim (4) married Molly Ingles, and lived in Concord. New Hamp- shire. Benjamin Farnham (5) the second son of Ephraim, Jr., married Anna Merrill, by whom he had fifteen children. John Farnham (6), the second son of the parental household, married Sarah Thompson, of Concord, New Hampshire, and they reared eight children.

Roswell Farnham (7) was in business on Court street, Boston, for many years. Subsequent- ly removing to Haverhill, Massachusetts, he was there engaged in manufacturing boots and shoes for the southern market until the great financial panic of 1838 and 1839, when .his entire fortune was swept away. Coming then to Vermont, he bought a farm in Bradford, and was here engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, Decem-

376

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

ber 20, 1800. He married, first, Ruth Bixby, of Piermont, New Hampshire, and after her death married her sister, Nancy Bixby, who was the mother of Laura A. Farnham and Hon. Roswell Farnham. Nancy Bixby's father, Captain David Bixby, was born at Boxford, Massachusetts, in 1755. Twenty years later he fought in the bat- tles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, subsequently participating in several battles of the Revolution. He was also a privateer, and while returning with considerable prize money was captured and sent to Dartmoor prison, England, where he was confined for seventeen months, suffering untold privations and hardships. On being liberated he returned to Massachusetts and settled in Haver- hill, where he married Nancy, daughter of Dr. Pecker, for whom a street in that city is named. About 1795 he removed with his family to Pier- mont, New Hampshire, where his death oc- curred, December 18, 1848. Ruth (Bixby) Farn- ham was the mother of Cyrus Conant Farnham, who died at Memphis, February 25, 1863.

Roswell Farnham (8) was reared on his father's farm, attended the district schools, fitting for college at the Bradford Academy, where he went through the freshmen and sophomore classes. In September, 1847, he entered the junior class of the University of Vermont, from which he was graduated in 1849, and which, in 1852, in the month of August, conferred upon him the degree of A. M. For several years he taught school with eminent success, in 1862 be- coming principal of the Bradford Academy, which, with the aid of his accomplished wife, he conducted successfully for two years. During all of this time he had been reading law and had studied with Robert McK. Ormsby, then a lead- ing lawyer of Bradford, and after his admission to the bar, in 1857, was in partnership with Mr. Ormsby for awhile, after which he opened an office for himself, soon gaining many friends in the profesion and a remunerative practice. His ability and high personal attributes were recog- nized and appreciated by his fellow townsmen, and, in 1859, he was elected by the Republicans as state's attorney, being afterward twice re- elected.

During the Civil war he gave up his profes- sional labors to serve his country on the first call for troops, going out as second lieutenant of Com-

pany D., First Vermont Volunteer In- fanry, and was soon made provost mar- shal on the staff of Colonel J. W. Phelps. He was commissioned captain of a com- pany in August, 1862, subsequently promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, and before the close of the war acted as colonel of the Twelfth Vermont Volunteer Infantry. Lieutenant Colonel Farnham commanded the regiment with notable efficiency in the repulse of the Confederate Gen- cral Stuart's attack upon Fairfax Court House, December 28, 1862. In the Gettysburg campaign the regiment was attached to the Third Division of the First Army Corps. Soon after the battle of Gettysburg Colonel Farnham was mustered out with the command on the expiration of his term of service.

Returning to Bradford Mr. Farnham re- sumed his practice in his chosen profes- sion, soon becoming one of the most in- fluential citizens of the place. In 1868 he was elected to the state senate, re-elected in 1869, and served on several important committees, proving himself a wise and able legislator. In 1876 he was a delegate to the national Republican con- vention, which, in session at Cincinnati, nominated Rutherford B. Hayes for the presidency, and was also presidential elector the same year. In 1880 he was unanimously nominated for governor of Vermont by the Republican convention, and was elected by a majority of 25,000, the largest vote ever cast in the state up to that time. During his term of administration the prison buildings were rebuilt and the state reform school was enlarged. He was held in high regard by the people of the state, in his public and private relations with them standing as a man of the strictest integrity. He was a member of the Congregational church, and contributed liberally towards its support.

On December 25, 1849, Mr. Farnham married Mary Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Captain Ezekiel and Nancy (Rogers) Johnson, of Brad- ford. Captain Ezekiel Johnson was a native of Bradford, a son of James and Jane (Swyer) John- son, and was a lineal descendant of Thomas John- son, who came from England in 1634 and settled in Massachusetts. Nancy Rogers was born in Newbury, Vermont, daughter of Samuel and Ruth (Stevens) Rogers, who were among the early settlers of Vermont. Of the children born

augustuo Bonus

377

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

to Roswell and Mary E. Farnham three are living, namely: Charles Cyrus, a lawyer, residing at Buffalo, New York; Florence Mary, wife of Colonel E. G. Osgood, of Bellows Falls, Ver- mont ; and William Mills, of Buffalo, New York.

Governor Farnham passed away peacefully at his home in Bradford on Monday, January 5, 1903. At his funeral on the following Thursday Rev. H. J. Kilbourn said :

"Possessed of a forceful nature, an alert mind which could see an opportunity and seize it, he nevertheless in early life deemed it his strength to surrender the control of his destinies to the will of God. Possibly it is not known to many that his strong early ambition was to be an artist, to speak to the men of his world by the brush and canvas, to portray the aisles of the forest, the tenderness of the sunset, the majesty of the sea, or the hopes and passions in the human face, to follow in the steps of Angelo and Titian, Rubens and Rembrandt. Had he done so Vermont would to-day have been noting the loss of a painter. But with him there was one word greater than inclina- tion-it was duty-and it led him to the more prosaic task of teaching school, which was the first step in the ascent to his later honors. But a kindly providence gave him in after years that power almost as much to be coveted, of word painting. Recall, any of you who were present at the reunion of the Vermont officers, December 12, 1877, his description -of what Vermont men experienced in the Civil war. It was the old am- bition of boyhood that fired him as he said: 'Let the broad canvas contain all your sufferings and heroism upon the peninsula, reeking with the poisonous vapors of the swamps of the Chickahominy, from Williamsburg to Mal- vern Hill. Put in that first attempt at warfare at Big Bethel; paint then the gate of the mountains at Harper's Ferry, with every eminence bristling with cannon and gloomy with treachery. Put in bloody Antietam, with its cornfields laden with the harvest of the dead. The blood shed on St. Mary's Height at Fredericksburg will color your picture with such a crimson tint as will cast its horrible gleam far down the vista of time. And finally catch upon your brush the brilliant and crimson rays of the setting sun, and in the very center of your grand panorama, high above all, paint the final surren-

der of the rebel hordes at Appomattox Court House in such colors as shall give a light to your whole canvas. Paint the caps of the ex- ultant soldiers in the air, and in some way give voice to their loud hurrahs. And as you fin- ish your first effort in the arts, inscribe above it, in letters of living light: "This did Vermont for posterity!"' After the spell of these burn- ing words, who shall not say that Heaven did not guide him into the exercise of his noblest pow- ers ?"

AUGUSTUS BARROWS.

Augustus Barrows, deceased, was for many years prominently identified with the commercial interests of Burlington, Vermont. He was born on the 24th of May, 1844, in the city of Bur- lington, and was the son of George E. Barrows, who was born in Wallingford, this state, in 1804. After acquiring his education in the public schools of his native city, the latter learned the trade of a hatter, and engaged in that occupation for a number of years. Removing thence to Bur- lington, Vermont, he embarked in the grocery business, and his success in that enterprise was the result of good judgment, careful management and diligence in business. He married Miss Harriet Marshall, who was born in Williston, this state, in 1817, and they became the parents of eight children, two of whom are still living, Lucy M., the wife of Horace L. Bundy, of Hartford, Connecticut ; and Louis M., a promi- nent resident of Burlington, Vermont. George E. Barrows passed away in death in 1873, when he had reached the age of sixty-nine years, and his wife's death occurred in 1887. when in her seventieth year.

Augustus Barrows, a son of George E. and Harriet Barrows, obtained his education in the common schools of Burlington, and after com- pleting his education, being then fifteen years of age, entered his father's grocery store, where he remained until he attained his majority. He then purchased his father's old store, conducting the same successfully for a number of years, but later engaged in the wholesale crockery and paper trade, at that time being the only one in that oc- cupation in the city of Burlington, and he thus continned for the following twenty-five years.

378

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

On the expiration of that period, however, his health failed, and he was forced to retire. Sub- sequently he entered the real estate business, and while thus engaged constructed a number of tena- ment houses, also the Barrow's block, which is situated on the east side of Church street, erected a number of houses which he afterwards dis- posed of, built a beautiful residence on South Union street, Burlington, where he resided for many years, and also the handsome house in which his widow now makes her home. He also erected Kathleen Temple, which served as a memorial to his beloved daughter Kathleen, and he sold a number of lots in what was then called Barrowsville, it having been largely through his instrumentality that real estate interests devel- oped so rapidly in the city of Burlington. He was one of the best known and most efficient real es- tate men, and his word was considered as good as his bond. In his political belief Mr. Barrows was a firm supporter of the measures adopted by the Republican party, and in his fraternal rela- tions he was a member of the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

On the 21st of May, 1873, Mr. Barrows was united in marriage to Miss Mary L. Larue, who was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1850, being a daughter of John C. Larue, who was born in New Jersey in 1801. Mr. Larue was a man of sterling qualities, and served for many years as judge of the supreme court of Louis- iana. For his wife he chose Miss Mary L. Mintzer, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, a daughter of William Mintzer, and Mrs. Barrows was their only child. The father died when he had reached the age of fifty-four years, and his wife passed away when only twenty-four years of age. One child came to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Barrows, Kathleen Larue. Mr. Barrows was called to his final rest on the 7th of November, 1897, passing away at his late residence, 328 North avenue, in Burlington, Ver- mont, and his widow still survives.

WILLIAM HENRY DU BOIS.

William Henry Du Bois, one of the foremost citizens of Randolph, is a native of West Ran- dolph, born March 24, 1835, and a grandson of Dr. Joseph Du Bois, an early resident of the ad-

joining town of Braintree, Vermont. The last named was born August 1, 1775, in Providence, Rhode Island. After attaining his degree as doc- tor of medicine he settled, about the beginning of the nineteenth century, in Braintree, and became very successful in practice. He died June 14, 1840, in Randolph, Vermont. His wife, Polly Spear, was born August 7, 1781, in Braintree, Massachusetts, and died in Randolph, Massachu- setts, October 10, 1853. They had eleven chil- dren, most of whom lived and died in Randolph, Massachusetts.

Earl Cushman Du Bois, eldest child of Dr. Jo- seph and Polly Du Bois, was born October 6, 1799, in Braintree, Vermont, and was a farmer, being also engaged in teaming between Randolph and Boston. In his day all freight had to be moved by wagon, and he maintained six-horse teams, in partnership with Samuel Mann and others. May 21, 1822, he married Anna Lamson, who was born August 24, 1803, south of the village of West Randolph, and was a daughter of Thomas Lamson, who came to Randolph in 1785. His marriage, May 12, 1785, was the second in the town, the bride being Anna, daughter of Gideon and Rachel (Heath) Martin. (See Lamson, in this work.) Mr. Du Bois continued to reside dur- ing all his married life in the village of West Randolph, where he purchased twenty acres of land in 1848, on which he erected a house. Here he died, November 17, 1854. His widow sur- vived him until January 21, 1893, passing the last twenty years of her life at the home of her young- est son, whose name introduces this article. She was the mother of seven children.

William H. Du Bois began his business career at a very early age. He received an academic education in his native town, interspersing his studies with service in his brother's store, and was for one year a clerk in another store before he was cighteen years of age. In 1852 he began a year's engagement in a store at Randolph, Mas- sachusetts, and at the end of this service went to Boston to enter the wholesale shoe store of his uncle, Wales Tucker, as bookkeeper. In 1856 he was admitted as a partner in the firm of James Tucker & Company, wholesale shoe dealers, of Boston, where he continued very successfully eight years, being compelled to retire temporarily at the end of that period, by reason of ill

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 67

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