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 II, Part 16

Author: Carleton, Hiram, 1838- ed
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1044

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 II > Part 16

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Stanford Russell Clark, the youngest son of Samuel and Susan (Johnson) Clark, was born in Guilford, Vermont, January 4, 1812. He graduated at Amherst College in 1832, and for several years thereafter was in the mercantile business in Troy, New York, but on account of failing health returned to West Brattleboro, where he was engaged principally in agricultural pursuits. On the IIth of April, 1842, he mar- ried Eliza L., daughter of Timothy and Lucinda (Graves) Adkins. The Adkins family were among the first settlers of Charlestown, New Hampshire. Of this union were born the follow- ing children: Samuel, born in West Brattle- boro, August 16, 1843, was a photographer, and subsequently a merchant in Springfield, Ohio, where he married, January 10, 1872, Aurum Davis, by whom he has two children, Eugene, born May 4, 1876, and Helen, born September 22, 1889; Susan Eliza, born November 24, 1844; Charles Stanford, further mentioned below ; Mary Ellen, born February 29, 1848, married April 30, 1874, Hiram F. Weatherhead, and she died April 19, 1877, leaving one child, Laura Clark, born March 25, 1876, who was married June 6, 1901, to John Earle Mann, of Brattleboro. James Adkins, the fifth child, born September 24, 1849, studied his profession of denistry first in the of- fice of Dr. O. R. Post, of Brattleboro, subse- quently graduated at the Dental School of Har- vard University in 1872, and later took the de- gree of M. D. at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire ; he married, October 28, 1874, Mary W. Dunklee, and died October 2, 1875.

The mother of these children died November 25. 1849, and for his second wife Stanford R. Clark married Frances H., daughter of Watson Crosby, by whom he had two children, Clara Frances, born

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

March 8, 1855, and died February 10, 1874 ; and Clayton Amandrin, born November 30, 1850, and died January 18, 1858. Stanford Russell Clark died April 2, 1858, and his wife Frances, who was born February 5, 1824, died September 1I, 1864.

Dr. Charles Stanford Clark was born in West Brattleboro, Vermont, July 28, 1840. He at- tended the public schools of his native town and also the East Hampton Seminary. Deciding to follow the profession of denistry he remained two years in the office of Dr. O. R. Post, of Brattleboro. then entered the Dental School of the Harvard University, and after a course in that institution began practice at Woodstock, Ver- mont, but since 1871 he has followed his profes- sion in Brattleboro. He is connected with the Vermont National Bank in the capacity of a di- rector, and is a public-spirited and influential citizen. He is a member of the Congregational church, in which he is a deacon. He married Rebecca C. Clark, and to them were born eight children: Lafayette F., of Sioux City, Iowa, a graduate of Amherst Agricultural College; Flor- ence R., a graduate of Mt. Holyoke College; Charles E., a graduate of Dartmouth College, with the class of 1898, and of the medical de- partment of Michigan University, at Ann Arbor, 1902, married, June II, 1903, Ina Van Lieu Clawson, of Detroit, Michigan, and now (1903) under appointment as medical missionary in Sivas, Turkey; James S., a graduate of Dart- mouth College, and now a student of Hartford Theological Seminary; Robert C., also a grad- uate of Dartmouth College with the class of 1902; Mary E .; Susan L .; and Edward S.

RANSOM S. BENEDICT.

Ransom Smith Benedict, one of the leading merchants of Middlebury, was born in Cornwall, Vermont, October 3, 1869, being a son of Julius B. Benedict, born in Weybridge, this state, No- vember 3, 1821, and a grandson of John Bene- dict, who was born in Salisbury, Connecticut, October 16, 1812. The latter, a farmer by occu- pation, took up his abode in Weybridge, Ver- mont, in early pioneer days, and later removed to Cornwall, the adjoining town, where he passed away in death in 1873. His wife bore the maiden

name of Laura Smith, and was a daughter of Hezekiah and Lucida ( Willoughby) Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had the following children : Laura, the eldest, became the grandmother of our subject. Horatio was three times married, first wedding Amanda Dean, who died in Monk- ton, afterward Ursula Nichol, of Plattsburg, and for his third wife he chose Jerusha Bell, of Mid- dlebury. They had the following children : Mary, who married George P'ratt, of Wood- stock, and died in Wisconsin; Hezekiah; Henry, who married Jane Langdon, of New Haven, Ver- mont, and they now reside in Wisconsin; and Sarah, who married Robert Langdon, a promi- nent railroad man of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Octavia, the third child of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, married Nathaniel Dean, of Monkton, and their children were: Carlton, who died in Monkton ; Amanda, who married Hiram Pratt, of Indepen- dence, Iowa, and died in Illinois; Wheelock; Charles ; Buel; and Mary, who married Daniel Collins, and now resides in Stuart, Kansas. Am- anda, the fourth child of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, married F. C. Smith, of Monkton, and they had four children: Harrison, who married Melissa Cook and died in Monkton, leaving two daughters, Virginia, who married Elmer Eaton, of New Haven, and died in Nebraska, in 1892, and Hal- cyone, who married Fred Dean, of Monkton ; Timothy, who served as a soldier in the Crimean war, was married in Odessa to a lady of Rus- sian birth, by whom he had four sons and four daughters, was made embassador in Odessa, and his death occurred in Middlebury, Vermont, in 1893; Louisa, who married Abraham Has- brouck, of Mattoon, Illinois, and they have two daughters, Helen and Bertha, the former the wife of Isaac Craig and the latter deceased; and Helen, who married Parkhurst Francis, of Mid- dlebury, and they had two children, Parkhurst, deceased; and Louisa. Julia, the fifth child of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, married Zachariah Beck- with, and died in Middlebury. Their three chil- dren were: Julius A., who married Abbie Wain- wright; Buel S., who married Emma Wain- wright, and died in 1902, leaving one son, Fred- erick, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; and Julia A., who is the widow of Will- iam Goodrich, of New Britain, Connecticut. The sixth child married a Mr. Pier, formerly a

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

Methodist Episcopal minister, but now deceased, and they had a son and daughter, Goodsel and Catherine. Samantha, the seventh child, married Charles Stone, of Monkton, and their children are Lorinda, Charles, George and Hezekiah. The first married Olin French, of Monkton, Vermont, where he now resides, his wife being deceased. Their children are: John W., of Proctor, Ver- mont, who married Nellie Barnard, of Vergennes ; Matthew O., who married Rena Falby, of Monk- ton and has three sons,-Harold, Howard and Robert. Charles Stone married Julia Collins and had five children : Helen, deceased; Carrie, wife of Carleton S. Bristol, of Waltham, Vermont, and the mother of Virgil Bristol; Charles, who married Maud Weaver, of Monkton ; Grace, now Mrs. George Middlebrook and resides near Ver- gennes, having one daughter ; and Carter, a med- ical student in Baltimore. George married Miss Bristol, by whom he has three children, and he is the proprietor of the Prospect House in Vergen- nes. Hezekiah, a prominent merchant of Salis- bury, has one son, Leon. Buel W., the eighth child, married Jane Gordon, and was for many years a Congregational minister, but subsequently taught in Burlington, Vermont, and Michigan. He is now deceased.

John Benedict and his wife, Laura Smith, be- came the parents of nine children. Of these Ran- som was twice married, and by his first wife he had one son, Olascoe, who married Hattie Yates, of Ionia, Michigan. By his second wife he had a son and daughter,-Julia, who married Charles Collins, and has two children, Walter and Lillian ; and Duralde Odell, who is married and has three sons. John, the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Benedict, was a coal dealer in Newark, Ohio, but is now deceased. He was married but had no children. The third child, Hezekiah, married Harriet Wodruff, and for thirty-three years was with a railroad express company in Troy, New York. His death occurred in 1892. His chil- dren were: Juliette, who married but had no children ; John, who married Libbie Gardner and has two daughters, Laura and Estelle C .; Le- grand, who married Fannie Gardner, a sister of his brother's wife, and has three children, Louis, Florence and Harold ; and Miss Frances K. Ben- edict of Saint Albans, Vermont. Samuel J., the next in order of birth of the children of Mr.

and Mrs. Benedict, was a farmer of Addison, where his death occurred in 1891. He married Charlotte Pratt, and became the father of one daughter, Delia, now deceased, and aiso had an adopted daughter, Ella, who married F. Owen, and is also deceased. Lavius, the fifth child, mar- ried Mary Spriggs, and had one daughter, Julia, now deceased. He died in Erie, Pennsylvania. Sabrina, the sixth child, is also deceased. Car- sondana, the seventh, is deceased. She married Daniel Collins. Julius B. and Julia B., were twins. The latter married Chester Pratt, of Bridport, where she resides, being the only sur- vivor of the family, and is in her eighty-second year. Two of her three children are living. Sa- brina B. married Albert C. Aubery, a prominent attorney of Brooklyn, New York, and Ione, is the wife of Somers I. Spaulding, of Bridport. They have one daughter, Frances A., now the wife of Henry S. Thomas, of Bridport.

Julius B. Benedict spent the early years of his life in Weybridge and Cornwall and was early inured to the labors of the farm. After following that occupation in different locali- ties he returned to the old Benedict homestead, in 1850, there remaining until 1857, and from that year until 1858 was a resident of Addison, after which he again returned to the old home farm. In 1870 he purchased his father's farm, which he conducted until 1878, when he took up his abode in Middlebury, where his death occur- red on the 3d of February, 1899. During his life time he settled many estates, was for three years a selectman of Cornwall, was also a mem- ber of the board of listers, represented his town in the legislature in 1869, 1870 and 1871, was justice of the peace three years, subsequently was a member of the Middlebury village board, and also held many other official positions, in- cluding overseer of the poor. He was one of the organizers of the Baptist church in Middlebury and remained one of its active members until his death. Mr. Benedict was first married to Am- morette Pratt, their wedding being celebrated on the 14th of January, 1849, and in December, 1854, the wife was called to the home beyond. On the 15th of April, 1856. Mr. Benedict was again married, Adelia C. Murray becoming his wife. She was a daughter of Manus and Bet- sey (Ferris) Murray, and one of eight children :

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

Hulda V., who became the wife of Ben Marshall and died at Gladstone, North Dakota; Persis, who married John Maynard and resides at Kings. ton, Wisconsin; Thorsa, who married Ili Wild. and resides in Woonsocket, South Dakota ; Ad. clia C., the mother of our subject : Anjeannette M., who was three times married, first to Hiram Allen, next to Hiram Walker and thirdly to John Haven, and she now makes her home at Yucca, North Dakota; Harriett, deceased; Seth, who was blind for many years and is now de- ceased; and Aaron K., who lives in Audubon, Minnesota. The marriage of Julius B., and Ad- elia Benedict was blessed with three children : John O., Virgil M., and Ransom S. The eldest was born in Addison on the 3d of April, 1857. and now resides on the old homestead in Corn- wall. In October, 1877, he married Alice E. East- on, and they had five children,-Clarence C., Julia M., Ethel A. and John O. and Alice E .. twins. John is now deceased. The wife and mother died in 1889, and in December, 1890, John O. Benedict married Edna Comstock. Vir- gil M., the second child of Mr. and Mrs. Julius B. Benedict, was born in Cornwall, November 3, 1862, and is a merchant of New Haven. He was married in October, 1899, to Stella M. Will- iams, and they have one daughter, Beatrice. The subject of this review is the third in order of birth. The mother of this family died at the home of her youngest son, August II, 1902. She was born January 7, 1828, in Sudbury, of which town her parents were natives. After rearing their children to adult age, they removed to Adrian, Michigan, where one of them was bur- ied.

Ransom S. Benedict remained in Cornwall until his eighth year, and received his education in both the district and high schools. His first business venture was as a clerk for the grocery firm of E. W. Bird & Company of Middlebury, with whom he began September 15, 1884, and on the 20th of May of the following year his father purchased for him the interest of T. M. Chapman in the firm, and it was known as Benedict & Bird from that time until March 16, 1889. At the lat- ter date Mr. Benedict purchased his partner's in- terest, and has since continued in business alone. His store was destroyed by fire on the 22d of November, 1891. He then located in the Vallett

block, where he remained until February 14, 1893, when he came to his present location in the Battell block, and here he has one of the finest grocery establishments in this part of the state. In carrying on the work of this store three clerks are given constant employment, and much of the time more are employed and his trade is large and remunerative.

On the 19th of November, 1890, Mr. Benedict was united in marriage to Lora M. Bicknell, who was born in Lincoln, Vermont, but was at the time of her marriage a resident of Bristol. She is a daughter of William E. and Viola A. (Sar- gent) Bicknel, the former a painter of Bristol. Mrs. Benedict is one of seven children, six of whom are now living, namely : Lora M., Clayton R., of Lincoln ; Lulu V., who married Leon C. Cushman, of Bristol; Oscar Q., of Middlebury; Benjamin H., of Peabody, Kansas; and Roy K., of Middlebury. Lindley W., the sixth, died at the age of sixteen years. Two children have come to brighten and bless the home of our sub- ject and wife, namely: Raymond H., who was born November 11, 1891 ; and Ruth L., December 12, 1895. Mr. Benedict has, like his father, been active in the public affairs of his town and is a recognized worker of the Republican party. He has served as a member of the board of water commissioners, was collector of water taxes from 1897 until 1902, and for one year was treas- urer of the Middlebury Co-operative Creamery Association. His religious preference is indi- cated by his membership in the Baptist church, in which he acts as clerk, treasurer and deacon.

ISAAC DAVIS BAILEY.

Isaac D. Bailey has for the past thirty-two years been one of the prominent blacksmiths in Brattleboro. Being a member of a large num- ber of fraternities and also interested in public affairs, he is widely known in this section. He comes of a family long and favorably known in this vicinity and is descended from one of three brothers, who at an early date came from Wales and settled in different parts of New England, one in New Hampshire, another in Genesee county, New York, and a third in Westminster, Massachusetts. It is probably from the latter that this branch of the Bailey family is descended.

BEAUSEANT

Isaac Davis Bailey

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

Dudley Bailey, the great-grandfather of Isaac D., was for some time a resident of Dummerston, Windham county, Vermont, whither he came from Westminster, Massachusetts. He died March 8, 1812, at the advanced age of eighty years. He married Ruhannah Dunster, who was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. By this mar- riage there were three children: Polly; Levi, who died in Dummerston, March 13, 1851 ; and David.

David Bailey, grandfather of Isaac D., was born in the town of Westminster, Massachusetts, September 9, 1780. Upon reaching manhood he engaged in agriculture in Windham county, Ver- mont, which he followed with much success for many years. He died in West Dummeston March 29, 1867. He married Lydia Allen, of Windham, who was born in Marlboro, Vermont, in 1783, daughter of Ira Allen, and a descend- ant of the Ethan Allen family. She died May 15, 1843, in West Dummerston. By this mar- riage there were twelve children: Electa, born November 4, 1804, married William Merriam, of Peterboro, New Hampshire, and they had one son, William H., who became a prominent citizen of Boston ; she died July 28, 1825. Anna, born August 26, 1807, married Daniel Baldwin; she died in Dummerton September 6, 1890. Levi, born July 26, 1809, died in West Dummerston, January 8, 1894, married Mrs. Eliza Bryant, of Dummerston; she died in Dummerston, Novem- ber 29, 1883. Jason Russell, born July 21, 1811, married Emily Bryant, born August 10, 1810, and who died February 16, 1902, aged ninety- two years. Ephraim Dudley, born June 13, 1813, married Harriet Shibley, of Newfane, Vermont ; both died in South Stukely, province of Que- bec. Silas Allen, born November 9, 1815, mar- ried Arvilla Jackson. Chester Wells was born November 12; 1818, and died April 27, 1897. Abner Bemis, born January 14, 1821, married Caroline Huntley. John Locke and William Dick- erman were twins, born January 22, 1823 ; the first died December 12, 1842, in Newfane; the second married Louise Gould, and, after her death, Catherine E. Smith. Lawson, born February 28, 1824,died September 15, 1829. Orra, born Jan- uary 15, 1826, married Julia Pettee, she died in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, July 20, 1893.

Chester Wells Bailey, father of Isaac D., re-

sided in Worcester, Massachusetts. for son. years. In August, 1858, he moved to West Dummerston, Vermont, where he was a highly re- spected citizen. For a vocation he followed the blacksmith trade, at which he was very successful.

Isaac D. Bailey was born at Worcester, Mas- sachusetts, October 2, 1847, where he resided un- til he was fourteen years old. In the public schools of this city he received his education, which was thorough as far as it went. In 1861 he moved with his father to West Dummerston, and in September, 1861, to Brattleboro. Having as a child manifested a keen interest in his father's business, he early entered the shop and learned the blacksmith's trade, which, upon reaching manhood, he engaged in as a regular business. He opened his first shop in West Brattleboro, and securing a large patronage remained there ten years. Later he moved to Brattleboro. and con- tinued his business. The building which he oc- cupies, a large structure, thirty by forty feet, he erected thirty-two years ago, and he has been doing business at his present location for thirty years. Besides blacksmithing he does other me- chanical work, and also carries on an extensive trade in coal. So large has been his business that he has been obliged to employ a great many assistants. It has also paid well and has enabled him to amass considerable wealth.

June 1, 1880, Mr. Bailey married Nancy M. Gove, daughter of the late Nathaniel J. Gove, of Marshfield. She died April 1, 1900, at the age of fifty-seven years. Mr. Bailey has been a Mason since October 26, 1869. He is a member of Columbian Lodge No. 36, F. & A. M .; of Fort Dummer Chapter No. 12, R. A. M .; of Connec- ticut Valley Council No. 16, R. & S. M .; of Beauseant Commandery No. 7. K. T .; of Ver- mont Consistory, S. P. R. S .; of the Grand Com- mandery of Vermont and Mount Sinai Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

BUEL S. BECKWITH.

Buel S. Beckwith, now deceased, was for a number of years a leading representative of mer- cantile interests in Middlebury and his enter- prise and progressive spirit made him a valued and highly respected resident of that community. He was born in this town, September 24, 1835.

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THE STATE OF VERMONT.

and came of Luglish descent, the ancestry being traced back in direct line to England, whence representatives of the name came to America. Back through English history the line has been traced to the time of William the Conqueror, when Sir Hugh de Malebisse held land in the county of York in 1138. He was also chief jus tice there and a very prominent character of that time Following through the successive genera tions we find that Sir Hercules de Malebisse changed his name to Beckwith in 1226 at the time of his marriage to Lady Dame Beckwith, daughter of Sir William Bruce, who was a de- scendant of Lord Robert Bruce of Scotland. John Beckwith, of Clinton and Thorp, was born in the eighth year of the reign of Kind Edward IV of England. His son, Robert Beckwith, was also of Clinton and Thorp, and among his children was Marmaduke Beckwith, who sold his lands in Clinton in 1597 and bought Leatherstone and Acton. He married Anne, daughter of Dynly, of Bramhope, in York, and they had ten children.

Of this family was Mathew Beckwith, who was born in Pontefract, Yorkshire, England, in 1610 and became the founder of the family in the new world. In 1635 he emigrated to New Eng- land and after a short time spent at Saybrook Point, Connecticut, went to Bramford, in 1638, and in 1642 became one of the first settlers of Hartford. In 1651 he took up his abode in Lyme, where he purchased large tracts of land on the Niantic river, left as a legacy by Captain Lyrach in Lyme and New London. He was a planter and also owned vessels sailing to the island of Barbodoes. He died September 22, 1670, his death being caused by a fall from a ledge of rocks.

The next in the line of direct descent to our subject was Mathew Beckwith, who was proba- bly born in Saybrook, in 1637, although his birth is recorded at Waterford, where he was made a freeman in 1658. He resided for some years at Guilford, Connecticut, and became one of the founders of the church there. He died at New London, June 4, 1727. He had been married twice, and by his first wife had eight children. Among this number was James Beckwith, whose birth occurred in New London, June I, 1671. He removed to Lyme, Connecticut, in 1692, and died there in 1719. He was married September

22, 1693, to Sarah Griswold, who was born in Lyme in 1673 and died there October 10, 1714.

James Beckwith, a son of James and Sarah (Griswold) Beckwith, was born at Lyme, May 11, 1095, and there his death occurred in July, 1730. He wedded Mary Lamb, July 3, 1721. She was born in New London, Connecticut, in 1697, and died there.

Another James Beckwith, in the line of direct descent, was born in Lyme, April 1, 1725, and died in Bristol, October 12, 1764. He married Lucy Griswold, April 10, 1755, and they had three children. She was born in Lyme, Septem- ber 28, 1729. Among their children was Zacha- riah Beckwith, the grandfather of him whose name introduces this review. He was born in Bristol, Connecticut, February 14, 1761, and his death there occurred, May 21, 1811, while his wife, who bore the maiden name of Emma Gay- lord, died at Bristol, in 1846. They were the parents of ten children.

Zachariah Beckwith, Jr., the father of our subject, was born in Bristol, Connecticut, Octo- ber 22, 1795, and became a resident of Monkton, Vermont, where he remained until August, 1822, when he came to Middlebury, where his death occurred March 15, 1862. He was married No- vember 26, 1818, to Julia Smith, who was born in Monkton, November 25, 1796, and died Sep- tember 22, 1886. They were the parents of seven children, one of whom, Julius A., a prominent lawyer of Middlebury, died in December, 1857, leaving a wife, Abbie Wainwright, whom he had married June 26, 1847.

The father engaged in merchandising at this place from the time he located here until his retirement from business life in 1860. Both he and his wife were members of the Congrega- tional church and were prominent and influential people of the community in which they made their home.

At the usual age Mr. Beckwith, whose name introduces this review, entered the village school and later continued his studies at the academy. At the age of fourteen years, however, he began clerking for his father, whom he assisted for some time and then formed a partnership with G. S. Wainwright, his wife's uncle. This busi- ness was established in 1860 and was carried on by Mr. Beckwith up to the time of his death.

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

His patronage had grown to large proportions and the store became a profitable investment, bringing to Mr. Beckwith a handsome financial return for his labor. He had the largest busi- ness in the town, and while conducting his store he erected the Beckwith Block, a fine business building, in which he located his mercantile en- terprise. This structure still stands as a monu- ment to the enterprise and thrift of Mr. Beck- with, who occupied a commanding position in commercial circles of Middlebury.

On the 16th of January, 1867, Mr. Beckwith was united in marriage to Miss Emma Wain- wright, a daughter of Henry Wainwright, a native of Middlebury. Mrs. Beckwith, however, was born in Boston, where her father was en- gaged in merchandising for a number of years and afterward removed to Racine, Wisconsin. There he carried on merchandising for a number of years, after which he went to Chicago, Illi- nois, where he died at the age of fifty. He wed- ded Mary Bennett, of Burlington, Vermont, who was born in Manchester, Vermont, and unto them were born two children, but Mrs. Beckwith is the only one living. The mother died at the age of fifty-six years, and, like her husband, was a member of the Episcopal church. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Beckwith were born three children, but they lost two in infancy, and the surviving son, Frederic, is now his father's successor in business. He was educated in the Worcester Academy, and at the time of his father's de- mise assumed control of his interest in the store, which he has since successfully conducted.

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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 II, Part 16

Author: Carleton, Hiram, 1838- ed Publication date: 1903 Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1044

Author: Carleton, Hiram, 1838- ed
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1044