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 24

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 24

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).

Frederick William Coburn, son of Josepli Leander and Caroline Coburn, was born August 24. 1862, at Elgin, Illinois. His parents removed to East Montpelier, Vermont, when he was a little over two years old. He received his early education in the district schools, and this was later supplemented by a course of study at the Goddard Seminary at Barre, Vermont. After his grad- uation he chose the occupation of a farmer, and he still continues in that line of work. Politically he is a Republican, and fraternally is a member of Arcadia Lodge No. 53, I. O. O. F., at Plain- field, Vermont.

Mr. Coburn was united in marriage March J4, 1886, to Sarah D. Cate, daughter of Alvin M. and Hattie M. (Holmes} Cate. Their child- ren are: Hary Lee, born May 25, 1887; Carrie Kate, born May 23, 1892 ; and Evelyn Inez, born July 12, 1899.

Lewis Dwight Coburn, son of Joseph Leander and Caroline A. (Corliss) Coburn, acquired his preliminary education in the district school, later attended Goddard Seminary at Barre, Vermont. and then entered Tufts College, from which he was graduated in the spring of 1888. After his graduation he remained on the farm and he has

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successful managed deve c. ( the. pop

Mr. Coburn is a mim adherent of the print plus of the Republican party, and he takes all active interest in educational matters, and is chairman of the school board. Mr. Coburn ha- gained the respect and esteem of his fellow lowus men, and is considered one of the representative citizens of East Montpelier. On May 27. 1801, Mr. Coburn was united in marriage to Miss R. Belle Hollister, daughter of Martin Van Buren and Sophia ( Davis) Hollister. Their niece, Dora Maud Wells, born September 18, 1895, daughter of Ernest Carroll and Dora Sarah ( Hollister ) Wells, resides with them as their own child. Her mother was a sister of Mrs. Coburn, and is now deceased.

HIRAM EUGENE SIBLEY.

In his own person and by his marriage, Hiram Eugene Sibley, of Burlington, is a rep- resentative of two old and honored New Eng- land families. His early American ancestor was Joseph Sibley, who came from England in 1629. He settled in Salem, Massachusetts, where he became prominent in public affairs, serving as selectman and as a member of the general court which met in Boston. His son Joseph was father of John, born in 1711, who married Han- nah March, and their son John, born in Sutton, Massachusetts, in 1740, was a captain of ar- tillery from that town during the Revolutionary war. His son Ebenezer served as deputy sheriff and afterwards removed to Vermont late in the righteenth century, where the region was but a wilderness. and cleared off land and made a home. which he occupied during the remainder of his life. He came into prominence, occupying var- ious positions of honor and trust. He married Miss Beach, who bore him five children, Edwin, Silas B., Warren, Louisa and Timothy.

Timothy Sibley, youngest child in the family last named, was born in 1803, in Westford, Ver- mont, where he tilled a farm until 1865, when he removed to Winooski, where he lived several years, but died at the home of his son, H. Eugene Sibley, in Burlington, Vermont. He served in the state militia, and was constable for several years. He married Abby Davis, born in Milton,

vermont, March 12, 1867, a daughter of Jack- Davis. Then children were Charlotte Louise, born December 9, 1829, who became the wife of Charles Osgood, and died in 1873 ; Moses Davis, born May 5, 1831; Lydia A., born April 23, 1835, who became the wife of Isaac C. Os- good : Hulda, born December 28, 1837, who died in infancy; Torrey Wales, born August 17, 1841; Silas Beach, born January 12, 1844, who resides in Berlin, Vermont; Edwin Scranton, born July 16, 1848, who resides in Chicago, Illi- nois; and Hiram Eugene, further written of be- low. The father of this family died September 24, 1880, and the mother died August 23, 1877.

Hiram Eugene Sibley, youngest child in the family last named, was born in Westford, Ver- mont, August 4, 1851. He was educated in the public schools of Westford and Winooski, and in his youth served as clerk in a store in the latter named place. Subsequently he assumed charge of the sash, door and blind factory of E. W. Chase, who died, and the business was sold to J. R. Booth, who retained Mr. Sibley as superin- tendent of that department of the work. In No- vember, 1894, Mr. Sibley was obliged to resign on account of ill health. Meantime he had engaged in a business on his own account, that of lubri- cating oils and greases, which he still continues to conduct. Mr. Sibley served as alderman of Burlington from 1881 to 1885. He is a promi- nent member of the Masonic fraternity, a past master of Burlington Lodge, a member of Bur- lington Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Bur- lington Council, Royal and Select Masters, of Burlington Commandery, Knights Templar, and he has attained to the thirty-second degree, Scot- tish Rite. He is also affiliated with Mount Sinai Temple, Ancient Order of the Mystic Shrine. On June 6, 1876, Mr. Sibley was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Chase, a daughter of the late Edwin W: Chase. Mrs. Sibley died May 6, 1883.

Edwin W. Chase, father of Mrs. Sibley was one of the most prominent business men of Bur- lington, Vermont. He was born in Keene, New Hampshire, in 1819. When he was only six years of age his father died, leaving a widow and two small children, Edwin and a younger sister, and very limited means with which to face the world. Edwin was bound ont to Mr. Brewster,

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of South Burlington, with whom he resided un- til he attained the age of sixteen years, when he was apprenticed to John Herrick, one of the old- est and most competent carpenters and builders of Burlington, with whom he was associated un- til 1844, when he established in Winooski the first business of manufacturing doors, sash and blinds by machinery. His plant was twice de- stroyed by fire, and he removed to. Burlington, where he erected a factory. He suffered severe losses by fire here also, but on account of his for- mer promptness in meeting his obligations, the manufacturers were only too willing to supply him with machinery, and allow him to make his own terms of payment. Mr. Chase was an inde- fatigable worker, arriving at his desk early in the morning and remaining until iate at night, and his industry brought him reward, and his busi- ness rapidly increased from year to year. His factory was of great advantage to the community, and he constantly employed about sixty men, to whom he paid the most liberal wages. He was kind-hearted and benevolent from his boyhood. While he was earning small wages as a boy he assisted his mother and sister, and as his means increased he was enabled to provide altogether for them. When he became an employer and a man of affairs he was ever ready to aid the worthy needy, and many a young man owed his beginning in life to his generosity. He was an attendant and supporter of the Methodist Epis- copal church, and a member of Washington Lodge, F. & A. M.

On October 20, 1844, Mr. Chase married Miss Jane W. Edgcumbe, born May 17, 1825, a daughter of George and Grace (James) Edg- cumbe. Two children were born to them : George E., the son, acquired his education at the Hopkins Institute, and later became asso- ciated with his father in business; he married Miss Helen Smith, daughter of C. A. Smith, of Winooski, and he died in 1871, aged twenty- five years. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chase, Mary Josephine, who became the wife of Mr. Hiram E. Sibley, was educated in Mrs. Wooster's Boarding School, and was a most amiable Chris- tian woman. Mrs. Chase died June 1, 1876, at the age of fifty-one years ; her husband survived her until July 8, 1878, being then fifty-nine years of age. He was preparing to go to his home at

the close of the day's business, when he dropped to the floor, and he expired at ten o'clock that night. His death was a shock to the entire com- munity in which he had been so prominent and useful a figure through many years. George Edgcumbe, father of Mrs. Chase, was born in Devonshire, England, August 6, 1792, a son of Benjamin and Winifred ( Elliott) Edgcumbe. The former named was born in England in 1759, spent his entire life there and died in the same house in which he was born: his wife was born in England in 1760, and her death occurred in this country, at the home of her son George Edgcumbe, in Burlington Vermont. George Edgcumbe was a miller by trade, and prior to the year 1799 he settled in Winooski Falls, where he rented a grist mill, for which he paid fourteen hundred dollars a year ; he operated this mill for many years, being the only miller in this section of the state, and he was also very handy at all kinds of repairing. Subsequently he pur- chased the homestead built by Thomas Aims be- fore the year 1799, which is still standing and in which two of the Edgcumbe descendants now reside. He married Grace James, born in Corn- wall county, England, October 17, 1798, a daughter of William and Sarah James, the former named being born in 1768, in Cornwall county, England, where he died. The following named children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Edgcumbe : Sarah; Grace; Benjamin; Jane, wife of Edwin Chase, and they had two chil- dren, George E., and Mary Josephine, who be- came the wife of Hiram E. Sibley; Sarah Ann : Mary E .; Angeline; George; William; Mary Matilda ; Edward ; and Lucia Edgcumbe.

SAMUEL BIGWOOD.

Samuel Bigwood, a prominent business man of Winooski, Vermont, was born in Frome, coun- ty Somerset, England, July 21. 1833. a son of William and Jane Bigwood. About the year 1849 William Bigwood, father of Samuel, came to America from England, and located in Win- ooski, where he entered the employ of the Bur- lington Woolen Mill Company, in which position he remained for the rest of his life. Two years later his wife, his son Samuel and a daughter named Jeanette came to this country, and subse-

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quently another daughter, Emma, also joined them here, James, William and Eliza, their other children, having previously died in England. Jeanette married Mr. Manley, of Washington, Massachusetts, and after his death married Mr. Whipple, of Providence, Rhode Island. Emma was united in marriage to Mr. Fraiser, and one son, Samuel, was born to them. After the death of Mr. Frasier she married Mr. McGill. They reside in Burlington, Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. William Bigwood both died when in their sev- enty-first year.

Samuel Bigwood received his education in the schools of England, after which he served a seven years' apprenticeship in the tinsmith trade there. Later he emigrated to this country, where he was employed by James Shed, of Burlington, and one year later he removed to Utica, New York, and from there he went to Easton, Penn- sylvania. Subsequently he returned to Winoo- ski, Vermont, where he established a tinsmith and hardware business. So successful did this en- terprise prove that he has continued in the same line of business for over forty years.

Since attaining his majority Mr. Bigwood has taken much interest in public matters, and has been entrusted by his townsmen with many re- sponsible positions. For many years he served as selectman of the town; was a trustee of the schools; a trustee of the village and trustee of the Winooski Savings Bank. Fraternally Mr. Bigwood is associated with Webster Lodge, F. & A. M. Mr. Bigwood is a consistent member and serves as deacon of the Baptist church of Burlington, Vermont.

Mr. Bigwood was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary Ann Granger, widow of John Granger, and the daughter of Elijah Herrich, of West Milton. Four children were born to them: Frank E., who is in business with his father, married Miss Dora Leavenworth, and the following named children have been born to them, Ella, Elizabeth, Marion, Bert and Frank Samuel; the father of these children has served in the capacity of se- lectman and president of the village, and is a member of Webster Lodge, A. F. & A. M. William H., a lumberman of Ontario, married Miss Cora Temple, of Bay City, Michigan, and their two children are Paul and Marguerite. Harry W., a hardware merchant of Rhode

Island, married Miss Susie Lec. Fred HI., em- ployed by the Porter Screen Company, of Winoo- ski, Vermont, married Miss Bessie La Fontain.

JOSEPH A. WILDER.

The family of this lately deceased citizen of Brattleboro, was not only one of the oldest in Vermont, but boasts a pedigree which runs far back towards the "twilight of history," when the threads are taken up on the other side of the ocean. The first conspicuous figure of the name was Nicholas Wilder, a military chieftain, who came over from France with the Earl of Rich- mond, landed at Milford Haven and took part in the army of his liege lord at the battle of Bos- worth in 1485. The founder of the American branch of the family came to this country in the carly part of the seventeenth century, and is heard of as early as 1640 as a permanent citi- zen of Charlestown, Massachusetts. In 1654 he settled on the Nashawena river, about forty miles west of Charlestown, where he owned a farm of five hundred acres and held the office of select- man from 1660 to 1667. Nathaniel, youngest of his five children, was prominent both in civic and military life and an active as well as useful citizen. He was captain of a militia company and was killed during an attack of the Indians in 1704. He married Mary Sawyer, and by her had four sons and three daughters. Nathaniel, son and namesake of the last mentioned, was born in 1673, married in 1706, settled in Lancaster, bought seven hundred acres of land in Petersham and had twelve children. One of the latter, named Joshua Wilder, was born in Lancaster, Vermont, learned the saddler's trade, and in 1739 removed to Princeton, then just settled, his daughter, Sarah, being the first child born in the town. In 1752 he removed to a farm on the banks of Swift river, now in the town of Wave, on which some of his posterity still live. He. married Sarah, daughter of John Keyes, of Lan- caster, by whom he had the following named' children : Rosina, Joshua, Abie, Sarah, Phebe, Solomon, Thankful, John, Prudence, Nathaniel and Damaris. The Joshua mentioned as the- second child in the foregoing list was born in 173I, came to the town of Brattleboro from Worcester county, Massachusetts, in early man --

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Joseph Wilder

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hood and settled on the farm now occupied by the Wilder brothers, which was ever afterward in the possession of himself and his posterity. On the 4th of June, 1760, Joshua Wilder was married to Margery Dunster, of Dummerston, by whom he had eleven children: Sarah, Mary, Polly, John, Solomon, Margery, Clarissa, Joseph, Damaris, Phineas and Emma. Solomon Wilder, fifth in order of the last mentioned list of chil- dren, was born October II, 1772, and in the course of time succeeded to the possession of the home farm. He married Lavinia Miller, born March 5, 1772, and member of the well known family in Dummerston, whose descendants are now among the most prominent residents of that town. Solomon Wilder followed the occupation of farming until the time of his death, which oc- curred May 16, 1832, his wife passing away April 9, 1862. They had nine children, as fol- lows: George M., Susan, Mary, Joseph, Sarah, George, Marshall, Rebecca Jane and Russell Keyes.

Joseph A. Wilder, fourth of his father's chil- dren, was born October 13, 1818, and remained on the home farm until well advanced in life. In 1843 he was married to Delia A., daughter of Nathan Merrifield, of Newfane, and after that event occupied the homestead, or the Headley farm, in the neighborhood, for eleven years. In 1854 he removed to the West Brattleboro farm, this side of the covered bridge, well known under his ownership and later occupied by J. E. Thur- ber. In his early manhood Mr. Wilder was a school teacher of much repute in the towns about, his commanding presence and robust physique being important factors in the successful manage- ment of the district schools of those days. As a farmer he was a man of great industry, thrift and enterprise, the result being that before called to answer the final summons he had accumulated a handsome supply of this world's goods. He was very religious in his tendencies, and in 1832 united with the Congregational church of Brat- tleboro, then known as the "old church on the common." He was a life member of the foreign, home and American missionary societies. He was for many years a deacon of the church at West Brattleboro, as was also his grandfather, Joshua Wilder. Joseph and Delia (Merrifield) Wilder had four children, of whom Julia Vir-

ginia died when seventeen years old, and Emma Lewis in the eighth year of her age. Jennie Ellen, the youngest child, married Lemuel A. Fales, of Hinsdale, a printer in an office at Worcester, Massachusetts, and they have two children : Arthur Wilder and Gerald.

In 1883 Deacon Joseph Wilder, as he was familiarly known, bought the place in the village of Brattleboro formerly occupied by Ferdinand Tyler, and where he passed the declining years of his life. His death occurred October 7, 1889, as the result of several attacks of an apopletic nature. The funeral took place from the house on the following Wednesday afternoon, his pas- tor, Rev. C. O. Day, officiating in the presence of a large concourse of sincere mourners. All agreed that the deceased was a good citizen, a man of sterling qualities, of unswerving integrity and sincerely anxious to perform conscientiously his every duty to God and man. To the mission- ary and other benevolent causes represented by his church Mr. Wilder was always a willing and generous contributor, and during his whole life all his influence was given to the cause of morality and righteousness.

TORREY WALES SIBLEY.

Torrey Wales Sibley, of Essex Junction, Ver- mont, a veteran of the Civil war, was born in Westford, Vermont, August 17, 1841, a son of Timothy and Abby (Davis) Sibley. Ebenezer Sibley, grandfather of Torrey Wales Sibley, re- moved from Sutton, Massachusetts, to Vermont in the latter part of the eighteenth century. At that time the place was a regular wilderness, but Mr. Sibley resolutely set to work and cleared an extensive tract, which he cultivated and worked upon during the remainder of his life. While a resident of Massachusetts he was elected to the office of deputy sheriff, and after his removal to Vermont he performed most of the clerical work for his townsmen, and also occupied po- sitions of trust and responsibility. He married a Miss Beach, and the following named children were born to them: Edwin. Silas B .. Warren. Louisa, John, Louvisa and Timothy Sibley.

Timothy was the father of Torrey Wales Sibley. He was born in Westford, Vermont, in 1803, reared on a farm, and received his educa-

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tion in the district schools. He then devoted his time and attention to farming in Westford until 1805, when he removed to Wingoski, where he resided up to the time of his death. He was a member of the state militia, and acted in the capacity of constable for a number of years. Mr. Sibley married Miss Abby Davis, born in Milton, Vermont, March 12, 1807, a daughter of Jackson Davis. Right children were born to them, name ly : Charlotte Louise, born December 9, 1829. married Charles Osgood, and died in 1873: Moses Davis, born May 5, 1831 : Lydia .A., born April 23, 1835, wife of Isaac C. Osgood : Huldah. born December 28, 1837, died in infancy ; Torrey Wales, born August 17, 1841 : Silas Beach, born June 12, 1844, a resident of Berlin, Vermont ; Edwin Scranton, born July 16, 1848, a resident of Chicago, Illinois : and Hiram Eugene, born August 4, 1851. The father of these children lied September 24, 1880, and the wife died August 23. 1877.

Torrey Wales Sibley, fifth child in order of birth born to Mr. and Mrs. Sibley, passed his childhood days upon a farm, and attended the public schools of his native town. Upon the outbreak of the Civil war in 1861 he enlisted in Company A, Thirteenth Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry, and he served in the defense of Washington. He participated in the battle of Gettysburg, where he received a severe wound in the thigh which disabled him from partaking in further active duty. He was mustered out at Brattleboro at the expiration of his term of enlistment .. After the termination of the war he located in Boston, where he was engaged in the express business for twenty-three years, but in 1886 he returned to Essex Junction, Vermont, where his time was occupied by farming, and he gave it his exclusive attention for two years. He then established a hardware business, which he conducted for four years, and then continued farming until 1900, when he retired from active service.

On November 6, 1867, Mr. Sibley married Miss Diantha Seavey, daughter of Jacob and Eliza (Eaton) Seavey. They had two children : Fred Stanley, born July 10, 1870, is engaged in the stationery business in Boston, and was united in marriage to Miss Luthera E. Smead, born in Malone, New York, a daughter of Dr. D. W.

Spend, of Fases Junction, Vermont : their three ( Inldren are : Archer I ... born October 2. 1802 : Helen Mildred, born August 9. 1804: and Carl ton R., born February 27, 1807. Lottie May, the second child, born May 15, 1874, died February 0. 1800.

ORMOND COLE.

Ormond Cole. one of the oldest and most prominent citizens of Winooski, Vermont, is de- scended from an old and honorable English family, and his American ancestors were con- spicuous in Colonial and Revolutionary times, both his paternal and maternal grandfathers hav- ing borne an honorable part in the struggle for liberty.

He was born in Calais, Vermont, September I, 1829, second child of Thomas and Florina (Perry) Cole. In the paternal line he descended from James Cole (1), who came from England (probably Essex), in October, 1634, and mar- ried Mary Cole. Their son Hugh (2) married Mary, a daughter of Richard Foxwell ; their son John (3) married Susan, daughter of Edward Gray, and their son Thomas (4) married Mary Ripley. Their son Archipus (5) was a non- commissioned officer in the French and Indian war, and in the Revolutionary war he was first a minute man and afterwards a first lieutenant : he married Drucilla Howland. Their son Thomas (6) was born in Middleboro, Massa- chusetts, March 22, 1767. He removed in 1803 to Vermont, and settled at Montpelier, where he engaged in farming, having previously been an iron manufacturer. He married Mercy Foster, and to them were born the following named children : Drucilla, born March 27, 1796. who married Jonathan Herrick; James Foster, born January 28, 1798, died March 7, 1804; Nathan Howland, born February 21, 1800, died March 19, 1804; Eliza, born March 10, 1802, who married Perez Wheelock, a son of the first settler in Calais, Vermont ; Thomas, born March 26, 1805 ; James Harvey, born January 14, 1807, who married Emeline Hicks; Fanny, born No- vember 30, 1808, who married John S. Ware : Ira, born February II, 18II, died October 25, 1833. The mother of these children died October 8, 1848, and the father June 24, 1849.

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Thomas Cole (7), fifth child in the family last named, was born in Montpelier, Vermont, March 26, 1805. He was educated in the com- mon schools, and early turned his attention to the mechanical arts, for which he developed a special genius. In 1844 he removed to Defiance, Ohio, where he passed the remainder of his life, and came into prominence, serving as sheriff for sev- eral years. He was an adherent of the Demo- cratic party in his early life, but subsequently affiliated. with the Republicans. He married Florina, a daughter of Lemuel and Mary ( Bliss) Perry, and to them were born the following named children : Mary Amanda, born June 18, 1827, who became the wife of R. S. Crossman, of Burlington, Vermont ; Ormond, the immediate subject of this review ; Flora, born July 4, 1832, who became the wife of Truman Rich, of Wis- consin ; and Abner K., born October 26, 1834, who married Laura Dodge, and is now a resi -. cent of Philadelphia.

In the maternal line Ormond Cole (8), sec- ond child of Thomas and Florina ( Perry) Cole, descended from the famous Elder Brewster. whose daughter, Patience, became the wife of Thomas Prence, who was three times governor of the Massachusetts colony. Their daughter, Mercy, married John Freeman ; their son, John, married Sarah Myrick; their daughter, Mary, married Chillingworth Foster; their son, James, married Lydia Winslow; their son, James, mar- ried Mary Lewis, aunt of the Rev. J. J. Lewis, whose daughter married Thomas Cole.

Ormond Cole (8) acquired his education in the common schools of his native village. At the early age of eleven years he began to make his own way in the world, and before he became a man he had taught school for three years. In early life he removed to Winooski, where he en- gaged in a manufacturing business, in which he continued until 1877, known as the oldest living manufacturer in this portion of the state. On retiring from manufacturing he became one of the incorporators of the Winooski Savings Bank, of which he was trustee for two years, president for six years, and since his retirement from that position he has been the treasurer, and is the only one of the charter members who is yet connected with it, and is the oldest bank officer in that portion of the state. Successful in

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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 24

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