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 27

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 27

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years, and has also been a member of the legis- lature, as well as state senator; he was elected to this honorable position during the time of the Masonic trouble in Vermont. Fraternally he was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons. Mr. Van Sicklin married Miss Betsy Meack, of Shelbin, a daughter of Dr. Fardrick Meack, whose father served as a surgeon in the British army during the Revolutionary war ; he was in- terred at Ticonderoga in 1775. The following named children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Van

Sicklin : Samuel S., died in infancy ; George, died in 1847; Edward, a graduate of the Uni- versity of Vermont; Frederick M., also a grad- uate of the same university, and now acting as president of the Howard National Bank of Bur- lington ; Martha M., wife of Chauncey M. Brown- ell; John; and Sarah, wife of Frank H. Small, of Burlington, Vermont. Mr. Van Sicklin died in April, 1866.

John J. Van Sicklin, the fifth son of John and Betsy Van Sicklin, was born November 7, 1830. He received his preliminary education in the com- mon school, and this was supplemented by an academic course. He then settled on his father's farm, and, with the exception of four years, he has pursued the occupation of a farmer. His farm consists of two hundred and twenty-five acres of fertile, productive land.

As a Republican he has been chosen to serve in the various town offices. He is a member of the Washington Lodge, F. & A. M., and of Burlington Chapter, Royal Arcanum. Mr. Van Sicklin was married in 1861 to Miss Martha Mead, a daughter of Samuel S. and Jane ( Fair- child) Mead, who are members of an old Hines- burg family.

LEMUEL S. DREW.

Lemuel S. Drew, of South Burlington, Ver- mont, was born in Charlotte, Vermont, August II, 1824, a son of Lemuel and Polly Drew. Lem- uel Drew, father of Lemuel S. Drew, was born in Wolfsboro, New Hampshire, May 23, 1774. He removed to Essex, New York, and later changed his residence to Charlotte, Vermont, where he became interested in the cattle business ; subsequently he removed to Burlington, Vermont, and engaged in the butcher trade. Mr. Drew

married Miss Polly Warner, who was born in Wolfsboro, New Hampshire, December 27, 1777, a daughter of Walter Warner. Six sons and three daughters have been born to them, namely : Betsy, born January 11, 1802, married Triston Corner ; Sally L., born June 9, 1804, married Ambrose Atwater ; John Y., born June 29, 1806; Daniel, born July 31, 1808, died June 12, 1869; Amasi, born July 10, 1811, died April 8, 1889; Jedediah, born September 12, 1815; May E., born September 13, 1817, marired Eli Barss; William Warner, born May 23, 1822, died Sep- tember 30, 1869; and Lemuel S. Drew.

Lemuel S. Drew, youngest child of Lemuel and Polly Drew, acquired his education in the common schools of the village, and after com- pleting his studies entered into the employ of the late John Howard, proprietor of the Howard House, where he remained three years. The next three years of his life were passed as an appren- tice in the harness-maker's trade, but after ac- quiring it he returned to the Howard House, and acted in the capacity of clerk. Three years later the hotel burned, and Mr. Drew then asso- ciated himself with the American House; after

remaining there for some time he assumed con- trol of the Franklin House; he changed the name, and called it the Howard House. Subse- quently he returned to the American House. In 1865 he retired from the hotel business and pur- chased the farm on which he now resides. It is situated three miles south of Burlington, on the Shelburn road. He occupied his time in cultivating the land until 1878, when his old in- clinations toward the hotel business prompted him to return to that occupation, and he resumed the management of the American House until 1883, when he was placed in charge of the Van Ness House, which he conducted so success- fully for nine years that it became the leading hotel in Vermont. He continued his management until 1892, thus spending forty-two years of his life in the hotel business in Burlington. He again retired to his farm, where he has since been actively engaged in breeding Ayrshire cattle, Yorkshire and Berkshire hogs and blooded stock.

Mr. Drew is a Republican, and he was chosen by that party to represent Burlington in the state legislature in 1872. He is a director of the

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State Agricultural Society, president of the County Agricultural Society, and president of the National Ayrshire Cattle Breeders' Association. He also acts as captain of the first hook and ladder company of Burlington. Fraternally he is a member of Washington Lodge No. 3, A. F. & A. M., Burlington Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Burlington Council, Royal and Select Masons, and Burlington Commandery, Knights Templar.

Mr. Drew was united in marriage on Octo- ber 26, 1848, by Bishop Hopkins, to Miss Louise Atwater, born July 29, 1829, a daughter of Phineas Atwater. Five children have been born to them: Frances Louisa, born July 21, 1850, married Dr. G. Henry Tenney, September 18, 1871; Charles Lemuel, born July 2, 1853, died January 13, 1854; Sarah Elizabeth, born Feb- ruary 22, 1856, died August 2, 1863 ; John How- ard, born March 4, 1858, resides with his parents ; Fred Atwater, born August 9, 1860, married Miss Alice Davis, August 2, 1888.

FREMONT HAMILTON, A. B., M. D.

Dr. Fremont Hamilton, of Brattleboro, Ver- mont, was born at Hartland, Maine, October 10, 1857. He is a grandson of Jonathan Hamilton, and a son of Henry Warren Hamilton and Eliza (Graves) Hamilton ; the former named was edu- cated in the common schools of his native town, and later entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which institu- tion he was graduated with the class of '58. He commenced the practice of his profession in Roch- ester, Vermont, and subsequently practiced it in Brandon, Vermont, where he enjoyed a large and lucrative patronage for twenty-four years; sub- sequently he removed to Springfield, Massachu- setts, where he was engaged in general practice for 10 years, when, on account of failing health, he retired from practice, and died at Brattleboro, November 9, 1895, at the age of sixty-six years. In his professional life Dr. Hamilton gained a creditable position and won gratifying success, for he was well equipped for the practice of medi- cine, and his efforts having been discerningly di- rected gained him precedence in the medical fra- ternity. He served at one time as president of the State Homeopathic Society, and had the dis-

tinction of being the third of his school to practice in the state of Vermont. He was united in mar- riage to Miss Eliza Graves, and the following named children were born to them: Dr. Warren Henry Hamilton, who graduated from Middle- bury College in 1875, and New York Homeopath- ic College in 1878, and was engaged in the prac- tice of his profession at Brandon, Vermont, up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1879 ; he married Miss Mary T. Terrell, daughter of Dr. Henry Terrell, and one child was born to them, Samuel Warren Hamilton. Eliza Ellen Hamilton was the first lady to apply for admittance to the classical college in New Eng- land; she matriculated at Middlebury College, and later entered as a sophomore the University of Vermont, from which she graduated in 1875. She was united in marriage to Frank E. Wood- ruff, now professor of Greek, Bowdoin College, a theological seminary. It is an interesting co- incidence that as class-mates at college Mr. Wood- ruff and Miss Hamilton took the same stand. They have three children : John, who is a student in the University of Vermont; Robert, a student at Bowdoin ; and Edith Woodruff, now fitting for college.

Dr. Fremont Hamilton, son of Dr. Henry Warren Hamilton, was reared at Brandon, Ver- mont, where his early education was acquired in the graded school; he entered Middlebury Col- lege, from which he was graduated in 1.878; he was then a student in the medical department of the New York Homeopathic College, from which he was graduated in 1882. Immediately after his graduation he opened an office in Rutland, Ver- mont, and enjoyed the patronage of some of the most select families in the town; he remained there until 1893, when he removed to Brattle- boro, Vermont, where he has a large and con- stantly increasing practice. The years have proved his ability to cope successfully with dis- ease and master its intricate problems, and his skill has gained for him a position of prominence among the medical fraternity in this section of the state. In addition to his professional work Dr. Hamilton is the proprietor of the Crystal Springs Ice Company.

Dr. Hamilton is a member of the Vermont Homeopathic Medical Society ; he is also a mem- ber of the Masonic order, being connected with

Hor. Hamilton.

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Columbia Lodge, F. & A. M., and the Daven- port Chapter, No. 17, R. A. M., at Rutland, Ver- mont. In his political affiliations he is a firm ad- herent to the principles of the Republican party. Dr. Hamilton was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Lydia Budall, of Middlebury, Vermont, and one child has been born to them : John War- ren Hamilton. Dr. Hamilton is lineally descend- ed on his Grandmother Hamilton's side from Cap- tain Clark, of "Boston Tea Party" fame.

CHARLES CARLETON MILLER.

Charles Carleton Miller, vice president and treasurer of the Burlington Drug Company, of Burlington, Vermont, was born in this city, No- vember 28, 1858, a son of the late David Miller. David Miller, a native of Canada, came from there to Burlington when but twelve years of age. He possessed great mechanical ingenuity and ability, and after learning the machinist's trade was engineer for the Champlain Steamboat Company for many years. His wife, whose maiden name was Ellen O'Connell, was born in Bristol, Vermont. Six children blessed their union, as follows: Ellen died young; Catherine Parker, a musician and teacher; Charles Carle- ton, the subject of this sketch; Minnie J., wife of Charles C. Barker, of Burlington ; David, who died when young; and John H., a commercial traveler. Neither of the parents are living, the mother having passed away in 1885, at the age of fifty-five years, and the father on April 3, 1896, aged seventy-four years.

Charles Carleton Miller was graduated from the Burlington high school with the class of 1876, afterwards being bookkeeper for the Bur- lington Shirt Company for a few years. Subse- quently accepting a position as cashier and book- keeper for Wells, Richardson & Company, he remained in the employ of that firm until 1892, when he became one of the organizers of the Bur- lington Drug Company, of which he was the first secretary and treasurer, and is now the vice- president and treasurer. Politically he is an active supporter of the Democratic party, always taking a lively interest in public affairs. For eight years he served on the school board, during which time he was chairman, and rendered ex- cellent advice and good judgment in the erection

of six new schoolhouses, including the magnifi- cent Edmunds High School building. In 1900 he was elected to the state legislature by a ma- jority of four hundred and ninety-seven, while there rendering excellent service on the com- mittee on ways and means, and on the educational committee.

Socially Mr. Miller is a member of the Al- gonquin, Ethan Allen and Mohican clubs, and fraternally is one of the best known and most prominent Masons of this section of the state, being a member of Washington Lodge, F. & A. M., in which he filled the office of worshipful master for two years; of Burlington Chapter, R. A. M .; of Burlington Council, R. & S. M .; Burlington Commandery, Lodge of Perfection, Scottish Rite ; Mt. Sinai Temple of the Mystic Shrine; and is a thirty-second degree Mason. He was district deputy of the fifth district for two years; was grand lecturer of the Grand Lodge of Vermont two years; and served as grand junior warden of the Grand Lodge one year, an office to which he was honored with a re-election, which he refused on account of busi- ness interests. On November 29, 1893, Mr. Miller married Miss Katherine Jane Stannard, daughter of the late General George J. Stan- nard.

THE WALKER FAMILY.

The Walker family of Burlington and vi- cinity, which has for its now living representatives in the ninth generation the children of Obadiah Johnson Walker, William W. Walker, Hiram Walker, Solomon Walker and James Otis Walker, is numbered among the most ancient in that por- tion of New England.

The first of the family in America was Widow Walker, who came from England and settled in Rehoboth, now in Bristol county, Massachu- setts, prior to 1643. Philip (2) appears on the Rehoboth records in 1653, as shown by the date appended to his signature. He was a deacon in the church, and was buried August 21, 1697.

Philip (3), son of Philip, was born in Re- hoboth in March, 1661-62, and died February 17, 1739-40, aged about seventy-eight years. He was a man of large means for his day, for his property inventoried one thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds. He united with the church

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April 2. Hogy. He married Many Bowen, who was buried May 2. goog. His Second Will, Sarah, died Felmary 0, 1739. He was rather of ten children.

Daniel (4), son of Philip, was born in Re- hoboth, October 10, 1706. He married, January I, 1729-30, Mary Perry, daughter of Jasiel and Rebecca Perry, and she died in Rutland, Ver- mont, Daniel, then a man fifty-three years of age, in 1759 accompanied General Wolf's ex- pedition to Canada, and was at the taking of Quebec. In 1768 he removed with his family to Clarendon, Vermont, where he died.

Nathan (5), son of Daniel, was born in At- tleboro, Massachusetts, May 4, 1744, and died in Ferrisburg, Vermont, October 19, 1823, aged seventy-nine years. He was a farmer by occu- pation and a Baptist in religion. He settled with his family in Shaftsbury, Vermont, but in 1790 removed to Ferrisburg. He married Cath- erine Johnson, who died August 28, 1820, aged eighty-two years. They had nine children, of whom Obadiah was the second.

Obadiah (6) was born in Shaftsbury, Ver- mont, November 1, 1770, and died January 13, 1813. He was a man of great ability and in- dustry, and wielded a strong influence in the community. He was a Democrat of the Jef- fersonian school, and was a member of the legislature for the unusual period of eight years. He married, January 17, 1795, Betsy, a daugh- ter of Zuriel Tupper, of Ferrisburg; she was born in 1778. They were the parents of seven children, of whom Zuriel was the second.

Zuriel Walker (7) was born in Ferrisburg, Vermont, May 27, 1801. When fourteen years of age he was apprenticed to John H. Sherrill, at Vergennes, to learn the woolen business, and served a term of seven years, ending with his coming of age. After following the business for three or four years, he bought the paternal farm and resided upon it during the remainder of his life. He was highly intelligent, energetic and enterprising, and possessed the respect and confidence of the community in an unusual de- gree. He was at various times a selectman and lister, town clerk for thirteen years, and a jus- tice of the peace for twenty-five years. He was a representative in the legislature from 1832 to 1834, and a state senator in 1848-49. In Feb-

ruary, 1827, he married Mary Johnson, a daugh- ter of William Johnson, of Cheshire, Vermont, and ten children were born to them: Obadiah, Jr., January 6, 1828; Henry Hobart, September 28, 1829; William W., August 6, 1831 ; Hiram, February 8, 1833; Edward, December 31, 1834; Solomon, January 10, 1838; James Otis, January 20, 1840, Mary Malvina, February 19, 1841 ; Mar- tha Ann, October 6, 1844 : Maria Agnes, August 15, 1846. The father of this family died in 1871, and the mother in 1873.

Obadiah Johnson Walker (8), eldest son of Zuriel Walker, was born January 6, 1828, in Ferrisburg, Vermont, where he acquired his edu- cation in the common schools. When fifteen years of age he came to Burlington, and took em- ployment in the store of his uncle, Solomon Walker. He manifested a peculiar aptitude for commercial affairs, and in course of time became confidential adviser to him who was at once relative and employer. After the death of his uncle he became administrator of the estate, and he also remained with the firm which succeeded to his business-that of Bishop, Smith & Com- pany. In 1851 he formed a business partnership with Oscar P. Blackman, who, in the following year, sold his interest to W. H. Curtis. Now came to Mr. Walker a tremendous disaster. His firm had endorsed the paper of Joseph Bishop to a large amount, and his failure swept away the entire means of Mr. Walker. But he set to work manfully, although burdened with the care of a growing family, to discharge all these obligations and to preserve his name unsullied. He became bookkeeper and manager for the firm of Herrick & Miller, and by dint of close econ- omy succeeded in liquidating all his security debts, dollar for dollar. In 1856 he formed a partnership with Mr. Van Sicklen, and this was maintained successfully for about twenty years. In 1873 he had so far recovered himself as to be enabled to again enter into business, and he formed the firm of O. J. Walker & Brothers, of which he became the active head, and in which capacity he was engaged until the time of his death. As an accountant he was without a peer, known as the most rapid and accurate in the state, if not in all New England. His mercan- tile instincts were of the highest order, and no costly mistake was ever laid to his door; if there

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

were errors at any time, it was in setting aside his own judgment and relying upon that of oth- ers. Warm-hearted sympathy and liberality were marked traits in his character. His acts of charity were multitudinous, and were performed with such total want of ostentation that they went unheralded except by the recipients of his aid and bounty. While deeply interested in all conducing to the welfare and improvement of his city, he never aspired to public distinction, and repeatedly refused overtures looking to his ad- vancement in the political field. For many years he was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church and of its official board. He was devoted to advancing its interest and ex- tending the bounds of its usefulness, and the present beautiful house of worship was built in large measure through his liberality and influ- ence. He was a member of the Algonquin and Ethen Allen Clubs, and one of the oldest mem- bers of Washington Lodge No. 3, F. & A. M.

Mr. Walker was married in 1852 to Miss Mary White, of Buffalo, New York, and of this marriage six children were born, of whom Frances and Mrs. George Brown are now living. Mrs. Walker died in 1866. In 1874 Mr. Walker was married to Mrs. Mary Beach Horton, who bore him one son, Robert, who died in 1896, the mother having passed away in 1880. In deli- cate health at best, these afflictions came upon Mr. Walker with crushing force, and undoubtedly hastened his demise, which occurred in 1897.

William W. Walker (8), third son of Zuriel Walker (7), was born August 6, 1831. He ac- quired an excellent education, graduating from Middlebury College in 1853. For four years afterwards he taught school in Palo Alto and Swansboro, North Carolina, and with such suc- cess that his future in that calling was assured, had he chosen to continue in it. But he had other purposes. The law had attracted his attention, and he went to Burlington, Vermont, where he took up a course of study, and was in due time admitted to the bar. He had but fairly entered upon practice, under most favorable auspices, when the Civil war began, and his patriotism im- pelled him to join the ranks of his countrymen and aid in the preservation of the Union. En- listing in Company C, Twelfth Regiment, Vermont Volunteers, August 23, 1862, he served with that

gallant command during its one year term of service, participating in all the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac during the most crucial periods of those dreadful years. On being mus- tered out of service he returned to Burlington and entered the employ of Van Sicklen & Wal- ker, wholesale grocers, and was subsequently admitted to partnership in the firm. In 1877 he became a member of the new firm of O. J. Wal- ker & Brothers, and remained with the house until 1896, when he retired from active business life. He was eminently successful during his entire mercantile career, and was a conspicuous representative of that class of business men which has contributed so greatly to the advancement of the material and social interests of the city. To those sterling, rugged virtues which character- ize the best of the old stock of Vermont, he added that greater progressiveness which be- longed peculiarly to his own day. In all the re- lations of life his name was the synonym for integrity and genial manhood, and he was be- loved throughout the community for his no- bility of character and his helpfulness to those in distress or less favored by fortune.

About 1853 Mr. Walker was married to Miss Charlotte Hogle, of Fort Covington, New York. Eight children were born of this marriage: Fred H., H. Henry, Charles, Walter, Hiram, John, Hallie and Lillian, all of whom, with their mother, are now living. Mr. Walker died in 1899. The business established by O. J. Walker & Brothers was incorporated in 1899, and is now run in the interest of the estate.

Following is the obituary of the fourth son of Zuriel Walker, who died in 1899:

"Hiram Walker died at his home on Pearl street Saturday afternoon about 2 o'clock, after a period of ill health covering several months. His death was preceded by a shock of paralysis, and the end came after he had been unconscious for some time. During the past few days Mr. Walker had grown rapidly worse, having suf- fered two strokes of paralysis within a few days. which left him very weak. He revived from the first, but his constitution had been greatly weak- ened by continued ill health, and the second brought him very near death's door, where he remained for a time and then passed quietly to his rest. The funeral will be held from the late

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residence of the deceased at 267 Pearl street this afternoon at 5:30 o'clock.

"Vr. Walker was born in the town of Ferris- bing sixty six years ago, and was one of a family of seven brothers, all but one of whom came to Burlington, where they became well known and respected business men. Soon after coming to this city he obtained a position upon one of the lake steamers, which were then doing a large business, and remained there for several years. On leaving the boat upon which he was employed he became identified with the business interests of James A. Shedd, later becoming a partner of Mr. Shedd, and continuing as his associate for several years. About twenty-five years ago Mr. Walker, with his brothers, entered the whole- sale grocery business in this city under the name of O. J. Walker & Brothers. This association continued for many years, the firm doing a large business. Upon the reorganization of the com- pany, Mr. Walker became the president of the Walker Grocery Company, which continued the business established by Walker Brothers.

"Mr. Walker married Miss Alma Lyon, of South Burlington, who survives him. They have one son, Arthur L. Walker, of this city.

"Mr. Walker was a thorough business man, of sterling qualities and strict integrity. In his business he became eminently successful, and a generous spirit brought him many friends, who, with a large number of business associates and acquaintances formed in other ways, regret his death.

"He was not a man who sought political honors, but never failed to take that interest in municipal and national affairs which is demand- ed of a good citizen. He was elected an alder- man from the ward in which he lived in 1884, and served with credit to himself and his con- stituency. Last year he was elected to the office of building inspector in this city, but this position he was forced to resign on account of his ill health, which began with a severe attack of the grippe in the winter.

"In the death of Mr. Walker, Burlington loses a business man of the character which contrib- utes to the highest prosperity of a city, and a citizen of the best type; his business associates lose a prudent and diligent assistant, and his family, a kind and loving husband and father."

GEORGE FOSTER SIBLEY.

George Foster Sibley, of East Montpelier. Vermont, is the seventh in lineal descent fron Joseph Sibley, who was born in England, and came to this country in 1629. Joseph Sibley set- tled in Salem, Massachusetts, where he became one of the prominent business men of the town. He was chosen to act as selectman, and was a member of the general court, which was held at Boston, Massachusetts. His son, Joseph, had a son named John, who was born in 1711, and married Miss Hannah March; they had a son, also named John, who was born in Sutton, Mass- achusetts, in September, 1740, and served as captain of an artillery company in the town of Sutton. His son, Andrew, grandfather of George Foster Sibley, was born in Sutton, Massachusetts, April 7, 1781. In 1805 he removed to the town of Montpelier, Vermont. He married Miss Mary Putnam, and five children were born to them : Charles, Lewis, Julia Ann, Hiram and Ira; the last named died in Illinois at the age of ninety- two years. The father of these children died in East Montpelier.

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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 27

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