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 54

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 54

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and appliances necessary to conducting an elec- trt light plant and they are now doing an ex- cellent business. The captain is also interested in various other concerns tending to promote the advancement of his city, and in 1898 he purchased his present beautiful residence, overlooking the river, and in this charming home the family dis- pense a gracious hospitality to their many friends and acquaintances.

The marriage of Captain Parker was cele- brated in 1866, when Miss Agnes W. Ripley be- came his wife, she being a native of Rutland, Vermont, and a daughter of William Y. Ripley, the pioneer marble dealer of that city, where he was engaged in business for many years. In his family were the following children: General W. Y. W. Ripley, of Ruthland; General Edward H. Ripley, who makes his home 111 New York; Julia R. C., wife of Seneca M. Dorr, also of Rut- land; and Agnes W., the wife of Captain Parker. The father of these children was called to his final rest when he had reached the age of seventy-six years. He was a prominent and influential man in his city and for many years served as presi- dent of the Rutland County National Bank, of which he was the founder. To Mr. and Mrs. Parker has been born one child, Grace Agnes. The Republican party receives the Captain's active support and co-operation, and in 1885 he was elected to the important office of mayor, in which he served to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. For two years, from 1894 until 1896, he was a member of the school committee, and is now serving as superintendent of schools. In 1894 he represented Vergennes in the state legis- lature, and served on the military committee and committee on education. He is a member of many college fraternities, the Zeta Psi and the Theta Chi being among the number, and he is also a charter member of Ethan Allen Post No. 3, G. A. R., of Vergennes, in which he has served as commander, and at the present time is holding the office of adjutant. He is also a member of the Loyal Legion, in which he is a member of the council of the Department of Vermont, and is a worthy and acceptable member of the Episcopal church. For four consecutive terms, of three years each, he has served as a delegate to the general convention of the Episcopal church, and during that time the revision of the prayer book

took place. He is also a member of the mission- ary committee of the diocese of Vermont, is one of the trustees of the Vermont Episcopal Insti- tutte and has ever taken an active part in the af- fairs of the church of that denomination. He is a man of scholarly attainment-, of liberal culture, broad-minded and public-spirited, and Vermont numbers him among her representative men.

FRANK LESLIE FISH.

The law has ever attracted to its ranks a class of men gifted with keen preceptions and logical minds, men who, by nature or training, or both, are peculiarly fitted to deal with the problems which arise among their fellows. In reviewing the prominent members of the Addison county bar the name of Frank L. Fish takes precedence of many of his professional brethren, and it is fitting to present to his numerous friends and acquaint- ances the sketch of his useful life.

The Fish family is one of the oldest and most prominent ones in the east, and traces its ancestry to Jonathan Fish, who was born in Sandwich, Massachusetts, about 1690. His son, John Fish, was born in Reading, Massachusetts, June 15, 1715, and subsequently removed to within three miles of the village of Mendon, that state. He be- came the father of Simeon Fish, who was born in the latter town on the 17th of May, 1747, and his death occurred at Athol, Massachusetts, on the 9th of March, 1825. He served as a valiant and intrepid soldier during the Revolutionary war, enlisting for service in 1775. He became a promi- nent and influential man in his day, and was honored by his fellow citizens with many positions of honor and trust, having been elected to the office of selectman in 1786, and was also made moderator of the town meetings. His son, who bore the name of Samuel, became the great- grandfather of our subject. Samuel was born at Mendon, Massachusetts, on the 17th of April, 1769, and died at Athol, that state, July 23, 1834. He removed to the latter town when a young man, locating on Lyon's Hill and later on the Petersham Road. He, too, became prominent in the public life of the locality in which he lived, and was made surveyor of highways and collector of taxes. On the 22d of August, 1793, at Worces- ter, Massachusetts, he was united in marriage to

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Betsa Rigsbury, who was born in 1777, and died March 16, 1858. They became the parents of eleven children.

Jason Fish, second child of Samuel and Betsa (Rigsbury) Fish, was born at Athol, Massa- chusetts, on the 14th of February, 1796, and died in the place of his nativity July 9, 1876. For a number of years he made his home in Dummers- ton, Vermont, where he followed agricultural pursuits and held a number of local offices. Frederick Appleton Fish, eldest ot his seven chil- dren, was born in Athol, Massachusetts, on the IIth of October, 1819, and his death occurred at Newfane, Vermont, July 23, 1896. He was a wheelwright by trade, and was a prominent and influential citizen in the community in which he made his home. Possessed of much ability, he was yet modest and cautious to an extreme, and absolutely refused to accept any public position of trust or responsibility. In Dummerston, this state, in 1855, he was united in marriage to Sarah, daughter of Martin and Rebecca (Winslow) Gates, who was born in that town on the 6th of June, 1828. Daniel, father of Martin Gates, was captain of a company in the Revolutionary army. Frederick A., and Sarah Fish, were the parents of a son and daughter, the latter, Abby Emma, born November 29, 1860, resides at Newfane, and is unmarried. Two children died in infancy.

Frank Leslie Fish was born September 17, 1863, in Newfane, Vermont, where his first edu- cational discipline was received in the public school. Pursuing a higher education, he was a student in the Leland & Gray Seminary at Townshend, and the Vermont Academy at Sax- ton's River, from which he was graduated in 1886. He was then equipped to teach others, and began his labors at South Londonderry in the autumn of the same year, simultaneously begin- ning the study of law with A. E. Cudworth of that town. In the following June he became a law student in the office of the Hon. James M. Tyler, of Brattleboro, now one of the judges of the su- preme court. After a subsequent reading at his home in Newfane, he went to Bellows Falls in the spring of 1888, and became associated as a student with Lavant M. Read, judge of probate for the district of Westminster. While pursuing his law studies there Mr. Fish performed the duties of register of probate, keeping the records

of the district for his preceptor. During his stay in Bellows Falls he also spent considerable time in writing for the Bellows Falls Times, the local newspaper.

Since January, 1890, Mr. Fish has been a resident of Vergennes, whose citizens have de- lighted to honor him, and whose interests he has served in a capable and most acceptable manner. For a period of six consecutive years he acted as city colector of taxes, by appointment of the board of aldermen, and was collector for the school dis- trict during the same time. Upon the resignation of William H. Bliss, of Middlebury, Mr. Fish was appointed state's attorney for Addison county, December I, 1891, and was successively nomi- nated by the Republican convention in 1892, 1894, 1896 and 1898, being elected each time. This long service is sufficient evidence of his popularity and a proper tribute to his ability and faithfulness in the prosecution of his duties. In March, 1900, he was unanimously recommended by the Vermont delegation in congress for the position of bank examiner for the state, to which he was at once appointed. He resigned the office of state's attorney April 18, following, and at once entered upon his new duties, in which he has since distinguished himself as an able and faithful of- ficer. His jurisdiction has been extended to in- clude Berkshire and Franklin counties, in Massa- chusetts. He is president of the Vermont Fish and Game League, and is a member of Dor- chester Lodge No. I, A. F. & A. M., of Ver- gennes. He is popular as a public speaker, and is able to render service to his party in its cam- paigns. Believing in the principles and works of the Republican party, he seeks to extend its power and influence, and was made chairman of its state convention in 1900. A most affable and companionable man, he is steadily adding to an already large circle of friends and admirers, and is destined to render further service to the state and nation.

Mr. Fish was married March 15, 1892, to Miss Mary J. Lyon, a daughter of Chauncey and Emerette (Hopkins) Lyon, of Waterbury, Ver- mont. Mrs. Lyon was a lineal descendant of Dr. Jonas Fay, of Bennington, who was clerk of the Council of Safety during the Revolution, and also of Colonel Waite Hopkins, who was killed on an island in Lake George by Tories and Indians dur-

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ing the same struggle. Chauncey Lyon is now living on a farm at Waterbury, where his wife died February 19, 1807, survived by seven chil- dren, all of whom are living. They are Mattie, wife of James Thurston, of Waterbury; Mary J., Mrs. Fish; Kate B., Mrs. Jay H. Warren, of Minersville; Frank C., of Burlington, Ver- mont; Arthur D., of Waterbury; Jessie L., of Chicago; and Lois, of Vergennes. Mr. and Mrs. Fish are the parents of Katherine Sarah, Freder- ick Lyon and Prudence Hopkins. The family attends divine worship with the Congregational church, and occupies a desirable and useful po- sition in the social life of the community.

HENRY WILLIAM SPAFFORD.

Very few families in this country can trace a more authentic record of their European ancestry than the Spaffords. The name appears in the Doomsday Book, which has a record of the lands of England as parcelled out after the conquest by William, Duke of Normandy, in the year 1066. Tradition has it-and perhaps in the absence of a better theory the idea may be given some con- sideration-that the name originated from Spa (Spring) and Ford, there being many springs where we first find record of the name, and fords at that time would naturally be found there ; hence the name, at first Spa and Ford, then Spa- ford and finally contracting and crystalizing into Spaford.

The family in this country trace their origin from the Yorkshire (England) branch. In York- shire there is still a small town bearing the name of Spafforth, where is located the grand and sub- stantial old Spafforth church, and near by are the crumbled ruins of the once magnificent Spaf- forth castle, built and owned by Lord Spafforth, also the beautiful sheet of water, Lake Spofford. The names of Spafforth, Spofford, Spafford, Spaford, Spoford, Spawford and Spofferd are familiar on many of the old as well as the later English records, and in this country the spelling of the name varies quite as much as in the old. The largest branch here are the Spoffords, the next largest the Spaffords, with a very respecta- ble sprinkling of Spaffards, Spafards, Spaf- ords, Spofards, Spofords, Spawfords, Spar- fords and many others; but whatever or-

thography is adopted, all in this country trace their origin from John and Eliza- beth (Scott) Spofard. Over the grave of one of their sons, in the burying ground at Brad- ford, Massachusetts, the stone bears the inscrip- tion "John Spaford," and that of a grandson in the cemetery at Georgetown reads "Jonathan Spafford." The name appears to have been very generally spelled Spafford up to and at the time of the Revolution. Those who migrated from the old homes at Rowley, Georgetown and vicin- ity, during or before this period, retained this form of the name and transmitted it to their de- scendants, but in later years those remaining in and near the old homes gradually adopted the name of Spofford, which is now nearly uniform in Massachusetts, claiming that in so doing they more closely conformed to the oldest and most authoritve usage of their English relatives. At this distance, however, with what limited light we have upon the subject, it would seem that the name of Spofforth possesses more claim to orig- inality, and had an earlier, more authentic and more common usage in England than any and all others.

John Spofard (the spelling is identical with- the signature on his will dated October 7, 1678) was born in 1612 and came to this country from Yorkshire, England, in 1638 or 1639. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Scott, and who was probably the daughter of Thomas Scott of Ipswich, England, came to this country when she was nine years old in the ship Elizabeth. Noth- ing is known of their history in the mother coun- try, and but very little of the important events of their lives here. They became the progenitors of the large family which now bears his name in the United States and Canada. Having located in the primeval forests of Rowley, Massachusetts, they reared, defended, protected and brought to- manhood and womanhood eight of their nine children, one dying in infancy. When John Spo- fard died he left for his family a comfortable and even a large competence for that period, as is shown by a published copy of his will. The fact that he left his family so well provided for, living as he did at such a time in that bleak and inhos- pitable wilderness, surrounded by so many and such great disadvantages, shows him and his estimable wife to have been of good, sturdy stock.

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The exact dates of his birth, arrival in this coun- try, marriage and death, also his place of burial, are unknown. He and his wife located in Row- ley, Massachusetts, where they lived for about thirty years, when they moved to Spofford Hill, now Georgetown, Massachusetts, being the first family to locate there. When infirmities came upon him he transferred his interests there to his son. John and returned to Rowley, where he died, probably in 1678, aged about sixty-six years.

John Spaford (as the name is spelled on his gravestone at Bradford, Massachusetts), second son of John and Elizabeth (Scott) Spofard, was born in Rowley, Massachusetts, October 24, 1648. He was married March 9, 1675, to Miss Sarah Wheeler, and they settled on his father's homestead at Georgetown, where they spent the rest of their lives. They raised a family of seven children, one dying in infancy. He died April 27, 1696, aged forty-eight years, and his grave may still be seen in the old burying ground at Bradford, the gravestone being in a remarkable state of preservation for one that was erected over two hundred years ago.

Jonathan Spafford (the spelling of the name is taken from his gravestone), third son of John and Sarah (Wheeler) Spofard, was born May 28, 1684 ; married Miss Jemima Freethe, and set- tled in Georgetown. They brought up a family of thirteen children. He died January 16, 1772, in the eighty-ninth year of his age, and was buried in Georgetown.

Joseph Spafford, sixth son of Jonathan and Jemima (Freethe) Spafford, was born July 13, 1720. He married Miss Sarah Eames on Septem- ber 3, 1745, and settled in Boxford, Massachu- setts, where they resided for some time, then re- moved to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and from there to Weathersfield, Vermont. They were the fourth family to settle in that town, then a wilder- ness. He married for his second wife Miss Mary Marble, and six children were reared by them. He died at the homestead, March 13, 1803, aged eighty-three years, and was buried at "The Plains" cemetery in that town.

Joseph Spafford, second son of Joseph and Mary (Marble) Spafford was born April 4, 1770. He married Miss Rachel Wright, November 29, 1789, settled on the Spafford homestead in Weathersfield, Vermont, and reared a family of

eleven children. He died May 24, 1831, aged sixty-one years, and was buried at "The Plains" cemtery in that town.

Abel Spafford, oldest son of Joseph and Ra- chel (Wright) Spafford, was born March 13, 1790. He married Miss Matilda Grout March I, 18II. They reared six children to manhood and womanhood, and one died in infancy. They spent all their days in Wethersfield, Vermont, where he died June 18, 1863, aged seventy-three years, and was buried at "The Plains."

William H. Spafford, oldest son of Abel and Matilda (Grout) Spafford, was born September 13, 1812, and married Miss Eliza M. Rumrill, January 1, 1837. They settled in Weathersfield, Vermont, also resided for some time in Spring- field, Cavendish and Chester. They had six chil- dien, one died in infancy and one in childhood. Mr. Spafford died in Rutland, June 3, 1893, aged eighty years, and was buried in the cemetery at "The Plains," in Weathersfield.

In the beautiful old cemetery known as "The Plains," in the southern part of the town of Weathersfield, Vermont, are buried Joseph and Mary (Marble) Spafford; Joseph and Rachel (Wright) Spafford; Abel and Matilda (Grout) Spafford ; William H. and Eliza (Rumrill) Spaf- ford; and many of their descendants, the little daughter of William H. and Ezra (Rumrill) Spafford making five generations of the family resting in that cemetery. Henry W., son of Will- iam and Eliza (Rumrill) Spafford, has a burial lot next to his father's, where his first wife, Mat- tie E. (Kingsbury) Spafford, is buried.

Henry William Spafford, of Rutland, Ver- mont, second son of William H. and Eliza (Rum- rill) Spafford, was born in Weathersfield, Ver- mont, November 2, 1840. He received his educa- tion in district schools of his native town, Caven- dish, Chester and at Springfield Seminary and Chester Academy. On leaving home, May 10, 1857, he entered the railroad service as station agent at Danby, where he remained until April I, 1861, when he was appointed station agent at North Bennington, and removed to that place.

Upon the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted, September 4, 1861, as a private in Com- pany A, Fourth Vermont Infantry, and left the state for the front September 21. On reaching Washington the regiment was assigned to the

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Second Brigade, Second Division, Sixth Army Corps, and attached to the Army of the Potomac then being forred. The brigade as then organ- ized consisted of the Second, 'Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Vermont regiments. It was, however, better known in, as well as out of, the state as "The Old Vermont Brigade." The regiment re- mained in this organization during its entire term of service. The brigade was separated from the Sixth corps only once, being absent from the field about six weeks, when it was sent to New York city in August, 1863, with two brigades of reg- ulars, to suppress the riots incident to the enforce- ment of the draft of that year. After completing its work there and on returning to the field to assume its old position in the corps, the welcome given the brigade by its comrades in arms amount- ed to an ovation which was entirely unique and will long be remembered by those who witnessed it. The brigade participated in and rejoiced over all the successes, triumphs and victories and shared in all the misfortunes, reverses and disas- ters which befell the grand old Army of the Po- tomac during its splendid service throughout the war.

Mr. Spafford was promoted to commissary sergeant of the regiment May 28, 1862 ; was cap- tured at Brandy Station, Virginia, October II, 1863, and confined in rebel prisons in Richmond, Virginia, until May 21, 1864. He was mustered out of service at Brattleboro, September 30, 1864, on the expiration of his three years' period of enlistment, and on October 25 he re-enlisted and returned to his old regiment. He was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and quartermaster of the regiment, November 6, 1864; was on the staff of General Lewis A. Grant and General George P. Foster, commanders of the Old Bri- gade; was acting quartermaster of the brigade during the latter part of its service and at the time it was disbanded and left the field for home. He returned to the state with his regiment and was again mustered out, at Burlington, July 13, 1865.

Soon after the close of the war Mr. Spafford accepted employment as bookkeeper in the hide and leather house of Lapham & Clarendon of New York city, but impaired eyesight, caused by hard- ships and exposures during his long service in the

army, compelled him to surrender his position and abandon bookkeeping.

Ile then went to Redfield, New York, to man- age a large tannery plant for that firm, but as the business did not prove congenial to his taste he gave it up and once more returned to Vermont, where, on January 16, 1867, he again entered the service of the Bennington & Rutland Railway Company as station agent at North Bennington, the position which he vacated when enlisting in 1861. On October 8, 1877, he was promoted to the position of general freight agent, and on Feb- ruary 23, 1880, to be general passenger agent of the road.

On April 24, 1884, these two offices were re- moved from North Bennington to Rutland, since which time Mr. Spafford has been a resident of that city. He held the position of gen- eral freight and passenger agent until the road was purchased by and absorbed into the Rutland Railroad system on May 10, 1900. He was appointed local freight agent of the Rutland Railroad at Rutland, September 1, 1900, and served in that capacity until October 8, 1902, when his connection with railroad interests were severed, after forty-five years of practically continuous service, broken only by his absence at the time of the Civil war.

Mr. Spafford was married October 5, 1864, to Mattie E., daughter of William and Fanny (Spring) Kingsbury, of Chester, Vermont. Mrs. Spafford died June 3, 1877, leaving four children : Eva M., now the wife of George M. Rowell, sta- tion agent of the Rutland Railroad, at Burling- ton, Vermont ; Alton W., paymaster of the Howe Scale Company, Rutland ; Mattie E., a student in the New York State Library School at Albany ; and Henrietta W., now the wife of John B. Stearns, a furniture dealer of Rutland.

Mr. Spafford was married again, on Decem- ber 5, 1878, to Lydia Ella Marsh, daughter of Jared and Almira (Eaton) Marsh, of Chester, Vermont, from which marriage they have five children : Ella Marsh, now the wife of Francis Guy Frink, manager of the Washington Iron Works Company, Seattle, Washington; Henry W., Jr., clerk in the Howe Scale Company's office at Rutland; J. Marsh, clerk in the car ac- countant's office of the Rutland Railroad at Rut-

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land ; L. Harold and Samuel E. M., both in school at Rutland.

Mr. Spafford inherited a rugged constitution and is blessed with good health, especially good when taking into consideration the strain and ten- sion that he has carried through all his active and untiring business life. He is an active mem- ber of the Congregational church and of the Grand Army of the Republic, also a member of the Young Men's Christian Association and al- ways an earnest and zealous worker for its inter- ests. He has always been an abolitionist, a pro- hibitionist and an uncompromising Republican.

He is a trustee of the Vermont Soldiers' Home, and, on his duties as one of the auditors, spends a small part of his time at the Home in Bennington. Aside from this he is taking the much needed rest which his long, arduous and faithful public service has so justly entitled him to enjoy.

FRANK J. BAILEY.

Frank J. Bailey, one of the prominent business men of Brattleboro, Vermont, is a descendant of a family who have been long and favorably known in his vicinity. (See sketch of Isaac D. Bailey.) Orra Bailey, father of Frank J. Bailey, was born in Dummerston, Vermont, January 15, 1828. He acquired his education in the district school, and then learned the trade of granite-cutter; he fol- lowed this occupation and that of quarryman all his life, and being an industrious, capable man he met with a marked degree of success. All his life was spent in the towns of Dummerston and Brattleboro, with the exception of the fifteen years preceding his death, when he was a resi- dent of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He was united in marriage to Miss Julia M. Pettee, and two children were born to them: Frederick W., who married Miss Addie May, by whom he had three children, two of whom were Merton and Lena ; by a second marriage, to Miss Ada Prentice, two children were born, Anne and Julia. The second child born to Mr. and Mrs. Orra Bailey was Frank J. Bailey. Orra Bailey died in 1894, at the age of sixty-six years. Both he and his wife were consistent members of the Baptist church of Brattleboro.

Frank J. Bailey, younger son of Orra and

Julia (Pettee) Bailey, was born January 15, 1855, and reared in Windham county, Vermont. His preliminary education was received in the com- mon schools of his native town, and this was supplemented later by a course in the Leland and Grey Seminary at Townshend, Vermont. He commenced his business career in the city of Chicago, where he was engaged in the capacity of commercial traveler ; he represented New York and Chicago houses, and, being thoroughly fa- miliar with all the details of this vocation, he continued in this line of work successfully for fifteen years. ' He then removed to Fitchburg,

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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 54

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