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 89

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 89

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William S. Aplin succeeded to the ownership of the ancestral homestead, on which he was born, lived, and died, his death occurring December 24, 1885, at the age of sixty-three years. He was a very successful farmer, being financially prosper- ous and adding to the acreage of the original homestead by the purchase of an adjacent estate. He was a citizen of much prominence, filling with ability the various offices within the gift of his townsmen. Politically he was a Democrat, and fraternally was a Mason, belonging to Golden Rule Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and to Bellows Falls Chapter, R. A. M. He married Mary E., daugh- ter of Leonard Blanchard, of Andover, Vermont. She survived him many years, dying June 5, 1900, aged seventy-two years. Three children were born of their union, namely: Eddie, who died at the age of fifteen years ; Nellie M., who died un- married, at the age of thirty-one years; and George Thomas Aplin.

George T. Aplin received excellent training for his life work, attending the common and high schools, and being graduated from the Massa- chusetts Agricultural College in 1882, with the degree of B. S. Since acquiring possession of the home farm he has devoted himself to general agriculture, having about one hundred and fifty acres of his land in a good state of cultivation, seventy acres belonging to the home farm and the remainder being a part of his two hundred acres located on the Putney Meadows. He raises good crops of tobacco and pop corn, finding both re- munerative, and keeps a dairy of Guernsey cows, sending a part of his milk to the Westminster creamery and a part to Boston. In the prosecu- tion of his chosen vocation Mr. Aplin evinces much ability, and is meeting with deserved suc- cess. He is held in high respect as a man and a

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citizen, and has served in various town offices, in- cluding that of lister and selectman, being elected on the Republican ticket, which he invariably sup- ports. He is a member of Golden Rule Lodge No. 32, F. & A. M., which he has served as mas- ter, and belongs to the Knights of Honor. He at- tends the Congregational church.

Mr. Aplin married first, June 21, 1894, Emma L., daughter of Jerome V. and Adelaide (Joslyn) Shaw. She died July 24, 1895. He married sec- ond, November 15, 1900, Minnie E., daughter of David and Julia (Jaquith) Persons, of Putney, and they have one son, Donald G. Aplin.

GEORGE DAVIS.

George Davis, of East Montpelier, Vermont, is a descendant on the maternal side of Clark Stevens, who was born in Rochester, Massachu- etts, November 15, 1764. He received his educa- tion in the common schools of his native town, and when he had reached his eighteenth year he was drafted as a soldier, and he served his coun- try for a few months in the Revolutionary war. In 1790 he removed to Montpelier, Vermont, which at that time was a perfect wilderness. He purchased a large tract of land, which he cleared of weeds and underbush ; he then started to culti- vate it, and in the course of a few years he had some very productive land, where he raised a gen- eral line of produce. Mr. Stevens, with the aid of some of his neighbors, formed a Society of Friends : they erected a log meeting house, and under his efficient leadership this little band of worshippers established the first altar for the pub- lic worship of God in Washington county, Ver- mont. Mr. Stevens possessed all the manly at- tributes of a gentleman, combined with the con- fidence and humility of a child. His personal ap- pearance was very striking, and he was able to gain and retain the love and friendship of all with whom he was brought in contact. His death oc- curred at his home November 20, 1853.

Timothy Davis, son of Nicholas and Sarah (Williams) Davis, and father of George Davis, was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where his early education was obtained in the district school. After assisting his father with the duties of the farm he decided to learn the trade of cab- inet-making, which he followed for some time in

his native state. He then removed to Vermont, where he pursued his trade for a short period of time. Subsequently he purchased a farm in the then town of Montpelier, now East Montpelier, and devoted his time and attention to that occu- pation, which proved to be very successful. He was united in marriage, in January, 1833, to Miss Pauline Stevens, daughter of Clark and Huldah Stevens.

George Davis, the only child of Timothy and Huldah Davis, was born on the old homestead, March 13, 1834. He received his elementary edu- cation in a private school under the preceptorship of his uncle, Stephen F. Stevens; he then at- tended the district school of his native town. He afterward settled on the old homestead, which he has operated with great success, and he enjoys the reputation of being one of the best farm man- agers in his section of the country,

Mr. Davis is an enthusiastic Republican and true to his party affiliations. He was elected to represent the town of East Montpelier in the state legislature for the years 1884 and 1885. In his religious belief Mr. Davis is a consistent mem- ber of the Society of Friends. His parents were also members of the same body; his father took an active part in all their meetings.

JOSEPH EDSON SLEEPER.

Joseph E. Sleeper, deceased, for many years an important factor in the industrial and agri- cultural interests of Bradford, Vermont, where his long and unusually active career was spent, was born at Corinth, Vermont, in 1832. His fa- ther, Benjamin Fox Sleeper, was formerly a res- ident of Londonderry, New Hampshire, whence he came to Corinth, Vermont, where the greater part of his life was spent. He was a carpenter by trade, and more than six hundred buildings in Corinth and the surrounding towns are land- marks of his handiwork. He served in the war of 1812 and was on his way to Plattsburg when that engagement was fought ; he was familiarly known throughout his life as "Captain." He married Sarah Fox Sleeper, and their children were: Ruth, Catherine, Ascha, Nancy, Sherburn, Ben- jamin Franklin and Joseph Edson Sleeper.

Joseph E. Sleeper obtained his education in the public schools of his birthplace, and after at-

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mining the age of nineteen years entered the em- ple of the Passumpsie Railroad. He remained with this company nearly thirty years, most of the time in the capacity of foreman of a section, amd during the carlier part of his service the ma- jority of the help employed were Yankees. At that time there were only four trains a day, two each way, but as the traffic of the road increased there were more trains added from time to time, until now it is one of the principal railroads in that section of the state. In 1860 Mr. Sleeper took up his residence in Bradford, and in 1882 he purchased a farm on the lower plain of the city, where he remained for many years. He then pur- chased and remodelled a fine residence on the original Dea Hardy lot, built by A. F. Colburn. It is of modern design and elegant finish, com- manding an extended view of Main street and also of the street at right angles, and is one of the most beautiful and desirable locations in town. The interior arrangement of the residence is a model of convenience and taste, hot and cold water being provided on both floors, and all of the rooms wired for electric lights.

In 1861 Mr. Sleeper married Hannah Mer- rill, daughter of Major Ira Merrill, of Corinth, Vermont, and a niece of John L. Woods, the donor of Woods school and library buildings. Mr. Sleeper was a man of broad intelligence and genuine public spirit, strong in his individuality and never lacking the courage to carry out his convictions, but he also had a lively human sym- pathy and an abiding charity, which in connec- tion with his sterling integrity and honor of character gained for him the respect and confi- dence of all men with whom he was brought in contact. His death occurred February 13, 1903.

Albert E. Sleeper, only son of Joseph E. and Hannah Sleeper, was born in 1862, and acquired his education in the excellent schools and acade- my of Bradford, Vermont. At the age of six- teen years he entered the mercantile service of Mr. Brock, and later of Stevens & Clark, both of Bradford, remaining five years. In 1885 he re- moved to Lexington, Michigan, and entered the employ of S. C. Tewksbury, a maternal grand- uncle ; by careful observation and untiring indus- try he soon became so efficient that two years la- ter he was promoted to the position of manager of their extensive mercantile establishment, in

which capacity he is still serving. He is also as- sociated with his uncle A. W. Merrill in the com- mercial banking firm of Sleeper & Merrill, and he has also been chosen to serve as president of the Bad Axe National Bank at the county seat of Huron county, National Bank at Sanilac Center, the county seat of Sanilac county, the Standish National Bank at the county seat of Arenac coun- ty, and banks established at Lexington, Ubly and Marlette, Michigan, and is interested as officer and depositor in ten different banks. He is a young man of decided ability and promise, a faithful adherent of the principles of the Repub- lican party, is acting as president of the village corporation of Lexington, and served as state sen- ator during the years 1890-1891-1892-1893. He is prominently affiliated with the Masonic fra- ternity, Knights Templar, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and other organizations. On July 30, 1890, Mr. Sleeper married Mary C. Moore, of Lexington, Michigan.

MRS. PHILURA CELUCIA MOORE.

Mrs. Philura C. Moore, who was born in Wardsboro, Vermont, in the year 1825, is a de- scendant of an old and honored English family. Her great-grandfather on the maternal side was a Plimpton, born in England and became a min- ister of the gospel. His son Abner Plimpton re- moved to Vermont when the country was new, and located in the town of Wardsboro, where he purchased a large tract of land which he cultivated in such a manner that he derived a goodly profit from his labors. He was a former resident of Sturbridge, Massachusetts, living there at the time of his marriage to Miss Esther Mann, whose family were natives of England. The following named children were born of this union: Will- iam, who married Miss Lucy Choate and their children were Emmons, Electa and Ella Elladicea Choate; Abner was a farmer and resided in Wardsboro, Vermont, and married Miss Hannah Wheelock and their children were Silas, Holland, Sophia and Maria Plimpton; Amos married Miss Lucy Rich, and their chil- dren were Erasmus, Amosa, Betsy, Elsie, Chandler and Gardner Plimpton; Rev. Oli- ver died unmarried; Susan was the wife of Thomas Simpson, a prominent farmer of Wards-

Franklin Moon

Mers Chiliera. C Moore

MOORE FREE LIBRARY

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boro and their children were Orin, Nathaniel, Susan, Olive, Ella D. and Lucinda Simpson ; Esther died when quite young; and Elladicea. The last named was the mother of Mrs. Moore, who married Ebenezer Wakefield, who was born in Massachusetts but later removed to Wards- boro, Vermont, where he resided until his death, and was a devout Christian and served as deacon in the church; their children were Alden, a farm- er in Wardsboro, was twice married, first, to Eliz- abeth Knowlton, by whom he has one child, Dora Alden Wakefield, and, second, to Jennie Rigby : and Philura C. Wakefield. Mr. Plimpton died in 1814.

Mrs. Philura C. Moore, daughter of Ebenezer and Elladicea Wakefield, was born September 27, 1825. She acquired her education in the district school of Wardsboro, Vermont. On December 30, 1847, she was united in marriage to Franklin Moore, who was born at Stowe, Massachusetts, July 9, 1821. He was reared in Newfane, Ver- mont, where he was brought by his parents when he was between the age of ten and twelve years ; subsequently he removed to Wardsboro, where he lived on a farm. His principal occupation throughout his life was that of the buying and selling of cattle, from which he derived a hand- some income. He was a very prominent man in the political affairs of the town, being elected to fill various local offices, among others that of jus- tice of the peace and selectman, in which positions he rendered creditable and honorable service. La- ter he returned to Newfane, Vermont, where his death occurred August 27, 1897, at the age of sev- enty-six years.

Mrs. Moore, being blessed with abundant means. resolved to dedicate a portion of it to beneficent public benefits. In April, 1897, she be- gan the erection of the Moore Library building, in Newfane, Vermont, which was completed the following October at a cost of about four thou- sand dollars, and the library was opened with some two thousand volumes. It is a commodious and well lighted room, handsomely finished in quartered oak and provided with all of the modern accessories. By gifts and purchases the library now contains some two thousand six hundred well selected volumes, covering a wide range of litera- ture, history, fiction, science and biography. Mrs. Moore has endowed the library with the sum of

two thousand dollars, the interest of which is to be used for the purchase of new books and the care of the library. She resides in the building, and acts in the capacity of librarian, where her kind and venerable presence is a benediction to the patrons. She has provided that at her death the building shall be wholly devoted to the uses of the library. Mrs. Moore was also a liberal con- tributor to the West Wardsboro Baptist church, having given to it a fund of twelve hundred dol- lars, and to the Congregational church the sum of two thousand dollars. She has also contributed nine hundred dollars to the improvement of Woodlawn, the Newfane cemetery, and the resi- dents of that town manifest a grateful apprecia- tion of these generous gifts.

EUGENE WALLACE PAIGE.

As an extensive landowner, breeder of thor- oughbred horses and connected in prominent ca- pacities with manufacturing industries, the gen- tleman whose name heads this sketch has long been favorably known to the business world in Vermont and other states. He has been accus- tomed for many years to deal in a large way with large affairs, and is one of the best type of the class who have caused the phenomenal develop- ment of agriculture and manufactories in this country. He comes of a notable New England family, whose members for many generations have been conspicuous in the public and commer- cial life of that section. His grandfather, George H. Paige, was one of a family of twelve children, and removed from Hardwick, Massachusetts, his native place, in the early part of the nineteenth century, and cast in his lot with the people of the Green Mountain state. He located in Caledonia county, and made his home at Hardwick, where in the course of time he rose to positions of prominence and influence. He represented his district in the state senate, held the office of coun- ty judge for many years, and exercised an influ- ence second to no man in his locality. He left behind him two sons who also achieved distinc- tion in civil and military life. One of these, Hen- ry H. Paige, enlisted as a soldier in the First Ver- mont Cavalry during the Civil war and rose to the rank of major in that gallant command. George L. Paige, another of these sons, became a suc-

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

coastal Hammer and served two terms in the legis. lume as a ureful representative of an intelligent constituency. He married Mary S. Rice, and by that umon became the father of Eugene W. Page, the subject of this sketch, whose birth oc- curred at Cabot, Vermont, October 14, 1852.

The latter, who soon developed into an un- usually bright boy, became restless at home, and at a very early age determined to start out in life for himself without wasting time in preliminaries. In 1873 he commenced work as a laborer in a store, by 1882 was able to purchase a small inter- est and a short time afterward owned the entire establishment. In due course he became the senior member of the firm of E. W. Paige & Company, located at 196 West street, New York city, which is one of the most extensive jobbing firms in flour in the United States. In the year 1901 they did a business amounting to two mil- lion dollars, and are known not only over this country but in foreign lands, to dealers in the "staff" of life, which constitutes so large a part of both of our domestic and export trade. At pres- ent Mr. Paige is one of the directors and a stock- holder in the great Pillsbury flour manufactur- ing plant at Minneapolis, Minnesota, which is the largest concern of the kind in the world.

But Mr. Paige's investments have not been confined to merchandising and commerce. He is an extensive owner of land, including three hun- dred acres near Roxbury, Vermont, which is re- garded as one of the finest farms in Washington county. In 1898 he purchased as a country home the elegant place known as the Wayside Stock Farm, in Randolph, consisting of two hundred acres, over which he installed his brother, Henry H. Paige, as manager. This gentleman, who was born at Cabot, Vermont, in September, 1859, is an experienced farmer and stock-breeder, whose skill and good judgment are much appreciated by his brother. Henry H. Paige married Neil Car- ter, and has a son, Raymond.

On the Wayside Farm Mr. Paige makes a specialty of raising the fine draft horses for which Vermont has long been famous throughout the world. In his stud at this place are two fine stallions, imported at great cost, and a superb collection of forty brood mares of the most ap- proved pedigrees. Mr. A. T. Safford, of Buf- falo, New York, and eastern manager of the Pills-

bury interests, is a partner of Mr. Paige in his Orange county farming interests. From the fore- going it will be seen how large a share in the de- velopment and progress of his native state has been borne by Mr. Paige, and how well he de- serves the esteem and consideration that are be- stowed upon him in the communities benefited by his enterprise. He has worthily sustained the reputation of an honorable ancestry, and by his achievements as a breeder and manufacturer has added to the record of good deeds previously placed to the credit of the Paige family.

In 1876 Mr. Paige was married to Miss Ada Bancroft, of Woburn, Massachusetts, and has two daughters, Belle W. and Marion B. The former is the wife of Floyd Parsons, of Paterson, New Jersey.

COLONEL CHARLES APPLETON MILES.

Colonel Charles Appleton Miles, of Brattle- boro, is a man of brilliant attainments, who has won for himself an enviable reputation in the two fields of activities, professional work and business. It is, however, as a professional man that he is best known in Brattleboro, where for seventeen years he was the principal and proprie- tor of the Burnside Military School.

Mr. Miles is descended from two of the old- est and most distinguished New England fam- ilies, the Mileses and the Appletons. John Miles, the first representative of the family in this coun- try, came from the north of England and settled. in Concord, Massachusetts, in 1637, where in 1638 he was admitted as a freeman in the Massa- chusetts colony. He became a large landowner, in fact, was one of the largest of the original proprietor of that town. He married Sarah - - and, after her death, Susannah Rediat. By the first marriage there was one daughter, and by the second three children.

John Miles, eldest son of John and Susannah. Miles, was born in 1680. Upon reaching man- hood he married Mary Prescott, of Concord, and they had six children, of whom a son named John was the oldest. This son was born December 24, 1704. He resided in Concord, settled upon a farm in that place, where he followed agriculture for many years. Thrifty and industrious, he prospered in life, and married Elizabeth Brooks,

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of Concord, by whom he had eight children, of whom the second was named Noah. This son, born April 29, 1730, married Hulda Hosmer, of Concord, and of their children, the eldest was named Noah.

Rev. Noah Miles, eldest son of Noah and Hulda Miles, and grandfather of Charles Ap- pleton Miles, was born December 22, 1757. Early displaying scholarly tendencies, he was given the best educational advantages of that time, and was sent to Dartmouth College, where in 1780 he graduated with honors. Deciding to follow the ministry, as a young man, he settled in Tem- ple, New Hampshire, where he preached for fifty years, with eminent success. He lived to the age of seventy-four years, and died in 1831. In early life he married Jane Pierson, of Newburyport, and they had eight children: Solomon Pierson, Jane Noyes, Samuel Searle, Noah Burke, Eliza- beth Dickinson, John Murray, Hulda and Ben- jamin Jones Crombie.

Solomon Pierson Miles, father of Charles Appleton. was a leading educator of this country, ranking with such men as Horace Mann and George B. Emerson, and was well known in the best circles of Boston, where he labored for many years. He was born January 22, 1791. Profiting by such educational advantages as lay in his power, he entered Harvard College, from which he graduated in 1819. After filling the position of instructor in his alma mater for some years, he decided to devote his life to the promulgation of higher educational methods, and accepted a position as head master of the Boston high school, and there put into practice many of his advanced theories. For nearly twenty years he conducted this institution, with remarkable ability and suc- cess. He then opened a private school for the instruction of girls in Boston. Here he was even more successful than he had been in his public school work. May 27, 1833, he married Sarah Elizabeth Appleton, the eldest daughter of Na- thanael Walker and Sarah Tilden Appleton. Sol- omon P. Miles died August 22, 1842.

Colonel Charles A. Miles was born in Boston in 1834, and, from his father's position, was early brought under the influence of some of the most cultivated people of that city. He was prepared for college at the Roxbury Latin School, and entered Harvard University, from which he grad-

uated in 1853, at the age of nineteen, having for classmates such noted men as President Eliot and Professors Hill and Pierce of that institu- tion.

Deciding to enter upon a business career, he took a position, as clerk in a well known East India house, where he remained until his twenty- first year. Shortly afterward he went to Lowell, Massachusetts, and obtained employment as su- perintendent in a large manufacturing establish- ment. He next decided to try his fortune in the west, but the financial crisis of 1857 caused him again to return to the east. He then opened a private school in Northfield, Massachusetts, Meeting with much success here, he was offered the head-mastership of the Brattleboro high school, where he continued for a short time. Hav- ing now resolved to make teaching his profession, he established the Burnside Military School in that place, where he remained for nearly twenty years.

In 1873 he went to Europe, where he passed a couple of years in study at the cities of Heidel- berg, Gotha and Paris. Returning to this coun- try, he accepted the position of head-master of the Anthon grammar school in New York city, and he afterward established the Arnold Prepara- tory School, in the same place. Desiring. how- ever, in the course of time to withdraw somewhat from the strenuous activities of his profession, he finally returned to Brattleboro, where he has to some extent been engaged in private instruction. As a teacher his work has always been thorough and progressive, and has won for him an ex- cellent reputation in his profession.

Colonel Miles has been married twice, first to Josephine Myra Finn, and after her death, in 1882, to Fanny Glover Train. By the first union there were no children, by the second there is one son, Appleton Train Miles.

Colonel Miles is a man who has always moved in the best society, where he has also been ex- tremely influential. While in the university he was exceedingly popular, belonging to many of the college fraternities. He was a member of the first crew, which, in the college contest of 1852, contested the palm with Yale. In early life he joined the Masonic order, serving as mas- ter of his lodge, high priest of his chapter, grand high priest of the state of Vermont, and eminent

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commander of the Beauseant Commandery of Knights Templar in Brattleboro. In the com- mumties in which he has lived he has always been recognized as a man of untiring energy and the broadest culture.

The Appleton family, from which Colonel Miles, through his mother, is descended, traces its line as far back as John Appulton (1), of Great Wadingfield, England, who was living in 1396, and died in 1414. The descent is continued in a ·direct line through John (2), John (3), John (4), Thomas, Robert, William, Thomas (2) and Samuel.

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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 89

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