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 9

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 9

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).

William N. Lawson remained on his father's farms in Cabot and Calais until becoming of age, when he came to Hardwick, where he served his time at the blacksmith's trade, afterwards operat- ing a smithy on his own account for eight years. Then building a shop in Mackville, he remained there about a year and a half, when he sold out and purchased the Griswold property on Wol- cott street, Hardwick, where he carried on a prosperous business for eight years, when, on account of ill health, he was compelled to dis- continue blacksmithing. The following three years he conducted a meat market and grocery on Main street, at the old Hardwick grocery stand. Re- tiring from mercantile pursuits in 1891, he as- sumed the entire charge of the mechanical work connected with the installing of the village water works, and has practically had control of the repairs and management of the same ever since, the only chart of the system which the village possesses being firmly imbedded in Mr. Lawson's mind. With the exception of the three first jobs of plumbing, in which he assisted, Mr. Lawson has done most of the work of this department, and during this time has also built up a general plumbing and heating business, introducing both steam and water-heating systems to the public. He now has a shop on Main street, where he keeps for sale stoves, tinware, roofing and other specialties. He had the misfortune to meet with one reverse in finances, but has otherwise been uniformly successful in his operations. He is independent in politics, voting for the best men and measures, regardless of party restriction, and is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

Mr. Lawson married, July 3, 1882, Hattie Adella, a daughter of Jonathan W. and Lucy (Day) Page, of Hardwick, and they have three children, namely: Gertrude M., Bessie L. and Josephine E. Mr. Lawson is a gifted musician, well versed in instrumental music, and a good vocalist, and has done more than any other one man in keeping together a band of fine musicians in the town, of which he is now the leader. be- sides which he has been a great help in all of the church choirs. He has considerable dramatic talent, and both he and his wife are excellent actors, and are much in demand in amateur theat- rical entertainments. His mechanical skill is also brought into activity at such times, the scenery

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

used being invariably of his production. His artistic ability is shown in other ways also, the Hardwick opera house having been built 1:om his designs and plans.

HON. GEORGE WILKINS.

Hon. George Wilkins, the Nestor of the La- moille county bar, who lived to the venerable age of eighty-five years, was during a long and active career the most striking figure of his day, and his death has removed the last of an old and wonderful race of men who moulded the destinies of the commonwealth during a most important epoch. When upwards of eighty he yet bore him- self erectly and his step was firm and elastic. His manners were courtly and dignified, and he was in all things the personification of the real gentleman of the old school. The Nestor of the Lamoille county bar, he was a busy practitioner for the phenomenally long period of sixty years. He maintained unimpaired to the last his splendid mental powers, his soundness of judgment, his in- timate knowledge of affairs and deep-seated loy- alty to the community. Only a few days before his death his counsel was sought with reference to an important measure then pending in Con- gress.

Throughout his life Mr. Wilkins was the principal dependence of the community, not only in the line of his profession, but in municipal and personal affairs. As was remarked by one who knew him well, "We presume, were the question to have been asked, who was the strongest all- around lawyer and business man in Lamoille county, the answer would have been George Wilkins." Many of the foremost men of the state paid high tribute to his excellencies and usefulness. Senator Dillingham said of him, soon after his decease: "Mr. Wilkins was a man of marked ability, strong individuality and pronounced traits of character ;" and Senator Redfield Proctor, in a letter written with refer- ence to this sketch of Mr. Wilkins' life, said :

"The people of Vermont universally felt, I am sure, as I did, great sorrow to learn of the death of Mr. Wilkins. Through his long life he had been a very useful man, stanch and strong, and true to his political principles, and always stand- ing up fearlessly for what he believed to be right.

His standing was such as to give him not only cat influence in his own county, but through- out the state, for people felt generally that George Wilkins, of Stowe, must be on the right side. Though on account of residing so far apart we did not often meet, I was glad to count him al- was as a steadfast friend, for loyalty to his friends and his principles was inherent in his na- ture. He was a natural born guide and leader, and his advice was often sought in political and party matters and always respected. He had filled a prominent place in Vermont affairs for a long time, and his death was a public loss."

Mr. Wilkins was unusually able as a trial law- yer, and an earnest, thorough and resolute ad- vocate. He had in charge the greater part of the most important litigation in his county, many of his cases involving large values and intricate questions of law, and he was usually successful in their conduct. His legal abilities and his ex- cellent business tact were exerted in all things affecting the welfare of the community. He aid- ed in all worthy public movements, and many salutary efforts had their inception in him. His counsel was much sought by the people about him, in all manner of personal matters, and his advice and aid were freely given. The Rev. J. Edward Wright said of him :

Mr. Wilkins possessed a well disciplined mind. He was a man of strength, both intellectually and morally, a keen discerner of the right, a scorner of shams and subterfuges, and tenacious in main- taining positions which he had with due consid- eration assumed. So, in religious matters he could not content himself with an easy-going as- sent to views that were inherited, or views that were generally current-views that belonged to others rather than to himself. A doctrine must commend itself to his own best judgment to win his indorsement. It was not sufficient that his emotions were stirred by a sermon. It must meet the demands of his intellect and his moral nature, or he could not accept it as a presentation of the truth. Hence, he took and firmly held in religion a position with the few, rather than with the many. He avowed himself a Unitarian, and from the organization of the Unitarian Society in Stowe in 1864 till his death he was one of its main supporters. Upon him great dependence was placed, especially at times when the society was without a minister, and lay services were held; and even at the age of four score he did not deem himself too old to share often in the

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

young people's meetings and impart generously from his stores of wisdom, the accumulations of much study and of long experience. He empha- sized in these addresses the value of truth and of truthfulness, the importance of fact above theory, the reign of law in God's world, and the impossi- bility of escaping the natural consequences of the violation of law by any scheme or artifice. In his judgment salvation was won by conformity to the divine will-the only safety lay in doing right. Thus Mr. Wilkins was, far more than most religious laymen, a preacher of righteous- ness ; and his oft-reiterated counsels cannot have been given to his young hearers in vain."

Mr. Wilkins was born in Stowe, Vermont, December 6, 1817, son of Uriah and Nancy (Kittredge) Wilkins. He attended the district schools, and, during brief periods, the academies in Johnson and Montpelier, but his large fund of knowledge was mainly acquired through his per- sonal home reading. He prepared for his pro- fession under the preceptorship of Messrs. Butler and Bingham, the leading lawyers of Stowe at that time, and he was admitted to the bar in 184I, at the age of twenty-four years. Mr. Wil- kins practiced in association with Mr. Butler for five years, and in 1845 he purchased his part- ner's law library and formed a law partnership with L. S. Small. The firm was soon dissolved, and thereafter Mr. Wilkins practiced alone.

His public service was frequent and highly useful. In 1852-53 he served as state's attorney and acquitted himself most creditably. In 1859 he was elected to the senate from Lamoille coun- ty. In that important place he displayed all the qualities of the wise and conscientious legislator, and his constituents would have gladly advanced him had he manifested any partiality for a politi- cal career. But his tastes were for his pro- fession, the community and his personal con- cerns. Thus destitute of political ambition, he was of that class which deems participation in political affairs one of the first duties of citizen- ship, and he exerted a strong influence in behalf of the Republican party, to whose principles he was deeply attached, and which he eloquently maintained on many occasions, before large as- semblages. He had a remarkably fine voice, deep and rich tones. At a public entertainment in a town in New Hampshire, the phonograph re- peated a speech he made through it in Stowe.

A clergyman present recognized the voice, re- marking, "I should know that voice if I had heard it in Heaven." The circumstances being related to Mr. Wilkins, he replied, "I wonder if he ever expects to hear it there." He was an ardent admirer of Lincoln, and was a delegate in the National Union convention, 1864, which renomi- nated that eminent statesman to the presidency. In 1868 he was a presidential elector from the Third congressional district of Vermont, and cast his vote for General Ulysses S. Grant for presi- dent, and, as a delegate in the national Repub- lican convention of 1872 he aided in the renomina- tion of the distinguished soldier.

Mr. Wilkins was ever deeply interested in ed- ucational affairs, and afforded liberal aid in the establishment and maintenance of schools in vari- ous parts of the town. In 1870 he gave to each one a copy of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, and he subsequently provided them with globes and astronomical apparatus. He was a warm ad- mirer of the soldiers who defended their coun- try during the Civil war, and in token of his ad- miration for their services he presented to H. H. Smith Post, G. A. R., a beautiful soldiers' memorial volume, which volume as Soldiers' Rec- ord is to have a place with the Soldiers' Tablets, etc., in Memorial Hall, an elegant building, the munificent gift of Mr. Healy Akeley, of Minne- apolis, to the town of Stowe, and which was dedicated August 19, 1903, during "Old Home Week." In recognition of the gift of Mr. Wil- kins, he and his wife were subsequently the guests of honor at a camp-fire, where they were made. the recipients of a volume, "Words of Lincoln," which was treasured by them far beyond its in- trinsic worth.

During the greater part of his life Mr. Wil- kins devoted much of his time to caring for his large properties. He was for twenty-five years the largest real estate owner in Lamoille county, and it is said that he possessed as many as forty farms, and he paid taxes in twelve different towns. He was one of the founders of the Lamoille Coun- ty National Bank, in which he was a director from the first, and he rarely failed to attend a meeting of the directors.

Ex-Governor Page, who was a brother di- rector with Mr. Wilkins in this bank for more than a quarter of a century, gave expression to

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

the following language in a letter written subse. quent to his death. It was not designed for publication, but it so well expresses some of the strong characteristics of Mr. Wilkins that We deem it worthy a place in this article. Governor Page said :

"For more than a quarter of a century I was an associate with Mr. Wilkins on the board of directors of the Lamoille County National Bank and presume I knew him as few men did. It was our custom at each directors' meeting of our bank to bring forward a record of every note dis- counted during the preceding month, and discuss the merits and demerits of the different individ- ual signers. I came to respect not only his sound business judgment, his correctness in weighing men and matters, but his kindness of heart as well, because in discussing the different men pri- vately, as we did, I was enabled to gauge the nat- ural characteristics and idiosyncrasies of my brother director, not only with reference to his excellent business judgment, but as to his kindly regard for his brother fellow men."

Mr. Wilkins was married July 12, 1846, to Miss Maria N., daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Blanchard) Wilson, of Hopkinton, New York. A lady of fine intellect and many accomplish- ments, she has exerted a strong influence, not only in the community but throughout the state. Deeply interested in all pertaining to education, her zeal and ability led to her election as superin- tendent of schools, and she was the first woman to occupy that position. She prepared and read before the town meetings exhaustive reports upon the condition and needs of the schools, with the result that their efficiency was greatly increased. During her term of office and through her effort, was held the first and only session of the state teachers' institute in the village of Stowe, and, the spring following, the county commissioners of education there held a two days' examination for the first and only time in the history of the place.

Mrs. Wilkins has frequently addressed large assemblages in various cities throughout the state, on education, temperance and other topics related to the home and the community, and has habitually received most gratifying commenda- tion of her abilities as a speaker. She is a grace- ful writer, and has made many meritorious con- tributions to the press ; one of the most important was her "History of Stowe," which was not only

an accurate narrative of events, but was pleasing for its bright reference to events and persons of the past.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins brought into their home three orphans, Charles B. Swift and his sisters, Maude M. and Elizabeth M. Swift, the children of Captain J. H. Swift, who was a former sea captain of New Bedford, Massachu- setts, and who was later a resident of Washing- ton. Upon these Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins be- stowed a really parental affection, bringing them up as their own. Charles B. Swift was the son of Captain Swift by his first wife, Louise Butler, daughter of Captain Butler, of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Captain Swift married for his third wife Emily C. Wilson, of Vallejo, Cali- fornia, a sister of Mrs. Wilkins, and she died in California, March 14, 1900. Charles B. Swift was educated at the Bryant & Stratton Business College in Boston, Massachusetts, and is now a highly respected citizen and extensive lumber dealer of Garfield, Vermont. He is the father of two children, Louise D. and George W. Swift. Maude Swift was educated in the People's Acad- emy, in Morrisville, and the Normal School in Johnson. She married Mr. Harry C. Fullington, of Worcester, Massachusetts, and to them were born two children,-Mary W. and Birney Swift Fullington. Elizabeth M. Swift also attended the Normal School in Johnson, and now has a home with Mrs. Wilkins in Stowe, Vermont.

Mr. Wilkins died on March 22, 1902. His death, while in a manner not unexpected, on account of his advanced age, was a shock to the community which held him in genuine respect and esteem, and the expressions at his funeral were sincere and touching. Mrs. Wilkins, who sur- vives him, is left with the grateful fragrance of a memory of one who was all gentleness and beauty, and whose life influenced for good all who came into his genial presence.

JOSIAH BURTON HOLLISTER.

Josiah Burton Hollister, a prominent man of affairs of Rutland, Vermont, is descended, like so many of the sons of the Green Mountain state, from ancestors who emigrated from the neigh- boring colony of Massachusetts, to aid in securing from savagery the trackless forests of what was

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

destined to be in time to come the state of Vermont.

Elijah Strong Hollister, grandfather of J. Burton Hollister, was born in Lee, Massachus- etts, and served, under two enlistments, three years and six months in the Continental army. At the close of the Revolutionary war he moved to Manchester, Bennington county, Vermont, where he engaged in the staging business, being part owner and manager of the line of stages from Middlebury to Bennington. He married Mary Clark, and was the father of eleven chil- dren. He died in Rutland at about fifty years of age.

Alvah Hollister, son of Elijah S. and Mary (Clark) Hollister, was born in Manchester, and was a farmer the most of his life. He was a Whig in politics, and a great admirer and strong adherent of Henry Clay. He married Polly Mun- son, and they were the parents of seven children, of whom J. Burton, mentioned hereinafter, was the youngest. Mr. Alvah Hollister died in Man- chester at the age of eighty-one years, and his wife at the age of seventy-seven years.

J. Burton Hollister was born June 17, 1831, at Sandgate, Vermont. He was educated at Burr and Burton Seminary, and Dartmouth College. He went west in 1855 and was principal of an academy one year in Rushville, Illinois; then re- turned to Vermont and engaged in agriculture and general business until 1865, when he bought an interest in a marble quarry in Dorset, and since then has been actively engaged in the marble business.

Mr. Hollister was superintendent of schools in Manchester for three years, member of the house of representatives from Manchester in 1863 and 1864; state senator from Bennington county in 1865, and a member of the last council of cen- sors in 1869. In 1873 he was elected one of the trustees of Burr and Burton Seminary, located at Manchester. In 1878 he moved to Dorset to engage more extensively in the marble business, and, for the same purpose, in 1881 moved to Rutland. In 1901 Mr. Hollister was elected mayor of Rutland, his administration proving ex- tremely beneficial to the best interests of the city, the present handsome city hall having been erect- ed during his administration.

Mr. Hollister marired C. Frances, daughter of

the late William Page, of Rutland. She died De- cember 16, 1886, and Mr. Hollister subsequently married Ella S., daughter of Charles Olmstead, of Rutland. From 1888 to 1894 Mr. Hollister's home was in Pittsford, Vermont, but in the latter year he returned to Rutland, where he has since resided.

HARRY MARTIN FAY.

Harry Martin Fay, a progressive farmer of North Williston, Vermont, is a member of the old and famous Fay family of New England. John Fay, son of Nathan Fay, and great-grand- father of Harry Martin Fay, was born in Ben- nington, Vermont, July 31, 1783, and when a young boy removed with his parents to Richmond, Vermont. On September 5, 1806, he was mar- ried to Polly Bishop, daughter of Daniel Bishop, of Hinesburg, Vermont, and to them were born eight children : Roswell B., July 5, 1808; Electa, February 24, 1811 ; Roxana, November 23, 1815; Daniel B., July 17, 1819; Ransom, August 5, 1822; Julius, August 23, 1825; Edith, February 23, 1828; and Hiram J., December 25, 183I.

Roswell B. Fay, grandfather of Harry M. Fay, was born in Richmond, Vermont, July 5, 1808. In 1838 he removed to Williston, Ver- mont, where he became extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits and later on in lumber manu- facturing. In politics he is a staunch Republi- can. He represented his town in the general as- sembly in 1850 and 1851. In 1861 and 1862 he was judge of probate for the county of Chitten- den, and during his many years of residence in Williston held many offices of trust and responsi- bility. He was one of the men largely instru- mental in erecting and maintaining the Universal- ist church of Williston. In 1886 he removed to Oakland, California, where he staill resides with his son, Alfred C. Fay.

Mr. Fay married, September 18, 1833, Ann Cutler, daughter of Thomas Cutler, of Rich- mond; she died May I, 1870. Of this union there were born five children: Marcia Eliza; John Miles ; Alfred Cutler ; Cynthia Roxana ; and Lucy Valeria, born in 1848, died in childhood. hood.

Marcia E., born in Richmond, Vermont, No- vember 28, 1837, was an earnest student and be- came a teacher of languages in Williston Acad-

4.8

THE STATE OF VERMONT.

emy, at that time a flourishing institution. She married Hiram A. Clark, of Williston, Vermont, in 1861, and died the same year.

Alfred C. was born in Williston, Vermont, March 6, 1843. In 1863 he enlisted in Company E, First Vermont Cavalry, and served until the close of the war. He was a member of the legis- lature from Williston in 1886, and the following year removed to Califonria, where he has since been extensively engaged in the dairy business in the city of Oakland. He married, in 1879, Adelaide Brownell, daughter of George W. Brownell, of Williston, Vermont.

Cynthia R., born in Williston, Vermont, June 15, 1845, married Jonathan R. Talcott, of Willis- ton, and they removed to Oakland, California, in 1879. They have two children, Anna Fay, wife of Walter Gawne, and Seth R. Talcott.

John M. Fay, father of Harry M. Fay, was born in Williston, Vermont, April 23, 1840. He received his early education in Williston Acad- emy and later was graduated from Eastman's Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York. When a young man he purchased a large farm adjoining the old homestead at North Williston, and followed the occupation of a farmer, making a specialty of fine dairy butter. In his politcs Mr. Fay was a Republican, and was chosen to serve in the various local offices of the town. He was a consistent and earnest member and worker in the Universalist church at Williston. In 1864 Mr. Fay was united in marriage to Miss Julia R. Martin, daughter of Harry P. and Julia (Ormsby) Martin, of Underhill, Vermont. Two children were born to this union: Harry M .; and Abbie L., wife of Clinton S. Wright, of Williston. Mr. Fay died February 2, 1879, and his wife died June 5, 1888.

Harry Martin Fay, only son of John M. and Julia (Martin) Fay, was born in Williston, Sep- tember 14, 1865. He received his education at Williston Academy and Goddard Seminary, at Barre, Vermont. Before finishing his schooling he was obliged, on account of the death of his father, to return home and take up the duties of the farm, and since then, with the exception of two years spent in California, he has followed the occupation of a farmer on the farm purchased by his father, and where he was born.

Mr. Fay is a very staunch Republican, and

has faithfully served his town in many of the town offices. He is a member of North Star Lodge No. 12, F. & A. M., of Richmond, Ver- mont. On December 9, 1890, Mr. Fay was united in marriage with Miss Josie H. Hutchinson, daughter of James H. and Emily Butler Hutchin- son, one of the old and respected families of Jericho, Vermont. An account of the genealogy of the earlier generations of this family will be found in another part of this work in the sketch of Ellery Channing Fay.

CHARLIE C. LAWSON.

Charlie C. Lawson, of Hardwick, is carry- ing on a lucrative business in this village as a baker and confectioner, and a dealer in ice cream, soda water and groceries. He was born October 27, 1865, in Woodbury, Vermont, a son of Rawlins and Betsey M. (Brown) Lawson, and a brother of William N. Lawson, of whom a brief sketch may be found elsewhere in this work.

Charlie C. Lawson was but six months old when his parents removed to Cabot, Vermont, where he was reared and educated. He assisted his father on the farm and in the smithy until nineteen years of age, when he began an appren- ticeship of five years at the blacksmith's trade. This he did not follow long, discontinuing it partly on account of a distaste for it, and partly owing to lack of physical strength. He has much me- chanical ingenuity, however, using tools with skill and dexterity, and has done considerable carpenter work. In 1895 he located in Hard- wick, establishing his present business, the only one of the the kind in the town, and has here built up a most satisfactory trade in his line of goods. Politically he is a Democrat, and fra- ternally is a member of Hardwick Lodge, No. 68, I. O. O. F., of which he is treasurer.

On July 3, 1889, Mr. Lawson married Flora A. Cole, who was born in Lyndon, Vermont, October 19, 1869, a daughter of Levi and Roset- ta (Newell) Cole. Her father, a miller by trade, was in business in Cabot and other Vermont towns for many years, but is now engaged in agricultural pursuits. Mr. and Mrs. Lawson have two children: Dean C., born August 27, 1890; and Max N., born August 23, 1893.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 9

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