USA > Vermont > Addison County > History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 29
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1 All of the records which remained in Salisbury when Mr. Swift made his investigations, except those quoted, consisted of about a dozen loose sheets of paper, which once constituted a part of a book. On one of these was a list of the numbers drawn to the several original rights in the second division, called " the first hundred acre division," or " home lots," which will be found in the subsequent dia- gram. The remainder of the sheets contained records of deeds and surveys of pitches, beginning in September, 1773, and ending February, 1775. Some of these deeds were dated as early as 1763, but mainly in 1773, which was about the time the proprietors began to make preparations to take possession of their lands.
Widow
Coon
JAMES SUMNER
59
OF
-
.
_DOUGLASS
Samt Benton
No5
60
24
C
Vim.
JOSEPH
THROOP
Nolf
BETHUEL GOODRICH
No 2
62
ARM
J. Throof
27
.
NOBLE FOOT
No
Blodget
MOSES BOARDMAN
Schoel Lot
MARTIN EVARTO
.
No 1 BILLY MUNGER
G. Paintor
F. Garrett
F.
GARRETT
66
SILAS
MARTIN FOOT
31
JUSTUS HIER
DAVID
AL
LEN
32
Jo'ın Chipman
Icresc1 Harr's
G Painter
a.Painter
33
P .. TOFRANCE
„JOHN VANDUZER
FALLEN
B. Smalley
E. Slasson
35 River
J. Hyde
JONATHAN
35
B. SMALLEY
A. VANDUZER
Milan
37
SIMEON CHANDLER
33
Asa Blodget
COL. JOHN CHIPMAN
JOSHUA HYDE Thomas Skeels.
B. Smalley
39
THOMAS CHIPMAN
.
School
omar Chipman
G. PAINTER
EBER EVARTS
BURY
SA
HARRY VANDUZER
22
23
DANIEL FIJT
No. 24
THOMAS BENTLEY .
TIMOTHY CA --
61
25
Washburn
C.THAN
Douglas5
CALVIN NICHOLS
JOCL &
.
26
ASA COLLAR
STILLMAN
DEWEY
63
28
64
TILLOTSON
JOHN
Den ;- Marvin
29
30 TILLOTSON
.
NCAS STEARNS
No. 23
DARIUS TUPPER
John Chipman
THE EARLY SETTLEMENTS o F MIDDLEBURY VERMONT
From the original recent
surveys and from measurements
Josiah Norton
EZRA
BRAINERD 1886
ASA
BLODGET
CHIPMAN
Jacob
Bacon
ANDRUG 1775
NEW HAVEN
==
E SPAULDING
40 REUBEN
MUNGER
/ HIRAM LADD
No 11
" ELEAZER BARROWS
4-1
JONATHAN
MUNGER
JOHN S KIRDY
Gov. Wertiverth
42 JONATHAN
PRESTON
℮
WM. B. SUMNER
ADRAHAM KIRBY
4 3 NATHANIEL
MUNGER
ELIJAN OLMSTEAD
44
MUNGER
JOSEPH No 13
Rav. John SmallZey
4.5
6
S
ELIJAH BUTTOLPH
Joe 1
No 14
JAMES HINMAN
SEYMOUR
SELLICK
Lines Beach
SCALE
J. Bentley
y
47
8 JAMES CRANE
Rods.
JOHN CONANT
100
0
9 GIDEON
ABBEY
ELNATHAN
HAMMOND
a
+
ELEAZER ** CONAN
ROBERT HUSTON
50
O
B. Risley
J. Hyde
51
NATHAN
Rey James
[Nichols
Samuel Blodget
FREEMAN
52
WARREN GIBBS
No 10
SAMUEL BRIDGE
.
14 ZEPHANIAN
FOOT
PAUNTER
G Painter
CNOS SEVERANCE
Minister's Lot
TOWN
GLEDE
LOT
16
PLOT
COCNEZER
CEVERANCE
17. BOSWELL STENENE
· BRAINERD
HOUDER
18
SAMUEL
SEVERANCE .
56
No 7
EBENEZER GUNNER
IWALL
Sardine Plodget 1:7.
Samuel Blodget.
WM. Reed
Abista
HEZEKIAH WADSWORTH
No 8
REV. JOHN BARNET
53
EBEN'R
DAVID BOYCE
JOHNSON
15
Jonathan Chipman
BELA SAWYER
Oliver
Evarts
CASE
ST
1
STEPHEN GOODRICH
ABEL
CASE
.
10
49
JEREMIAH CRANE
Vural Lane
WEYBRIDGE
No 12
4 JOHN O'BRIEN
PLUMLEY
B. Risicy
DUDLEY
MUNGER
JAMES
ANDREWS
.
.
7
Widow Coon
"WM COON
18
SIMON FARE
.
.
2
.
3
EDMUND
DANIEL
241
TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
The first one hundred acre division was laid out in two tiers of lots, the first (which was the easternmost) extending along at the foot of the mountain, and beginning at what was supposed to be the south line of New Haven.1 In this eastern tier were laid out thirty-nine lots, extending southward not quite to the north line of Salisbury, and numbered from north to south, beginning with number one. The second, or western tier, began with number forty at the north end, and extending south to number sixty-six, which constituted the whole number of rights, except the governor's reservation. This tier, having only seventeen lots, did not, of course, extend so far south as the first one. Each of these lots contains one hundred acres, with allowance for highways ; the length east and west is called a mile (but showing three hundred and fifty rods in the survey), and the width fifty rods. According to Mr. Swift's description, " the course of the east and west lines is from the north ten degrees west of south, and parallel with the east line of the town. The north and south lines run east and west parallel with the north line of the town. Between numbers 53 and 54 [see diagram] in the west tier was reserved a space of the width of two lots or one hundred rods, in which was laid out the first or one-acre divis- ion ; the west line corresponding with the west line of the one hundred acre division, and extending east one hundred and twenty-four rods. This division is called the town plot, and has never been divided among the proprietors into one-acre lots." 2
The following diagram exhibits a plan of these divisions, with the numbers and original proprietors of the lots :
1 By a subsequent correction this line was removed northward about forty rods, forming a strip of land of that width along the north line of the home lots and two miles long ; this was called "the long lot," and was afterward pitched with other undivided lands.
2 It is most fortunate for all who are interested in this work, as well as for the population of the town at large, that Prof. Brainerd, of Middlebury College, has spent much time and arduous labor in perfecting an accurate map of the town, which corrects the inaccuracies of the early surveys ; shows the names of the settlers throughout the town ; the situation of the " town plot " alluded to; the cor- rect course of streams, etc., and that we have been enabled to give a miniature reproduction of it in these pages. A reference to it will enable the reader to see at a glance the location of the various lots and to understand clearly the descriptions given in the text.
242
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
o Matthew Baldwin.
Ruluff White.
41 Samuel Turner.
2 School Right.
42 Russell Hunt.
3 Jonathan Moore.
43 Oliver Evarts.
4 David Hide, Jr.
44 T. Atkinson.
5 Ebenezer Field, Jr.
45 Moses Reed.
6 Elijah Skinner.
46 Bethel Sellick.
7 Rufus Marsh.
47 Thomas Chittenden.
8 Elkanah Paris.
48 John Abbott.
9 Elias Reed.
49 Glebe Right.
Io Propagation Right.
50 Hezekiah Camp, Jr.
II John Seymour.
51 Jeremiah Howe.
12 John Benton.
52 Benjamin Paris.
13 Noah Waddams.
53 Moses Reed, Jr.
14 Jonathan Moore, Jr.
15 Nathaniel Evarts.
Town
Glebe
Plot.
2d 100 a. div.
16 Elisha Painter.
54 Minister's Right.
17 Gideon Hurlbut.
55 Ebenezer Field.
18 John Evarts.
56 Samuel Skinner.
19 John Howe.
57 Elisha Sheldon.
20 Zacheriah Foss.
58 Noah Chittenden.
21 Nathaniel Flint.
59 Ebenezer Hanchet.
22 M. H. Wentworth.
60 Samuel Towsley.
23 Deliverance Spalding.
61 Charles Brewster.
24 John Reed.
62 Samuel Moore.
25 Thomas Chipman.
63 Janna Meigs.
26 Amos Hanchet.
64 Datus Ensign.
27 John Baker.
65 Jonah Stoddar.
28 Benjamin Smalley
29 David Owen.
66 James Claghorn.
30 Benjamin Everest.
31 John McQuivey.
32 John Strong.
33 John Turner, Jr.
34 Matthias Kelsey.
35 Nathaniel Skinner, Jr.
36 Daniel Morris.
37 Samuel Keep.
38 John Evarts, Jr.
39 Matthew Bostwick.
SOUTH 10º WEST.
SOUTH 10º WEST.
243
TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
" The following boundaries may explain the position of this division in its present relation to other lands. Munger street passes through No. 40, the first lot in the west tier, about one-third of a mile from the east and two-thirds of a mile from the west end. This road, inclining to the east, passes across the northeast corner of No. 52, to the line between the tiers, and thence on that line to Darius Severance's. The saw-mill on Muddy Branch, owned by Nich- ols and Wheeler, is on the west end of No. 47, and the road formerly leading from this mill southwardly to the dwelling house of the late Philip Foot is on the west line of the west tier. The same road still running varies little from the same line until it reaches the Centre Turnpike. The road leading from the late dwelling house of Abner Everts to the line of Salisbury is on the west line of the east tier, and the east line of the same tier passes through the village of East Middlebury ; the building lots of David Olmstead and Kneeland being on the east end of lot No. 36.
" It seems that at the time this division was made, the Middlebury lands were not in very high estimation. Benjamin Smalley, who had been appointed collector of the 'rate,' assessed to 'defray the charge of laying out the first and second divisions,' sold in the summer following no less than twenty-four whole rights, on which the tax had not been paid, at from £2 Is. to £1 IOS. each, and in his report stated, 'that one hundred acres of each of the rights that hath been sold in the whole of this vendue, was put up first to be sold, as the law of the Province of New Hampshire directs, but none appearing to buy, the whole rights were sold at the prices set against each right.'
"The third, or 'second hundred acre' division, authorized at the meeting held in March, 1765, was never located by the committee appointed for that purpose, or by any other committee or agents of the proprietors; but each owner was authorized to locate his own lot by 'pitching.' Each proprietor ac- cordingly surveyed his land in such manner and at such place as he chose." 1 This practice made great confusion, and the absence of the records containing the principal surveys of this division has made it difficult to ascertain correctly the location of many of these lots ; but Professor Brainerd's chart gives them as nearly as it is possible to do at this time.
In the year 1784 the surveyor-general re-surveyed the lines of the town, by which the south line of New Haven was moved about forty rods north of what had before been recognized as the north line of Middlebury. At the same time the north line of Salisbury was moved north upon territory which had been included in Middlebury. Among the lands cut off by this change was one hundred and seventy acres of the two hundred acre pitch of Judge Painter (see map), including his house. In April, 1785, the proprietors granted him the "privilege of re-pitching land in lieu of what was cut off by said line." In May of the next year he made his new pitch accordingly.
1 Swift's History of Middlebury.
244
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
The first settlements in Middlebury which were intended to be permanent were begun in the spring of 1773. At that time most of the towns southward of this county had been quite numerously settled, and the inhabitants under the New Hampshire charters began to feel the requisite strength to success- fully strive for their rights against the New York authorities. No grants had been made by the governor of that State within the limits of Middlebury, and there were no claimants under that title, although a number of the owners, among whom were Daniel Foot, Benjamin Smalley, Thomas Skeels and per- haps others, evinced a disposition to recognize the jurisdiction of New York; in deeds given by them about this time they described their residence as in " Middlebury, in the county of Charlotte, and province of New York."
Benjamin Smalley, of Salisbury, Conn., was the first immigrant who brought his family into this town. In the spring of 1773 he took possession of his two hundred acre pitch at the mouth of Middlebury River, and built the first log house in town. He was soon afterward followed by the families of John Chip- man and Gamaliel Painter, who had already visited the locality and selected places for settlement. The Chipman farm is now owned by Isaac Seeley. These early dwellings were of course rude log structures of the most primitive character. There were no saw-mills here then to supply boards for what would now seem to be absolutely necessary purposes ; moreover, a log house could be erected in much less time than would have been required on a frame house, even had the lumber been at hand ; and time was precious, when lands had to be cleared and the first seed planted. No road then existed farther north than Sutherland Falls, and at what time roads were opened into this town from the south is uncertain ; from the falls named, the creek was used as a thoroughfare, by canoes and rafts in summer and on the ice in winter.
John Chipman had already, in the year 1766, made the first clearing in town, comprising seven or eight acres on his lot. In the spring of that year he started with fifteen other young men to prepare a home in the wilderness. They found no house north of Manchester. This company, some of whom were destined for New Haven, some for Panton, and some for Addison, started with cart and oxen conveying tools and other necessities. At Sutherland Falls they halted to build a canoe out of a large tree; thus they proceeded to . their destination, a portion of the men with the oxen traveling through the woods. At Middlebury they loaded the canoe upon the cart and drew it around the bend of the creek on the east bank, until they arrived at the foot of the lower falls in Weybridge; there they again took the water-way and proceeded to Vergennes. Chipman had not at this time acquired title to any lands, the deed by which he did so being dated January 14, 1773. “It is probable that when he reached the mouth of the Middlebury River, he fol- lowed up that stream to a place which promised well for a settlement and there pitched his tent."
245
TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
The above-mentioned families were the only ones permanently settled in the town the first year, 1773; but Eleazar Slasson began a clearing in that year on his two hundred acre pitch, directly west of home lot No. 36, and built a cabin. James Owen also began work on the same pitch, fifty acres of which he purchased of Slasson. Samuel Bentley made a beginning and built a barn on his one hundred acres north of Hyde's and on the west side of Chip- man's Hill. In the same year Jonathan Chipman, who had received a deed from Thomas Chipman, his elder brother, of his whole right lying northeast of Colonel Chipman's pitch and afterward owned by Freedom Loomis, and now by Smith Seeley, began a clearing. In 1774 Robert Torrance moved his fam- ily into the town and located on the west end of lot No. 33, where he afterward built a brick house in which he lived until his death ; he also owned Nos. 31 and 32, lying next north. The same year Bill Thayer settled on fifty acres of Slasson's two hundred acre pitch (which he had purchased), lying west of and adjoining home lot No. 34. Joshua Hyde returned here in 1774 from New Haven (the part now constituting Waltham), where he owned land, and pur- chased two whole rights, embracing home lot No. 36, which he cultivated as part of his farm, and No. 33, which he sold to Robert Torrance ; he purchased also Skeel's two hundred acre pitch, lying west of and not far from the home lots ; it is probable that his first settlement was made here in the previous year. William Hopkins built a cabin this year and made a clearing on the south part of Oliver Evarts's two hundred acre pitch, east of the village site, near where Dr. Wm. Bass afterward lived, now occupied by Manfred Foot. About a mile to the southeast Daniel Foot, of Dalton, Mass., owned at least four or five home lots and as many second hundred acre lots; among these were No. 5, on the right of Nathaniel Skinner, and No. 6, on the right of Samuel Skinner, both west of and adjoining the home lots. In 1774 he built a house on No. 5, south- west of where he finally settled.
In 1775 Simeon Chandler began a settlement on the west end of home lots Nos. 37 and 38. Enoch Dewey also began a clearing, but did not remove his family hither, on lot No. 2 in the second hundred acre division, which was deeded to him by his father-in-law, Daniel Foot. Joseph Plumley began this year on a second hundred acre division on the right of Ebenezer Field, 2d; he died soon afterward, and the lot passed to the possession of Billy Manning, and later to John Simmons and Reuben Wright. John Hinman settled in the same year on a second hundred acre lot east of lot No. 14 of the same division, where Wm. Carr lately resided ; he came from Wallingford. Samuel Bentley settled on the place where he had built his barn two years earlier, and his father, James Bentley, located about the same time on the north part of the same pitch. Philip Foot, son of Daniel, came in this year, while a young man, and made a clearing on lot No. 7 in the second hundred acre division, lying west of and adjoining home lot No. 56, owned by his father ; he also owned No. 8.
246
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
Eber Evarts, also a young man, and son of Nathaniel Evarts, began a clear- ing the same year on a second hundred acre pitch on the right of his father, occupied in later years by Colonel Joel Boardman, and now by Albert Boardman.
It is believed that the foregoing are all of the families who permanently lo- cated and began work in the town previous to the war.
As a considerable tract of territory now included in the town of Middle- bury was formerly in the town of Cornwall and its settlement made under the jurisdiction of that town, it becomes essential to trace those settlements in or- der to complete the history of Middlebury.
The town of Cornwall was organized on the 2d of March, 1784, two years before Middlebury. In the records of a meeting held in September, 1788, is the following: "The report of the committee to confer with Mr. Foot about the bridge, was read : Voted to join with Daniel Foot, of Middlebury, to peti- tion the Assembly for a lottery to pay Mr. Foot for his bridge over the creek and, if not granted, to petition for a land tax for the aforesaid purpose." This refers to the first bridge built by Mr. Foot across the creek at the falls, and a tax was granted equally upon Middlebury and Cornwall.
Asa Blodget was probably the first settler in that part of Cornwall annexed to Middlebury ; he was from Salisbury, Conn., and previous to the 27th of Oc- tober, 1774, seems to have been the owner of the right of Zuriel Jacobs. On that date he pitched on that right " one hundred acres and seven acres for allowance for highways "; this embraced the large bend in the creek near the south line of the town. Blodget had settled on this land in the previous sum- mer, near the creek, and furnished refreshment to the immigrants who came in by way of that stream, as nearly all did; there is none of his descendants now living in this section.
According to Dr. Merrill's history of this town, Penuel Stevens settled on a strip of land near the creek, south of Blodget ; he did not, however, own land there and did not return after the war. Theophilus Allen settled (probably in 1773) on an eighty-acre lot next north of Blodget. After the war he pitched the lot on which he lived and the hundred acres on which his brother David afterward settled ; both of these were on the right of Nathan Benton. James Bentley, jr., located on a hundred and fifty acre lot, a part of which is now in possession of Charles W. Matthews; there he built a small house. Thomas Bentley settled on a lot lying south and east of the above, which is now in possession of Professor C. C. Mead. Returning after the war, he continued on the farm until 1793, when he sold to Hezekiah Wadsworth and removed away. Next south of Thomas Bentley, William Douglass settled, where his son James, and grandson of the same name, afterward lived.
In 1774 James Throop came from Whiting and settled on a lot next south and east of Douglass, and running to the creek; this farm has lately been in
247
TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
possession of Isaac Eells. In the spring of 1843 Alvan English lived on this place, and during a great freshet himself and son were drowned while attempt- ing to navigate a raft in the creek to collect some floating rails. In the year 1774 James Bentley, sr., had also settled on the bank of the creek south of Throop.
Colonel Samuel Benton, who owned lands in other parts of Cornwall, took up his residence in 1775 on the bank of the creek, and probably in the house which James Bentley had built and which he for some reason had left. The foregoing were all of the settlers on this tract before the war.
In 1783 Asa Blodget returned to his possession and continued to live there until 1795, when he sold to Anthony Rhodes, and it has had various owners since that time. Theophilus Allen returned at the close of the war and lived on his lot until 1797, when he deeded it to Joshua Henshaw, from New Hart- ford, Conn. He lived there until 1800, when he removed to the village. James M. Piper now owns the farm. Allen has no descendants here. William Douglass came back in the fall of 1783, with his two young sons, to make preparations for the reception of his family. On the 19th of December of that year he was instantly killed, while chopping in the woods, by the fall of a tree. Mr. Douglass and his widow and children owned several tracts of land adjoining the home farm. James Douglass was the last of the sons who occu- pied the homestead after the death of the widow, and went south in 1822 and died there; his widow and father-in-law, James Bentley, lived on the farm until their several deaths. When Joseph Throop returned after the war he took possession of his farm, but died a dozen years later, and his widow mar- ried Eleazar Davis. The latter continued to live there until 1796, when the two lots mentioned were deeded to her sons, Dan and Samuel Throop. James Bentley, sr., built him a house after the war, on the bank of the creek and near the dwelling of Hop Johnson (elsewhere described), and after Johnson deserted his family, in 1789, Bentley lived with his daughter, Mrs. Johnson. She soon afterward married James Douglass, as before stated, and Bentley lived with them for some years. James Bentley, sr., died in 1829, aged ninety-three. James Bentley, jr., returned to his farm after the war; in 1788 he deeded fifty acres to William Donaghy, who built a house southerly from Bentley's and lived there until 1795, when he sold it to Thomas and Ep. Spencer, who in turn transferred it to Dr. Willard and Ethan Andrus; a part of this land was subsequently annexed to what is now the farm of Charles Matthews, and the house of the Spencers became the property of Julius Wilcox. His son Har- vey removed the old house to another piece of land and lived in it until 1830. In 1831 Harvey Pritchard bought this and adjoining lands, repaired the house and lived in it ; it is now the property of Henry Wilcox.
In 1793 Bentley deeded to Luther Wright, from Swanzy, N. H., a tract on the south side of this pitch, extending west from the creek to the land of Sam-
248
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
uel Wright. The north lot is now a part of the James McDonald estate. The south lot has been reunited to the original pitch and is a part of Prof. C. C. Mead's farm.
David Allen, brother of Theophilus, settled after the war on the farm next north of his brother's, and continued to live there until his death in 1805, at the age of forty-three years ; his widow married Elijah Keeler, and they owned the farm until their death.
Previous to the year 1796 Francis Garrett settled on a lot of ninety-two acres next north of the home farm of David Allen, built a log house and lived there until 1803, when he sold it to Daniel and William Campbell; the title to this property has changed hands several times; Asa Harris formerly owned the tract between the creek and the road, and his son built a house on it and lived there for a time. The house was subsequently removed and the land passed into possession of Marshal T. Shacket. West of the road John Stearns, son of Joseph Stearns, built a house a few rods south of the barn and lived there ; this tract passed into the hands of Jacob W. Conroe.
Such is a brief account of the settlements in Middlebury previous to the Revolutionary War and the return of the pioneers to that portion of the town formerly included in Cornwall. It seems a dry and unimportant chronicle ; but it covers a period when heroic men and women came into what was then almost an unbroken wilderness, to endure hardships and privations which the present citizen of the thickly-settled community can scarcely appreciate, for the creation of homes for themselves and posterity; they laid the first, and hence the most influential, foundations of the later social and business fabric, and their descendants have enjoyed the fruits of their work.
The Town in the Revolution .- The unfortunate destruction of records be- fore alluded to renders it impossible to give a connected account of the deeds and occurrences in this town during the progress of the Revolutionary strug- gle and the retreat of the settlers from their homes. In Judge Swift's work he gives credit to Philip Battell for collecting reminiscences from a few old residents who are now passed away; and if others had seen the importance of such work many years ago, we might now be able, in spite of the loss of rec- ords, to inform the reader of what occurred here during that troubled period. As it is, we have only the work of Judge Swift, and those who aided him, to draw upon in this feature of our work.
It has already been stated that the inhabitants of this section were pecul- iarly exposed to depredations from scouting parties of Tories and Indians succeeding the retreat of the American army from the disastrous expedition into Canada in June, 1776, and especially after the defeat of Arnold's fleet on Lake Champlain in the following October ; it is not, therefore, improbable that some of the more timid of the settlers left their homes as early as that. But their fears were greatly enhanced when Burgoyne, with his formidable force
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