History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 33

Author: Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925. 1n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co.
Number of Pages: 988

USA > Vermont > Addison County > History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 33

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).

1 This " new shop " is the present building occupied by John Manney as an eating-house.

274

HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

lived here until 1794, and also at a later period, and died at Crown Point in 1815.

In 1794 Samuel Foot took possession by purchase of the Deming place and occupied it until 1803. In 1797 he sold to Dr. Joseph Clark a small lot, on which he built a house and kept a tavern ; the building has been removed and Colonel Lyman E. Knapp has built on the site. In the mean time Mr. Foot added to his possessions, on the west side of the Paper-mill road, a small tract extending northward. In 1799 he sold to William Coon the lot on which John Jackson now lives ; the south half of the house here had been built and used for a school-house, and the north part was built by Hiram Seymour, a hatter from Canada, who carried on business during the War of 1812. The lot next north of this one Mr. Foot had sold to Jonathan Nichols, jr., who moved upon it a blacksmith shop, in which his father lived for a time; he afterward lived with his son-in-law, Billy Manning, and died in 1814, aged eighty-seven. Edward Eells,1 a silversmith, afterwards owned this lot and built the two-story house now occupied by Lucius Shaw. The land owned by Mr. Foot on the west side of the Paper-mill road he sold in 1802 to Hon. Horatio Seymour, and the premises connected with the tavern stand to Loudon Case in 1803; he then removed to Crown Point. Olcott White purchased of Loudon Case in 1807 a lot north of the church on which a building had been erected ; this place is now owned by A. J. Marshall. Horatio Seymour finally became the owner of all the lands on the west of the Paper-mill road. Some of the earlier lots disposed of by him on that tract were the Seminary lot, appropri- ated by him in 1803, and now owned by Philip Battell; this lot he deeded in 1806 to the corporation of "Addison County Grammar School," for use as a seminary site. In 1803 he sold to Benjamin Seymour the lot on which the latter built the small brick house now in possession of Abram Williamson; in this Benjamin Seymour lived until his death. In 1808 Martin Post purchased the next lot north of the seminary and built a small house; he died in 181I.

Having thus disposed of that particular locality we may return to the earlier settlements elsewhere in the village. Darius Matthews settled here as a physi- cian in 1789, and the next year purchased of Judge Painter the lot next north of Samuel Miller's (before described) ; in the same year he built a small house, which has been torn down ; he lived here until 1797, when he bought the place now occupied by Professor Henry M. Seeley. Dr. Matthews died in 1819, aged fifty-three years. The first house built by Dr. Matthews was enlarged by a two-story front, a part of which was occupied by the owners, - Curtis and Daniel Campbell, as a store until 1801; the latter then took in his brother, William Campbell, and the business continued for several years. In 1804 they purchased the lot of Judge Painter, where his miller's house stood, and built a

1 Mr. Eells manufactured large upright clocks, one of which is now in possession of Gardner Wainwright, of Middlebury, and possesses a money value far beyond its intrinsic worth.

275

TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.

brick store, in front of which Ira Stewart afterward erected another structure ; these were torn down by John W. Stewart and a fine block erected, which was occupied as a store by Thaddeus M. Chapman; it was burned in 1880, and the beautiful block now standing was erected by Smith Beckwith and Gardner Wainwright; it is occupied by Beckwith & Co., for their large mercantile es- tablishment, and is the finest block in the county. The Campbell house was purchased in 1807 by Dr. Merrill, who lived there until his death in 1855. Before the changes last noted, the Campbell brick store was bought by David Page, jr., and Luke Wheelock, and by them sold in 1812 to Noble and Ira Stewart; Page and Wheelock carried on an extensive mercantile business sev- eral years. Joseph Hough and Nathan Wood were also in trade on this site.

Dr. John Willard was the first physician to settle in Middlebury and came in 1787, residing first in a house built by Freeman Foot and afterward owned by Daniel Chipman. In 1791 he purchased a small lot north of the Addison House lot and built a house in rear of the bank building site. He lived here until 1797, when he sold to Samuel Mattocks and bought of Stillman Foot the lot on which Judge Phelps afterward lived. Some years later he built on the Cornwall road the brick house now constituting the residence of the widow of Charles Linsley. Dr. Willard died in Troy, N. Y., in 1825, aged sixty-six years.

In 1791 Elias Wilder, a hatter, purchased of Judge Painter the lot on which the Brewster brick building stands. In the same year Jabez Rogers, jr., pur- chased the next lot west of the Wilder lot and also the Wilder lot. Here he built a house, and in 1800 erected the two-story house for the accommodation of boarders attending the Legislature that year ; this was removed to make way for the railroad west of the Brewster block; at a later date he built the large brick house now owned by John W. Stewart and occupied by Mrs. Batch- elder. Rogers was one of the early manufacturers and had a brewery, a dis- tillery and an ashery on the borders of the eddy ; Lebbeus Harris, a dentist, and father of the late Dr. Nathaniel Harris, was associated with him for a time. Mr. Rogers died in 1816, and the elder Harris in 1816.

In the year 1793 the lot on which the town hall stands and extending to the creek, was purchased by Anthony Rhodes, who settled here that year as a merchant. The next year he purchased a small tract between the above and the south line of the " common " and built a dwelling house and a potashery ; here he lived until 1796, when he bought three acres on the corner of the Corn- wall and Weybridge roads ; this land had been purchased the previous year by Nehemiah Lawrence, who had partly built the house that stood on the site of "the president's house." Rhodes finished the south part of the house for a store, and the north part for a residence. After a few years of business here, he built a store where the Episcopal rectory was afterward erected ; he left the State in 1801. The lot which we have described extended north so as to in-

276

HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

clude the premises of Dr. Eddy and M. L. Severance. William Baker, Ruluff and Benjamin Lawrence, Amon Wilcox and Dr. Z. Bass owned parts of this tract at different periods. Mr. Wilcox was an early settler and engaged in the tin, hardware and stove trade. Ep. Miller purchased in 1796 the premises left by Anthony Rhodes on the east side of the creek, and established a tannery there which he operated many years ; he later built a large wood structure which was removed for the passage of the railroad, and a house which was re- moved for the site of the Baptist Church. Still later he purchased the farm and the beautiful site now occupied by Prof. Ezra Brainerd and built the brick house. He died there in 1850.

Lewis and Joseph McDonald came from Litchfield, Conn., in 1793, and purchased a small lot now embraced in the home premises of Philip Battell, where they erected a gambrel-roofed building and kept a store. In 1801 they closed business, having in the mean time purchased several pieces of land on the north side of the road running west from the college, forming a valuable farm. Joseph took this farm in the division of their property and worked it until 1828, when he returned to the village and purchased the house and lot on Weybridge street now owned by Orin Abbey ; he died there in 1854, aged eighty-four. Lewis McDonald returned to the village in 1818 and purchased the house now owned by William H. Ellis ; died there in 1839, aged seventy- two. Horatio Seymour purchased the lot where the McDonald brothers had been in trade and occupied the house as a residence. In 1816-17 he replaced it by the present large brick residence, where he resided until his death in 1857, aged eighty years. The old house was removed to the lot next south of the old Female Seminary and was for many years the residence of Ozias Seymour.

Samuel Mattocks, sr., built on the tavern lot, north of the tavern building, a two-story structure which became known as "the Green house," in which he lived until his death in 1804 in the sixty-fifth year of his age. He also built on the Willard lot next north and in front of the Willard house a double store, the upper story of which served for a Masonic lodge room. In 1794 Samuel Mattocks, jr., built on the Addison House site a large structure, with necessary out-buildings, for tavern-keeping, where he continued until 1804, when he was succeeded by Nathan Rosseter, from Williamstown, Mass., Mr. Mattocks re- moving to the " Green house." Loudon Case and Artemas Nixon succeeded in the tavern until 1812, when the latter leased it to Harvey Bell; he contin- ued it until 1814, when he died, aged fifty-nine years. In 1816 the whole of these several structures was burned; but the site has always been occupied for a hotel, the further history of which will be traced on another page. Samuel Mattocks, who built the first hotel, as mentioned, held the office of sheriff in 1813-14 and was a useful citizen; he died in 1823, aged fifty-eight.

In 1790 William Young, a cabinet-maker, came to the village and pur-

277

TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.

chased of Judge Painter the lot next north of that bought by Dr. Matthews, and built a house there ; he also erected a shop where he carried on his trade until 1795. About this time Nathaniel Ripley also moved into town and in 1794 purchased the lot next north of Young's, which in the following year Young purchased and added to his own. In 1792 Festus Hill, a carpenter, bought of Judge Painter the corner lot now occupied by a daughter of Hon. Peter Starr; he built a small house which preceded the one erected by Mr. Starr. Dr. Joseph Clark settled in the village as a physician in 1793, and purchased of Judge Painter the lot on the corner of Seminary street and the New Haven road, where he built and lived until 1796; he left the State in 1801.

Ruluff Lawrence, whose name has been mentioned, came from Canaan, Conn., in 1796, and purchased the lot where Dr. Clark first settled, where he began blacksmithing; Benjamin, his brother, joined him a few months later. After a successful business they closed and divided their property in 1804. Ruluff took the above-named lot and built the two-story house. He after- ward bought the premises on Seminary street now occupied by the widow of Orson Goodno and the site of the Baptist parsonage adjoining. Benjamin took the lot on Weybridge street which has been described ; he died in 1859, aged eighty-five. Descendants of these brothers are now living in the village.

John Stewart, father of Noble and Ira Stewart, was a Revolutionary soldier and died in 1829, aged eighty-three years; his wife died in 1847, at the age of ninety-five. The sons, Noble and Ira, had been merchants in New Haven previous to their coming to Middlebury, in 1812, and their purchase of the Campbell store, as before noted. Noble died in the midst of his usefulness, in 1814, at the age of thirty-seven. Ira continued the business for many years, and died in 1855, at the age of seventy-five; he was one of the leading citi- zens of the town and honored with many positions of trust; was twice elected to the Senate. His son, Dugald Stewart, also became a prominent citizen ; held the office of county clerk and died in the enjoyment of the con- fidence and respect of the community. John W., another son, is still living and one of the leading members of the bar, ex-governor of the State and has been honored with many other responsible offices. (See biography in later pages.)

At the time Judge Painter deeded to Benjamin Gorton the small piece of land adjoining the bridge (1789), as before noted, he also sold him another piece twelve rods square about five rods above the bridge, on the bank of the creek, where it was designed to locate an ashery. The title to this and another small piece passed in 1798 to Samuel Clark, jr., Joseph Plumb and Jonathan Lawrence, who, under the firm name of Clark, Lawrence & Co., added another small piece of land and erected the building on the site of James M. Slade & Co.'s former store. There they carried on mercantile business and manufac-

278

HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

tured potash until 1802. The building was displaced after the railroad was built by the one occupied by Slade & Co., which was built by E. D. Barber and Lyman P. White; this burned in 1852 (February 21), with nearly all of its contents, including the libraries of Barber & Bushnell and Linsley & Beckwith, attorneys, the records of the Congregational Church and the records and files of the Probate Courts. Slade & Co. rebuilt on the site, and the building is owned by Jno. L. Buttolph.

In 1795 William Young removed to the lot now occupied by Mrs. W. W. Thomas, built a house, and continued his business of cabinet-making. He afterward sold out to General Hastings Warren, who had been his partner, and Mr. Young removed to Leicester; he was one of the founders of the Metho- dist Church and a respected citizen. General Warren had purchased also a lot on the corner now occupied by the Methodist Church ; here he built a shop which was burned, and soon afterward its successor suffered a like fate. He then erected a brick shop, which was afterward occupied by James M. Slade as a dwelling. General Warren removed to Rutland late in life and passed the remainder of his days with his son-in-law, William Y. Ripley.

Hon. Daniel Chipman removed to Middlebury in 1794, and settled in prac- tice of law. He selected for his residence the beautiful site now occupied by Prof. Ezra Brainerd. After his marriage he purchased the lot next north of the William Young lot, the house on which Mr. Chipman fitted up for a resi- dence; this house is now occupied by George Marshall. In 1802-3 he built on his first lot the large and handsome residence occupied by him until the fall of 1818, when it was burned. He then removed across the street and occu- pied the large building which had been erected for a law school. Later in life he became the owner of considerable real estate, retired from practice and set- tled in a large residence built by him in the town of Ripton, where he died April 23, 1850. A further sketch of Mr. Chipman's public and professional life will be found in the chapter devoted to the bar of the county.

Several lots on the north side of Seminary street, on the Freeman Foot farm, were sold by him before he transferred the farm to Mr. Chipman and settled at an early day. An acre west of Mr. Chipman's home lot was bought by Nathaniel Bishop, of Attleborough, Mass., on which James Sawyer had previously lived in a small house; this was divided into two lots, the west one being now occupied by Frank Bond and owned by Harry Langworthy; on the other half the brick school-house was built; another house has been built between these, and now occupied by Mr. Bond's father:# In 1798 Bela Saw- yer purchased the lot now owned and occupied by Myron Langworthy; Saw- yer built a small house, to which Mr. Langworthy has made additions. The next lot, now owned by Frank Bond (the house having been removed), was purchased by Nathaniel Ripley, who built the house that stood there. He died on the farm of his son, William Y. Ripley, in the south part of the town,

279

TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.

in 1842, at the age of eighty years. In 1798 James Sawyer, a carpenter and father of Bela, purchased an acre west of his son's lot; on the west half he built a small house and lived there several years. The east half was sold to Abijah Hurd, who built a house which was occupied for some years by his brother, Hinman Hurd; it was afterwards owned by Samuel B. Bent, who built new buildings on it, afterward occupied by Harry Langworthy. Mr. Bent was a manufacturer of cards, which business he carried on here until his death in 1857. The other half of this lot was owned for several years by Timothy Strong, a printer, who built a house there. It has since been owned by Dr. Merrill, Z. Beckwith, Dr. Hiram Meeker, and is now occupied by the widow of Judge Cook.

After Mr. Chipman became the owner of the Foot farm, the lots now owned by Chester Elmer and Ansel D. Stearns and that owned some years since by Mr. Garner on the New Haven road, were purchased early and occu- pied by different families. Until 1814 the land between Mr. Elmer's and the Methodist Church lot was a smooth meadow, where general trainings were sometimes held. In the year last named Mr. Chipman opened through the lot a road and offered building lots for sale. One of these was purchased by Dr. Samuel Swift and he built on it his residence, which he occupied until his death in 1875.

Continuing the settlements under purchases from Judge Painter we come to that of Oliver Brewster, a tailor, who purchased in 1795 the next lot north of the Festus Hill lot and built a house, in which he lived until he left the State. In 1805 Captain Jonathan M. Young became owner of the lot and lived there many years ; he was a partner with Adonijah Schuyler, under the style of Young & Schuyler, in mercantile business, when he first came here; he later owned the Appleton Foot grist-mill, was deputy sheriff and held other offices. In the War of 1812 he held a lieutenant's commission; he died in 1854, aged eighty-two. In 1835 Asa Francis purchased the above lot and lived there a number of years; the lot is now owned by James E. Negus, the merchant tailor.

In 1795 Captain Josiah Fuller purchased the lot owned in later years by William Morton (who died in 1856), on the west side of Pleasant street, now owned by Thomas McClure, and established a tannery on the bank of the creek. The next year he purchased a lot on the opposite side of the street, where in 1801 he built a house; this was remodeled and subsequently became the residence of President Benjamin Labaree, now occupied by J. W. Martin. In 1806 Philip Davis, who was also a tanner, purchased both of these lots and carried on his business. In 1796 Thomas Archibald purchased the lot next south of Fuller's creek lot and built a house ; this has been demolished and the one now owned by Orlando Wooster built in its place.

The lot opposite the Congregational Church parsonage, which was in recent

280

HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

years in possession of Harvey Bell, was first purchased by President Atwater and sold by him in 1808 to Dr. Edward Tudor, who built the house and lived in it for many years. He afterward removed to the dwelling next north of the Catholic Church and died there. Mr. Bell purchased the place left by Mr. Tudor in 1818 and resided there until his death in 1848, aged fifty-seven years. His daughter became the wife of Rufus Wainwright. Mr. Bell was a prominent member of the bar and a respected citizen. (See Chapter XII.)

Daniel Henshaw, of Middletown, Conn., came to Middlebury about 1803, and with his brother Joshua early developed the real estate on both sides of the road on the south bank of Otter Creek, building stores, mills and dwellings ; they were also engaged in mercantile business several years. Mr. Henshaw built in 1807 the three-story brick block used for the Middlebury branch of the Vermont State Bank, and afterward for stores and dwellings. He was a prom- inent man in the early history of the town. His fine residence was opposite the south park, where he lived and died in the oldest house in the village. He fitted up a room in which Episcopal church services were held from 1817 until the stone church was completed in 1827.

Levi Hooker came to Middlebury about the year 1801 with a stock of mer- chandise, and in 1803 purchased the lot on Pleasant street now occupied by Dr. M. D. Smith ; this place was long occupied by Cyrus Birge. He also built successively three stores on the site of those owned by Joseph Battell and John L. Buttolph. Mr. Hooker was a successful business man and removed to New York State; Mr. Birge, also a merchant, removed to Washington.

Loyal Case purchased in 1803 the lot next south of Judge Painter's house lot, now owned by Mrs. J. A. Wright. Mr. Case was a man of brilliant intel- lect and an educated attorney ; but died almost at the beginning of his career, when but thirty-two years old.

Cyrus Brewster settled at an early day on the lot now owned by Mr. W. R. Phelps ; it was at one time in possession of Joseph Dorrance, a hatter, who built the dwelling house there. It was afterward owned and occupied by William Slade.

William Slade was the son of William Slade, of Cornwall, who was sheriff of the county from 1801 to 1810, and was born in 1736. He graduated at Mid- dlebury College in 1807 and studied law with Judge Doolittle; was admitted to practice in 1810 and took a high position in his profession and held numerous high offices. His public career is elsewhere described. He died in 1859, aged seventy-two years. His son, James M. Slade, was one of the prominent mer- chants of Middlebury, in the firm of Slade, Sears & Co., also of James M. Slade & Co. His grandson, also named James M., is now one of the prominent members of the Addison county bar and lives in Middlebury.

In 1796 Erastus Hawley, a saddler, purchased a half-acre lot on the corner adjoining the former residence of the late Rufus Wainwright; here he built a

281

TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.

two-story dwelling which has since been removed, and was long occupied by Nahum Parker, who carried on cabinet-making on the opposite side of the street. Mr. Hawley also built a shop south of his house for his own work. In the saddle and harness business he was associated for a time with Justus Foot. Mr. Hawley afterward sold his lot to Wightman and Asa Chapman, who re- moved the house and converted the shop into a store ; after the firm dissolved Asa Chapman continued alone, and the store is now occupied by his daughter as a dwelling ; the building stands next north of the Probate block. Mr. Haw- ley afterward built the house on the lot next east of his former lot, which is now owned by the widow of Jacob W. Conroe. After Mr. Hawley removed from town Justus Foot carried on the business, and in the mean time he had purchased the old jail building and removed it to the lot east of the hotel; he lived in it until his death in 1835. The premises passed to Calvin Hill, a suc- cessor of Mr. Foot in the harness business, and is now owned by John W. Martin. Captain Foot, in company with Daniel Chipman, built the Probate block, as it is called, which has been occupied by various offices and the Ma- sonic lodge rooms; the county clerk's office was here for a time and the lower floors used as stores and shops.

Hon. Joel Doolittle came to Middlebury in 1800 as the first tutor in Mid- dlebury College; he was admitted to the bar in 1801 and gained an extensive practice ; he was elected to a number of high offices, as elsewhere detailed. He died in 1841, aged sixty-eight.

In 1804 David Dickinson built the present ancient wooden structures on the upper side and north end of the bridge, owned by Henry L. Sheldon; the part nearest the creek was built somewhat the earlier of the two. In the first Mr. Dickinson carried on mercantile business for many years. These buildings have been since occupied by many different persons. Zechariah Beckwith carried on a commission business and general mercantile trade there a long time. Joseph Dyar, the jeweler and manufacturer of the Dyar clocks, occu- pied one room until his death; he died in 185 1 from injuries received by a run- away team.

About the year 1801 Samuel D. Coe, an architect of repute, purchased the lot on which was the late residence of Gardner Wainwright; in 1815 it was purchased by Dr. Elisha Brewster, with the small house, to which Dr. Brew- ster added the front. He came to Middlebury from Hartford, Conn., while a young man and formed a partnership in the drug business with Dr. William G. Hooker, in the large center store built by Levi Hooker, before described; Dr. Hooker began the business as early as 1804, and when he removed to his farm surrendered the trade to Dr. Brewster. Not many years before his death Dr. Brewster erected the brick block and wooden addition on the north side of the common, still known by his name, and removed his business thither; he died in 1838 at the age of forty-seven. Dr. Brewster was a prominent citizen, a

282

HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

deacon of the Congregational Church and a liberal supporter of all useful in- stitutions ; from 1834 to 1836 inclusive he represented the town in the Legis- lature.

Daniel L. Potter came to the village from Litchfield, Conn., in 1811 and in 1817 purchased the place now owned by his widow, which was bought of Judge Painter in 1813, by Benjamin James, a cooper. Mr. Potter followed tailoring some years, but later engaged in farming. He was eminent in the order of Masonry, and died in 1859, aged sixty-nine years, much respected.

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.

History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 33

Author: Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925. 1n Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co. Number of Pages: 988

Author: Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925. 1n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co.
Number of Pages: 988