USA > Vermont > Addison County > History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 37
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" Commencing on the east bank of Otter Creek at the lower falls near the east gate-post of canal to pulp-mill, thence running easterly to the northeast corner of said village as now established, thence southerly to a point where the turnpike and creek roads intersect, thence westerly to a ledge in the road a few rods south of the dwelling house of George Porter (to a bolt in the ledge), thence north to Weybridge line, thence east to center of Otter Creek, thence north to the place of beginning."
At a meeting held on the 17th of April, 1833, a committee, consisting of Henry M. Nichols, Charles Linsley, Jacob Conroe, Adna Smith, Peter Starr, Riley Leonard, William Slade, was appointed to draw a code of by-laws. The incorporation was named "the Village of Middlebury," and the usual powers given to its officers. For the year 1834 the following officers were elected : James McDonald, clerk ; Nahum Parker, treasurer; E. B. Booth, collector ; Ira
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
Stewart, Charles Linsley, J. Hagar, Cyrus Birge, Z. Bass, Lavius Fillmore and Joseph Dyar, trustees. A fire company was formed and an engine, a small affair, purchased. In 1844 a tax of eight cents on the dollar was voted for " repairing apparatus attached to the fire-engine and the engine-house and to purchase a new fire-engine and hose, and to purchase a hearse."
In 1845 E. D. Barber, A. R. Rising and J. M. Slade were made a commit- tee to prepare by-laws " relating to the prevention and extinguishment of fires within the said village." In the same year Samuel Swift, Ira Allen and James M. Slade were made a committee to inquire about the best way to prevent fires. It was resolved that this committee should report at a future meeting a plan for the organization of a fire company and on the expediency of remunerating the firemen for their services. On the 5th of March, 1845, the committee re- ported a by-law providing for the appointment of eight fire wardens, the or- ganization of a fire company, etc. On the 26th of March of that year J. M. Slade introduced a bill assessing a tax to procure a fire-engine and apparatus, which, after being twice negatived, was finally, in February, 1846, passed, lay- ing a tax to purchase an engine and ordering the trustees to proceed to the or- ganization of a fire company. In April of that year Levi Peck was given authority to buy an engine, and on the IIth day of that month Mr. Peck and Mr. Piper were authorized to enlist a fire company. The engine was purchased in Waterford and received in January, 1847, and the company was enlisted, not to exceed sixty men. The engine purchased was what has always been known as the "Washington," and is still in use.
The act of incorporation was amended in 1845, by a provision declaring that the streets and highways in the village should be regarded as " village highways and streets," and gave the trustees exclusive control of the same, " with the grounds and walks," and authorized them to "receive and expend for the purposes aforesaid, such portion of the ordinary highway tax assessed upon the inhabitants of said village and property therein, as may be assigned them by the selectmen of the town, which shall not be less than one-third." In the next year the streets were surveyed and improved and most of them named.
The building and opening of the railroad through the village, as before described, awakened high expectations of future growth and prosperity that have since been only partially realized. The various industries of the place received, however, an impetus, the influences of which have continued to the present ; and, as a whole, it must be said that this village can be classed with those that have been materially benefited by better transportation facilities. At a meeting held on the 27th of April, 1849, a communication was addressed to the railroad corporation demanding the construction of a bridge near the Episcopal Church, of the width of the street; this bridge has been maintained in good order since that time.
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TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
The question of building an engine-house was repeatedly before the village authorities between 1845 and 1856; but nothing was accomplished in that direction until January of the last-named year, when Harmon A. Sheldon and John H. Simmons were made a committee to ascertain the expense of building an engine-house and purchasing additional hose. Their report recommended the erection of a building south of Brewster's brick building, two stories high, thirty-two feet deep, twenty-four feet in front and sixteen feet in rear. This building was accordingly erected and is still in use. About $1,000 were ex- pended at this time. In April, 1864, a committee was authorized to negotiate for the sale of the old Franklin engine (the predecessor of the Washington), and it was disposed of to C. G. White for $50. In 1880 it was voted to pur- chase a steam fire-engine which was offered the village for $1,500; this is now in efficient use and with the other engine and apparatus provides the village with ample means for the extinguishment of fires. In 1877 two reservoirs were built, one in front of the Addison House and the other in the rear of the jail ; a third one has since been built. In 1881 the fire department was voted to be organized, with Darwin Rider as chief, but this object was not effected. After one year, on account of 'absence of definite rules of instruction, no chief has been elected.
A village police force was established in 1866, when Justus Cobb was ap- pointed " a police to act for the preservation of good [order and the enforce- ment of law agreeably to the statute of the State in such cases provided." Ad- ditional members have since been added and the force continued to the present.
Under the wise direction of the various village officers several revisions of the by-laws have been made, notably those of 1874 and 1884, and the streets, sidewalks, parks, and all public institutions and affairs have gone forward as rapidly as the necessities of the inhabitants seemed to demand, and at the same time a wise and conservative economy has been manifested which has kept the corporation free from any oppressive indebtedness. The growth of business, manufacturers, and the establishment of institutions will be traced in succeeding pages.
Town Hall .- Both the town and county buildings located in Middlebury village are now a credit to the liberality and enterprise of the inhabitants. The county buildings have been described in an earlier chapter. Previous to 1883 the old court-house was used for the transaction of town and village public busi- ness. But when the old court-house was supplanted by the new one it became necessary to provide a place for the town officers, etc. This situation of affairs led to the erection of the present handsome and commodious town hall. It was erected at a cost of a little more than $22,000, and about $1,000 were added in 1884 for finishing the basement; in this are the court-rooms, while a handsome hall for public meetings, amusements, etc., occupies the upper portion.
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
The Sheldon Museum, Archeological and Historical Society .- This society was incorporated by the Legislature of Vermont in 1882, the vestry of St. Stephen's Church, their associates and successors being the trustees. It is de- signed to collect and preserve everything indicated by its name. A leading feature is the collection of documentary history of the State, proceedings of Masonic, religious, and other societies, and local town history. The museum is largely the result of the untiring and unselfish labor of Henry L. Sheldon, of Middlebury.
Present Officers .- Following are the names of the present officers of the village : Moderator, Loyal D. Eldredge ; clerk, Henry L. Sheldon; treasurer, Charles E. Pinney ; collector, Merrick A. Monroe ; auditors, Smith Beckwith, George E. Marshall; water commissioner, Justus Cobb ; trustees, James M. Slade, Thaddeus M. Chapman, Albert A. Fletcher, Julius B. Benedict, Loyal D. Eldredge, Andrew J. Marshall and Luther Farnsworth.
Middlebury Post-Office.1-The first regular postal service in Vermont be- gan in 1784, when the Legislature established post routes, with five post-of- fices, one each in Bennington, Brattleboro, Rutland, Windsor and Newbury. This service continued until Vermont was admitted into the Union in 1790. The rates of postage were first fixed in pennyweights and grains of silver, the single rate being about eight, eleven and fifteen cents, according to the dis- tance. In 1797 the rates from thirty to four hundred and fifty miles were six, eight, ten, twelve and one-half, fifteen, seventeen, twenty, twenty-two and twenty-five cents. The single letter rate was reduced in 1845 to five cents ; in 1851 to three cents, and in 1884 to two cents. Postage stamps were first used in 185 1.
Following is a list of the Middlebury postmasters, with brief notes per- taining to the office :
Robert Huston was the first postmaster in the village, appointed in July, 1793 ; he held the office about four years. It is not known where the office was kept; but he resided on the Hammond Hill, just east of the village.
Samuel Foot, second official, appointed in June, 1797, continued in office until 1800 ; office in the "Green store," north of Mattocks's tavern, near the site of the present bank; burned in 1816.
Horatio Seymour, December, 1800 to 1809; office in a store which stood between his later brick dwelling house and the Brewster block.
George Cleveland, October, 1809 to 1829; office kept in the Henshaw "Yellow store," site of Dyer's block, where he was then trading ; afterwards moved to the " Hooker" store, Merchants Row, and in 1815 to J. Hagar's block, then just completed.
Calvin C. Waller, May 14, 1829, to 1836; office kept in the basement of the Vermont Hotel, in the northwest corner of the Allen block.
1 Prepared by Henry L. Sheldon, of Middlebury.
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TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
Erastus W. Drury, December 31, 1836, to 1842; office in the northerly addition to the Brewster block; the office continued in this place until the ad- vent of William P. Russell to the office in 1857.
Charles Bowen, March 5, 1842, to 1845. Edward D. Barber, May 16, 1845, to 1848. Emerson R. Wright, October 9, 1848, to 1849. Asa Chap- man, May 3, 1849, to 1853. Emerson R. Wright, July 20, 1853, to 1857. William P. Russel, May 20, 1857, to 1861 ; office in the north store of Brews- ter's block, where he carried on the drug trade.
Justus Cobb, June 7, 1861, to 1874; office in the northwest corner of the Allen block.
Amasa S. Tracy, January 28, 1874, to 1881 ; office moved to Brewster's addition, where it had long been located.
George Hammond, May 6, 1881, to 1885 ; office remained where it is still located.
Charles C. Peck, May 6, 1885, and at present in office.
Emerson R. Wright was the first presidential postmaster, appointed by Franklin Pierce in 1853. The salaries of the Middlebury postmasters for each decennial year are as follows : 1800, $36.96; 1810, $112.80 ; 1820, $598.36; 1830, $630.90; 1840, $638.88 ; 1850, $742.12 ; 1860, $947.65 ; 1870, $1,- 500; 1880, $1,700.
In the fall of 1793, the year in which the post-office was established in Middlebury, the Legislature passed an act granting to Nathan Bellows, of Poultney, " and his heirs and assigns the sole and exclusive right and privilege of running a stage or stages on the route from Rutland to Burlington," "for and during the term of ten years." "After the expiration of two years from the passing " of the act, he was required "to run his stage from Rutland to Burlington and back again to Rutland in every two weeks for the term of four years," and after the expiration of six years, until the remainder of the term, he was required to perform the service every week, and he had the "liberty to suspend the running of the stage eight weeks in every spring and four weeks in every fall " during his whole term.
According to Dr. Swift, " Mr. Bellows had probably, at the time, the con- tract for carrying the mail on this route, and the act was probably passed with reference to the then present and prospective arrangement for carrying the mail, as well as to the condition of the roads, and the travel on them. For the first four years the mail was carried through the route once in two weeks, and for the last six years to 1803 once a week. When the stage did not run the mail was carried on horseback. In the fall of 1801 and some time after, a two-horse wagon for a stage was run by Mr. Wheelock, of Rutland, who also carried the mail, once a week, starting from Rutland, on Monday morning, and reaching Middlebury the same day; Tuesday it reached Burlington, Wednesday St. Albans, and the three following days returned to Rutland."
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
The Press .- A considerable number of excellent newspapers have been started in Middlebury, only one of which has survived to the present time. The first paper issued in Middlebury was called the Middlebury Mercury, a weekly journal begun December 16, 1801, by J. D. Huntington and John Fitch. Their office was located at the south end of the bridge ; but in Feb- ruary, 1804, was removed to the building erected by Jabez Rogers for a dwell- ing house ; this building was removed to make way for the railroad in 1848. In 1806 Fitch retired from the business and Huntington continued it until 1810 ; a book-bindery and a small stock of books was added to the establish- ment, as was customary in early years. In the fall of 1802 these men pub- lished the first Vermont Register, which was continued until 1810; they also issued a number of pamphlets and other publications. In January, 1810, the Mercury was discontinued and no paper was published here until September, 1812. On that date Samuel Swift published the first number of the Vermont Mirror, which was continued by him and T. C. Strong until September, 1816.
The Columbian Patriot was first published September 1, 1813, by N. H. Wright, and was continued under that name about one year and the name then changed to National Standard. Later publishers were William Slade, J. W. Copeland and Copeland & Allen, until it was discontinued in March, 1831, when the office was burned. .
The Christian Herald was begun by T. C. Strong, September 25, 1816; six numbers were issued, when the name was changed to the Christian Mes- senger. The paper subsequently passed to F. Burnap and was discontinued November 23, 1819. This was soon followed by the Religious Reporter, started by Copeland & Allen April 8, 1820, which met its death September 30, of the same year.
The Vermont American was begun April 16, 1828, by Ovid Miner, and lived until September 1, 1830.
Anti-Masonry found an advocate here in the Anti-Masonic Republican, which was launched October 23, 1829, by E. D. Barber ; this paper was trans- ferred to E. R. Jewett and was discontinued October 2, 1837, it having in the mean time been given the name Middlebury Free Press.
The Northern Argus was first issued by C. C. Waller, October 2, 1831 ; it passed to E. H. Washburn, and then, as the Vermont Argus, to H. & E. W. Drury, and later Goodale & Cobb; the name was again changed to the Argus and Free Press and the publication continued by Barber & Russell, and discon- tinued by J. M. Stearns in 1841.
The next journal in chronological order was the American, the first num- ber of which was issued November 15, 1821, by H. H. Houghton ; this paper was the ancestor of the present Middlebury Register. Between the date of its issue and April, 1836, the office passed through the hands of O. Seymour and J. P. Wheeler, when it was taken by E. Maxham and the name changed to the
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TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
People's Press. In the spring of 1841 H. Bell purchased the establishment and assumed the publication on the IIth day of May. He continued the publica- tion until his death, and it then retained his name for a few months, it having assumed the name of the Northern Galaxy in November, 1843; this name was changed to the Middlebury Galaxy in January, 1848. The last change of title occurred in January, 1850, when the paper came out as the Middlebury Register, which name it now bears. J. H. Barrett and Justus Cobb had ar- ranged for the purchase of the office previous to Mr. Bell's death ; the publica- tion took their names in April, 1849, and continued until Mr. Barrett withdrew in April, 1856. The following year it was published by Cobb & Fuller, and then by Justus and Rufus Mead. In April, 1859, Mr. Cobb sold his interest to Wm. J. Fuller, and the publication continued by Mead & Fuller. In 1865 Lyman E. Knapp purchased the interest of Mr. Mead, and the firm of Knapp & Fuller continued the publication until 1875, when Mr. Fuller sold his interest to R. M. Bailey, and the firm became Knapp & Bailey, who carried on the establishment until 1879. At this time Mr. Knapp retired and Mr. Bailey published the paper until December, 1882, when the Register company was formed and continues to the present time. Under this company E. H. Thorp has edited the Register. Mr. Thorp is a graduate of the University of Ver- mont, class of 1879, and is otherwise peculiarly adapted to the business of jour- nalism. Under his able direction the paper is rapidly gaining in influence and circulation.
Several other journals which, for longer or shorter periods, succeeded in maintaining an existence in this town may be briefly mentioned. The Ad- viser was published monthly by the General Convention of Vermont from Jan- uary, 1809, to December, 1815. The Repertory was an occasional publication which was issued by an association from April, 1812, to May, 1817. The Episcopal Register was begun by Rev. B. B. Smith in January, 1826, and continued three years. The Vermont Stock Journal was issued monthly by D. C. Linsley, beginning in January, 1857, and removed soon afterward to New York. The Addison County Journal was begun April 22, 1876, by Cobb, Fuller & Smith, who continued the publication until November 2, 1877, when Mr. Cobb withdrew from the firm ; the paper was next published by Fuller & Smith, and was consolidated with the Register January 1, 1883.
Mercantile Interests .- Through the kindness of Henry L. Sheldon we are enabled to place in this work the following complete record of the mercantile business that has been carried on in Middlebury ; the record has been com- piled by him with great care and much patient labor and is correspondingly valuable :
The first merchant in this place is supposed to have been Jabez Rogers, and he was, according to the opinion of Dr. Swift, also the first in the county. He began business here in 1790 at the north end of the bridge where Cobb's
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
block now stands. He sold out to Sherrill & Co. in 1796, but traded in several places afterward. His store was twice burned, the last time on the site where he afterwards built a brick house, lately purchased by Governor Stewart.
Anthony Rhodes was the second merchant and occupied a building on the corner where the president's house stands, and later where the brick Episcopal . rectory stood; he was in business from 1793 to 1803. In 1794 Lewis and James McDonald were in business in a store which stood in what is now P. Battell's garden; they were prominent citizens and successful merchants. Harvey Bell began trade in 1795 in a store in L. R. Sayre's yard, near the Murray building. From 1796 to 1800, Sherrill, Sisson & Dibble carried on business, succeeding Jabez Rogers, on the Cobb site; this was one of the prominent early firms; and the same may be said of Curtis and Daniel Camp- bell, who were in trade from 1797 to 1801 in "the Merrill house," just east of the Congregational Church, which was torn down in 1881. Clark, Lawrence & Co. were in business on Merchants Row in 1797, and in 1800 Samuel Sar- gent, whose name has been mentioned, worked as a jeweler at the north end of the bridge, over the water. David Dickinson began trade in 1801, and after 1804 went into his then new store, now owned by H. L. Sheldon ; his first place of business was where J. McDonald's house stands ; Mr. Dickinson continued in business to 1826. Daniel & Wm. Campbell, a prominent early firm, began in 1801 in the Merrill house, and in 1804 removed to the rear Stewart brick store on the site of Beckwith & Co.'s block; the firm dissolved in 1813. Levi Hooker carried on business on Merchants Row from 1801 to 1810, when he was joined by James Hooker and continued another year. Pomeroy & Williams began the drug trade, and other goods, in April, 1803, in "the store adjoining the bridge" (where Dyer's block now stands), and removed thence to the store before occupied by the McDonalds; they con- tinued until 1808. In 1801 Ep. Jones succeeded Anthony Rhodes on the President's corner and continued trade until 1810. In 1804 Samuel Mattocks began business north of the site of the Addison House; in 1808 he was joined by Solomon Williams, and the firm dissolved in December, 1810. In January, 1805, Young & Schuyler (Jonathan M. Young and Adoniah Schuyler) began business on Merchants Row; in January, 1805, Schuyler retired, and in March succeeding bought out Young; in 1806 he removed to the south end of the bridge, opposite Henshaw; from 1812 to 1815 he was in the store of the Mid- dlebury Manufacturing Company.
Joshua Henshaw began in 1805 at the south end of the bridge, and in October, 1807, occupied the new brick bank block, where George McCue's new building now stands ; about 1808 he was succeeded by his brother Daniel, who traded in the Markham store adjoining, and also the bank block.
William G. Hooker began business in 1804, and in 1809 became associated with his brother Edward on Merchants Row; he was succeeded by Hooker &
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TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY.
Brewster (Elisha Brewster), in a building which is still standing on the bank of the creek, and continued until 1825.
David Page and. Luke Wheelock began in 1807 on the site now occupied by Beckwith & Co .; after one year Wheeler retired. In 1812 they sold to ยท Noble and Ira Stewart, who continued until the death of Noble Stewart in 1814; the business was continued, with some minor changes, until 1846-a long and successful mercantile career.
On the IIth of November, 1807, George Cleveland started in a store where Mrs. McDonald's brick house stands; in 1808 he moved to the site of the Dyer block. In January, 1808, Stephen White & Co. began selling books, etc., one door north of the Congregational Church, and were succeeded in the next year by Mills & White; soon afterward Mills retired and Olcut White continued. William P. Herrick & Co. succeeded Jabez Rogers in 1809 on Merchants Row. Nathaniel Gibson began trade in 1810 where Cobb's block stands, and also traded on Merchants Row, and finally closed in 1828. In 1810 Philip Davis began the boot and shoe trade on Pleasant street, south of the Mattocks tavern. Swift & Chipman (Samuel Swift and Samuel Chipman) carried on a book trade from 1810 to 1811, one door north of the Congrega- tional Church. Chipman retired in May, 1811. Mrs. Goody sold millinery and dress goods in what is now H. L. Sheldon's block, in 1811, and for many years.
In 1812 Jonathan Hagar began trade in the old Green store (afterwards the Vallett store) ; in March, 1815, he moved to his new brick block and in 1816 sold out to Zina Kellogg. In 1817 he bought out William Slade's stock of books and continued as a bookseller until 1852, when he sold to Henry L. Sheldon, closing a long and honorable business career. Mr. Sheldon then located at No. 2 Merchants Row, sold out to L. W. Clark, sr., in 1853, who was then engaged in the same business, which he started in 1844, on Merchants Row, and moved to the Allen block; the father died in 1854 and was suc- ceeded by his son, L. W., jr.
William B. Martin & Co. (William B. Martin and Parker & Hough) traded in 1812-13 probably north of the Addison House. In the same period Mi- chael B. Latimer succeeded Daniel Henshaw, in the bank or Adams block, and in June, 1813, sold to Swift & Fillmore; this firm was composed of Samuel Swift and Flavius Fillmore, jr., and was located where Farnsworth is now in business; they added books to their stock, as before indicated. In 1809 and to 1812 McFarland & Leonard traded on the site of the Nichols block, south end of the bridge, and sold to Birchard & Higley. James Satterlee traded in 1812 on the college corner, but was closed out and then resumed business in 1817. Jonathan and Lemuel Barlow began in the Henshaw store, south end of the bridge, in 1812 ; the former retired after one year and Lemuel removed to the north store in Sheldon's block, and continued until 1816. From March,
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
1813, to 1822, Luther Hagar traded at the south end of the bridge where is now the Dyer block. Samuel Mattocks and William B. Martin were engaged from 1813 to 1816 in the store north of the Addison House site. From 1813 to 1816 Benjamin Seymour sold general goods and hats on the site of the Cobb block.
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