History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 49

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 49


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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


selectmen, firstly to her parents, and if she return from them, then carry her to the last place where they have gained a residence, and if there is no place where they have gained a residence, then carry her to the place of her na- tivity."


From the school-house the place of holding meetings was removed to the dwelling of Henry McLaughlin, which was the meeting place till 1797. After this meetings were held as follows: The house of John Ketcham till 1804; Noble Munson's till 1808 ; Oliver Eastman's till 1810; Robert Holley's till 1831 ; Methodist chapel till 1834; at the public house till 1848 ; school-house in Bristol village till September 31, 1857; and then the meeting was adjourned to meet in a room in the academy building in the village, the town having paid $600 towards the erection of the building for the "privilege of holding town and freemen's meetings therein." Here the meetings were held until " Holley Hall " was built, in 1884, at a cost of $11,300. The site for this fine structure was donated by Winter Holley and his daughter, Cornelia Smith, widow of Oliver A., a son of Charles L. Smith.


Early Manufactures .- The first grist-mill built in the town was put up by James, William and John O'Brian about the year 1792. It was located west of South Mountain, upon the brook which still bears the builders' name.


This mill was a small affair, and was in use but a short time, though it was very valuable to the early settlers, until a more pretentious structure was built at New Haven Mills. Subsequently, in 1805, a grist-mill was built at Bristol village by Enos Soper, and which did service until September, 1849, when it was destroyed by fire. Henry and Enos Soper and Uriah Arnold next erected a stone mill in the eastern part of the village. Soon after the first grist- mill was built, Amos Scott put up a saw-mill in the western part of the town, on New Haven River.


At an early day the attention of the inhabitants was directed towards the practicability of manufacturing their own iron, from the ore afforded in the town- ship. This idea was carried out, and in 1791 Amos Scott, Captain Gurdon Munsill and Cyprian and Amos Eastman built a forge near where Scott erected the first saw-mill. This enterprise, though continued but a comparatively short time, proved of great importance, not only to Bristol but to neighboring towns.


Subsequently there were six other forges erected, as follows: The second, by Amos and Ebenezer Scott, near where the old John Dunshee trip-hammer shop stood. The iron made here soon began to find its way to Troy, N. Y., in payment for goods. The third, built by Joshua Franklin, jr., Henry Frank- lin, John Arnold and Nehemiah Hobert, in 1802, was located on the north side of the river, in what is now Bristol village. This forge did a good business for many years, manufacturing bar iron. In June, 1809, it was burned, rebuilt, and again burned in 1816, rebuilt, and destroyed by fire again in 1823, when it was rebuilt, to be finally destroyed by the great freshet of 1830. The fourth


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TOWN OF BRISTOL.


forge was built in 1832 by Thurston and James Chase, Nathaniel Drake and George C. Dayfoot, on Baldwin Creek. It was allowed to go to ruin many years since. The fifth was located on the north side of the river, just east of the village, and as late as about 1855 was operated by Winter H. Holley. The sixth, located on the north side of Baldwin Creek, was built by Oliver W. Burnham, and had a brief existence. The seventh and last was built by Luman Munson, Bennet B. Dean and D. R. Gaige, near the old John Dunshee trip- hammer shop. The business was discontinued between 1850 and 1860.


Soon after the year 1800 Elisha Fuller purchased of James Hair a site in Bristol village and erected thereon buildings for carrying on the business of cloth dressing. Subsequently machinery for carding wool was added, and the business was conducted by different parties down to 1830, when the great freshet swept everything off, and the mill was not rebuilt.


Military .- There were few among the early male population of Bristol that had not served in some capacity in the continental ranks. But as a town, it of course has no Revolutionary history. On the 7th of June, 1791, the first militia company was organized here, the "Tenth Company, Second Regiment, Sixth Brigade Vermont Infantry." Cyprian Eastman was elected captain and Benjamin Clapp lieutenant, positions of no little honor in those days. Another company, the " Light Infantry," was organized June 1, 1808, which elected John Hilborn captain, and Jehial Saxton lieutenant.


At the invasion of Plattsburgh, in September, 1814, sixty-six volunteers were present from Bristol. Fifty-one of these served in Captain Jehiel Sax- ton's company, under command of General Strong. Ten were in Captain Jewett's company, of New Haven. Ezekiel Dunton, who was then a brigadier- general, took command of a small company as their captain, and John How- den, who was the general's aid-de-camp, served in his company as a private. Robert Holley and Henry Getman served in a company from Charlotte, and Oliver W. Burnham served in Captain John Moulton's company.


In the late great war the town also bore an honorable part. The following list from the State records gives the names of all who went out from the town to serve in Vermont regiments :


Volunteers for three years credited previous to call for 300,000 volunteers of October 17, 1863 :


J. M. Bacon, A. F. Baker, E. R. Bancroft, C. L. Bartlett, H. R. Beckwith, R. A. Bird, H. Bowers, H. Brooks, W. Brooks, N. Bush, M. Bushee, A. But- ler, E. D. Chase, E. D. Chillson, H. Cook, A. Danforth, G. E. Drake, O. B. Drake, W. B. Dunshee, E. J. Foster, A. N. Gauthier, C. Grimes, B. J. Grin- nell, J. Hagan, D. Hamblin, J. B. Hastings, B. F. Hickin, J. Hines, A. A. Leland, J. McVar, H. C. Myers, J. Moody, S. S. Morgan, F. Mullings, G. Mullens, R. Munroe, C. R. Myers, W. W. Needham, H. Noland, J. Oakes, C. O'Brian, H. O'Brian, L. Orcutt, H. L. Prime, D. C. Quimby, J. B. Quimby,


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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


C. J. S. Randall, H. Robbins, J. Scarborough, J. W. Shadrick, R. Sharlow, B. Sheldon, J. Sheldon, E. Tart, N. Tart, D. R. Thompson, N. C. Thompson, E. Vradenburgh, C. B. Warner, C. E. P. Wheeler, E. C. Wright.


Credits under call of October 17, 1863, for 300,000 volunteers, and subse- quent calls :


Volunteers for three years .- A. Bezner, J. Bezner, W. E. Bicknell, C. Bow- ers, H. Brooks, G. H. Bunker, F. Daniel, C. E. Dushon, D. K. Hamblin, E. R. Jacobs, U. D. Jacobs, H. D. May, C. E. Nelson, A. A. Peters, P. Phinney, S. Preston, C. Prince, W. T. Richardson, M. Roberts, J. Shadick, W. Shadick, L. Steady, jr., J. Weaver.


Volunteers for one year .- E. D. Chase, F. M. Dwyer, L. C. Finch, G. W. Green, N. McIntyre, D. Munroe, H. C. Myers, F. Strait, L. S. Walker, L. F. Weaver, E. Whittemore, G. Whittemore.


Volunteers re-enlisted .- J. M. Bacon, E. R. Bancroft, H. Bowers, M. Bus- hee, J. S. Chandler, E. D. Chillson, A. Danforth, C. Grimes, B. J. Grinnell, J. W. Hilton, L. Orcutt, I. B. Quimby, D. R. Thompson.


Not credited by name .- Two men.


Volunteers for nine months .- E. D. Barnes, R. C. Brown, H. Butler, M. Calihan, J. Clapper, N. F. Dunshee, N. Gravel, F. W. Grinnell, A. E. Manum, N. McIntyre, M. Melian, S. W. Palmer, D. Patno, I. Plain, H. C. Powers, E. Tatro, S. Vradenburgh, D. Whitmore, jr., C. Yattaw.


Furnished under draft .- Paid commutation, C. C. Abbott, W. T. Drake, C. Kendall. Procured substitute, N. Crozier, T. Rockwood. Entered service, S. Crozier, G. Q. Day.


Present Town Officers .- The present board of officers for the town is as follows : E. M. Kent, clerk; H. C. Munsill, treasurer ; H. S. Sumner, W. R. Peake, and P. W. Chase, selectmen ; E. S. Farr, constable; A. D. Searls, su- perintendent of schools ; W. W. Needham, N. J. Hill, and C. W. Norton, listers; R. A. Young, overseer of the poor; and W. W. Rider, town agent.


Population Statistics .- The following figures from the tables of the United States census reports show the population of the town to have fluctuated little, but rather to have been steadily increasing since the taking of the first census in 1791: 1791, 211; 1800, 665; 1810, 1, 179; 1820, 1,051; 1830, 1,274; 1840, 1,233; 1850, 1,344; 1860, 1,355; 1870, 1,365; 1880, 1,579.


MUNICIPAL.


Bristol village occupies a commanding site upon an elevated plain about one hundred and twenty feet above the bed of New Haven River, just after that stream leaves the wild ravine known as " The Notch." Lying thus at the very base of Hogback Mountain, with South Mountain on the southeast, fine examples of the picturesque wildness of nature, nearly approaching grandeur, are ever present to the beholder, and in rare contrast to the fertile plains north


4II


TOWN OF BRISTOL.


and south, and the broad view sweeping westward to the Adirondacks of Northern New York.


The village itself lies principally upon four streets, North, South, East, and West streets, respectively, extending in the direction their names would sug- gest. Near the center of the village they intersect, at which point is enclosed a fine park. The good water power afforded by the river here is utilized by several manufacturing interests, so that the village is equally renowned for its business capacity, beauty, and the fine view it commands. It has about twenty stores, four churches (Methodist Episcopal, Baptist, Adventist, and Roman Catholic), one hotel, a printing-office, coffin and casket manufactory, a photo- graph gallery, two harness shops, grist-mill, etc., an elegant town hall graded school, six physicians, two dentists, and about eight hundred inhabitants.


In 1800 this site was almost an unbroken wilderness, there not being a framed house here and scarcely a barn. A few rude log houses were all that were to be found. But here manufacturing establishments began to spring up, as we have detailed on a previous page, bringing workmen to the scene, and in their wake came shops, stores, etc., which, with the central location to give them permanency, made the village, as it now is, the metropolis of the town- ship.


The following sketch of the village as it was in 1840 will give some idea of its growth : W. H. Hawley kept a store where the town hall now stands. Henry Spaulding had a store in the old brick building now occupied by Em- erson W. Smith, which was built three years previous. Hezekiah Foster was located as a merchant where the O'Neil block now stands. Henry Gale was located where W. H. Miller now is. Abram B. Huntley, now living in Whit- ing, had a store where Willis Peak's house stands, which he built in 1836. About the same time, also, Pier & Chilson built a store on the north side of East street, which they conducted several years, and which was finally de- stroyed by fire. Philo S. Warner and Loyal Downing were shoemakers, the former having located here as early as 1825, and the latter occupying the building now used by Mr. Eastman for his harness shop. Deacon Amasa Grin- nell, a Mr. Dexter, and Andrew Santee (colored) were blacksmiths. John Dunshee and William Perry had wagon shops here. Albert, son of the former, is now a resident on the flats. The hotel, "Bristol House," was kept by Samuel Eddy. Aside from these were the forge, grist-mill, saw-mill and cloth- dressing works we have previously mentioned.


Post-office .- A post-office was first established in Bristol in 1803, with Thaddeus Mclaughlin postmaster. The office was located in the first brick building erected in the town, by the father of Thaddeus, Henry Mclaughlin, in 1800, and located about a mile west of the present village. Previous to this the mail matter for Bristol, consisting of a few letters and the Middlebury Mer- cury, was brought from Middlebury each week by the settlers themselves, who


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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


alternately shared in the task. In 1804 Jacob Cadwell was appointed post- master, and the following year was succeeded by Isaac Cadwell, who retained the office until 1815, when he in turn was succeeded by Joseph Otis. Both Jacob and Isaac Cadwell kept the office in their house, a log structure used as a hotel, about four miles northeast from the village, on the Starksboro road. When Joseph Otis took the office in 1815, however, he removed it to the vil- lage, where it has been retained since. Fred Landon is the present post- master.


Manufacturing Interests .- At the head of the manufacturing interests of Bristol is the Bristol Manufacturing Company, which was originally established under the firm name of Howden, Daniels & Co., for the purpose of manufac- turing coffins and caskets in a small way. This limited business steadily in- creased, and in 1867 the firm name was changed to Howden, Bosworth & Co., and on January 1, 1877, a stock company was formed under the title of the Bristol Manufacturing Company, with W. S. Howden, president, and D. Beck- with, secretary and treasurer. The original capital of $25,000 was subse- quently increased to $46,000, while to the original business was added that of manufacturing sash, doors and blinds and general jobbing. The company has a fine water power and four buildings, with sheds, etc., embracing a saw- mill, wood-factory, two finishing shops, dry-house, office, storage rooms, etc. The works employ from fifty to sixty hands, and the annual sales amount to about $66,000, and are constantly increasing. The goods are sold princi- pally in New York and New England.


R. D. Stewart's grist-mill on South street, operated by W. I. Rider, has three run of stones and all modern improvements. The mill was partially destroyed by the freshet of 1869, a short time previous to which it became Mr. Stewart's property, and he rebuilt it soon after.


F. Greenough, blacksmith and wagon-maker, began business here in 1878. Octave Cushman, blacksmith and wheelwright, has been in business here about twenty years. N. McIntyre, blacksmith and wagon-maker, has been here since 1867. J. H. Wright, carriage-maker, has been here since 1850. Ira T. East- man and William Battles are harness-makers, the former having been here since 1865.


Mercantile Interests .- W. H. Miller, dealer in clothing and furnishing goods, began business here in the sale of notions in 1876. In 1885 he went into his present business, taking the store then occupied by W. B. Dunshee, and previously by N. F. Dunshee.


F. I. Ward, millinery, fancy goods, etc., began business in the O'Neil block in 1873, and removed to his present location in 1875, which was then built by Drake, Farr & Co.


E. S. & S. D. Farr, stoves and hardware, began business in 1878, succeed- ing the old firm of Drake, Farr & Co., who built the the block.


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TOWN OF BRISTOL.


J. J. Dumas, dealer in sash, doors and blinds, etc., began business in 1881. Ridley & Varney are undertakers. In 1876 M. P. Varney began the busi- ness and J. J. Ridley became a partner in 1882.


Bush & Patterson, dealers in groceries and provisions, crockery, notions, etc., became a firm in 1878, Edward B. Patterson buying the interest of H. C. Barnes, C. P. Bush's partner. About two years the former partnership had existed where William E. Dunshee now is. The block they now occupy was built by Mr. Patterson in 1878.


W. E. Dunshee, who began his mercantile career here in 1856, deals in groceries and provisions, though he formerly kept a general store.


F. W. Nash began the boot and shoe business in the spring of 1884, as successor to M. S. Wilds, who had carried on the business over thirty years, and who built the block. Mr. Nash also carries on the dry goods and fancy goods trade in the same block, in which he succeeded G. P. Phalen in 1884.


N. F. Dunshee began the dry goods business in W. E. Dunshee's block in 1883. In company with Willis Peak he formerly carried on the same business where W. H. Miller now is.


C. S. Bristol, jewelry and boots and shoes, began business in 1872 upon the opposite side of the street from his present location, to which he moved in 1873.


E. C. Dike, hardware, stoves, tinware, etc., began business here in 1869 as Dike, Bixby & Co .; he became sole proprietor in 1880.


S. W. Hatch, undertaking, furniture and carpets, began business in 1870.


C. P. Abernethy, grocery and market, began at his present location in 1884.


D. M. Strong, grocery and market, began business in his present store in 1883.


Dr. D. A. Bisbee, proprietor of the " Village Drug Store," bought out Hiram Shattuck in 1880, who had been in the business here a number of years.


Dr. E. M. Kent, drugs and medicines, began business in 1872.


Peter H. Lander & Co., cigar-makers and dealers, in business here since October, 1884, employ twenty hands.


C. E. Smith carries on the photograph gallery, and sells picture frames.


J. Miller is a merchant tailor.


M. W., P. P. and J. S. Wilson established the Bristol Herald in May, 1879, under the firm name of Wilson Brothers. The paper is an eight column Re- publican sheet. They also do job printing.


The Bristol House was bought by Abram Gaige, father to T. B. Gaige, and rebuilt by him about 1820. He continued in the hotel business here until about 1834 or 1835, when he was succeeded by his son, D. R. Gaige, and Lu- man Munson. Among those who have acted as its landlord may be mentioned Samuel Eddy, William Rutherford, Ransom Taft, Partch & Post, and David Brown, the latter of whom sold to the present proprietor, J. J. Ridley, in Feb- ruary, 1871. 27


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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


The Professions .- W. W. Rider, the lawyer of Bristol, was born here in 1841. He studied law with Horatio Needham, was admitted to the bar in 1865, and has practiced here since.


Dr. E. G. Prime was born in Bristol in 1843. He graduated from the Jef- ferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 1870, and from the Royal College of Edinburgh, Scotland, in June, 1882. He practiced one year in Glasgow, in Rutland two years, Boston one year, and has been in Bristol since.


Dr. D. A. Bisbee, born in Brandon in 1852, graduated from the Michigan University in 1875, and came here in 1879.


Dr. E. M. Kent, born in Lincoln in 1843, graduated from the University of Vermont in 1866, and has practiced here since.


D. A. A. Dean was born in Monkton in 1857, graduated from the Univer- sity of New York in 1878, and has practiced here since.


Dr. George O. W. Farnham was born in Shoreham in 1859, graduated from the University of Vermont in 1883, and has been here since.


H. A. Hasseltine studied dentistry with A. A. Rosseter, and began practice here in 1877.


E. W. Shattuck studied in Bristol and at Lowell, Mass., and began the practice of dentistry here in 1881.


ECCLESIASTICAL.


The Bristol Baptist Church was organized by Elder Joseph Call, in 1794, with nine members. Rev. Thomas Tuttle was the first settled minister. The church building, erected in 1794, will seat two hundred and fifty persons, and is valued at $4,900, including grounds. The society now has one hundred and two members, with Rev. P. B. Strong, pastor, who was installed August I, 1885. The present officers of the society are Daniel W. Durfee, Octavius Cushman and William Miller, prudential committee ; J. J. Dumas and A. J. Averill, deacons ; and Wallace Rider, treasurer.


The Congregational Church was organized July 8, 1805, by Rev. J. Bush- nell, of Cornwall, who at an early day occasionally preached here. David In- graham, first deacon, continued to officiate until he removed from town in 1815. They had no stated preaching for several years, nor house of worship till 1819, when they built a house in connection with the Baptists and Uni- versalists, each denomination to occupy in proportion to the amount paid for its erection. They occupied their share until 1837, when they built the pres- ent Congregational Church. Rev. Calvin Butler, ordained February 10, 1842, was the first settled minister, the society at that time having sixty-seven mem- bers. The church now has no regular pastor, and the building is leased to the Adventists.


The Methodist Church of Bristol Village was organized in 1813, services being held at the residence of Ebenezer Saxton. Rev. Stephen Scovenberger


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TOWN OF BRISTOL.


preached the first Methodist sermon in Bristol. Services were held in barns and private houses until 1819, when a chapel was built which did service until 1840, when the present church was erected, and is now valued at about $3,- 000. The society has ninety-five members, with Rev. A. H. Nash, pastor, installed May 1, 1885. The stewards of the society, who are by law of the State ex-officio trustees, are F. Landon, C. W. Smith, F. I. Ward, E. Vilmore, S. B. Searles, B. W. Pollard, F. S. Thompson, A. Ferguson and J. T. Tucker.


The Advent Christian Church held services as early as 1840, a portion of the time in Academy Hall. The society is now organized with nineteen mem- bers, holding services in the Congregational Church, which they have leased for a term of years. Rev. Hiland Quimby, the first pastor, was succeeded by the present incumbent, Rev. S. P. Hayward, in 1885. The officers of the so- ciety are William Howden and Samuel Stewart, deacons.


Educational .- The Bristol Scientific Institute was established many years ago, and during the late war was changed to the Bristol Academy, which name it retained till March 2, 1881, when it was organized as the Bristol Graded School. The present building, erected in 1855, was removed a hundred rods to its present location about 1876. Mason S. Stone is principal of the acad- emy, assisted by E. A. Hasseltine, Julia Barry, Hattie Bissonette and Miss Spencer. The town has nine school districts.


Secret Societies .- Libanus Lodge No. 47, F. and A. M., was chartered January 13, 1859. It now has seventy-nine members, and meets the second Monday evening of each month: Its officers are as follows: H. S. Sumner, W. M. ; S. W. Hatch, S. W .; A. A. Dean, secy .; H. B. Williams, treas .; C. W. Huler, S. D .; W. H. Prime, J. D .; E. A. Hasseltine, chaplain ; C. W. Norton, G. W. Flinn, E. W. Smith, finance committee; J. R. Kilborn, O. C. Crandall, stewards ; H. P. Sherwin, tiler, and W. W. Needham, marshal.


Gifford Chapter No. 23. H. C. Munsill, H. P .; M. S. Taylor, K .; H. S. Sumner, S .; S. F. Hasseltine, secy .; H. B. Williams, treas .; W. P. Chase, C. O. H .; E. A. Hasseltine, P. S .; W. W. Needham, R. A. C .; G. W. Flinn, M. 3d V .; G. W. Smith, M. 2d V .; Jas. Dunton, M. Ist V .; A. E. Munson, E. G. Prine, stewards; W. S. Crampton, tiler. Convocation first Wednesday of each month. Number of members thirty-one.


Munsill Council has fifteen members, with the following officers : E. A. Has- seltine, J. I. M .; S. Brunch, D. M .; A. E. Munson, P. C .; L. S. Crampton, re- corder.


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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


CHAPTER XIX.


HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CORNWALL.


T HE original grantees of Cornwall were probably residents of Litchfield county, Connecticut. The charter granted to them was signed by Ben- ning Wentworth, governor of New Hampshire, on the 3d day of November, 1761. The following are their names ;


Elias Reed, Thomas Chipman, Murry Lester, Samuel Lee, Josiah Heath, James Nichols, Josiah Dean, Ebenezer Fletcher, Samuel Keep, Roswell Steel, Alexander Gaston, George Nichols, William Nichols, John Judd, Timothy Brownson, Solomon Linsley, Andrew Esquire, Moses Buck, David Cowles, Moses Read the 3d, Zuriel Jacobs, William Trumbull, Stephen Benton, Sarah Nichols, Benjamin Smalley, John Willoby, Joel Reed, Joseph Williams, James Nichols, jr., Enoch Slawson, Phinehas Holdcom, Josiah Willoby, Samuel Chip- man, Thomas Tuttle, Jabez Tuttle, John Skinner, Samuel Hulburd, Hannah Austin, Ruluff White, David Averill, Amos Chipman, Jabez Williams, James Smith, Andrew Brownson and John Scovill, one right; Samuel Judd, Eleanor Smith, Benjamin Woodruff, Jonah Sandford, William Reed, Nathan Benton, Abiel Linsley, John Everts, James Landon, esq., James Landon, jr., Ezekiel Landon, Thomas Landon, John Hutchinson, esq., William Ham, David Reed, David Stevens, Richard Wiberd, esq., Joseph Newmarch, esq., Samuel Beebee, Isaac Benton.


Owing to the glaring discrepancies between the town lines, as established by the charter, and a re-survey dated September 25, 1784, both of which were grossly inaccurate, a controversy arose beween Cornwall and Whiting, which in 1789 ripened into a law suit. The result being unfavorable to Cornwall, the proprietors thereof repeatedly petitioned the Legislature for a rehearing, which was probably granted. Orin Field, an early resident of Cornwall near the Whiting border, is quoted in Mathew's History of Cornwall as substantially saying :


"The proprietors of Whiting claimed about two miles of the south part of Cornwall, i. e., as far as the north line of Daniel Scovel's farm, extended east- ward and westward to the limits of the town; while Cornwall claimed about the same breadth of territory in the north part of Whiting, and both inter- preted their charters as substantiating their demands. After the litigation above described the controversy was settled by a compromise, which assigned about two-thirds of the territory to Cornwall, and the balance to Whiting."




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