History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 52

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 52

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"The following incidents have been kindly furnished by Major Orin Field, who personally shared the fatigues and perils of the march :

"' In September, 1814, Plattsburgh, N. Y., was invaded by the British army, 14,000 strong. The alarm was sounded through our valleys, and our militia soon responded to the call. Men left their work and took their guns, not waiting for extra fixings, and in parties, from six to a dozen, were soon on their way to the scene of conflict.

"' On arriving at Burlington, most of the volunteers from Cornwall embod-

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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

ied themselves in a company commanded by Captain E. B. Hill, while others joined him after reaching Plattsburgh. The night of the 10th of September we encamped three miles south of the fort. Early on the morning of the IIth we were aroused by the booming of cannon in the distance, when it was soon ascertained that the two fleets were engaged. The volunteers, some 1,500 in number, were commanded by General Samuel Strong, of Vergennes ; Colonel Lyman, of Charlotte ; Colonel Hastings Warren, of Middlebury ; Major Somers Gale, of Cornwall, and were soon marching down on the west bank of Lake Champlain. In a short time we came in sight of the two fleets, and we could see the water fly as the balls sped on through the waves. As we neared the fort the column filed to the left and entered an open forest, where a lumber road was traceable.

"' At this point we soon saw the air filled with shot and shell, some burst- ing over our heads, knocking down one of our men, who was soon up and in his place again-our destination being the upper crossing of the Saranac. Just before reaching the river we encountered a body of some four hundred of the enemy, who saluted us with several shots or rounds, when they showed us their backs.'

" The following list of the volunteers who were in service at Plattsburgh is gathered from those who were of the number, many of whom still survive and are residents among us. The company from Cornwall, commanded by Captain E. B. Hill, consisted of those who were enrolled and liable to do duty in his company, together with several others who joined him on the way and after arriving at Plattsburgh. The list is as follows :

"Edmund B. Hill, captain; Wm. Hamilton, Erastus Reeve, lieutenants ; Ezra Mead, ensign; Daniel Sanford, orderly; Hosea Brooks, acting surgeon ; Elijah Foot, Josiah Pond, Rufus Mead, sergeants; Ozias Sanford, corporal. Privates : Roger Avery, John Avery, Daniel Avery, Abiram Avery, Ethan Andrus, E. B. Baxter, Felix Benton, Elijah Benton, Noah L. Benton, Asahel Bingham, Abel Benedict, William Cook, Austin Dana, Chester Fenn, Isaac L. Fisher, Elihu Grant, Truman C. Gibbs, Henry Green, Joel Harrington, Ami Harrington, Ira Harrington, Harry Hill, Wm. Hurlbut, Enos Hamlin, Reuben Gillett, Henry Kirkum, John McNeal, Israel McNeal, Ephraim Pratt, Amos Pennoyer, Russel Richards, Samuel Richards, Daniel Wright, Zadoc B. Rob- bins, Ransom Robinson, Jonah Sanford, John Sanford, Moses Wooster, Mars- ton Sherwood, Elijah Durfey, Jesse Ellsworth, Lewis W. Ellsworth, Orin Field, Russel Foot, Jesse Keeler, Gilbert Linsly, Wm. Lane, Helon Mead, Paul Moore, Ezekiel Scovel, Nathaniel Sherwood, Ira Wentworth, Warren Wheeler ; Will- iam Slade, baggage master ; Job Lane, Benjamin Atwood, Ezra Scovel, Luther G. Bingham, teamsters."

When the peace of the town was again disturbed, and the call to arms for the defense of the government was heard, the people responded with the same

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TOWN OF CORNWALL.

patriotism that distinguished Vermonters in all parts of the State. The follow- ing list shows the names of those who enlisted in the last war in Vermont or- ganizations.

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

D. H. Allex, W. H. Austin, A. K. Barlow, N. Baxter, J. Castle, C. Clair, E. Clair, O. Clair, L. Darling, J. Donnelly, L. S. Evarts, J. E. Fenton, E. Frost, D. Goulette, G. Greenleaf, D. Hickey, G. Hodges, F. S. Holley, T. J. Lane, J. J. Manny, E. Mayo, M. Nero, T. D. Peck, E. O. Porter, A. H. Potter, P. G. Potter, O. E. Ross, B. Rider, H. R. Sampson, O. Sanford, I. Searles, W. Shorker, M. W. Smith, C. E. Stearns, I. J. Stearns, J. Stott, E. S. Stowell, A. Youtt, C. E. Youtt.

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

Volunteers for three years .- P. Bear, D. C. Bent, J. Bodoin, J. A. Barrows, L. Goulette, J. C. Hawkins, L. Lavake, A. Mahan, S. Mahan, G. M'Cue, W. D. Watson, A. P. Youtt, C. Youtt.

Volunteers for one year. - B. Brooks, M. Smith.

Volunteers re-enlisted. - A. K. Barlow, H. Currier, J. Castle, P. Fox, M. Nero, C. E. Stearns, J. St. Marie, J. Stott, J. R. Rice, A. B. Wilson.

Enlisted men who furnished substitute .- O. A. Field, R. Lane.

Not credited by name .- Two men.

Volunteers for nine months .- C. Beaudoin, H. W. Bingham, J. Demar, M. S. Keeler, N. S. Lewis, A. Mahan, S. Mahan, H. Mora, L. D. Moody, H. T. Peck, R. R. Peck, A. S. Pinney, H. S. Sheldon, A. B. Simonds, H. D. Wheelock, J. M. Wooster, W. J. Wright.

Furnished under draft .- Paid commutation, H. J. Manchester, W. H. Mat- thews, L. C. Mead, S. E. Parkill, M. M. Peck, G. Pratt, C. H. Rust. Procured substitute, C. B. Currier, G. E. Dana, M. B. Williamson, I. G. Wooster.

ECCLESIASTICAL.

The Congregational Church of Cornwall, the first religious organization in Cornwall, was formed on the 15th of July, 1785, with the following members: Jared Abernathy, Stephen Tambling, James Marsh Douglass, Jeremiah Bing- ham, Roswell Post, Daniel Sampson, Mary Chipman, and Elizabeth Ives, and during the few weeks following August 21 Jesse Chipman, Mrs. Post, Mrs. Tambling, Nathaniel Cogswell and wife, Joel Linsley, Ethan Andrus, Isaac Kellogg, Hiland Hall, and Mrs. Ives were added to the number.

On the 20th of July, 1787, a call was extended to the Rev. Thomas Tol- man, and accepted on the 30th of August. Being the first pastor, he received as his right the lot of land set apart by the charter for the first settled minis- ter, and in addition received from the town "a settlement." The first deacons

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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

were Jeremiah Bingham, Hiland Hall, and Father William Samson. The first meetings were held in Captain Benton's barn; afterward at his house and the house of Joel Linsley. The first house of worship stood west of the highway on which the old red school-house formerly stood. It was completed, proba- bly in the spring of 1791, and first occupied in the following autumn. Mr. Tolman was dismissed at his own request on the IIth of November, 1790.

In 1796 the place of worship was changed by vote to nearly the present site of the church edifice. The second pastor, Rev. Benjamin Wooster, was ordained February 22, 1797. He was dismissed in January, 1802. Notwith- standing the action of the town in reference to the site of the new meeting- house, the building was not commenced until 1803. Rev. Jedediah Bushnell was installed on the 25th of May, 1803. His successor, Rev Lamson Miner, served from November, 1836, until January 16, 1839. Rev. Jacob Scales was installed July 3, 1839, and was dismissed June 16, 1842. Rev. Seagrove W. Magill was pastor from July 10, 1844, to the autumn of 1847. In 1846 the church building was entirely rebuilt and renovated at an expense of about $650. The present pastor of this church is Rev. M. C. Stebbins.

The first stated Baptist preaching in Cornwall was by Elder Ephraim Saw- yer, who began in 1792. The first church edifice was a log house a few rods north of the ridge near the cemetery. Elder Sawyer remained here until 1801. Measures looking to the erection of a new meeting-house were adopted in 1805 and early in 1807 the building was completed. From 1809 until 1824 Elder Henry Green filled the pastorate. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Palmer, of Middlebury. Since the spring of 1855 there have been intermittent attempts to build up a church of the Methodist persuasion, but the number of persons here are too limited to support a church regularly.

The following figures indicate the variation from one decade of years to another of the population of Cornwall since the taking of the first U. S. census: 1791, 826; 1800, 1, 163 ; 1810, 1,270; 1820, 1, 120; 1830, 1,264; 1840, 1, 163; 1850, 1,155 ; 1860, 977; 1870, 969; 1880, 1,070.

CHAPTER XX.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FERRISBURGH.

F ERRISBURGH is the most northeasterly town in the county, and is bounded on the north by Charlotte in Chittenden county; east by Monk- ton and New Haven; south by New Haven, Waltham, Vergennes and Pan- ton, and west by Lake Champlain. On the 24th of June, 1762, it was granted by New Hampshire to Daniel Merrill and sixty-six others in seventy shares,

437

TOWN OF FERRISBURGH.

and contained, according to charter, 24,600 acres. On the 23d of October, 1788, about one square mile of its territory went toward the formation of Ver- gennes. Except in the northeastern part, which is quite hilly, the surface is level, and even low along some of the streams, while the soil is various in character, from a heavy clay to a rich mould, and all kinds productive of abundant crops. Upon the uplands the timber is chiefly maple, beech, bass- wood and butternut, and on the level and low lands pine and cedar, inter- spersed with oak, walnut, etc.

The line of the lake shore is very sinuous, and indented with bays, some of which constitute the best natural harbors on the lake. Otter Creek is nav- igable to Vergennes, a distance of eight miles, and but for the falls there and at Middlebury could be navigated by the smaller craft as far as Sutherland Falls. The drainage of the town consists of Otter Creek, which enters from Vergennes, flows in a northeasterly course, and is discharged into the lake near the center of the west line of the town; Little Otter Creek, which enters from Monkton, near the south line of the town, and flows northeasterly into the lake about three miles north of the mouth of the Otter; Dead Creek, which enters from Panton, in the western part of the town, and flows north into Ot- ter Creek; and their small tributaries. The western and central parts of the town cover an immense bed of Chazy and Black River Limestone, which affords excellent quarries for building purposes, and material for a good quality of lime. East of this the rocks are disposed in narrow ledges extending entirely across the town from north to south in the following order: Trenton lime- stone, Utica slate, Hudson River slate, and red sandrock. In the northeast part of the town is found an excellent quality of black marble which has been worked to some extent.

" Before the middle of the last century the French king had granted large tracts on Lake Champlain to several of his subjects, and, according to an old French map of 1748, what is now Ferrisburgh was partly or wholly included in the seigniory of Mons. Contrecœur fils. In 1772, after the conquest of the French possessions in America, the grantees under the French crown peti- tioned that their claims might be confirmed by the English government, but a's the seigniory of Contrecœur had been reunited to the crown lands of France because of the failure of the grantors to fulfill the conditions of their deed, their claim was invalidated. In the 'Ordinance of the governor of New France, reuniting to His Majesty's Domain all seigneuries not improved,' men- tion is made of a 'remonstrance of Seiurs de Contrecœur, in which they set forth that they have done everything to settle their grants ; that it was impos- sible to find individuals willing to accept lands, though they had offered them some on very advantageous terms, and were willing to give even 300 livres to engage the said individuals. That they intend to do all in their power to find persons to settle said seigneuries, and they hope to succeed therein ; requesting us to grant them a delay on the offers which they make to

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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

conform themselves herein to His Majesty's intentions.' Hence it appears that there were no early French settlers in what afterwards became Ferrisburgh.

" In an English map of later date a part of Ferrisburgh is within the limits of military grants to Captain Williams and Lieutenant Cuyler, but there is no evidence that there were any settlers under these grants."1

The settlement of that part of the original town of Ferrisburgh which now forms a part of the city of Vergennes, beginning in 1769, will be found in the history of Vergennes herein.

The year following the issue of the charter (1763) Benjamin and David Ferris, surveyors for the proprietors, came on, surveyed the township, and di- vided it into lots. The proceedings of the proprietors, subsequent to this date, cannot be ascertained, as their records were destroyed by fire on the 3d of Oc- tober, 1785, while in the possession of Timothy Rogers, proprietors' clerk. Let Mr. Rogers tell the story himself :

A Copy of the Account of Timothy Rogers having his Ritings Bornt.

Know all men by these presens that yestorday which was the sekont day of the 10 month I timothy Rogers of ferrisburgh was a moving from Botin bay in ferrisburgh to letill orter crik forls and as I went by wartor I did not git up the Bay till about mid nite and my wife and five childorn and one woman peggy smith by name and one child was all in an open bote and it was a dark rany time we landid about a quartor of a mild from the hous som of the hands went up and got fir when they got down agane the fire was so rand out we cindild some fir by the side of a tree To lite barks that the famaly mite se a litill to walk up to the house for my wife was sik I led her by the hand this morning Being the 3d day of the 10 m 1785 about son rise one of my men came and told me the tree by which the fir was kindled was bornt down and bornt up a large chist of droys that was packd as full it cold be off cloths and Ritings of grate importuns I sepose I had about forty deads for about Six Thousand acors of land som on Record and som not notes and bonds for about two thousand dolars and all the proprietors Records of ferrisburgh som other gods was bornt with all the cloths only what we had on these whoughs names who air here sind ar setain witnesis to the same for they helped me move and seen the fire of the same this 3d of the 10 m 1785 likewise they sen the heaps of Riting in their proper shaps bornt to ashes.

Timothy Rogers

Silas Bingham

amos Catlin

Zimry hill

Stephen Ryce jun

At the foot of the page is written " go to tother leaf forard page 21." On the page referred to the following is recorded, viz. :

Rutland county s wallingford Janary ye 28th A. D. 1786 personly aperd Timothy Rogers and gave his Afformation to the truth of the within writting depsition to before me

Abarham Jacktion just of peas

adorson county Ferrisburgh september the 24 day 1791 this sartafys that timothy Rogers being cold upon by the request of the select men of ferrisburgh to giv acounpt of the propri- etors Records and said timothy perd with the foregoing to show that said Records was de- stroyed in October 1785 Abil tomson asistant judg

the abov being don as apers was thought best for me to Record the same therefore was Re- corded in proprietors Book page 21 the 30 of the 9 m 1791

By me Timothy Rogers proprietors Clark.

1 From historical sketch by R. E. Robinson, in Vermont Historical Magazine.

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TOWN OF FERRISBURGH.

R. E. Robinson, in his sketch of Ferrisburgh, published in the Vermont Historical Magazine, said concerning the early settlement of the town:

The first settlement within the present limits of Ferrisburgh (for the events just related occurred in that part of Ferrisburgh which is now Vergennes) was begun by Charles Tupper, who came from Pittsfield, Mass., just before the Revolution, and commenced improvements near where J. Burroughs now lives ; but upon the breaking out of the war he returned to Pittsfield, joined the American army, and was killed in battle. One Ferris began a settlement near Basin Harbor about the same time, which he also abandoned at the com- mencement of the war.

Mrs. Betsey Gage, an old lady nearly eighty-one, says that her father, Zuriel Tupper, a brother of Charles Tupper, was the first settler in Ferrisburgh after the close of the Revolution. He came in the autumn of 1783, and in March, 1784, brought his wife and three children to Ferrisburgh. During his previous visit he had built a bark shanty for their accommodation, and this they occu- pied until the completion of their log house. Mrs. Gage, who was then five years old, says that she well remembers seeing the sun shining down through the roof of their primitive abode. At the same time Mr. Tupper had prepared a small plot of ground and sowed some apple seeds, and to him belongs the honor of raising the first apples from the seed in town.

Mrs. Gage's mother was five and one-half months in her new home without seeing another woman ; then Abel Thompson and family came, and soon after three others -Tupper's brother Absalom, Nathan Walker, Isaac Gage-and others came.

During the Revolution, as already indicated, all those who had come to Ferrisburgh felt constrained to depart, though others had the hardihood, if so it may be called, to settle here before the cessation of hostilities, as follows : Ananias Rogers, Uriah Crittenden and Judge Thompson in 1778; Abraham Rogers and James Saxton in 1779; Noah Porter, Joseph Burroughs and Tim- othy Dakins in 1780, and Joshua Barnes in 1781. Zuriel Tupper came in 1783, Theophilus Middlebrook in 1784. By this time settlement had made consid- erable progress, and new arrivals were so frequent as to attract far less notice than formerly. On the heels of the declaration of peace, and before the open- ing of the nineteenth century, came Cornelius Hurlbut, Benjamin Carpenter, Thomas Robertson, Ashbel Fuller, Asa Carpenter, Obadiah Walker, Samuel Tupper, Wing Rogers, Nathaniel Austin, John Huff, Ira Tupper, Absalom Tupper, Simeon Miller, George Gage, Solomon and William Kellogg, Sylves- ter Jaquesways, Benjamin Ferris, Solomon Dimick, Stephen Fish, Abner and Stephen Perry, John Frazier, William Beard, William Walker, J. Hines and Archibald Collins. In school district No. 6 were Joseph Burroughs, Anthony, Stephen, Benjamin and George Field, Theophilus Middlebrook, Benjamin Fer- ris, Asa Carpenter, Joseph, Benjamin, Joshua and Lewis Barnes, Solomon Dim- ick, Elnathan B. Beers and Jonathan Keeler.

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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

The first person born in town was Eunice Webster, March 22, 1773. The first public house in town was that of Zuriel Tupper; the house just east of the railroad station at Ferrisburgh village, known as the " old Frazier house," was the first framed house built in town, and was long known as the Blue House.

The following facts have been ascertained concerning the early settlers, with the assistance chiefly of R. E. Robinson, before quoted :

Abel Thompson came to Ferrisburgh in 1778, and settled on the farm now occupied by D. M. Tappan. He afterward held many offices of trust, was the first justice of the peace and first representative. He built the first house on this farm, and afterward sold to Daniel, son of John Marsh. On a hill not far from the dwelling of M. Tappan is a marble slab bearing the following inscrip- tion : " Abel Thompson, born in 1741, died in 1808; settled in Ferrisburgh, 1778."

As early as when the city of Vergennes contained but three houses, John Field located on the place now occupied by George W. Kellogg, erected a log house in 1780, and not long after replaced it with a block-house. He had fourteen children. He died November 19, 1827, in the sixty-second year of his age; his wife Frances died March 13, 1843, in the seventy-seventh year of her age.

Timothy Hatch, from New Hampshire, was one of the early settlers in the west part of the town. He had a family of eight children. He died in the War of 1812, and in that struggle his eldest son, Martin, was wounded.

John Marsh came to Ferrisburgh at an early date and settled in the vicin- ity of Marsh Hill. His son Daniel two years later located on the same place formerly settled by Abel Thompson.

Archibald Collins, born in 1764, in Guilford, Conn., married Rhoda Bates in 1787, and soon after settled in the east part of Ferrisburgh, on a farm still in the hands of his descendants. He died in 1842. He was the father of eleven children, of whom Elias D. Collins, sr., is the only one remaining in town. Archibald Collins was a tanner and shoemaker.

William Webster settled early in the southwest part of the town, near But- ton Bay, where George C. Spencer now lives. His father was captured by the British at Arnold's Bay, in Panton, and taken to Canada, whence he never returned.

The vicinity of Basin Harbor was first settled, before the Revolution, by Platt Rogers, who came from Dutchess county, N. Y. Here he was joined by Jared Pond, whose grave is still to be seen on the farm now owned by the Winans estate. According to the inscription on his stone, he died in 1817. Platt Rogers brought with him a female slave named Millie, who was followed by another slave, her lover. He agreed with Mr. Rogers that after a certain period of labor he and his affianced should be set free. In pursuance of this

Allen & Beach

ALITTLE.PHILA.

Allen & Beach

441

TOWN OF FERRISBURGH.

agreement they were freed, and married, afterward living happily for years in a house built for them by Mr. Rogers, on the place still known as "Negro Orchard."

James I. Winans, after fulfilling an agreement with the government for the survey of Northern New York, settled at Basin Harbor with his brother. They were ship-carpenters, and built the first steamboat that ever plowed the waters of Lake Champlain. It was commanded by James I. Winans. The widow of Martin Winans, son of James I., now occupies the old homestead.

Stephen Beach, from Connecticut, settled on the farm now owned by his son, Allen P. Beach. He had a family of nine sons, two of whom died in infancy, after which not another death occurred in the family for sixty-two years. Stephen Beach died in 1859, aged eighty-two years. It was on this farm that the family of John Field removed their goods at the time of the battle of Fort Cassin.

James Blakely, from Essex county, N. Y., first cleared the farm now owned by David Brydia, and built the first house and barn thereon.

Obadiah Allen, a blacksmith, was the first settler on the farm of Putnam Allen, which has never left the possession of the family. The present stone house replaced in 1835 the old block-house built there more than a hundred years ago.

Nathan Walker settled in 1790 on the farm now owned and occupied by his great-grandson, J. O. Walker, the farm having ever remained in the family. Nathan died October 19, 1823. His son Obadiah was born November 2, 1770, and died January 13, 1813. Zurell, son of Obadiah, was born May 27, 1801, and died January 13, 1873. He represented the town in 1832, '33 and '34, was State senator in 1848 and 1849, justice of the peace twenty-five years, and town clerk thirteen years.

Joseph Rogers, from Danby, Vt., settled on the farm now occupied by Mrs. Susan N. Rogers. He was a Quaker. In 1811 he moved and repaired the house still standing on the place, which was originally built near its present site by Timothy Rogers; though if the shade of the departed Timothy were now to view his lasting handiwork on earth, he would scarcely recognize this house, which has suffered the changes of time and improvement. Henry Rogers, son of Joseph, was born in 1804, and died in 1875, having passed all his life but two years on this homestead, and having borne a prominent and active part in the affairs of the town. His widow, Susan N., and daughter, Phebe H., now occupy the farm.

Benjamin Carpenter, from Shaftsbury, located on the farm now owned by Daniel B. Collins. He had three children. He was living in Shaftsbury at the time of the difficulties between Ethan Allen and the "Yorkers," and left for Brandon, where he stayed until the trouble was over. Luther Carpenter, his son, now living here, was born in town on the 25th of March, 1795, on the

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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

farm now occupied by his nephew, Oren Carpenter. His sister Lucy, born May 19, 1804, the widow of Wheelock Thompson, now lives with her niece, Lucy Day, in Addison.

Luther Carpenter is the oldest man in town. He married Lydia Ann Da- vis on the 7th of December, 1836, who is living with him yet. In the fall of 1836, perhaps in honor of his approaching marriage, his fellow townsmen sent him to the Legislature. They have had two children, one of whom, Mrs. Eliza A. Collins, now lives in town. The other, a son, was born in 1840 on the 9th of January, and died on the 22d of the same month.

Elnathan B. Beers, from Trumbull, Conn., came to Ferrisburgh after a brief residence in Monkton, and settled in the east part of the town. He died in Monkton at the age of eighty-seven years. His son, Ransom Beers, now lives in town.

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History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 52

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