USA > Vermont > Addison County > History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 59
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TOWN OF LINCOLN.
State, for the purpose of making and repairing roads and building bridges in said town, the proprietors and land owners are hereby notified that they may pay the proportion of said tax in labor at any time in the months of June and July next by applying to either of the subscribers who are appointed a committee to superintend the expenditure of said tax.
" Jonathan Preston, " Solomon Morgan, Committee. " Abraham Peaslee, " Lincoln, Vt., March 10, 1813."
Several other land taxes were assessed, one in 1826 of four cents per acre to build the road from the Thomas Goodrich place to Bristol line.
Beside the land tax there was a poll and personal property one, raised to defray current expenses of the town. A tax bill raised on the grand list of 1820, by Ebenezer Durfey, Thomas Lee, and James Varney, selectmen, is still in existence, which foots up six dollars, fifty-nine cents and eight mills ($6.59.8). Only two cents were raised on the dollar of the grand list. Moses Gove paid thirty-two cents and five mills' tax, the largest one that year, and Mehitable Hedding paid only three cents, the smallest one. Several paid only a poll tax of four cents. A number of the taxes appear to be unpaid, which deficit amounts to thirty-seven cents. There were fifty-one names on the bill, all of which have long since paid their last tax. Moses Huntington, late of Buffalo, N. Y., was the last of the survivors, who died in 1885.
Schools .- I have been unable to obtain any complete or satisfactory account of the first schools in town. The first school-house was built, undoubtedly, near the south line of Elihu Purinton's farm. It was a low log structure, with only three small windows, of six lights each of seven by nine glass, and a roughly hewed door whose top reached the eaves. The inside construction was equally rude. The writing tables or benches were attached to the outside of the room, with long seats on which the pupils sat facing the wall when writ- ing. The stove at one time consisted of a large caldron kettle inverted on a stone arch. As late as 1818 there was only one other school-house in town, and that was situated on what is known as Gove Hill. The first school in town was taught by Miss Olive Durfey, in 1797. I do not find any evidence that there was any school-house at that time.
Moses Huntington taught school in the first mentioned house in 1819. The school was a very large one ; thirty-three boys and nineteen girls were in attendance-about one-fifth of the entire population of the town, according to the census of 1820. From the best information obtainable there are fourteen now living that attended the school, of whom five reside in town. In a letter written by the venerable teacher, a few months previous to his decease (1885), in speaking of the old log school-house he says: "I taught school in this house two terms, in 1818 and 1819, for the usual wages of ten dollars per
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
month, and, according to the custom of the country, boarded around with the scholars. I set the copies for those who wrote, and made all their quill pens. There was a large class in Adam's old Arithemetic, and in the English Reader. They used Webster's Spelling Book and Perry's Dictionary. I do not remem- ber whether I had any geography or grammar class."
I have in my possession the original roll containing the names of all of the scholars that attended the school in the winter of 1818 and '19, and will give them here, as it may not be wholly uninteresting to the few that are now liv- ing and to their many descendants, and those of the others :
Hezekiah Hatch, Abram Hatch, William Lee, Malchi Lee, Peter Johnson, John Johnson, Moses Varney, John Purinton, Sewell Sargent, Elijah Meader, Nathan Purinton, Nathan C. Gove, Elijah Varney, Josephus Hatch, Thomas Lee, Solomon Lee, Jarius Johnson, Benjamin Purinton, Jacob Purinton, Moses Sargent, Jesse Meader, John Huntington, jr., Levi Gove, Lucy Lee, Belinda Bush, Cynthia Johnson, Hannah Meader, Lydia Lee, Ruth Sargent, Lovina Meader, Lydia Meader, Mary Purinton, Mary Huntington, Eunice Hedding, Achsah Meader, Sarah Huntington, Lydia Hedding.
The following are now living, viz. :
Elijah Purinton, John C. Gove, Damon Hedding, Lewis Taber, Aaron Lee, Charles Purinton, Daniel Gove, Russel Taber, Silas Taber, Content Johnson, Hannah Huntington, Mariam Gove, Lydia Huntington, Phebe C. Gove.
A school was established in the north part of the town about the year 1824, in a house that was built for a dwelling, and situated very near where the school-house in district No. I now stands. The scholars who attended the school in this district in 1824 have left a rhyme from which a few historical facts may be drawn.
There are doubtless many living who were acquainted with some of the circumstances narrated in this rude poem, and were more familiarly acquainted with the young rhymsters, whose poetical genius began to develop without any of the rules of prosody, except that the last syllables of two or more lines should have corresponding sounds. At just what time the house was built is uncertain, but it was occupied more or less for a dwelling until 1820, as will be seen from a few extracts from the poem :
" As for this great school-house I now mean to show 'Twas built by Dick Parmer, in what year I don't know, He lived like a hermit in this wilderness great, How long he lived here no one can relate."
Parmer sold out to Samuel Brooks and Brooks sold out to Dr. Benjamin Taber in January, 1817. The Doctor lived in it until 1819.
" Then this old house to a doctor he sold, For the house was fast decaying and growing old,
This house was so old, of falling he feared, He built him another-two story we've heerd."
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TOWN OF LINCOLN.
After the house was vacated by the doctor it was changed into a school- house.
" In the year eighteen hundred twenty and four, They fixed the old house with a rough cleet door, They hired a damsel, she was very fair,
To keep them a school and take proper care."
The lady above referred to was Miss Rachel Rhoades. The following win- ter Nathan Sawyer, of Weare, N. H., was engaged to teach the school.
" As for the master I now will begin, To describe his folly and the state he lives in,
One thing in this master I mean to tell
He liked all the girls a little too well,
Though he is better and wiser if I may relate Than half of the gentlemen from Hampshire State."
Other school-houses were built within a few years after, and the town di- vided into districts, of which there are now twelve, each supporting at least six months' school per annum. It cannot be said that the school-houses are all suitable and convenient now, but were, very likely, when built. A few are very old and will be replaced by new and more commodious ones soon. The thrifty and enterprising people of the district in South Lincoln have recently built a school house with improved and modern furniture, that is not only an honor to that district but to the entire town, and leaves an example worthy to be imitated by other districts. A school-house was built in the Downingsville district in the fall of 1885, and other districts will follow in the wake soon. There are now enrolled in the schools two hundred and eighty-five scholars, between the ages of five and twenty years. The whole amount expended for schools in 1884 was $1,134. 16, an average of nearly four dollars per scholar. William W. Pope was the first superintendent of schools and M. J. Stearns is the present incumbent.
Post-offices .- The first post-office was established July 23, 1835, by the appointment of Luther M. Kent, M. D., postmaster, and was located near the Corners on the place now owned by Watson Morgan, and formerly known as the " Doctor Kent farm." Previous to this all the mail was deposited at, and received from, the post-office at Bristol. The office was moved to the west part of the town, "Acworth," May 4, 1849, and Erastus W. Chapman was appointed postmaster. His successors were Almon C. Allen, appointed Janu- ary 24, 1851 ; Enos P. Hoag, appointed January 25, 1854; and Franklin J. Burnham, appointed January 7, 1857. Samuel M. Fish received the appoint- ment April 13, 1861, and moved the office to the Center, where it has since been located. He was succeeded by George F. Pope January 9, 1866; by James H. Batchelder July 23, 1867; by Charles D. Peet September 5, 1876, and by Moses B. Gove December 6, 1877, who is the present incumbent.
An office was established at "Acworth" by the name of West Lincoln, May 15, 1878, with Milton J. Stearns postmaster ; he was succeeded by Ira W. Wakefield August 27, 1878, who still continues in the office.
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
During the time that Enos P. Hoag was postmaster there were only thir- teen papers taken in town; at the present time there are over three hundred taken at the two offices. The mail was carried to and brought from Bristol only once a week until about 1850, then twice and three times a week until 1867, when a daily mail was received.
Since July 1, 1881, the mail leaves sufficiently early in the morning to con- nect with the Boston and New York mail, and returns at night with the same.
Freshet .- The year 1830 is memorable on account of a severe and destruc- tive freshet. An unusual quantity of rain had fallen throughout the season, and especially the week preceding. The ground was soaked full of water and the streams were much swollen. Early in the forenoon of Monday, July 26, dark, massive clouds hovered over the town. The heavy roar of the thunder in the heavens, echoing and re-echoing among the hills and mountains, with the frequent flashes of the forked lightning and the sulphurous odor in the atmosphere, indicated that a terrible storm was at hand, but how terrible and destructive no one then imagined. Later in the day, when the storm com- menced, the roar of the thunder was hushed by the descending rain. Those who have vivid recollections of that stormy night say that it was unlike any other storm that they ever witnessed. It seemed to descend in one continu- ous sheet, like the water falling over a precipice. That night the New Haven River rose to such unparalleled height that crops, trees, bridges, mills, facto- ries, and dwelling houses were swept away in its fury. Although no human lives were lost or seriously injured in town, yet the suffering and misery en- dured for a time by those momentarily expecting death cannot be portrayed or imagined. The traces of the freshet will remain visible for years to come. The channel of the river was greatly changed in several places, and it now runs where there were once meadows, gardens, and dwelling houses. The crops along the borders of the stream were wholly destroyed. Lemuel B. Eldridge, in a little volume entitled The Torrent, says "that one hundred acres of land in Lincoln, suitable for cultivation, were either totally destroyed or rendered useless for years."
A bridge crossing the stream near George A. Thayer's present mill site, then known as the Jones bridge, was the first on the stream to be swept away. Above this bridge but comparatively little damage was done, as only the rocks and trees were exposed to its fury.
Aaron Gove lived in a log house near, or just a few rods above, where Jesse Cotey's house now stands. The family had retired, and before they were aware of it the house was entirely surrounded by water, and any attempt to escape-the current being so swift and strong on either side-would have resulted in certain death. When the water came into the lower part of the house the family, eight in number, went into the chamber as a last resort. A portion of the lower part of the house was washed away; a door-post, how-
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TOWN OF LINCOLN.
ever, remained on one side undisturbed, on which the upper portion rested. Had this given way the roof would have fallen, and no doubt the occupants would have either been killed by the falling timbers or drowned.
Daniel Butterfield lived a few rods below, nearly opposite William H. Hoag's present residence. His loss was heavy; a large portion of intervale meadow was carried away. The channel of the river was at that time near the west side of the intervale; since then on the east side, where it now runs.
Thomas Taber lived on the farm now owned by George Garland. His house stood several rods below where Stephen C. Varney's saw-mill now stands, and where the river now runs. His family, consisting of his wife and five small children, remained in the house until the cellar wall fell in on one side, and immediately following they heard the crash of the falling bridge, a few rods above them, and then made a hasty retreat, barely escaping with their lives. When but a short distance away they heard the house fall, and on the following morning saw the main channel of the river where the house stood the night before. One of those children now living says that he carried the old-fashioned tin lantern, with perforated sides, to pilot the family to the nearest neighbor's east. They took with them only such clothing as they had on ; all the rest, with their furniture, provisions, and fifty dollars in money which Taber had that day hired for necessary purposes, was destroyed in a moment's time.
A saw-mill, owned by John Gove, situated a few rods below from where O. S. H. Butterfield's grist-mill now stands, was carried away with all the machinery, and all that remained to mark the spot were some fragments of the dam.
About one-half mile below, the crops of Valentine Meader were destroyed and a bridge carried away.
Between this place and " Acworth," now West Lincoln, but very little dam- age was done. The property destroyed at " Acworth " was of more value than all the other property that suffered the same fate in the town. A thrifty little manufacturing village had suddenly sprung up at this place. A few men with small capital had invested it here in manufactories, and it was fast becoming the business heart of the town. About three years previous to the freshet Joseph Blanchard, Isaac Houston, William and Andrew Mitchell came from Acworth, N. H., and built a saw-mill, and in 1828 built a forge a few feet be- low. Some seventy-five or eighty rods below this forge another one was built in 1827 by Henry Soper and Philetus Pier, and at the time of the freshet was owned by Pier and Oliver W. Burnham. Midway between these two forges was a bridge, then and since known as the Dean bridge. The river above the saw-mill was narrow, and the banks on either side were very high and abrupt. In this narrow passage the water rose about four feet per hour from dark until near midnight, when the saw-mill, forge, and coal-house, with a stock of coal,
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
ore, and iron, were carried off and every trace of them blotted out in much less time than it takes to narrate it. The saw-mill floated down the furious current bodily and lodged on a small island opposite where Captain J. L. Lincoln's store now stands, and, with the flood-wood that had previously accumulated there, went over the dam below. The lower forge yielded to the fury of the water nearly two hours later.
Below this little village, on the east side of the river, is a tract of land known as the Burnham Flat. At the lower end of this stood a small, unfin- ished framed house, occupied by Prosper Durfey and family. The roaring of the water awoke Mrs. Durfey, who was alone with her children, and on exam- ination found that escape was impossible, as the water had already surrounded the house. The floors had not been nailed down, and the lower one, with the beds occupied by the family, was raised to within about eighteen inches of the upper one. Mrs. Durfey parted the boards above, and, with her children, went through into the chamber, where they remained until morning, when they were taken ashore on a raft. It may seem almost miraculous that the house stood in such a depth of water; and it would have been destroyed, no doubt, if the lower floor had been nailed down. The main channel of the river was some four or five rods west of the house. A large hemlock log, two and one-half feet in diameter by thirty long, was thrown out from the current in the main channel on to the flat, and rolled or floated sideways to the house, protecting it from the flood-wood and debris. Below the house there was a short bend in the river, which produced a back current against the lower side, counteract- ing the one from above.
General Barnum, of Vergennes, had commenced to build a dam and factory for the purpose of manufacturing whetstones, from a quarry near by, standing below the big bend and within a few rods of the west line of the town, and was the last to suffer destruction within the limits of the town.
Another freshet, in which a great amount of property was destroyed, oc- curred on the 4th day of October, 1869. The first mill property on the river to suffer was that owned by G. A. and O. H. Thayer, of South Lincoln, there being only one mill on the river above at that time. The mill was started in the morning with a fair run of water, and was run until about the middle of the forenoon, when the river rose so rapidly that it was thought advisable to shut down; and in only a few minutes the water was running through the mill, and in another moment it was gone out of sight in the mad rush of the water.
The next mill on the river to suffer the same fate was owned by Elisha R. Cain and situated only a few rods below.
A short distance below, the mills of James Caughlin and Asa Jackman were badly damaged, though not carried off.
A grist-mill and saw-mill owned by O. S. H. Butterfield, situated on his present mill site, were totally destroyed and carried away. The damage to
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TOWN OF LINCOLN.
roads and bridges was very great, and travel was greatly impeded for several days.
Revolutionary War. - Ebenezer Durfey and Owen Briggs were in the Revolutionary War and both were pensioned at the rate of eight dollars per month.
War of 1812. - The following named persons were in the United States service in the War of 1812 from this town, or who have since resided here : Albert Beach, Noah Jennings, James Downing, Prosper Durfey, Thomas Lee, Benjamin Clark, Uriah Bush, Alanson Hamner, Daniel Bagley, and Oliver W. Burnham.
War of 1861. - The town has a soldiers' record of which her citizens may justly feel proud. The quota under the different calls of the president was promptly filled by brave and fearless men who were not afraid to face the ene- my on the field of battle, and were, mostly, men of intelligence and good moral character. It is due to those who sacrificed the comforts and pleasant associa- tions of home, to endure the hardships of army life in assisting to save the country, that their names and the memorials of them be perpetuated on the pages of history. The following list, compiled from the State records, gives the names of those who served in Vermont organizations :
Volunteers for three years credited previous to call for 300,000 volunteers of October 17, 1863 :
G. H. Atwood, H. A. Atwood, S. Barnard, A. Bassalow, L. E. Bristol, J. S. Butterfield, J. H. Butterfield, T. J. Byron, E. Canfield, F. Clark, J. Clark, J. Clark, T. Clark, K. Connelly, A. Cushman, E. S. Cushman, P. Delphy, E. C. Dow, L. Dow, E. R. Gove, I. S. Gove, O. A. Gould, T. T. Hamner, R. S. Hill, L. J. Hoadley, I. N. Mayo, S. W. Mayo, N. Miner, O. J. Moore, R. Richards, S. J. Sargent, G. Shedrick, D. H. Stearns, F. Stevens, J. Walker, J. F. Walker, C. W. Weaver, E. S. Whittier, J. J. Whittier, J. W. Williams, D. H. York, G. W. York.
Credits under call of October 17, 1863, for 300,000 volunteers, and subse- quent calls :
Volunteers for three years .- G. A. Atkins, L. M. Atwood, A. J. Barnes, C. B. Chamberlain, S. G. Chapman, J. W. Cobb, Jesse Coty, Nelson Crozier, P. Durfey, A. B. Gove, C. Hamner, J. Hufson, J. Person, F. Soriol, J. Ubar, W. W. Wheeler, W. J. Whittier, H. J. Wood.
Volunteers for one year .- A. D. Atkins, G. Blanchard, C. W. Clark, E. M. King, S. B. Morrill, J. H. Murray, H. C. Powers, D. C. Ubear.
Volunteers re-enlisted .- H. A. Atwood, P. Delphy, J. J. Whittier.
Enrolled man who furnished substitute .- G. F. Pope.
Not credited by name .- Two men.
Volunteers for nine months .- A. G. Babcock, J. Coffin, L. J. Dow, W. E. Gove, W. E. Green, C. P. Jones, D. D. Jones, L. M. Kent, J. Moulton, W. E. Noyes, E. M. Percival, H. Stenior, H. Wood.
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
Furnished under draft .- Paid commutation, A. Atkins, L. N. Downing, O. Frank, J. Jackson, D. Johnson, D. Palmer, N. Page, N. Purinton, S. Danforth, C. E. Varney. Procured substitute, C. E. Bristol, M. F. Gove, O. Stokes, E. B. Tracy.
Events of 1878 .- The year 1878 was replete with memorable events. It will ever be remembered by those who suffered, in consequence of an epidemic, of the financial crisis, and a fire. Diphtheria in its unwelcome and direful visits introduced sadness, sorrow, and gloom throughout the entire town. Twelve deaths were chronicled as the result of this terrible malady from May I to August I. It first made its appearance in the family of Samuel Miner, in the west part of the town, then in the family of Dr. Almer A. Hier, at the Center. Five deaths occurred in the short space of ten days, within a few rods of each other. Dr. Hier, his wife, and three children were prostrated at the same time. The brittle thread that so recently held together the bright and happy family was snapped asunder, and Mrs. Hier and a little boy only survived.
The financial troubles were unprecedented. Every one that desired credit obtained it, and as the result business men trusted out their merchandise, and obligated themselves by placing their names to commercial paper beyond their capital. This was done hoping that times would change, business be more act- ive, and money more plenty. Property of every kind and description was on the decline with very little prospect of ever rising. Things continued thus until the 26th day of January, when several attachments were made and the store of W. N. Gove was closed. In the fore part of February the union store and M. B. Gove's boot and shoe store were closed. In June the store of Cairn & Hartwell was also closed. With these parties many farmers and others suffered, being connected with them in their business, either by loaning money or sign- ing commercial paper. Men lost all confidence in their fellow men. More legal processes were served during the year than for several years preceding, and some of them upon parties least expecting it. A large quantity of property was sold under the hammer at a great sacrifice. Real estate on the average depreciated from thirty to fifty per cent. in value, while several places at a forced sale were bought for less than one-third their former value. No less than ten sought relief under the United States bankrupt and the State insolvent act.
On the morning of August 4 a fire broke out in the building owned by E. I. Hewitt and M. B. Gove. The lower part was occupied as a store by Hanks & Johnson, and the boot and shoe store of M. B. Gove. The post-office and town clerk's office were also on this floor. The second story was occupied by the Grangers and Good Templars for their lodge room. An ell was occupied by M. B. Gove for a dwelling house. The furniture and fixtures of the Grangers and Good Templars, and the contents of the two stores were wholly consumed. The town records were in one of Marvin's fire-proof safes and were uninjured excepting the animal portions of the binding, which were de- stroyed. The books were rebound and are apparently as good as ever.
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TOWN OF LINCOLN.
Town Officers Elected March, 1886 .- Stephen M. Colby, moderator ; Moses B. Gove, clerk and treasurer ; Wilber E. Hanks, Charles A. Kinsley, Isaac W. Hatch, selectmen ; Samuel D. O'Bryan, James Ward, Alfred C. Mer- rill, listers ; George W. Burnham, Milton J. Stearns, Alfred C. Merrill, auditors; Elisha B. Clark, John H. Beane, Walter S. Colby, fence viewers; Howard Clark 2d, constable and overseer of the poor ; Elihu Purinton, trustee of United States surplus fund ; Abel T. Morgan, town grand juror ; Harvey Farr, agent; George R. Stone, inspector of leather; Howard Clark 2d, pound-keeper ; Stephen C. Varney, inspector of lumber ; Stephen G. Colby, sexton; Milton J. Stearns, superintendent of schools.
County Officers Residing in Town .- Howard Clark 2d, sheriff; Charles E. Pope, deputy sheriff ; Moses B. Gove, Stephen M. Colby, Charles E. Pope, Watson Morgan, George W. Burnham, Charles G. Butterfield, William W. Var- ney, justices of the peace
ECCLESIASTICAL.
Nearly all of the first and early settlers belonged to the Society of Friends, and for many years it was the only society that sustained regular religious wor- ship. Those who did not belong with them were the exceptions. The first organization of this society was July 16, 1801, at which time James Varney was appointed clerk. Meetings for worship were held about two years previous to this, in a log house owned by Levi Meader, situated very near the north line of the town, on the west part of the farm now owned by Hiram Hamner. Their meetings were held for several years in private houses. A log meeting- house was built on the land now owned by Thomas Moody, also one near where the town house now stands. I do not know when they were built or how long they were occupied. In 1802 the society proposed a plan for a house of worship to the Easton, N. Y., Quarterly Meeting, of which the Lin- coln Society was a branch, for their approval. They then proposed to build a house twenty-four by thirty-six feet, with ten-feet posts, at an estimated cost of $500. The report from this quarterly meeting was not a very flattering one so far as regards their rendering any assistance, as the following extract from the report shows: "That the Friends of Lincoln had better for the present en- deavor to accommodate themselves with such a house as they are able to build amongst themselves."
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