USA > Vermont > Addison County > History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 61
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Addison County Court. In his prime he was a man of more than ordinary mental ability and strength. His counsel and advice on legal points were clear and concise. His familiarity and knowledge of the statutory law of the State and the rulings of the higher courts, with his sound and careful judgment com- bined, rendered him a safe and able counselor. Until within about ten or twelve years, when his memory became somewhat impaired, he was one of the princi- pal men in the management of the business of the town. Not a single posi- tion of trust or responsibility that his townsmen could bestow upon him, but what he has held, and discharged the duties pertaining to it in a satisfactory manner. The aggregate number of years that he has held office in the town is far more than that of any other man. He was a strict temperance man, and a strong advocate of its principles; a constant attendant upon the public worship of God whenever his health would permit; well versed in the sacred Scriptures, and for many years an active member of the Sabbath-school, and a large por- tion of the time the teacher of a Bible class. He died at his residence of Bright's disease, April 16, 1880.
Hon. Daniel H. Sargent, a son of Moses and Sally Sargent, was born in Lincoln February 26, 1821. He married Mary Jane Hill, of Starksboro, by whom he had four children-Sewell J., Lois (Mrs. Howard Clark), Alson M., and William H., all of whom live in town. His second wife was Mrs. George (Brooks) Nichols, daughter of Obed Brooks, by whom he had four children, Herbert C., George A., Mary J., and Wallace. Mr. Sargent was at an early age placed in positions of trust by his townsmen, and always faithfully dis- charged the duties of his office. In 1845, at the age of twenty-four years, he was chosen one of the selectmen of the town, and held that office nine years. He was justice of the peace nineteen years ; a member of the Legislature in 1855 and 1860; assistant judge of the County Court in 1876 and '77. He died June 7, 1879, on the farm where he was born and where he has ever since resided. No better eulogy can be given than the following extract from an obituary of Mrs. Ellen Johnson : "In this afflictive stroke from the hands of an all-wise Providence not only does a family suffer the loss of a kind and in- dulgent husband and father, but a community has lost a prominent and highly respected citizen. Mr. Sargent has long been looked upon as one of our most worthy men. His legal knowledge, careful judgment, candor, and strict integ- rity combined to render him an able adviser, and his opinion has been prized by such as have had occasion to seek advice. It cannot be said of him, ' He had no enemies.' Such eulogies are for men of less firmness and stabilty of character ; but it may be truly said he had many friends, and those most intimately acquainted with his character esteemed him most highly."
Rev. Nathaniel Stearns was born in Monkton in 1780. He came to Lincoln in 1835 and established the M. E. Church of this place. He died in Ripton in 1852. His two sons, James L. and Joseph M., resided in town until their
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decease-the former March 17, 1874, aged fifty-four years, the latter November 12, 1884, aged sixty-nine years. Three of the children of James L. now reside here, Milton J., Mary S., and Wesley R., the former a merchant at the Center. Four of the children of Joseph M. also reside here, Lovina (Mrs. Zeno Page), Cynthia (Mrs. C. F. Murray), Sabra, and Elwood.
Rev. Zenas C. Pickett was born in Hope, Hamilton county, N. Y., April 27, 1807. His first charge as an itinerant preacher was on the " Wells Mis- sion," N. Y. He was stationed on the Lincoln charge in 1870, where he re- mained three years, and again in 1876, preaching another term of three years. In 1879 on account of his health he located in town, having purchased a small place. The fiftieth anniversary of his married life was celebrated July 8, 1881. The following extract is from an address of the pastor of the M. E. Church, Rev. Amos Osborn, delivered at the wedding anniversary, which seemed al- most prophetic of his death, which came as a welcome messenger only ten days later : " I congratulate you in view of the near approach of your departure from earth heavenward. Your sun, aye, mine too, is in the western sky; the shadows of evening are gathering. 'I brush the dews from Jordan's banks ; the crossing must be near.' Soon a voice will be heard, ' Come up higher.' I am quite sure you will answer, 'Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly ; I am pre- pared to go.'"
CHAPTER XXVI.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MONKTON.
M ONKTON, situated in the northern part of Addison county, is bounded north by Hinesburg in Chittenden county; east by Starksboro; south by Bristol and New Haven, and west by Ferrisburgh. The surface is very moun- tainous, the principal elevation being Hogback Mountain, which extends across nearly the whole eastern portion of the town from north to south. The west- ern part of the town is drained by Little Otter Creek (and its tributaries), as it flows northwest through Ferrisburgh into the lake. The principal stream in the eastern part is Pond Brook, which rises in Bristol Pond, in the north part of Bristol, and flows north into Hinesburg. The scenery of the town is varied and picturesque, while the hills and mountains are filled with innumerable natural curiosities, among which is a huge cavern in the northwest part of the town. The orifice which forms the entrance is at the bottom of a chasm in the rocks on a side hill. It contains two apartments, one of which is about thirty feet in length by sixteen wide.
Monkton was chartered by Governor Benning Wentworth on the 24th of June, 1762, and contained an area of 24,000 acres, divided into seventy shares.
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
According to tradition, John Bishop was the first settler in town. His farm was on the Ridge, upon which he undoubtedly located with the idea, so preva- lent in those days, that the heights were better than the valleys for the habita- tions of men. He came in 1774. The same year witnessed the arrival of Barnabas Barnum, whose followers of the same name originated "Barnum- town," and John and Ebenezer Stearns, who lived in the north part of the town, just south of the Hinesburg line. The settlement was broken up and dispersed by the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, and all attempts to clear the forests and cultivate the fields were replaced by endeavors to stem the ap- proaching tide of British tyranny and misrule, and repel the arrogant invaders. Between the close of the war and the year 1787, however, we find that the following settlers took up lands in Monkton, and, by taking the freeman's oath, evinced a determination to remain.
John Ferguson settled in that portion of the original town of Monkton which was afterward set off to Starksboro. At an early day he represented the town in the Legislature. He has descendants now living in Starksboro. Others who lived in this neighborhood were the following: Richard and Samuel Barnum; Stephen Haight, who settled on the place now occupied by Norman Finney. He was for many years a leading member of the Legislature, a sheriff, and a judge of the County Court. He died on the 12th of January, 1841, at Wash- ington, D. C., aged fifty-eight years, while holding the office of sergeant-at- arms in the Senate of the United States. The body thereupon voted an ap- propriation to pay the expenses of carrying his remains to Burlington for burial. Samuel Barnum was for a number of years a justice of the peace, and a mem- ber of the Legislature. He died in Vergennes at the residence of his son, General A. W. Barnum. Abijah Barnum also settled originally at Barnum- town, but was of a locomotive disposition; also Jesse, Theron, and Moses Barnum. James Tobias, a Quaker, married a sister of Amos Barnum's wife. Johnson Finney located on the place on which Norman Finney, his son, now lives. Frederick Carter lived a little toward Vergennes from Barnumtown. Isaiah Sanford lived in Barnumtown. William Garret carried on a store a lit- tle way south of Barnumtown. Miles Bates lived a short time in Barnumtown and removed to the Borough.
Among the other early settlers may be mentioned Daniel Smith, grand- father of Daniel Ladd, who settled on the farm one mile north of the Borough, now owned by the estate of Lucius Smith. He was a gifted counsel, and was for several years a representative of the town in the Legislature. He died in 1812. Silas Hardy located a little south of Ebenezer Stearns, and about one and a half miles north of the Borough. David Ferriss settled about one mile west of the Borough on the place now owned by Mrs. Ward, of Char- lotte. He removed many years ago to Ohio. Aurey Cronkhite lived and died near the Starksboro line. Frederick Smith was an early settler on the
A.LITTLE, PHILA
& & Smith
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TOWN OF MONKTON.
place in the Borough, now occupied by Carlton Dean. Leonard Haight lived toward the Bristol line. Jesse Lyman, son of David Ferriss, was for several years a resident of Monkton, and afterward of Vergennes. He was a major of militia, and an able officer under General Strong at the battle of Plattsburgh. Buel Hitchcock, the first physician in town, lived in the vicinity of the Ridge. He built the first grist-mill in town, and after living here some years re- moved to St. Lawrence county, N. Y. Noble Saxton settled in the Borough. Hezekiah Smith, brother to Daniel, located in the Borough on the site now occupied by Harvey Potter. Thomas Smith, a distant relative of Daniel Smith, married the latter's sister and settled in East Monkton, on the place now occupied by Leonard Meech. Nathaniel Dean was grandfather of Thad- deus Dean, who now resides in town. Enos Knapp lived toward Starksboro, about half a mile east of the Ridge. Paul Atwood came to Monkton from Ben- nington in 1790, and died here at the age of ninety-two years. His son, Levi E. Atwood, in 1803 or 1804, then a boy of twelve years, while on his way to the mill in Starksboro broke a willow switch, and on his return home stuck it in the ground, where it now stands a gigantic tree. Cyrus W. Atwood, of Starksboro, is a son of Levi. Daniel Collins, jr., lived in the second house south of where Daniel Ladd now lives. He was for many years a deputy sheriff, judge of the County Court, and has been a representative in the Legislature. Joseph Willoughby was an early settler east of the Ridge, on the place now owned by Mrs. Willoughby Smith. Sylvanus Smith, brother of Thomas, lived on the place now owned by Casper Dean. Swift Chamberlain settled about a mile northwest of the Borough, on the place now owned by Henry Baldwin. Martin Lawrence lived in the Borough in the house now owned by Daniel Ladd, opposite his residence. Mr. Lawrence built this house. Elijah Branch was an early settler in the Ridge district, on the place where the widow of George Collins now lives. Robinson Mumford, from Bennington, settled in 1791 north of the Ridge, on the place now occupied by Ira Day, who married a daughter of Josiah Mumford, Robinson's son. Robinson Mumford held for many years the office of justice of the peace, and was a leading member of the Baptist Church. An old elm still standing on the homestead is said to be the largest and most symmetrical elm in the county. It measures twenty-three feet in circumference, is one hundred and eight years old, and shades an area of nearly a quarter of an acre. Moses Pingree lived in the Borough on the present site of the Methodist parsonage. Adolph Lattin settled east of the Borough, under the mountain. Samuel Webb established himself on the place now owned by Ashbel Dean, west of the Borough. He was a carpenter by trade, and came to Monkton as early as 1790. He died November 19, 1838, aged seventy-one years. His son Daniel still resides in town at the age of eighty- seven years, with his wife, Sophia (Conger), who is eighty-five, and has passed the sixtieth anniversary of their wedding. Daniel Webb was town treasurer of
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
Monkton for thirty consecutive years. Daniel Smith came to Monkton in 1780, from Bennington, and settled on the farm now owned by the widow of L. E. Smith. The several members of his family have figured among the most prominent men of the town. He was a councilor, and for twelve years town representative. He had seven children. Luman B. became a prominent law- yer in Monkton ; Lucius E. was first chosen to the Legislature in 1858-59, and afterward served eight terms, and in 1866-67 was elected State senator. Nich- olas Holmes, from Nine Partners, N. Y., came to Monkton in 1787, and settled on the place now occupied by H. R. Baldwin. He was a member of the So- ciety of Friends. He had a family of eight children. Jonathan, his son, and afterward Andrew, his grandson, succeeded to the estate. Beers Stilson, from New Milford, Conn., came here in 1783, and soon after located where his son and grandsons now live. He married Eunice Dodge, and had a family of four sons and one daughter, of whom Alpheus, of Monkton, and Leman, of Lin- coln, are the only ones now living. Solomon Barton came to this town from New York in 1785, and selected for his home the place now occupied by A. J. Cushman. His second son, Moses, built the house now occupied by H. Jewell, in 1812. Mrs. Jewell is a daughter of Moses. Ashbel Dean, with his brother Benjamin, came to Monkton soon after the close of the Revolutionary War, in which he had served six years. He located on the old stage road near Bar- numtown. He was at the battle of Eutaw Springs, Yorktown, and other en- gagements. He married a daughter of Jehiel Barnum, and had a family of nine children. The house now occupied by T. N. Dean was built by Captain Lemuel Kendrick, and is the oldest in the village. Eleazer Finney came here from New Milford, Conn., in 1785, and settled on the farm now owned by his great-grandson, H. J. Finney, which has ever remained in the family. Eleazer held the office of justice of the peace for nearly fifty years, and at different pe- riods held various other town offices. Being given to the composition of po- etry, he won the title of "Monkton's Bard." He died on February 28, 1859, aged eighty-four years. Daniel Collins, father of Daniel, jr., before mentioned, came from New Milford, Conn., in 1789, and died here on August 22, 1844. He had four sons, Nathan, David, Edmund, and Daniel, and one daughter, Phebe. Hezekiah Smith came here from Bennington in 1780, in company with three brothers, Daniel, Champion, and Samuel. He was by trade a shoemaker, but after coming here he kept a tavern at the Borough. His eldest son, Horatio A., was a physician of Monkton. Ebenezer Barnum, from Litchfield, Conn., came to this town in 1786. His son, John Barnum, was then five years of age. John afterward married Abbie Dean, with whom he passed a married life of sixty-six years. He was a prominent man in town, and took an active part in the War of 1812. He died in 1878, aged ninety-eight years. Josiah Fuller, from Bennington, reached Monkton in 1788, and settled on a farm now owned by Ethan Lawrence. He had ten children, of whom the eldest, Sylvanus, went
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to the battle of Plattsburgh, and was never after heard from. Milton, the only son who remained in town, became a prominent citizen, and died here at the age of seventy-seven years on the farm now owned by his son Jonas. Stephen Fuller lived where Daniel Meader now resides. David Fuller is his son. Jo- seph Willoughby, the second representative of the town, built about 1781 the house in which the widow of his grandson, D. W. Smith, now lives. Josiah Lawrence, a native of Norwich, Conn., a soldier of the Revolution, reached Monkton some time before 1790, and settled at the north end of Hogback Mountain, where he died in 1835. His grandson, Daniel Lawrence, now occupies the old homestead. Eliakim Beers located in 1790 on the farm now occupied by his grandson, L. E. Beers. He died in 1870, aged ninety-five years. Da- vid Roscoe came from Connecticut in 1795, and settled in Barnumtown, where he owned three hundred acres of land-the place now occupied by P. Parents. Dan Stone, a graduate from Williams College, came to Monkton from Con- necticut in 1795, and engaging in the practice of medicine, became one of the most prominent physicians in this region. Of his three sons, Dan and George became physicians, engaged in practice here and in Vergennes, and in 1857 went to Illinois. Charles remained in town until he reached the age of fifty- three years, when, in 1857, he died. His son, Charles H. Stone, now lives on the old "Dart farm." Nathan G. Baldwin, from New Milford, Conn., came to Monkton in 1793, settling on the farm now owned by S. Miles, and erecting a log house. He had a family of five sons; two of them, Albert N. and Jay N., now live on the home farm. Two others, Henry R. and E. D., are still residents of the town. George Dart, also from New Milford, came to Monkton in 1789, and bought one hundred acres of land of David Ferris, to pay for which he returned to Connecticut and made one hundred axes, valued at twenty pounds, and delivered them to Ferris. The farm is now owned by Charles H. Stone. John Thomas, from Connecticut, settled in the town in 1796, and died here in 1799, leaving a wife and nine children. His widow married Dr. Dan Stone in 1800. Nathan Williams, born in 1772, came to Monkton very early, and married Lois, daughter of Isaac Stearns. At the time of his death he owned the farm now occupied by L. E. Beers. He had six children, three of whom remained in town. Thomas Tracey, from Man- chester, N. H., came to Monkton in 1790, and settled on the farm now owned by John White. Stephen Ballou came to Monkton in 1803, and engaged in the business of a tanner and manufacturer. The tannery which now stands in the rear of Gee's blacksmith shop was erected by him. His son Phillip C., born here on July 23, 1806, studied medicine with Horatio Smith, of New Haven, and settled in Monkton, where he carried on an extensive practice for more than forty years. Ira Ladd came from Pittsford, Vt., in 1805, and opened a general store at Barnumtown, and was many years a justice of the peace. Leonard Deming, father of Mrs. Ladd, was a native of Addison
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
county, and in early life a blacksmith. He was afterward the author of Dem- ing's Vermont Officers and a collection of legal cases entitled Remarkable Events. Calvin Wheaton came from Dutchess county, N. Y., in 1802, and settled in the valley of Pond Brook. He was a clothier by trade, and worked in a cloth factory below Barnumtown. He died in 1853, aged eighty-four years. James Cox, from Long Island, N. Y., came here in 18II and settled on a farm about half a mile south of where William J. Cox now resides. He was the first tailor in town. John French, a blacksmith, located in Monkton about 1800, and worked many years for Captain Lemuel Kendrick. He married Hannah Smith and had a family of five children, of whom two are living: Matthew O., in Monkton, and John W., in Iowa. Mr. French died in 1852, and his wife in 1869. H. B. Williams has a large and valuable collection of Indian relics, which were found on a bluff on his farm near Bristol Pond, where it is supposed a favorite camping-ground of the Indians was located. Near by is a burial place of theirs, where many bones have been disinterred, and one complete skeleton found. The place was discovered by workmen who were engaged in digging gravel for a dam, and bones were found so numerous that the men were obliged to desist from their labor and procure gravel elsewhere.
Other early settlers were David Robarts, Lemuel Hardy, John Brock, Eli- jah Bishop, William Kellogg, Benjamin Haight, James Brock, Zenas White, John Gilson, Captain Daniel Herrick, Warren Barlow, James Dean, Abel Par- ker, Isaac Knapp, Rufus Finney, Ephraim Page, Calvin Hill, Isaac Hill, Alex- ander Durand, Nathaniel Fisk, Ezekiel Hodges, Daniel Hodges, George Duel, John Atkin, John Downing, Tilley Weller, Henry Haddock, John Burling,1 Partridge Thatcher.
Town Organization .- The first town meeting was held at the house of Richard Barnum on the 28th of March, 1786, and the following officers were elected : Horace Hervey, moderator; Samuel Barnum, town clerk; John Bishop, jr., John Ferguson, Samuel Barnum, selectmen; Frederick Smith, town treasurer ; John Allen, constable; Stephen Fuller, Horace Hervey, Richard Barnum, listers ; Daniel Smith, grand juror, and brander of horses ; Elijah Bishop, and Silas Hardy, hog haywards.
At a meeting held on the 20th of October, 1786, it is ascertained that one highway had been laid out according to a vote of the proprietors of Monkton, from the north line to the south, and four rods wide; and another from the Ferrisburgh road on the west line of the town to the north line of the town, same width.
On the 24th of October, 1786, a highway was laid out from south to north, beginning within "lot No. 7 of the first division, and intersecting the north line opposite No. 116."
1 Undoubtedly a member of that numerous family of Burlings from which the principal city in the State derived its name.
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TOWN OF MONKTON.
On the 12th of May, 1787, a highway was laid out from the Hinesburg road north and south from Mr. Fuller's by Esquire Barber's to John Bishop's.
At another meeting, held on the 3d of November, 1787, at the house of Frederick Smith, it was voted to divide the town into two districts "for pur- poses of schooling," and that the south district extend as far north as John Brock's, on the west side of Mill Brook, and the north district as far south as " Fraderick Smith's," on the east side of Mill Brook.
Early Business .- The streams in Monkton affording few good mill advan- tages, the early, as well as the present inhabitants, devoted their time chiefly to agricultural pursuits. The first grist-mill mentioned in the records was owned and operated by Ebenezer Stearns. Another early grist-mill was run by Mr. Shattuck in the same neighborhood in which his son Charles now lives. He also ran a saw-mill. Johnson Finney ran about the first saw-mill in town, on the place in Barnumtown now owned by Norman Finney. Stod- dard Hollis, and later his son George, operated a large tannery in the Borough, which Stephen Ballou erected. The building now stands at the rear of Ed- ward Gee's blacksmith shop. Silas Hardy also ran one for a time in the north part of the town.
Among the early merchants was Clark Smith, who kept a store in the Bor- ough just south of Dean's present store. Zachariah Beckwith was some time in company with Smith and then went to Middlebury, where his son Smith Beckwith now lives.
The first tavern was erected during the Revolution by Mr. Barnum, and still stands in a modernized dress, now owned and occupied by Ashbel Dean. Near it, where the Methodist Church stands, was a whipping-post and pillory. It is related that one Carly, a Quaker, was condemned to stand for hours in the pillory as a penalty for getting in hay on the Sabbath, and that he was cheered in his punishment by his wife, who brought her knitting and sat on a stone near by. Another early tavern was kept just north of the Borough, where Harvey Potter now lives, by Hezekiah Smith. He died in 1813 of the epidemic. William Niles then married his widow, who was a Willoughby, and kept the house for some years. Luman V. Smith kept a tavern in the Borough, in the house now occupied by F. H. Dean. Chauncey Hutchins succeeded Smith, and was followed by L. C. Keeler. The hotel in the village, now kept by M. F. Muzzey, was built (the main part) by William Kingsley, as many as fifty- five years ago, for a private house. He also built the store building now occu- pied by F. H. Dean. About 1845 James Miner converted this private house into a tavern, and employed L. C. Keeler to manage it. Since then the most prominent landlords have been Reuben Wickware, Daniel Isham, George Tobey, Platt Gage, and Elmer Collins. Lewis Osier, who was here about six years, immediately preceded the present proprietor. Mr. Muzzey opened the house on the 24th of April, 1885.
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
Present Business .- The only saw-mill now in operation in Monkton is in the northeast part of the town, operated by C. Nash, who built up an old dis- mantled mill about a year ago. He runs a small provender mill there too. The Kaolin Works have been under the management of B. F. Goss, of Ver- gennes, since 1864; first as B. F. Goss, then Goss & Talbott, and finally, as it still remains, Goss & Gleason (C. J. Gleason, of Montpelier, being the partner). The works employ thirteen men, with an average product of 1,500 tons per an- num. The kaolin is used principally as a " filling " in the manufacture of paper. A large proportion of their product is sold in New York. The store building now occupied by F. H. Dean at the village was erected, as we have just seen, by William Kingsley. Mr. Dean has traded here since January, 1879, succeed- ing H. O. Smith, who had been here for over twenty years. His father, Tim- othy Smith, preceded him for many years. H. W. Clifford has kept a store at the Ridge for about a year.
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