History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 74

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 74

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Hotel .- The hotel at the Center was erected in the year 1800 by Joseph Miller, who sold it in 1802 to Thomas J. Ormsbee. He occupied it as a resi- dence and store until 1804, after which it changed owners quite frequently. From 1828 to his death in 1845 Robert R. Hunsden kept it as a public house. During this period it was known as the Hunsden Hotel. Colonel F. M. Wil- cox, Mr. Ensign, George L. Deming, and A. J. Bennett followed until 1880, when the present landlord, D. J. Wright, came into possession. The property is now owned by a stock company composed of men who live in the town.

Richville .- The vicinity of the present little hamlet of Richville was in early years long popularly known as Hackley-burnie. The establishment of the first mills at this place has already been mentioned. In 1785 Thomas Rich purchased the land around the falls at the upper dams, and built a house a little east of the school-house on the south side of the valley, moving into it with his family in 1786. The site is now occupied by David Larrow. He built the saw-mill in 1786.

In 1788 Jacob Atwood built a log house four or five rods southwest from the dwelling house (now) of James Knapp, and brought his family in the fol- lowing year. Two or three years later he built a forge at the north end of the dam, which was soon burned and rebuilt. Here he began blacksmithing. Soon after this a forge of four fires was built about four or five rods farther down, furnished with two sets of bellows worked by water, and a trip-hammer. Russel Harrington did smithing in this building with two of the fires, and

623

TOWN OF SHOREHAM.

built his dwelling house on the hillside to the north. People used to come here for smithing from Bridport and across the lake. Nathaniel Atwood worked at blacksmithing for Jacob, and lived on the place now owned and oc- cupied by Horace D. Littlejohn. Ebenezer Markham in 1797 built a nail fac- tory and trip-hammer shop on the north side of the upper dam, afterward used for clothiers' works. Two large logs were thrown across from this shop to the saw-mill, and for years used for a foot-bridge. The same year John B. Catlin erected a house on the site now occupied by Mrs. John Chadwick, which was soon after burned by the slacking of some lime stored in the building. Ira Hickok built a part of the house now occupied by George Littlejohn. The place, it will be seen, had considerable importance before 1800, and it retained its prestige until after the building of the railroad from Burlington to Rutland. It is even yet a lively place. E. S. Newell, who was born on the 23d of Au- gust, 1812, on the farm now owned by Nazro Northrup's estate, about two miles north of Richville, and came here in December, 1847, states that the village did about the same business then as now, but had not so many houses.

Present Business .- The butter-tub factory and saw-mill of Cook Bros. (A. J., H. C., and Charles) is the successor to an industry established by E. S. Newell in 1853, when he also erected the building. He first manufactured horse plows, threshing machines, and shingle machines here, and in 1862 added to the lists of his products the Newell mowing machine. About 1880 he be- gan to make butter-tubs and barrels. He sold out to Cook Brothers on the Ist of April, 1884. The grist-mill now owned and operated by H. A. Lyman was built by Ezra Rich as early as 1831 or '32. Thurman Rich followed him, and Virtulon and John Rich followed Thurman. In 1870 Mr. Lyman became

owner. He bought the saw-mill a few years ago of Denno & Peltier. The

building now occupied by E. H. Lyman, in the manufacture of axe-helves, is one of the oldest in town, having in former days been used as a carding-mill. Mr. Lyman started his business here about six years ago. L. Collette has done blacksmithing in Richville for twenty-one years, and has occupied his present shop more than ten.

Mercantile .- The first store kept in Richville was about 1795, by John B. Catlin. The next store was kept from 1799 to March, 1811, by Charles Rich, in the old house next east from the grist-mill. Page & Thrall kept a store in this village from 1811 to '13; Davis Rich from 1815 to '21; D. & G. Rich from 1833 to '51. A part of the old store of Charles Rich still stands at the rear of the store now kept by I. B. Rich. This store was kept in 1860 by Henry Rich and Martin L. Royce, as the firm of Royce & Rich, until about 1862. Royce bought out his partner and remained until 1864, when he went West, selling to Gasca Rich, now of Middlebury, who conducted the business alone until 1869. His son, Irving B., the present proprietor, then became his partner. About 1878 the firm name became, by the addition of Charles T.

624

HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

Birchard to the business, Rich & Birchard. On the Ist of April, 1880, I. T. Rich assumed the entire management of the business.

Larabee's Point .- Before the. opening of railroads on both sides of the lake had shifted the channels of traffic and reduced the commercial importance of the lake, Larabee's Point was a place of considerable importance. The first store kept here or in town was by George and Alexander Trimble, who began about 1789 and continued until about 1800. Soon after this, about 1802, James Rossman opened a store which he kept for two or three years. Abiel Man- ning had one from 1826 to '28 or '29. Joseph Weed was here from 1828 to '30. Afterward in different years have been Walter Chipman & Co., Azel Chipman, P. W. Collins & Rockwell, John B. Chipman, and Abbott & Brown.

In 1799 a ferry was incorporated here to John S. Larabee, who had run one since 1787; in 1812 James Barker had the ferry; in 1818 John S. Larabee again received a charter from the Legislature. The ferry still remains, being the only steam ferry in the county. "Zeb" Martin, the proprietor, has been in possession about three years.

The only other business now in progress here is the steam saw-mill, owned and operated by Richard Leonard, built in the summer of 1885, and turning out a large amount of work; and the United States Hotel. The old tavern, which John S. Larabee bought of Thomas Rowley in 1787 and enlarged, and which was burned in 1838, stood on the site of the present hotel. The United States Hotel was built by Samuel H. Holley and B. B. Brown. Among those who have kept it in the past were H. S. Gale, Dennis Teazey, A. P. Cutting, F. B. Kimball, Farr & Kimball. A. C. Farr, the present proprietor, has been in possession alone for about ten years.

There is a large deposit of black marble on this point, which in early days was worked to some extent by Dr. E. W. Judd, of Middlebury. In 1851 the Shoreham Marble Company was incorporated, consisting of Nathaniel Harris and Henry L. Sheldon, to work the old "Judd Marble Quarry." The quarry is not now worked.

Watch Point, two miles north of Larabee's Point, was also quite an impor- tant point at one time. A ferry crossed the lake there until recent years. The building of the wharf at Watch Point was commenced about 1825. A small storehouse was commenced the same year, and business on a small scale was done by William S. Higley, until about 1828. The wharf was afterward en- larged, and business was done by Turrill & Walker from 1828 to '31, and continued from 1831 to '34 by M. W. Birchard, by whom the business of slaughtering and packing beef was begun. John Simonds purchased the place in 1835, and by him the business of packing beef for market was extended and continued for years, constituting one of the leading business enterprises of the time in the State. The steamboats have sometimes touched at Watch Point. A stage was run here for a single season. There is no business of any kind there now. The place is owned by John S. Leonard.

625

TOWN OF SHOREHAM.

Post-offices .- The mail was first carried through this town on horseback once a week, until a stage was put on by Comstock, of Whitehall, between that place and Vergennes, about 1816 or '17. The mail was then delivered tri- weekly. After the establishment of the post-office at Larabee's Point a daily mail was received. The stage to Middlebury commenced about 1826. The first post-office was kept at a tavern at the Four Corners, on the Basin Harbor road, and continued there until the turnpike road was opened and the third postmaster opened his office at the present hotel place at the Center. Since the establishment of the first post-office at the Center, in 1806, the following post- masters have served: Barzillai Carey, 1811; Perez S. Sanford, 1819; Udney H. Everest, 1820; Hiram Everest, 1820; Moses Seymour, 1827; David Hill, 1830; Edmund B. Hill, 1833; Asaph Brookins, 1849; Thomas H. Goodhue, 1851; Edwin S. Atwood, 1855; Charles Hunsden, 1859. A. C. Hall followed Hunsden. Then followed George L. Deming, Ira G. Bascom, C. C. Nichols, C. N. North, and the present incumbent, appointed in the fall of 1885, R. H. Preble. The first post-office at Larabee's Point was established on the 3d of February, 1831, when Walter Chipman received the appointment. H. F. Johns succeeded him November 17, 1837. On December 19, 1838, the office was discontinued, but was re-established on June 8, 1840, by the appointment of James H. Chipman. Charles W. Larabee followed March 1, 1842. On the 1 3th of the next month the office was again discontinued, but was re-established July 23, 1849, by the appointment of Charles S. Abbott. October 1, 1849, Charles W. Larabee was appointed, and on the Ioth of January, 1852, Henry S. Gale became his successor. The present postmaster, W. C. Larabee, has kept the office in the hotel ever since Gale left it. The office at Richville was established about 1860, when M. L. Royce was appointed. Gasca Rich suc- ceeded him in 1864, and still holds the office through his deputy, I. B. Rich, who oversees the distribution of mail.

Agricultural. - From the first settlement of the town the people, with few exceptions, were devoted to agricultural pursuits. Most of the early settlers came here poor, with means barely sufficient to purchase fifty or one hundred acres of land. At an early day they had to struggle on through many difficul- ties; but by persevering industry and economy most of them in a few years became independent, and a few of them wealthy farmers.

At an early day a market was opened for lumber at Quebec. Many of the early settlers employed their winters in drawing immense quantities of pine logs and square timber to the lake, to be sawn into deal or plank three inches thick, which were floated in rafts through Lake Champlain, and down the Sorel and St. Lawrence to that mart. It was but a small compensation which the laborer received for his time and toil, though he was ultimately enriching himself by clearing his lands and thus extending the area of cultivation. The oak timber was cut and squared, or split into staves, and was sent in the same direction for a market. Before the forests were cleared the quantities of these two kinds of

626

HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

timber were immense, and the farmer at an early day was essentially aided in bringing his lands into a state of cultivation, by devoting his winter seasons to the timber business.

From the year 1783 to '91 the productions of the land were mostly wanted for home consumption. Wheat was the principal production at that early day, and, as there was little money in circulation, contracts were mostly made to be paid in that article, or in neat cattle. From the year 1797 to 1810 wheat was the principal staple of the farmer. During this period the high prices caused by the wars in Europe brought him a rich reward for his labors. The restric- tions put upon our commerce about the year 1810, however, seriously embar- rassed this branch of industry.

Previous to the last war with Great Britain very few sheep had been kept. In the suspense of importations caused by that war, and the restrictive meas- ures which preceded it, more wool was wanted for domestic use and to supply the infant manufactures to which that war had given rise. The common wool of the country suddenly rose as high as one dollar per pound. The high price of the article stimulated the farmers to increase their flocks, and a general de- sire was awakened to make wool-growing a leading business. The interest of the farmer soon prompted him to take measures to improve the quality of his staple, in order to meet the demands for the finer fabrics. (For further details of the sheep interest in this town, see the chapter upon that subject.)

Cream Hill Stock Farm, located in the northern part of the town, on the hill which gave it its name, contains 730 acres of land, purchased by A. C. Harris in 1864. It is made up of the old farms of Hiram Rich and Bela Howe. It was originally intended to be a horse stock farm, and was the home of the famous stallion Daniel Lambert. Reuben S. Denny and Benjamin E. Bates owned it at different times. It is now a Holstein cattle farm. The farm being part of the Benjamin E. Bates estate, is under the management of the administrator, H. B. Hammond, of New York city. About twenty head of imported Holstein cattle are now kept on the place.

F. and L. E. Moore have recently been buying and raising an improved breed of shorthorn cattle, and now have about a dozen head.

E. N. Bissell, of East Shoreham, has been investing in five or six head of Galloway cattle, and promises to do well by them.

Masonic. - Simond's Lodge, No. 59, was chartered January 9, 1862, with the following first officers : George L. Deming, W. M .; J. N. North, S. W .; H. C. Holley, J. W .; W. C. Simonds, treasurer; J. M. Bishop, secretary ; C. J. Moore, S. D .; J. S. Ward, J. D., and W. H. Keefe, tiler. It now has a mem- bership of fifty-eight. (See chapter on secret societies.)

ECCLESIASTICAL.

Previous to the Revolution there were no religious meetings held in the town; but a few years after, ministers of the Congregational and Baptist de-

627

TOWN OF SHOREHAM.

nominations occasionally visited the people and preached to them. The ear- liest preaching of which there is any account was by Elder Samuel Skeels, a Baptist minister, who came here in 1788 or '89, and remained about three years.

In the year 1791 the Rev. Joel West preached for some time in this town. On the 9th of January, 1792, in a town meeting, a motion was adopted -

" That Rev. Joel West be requested to preach in this town for the term of four Sabbaths from this date, on probation, provided a subscription be raised to his satisfaction in compensation for his services."

On the 24th of January a town meeting was held, and acted on the follow- ing articles in the warning :

2d. " To form a religious constitution according to the rights of Christianity, to govern such inhabitants, and if they please to give Mr. Joel West a call to settle with them as their minister, and to invite him to join them in such relig- ious constitution or compact.

3d. "To agree on measures for his support.

4th. "To choose a committee of the inhabitants and church, or separate committees from each body, to confer on measures respecting uniting said bodies in one compact, and report their doings to the town and church for their acceptance, if they please."

The only action taken on these articles at this meeting was the appoint- ment of a committee of six persons -"To form a Religious Constitution agreeable to the rights of Christianity "- consisting of Ephraim Doolittle, Thomas Rowley, Josiah Pond, Thomas Barnum, Doctor Page, and James Moore.

In March, 1794, the people were favored with the labors of Rev. Ammi R. Robbins and Rev. Peter Starr, missionaries from Connecticut. On the 25th of that month the Congregational Society was organized, with fifteen members. The church was thus favored with missionaries until 1805, when, on the 26th of December, Rev. Evans Beardsley was ordained the first pastor of this church, and retained the position until May, 1809. The first church edifice was erected at Shoreham village, of wood, with a seating capacity for 1,000 persons, and cost over $6,000. In 1846 this structure gave place to the present handsome edifice, built of brick, seventy-two by fifty-four feet, and finished with best materials inside and out. It will comfortably accommodate 500 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $10,000. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Curtiss.

The Baptist Church was organized June 2, 1794, with fifteen members- eight males and seven females-and appointed Eli Smith deacon. Rev. Abel Woods was ordained pastor February 26, 1795, and continued to preach with them until 1811. During his residence in Shoreham 170 members were added to the society. For some time this organization has suspended the holding of regular meetings.

628

HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

The Universalist Society at Shoreham village was organized in 1806, with Rev. Richard Corrigue as pastor, who remained until 1814. Worship was held in the district school-houses till the academy building was finished, when this building was used until 1852. A comfortable brick edifice was then erected at a cost of about $4,000, which was burned in January, 1885. The present house of worship has just been completed at a cost of $4,000. The society now meets every four weeks, services being conducted by Rev. S. A. Parker, of Bethel.

The Methodist Society at Shoreham village is supposed to have been organ- ized about the year 1804 or '05 by Jabez Barnum, Samuel Ames, and others. Nothing definite can be arrived at, as the early records have been lost. The society has never owned a church edifice, and since the erection of the Y. M. C. A. chapel in 1859, has used that building, having a free lease of it as long as it stands. They have at present no regular pastor, and do not hold regular meetings. Rev. Perry Marshall, of Bridport, occasionally preaches to them.

The St. Genevieve Catholic Church, located at Shoreham village, was organ- ized in 1873, with 150 members. During that year the present edifice, of wood, was constructed, which will seat 500 persons, and is valued at $6,000. Rev. Father Coffey, of Orwell, the present pastor, has under his care a congre- gation of 300 members.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF STARKSBORO.

T HE town of Starksboro lies in the northeastern corner of the county, and is bounded on the north by the north line of the county ; east by the east- ern county line ; south by Lincoln and Bristol, and west by Bristol and Monk- ton. It was granted by Vermont to David Bridia and sixty-seven others, November 9, 1780. According to the charter deed it included a tract of 18,- 500 acres, which, with the usual five rights reserved for public purposes, was to be divided into seventy-three shares of 272 acres each. On March 4, 1797, however, this area was increased by the annexation of 2,726 acres from the town of Monkton, so that Starksboro now has within its boundary limits 21,- 226 acres.

The surface of the township is rough and mountainous, many parts being unfit for cultivation for this reason. Upon its western border lies the long, lofty elevation known by the suggestive title of Hogback Mountain, which slopes abruptly into the valley of Lewis Creek. From this valley eastward the land rises by a series of gradually ascending hills to another lofty ridge in the

629

TOWN OF STARKSBORO.

eastern part of the town, known as East Mountain. This elevation extends in a broken, irregular manner through nearly the whole length of the town, hav- ing a precipitous descent on the east towards Huntington River, which flows for a short distance within the limits of the town. Lewis Creek has its source in the northern part of Bristol, whence it flows north through the western parts of Starksboro and Monkton into Chittenden county, where it finally turns south into this county again, and finds its way into the lake a short distance north of the mouth of Otter Creek. The stream affords some good mill sites here and drains a fine fertile valley. It has many small tributaries which come rushing down from the highlands of the east, upon one of which is located the village of Starksboro. This stream is formed by the confluent waters of three springs which are not more than twenty rods apart, and which unite after flowing a short distance. Not more than half a mile from its head this stream once turned the wheels of a saw-mill, fulling-mill, two forges, and two trip-hammer shops. These have long since passed away, though the village has several manufacturing interests to take their place. Baldwin Creek rises in the south- eastern part of the town, and, enlarged by several tributaries, flows west into Bristol. These streams and mountains have exerted a large influence in the arrangement of the highway system of the town, which is very irregular, and the roads very crooked. The soil is mostly loam, and produces to a good per- centage the grains and fruits indigenous to this latitude, and also furnishes pas- turage for large herds and flocks, as wool growing and stock breeding are the principal occupations of the inhabitants. The timber is principally hard wood, with some spruce, hemlock, and cedar, and, owing to the many excellent facili- ties afforded, lumbering is carried on quite extensively.

Early Settlement .- The settlement of Starksboro was begun by George Bidwell and Horace Kellogg. They located in the northern part of the town. Mr. Bidwell resided on his farm fifty-two years. The farm is now occupied by F. N. Hill and owned by Mrs. Sarah A. Strong, widow of the late I. L. Strong, who was assistant county judge here from 1872 to '74. A portion of the old house, which served as the first hotel in the town, still remains, a part of the present farm house.

The following sketch of Mr. Bidwell's settlement is furnished by his grand- son, S. W. Bidwell, of East Middlebury: " George Bidwell was born in Hart- ford, Conn., October 7, 1756, and was the fifth from the first emigrant from England-viz., first, John ; second, John ; third, David; fourth, Amos; fifth, George. At about nineteen years of age he enlisted in the Revolutionary War and was a baker, at Ticonderoga, N. Y. In the year 1782 he was married to Sarah Sedgwick, born in Hartford, Conn., September, 1760. They had seven children-Chester, Lucy, Sarah, Nancy, Amanda, and George. George Bid- well started from Connecticut in August, 1787, in company with Horace Kel- logg, to seek a new home in Vermont. They stopped in Starksboro, Vt. It

630

HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.

was then three miles from the nearest dwelling in Monkton. They camped east of where the buildings are now, on the Bidwell place where the old or- chard is. They cut over two acres, laid up the body of a log hut, and then returned to Connecticut. In March, 1787, George Bidwell started from Con- necticut with his family, wife and two children, Chester and Lucy. They ar- rived at Monkton the last week in March, when a heavy fall of snow prevented their progress for two weeks. He then proceeded to Lewis Creek, over which he built a bridge. On the 7th of April, 1787, they arrived upon their pitch, taking the location where the house on the old place now is. They set up all the sled boards and some barks, which served them for two weeks, when a bet- ter shelter was provided. For four weeks after their arrival it snowed or rained every day, and during this time Mr. Bidwell suffered from an attack of pneumonia. The next spring a small farm house was put up, and later an ad- dition, which frame is that of the house now standing on the place. His pur- chase was three-fourths of a mile wide on the road and ran back to the mount- ain. Mr. Bidwell was a cooper, and turned his ware to an account. The spring of 1788 was a hard one. Starvation stared them in the face. The crop of the previous year was cut off, and they had to resort to every resource for relief ; the trout from the brook were a help, but there was no bread. I have heard my father say that he cried for bread. But some of his ware was carried to Vergennes, thirteen miles, where he obtained one peck of bran to make the sorrowing family rejoice. Mr. Bidwell's father, Amos, had heard of his son's sufferings, and Captain Storrs, from Middlebury, was at Hartford, Conn., when Amos Bidwell sought to cover the strait by sending his son George a woman's stocking filled with silver dollars. When Captain Storrs arrived at Middlebury he sent word to his son, who, not knowing the cause, left home at early dawn and reached Middlebury before dinner, twenty-one miles, by a marked road. On entering Captain Storrs's the stocking was presented, and he took dinner and returned to his suffering family. About 1795 his house was opened as a public "inn," where travelers were entertained until about 1820. The land- lord and lady were among the best of caterers. Chester, the eldest son, was married January 25, 1806, to Cynthia Ross, and lived three-fourths of a mile from his father, on the same tract of land, and raised nine children, of whom four are now living. Until 1840, parents and children and grandchildren all lived on the same land, and an hour's time could gather all together. George Bidwell died on April 7, 1840, aged eighty-four; his wife in 1843, aged eighty- three; the former at his home where he had settled, the latter at her son Chester's, on the original pitch of land, which was kept in the family name for ninety years. The son Chester preceded her in death ; he died February 27, 1842, aged fifty-nine. The subjects of this history left a good record. George was of the Puritan Congregational order, and his wife of the Methodist order. Mr. Bidwell was a man above the ordinary height, and possessed force and enter-

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 74

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