USA > Vermont > Addison County > History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 91
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756
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
moved to the village of Brandon, where he has since resided. Before commencing his occupa- tion as a farmer he was for ten years engaged in selling patent medicines in Canada and the States, and from 1851 to 1854 was superintendent of the North River Mining and Quarrying Company. Before the war Mr. Merritt represented his town of Sudbury in the years 1848, J849 and 1853, as a Democrat. He filled also inany of the town offices. He was successively captain, major and lieutenant-colonel of State militia. The children of Henry H. and Melissa D. Merritt were Wyman Henry, subject of this sketch, Kate Bell, born February 21, 1850, wife of Dr. J. C. Walton, of Fall River, Mass .; Charles H., born September 23, 1848, died January 23, 1848; Clifton A. E., born August 10, 1854, cashier in the Metropolitan Hotel, New York city.
Wyman Henry Merritt was born in the town of Sudbury, Rutland county, Vt., December 11, 1843. He received his education in the district school of his native town, two years in a private school taught by Frank Bingham in West Rutland, and two years' attendance at the Troy Conference Academy. In 1862 he volunteered as a private in the Twelfth Regiment Vermont Volunteers, Asa P. Blunt, colonel, and served one year, being mustered out at the end of his term of enlistment. While in the service he contracted sciatic rheumatism. In 1865 he- became clerk in the Brandon House for two years, afterwards at the American, at Burlington, at the Weldon, at St. Albans, then at the Memphremagog, at Newport, Vt. In the spring of 1869 he became the manager of the Lake Dunmore House, at Lake Dunmore, Salisbury, Vt., for J. W. Dyer & Co., until 1872. The next season he was steward for Foster E. Swift, in the Wilson House, North Adams, Mass., and the Greylock Hall, Williamstown, Mass. In the fall of 1873 became the manager at the Stevens House, Vergennes, Vt. In the spring of 1874 be- came the proprietor of the Unitoga Springs House, Newport, N. H. In the year following was proprietor of the Brandon House, and the next year of the Nonquitt House, at Nonquitt. Beach, near New Bedford, Mass.
On the 30th of October, 1876, upon his return from a visit to the Centennial, to Brandon, he received a severe stroke of paralysis, whereby he was deprived of all use of limbs and speech, and all memory was gone. He was obliged to re-learn even the alphabet. He was confined to the bed for about a year, his recovery being very slow, and, indeed, has never re- covered the use of his right arm or full use of his right leg. The rheumatism contracted in the army followed him, at intervals, up to the time of receiving the paralytic stroke, but has not troubled him since. Two weeks after the stroke typhoid fever set in and for weeks his life was despaired of. At the end of two years he was able to go to New York city for treatment, under the care of the celebrated Dr. Lewis A. Sayre. He became so far recovered that he was. able to take an appointment in the naval office under Colonel Alvin Burt, but was soon trans- ferred to the custom house as clerk in the eighth division, and placed in charge of the sugar sample department, which position he occupied until June, 1885. This position was secured for him by his uncle, General E. H. Merritt, then collector of the port. Upon his return to Vermont he became proprietor of the Lake Dunmore House, which position he now holds.
Mr. Merritt married, June 5, 1886, Mrs. Florence Steele. Mrs. Merritt has a daughter by a - former marriage - Teney Steele.
B EACH, ALLEN PENFIELD, was born in the town of Ferrisburgh, Vt., on the 27th day of November, 1813. His grandfather, Nehemiah Beach, was one of three Beach brothers living near Bridgeport, Conn., where he died in 1792, aged forty-five years. He left a family of six children, three sons and three daughters. Stephen, the eldest, was the father of the subject of this sketch. Stephen Beach was born near Bridgeport, Conn., in 1777, and upon his father's death learned the weaver's trade. Although he completed his apprenticeship, he did not long pursue the business, but gave his attention to farming. Early in the nineteenth century he came to Ferrisburgh. In 1802 he was married to Ann, a daughter of James Penfield, of Fair -. field, Conn., which place was burned by the British. She was born in 1773. The newly-mar- ried couple came at once to Vermont and settled in Monkton. After a residence of about three years
757
ALLEN PENFIELD BEACH. - FRANKLIN D. BARTON.
they removed to West Ferrisburgh, and purchased the farm which is now owned and occupied by Allen P. Beach. Stephen Beach was a Republican, and was made justice of the peace, which position he held for a number of years. He was an ardent member of the Methodist Church. He was the father of nine children, all but Sally, the eldest, who is now dead, having been born in Ferrisburgh. The others were - Ira, now living near Cleveland, O .; Ethan and Eden, twins, who died in infancy ; Burr, now a resident of Ferrisburgh; Levi, of Kansas; Stephen, and Allen P., of Ferrisburgh; and Mary Ann, the deceased wife of Putnam Allen, of Ferrisburgh, Vt. Mr. Allen Beach's mother was a descendant of one of three Penfield brothers, Peter, James, and John, who came from England very early in the history of this country, and settled in Fair- field, Conn. She was a distant relation of Aaron Burr. Allen P. Beach added to his first pur- chase 200 acres, making in all 450 acres of hard land, and fifty of marsh. The farm is well stocked with cattle and sheep (registered). Mr. Beach was formerly a Jackson Democrat. Since the last war he has voted the Republican ticket. He has ever avoided office, but has served as selectman, justice of the peace, and as a member of the grand jury, etc., at times. He is an honored member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and his life is consistent with its teachings. For more than forty years he has been an officer in the church of his choice. Sin- cerity, integrity, and industry are prominent characteristics of A. P. Beach. He has had little litigation during his life, his rule being to obey literally the motto of his forefathers, "Let your word be a bond." The subject of this notice has been twice married. His first marriage oc- curred on the 26th of December, 1838, when Caroline, daughter of Rev. Ira Bentley, a Metho- dist clergyman, became his wife. She died in December, 1853, leaving two children -- Ardelia Augusta (now the wife of F. M. Strong, of Vergennes, Vt. She was a teacher for thirteen years in the schools of Iowa and Illinois) ; Harvey Fisk, who was born on the 9th of August, 1850, and is now living on the farm next adjoining his father's. In December, 1871, he married Phebe, daughter of James Torrey, of Panton, Vt., and by her has had three children - Charles Edgar, Caroline Eunice, and Allen P. Mr. Beach was married again in 1855 to Mary, daugh- ter of Cyrus Collins, of Ferrisburgh, Vt., who is still living at the age of sixty-two years.
B ARTON, FRANKLIN D. The family of Barton was among the first settlers of the town of Waltham. Andrew Barton was the first settler on the farm now owned by A. B. Rose. His son, Andrew Barton, jr., was the first town clerk and also the first justice of the peace. He was a well-educated man for his time, with native talents of a high order. He died in 1802, in the prime of life, aged forty-one years. William Barton, son of Andrew Barton, represented the town in the Legislature in the year 1832; George Barton, in the years 1833, '34, and '38.
Dyer Barton, grandfather of Franklin D., died on July 31, 1808, aged fifty-nine years, leav- ing his estate to his son, John D. Barton, and a daughter, who became the wife of Jeptha Shedd, who was a book dealer and binder in the city of Vergennes, Vt. Dyer Barton's widow subsequently married Avery Ferguson, who resided in her house on the northern part of the farm now owned by Franklin D., until her death, July 23, 1847, at the age of eighty-nine years.
The first fifty acres owned by John D. Barton were given him by his uncle Andrew Barton, for the care and support of the latter during his natural life. He died soon after this arrange- ment was made, on January 10, 1813, aged seventy-three years. This land, with the estate which came to him upon the death of his father, and the subsequent purchase of the farms of Abijah and Judson Hurd, made him one of the largest land owners in the town of Waltham, Vt.
John D. Barton was born in Waltham, Vt., on July 29, 1788. He was married on Novein- ber 25, 1813, to Betsey Smith, who was born in Chester, Vt., on May 7, 1795. Their children were: Cynthia (born on January 13, 1815, widow of Calvin Bragg, and now resides in Ferris- burgh, Vt.); Juliette (born August 1, 1816, died on October 7, 1828); Henry Smith (born on November 20, 1818, died on April 6, 1819); Eunice Eliza (born on April 30, 1820; wife of Lo- renzo Bacon, a farmer living in Dickinson, Franklin county, N. Y .; they have three children living-Mariette R., wife of Daniel Hare, Edna C., wife of Selden E. Phillips, and Charles D.) ; . Nelson B. (born on February 3, 1823, died on October 7, 1828); Fanny D. (born on May 4,
758
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
1825; wife of David Hare, now living in Waltham, Vt.); Amos M. (born on March 2, 1828; married Harriet N. Howe, their children being-Lillian E., wife of Edson H. Bisbee, Geo. S., who died January, 1885, Henry A., Harriet E., Charles S., Martha E., Mabel C., Fanny D., Bessie J., and Archie M., who died December, 1882; now a merchant, living in Kingsville, Ash- tabula county, Ohio); Sumner (born on May 21, 1831, died on May 27, 1843); Franklin D. (subject of this sketch); Juliett Elizabeth (born on November 18, 1836, now living with her sister, Mrs. Hare); Mariette Rachel (born on May 3, 1839, died on February 6, 1845). Mrs. Betsey Barton died on November 19, 1853. Mr. Barton married for his second wife Widow Mandana Smith, who survived him. He died on September 11, 1863, aged seventy-five years. Franklin D. Barton succeeded to the bulk of his father's estate by deed from him and by pur- chase from the heirs, and has fully sustained the reputation of being a thorough-going, success- ful farmer and stock raiser. He was born on the farm which is now owned by liim, on Febru- ary 28, 1834. He received his education in the common schools and at the Poultney Academy. While yet an attendant at school he became interested in the raising of Spanish Merino sheep, and persuaded his father to purchase of Edwin Hammond forty head of yearling ewes, the first venture in the direction of an interest which he has since followed untiringly, until, at the present time (1886), he stands by common consent at the head of the Spanish Merino sheep breeders of Addison county, and this not only in the quality, but in the size of his flock. Ad- dison county, Vt., is understood to be headquarters for Spanish Merino sheep in the United States. From the very first his aim has been to secure and preserve the highest standard of excellence, always breeding from the best and purest-blooded rams owned by others until he had produced equally as good from his own flock. The foundation of his present flock was laid in 1864, by purchase of fifty-six ewes from William R. Sanford, Edwin Hammond, and Azro J. Stowe, the Stowe purchase being purely Hammond Stock. He purchased these at an aggre- gate cost of $21,500. He has confined the breeding to the pure Atwood Merino and has toler- ated no admixture. His sales have been made for the most part at home and have been exten- sive, some years amounting to twenty thousand dollars and upward. In 1883 some fifty head were sold to parties from Australia. In 1880 Mr. Barton built one of the handsomest and most convenient stock-barns in New England, if not in the world. The main building is ninety-six by fifty feet, especially designed for cattle, while the wing is one hundred and eight by forty feet, supplied with all modern conveniences for housing and feeding his sheep. The whole is three stories high, and so arranged by a system of inclined planes that teams may be driven upon either floor. Both of the upper floors are used for storing grain and hay, the upper story being especially arranged as a place for threshing, and from which large granaries extend to the lower floor, so that grain may be taken from them with convenience from either story. The basement is arranged for storing roots, manure, etc., and the barn is not only mammoth in pro- portion but a model of convenience, and is justly the pride of the town.
Mr. Barton married Lorelle L. Bullard May 7, 1878, who died October 8, 1883.
In politics he is Republican, but has been too busily employed in the conducting of his exten- sive farm and stock operations to devote much of his time to politics. He has sometimes accepted various offices of his town, but has been no seeker after official positions.
H AND, REV. RICHARD CHARLES .- Nathan Hand, grandfather of Richard C., was born on Long Island in 1747, married Anna, daughter of Isaac and Hannah Barnes, who was born July 18, 1749. He died May 26, 1811, aged sixty-four; she died July 14, 1812, aged sixty-three. They had nine children-five sons and four daughters-of whoin Captain Samuel Hand was the eldest. He was born in East Hampton, Long Island, N. Y., October 13, 1769. He married Eliza Sill March 4, 1801, at Granville, Washington county, N. Y. She was born April 22, 1782, in Lyme, Conn. Captain Samuel Hand near the close of the last century settled in the southwest part of Shoreham township, bordering on Lake Champlain, where he built in 1841 the present homestead. He died there September 13, 1845. His wife died July 14, 1859. Nathan and Samuel Hand and their wives are buried in Birchard burying-ground, Shoreliam.
RICHARD C. HAND.
759
REV. RICHARD CHARLES HAND. - NICHOLAS J. MCCUEN.
Captain Samuel and Eliza Hand had six children, viz : Richard Charles, Augustus C., Nancy Augusta, Susan A., Eliza Ann, and Harriet, all of whom, with the exception of Eliza A., who occupies the homestead, are deceased.
Richard Charles Hand was born in Shoreham January 21, 1802; prepared for college at the Newton Academy, in Shoreham; entered Middlebury College, and was graduated from that institution in 1822; pursued his theological studies for three years at the Andover Theological Seminary, and after receiving license he settled in Gouverneur, N. Y., where he became pastor of the Presbyterian Church. He remained there about seven years. He then became district secretary of A. B. C. F. M., three years in New York and nearly four years in Northern New England.
Pastor of the Danville Congregational Church at Danville, Vt., nearly seven years, and at Bennington for the same period. At this time his health had so failed him that he was obliged to withdraw from the active duties of his profession, and in 1854 moved to Brooklyn, N. Y., where he was a resident at the time of his death, which occurred July, 1870. He married, August 2, 1826, Agnes Hunsdon, who died May 10, 1828; February 13, 1831, married Rhoda Hoyt, of New Haven. The latter died March 31, 1870. Their children were: Lockhart Au- gustus Charles, born at Gouverneur, N. Y., August 15, 1832, died at New Haven, Vt., March 13, 1834, of brain fever; Agnes Eliza, born at Danville, Vt., July 16, 1845, lived in Brooklyn, N. Y., was educated at Packer Collegiate Institute, graduated 1864; died of heart disease at Saratoga Springs, N. Y., August 7, 1865. The whole family are buried in Birchard Cemetery, Shoreham.
M cCUEN, NICHOLAS J., resident of the city of Vergennes, Vt., son of Robert and Mary (Foster) McCuen, was born in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland, on the 15th day of August, 1851, and came to this country at the age of six months.
A portion of his father's early days was passed in England. Later he owned and carried on a farm, owned and ran a number of looms for the manufacture of linen; also he speculated quite extensively in grain and mill stuff. Adverse circumstances, caused by the failure of crops in 1847, induced him to come to this country, where he prospered, and was in comfortable cir- cumstances at his death, which came by paralysis on the 22d of July, 1882. His mother was born in Ireland (an only daughter). Her parents died when she was about fourteen years of age, leaving her a comfortable home. Her people being lovers of education, she was much interested in encouraging her son in that direction. She died of paralysis December 18, 1882.
N. J. McCuen, when between the age of ten and twelve years, earned a part of his tuition and attended the private school of B. B. Allen, where he made rapid progress in his studies, receiving favors and compliments from " Uncle Ben," the kind and faithful old schoolmaster.
At not quite the age of thirteen he entered one of the stores of Vergennes as a clerk, and retained the position until January 11, 1871, he then being nineteen years of age, when he purchased a stock of goods and entered into business for himself, his capital being what he had been able to save out of the mere salary of a clerkship of six years. His strict attention to business, temperance principles, honesty and integrity, keeping his word, and unfailing fairness towards his customers and those of whom he purchased goods gained the confidence of the public in an incredibly short time and demonstrated the value of these admirable qualities. His sales the first year amounted to about $25,000, and have steadily increased until now they have reached the gratifying proportions indicated by the sum of $60,000. His stock consists of goods of every description. His business is so thoroughly systematized and classified that he can perform the duties with half the labor that would be expended by an unmethodical merchant.
As soon as Mr. McCuen was of the age to study the political questions of the day he identi- fied himself with the Republican party, and with characteristic wholeheartedness dedicated his energies to its support. While he has not sought office, he has not avoided its responsibilities, and has acted in accordance with his opinion that the duty of contributing in every way to the prompt and economical performance of public trusts devolves upon all citizens.
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
In 1878 he was chosen water commissioner of the city water works, and inaugurated a sys- tem which was accepted and is in use at the present time, which gave him much credit.
In 1880 he was elected common councilman, and attended to the duties of the office, much to the benefit of the city, in collecting the taxes that year in full, besides being a faithful servant for and of the people. The next two or three years he was brought forward by the people for alderman and elected; but, preferring to give his whole time to his business, he declined to serve, resigned, and was excused.
In 1886 lie was elected mayor of the city by a gratifying majority, which office he now holds; and by virtue of the same he is chief judge of the City Court.
Mr. McCuen is one of the live, generous-hearted, public-spirited men of the place, and has always been a friend to the poor. His parents belonged to the English Church, and he, being made a member when a child, has always been an active member of St. Paul's Protestant Epis- copal Church of Vergennes, and has been secretary of the vestry for a number of years. He was united in marriage on the 24th of December, 1872, with Kate H., daughter of Solomon and Louisa L. (Herrick) Allen.
She was born at the old homestead in Panton, Vt., where three generations of Allens owned and resided (descendants of Ethan Allen). They have two children-Charles Nicholas, born on the 14th day of August, 1875, and Robert William, born on the 30th day of May, 1880. He and his family own and occupy one of the finest residences in the city, on Main street, which is worthy of mention for the reason that the architecture and arrangement of the house was planned wholly by Mr. McCuen.
W ARD, IRA, fourth child and third son of Jesse Ward, was born in a log house in the northern part of Waltham, Vt., on the 9th day of April, 1796, and has therefore attained the remarkable age of ninety years. His father was born in Connecticut on the 20th of July, 1763, and served three years on the side of the patriots in the Revolutionary War; married Olive Nye, of Connecticut, in June, 1788, and some time before 1800 settled on the place where Ira Ward was afterward born. He was the father of five children : Chester, born on the 15th of January, 1789; Silas, born on March 11, 1791; Olive, born June, 1793; Ira, next in order, and Orrin, born June 14, 1799. Jesse Ward's first wife died early in the present century and he married again. He died on the 18th of December, 1839, and his wife survived him only until the 23d of the same month.
During the boyhood of Ira Ward the towns in the northern part of Vermont were in every way undeveloped, and afforded the youth of the period but small opportunities for an education. Such as he could obtain, however, fell to the lot of Ira Ward. He remained on the farm of his father not only until he was of age but for a number of years later, and until some time after his marriage, about 1820. He removed to a farm in the north part of the town of New Haven, Vt., and after several months removed again to the central part of the town; and after an expe- rience of twelve years on that tract came to the farm which he now occupies, which was then covered with the forest primeval, except a small clearing of about thirty acres. Here he has remained ever since, a period of more than fifty-four years. His farm consists of about two hundred acres of good clay land, which is devoted largely to raising grass. Mr. Ward now keeps between fifteen and twenty cows, besides other stock in proportion. At one time, nearly half a century ago, he kept as many as four hundred head of sheep, though he does not raise any now.
Mr. Ward was a member of the old Federal party and is consistently now a member of the Republican party. He has always taken an active part in all the political questions of the day, but has never, for profit or honor, accepted any office of any kind. His religious preference is Congregational.
He enlisted when eighteen years of age in the War of 1812. His two sons, George W. and Franklin I., enlisted for three years in the civil war, George W. in the Second Vermont Regi- ment, Franklin I. in the Ninth Vermont. George W. contracted disease while marching on the
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IRA WARD. - AIKENS DUKETT.
Peninsula and was four months in the hospital; after being in the service fifteen months, was discharged for physical disability. He has in his possession a gun captured from a rebel soldier in the first Bull Run battle, his own being shot out of his hands. Franklin I. was taken pris- oner at Harper's Ferry, was exchanged and sent to Chicago, but remained in the service until the close of the war.
Ira Ward was joined in marriage, on the 16th day of November, 1817, with Hannah G., daughter of Andrew Crampton, then of Swanton, Vt. She was born in Ferrisburgh, Vt., on the 11th of October, 1798. She is still living with her husband, having been his companion for nearly seventy years, and retaining her faculties wonderfully. She performs her household duties as well as most women are able to do at sixty, does her own baking, and since the birth of her youngest child has never failed to make her own bed. Mr. Ward is equally well pre- served; cares for his farm with his old-time punctuality, and has the appearance of a man twenty years younger than he is. They have had ten children born to them, as follows: Helen, born November 24, 1821, married Jabez Rogers, of Ferrisburgh, Vt., November 6, 1839, and resides in Ferrisburgh; Harriet E., born September 3, 1823, married Corydon Chamberlin, of Ferrisburgh, Vt., January 22, 1845, and now resides in Solon, Ohio; Hannah A., born March 30, 1825, married Norman A. Bull, of Solon, Ohio, October 12, 1853, where they still reside ; Sarah N., born December 19, 1827, married H. C. Blair, of Aurora, Ohio, May 5, 1852, her hus- band dying July 27, 1883 ; she still lives in Aurora; Henry W., born January 22, 1830, married Helen M. Thompson, of Weybridge, Vt., February 22, 1865, and resides in New Haven; Cleora J., born July 23, 1832, married Luther M. Brooks, of New Haven, September 17, 1851, now living in Chicago, Ill .; Mary B., born May 9, 1835, died on November 18, 1876 (she was the wife of Byron P. Munson, of Bristol, Vt., whom she married on January 30, 1855; he died December 6, 1877; at the time of their decease they lived in Quincy, Ill.); George W., born on September 29, 1837, married Sarah J. Chase, of Waltham, Vt., October 26, 1859, and now lives on the homestead with his father; Franklin I., born February 21, 1841, married Libbie J. Brooks, of New Haven, Vt., March 31, 1867, and now resides in Bristol, Vt .; and Elenora W., born May 21, 1843, married Chauncey W. Bisbee, of New Haven, October 29, 1862; their home is now in Clarinda, Iowa. Thus there has been but one death among the children, that of Mary, in 1876.
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