USA > Vermont > Bennington County > History of Bennington County, Vt. : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 45
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The Munson Family .- In September, 1778, Jared Munson, of Lanesbor-
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HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
ough, Mass., bought two one-hundred acre lots in Manchester, lying on oppo- site sides of the main highway, and near the geographical center of the town One had been the property of Jeremiah French, and the other of William Marsh, both of whom had been prominent citizens of Manchester, but had joined the British army at the time of Burgoyne's invasion. Their property having been siezed by the State, these lots were now conveyed by John Fassett, com- missioner for the sale of confiscated lands. The meeting-house was soon after located immediately south of these lots, and the village grew up around it. Jared Munson's purchase, with the exception of parcels sold for building lots, remained in the possession of his male descendants for one hundred and five years. The homestead is now the Munson House, kept by John Moffat. Thaddeus Munson, a brother of Jared, also came to Manchester in 1778. In the following year he appears on the military roll as lieutenant. In 1780 he purchased the State's eighty acres formerly owned by William Marsh, on which was located the inn where the Council of Safety held its sessions previous to the battle of Bennington. Here he kept an inn several years. He moved to Hinesburg about 1791, represented that town in 1793, and returned to Man- chester a year or two later. In 1801 he built, just north of his old inn, a larger building in which his business was afterward carried on. This building has been known in recent years as the north part of the Taconic Hotel, and is now a part of the Equinox House. Thaddeus Munson removed again to Hinesburgh in 1814, and died there soon after. His son, Anson, was keeping a public house in Manchester village in 1812, but moved north soon after that time. None of Thaddeus Munson's family remained in town much after this date. Anson Munson had several sons who became active business men ; one of them, Norman C., being prominent in connection with his contract for filling the Boston back bay. Jared Munson had several children who attained matu- rity. His youngest son, Henry U., remained in Manchester, was a captain in the militia, and died in his twenty-ninth year. Warren, one of the elder sons, went to Franklin county at an early age, married there, and afterwards re- moved to Canada. Another son, Joseph H., left Manchester during his min- ority, married in St. Albans, and became the father of a large family. One of his descendants, Mary Nye, became the second wife of Augustus G. Clark, and lived in Manchester several years. Anne, a daughter of Jared Munson, born in Lanesboro the year before the removal to Manchester, married Paoli Wells, and was the mother of Helmus M. Wells, who was associated with Judge Skinner in the purchase of lands for the Dellwood Cemetery. Two of Jared Munson's sons, Ephraim and Rufus, spent their days in Manchester, and have descendants still living in the town. Ephraim was constable and deputy sheriff several years. Charles D. Munson, station agent at Manchester for many years, was his son. Ephraim's daughter, Jane Maria married Augustus G. Clark, and was the mother of Mrs. Colonel Colburn and Mrs. John H. Whipple. Rufus
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" son, who was sixteen years of age when the family came to Manchester, va farmer, and afterward had the land purchased by his father. He mar-
to d Bethia Burton and had four children, Cyrus, Benjamin, Jesse, and Polly. He died in his thirty-fifth year, when his eldest child was but seven. Polly Manson married Alvah Hollister, and lived and died in Manchester. Jesse went to Western New York early in the century .. Edgar Munson, of Wil. humsport, Pa., is a son, and Commander Merriman of the navy, a grandson of Jesse. Benjamin Munson lived on the original purchase of his grandfather, ind died in 1876. He served on the frontier in the War of 1812, and was af- forward a captain of the militia, and was familiarly known by that title until his death. His eldest son, Cyrus B., was a captain in the Eleventh regiment of militia in 1864. He lived on the old place after his father's death, and died in 1882. A daughter of Cyrus B., is the wife of Wells Valentine, of Benning- ton. Josiah B. Munson, the second son of Benjamin, was a captain in the Four- teenth Vermont Volunteers, and was with the regiment at Gettysburg. He is now living at Millett's, near Lansing, Mich. The third son of Benjamin, Joel A. Munson, removed from Manchester to Lisbon, Ill., a few years ago and is now living there. Mary Ann, daughter of Benjamin, was the wife of Hon. S. Seward Burton, of La Crosse, Wis., and has recently died. Cyrus Munson, the eldest son of Rufus, purchased the farm lying north of the homestead property, and lived there until his death in 1857. In early life he was for a few years constable and collector of the town. His services were often required in the settlement of estates, and in the care of trust property. He was one of the original corporators of Burr Seminary, and an active trustee of the institution until his death. He had one child, Loveland Munson, who was admitted to the bar in 1866; was married in 1882, and has always lived on the farm pur- chased by his father. Harry B. Munson, a son of Cyrus B., is the only other person bearing the family name now living in Manchester.
The Burton Family .- A mention of this family name at once suggests an element not alone of pioneership, but of entire respectability as well. Josiah Burton, the pioneer of the family in Manchester, came from Stratford in Con- necticut, about the year 1772, and settled in the town, having then a dwell- ing in the field in rear of where Judge Munson's barn now stands. Josiah Bur- ton had a large family of children as follows: Sarah, who was born in 1757, and never resided in Manchester ; Jerusha, born in 1758, married Samuel Straight; Elijah, born in 1760, married first, Rachel Smith of Manchester, and second, Hannah Taylor; Betsey, born in 1761, married Albert Canfield of Arlington ; Nathaniel, born in 1763; Isaac, more familiarly known as the "Deacon," born in 1765 ; Samuel, born in 1767; Curtis, born in 1769; Benjamin and Bethiah (twins) born in 1772, at New Milford, Conn .; Hannah, born in Manchester, in 1774, married - Smith; Josiah, born in Manchester, in 1777; John H., born in 1778. Josiah Burton, the youngest but one of the children of Josiah the pio-
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neer, it will be remembered was the person who made the magnificent beque-t to the Burr Seminary trustees, in appreciation of which the corporate name of the institution was changed to and afterward known as the Burr and Burton Seminary. Of other of the descendants of Josiah Burton, the pioneer, mention will be found in the biographical department of this work.
The Purdy Family .- There has been, perhaps, in the town of Manchester, no family more prolific than the Purdy's. In glancing over the old town rec- ords it will be seen that there was no family more frequently mentioned in con- nection with the civil affairs of the locality than this; then again, the records of early births, deaths and marriages in the town, as shown by the clerk's book's, placed the family strongly in the lead. The pioneer of this family was Benjamin Purdy, who came here as one of the first settlers of 1775 or 1776. It is said that there were two pioneer families named Purdy in Manchester. Daniel E. Purdy's was one of these families. He had ten children-George, William, Levi, Albert, Walter, Eli, Rhoda, Eliza, Sally, and Mary. Eli Purdy married Nancy Thatcher, and had five children : Mary, Ralph T., Martha, Frank, and Edmund I. George Purdy married Phebe Thatcher. Their children were Dan- iel E., Benjamin O., John D., Frances and Ellen. The descendants of the pio- neer Purdy are still numerous in the town.
The Pettebone family .- Nearly every one of the older residents now in Manchester remember John S., otherwise and deservedly known as Judge Pet- tebone, who was at one time the Probate judge of the district, and a man highly respected in the community. Judge Pettebone was born in the town on the farm his father, Samuel Pettebone, had purchased. This was somewhat of an historic locality, being the old Samuel Rose property, which (Rose being a Tory) was confiscated and sold, Samuel Pettebone becoming the owner. Samuel Pet- tebone came here from Connecticut, but the year of his settlement cannot now be ascertained. His children were Samuel, John S., Hettie, Anna, Rhoda, and perhaps others whose names cannot now be recalled. John S. Pettebone was born in Manchester, married Laura Graves, and had seven children: Charlotte, Ann, Mehitabel, Samuel, Electa, John J., Mary, and Albert.
The Collins family .- About a mile north from Manchester Center stands a comfortable brick house, the old Collins homestead, which was built something over a hundred years ago, the material for which was taken from near or on meeting-house hill at the Center. This is now the property of Hon. Egbert B. Smith. Nathaniel Collins came, it is believed, from Connecticut, and settled here during the pioneer period; at all events he seems to have been promi- nently connected with the affairs of the town at a very early day. His children were Elijah, Anson, Lemuel, who was a soldier in the War of 1812; Lavina, who married David Morse; Irene, who married Calvin Ward; Ann, who mar- ried Joseph Morse; and another child, a daughter, who became the wife of Silas Smith, of Dorset.
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TOWN OF MANCHESTER.
William Smith's Family .- It is understood in and about Manchester Center :it it was William Smith that gave the name " Factory Point" to the place. this was supposed to have occurred at the raising of the old sign-post in front ut the original hotel building. Mr. Smith was a very popular man in those days, and what he said was considered good law. The exact date of his settle- ment in the town probably cannot now be fixed, but he figured in the affairs of the town at a very early day. He married Mahala Hollister: their children were Clara, who married - Wood; Gurdon, Calvin P., Samantha, who mar- ried Elijah Bundy; Mahala, who married Burr Smith, and George, who died in California.
The Bourne Family .- About the year 1788 four brothers, Nathaniel, Amos, Jerard, and Barnet Bourne, came from Swanzy, Mass., to Manchester, and en- tered the life of pioneership in the town, and all died here. Nathaniel was a me- chanic, Amos and Jerard were farmers, and Barnet was a farmer and butcher. All married and raised families, but their descendants are now scattered, but few being left in the town. Amos Bourne had a son likewise named Amos, and the four sons of the latter now represent the family name in Manchester. Amos, the younger, served in the War of 1812; he also lived on the same farm continuously for nearly eighty-two years. His wife was Almira Wyman, by whom he had eleven children, seven of whom are now living. Sewell W. Bourne was one of these children. He still owns the old farm property, though now living at Manchester Depot.
The Hicks Family .- Daniel Hicks and Ruth, his wife, came to Manchester about 1787 or 1788, and took up their abode on a farm in what is now District 12, not far from the depot location. Their children were Benjamin, Daniel, Hannah and Mary, all of whom, except Benjamin, lived their lives in the town The son Daniel, married Olive Glazier, and had ten children : Joseph, James M., Lois (now Mrs. Samuel Dean), still live in the town. Of the other children Olive married Joel Wright, and Rhoda became the wife of Michael Johnson.
The Benedict Family .- Jonathan Benedict, the pioneer of this family, came to Manchester from Connecticut in 1785, and settled on the farm now occupied by William H. Benedict. His children were Joseph, Samuel, Ezra, Jonathan, Mary, Martha, Lucy, Sarah, Sylvia, Esther and Clara. Jonathan. one of the sons, married Sarah Ames, and had seven children: Clarissa, Marilla, Hannah, Ezra, Sarah, Laura, and Esther. Samuel Benedict married Anna Seward, and had these children : Graham, William, Laura, Solomon, Truman, Anna, Sam- uel, Sylvia, and Jonathan. William, of the children last above named, married first, Esther Mead, by whom he had no children; his second wife was Mary Benedict, and by her he had two children, William H., and Samuel S., the former now owning the old home farm, and the latter living in Kansas.
The Hollister Family .- Elijah S. Hollister was one of the pioneers of Man- chester, and was also one of the early sheriffs of the county; he served too as
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HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
a soldier during the War of 1812. His settlement in this town antedated :1 .. year 1800. His children were Marinus, Polly, Jesse, Lucy, Ora, Abbie, Alva! . Diantha and one other that died in early infancy. Diantha married Jane. Hoyt, and Abbie became the wife of Dr. Elijah Burton of Cuyahoga county, ( Marinus, the eldest child, was born in Massachusetts, and died in Manchester, aged ninety-nine years, six months, and six days. He married Hannah Bur- ton, and had three children, John C., a lawyer of New Haven, Conn .; Martha B., who married John M. Hall, and Edgar, who married Frances Hoyt, and now lives in this town just above the Robert's place.
The Cook Family .- Elisha Cook came to Manchester and took up his resi- dence with his son, Elisha M. Cook, in the east part of the town near Barnum- ville, but before the hamlet was so named. The children of Elisha M. were Mary Jane and Nancy ; both born before the family canie to the town, and Elisha, Thomas, Frederick W., Elvira, Almeda, Alice and Millard F., who were born since the family settlement in this locality. Of these children Mary, Thomas, and Almeda are dead, but the remainder are living and have faniilies. Frede- rick W. Cook, one of these children, now lives in Manchester Center. He was a soldier in the late war, enlisted in 1861 in Company G, First Vermont Cav- alry, veteranized, and was mustered out in June 1865, after four years of serv- ice, and having participated in seventy-three engagements. He enlisted as a private and was mustered out with the rank of first lieutenant.
The Dean Family .- Job Dean was a Revolutionary patriot, having served with the army five and one-half years during the war. He was with General Washington at Valley Forge, but when the Bennington battle was fought he was with a body of troops on one of the islands in the Hudson River near Troy. He came to Manchester in 1816, and lived here during the rest of his life, his death occurring some forty years ago. While a resident of Massachusetts he married a daughter of Elder Peter Worden, and had seven children. They were Abigail, who married Samuel Mead, and died in Michigan ; Sally, who married Stephen Eddy ; Russell, who died in Massachusetts ; Vesta, who mar- ried Ambrose Mosely; Alvira, who married Martin Slocum; Loring, who mar- ried Marilla Benedict, and Peter W. who married Philinda Willey. Russell Dean had four sons and one daughter, Horace, Job, Loring, Robinson and Lucy A., of whom all but Loring are dead. Loring Dean had seven children, four sons and three daughters. The children of Loring and Marilla (Benedict) Dean were Samuel B., Walter R., Richard W., Mary Esther, Laura A., Henry C., and Es- ther M. Richard W. Dean was born in Manchester in 1824. His occupation is that of a civil engineer and carpenter. He married Fanny, the daughter of Russell Hickok, of Fort Edward N. Y., and has one son, James C. Dean. Wal- ter Russell Dean was born in Manchester in 1822. His business has always been that of general farming, but in 1868 he engaged in the manufacture of lumber, which business he has since conducted to a considerable extent. He is
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TOWN OF MANCHESTER.
one of the present associate judges of the courts of Bennington county. Judge Dean married, first, Mary L. McIntyre, by whom he had three children ; sec- ond, Minerva J. Baker, by whom he had one child. (Since the above sketch was prepared Judge Dean has taken unto himself a third wife).
The Isham Family .- Dr. Ezra Isham was born in Colchester, Conn., on March 15, 1773, and came to Manchester in 1800. He was the youngest son of John Isham, 2d, of Colchester. Soon after locating at Manchester he be- came a leading physician of the town and county. He married at Litchfield, Conn., Nancy Anna, the daughter of Robert Pierpont, of Litchfield, but after- ward a resident of Manchester. The children born to Ezra and Nancy A. Isham were Pierpont, born August 5, 1802; Caroline, born December 28, 1803; Mary, born March 23, 1806, died August 22, 1828 ; Jane, born July 27, 1810, died September 10, 1810; Edwin, born June 27, 1812; John, born January 31, 1817. The eldest son, Pierpont, became a lawyer, having studied law with his uncle, Governor Richard Skinner, of Manchester, and was admitted to the bar in 1823. He married Samantha, daughter of Noadiah Swift, a distin- guished physician of Bennington, on October 2, 1831. He lived at Benning- ton until 1860, when he moved to New York City, and died there May 8, 1872. In the fall of 1851 he was elected one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the State, and had as his associates upon the bench such men as Stephen Royce, Isaac F. Redfield and Milo L. Bennett. He was re-elected for success- ive terms until 1857, when he peremptorily declined another election. His children were Edward S., Henry P., and Mary Adeline; the latter became the wife of Major Sartell Prentice, U. S. A., and now resides in Chicago. Edward S. Isham, the older son, prepared for college at the Lawrenceville Academy, at Groton, Mass,, and was graduated from Williams College a few years later. He is now a lawyer at Chicago. Henry P. Isham, the younger son, is also a resident of Chicago, and is associated with Major Prentice in the care and man- agement of real estate. Edwin Isham, the second son of Dr. Ezra Isham, located at Dunkirk, N. Y., where he became a successful business man ; he still resides there. John Isham, the youngest son, fitted for college at the Burr and Bur- ton Seminary at Manchester, and subsequently graduated at Williams. He then went to the South and engaged in teaching, at which he acquired an envi- able reputation. He is now and for a number of years has been located at At- lanta, Ga. He has within a few years been appointed one of the State super- intendents of schools of Georgia.
Richard Skinner .- The subject of this brief sketch was born in Litchfield, Conn., in the year 1778. His residence in Manchester began with the present century, and his profession was that of attorney-at-law. In 1800 he was ap pointed state's attorney for the county, and served in that capacity until 1812; was also, from 1806 to 1812, probate judge for the district of Manchester. In 1813 he was elected to Congress; he twice represented the town in the Legis- 50
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lature, and was speaker of the house in 1818; was elected judge of the s. preme Court in 1815, and chief judge in 1816. In 1820 he was elected of0 .; ernor of the State, and re elected in 1821 and 1822; in 1823 he was chosen chief justice of the Supreme Court, and served in that capacity until 18:,, when he retired from public life and service. While crossing the Green Moun tains in a carriage in the spring of 1833 he was thrown by accident to th. ground, and sustained injuries that resulted in his death May 23, 1833.
Joseph Burr .- Mr. Burr was born in Hempstead, Long Island, August 1 !. 1772. He came to Manchester before he had attained his majority, and .: once engaged in trade. His business in life was that of merchant, broker, and speculator, yet he possessed certain traits of character that stamped him as a philanthropist. He conceived the idea, and carried it into practical effect, of building an elegant educational institution at Manchester, the celebrated Burr Seminary was the result. By his will he bequeathed to various institutions nearly $100,000. He died April 14, 1828. He had no family.
Levi D. Coy .- Daniel and Lucy Coy, husband and wife, were pioneers of Sunderland. Levi D. Coy, the merchant, and for many years justice of the peace at Manchester, was their grandson. Daniel and Lucy Coy had children as follows: Eli, Lucy, Amy, Hannah, Clarissa, Charlotte, Levi, and Hester. Levi, the father of Levi D., married Nancy Millett, and had these children: Levi D., Marshall C., Abram R., and Oscar F. Levi was born in Sunderland on May 12, 1823. He first engaged in business in Manchester in 1841, and has ever since so continued. On July 2, 1844, he married Louise, daughter of Daniel Roberts. One child was born of this marriage.
The Eddy Family .- Stephen Eddy, his wife, and two children, Jeremiah and James, came to Manchester many years ago, and located on what is now the Jameson place. Other children were born after their settlement in the town as follows: Daniel D., Orson, Stephen, Lamira, Diana, Philenda, and Charles. Of these children but four are now living, and Daniel, one of them, lives in Manchester. He was born in 1811, and at the age of twenty-seven married Lucy A. Taylor of Manchester, by whom he had five children, only one of whom, Mrs. Joseph H. Hicks, is now living. Daniel Eddy learned the trade of a currier. tanner, and shoemaker, and used to work many years ago in the little tannery building that stood where the Colburn House ice storage building now stands. He worked there nearly eight years.
Samuel B. Young,-Since 1836 Samuel B. Young has carried on the busi- ness of manufacturing and selling tin and other wares at Factory Point. Mr. Young was born in Danby, in Rutland county, in 1812, and was the oldest of five children born to David and Charlama Young. In the same year in which he came to Manchester Mr. Young married Elizabeth, daughter of Ly- man Way, of which marriage two children, Charles K. and Henry D. Young, have been born. The older of these is the present postmaster at Manchester Center, and the younger resides at Erie, Pa.
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William P. Black, 1 or as he was more familiarly known, Deacon Black, , is a son of Captain Peter Black, and was born in the city of New York, June 2. 1801. In 1812 he came to Manchester with his father's family, who took up their residence at the place now occupied by Rev. Dr. Wickham, where an inn lud been formerly kept by Robert Pierpoint. Here Captain Black engaged in the hotel and mercantile business. The store stood on the south side of the lot, and here as a clerk William l'. Black commenced his business career at an carly age. A few years later Captain Black transferred his business to the Vanderlip House. Before reaching the years of manhood William P. went to . Natchez, Miss., where he obtained a clerkship, but the death of his father, in 1820, necesitated his return at once to Manchester. This journey was per- formed on horseback, and required sixty days time. The business of Captain Black was afterward conducted by his widow and children until 1832, when the mother died. On the 20th of October, 1829 William P. Black married Sarah Aiken. In 1833 they moved to the house now occupied by his widow and family. In 1831 Mr. Black united with the Congregational Church, and ten years later was made deacon. In 1841 he was chosen treasurer of the Burr Seminary, and so continued until 1866. In 1854 he was elected one of the trustees of that institution. He was town clerk of Manchester from 1837 to 1843, and at later periods was town treasurer. In 1836 Mr. Black became teller of the old Manchester Bank, and two years later was advanced to the po- sition of cashier. He remained in that connection with the succeeding Bat- tenkill and Battenkill National Banks until 1882, when he retired; still, how- ever, continuing a business relation with the bank, and visiting the same nearly every day for two or three years longer; and it was not until about 1885 that he was wholly out of business. His death occurred on the 3d of September, 1887, in the eighty-seventh year of his age.
Rev. Joseph D. Wickham .- This chapter could not in any wise be consid- ered complete without at least a brief reference to the life of this most venera- ble and honored resident of the village of Manchester. Joseph Dresser Wick- ham was born in Thompson, Conn., on April 4, 1797, and was the second child born to Daniel H. and Mary (Dresser) Wickham. At the age of less than four- teen years young Wickham entered Yale College. and was graduated in 1815; and he is, to-day, the oldest living graduate of that celebrated institution. Without a detail of the events of the life of Dr. Wickham let it suffice to say that he came to Manchester in the year 1837, and became connected with the Burr Seminary, with which he remained until 1853, when he resigned to ac- cept a professorship in Middlebury College. After an absence of about three years Dr. Wickham returned to Manchester and his former position in the sem- inary, with which he was thereafter associated for six years, retiring in 1862,
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