USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > History of Chittenden County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 61
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Dr. Hiram Crandall was born at Royalton, Vt., December 4, 1804, was educated at Royalton Academy, studied medicine with Dr. Benjamin P. Smith and was graduated from the Woodstock Medical College in 1832. He took up his residence in Burlington in 1865.
Dr. H. A. Crandall was born at Hartford, Vt., on the 6th of August, 1831, and received an academical education at the Kimball Union Academy of Mer- iden, N. H. He attended the medical college at Castleton, Vt., from which he was graduated in June, 1859. His-medical preceptors were Dr. Hiram Cran- dall, of Burlington, and Dr. A. Woodward, of Brandon, Vt. He began to practice medicine and surgery in Burlington in 1865.
Dr. W. B. Lund was born in Burlington on the 3d of April, 1841. He
I For a detailed sketch of Dr. Walter Carpenter, see Biographical Sketches in the latter part of the volume.
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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
received a collegiate education at the University of Vermont, and graduated in medicine from the medical department of the University of Michigan. His medical preceptor in Burlington was Dr. H. H. Atwater. He established his practice in Burlington in 1865.
Dr. A. P. Grinnell was born on the 26th of December, 1845, at Messena, St. Lawrence county, N. Y. He was graduated in medicine from the Bellevue Hospital in 1869, and first practiced in Ogdensburgh, N. Y. Twelve years ago he came to Burlington and has ever since been dean of the medical depart- ment of the University of Vermont. He is now professor of theory and practice in this institution and also in the Long Island Medical College at Brooklyn, N. Y. ; medical director of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York for Vermont and New Hampshire ; acting assistant surgeon of the United States Marine Hospital Service in the district of Vermont ; attending physician at the Mary Fletcher Hospital ; and president of the Board of Pen- sion Examiners for this district.
Dr. J. E. Montmarquet was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1845, studied medicine with Dr. Dorsonns, of that city, and was graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, at Montreal. He began to practice in Burling- ton in 1872.
Dr. L. M. Bingham was born at Fletcher, Vt., on the 10th of April, 1845, was educated at the Normal School, Johnson Academy at Stowe, and institute at Fairfax, and was graduated in medicine from the medical department of the University of Vermont in 1870. He has practiced in Burlington eleven years.
Dr. A. J. Willard was born in Harvard, Mass., on the 19th of March, 1832. From 1853 to 1857 he studied theology at the Yale and Andover Sem- inaries, and from 1857 to 1865 preached at Upton, Mass. He then removed to Burlington and preached at Essex Center and Essex Junction until 1870. He studied medicine at the University of Vermont and received the degree of M. D. in 1879. He has practiced medicine in Burlington since that time. He has been for some years chiefly occupied as superintendent of the Mary Fletcher Hospital.
Dr. H. E. Colvin was born in Essex county, N. Y., on the 20th of March, 1854, and was educated at Keeseville, in that county. He was graduated from the Chicago Homoeopathic College March 30, 1880, having also studied with E. H. Pratt, A. M., M. D., professor of anatomy in that college, from 1877 to 1880. He began his practice in Burlington in November, 1880.
Dr. Jo H. Linsley, born at Windsor. Vt., on the 29th of May, 1859, and educated at the Burlington High School, was graduated from the medical de- partment of the University of Vermont in June, 1880, his preceptor being Dr. A. P. Grinnell. He first practiced in Burlington in 1881.
Dr. John B. Wheeler was born at Stowe, Vt., in 1853. He was graduated from the University of Vermont in 1875, and in medicine at Harvard in 1879. He began practice in Burlington in 1881.
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
Dr. J. C. Rutherford was born in Derby, Vt., on the 29th of January, 1857, received a high-school education and was graduated in medicine from the proper department of the University of Vermont in June, 1882. He immedi- ately began to practice in this city. He acted as demonstrator of anatomy in the medical department one year, was appointed city physician in 1884 and again in 1885, was the first commander of Vermont Division, Sons of Vet- erans, was commissioned, June 30, 1884, assistant surgeon First Regiment National Guards. He was elected school commissioner from the fourth ward in 1885, and chosen captain of the Ethan Allen Engine Company in January, 1886.
Dr. D. Carrieres was born at St. Scholastique, P. Q., in 1856, educated at St. Therese College, P. Q., and was graduated in medicine from the University of Quebec in 1880. He established his practice in Burlington in 1882.
Dr. John M. Clarke was born at Concord, Vt., in September, 1847, and re- ceived his education in Massachusetts and Vermont, taking a regular course of study in the University of Vermont. He studied medicine with Dr. D. W. Hazelton, of Vermont, and began to practice in 1873. For nine years he was assistant physician at the Vermont State Asylum, and in October, 1882, opened the Lake View Retreat at Burlington as a private institution for the treatment of nervous and mental disease, and has continued it successfully ever since.
Dr. H. C. Tinkham was born in Brownington, Orleans county, Vt., on the 7th of December, 1856, and received an academical education at Derby. He received the degree of M. D. from the medical department of the University of Vermont in June, 1883, his preceptor being Dr. Albert Richmond, of Roch- ester, Vt. He opened an office in Burlington in August, 1883.
Dr. L. Hazen, born at Bridgton, Me., September, 1856, received his gen- eral education at the Hebron (Me.) Academy, and his medical education at the University of Vermont, from which he was graduated in 1883. He com- menced practice here in the fall of that year.
Dr. William B. Gibson was born at Clarenceville, P. Q., on the 9th of August, 1856, was graduated from the University of Vermont in 1876, and from McGill University of Montreal in 1878. He opened an office in this city in 1885.
Dr. Charles A. A. Bissonnette was born at St. Johns, P. Q., in 1853, was educated at St. Marie De Monnoir, P. Q., and admitted to practice on the 25th of June, 1885, his preceptor being Dr. Lakocque, of St. Johns. He began practicing in Burlington in August, 1885.
Dr. D. C. Hawley was born on the 3 Ist of October, 1855, at Fletcher, Vt., and was educated at the New Hampton Institute at Fairfax, and Barre Acad- emy at Barre, Vt. He also took an academical degree from the University of Vermont, in the class of 1878, and the degree of M. D. from the medical de-
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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
partment thereof in 1884. He studied medicine with Dr. C. F. Hawley, of Fairfax, Vt., and Dr. L. M. Bingham, of Burlington. His practice in Burling- ton began January 1, 1885.
Mrs. M. A. Campbell, corner of Union and Main streets, is a pioneer in the curative use of magnetism, manipulation, electricity, dietetics, out-of-door exercise, and all natural means of restoring and promoting health. She has practiced in Burlington for three years and a little more. Her theory is based on the conviction that all drug-produced action, or suspension of action, is a direct interference with organic law, to be expiated by suffering and often death.
Present Dentists .- The oldest practitioner of this profession in the State is Dr. James Lewis, who has been in practice in Burlington for forty years. He has also received a degree of M. D. His son, D. C. F. Lewis, is his partner. William H. Waters, D. D. S., is a graduate from the Baltimore College of Den- tal Surgery, having received his degree in 1860. He began to practice in Bur- lington in 1866. Dr. S. D. Hodge, who has been in the city since 1872, is a graduate from the dental department of the University of Maryland. Dr. S. S. Costellow, a graduate from the Philadelphia Dental College, came to Bur- lington in August, 1885.
HOTELS.
In the previous pages of this chapter the reader has already become familiar with the earlier hotels and taverns, the inn of Gideon King, of Chandonette, and of Harrington, on Water street; of Uncle John Howard and of Captain Henry Thomas, on the square, and the Green Mountain House of Eli Barnard, on upper Pearl street. The old Howard Hotel was sold by Sion E. Howard, who for a number of years was the real owner of the property, to Daniel Buck- ley, who rented it in 1844 to Artemas Prouty, still a resident of this city. On the 2d of January, 1846, this famous hostelry was destroyed by fire. Before that time the old Thomas Hotel was closed and converted into a mercantile block.
About the time of the opening of the Rutland Railroad a little tavern that had stood for years on Water street was enlarged and named the Lake House. John Bradley, one of its proprietors, in common with a great many Burlington people, thought that Water street was always to be in the chief business part of the place, and had the Lake House elegantly fitted up for the reception of guests. One of the most prominent landlords of this house was Moses L. Hart, whose jurisdiction continued longer than that of any other. A Mr. Curtis followed him and was succeeded by Z. G. Clark. At two o'clock in the after- noon of Monday, November 8, 1869, the house was discovered to be on fire and, notwithstanding the zealous efforts of an efficient fire department, was to- tally destroyed. The property belonged to the Rutland Railroad Company, and was then leased to Mr. Clark. The house was valued at $20,000, and the furniture was insured for $10,000.
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
After the burning of the old Howard Hotel Lemuel S. Drew, the genial manager of the Van Ness House, then a young man who had had experience as clerk in the Howard Hotel, went to the American Hotel as clerk for the pro- prietor, W. J. Odell. This house had been substantially erected by Governor Van Ness, and was first used as a hotel by Royal H. Gould, soon after Lafay- ette's visit to Burlington in 1825. In April, 1852, Mr. Drew, who had been for a time in the house on the site of the Van Ness House, succeeded Mr. Odell in the proprietorship of the American, and remained there until July, 1865, when he retired to his present beautiful farm, and left the hotel to his successor, Charles Miller. In 1878, the house having passed through several hands and through unfortunate vicissitudes, Mr. Drew again took charge of it, and kept it until it was united in ownership with the Van Ness House in 1883. It originally consisted of only the northwest corner of the present building, but long before Mr. Drew's recollection was enlarged by the addition of the east and south wings. It is now open only from June I to October I every summer, and is kept in connection with the Van Ness House.
It will be remembered that the site of the Van Ness was very early occu- pied by the musician, Harvey Milliken, and he erected the first building on the site that was used as a hotel. One of the early landlords of this old tavern, Franklin House it was called, was Riley Adams, who gave place to Mr. Drew about 1849. Mr. Drew named it the Howard House, after the old hotel on the north side of the square, and was succeeded when he went to the American Hotel in 1852, by S. S. Skinner. Sidney Smith became proprietor after three years, and kept it until D. C. Barber purchased it. On the IIth of June, 1867, at nine o'clock in the evening, a fire broke out in the barn of this house, and before it could be extinguished consumed the entire property, with a number of adjoining buildings. Mr. Barber's loss was supposed to be about $20,000; the house was insured for $8,000. The main portion of the present Van Ness House was erected by Mr. Barber in 1870, on the old site. O. B. Ferguson soon after became a partner with Mr. Barber, and the property passed from their hands to Mr. Woodbury, the present owner, in April, 1881. The west wing was added to the old building in 1882, at a cost of nearly $20,000. The American Hotel is leased of the Heineberg estate. Mr. Drew, as has been said, became the manager of this house in 1883. The present day clerk, H. N. Clark, began as night clerk for Mr. Barber fourteen years ago, and has remained in the house ever since.
Rowe's Hotel is an old landmark, and was probably built before 1800, by Harvey Durkee. His widow kept the house long after his death and was suc- ceeded by her son, Harvey, jr. The present proprietor is Robert Nulty.
THE HOME FOR DESTITUTE CHILDREN.
This charity, like very many, was founded by the benevolent efforts of wo- man. Soon after the year 1860 the need for an institution which should sup-
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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
ply the wants of destitute children began to be painfully manifest, and increased to such a degree that in the early summer of 1865, a plan was proposed which took definite shape on the 7th of the following September in the organization of an unincorporated association. The new association assumed the name now borne by its successor. The officers were Miss Lucia T. Wheeler, president ; Mrs. Laura Hickok, vice-president ; Mrs. Mary H. Phelps, secretary ; Mrs. Susan M. Edmunds, treasurer ; Mrs. Julia Loomis, Mrs. Harriet J. Shedd and Mrs. Eliza Smith, managers ; Mrs. Sophia Van Sicklin, Mrs. P. B. Roby, Mrs. Emma A. Davis, Mrs. Katharine A. Benedict, Miss Mary Torrey, Miss Ella Moody, assistant managers ; and Mrs. Sarah C. Cole, auditor.
In the month of October, 1865, measures were adopted which culminated on the Ist day of November in the incorporation of the association by the Legislature, the seven first above-named ladies constituting the first board of directors and representing each of the Protestant denominations in Burlington. A small house was rented for the period of six months, a matron was procured, and the work began by the sheltering and partial education of seven little girls. The intention at the beginning was to care principally for homeless little girls of Chittenden county. But applications for assistance poured in with such vol- ume, and donations from the charitably disposed were so numerous and so generous that it was enlarged in its scope, and soon offered an asylum for the destitute children of both sexes throughout the State.
In 1855 Congress had made an appropriation of $35,000 for the construc- tion of a marine hospital at Burlington. The site selected was two miles south of the village, on the west side of the Shelburne road, embracing ten acres, which cost the sum of $1,750. The building was completed in 1858, at a cost of $4,000 beyond the original appropriation, but was never devoted to the pur- poses of its construction, the civil war intervening and necessitating the use of the building as a military hospital. The Home for Destitute Children pur- chased this building on the 16th of July, 1866, and on taking possession on the 8th of the following October, found that there was room sufficient to accommo- date forty children. The new building was formally consecrated to the pur- poses of its purchase on the 26th of November, 1866. The annual subscrip- tions to the home for the first five years of its career amounted to $22,000, more than $18,000 of which was contributed by residents of Burlington. The institution now has a permanent fund of $69,588.97, besides the magnificent gift of John P. Howard, of the opera house and block that bears his name, from which the annual profits net more than $10,000. During the twelve months ending October 1, 1885, ninety-seven children received the sheltering care of the home. The facilities of the institution are constantly growing, and the scope of its beneficence is ever widening. The result of the efforts of Miss Wheeler are therefore more than gratifying. The influence of an establish- ment like this that achieves success and becomes self-supporting, cannot be estimated.
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
The present officers of the home are as follows : President, Mrs. L. A. Tur- rill ; vice-president, Mrs. A. G. Spaulding ; treasurer, Mrs. A. G. Pierce ; sec- retary, Mrs. S. C. Cole ; assistant secretary, Miss Mary Roberts; auditor of accounts, Mrs. M. F. Perkins. Board of managers : Mrs. A. G. Spaulding, Mrs. A. G. Pierce, Mrs. L. B. Lord, Mrs. C. B. Gray, Mrs. Willard Crane, Mrs. T. A. Hopkins, Miss Carrie Kingsland, Mrs. Albert E. Richardson, Mrs. G. W. Hindes, Miss Mary Roberts, Mrs. D. J. Foster, Mrs. S. C. Cole, Mrs. E. P. Gould, Mrs. J. M. Mathews. Honorary members of the board : Mrs. L. A. Hickok, Mrs. Julia H. Spear. Advisory committee : Mrs. L. A. Hickok, Miss M. C. Torrey, Henry Loomis, Hon. William G. Shaw, Edward Lyman. Trus- tees of the permanent fund : Charles F. Ward, Hon. William G. Shaw, C. P. Smith. County managers : Addison county, Mrs. U. D. Twitchell, Middle- bury; Bennington county, Miss S. E. Park, Bennington ; Caledonia county, Mrs. E. A. Walker, St. Johnsbury ; Essex county, Mrs. C. E. Benton, Guild- hall; Franklin county, Mrs. J. M. Saxe, St. Albans ; Grand Isle county, Mrs. O. G. Wheeler, South Hero; Lamoille county, Mrs. O. W. Reynolds, Cam- bridge ; Orleans county, Mrs. W. F. Bowman, Newport; Orange county, Mrs. J. W. Rowell, West Randolph ; Rutland county, Mrs. J. B. Hollister, Rutland ; Washington county, Mrs. Joseph Poland, Montpelier ; Windham county, Mrs. James M. Tyler, Brattleboro ; Windsor county, Mrs. Samuel E. Pingree, Hart- ford.
FLETCHER FREE LIBRARY.
This institution was founded on the 14th of July, 1873, by Mrs. Mary L. and Miss Mary M. Fletcher. In a communication addressed to the mayor and aldermen of the city they expressed their desire to " found a library in and for the city, to be called the Fletcher Free Library, on condition that the city provide a suitable library building and care for the same at the cost of the city." According to the articles of donation Mrs. and Miss Fletcher gave the city $10,000 to be expended in the purchase of books, and in addition $10,000, the income of which should be used for the continued increase of the library. In pursuance of further provisions of these articles the library is managed and controlled by five trustees : President, Matthew H. Buckham; Rev. L. G. Ware, Hon. E. J. Phelps, Samuel Huntington, and the mayor, ex officio. The personnel of this board has remained the same to the present, except of course the mayor, who holds the position of trustee by virtue of his office. Such vacancies as shall occur are to be filled by the remaining trustees. The trus- tees of the library fund were Charles Russell, Henry Loomis, and Henry P. Hickok.
The proposition of these benevolent ladies was received with the ready concurrence of the city authorities. The Board of Aldermen appointed the mayor, President of the Board Hatch, and Charles Russell to present suitable
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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
resolutions of acknowledgment for the gift, and to report a plan of action in furtherance of the object proposed. On the 3d of November, 1873, the com- mittee reported that the building then lately occupied as a court-house could be refitted for a library building until such time as a better place could be pro- vided. The report being accepted, the committee on public buildings were in- structed to put the old court-house in condition to receive the library forth- with. The first invoice of books was received on the 3Ist of May, 1874. During the year ending January 15, 1875, $8,541.29 was expended for books exclusive of freight, binding, etc., and the library contained at that time about 7,200 volumes. The library received accessions from the Y. M. C. A. and the Green Mountain Lodge of Odd Fellows, both of which organizations gave their books to the library. The report of the librarian of 1877 for the preced- ing year stated that the generous founders had given $4,000 more to the insti- tution. Mrs. Fletcher died during the summer of 1876. In 1877 the cat- alogue, which had involved in its compilation great care and labor, was com- pleted and published. In the latter part of 1884 the library was closed for a time, but reopened on the 19th of January, 1885, with Miss Sarah C. Hagar as librarian, and Miss Lizzie R. Moore, assistant. T. P. W. Rogers was libra- rian from 1874 to 1885. In that year the building was fully repaired and im- proved. The reports from the start have shown an encouraging decrease in the reading by attendants at the library of works of fiction, and an increase in the percentage of more profitable reading. There are now catalogued about 16,316 volumes in the library, besides 700 government publications not cat- alogued, and duplicates, which make the total number not less than 20,000 volumes. The institution has demonstrated to the people of Burlington its great value as an educating element.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.1
Under the title of internal improvements brief reference may be made to the highways, parks and cemeteries of the county, and to such societies and laws as exist for the purpose of beautifying the face of nature and of facilitating intercourse between the people of different sections.
All the towns in the county, save Burlington, being of limited population and distinctly agricultural in character, there is not much material for comment under the head above suggested, excepting in the "Queen City" itself. How- ever it may be said, in general, that the country roads are well worked and easy of travel, although the highways in eastern towns often run over the hills where the early settlers established their homes for fear of the chills and fever which haunted the low grounds of Vermont when it was a new country.
f. An act of the Legislature passed in 1882, and modified in 1884, author- izes towns to purchase road machines out of the amount allowed by law for
1 Furnished by Robert Roberts.
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
highway purposes. This law has resulted to the advantage of the traveling public, although the advantage is perhaps offset by the official carelessness naturally resulting from the repeal of the law making towns responsible for ac- cidents due to defects in the highway.
"An act to encourage the planting of shade trees upon public squares and highways," passed by the Legislature of 1884, might be expected to make leafy lanes of our country roads in the course of time. It contains the follow- ing provisions: "A town may direct the treasurer to pay to the selectmen a sum not exceeding one per cent. of its grand list of the preceding year, to be expended by them in premiums or in any other manner that they may deem most effectual to encourage the planting of shade trees upon the public squares, parks or highways, by the owners of adjoining real estate." The proclama- tion of "Arbor Day" as a holiday for the setting out of shade trees has been responded to by the planting of a large number of thrifty trees by the chil- dren. Future generations will rise up and called blessed the name of the gov- ernor of the State who created the holiday. Sometimes, however, an antag- onistic and utilitarian spirit finds expression in the act of some land owner who cuts down an ancient elm by the wayside which shades his meadow and de- minishes, by a rake full, his hay crop. Such a man, however, is certain to be scolded without mercy by the good women of the village, who are the natural custodians of all matters within the realm of the sentiments.
Not all of the towns and settlements of the county lie upon the railroad, but all are connected with stage and mail lines which run daily, with one or two exceptions, substantially as follows: Hinesburg to Burlington by St. George; Burlington to Grand Isle by Winooski, Colchester, West Milton, and South Hero; East Georgia to Westford by Fairfax, etc.
The highways of Burlington are, generally speaking, in fair condition. There has been a constant improvement from year to year in the condition of the streets, and, although the individual direction of the street department has not always been animated by a sense of beauty so much as by the religion of the spirit-level, square and compass, and has not been aware that straight lines were made for man and not man for stright lines, yet, on the whole, the streets and sidewalks of the city are handsome, as well as safe and easy of travel. If the roads look- ing over the sandy plains surrounding the city north and east were treated with gravel or macadam it would be economy for the farmer drawing heavy loads, and would make the summer drives of Burlington among the most beau- tiful in the world.
Of the public parks of Burlington it may be said that the City Hall Square is useful, and that the College and Battery Parks are growing to be very beautiful. The City Hall Park, formerly known as the Court-House Square, consists of two and a half acres of land, bounded by College, Church, Main and St. Paul streets. This tract was surveyed and mapped out by the original
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