USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > History of Chittenden County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 66
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General Hezekiah Barnes, as well as his father and two brothers, was prom- inent among the early settlers ; for many years lived by the spring near the center of the town, and built the structure now used as a store by Swain & Williams, in which he kept a tavern that was well known throughout the State. He was major-general of militia, and assistant judge of the County Court. He died of the epidemic of 1813. His political rival, Nathaniel, son of Abel Newell, who was also judge of the County Court, was the only man who ever represented the town a greater number of years than General Barnes.
John A. Kasson, one of the most distinguished men that this town has produced, was graduated at the University of Vermont in 1842; practiced law for a time in New Bedford, Mass., and afterwards removed to Iowa, where he soon attained great prominence in politics, and is known for his eminent serv- ices in Congress. His political career began in 1860, when he was a member of the Chicago Convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln. His boyhood years were passed in the house now occupied by Luther Hubbell.
Eliphal Gillette was one of the earliest settlers in town. He was born in New Milford, Conn., in 1747, and came to Charlotte as early as 1790, and soon accumulated about 800 acres of land north of Baptist Four Corners. He died in 1810. Before his immigration to Charlotte he was a sea-faring man, and married his first wife in Calcutta. He then became a merchant in New
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Milford. When he came here he sent his wife and family and mother ahead, who came by marked trees, and preceded him by several weeks. On his ar- rival he found that they had died of small-pox. Not long after this he mar- ried Nancy Curtis, who became the mother of Ammi Gillette, the source of much of the writer's information in regard to this town. Ammi Gillette was born on the farm now owned by Benjamin Beers, on the Ist of December, 1801, and married Dorotha Meeker on the 8th of July, 1823, who died September 22, 1885. Mrs. N. C. Bush, postmistress of Charlotte, is his daughter.
Among those who can hardly be called early settlers, but who have been long prominent in the affairs of the town, may be mentioned David Cook, who came to Charlotte from Connecticut in 1807, and first settled where Richard Whalley now lives. He afterwards owned the place now owned by his son, Charles B. Cook, in the western part of the town. David Cook held most of the town offices. He died in 1857, aged seventy-six years. Charles B. Cook represented the town in 1853 and 1854.
Leverett Sherman came from Connecticut in 1808, and learned the car- penter's trade of his brother-in-law, Johnson Foote. He also purchased of Foote the farm now occupied by his son, Alfred W. Sherman, in the eastern part of the town. Leverett Sherman was employed by the government dur- ing the War of 1812-15 to aid in the construction of barracks at Plattsburgh. His brother, William E., came here in 1811, and settled on the farm now owned by his son, John H., where he died June 15, 1859.
William Higbee came here from Ferrisburgh in 1819, and located on the farm now occupied by O. C. Palmer. The only representative of the family now in town is W. Wallace Higbee, grandson of William and son of Peter V. Higbee. Mr. Higbee is town clerk and justice of the peace.
Thomas Whalley came from Ferrisburgh in 1837, and located on the farm now occupied by his grandson, R. G. Whalley. His two surviving children in town are Jonathan and Samuel. Thomas died at the age of eighty-nine years.
John Quinlan came to Charlotte in 1844, and began his career in town by chopping wood at twenty-five cents a cord. He is now an extensive land- holder here, and has for years been prominent in the public affairs of the town.
The following list contains the names of nearly all the freemen in Char- lotte in 1800, and was obtained from the town records:
Colonel Asa Barnes, Captain John Hill, David Horsford, Rev. Abel New- · ell, Isaac Coggswell, Thaddeus Hurlburt, Reuben Martin, Amos Catlin, Jona- than Sawyer, Elijah Woolcot, Reuben Rowley, John Thorp, Hezekiah Barnes, Asa Barnes, jr., Dr. Daniel Hough (who lived below the burying-ground, where A. N. Barber now owns), Captain John McNeil, Isaac Raxford, Fletcher Perkins, Samuel Cummings, Charles Grant, Samuel Scovil, Samuel Scovil, jr.,
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TOWN OF CHARLOTTE.
Abner Squier, Charles McNeil, William Reed, Jedediah Cummings, Ezra Dor- man, Abel Blanchard, Daniel Barnes, Erazmus Towner, Solomon Squier, Moses Yale, Ephraim Wooster, Asahel Strong, Fisk Bartlett, Heber Squier, Zalmar Hurlburt, Isaiah Hurlburt, Elijah Keeler, Darius Tupper, Captain David Horsford, Jabez Brook, Captain Samuel Hurlburt, Michael Abbott, Nathan Marble, David Rich, Abiram Hurlburt, Lieutenant Ebenezer Hovey, Jonathan Atwood, Salmon Root, William Wood, Nathan Powell, John Pen- field, Samuel Penfield, John Newell, Samuel Beach, Nathaniel Martin, Thomas Canfield, Calvin Hinman, Benjamin McNeil, William Pease, Joseph Barnes, Andrew Barton, Eliphal Gillette, Jeremiah Runnals (Reynolds), James Olin, Isaac Foot, Elisha Newell, Jared Lyman, Gad Lyman, Patrick Brisby, Thomas Burt, Homer Towner, Samuel Hadlock, and Zenas Clark. 1
Organization of the Town .- The settlement of Charlotte progressed so rap- idly that it was organized on the 13th of March, 1787, and when the first com- plete census of the State was taken, after its admission into the Union in 1791, this town contained 635 inhabitants-the most populous town, not only in Chittenden county, but also in the north half of the State, now embraced in the eight northern counties. Daniel Horsford was chosen moderator of the first meeting ; John McNeil was chosen town clerk; Asa Barnes, John McNeil, John Hill, James Hill, and Isaac Coggswell were chosen selectmen; Reuben Rowley and Samuel Scovil, constables ; John Hill, James Hill, and Dr. Daniel Hough, listers; and Ebenezer Hovey, leather sealer.
The meeting was then adjourned to the 27th of the same month at the house of Hezekiah Barnes, when Reuben Martin and Solomin Squier were elected tythingmen ; Elijah Woolcot, Dr. Hough, Isaac Coggswell, Samuel Scovil and Hezekiah Barnes, surveyors of highways; and John Hill, sealer of weights and measures. At the same meeting it was voted "That Captain Hill, Colonel Barns, Captain McNeile, Samuel Scovil, Hezekiah Barns, David Hub- ell, James Hill, Dr. Hough, Reuben Martin, Ebenezer Hovey, Jabez Brooks, and Jonathan Atwood shall be put in the Box for Jurymen."
Another important measure adopted was that hogs should be confined.
At the first settlement of the town bears, deer and other wild animals were common. Bucks were often seen crossing the fields. Beavers were numerous, and left several dams which for years remained as monuments of their won- derful mechanical skill. The annoyances caused by these several descriptions of beasts were only a part of the hardships to which the settlers were sub- jected. For many years the southwestern part of the town was very unwhole- some, fever and ague and bilious fever being common. Typhus fever first made its appearance about 1803, and in many cases was out of the reach of physicians. The epidemic of 1813 also raged fearfully in this town, carrying
1 In the above list the writer has generally followed the spelling of the record, except in cases in which his personal information has enabled him to make a correction.
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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
off about seventy of the inhabitants, among whom were Rev. Abel Newell, Hezekiah Barnes and Dr. James Towner.
The superior adaptation of the town to agricultural purposes was one cause of its rapid settlement. The almost exclusive devotion of the people to this pursuit accounts for the fact that the population remained about stationary for over sixty years. The early settlers were speedily remunerated for their la- bors; wealth flowed in upon them, and comfortable homes rapidly arose. As early as 1806 the grand list was $31,961. Only ten towns in the State sur - passed this. Even Burlington did not equal it in its grand list until 1824.
Military Affairs .- During the War of 1812-15, and previous, the military spirit was rife in Charlotte. It was probably not surpassed, if equaled, by any town in the State. There were no less than five military companies in the town, viz : two of infantry, one of light infantry, one of cavalry and one of artillery. The last two, however, were partly made up of men from other towns, as Hinesburg and Shelburne. In the year 1810 the citizens whose names are subjoined held the offices indicated, viz: Hezekiah Barnes, major- general ; John Newell, brigadier-general; Oliver Hubbell, quartermaster-ser- geant ; Nathaniel Newell, captain of cavalry; Sheldon Wheeler, captain; Tim Read and William Pease, lieutenants ; and Peter Wheeler, ensign of artillery. Ithiel Stone, captain ; David H. Griswold, lieutenant; and Israel B. Perry, en- sign of light infantry. Lyman Yale, captain ; Caleb Chapell, lieutenant ; and Andrew Barton, ensign of infantry, Co. 2. Joseph Barnes, captain ; Hez. Barnes, jr., lieutenant ; and Elijah Gray, ensign of infantry, Co. 6. What other town in the State could show such an array ? The people of Charlotte evi- dently believed in the motto -" In time of peace prepare for war."
As might be expected from its situation and the character of its inhabit- ants, this town had some connection with the War of 1812-15. Teams were impressed to carry men and military stores from Plattsburgh to Sackett's Har- bor, detachments of militia were repeatedly ordered to Burlington and further north ; large numbers volunteered to withstand the advancing British army in September, 1814, and were present at the battle of Plattsburgh, and the whole town was thrown into a fever of excitement by the passage of the British flo- tilla up the lake to attack Fort Cassin at the mouth of Otter Creek As they passed McNeil's, Charles McNeil with his family and many other specta- tors were on the high bank in front of Mr. McNeil's house. One of the small vessels which was inside of Sloop Island and within hailing distance of the shore, was observed to be making preparations to fire, Mr. McNeil called to the captain and asked if he was about to fire upon unarmed and defenseless people, to which question no attention was paid. McNeil then directed his family and neighbors to lie down, which they did. A charge consisting of twelve two-pound balls was fired. The height of the bank and the proximity of the vessel to the shore compelled the British gunner to aim so high as to
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TOWN OF CHARLOTTE.
carry the balls over McNeil's house, although they grazed the top of the bank and cut off a small poplar over the heads of the prostrate spectators. The balls were found in his meadow at the next haying. Two other charges were fired, one of which went through his horse barn. The drunken commander being put under arrest by the commander of the flotilla, excused his brutal assault upon women and children on the pretence that he saw soldiers in uniform on the bank. On the return from Fort Cassin several hundred people were col- lected on Thompson's Point. One brave Yankee, Wilson Williams, had a gun with which he attacked the British fleet. A few charges of shot were returned, which rattled among the trees over the heads of the scared multitude, which very speedily dispersed.
The following is a list - probably incomplete - of the Revolutionary sol- diers who became residents of the town, namely: David Hubbell, Joseph Si- monds, Lamberton Clark, Asa Naramore, Elisha Pulford, Samuel Andrews, Ezra Wormwood, Skiff Morgan, Samuel Hadlock, Israel Sheldon, Phineas Lake, Levi Coggswell, James Hill, Newton Russell and Daniel Hosford. The following from Charlotte enlisted in the War of 1812-15 : Holmes'Hoyt, Robert Cockle, Abraham Smith, Abel Gibbs and Uriah Higgins. Rollin Barton, who enlisted in the Burlington company of the Second Vermont Regiment, was the first citizen of the town who volunteered for the suppression of the great pro- slavery rebellion of 1861.
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
The history of the villages in Charlotte must necessarily be brief, for since the beginning the agricultural pursuits of the inhabitants have kept them for the most part separated from each other too widely for village life. In pursuance of the time-honored custom of New England towns, the proprietors of Charlotte included in the duties of the surveyors that of " setting a stake " in the center of the town, where were to be built the meeting-houses and other public build- ings, and where it was expected that the store and tavern should be opened for the equal convenience of all the inhabitants. Here too, it is probable, stood the ancient sign-post, whipping-post and stocks. But as the town be- came settled and lines of communication were established with the neighbor- ing towns, it was found convenient and profitable for some enterprising men to open taverns in other parts, and these were naturally followed by stores. In towns which contain water privileges the most thriving village generally sprang up about the mills erected at the " falls," regardless of the predilections of the proprietors for the geographical center of the town.
The existence of the "Center " and of Charlotte village is explained, the former in the above paragraph, and the latter by the proximity of the railroad station. But the only feasible explanation of the existence of " Baptist Four Corners," in the east part of the town, is found in the fact that the ridge of hills
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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
that divides the town rendered the center so difficult of access to the residents in that vicinity, that an independent settlement became early a matter of neces- sity, which was the more agreeable by reason of the mutual jealousies and lit- tle feuds formerly existing between the two sections. This village was rela- tively larger fifty years ago than it now is. Just back of the present Baptist Church, and a little to the north, stood the old tannery of Nathaniel Newell, operated for him some years by Shurick Eldred. Reuben Martin's tannery also stood in this village just northwest of the corner made by the intersection of the north and south road with that which leads to the west part of the town. For several years (about 1830) William O. Baker kept a tavern in the building now occupied by Curtis Van Vliet. Many of the most prominent men of the town in early days lived in this neighborhood.
Business Interests .- Among the present business interests the following may be mentioned as the most prominent. Indeed, the chief industry has al- ways, as has been suggested, been agricultural.
Alanson Edgerton & Sons' cider-mill, about a mile east of the station, has for many years supplied the people in this vicinity with cider, and has done considerable shipping. It is operated by horse power, and turns out about twenty barrels of cider per day. Wilber Field's hay barn and hay press, at the station, receives and presses not less than 700 tons annually.
Winfield Scott's saw and grist-mill, in the southeastern part of the town, on Lewis Creek, has been running for eight or ten years very successfully, op- erating one run of stones, and sawing about 200,000 feet of lumber per annum. Mr. Scott also has a butter-tub factory in connection with his mill.
H. D. Alexander's vineyard and fruit farm, located on a pleasant slope a little west of the center of the town, has in bearing condition several thousand choice vines, embracing most of the valuable varieties, and a large quantity of fine raspberry and strawberry plants. His fruit grounds cover an area of more than eight acres, enclosed by a beautiful hedge of arborvitæ.
There are three stores in town - one at the Center, conducted by Swain & Williams. This partnership was formed in the spring of 1885, though Mr. Swain has been in the mercantile business in town since 1875. They now carry a stock worth about $7.000. The store which they occupy was used for mercantile purposes during the war, by E. Alexander, who kept this store and one at each of the other villages. S. E. Russell, who now has a store at Char- lotte village and at Baptist Four Corners, came to this town from Burlington in 1878, and succeeded J. W. Swain in the occupation of the brick store at Char- lotte. He carries a stock of about $6,000 at this place. This building was erected more than thirty years ago by Dr. Luther Stone, and was first occupied as a store by Ammi Stone and William Wright. Mr. Russell also opened a store at Baptist Four Corners in the spring of 1883, succeeding George A. Foote. His stock in that store is valued at about $2,500. J. R. Taggart con- ducts Mr. Russell's business at this place.
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TOWN OF CHARLOTTE.
Post-office .- Until about ten years ago there were but two offices in town, one at the Center, known as Charlotte, and the other at the station, called West Charlotte. The office at the Center was then removed to Baptist Four Cor- ners and given the name of East Charlotte, while the office at the station was changed in name to Charlotte. It is not known exactly when a post-office was first established in town, but it was certainly before the beginning of the pres- ent century. The first postmaster that can be remembered was W. Barnes, who received the appointment before 1804. He was probably followed by Hezekiah Barnes, who retained the office until about 1825. His successors until the establishment of another office have been about as follows: 1826-28, Abel Lovely ; 1829-33, Noble Lovely ; 1834-38, William Noble ; 1839-43, C. B. Martin ; 1844-48, Samuel H. Barnes ; 1849-54, A. H. Lyon ; 1855-59, Caleb E. Barton ; 1860-61, John Quinlan ; 1862-74, E. Alexander. It was during this period that West Charlotte post-office was established. Mr. Alex- ander's successor at the Center was C. C. Torrey, the last postmaster at this place. East Charlotte office was then established, with E. Hosford as the first incumbent. In 1879 he was succeeded by J. S. Shaw, who retained the position until January 20, 1886, when Anna J. Quinlan was appointed. J. R. Taggart acts as her assistant. The first postmaster at West Charlotte after Mr. Alex- ander was L. R. Hubbell, who was followed in the fall of 1875 by Mrs. Nancy Pope. She still holds the office under the name of Mrs. Nancy C. Bush.
Present Professional Men .- There is no lawyer now in Charlotte. The only physician, Dr. W. H. H. Varney, at East Charlotte, was born in this town on the 2 Ist of August, 1839. He attended lectures for a time at the medical de- partment of the University of Vermont, and was graduated from the Berk- shire Medical College, Litchfield county, Mass., in November, 1862. On the 3d of the next month he began to practice in East Charlotte. On the 3d of March, 1863, he married Augusta C. Ball, of Charlotte, but a native of Ferris- burgh. They have had four children, of whom three, Minnette, aged twenty- two years, Anna E., aged fourteen years, and May P., aged seven years, are now living. Dr. Varney is the son of Alpheus and Phila (Palmer) Varney. His father came to Charlotte about 1810, and lived here until 1874, when he died at the age of seventy-five years.
Present Officers of Charlotte .- Following is a list of the town officers of Charlotte, elected at the March meeting for 1886: W. W. Higbee, town clerk ; Solomon A. Williams, O. P. Read, O. E. Stone, selectmen ; Carlisle Lewis, treasurer ; Ira B. Wicker, constable and collector ; John Quinlan, overseer of the poor ; George D. Jackman, B. F. Smith, George A. Foote, listers ; J. P. Kehoe, E. S. Pease, Dr. W. H. H. Varney, auditors ; John H. Thorp, trustee of public money ; W. H. Dodge, Frank B. Smith, George A. Clark, fence viewers ; J. S. Shaw, H. W. Prindle, grand jurors ; E. H. Converse, inspector of leather ; W. C. Scott, inspector of wood and shingles ; John H. Thorp,
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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
superintendent of Thompson's Point ; Dean Hosford, town agent; and Dr. W. H. H. Varney, superintendent of schools.
Educational .- In 1791 the town was divided into nine school districts. As the population increased it became necessary to enlarge the number of dis- tricts, and by 1816 we find the town divided into eleven districts, the total num- ber of pupils attending school at that time being 717. In 1825 the number of attending pupils had diminished to 585, of whom six were " set off " to the schools in Shelburne. Charlotte Female Seminary commenced May 1, 1835, although the edifice was not built until the following year. Its principal founder was Dr. Luther Stone. In 1840 it was transferred to the Methodist Episcopal Society. After a successful career of a few years it yielded to the pressure of its unfavorable location. A select school has, however, been kept in it nearly every year since the seminary was discontinued.
The residents of Baptist Four Corners erected a neat little lyceum hall in 1869, and have maintained a society for the purpose of mutual drilling in de- bates, and for the better attainment of literary culture, etc.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
One of the first duties of the pioneers in the settlement of Charlotte was the preparation of a place where they could meet together for public worship. On the 17th of March, 1787, Charles Grant, Daniel Hosford, Ebenezer Hovey, Asa Barnes, Isaac Coggswell, and David Hubbell were chosen a committee to " set a stake for the meeting-house," and were empowered to purchase five acres of land for the site thereof. Nothing more was effected, however, for several years, though on the 15th of July, 1789, the town voted to hire Rev. M. Reed to preach the Gospel until the following September Ist. On the 17th of April, 1791, it was voted that the town would not then build the meeting- house, though preparations were begun, and the boards were ordered to be de- livered " at or near the sign-post."
The first church organized in town was the Congregational, which dates its organization to the 3d of January, 1792, at which time it consisted of four members, John Hill, Moses Yale, Daniel Horsford, jr., and Joseph Simonds. Daniel Horsford, jr., was the first clerk. Rev. D. O. Gillett was the first pastor, and remained until 1799, when he was dismissed and soon after deposed from the ministry. During his ministry a good degree of religious prosperity was enjoyed, and there were numerous accessions to the church.
From this time, for about eight years, the church was destitute of a pastor and dwindled in numbers, so that at the opening of the year 1807 it was re- duced to eleven members. During this year a revival of religion was enjoyed, and forty were united with the church. Late in this year Truman Baldwin was installed pastor and continued in that office until March 21, 1815, when he was dismissed. In 1816 Rev. Dr. Austin, president of the Vermont Uni-
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TOWN OF CHARLOTTE.
versity, supplied the pulpit. During the two and one-half years in which there was no settled pastor, fifty-four persons were received into the church. On the 15th of October, 1817, Rev. Calvin Yale was ordained pastor, and was dismissed March 5, 1833. During the winter of 1833-34 Rev. F. B. Reed was with the church, as stated supply.
Rev. William Eaton was installed pastor September 25, 1834, and dis- missed January 12, 1837.
Rev. E. W. Goodman was installed pastor July 12, 1837, and dismissed October 15, 1845.
Rev. Joel S. Bingham was ordained and installed pastor October 21, 1846, and dismissed November 18, 1851.
Rev. C. M. Seaton supplied the church from December 21, 1851, to July 6, 1854, at which time he was installed pastor and so continued until January 29, 1868, when he was dismissed.
Rev. Charles W. Clark was 'acting pastor from early in the year 1869 until 1871. During this time there were numerous accessions to the church.
Rev. C. C. Torrey was installed pastor September 7, 1871, and continued in that relation until September, 1878.
Rev. H. B. Putnam became acting pastor on the first Sunday in May, 1879. The present pastor, Rev. A. W. Wild, succeeded Mr. Putnam in July, 1882.
The first church edifice was a wooden structure erected in 1798, which gave place to the present brick building in 1848. It will accommodate 350 persons. The present membership of the church is 156, and the average at- tendance at Sabbath-school is about eighty. The present officers of the church are Henry McNeil and Joseph S. Shaw, deacons; Henry W. Prindle, clerk; W. W. Higbee, chorister of the choir; and the pastor, superintendent of the Sabbath-school.
Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first Methodist society in Western Ver- mont was formed in 1798. Probably the Methodist itinerants, Lorenzo Dow and Joseph Mitchell, commenced preaching in Charlotte the same year. No society, however, was formed for several years. Major Jonathan Breckenridge was the first resident Methodist, and for half a century was a main pillar in the church. He was converted in the summer of 1801, and the same year or the next the first society was formed by Rev. Ebenezer Washburne, of which Major Breckenridge was appointed leader. The first members were Major Breckenridge and his wife, Joseph Simonds and his wife, and Mrs. Marble. Charlotte then belonged to Vergennes circuit, embracing the north half of Ad- dison county and the south half of Chittenden. In 1808 its name was changed from Vergennes to Charlotte circuit. In 1827 Charlotte with Shelburne and North Ferrisburgh became a separate circuit. Since 1838 Charlotte has been a station, and unfortunately the Methodist churches in Charlotte and the adja- cent towns are so located that nearly half the Methodists living in Charlotte belong to churches in other towns.
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