USA > Vermont > Grand Isle County > History of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vermont : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers. > Part 31
USA > Vermont > Franklin County > History of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vermont : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers. > Part 31
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In 1842 the number of districts was increased to eighteen, and in 185 1 Jephta Bradley, B. B. Newton, and Jeremiah Clark were chosen a com-
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mittee to re-district the town ; and although this committee made con- siderable changes in the boundaries of the several districts the number was not materially affected, and has not been to the present time, now standing as it did in 1842. Some of them, however, are joint or frac- tional districts, as commonly known. In addition to the regular annual appropriation of public money for schools, which now averages from $4,000 to $5,000, the town has the annual income from the Huntington fund, which amounts to about $265.
Early Militia Organizations .- The laws of the state at an early day, somewhat after the fashion of the present time, provided for the organ- ization of militia in the several towns; but at the time of which we write, during the early years of the present century, and even earlier, those persons who belonged to some regular company had the benefits of an abatement of their poll tax, an advantage not now derived from membership in such organizations. And horses that belonged to cavalry members were likewise exempted, to a certain extent at least. That such organizations existed in St. Albans as early as the year 1800 is evidenced by the fact that the grand list of that year, given on a pre- ceding page, was reduced in the gross sum of $1,710, on account of -seventy-two militia polls and twenty horses of cavalry. But there can- not now be found any record showing who of the people of the town were members of the militia companies of that year. The records for the year 1808, and about that period, show the names of company members with certificates by the commanding officers to the effect that the persons named were members of the respective companies.
The first record to be found furnishes a roll of Captain Clark Hub- bard's company, which was made up as follows : Captain Clark Hubbard, John Nason, William Foot, Timothy W. Osborn, William H. Taylor, N. W. Kingman, Willard Jewell, Ashbel Smith, Jared Secor, James Williams, Abel Wilder, Robert Crawford, Sanford Gadcomb, Russell Fott, Charles Kittle, Potter Conger, Jeremiah Morrill, Samuel Smith, Gardner Smith, Nathan Smith, James Bentley, sr., Moses Folensby, Henry Stonehouse. Each of these persons the commanding officer certified as belonging to "my troop of Cavalry, and are equipped according to law."
It may be that this famous cavalry company was the same that Mr.
-
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
Adams so graphically describes in his most excellent work as being "a troop of horse, the uniform of which was very unique, consisting of yellow cap with gold band and red feather, red flannel jacket, and yellow breeches."
Then following, on June 25th, 1808, the record furnishes a roll of Captain Oliver Day's company, probably infantry, being as follows : Oliver Day, captain; Benjamin Ball and John Bowen, lieutenants; and privates Josiah Colony, Holton Jewell, Abner Eastinan, Urial Smith, Abner Ward, William Warner, William Beals, Trowbridge Brigham, Pierpont Brigham, Thomas Horseman, Ham Brown, Aug. Marsh, Ben- jamin Weeks, Peter Stone, Orange Wells, Ephraim Jewell, jr.
But the largest by far of the local militia companies, and perhaps the most thoroughly organized and equipped, was that known as Captain Christopher Dutcher's command. This had greater numerical strength than both the others, and was, withal, partly uniformed. And Captain Dutcher's company, as the record states, belonged to the First Regiment of the third division of militia of Vermont. It is possible, however, that the companies heretofore named were attached regularly to the state militia, but if so there appears nothing in the record to show it.
The personnel of Captain Dutcher's company was as follows: Captain, Christopher Dutcher ; lieutenant, John Whittemore; ensign, Daniel Benedict ; sergeants, Adonijah Brooks, jr., John Wilder, John Gilman, Ira Bentley ; corporals, Richard Sackett, Nicholas Spoor, John Bell, Herman Hoit; " soldiers," R. West, Richard Beals, Caleb Green, Daniel Clark, John Tucker, Levi Locke, Leman R. Weed, Benjamin Warner, Samuel Greenman, Benjamin Hendricks, Luke Stewart, William Foster, Solomon M. Wealthy, Harrington Brooks, Francis Boardman, Andrew Campbell, Jehial Holdridge, jr., Asa Langworthy, Robert Crawford, Dan L. Buffum, Josiah Brigham, Aaron Austin, John Woodward, Henry Aynesworth, Levi Johnson, Asahel Isham, Shepard Beals, Asa Tarbell, David Markin, Chauncey Dutcher, John Smith, Jonathan Dan- forth, jr., Reuben Tullar, jr., Isaac Spoor, Thomas Gibbs, jr., Erasmus Stratton, Eleazer Brooks, George Markin, Samuel Crippin, Daniel Titus, Philip Goodwin, Moses Fassett, William Thomas, William Leonard, Richard Holyoke, Samuel I. Mott, Aaron Hayward, Nathan Wheeler, Joshua D. Cram.
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Neither of these mentioned military companies are understood as having participated in the second war with Great Britain, but were organized in time of peace in order to be prepared for the possibilities of the unknown future. But they did have long and hard fought battles on the grand old days of "general trainin' " and "muster," and their enemies conquered were mainly of the Yankee gingerbread and sweet cider stamp, but their victories were those of peace.
During the War of 1812-15 .- By the treaty of peace made in 1783, between the representatives of the United States of America and the British government, the independence of the former was reluctantly acknowledged by the latter, but from that time forward until the countries again had recourse to arms the government of Great Britain never lost an opportunity of perpetrating some act of oppression, or offering some indignity or ungenerous action as an insult to the Ameri- can people and their authorities ; and at last these affronts were indulged in to such a degree that the home government was compelled to take cognizance of and concerning them. The events of that period are sufficiently detailed in an earlier chapter of this work, and all that need be said here is a mere reference to them. It became a necessary action on the part of our Federal government to lay an embargo upon foreign vessels in American ports, and prior thereto to put into operation what was called the " non-intercourse " act, prohibiting the entry of foreign productions into the states, and providing for the maintenance of such affairs of the government service and armed troops as were necessary to the carrying out of the provisions of the act.
In St. Albans, the same as in many other towns in the region, this act became operative at a time when the people were in a peculiarly distressed condition, and the strictures it laid upon importations added materially to their embarrassment. They were accustomed to trade and barter with the people across the border, and the denial to them of this privilege was indeed a hardship ; and, as a result of the situation, the only relief offered to their condition was to resort to secret trans- portation of goods and merchandise across the line, or, in other words, to smuggle wares into the locality. This led to what has been con- veniently termed the " Embargo" war, commencing with the year 1807, and continuing-well, it has always continued to a greater or less extent.
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
That smuggling was indulged in to a considerable extent by numbers of dwellers in St. Albans cannot be denied by any reasonable person. Collisions between the officers of the government and the violators of the law were frequent, but serious results were fortunately rare. On the 3d of November, 1811, the officers were in pursuit of a young man of the town, Harrington Brooks, and in order to prevent his escape he was shot and killed. Young Brooks was attempting to smuggle into the town a boat-load of salt. Two years later, during the progress of the war, another officer shot and killed one Silas Gates, but this occurred while attempting to effect the arrest of the unfortunate man as a de- serter. Alvah Sabin, he who was afterward a highly respected resident of Georgia, and a somewhat celebrated divine, fired the shot that ended the life of young Gates.
The enforcement of the provisions of the embargo and non-intercourse laws in this town had the effect of alienating the sympathies of many of the people from the cause for which the United States was contend- ing. In fact it appears that a majority of the towns-people were opposed to the policy of our government ; and at a meeting, regularly warned and assembled, they expressed themselves in this manner :
" Holding sacred that provision of the Federal Constitution which guarantees the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances, and considering under the present suffering and fearful situation of our unhappy country that a becoming and respectful exercise of this right is a duty solemnly incum- bent upon all ; and in the opinion of this meeting is calculated to check in some measure at least the further progress of that experimental and temporizing policy which has dried up the resources of individual and national wealth, exhausted the accumulated treasures of the Union ; worse than neglected the commercial, consequently the agricultural, in- terests of the nation, and brought the only surviving republic on earth to the borders of national ruin, to the very confines of foreign war-a war to be waged we know not why, and to be prosecuted we know not how.
"Therefore, Resolved, that the foregoing petition is approbated by the inhabitants of this town; that the same be circulated for their sig- natures; and that the selectmen be requested to sign the same in their official capacity, and transmit it to Congress as soon as may be."
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TOWN OF ST. ALBANS.
These lamentations certainly betrayed strong Federalistic tendencies on the part of at least all who participated in the meeting, but that they were not an expression of the sentiment of the whole town is quite evi- dent; and while the majority of those present may have, and undoubt - edly did, oppose the war they nevertheless made certain preparations for offensive and defensive measures, in that the meeting voted to raise one hundred dollars for the purpose of providing a military magazine for the town, "agreeable to the laws of the state." And subsequently, in October, 1814, the town voted a tax of five mills on the dollar for the purpose of purchasing powder and lead.
Unfortunately there cannot be procured the names of the signers to the petition provided for by the preamble and resolution set forth above, nor is it now known who all of the petitioners were, nor the names of the prime movers of the same. The selectmen, they who were " re- quested to sign the same in their official capacity," were Asa Fuller, John Gates, and Eleazer Brooks; but whether they did affix their offi- cial signatures and transmit the document to Congress is a matter that cannot now be determined-probably they did.
However strong may have been the sentiment of many of the people of the town during this particular period, it cannot be said that the majority of the town were of the same opinion, for such was not the case ; and the fact stands clear, that of its population, considering the peculiar condition of the people, and the affront they had lately received in the enforcement of the non-intercourse laws, no town was more loyal to the cause of America than St. Albans. While existing records show that the contribution of men to the American service numbered nearly 150 reliable tradition furnishes the information that something like fifty or seventy-five more were in some manner identified with the service during the period of the war, but the latter may not have been regularly organized and equipped, as the laws provided, and they may not have been attached to any regular command actually under the orders of su- perior officers.
The first company recruited in the town for service during the War of 1812-15 was that commanded by Captain John Wires, and entered the service on the last day of November, 1813. Captain John Wires was a Cambridge man, but raised his company in St. Albans. The
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
other officers and the privates of this company were as follows : Lieu- tenants, Reuben Salisbury, Elisha Smith, Benjamin Fassett; ensign, Stephen Webb ; sergeants, Levi Beardsley, Benjamin R. Dodge, John W. Drury, Uriah Rogers, Ira Mix, Moses Turner, Alexander Jennings, Gibson Savage ; corporals, Philetus Brookins, William Smedley, Levi Bishop, Zenas Baker, George Carlton ; fife-major, David Goodwin ; drum-major, Reuben Wellman ; fifer, Samuel G. Safford ; privates, Ste- phen Angrum, Joseph Brown, James H. Blackman, John Brown, Eras- tus Brown, Charles Belden, jr., Samuel Brevost, Shubael Bullock, Bradley Bliss, C. A. Buck, Peter Beebe, J. W. Cheeney, George Campbell, S. Campbell, Paul Cook, Caleb Dykeman, Daniel Drake, Charles Davis, Ira Dickinson, Benjamin F. Drake, Erastus B. Ellsworth, John Farnham, Ezra Fisher, Humphrey Gorham, Timothy Glynn, Levi Gregory, Phi- lander Gregory, Noel P. Green, Bridgman Grant, Jonas Hagar, Joseph D. Halbut, William Hodgkins, Daniel Hunt, Seth Hoard, Joseph Hay- ward, Ira Hawley, William Jones, Thomas Johnson, Henry Johnson, Isaac Kellogg, Charles Kellogg, Solomon Kinsley, Benjamin A. Kings- ley, Theodore King, jr., Frederick Laughlin, Moses Mason, Stephen Mosley, Kingsley Mosley, Reuben Merrill, Daniel McCoy, John Nichols, Jeremiah Olmsted, A. Palmer, Samuel Palmer, Abiel Pierce, John Pit- kin, Russell Pitkin, William Pattison, Anthony Phillips, Henry Peck, Daniel Perkins, Daniel Parker, Reuben Peters, John Rumsay, A. Rich- ards, Aaron Reynolds, William Rice, David Shepard, Thomas Shepard, P. H. Snow, Isaiah Smith, William Smith, Levi Simmons, Robert Simp- son, E. Tryon, jr., E. Tucker, A. Thatcher, H. B. Thompson, John Thomas, Harry Tuttle, David S. Whitehead, Paul White, Thomas Wil- cox, S. Wood, John Woodworth, Benjamin Woodworth, Levi Wells, William Walbridge, S. Waterman.
Captain Farnsworth's company was raised and organized in the town during the latter part of August and the early part of September, 1814, and was in the field and participated in the memorable battle at Platts- burgh, on the IIth day of September, of the year named. The events of that engagement are sufficiently narrated in an earlier chapter of this volume, and all that need be said in this connection is to furnish a roll of the men that comprised the company, which was as follows : Captain, Samuel H. Farnsworth; lieutenant, Daniel Dutcher; privates, Pierpont
Fre. Piell.
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TOWN OF ST. ALBANS.
Brigham, J. M. Blaisdell, George Calkins, Jonas Calkins, Ira Church, Francis Davis, Orrin Davis, John Dimon, Moses Dimon, Thomas Dut- ton, Orrin Fisher, William Foster, Sanford Gadcomb, Caleb Green, John Haines, Ora Hall, Festus Hill, Stephen Holmes, Truman Hoyt, Henry Jones, Stephen Lawrence, Asahel Langworthy, Levi Lockwood, Robert Lovell, Josiah Newton, Thomas Pierce, Freeborn Potter, Mosley Potter, Anson D. Prentiss, Thomas P. St. John, Ebenezer Sanderson, Richard Sackett, Jesse Tryon.
The events of the War of 1812-15 continued to be the uppermost topic of conversation among the people of the town for many years after the period of its occurrence, and those who participated in that struggle were ever afterward looked upon as patriots and honored as heroes. Although the war was as wide-spread almost as the country itself, the great interest in this locality was centered on the one event- the battle at Plattsburgh-in which a goodly number from St. Albans had an active part. The roar of the battle was heard in this town, and the principal elevations, Aldis Hill and Bellevue, were points of look- out, from the summits of which many people directed their attention toward the battle-ground, but all they could observe was the cloud of smoke created by the artillery fire and an occasional movement by the armed vessels on the lake. 'T was a great day for Vermont, that event- ful IIth of September, 1814, and when the news of the result reached the town congratulations and rejoicings were indulged in in every quar- ter and by every citizen ; and the volunteers, when they returned, were lionized and applauded for their splendid conduct.
For nearly a quarter of a century after the close of the second war with England the warlike spirit of the town was allowed to slumber, and the entire people gave themselves wholly to the arts of peace ; new farms were cleared and improved, new commercial, mercantile, and man- ufacturing enterprises were established, and an era of prosperity every- where prevailed. At that time, and during that period of twenty and more years, it appeared that St. Albans Bay might become the impor- tant trading point of the town. Here were prominent merchants' stores and dwellings, and here, too, were the commercial interests centered, for nearly all, if not quite all, the heavy consignments of goods and wares were brought into town by boat and landed at the Bay ; and it was not
43
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
until the construction of the railroad that the village became master over the Bay as a center of trade, although in point of population the village was the greater hamlet, and had been for many years.
To show something of the continual and healthful growth of the town from the beginning of the present century down to the year 1890 recourse may be had to the Federal census reports made at the begin- ning of each decade. In 1800 the town had a population of 901 ; in 1810 it had increased to 1,609, but during the next ten years, or until 1820, it had enlarged only to 1,636. In 1830 there were 2,395 inhab- itants, and in 1840 the number was increased to 2,702. During the next ten years the increase was less rapid, the census showing but 2,814 souls, but in 1860 the number went to 3,637. In 1870 this latter num- ber was nearly doubled, the census of that year showing 7,014, and in 1880 the enumeration gave a population of 7,195. The present popu- lation of St. Albans, according to the census for the year 1890, is a total slightly less than 8,000.
The Canadian Rebellion .- The next event of importance that had the effect of disturbing the peace and quiet of the town was that known variously as the Canadian Rebellion, the Patriot war, and the Papineau war; and while none of the scenes of strife were enacted within the limits of the town the period of its continuance was one of excitement on the part of the people hereabouts. The possible results of the re- bellion might have involved the country, and to maintain peace among the people this side of the line, and to prevent any contemplated in- vasion by the Canadian soldiery, it became necessary to call into service on the frontier the militia of the several towns, among them the local organization of St. Albans.
The village of St. Albans also seems to have been made a place of rendezvous, or at least of refuge, by a number of the leading insur- rectionists of that period, and here were matured the plans by which it was hoped by the rebellious French that the English dominion in Can- ada might be overthrown. Naturally enough the French patriots (for so they would have been termed had their plans been carried out) found many sympathizers in this locality, and no doubt exists that they received much substantial aid from friends here as well as elsewhere.
The war, if such it may be called, was of brief duration, and its con-
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tests were not attended with serious and numerous fatalities. The com- mand of the local militia devolved upon General John Nason, every inch a soldier, whose very commanding presence and dignified military bearing had much to do with awing into respectful submission the over- zealous element of the rebellious subjects of Great Britain who might have presumed too much upon the friendship of Americans. This out- break also had the effect of calling into St. Albans two distinguished persons,-Generals Scott and Wool,-but their mostefficient service was performed at General Nason's banquet table. Many and interesting are the tales related concerning the visit of these military heroes, but a re- cital of them here would not be of value.
During the latter part of January and the greater part of February, 1838, the St. Albans company commanded by J. K. Conger rendered service on the northern frontier. The personnel of that company was as follows : Captain, J. K. Conger ; lieutenant, William H. Bell; pri- vates, H. O. Green, O. B. Tuller, A. D. Green, Nelson Isham, Hiram Beals, Silas G. Holyoke, Harry Bascom, M. C. Clark, Chester Bascomb, Henry Green, Luther A. Green, W. Williams, A. S. Mears, Henry Beals, Shepard Burnham, Eben Burnham, Joseph Woodworth, H. A. Green, N. A. Draper, J. G. Clark, Charles Clark, J. D. Dean, Nathan Dean, Otis Barnard, Allen Stiles, George A. Pike, M. White, Lyman Hoit, Jerome B. Lobdell, E. A. Smith, Allen M. Sargent, Lawrence Brainerd, Rodney Whittemore, F. C. Bell, C. R. Deouse, J. C. Curtis, A. H. Fuller, E. F. West, Myron G. Hickok, Seymour Eggleston, Hor- ace D. Hickok.
During the year 1839, from the 6th to the 18th of April, Captain Victor Atwood's Fourth Company of the Eleventh Regiment of Ver- mont militia were on duty along the northern frontier. The members of the company were as follows: Captain, Victor Atwood; lieutenant, H. Ainsworth ; sergeants, J. Reynolds, jr., and E. L. Brooks; corporals, J. S. Brigham and A. W. Brooks; privates, P. Adams, J. McClure, M. Ballou, George Pike, C. Durkee, J. W. Smith, H. B. Foster, A. Green, David Newton, H. Bradford, A. B. Laselle, O. Maynard, B. F. Fuller, A. S. Barton, A. Holdridge, G. E. Daniels, D. McClure, Ralph Laselle, S. Collins, H. S. Eggleston, C. Jewell, B. F. Sias, R. Laselle, C. Gibson, J. H. Brooks, A. Prindle, I. Soule, jr., P. C. Palmer, S. Soule,
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
George Conger, E. Curtis, C. Burton, C. H. Hall, M. Ladd, E. Burnell, Otis Hayward, Calvin Tilton, G. S. Daniels, I. C. Palmer, A. Durkee.
The excitement created by the Papineau war soon passed away, as its attending incidents caused more merriment than otherwise. After it had subsided the subject was soon forgotten, but to this day the older people recall that particular period with feelings of pleasure. To them it was a vacation from the dull monotony of every day life, and the service of the local soldiery on the borders was hardly more severe than the usual muster on the green, at the Bay, or in front of General Nason's famous hostelry. There came no further outbreak that required the arming of troops until the year 1861.
The Town's Poor .- As is the custom throughout the state, each town makes provision for' the support of its people who are unable to care for themselves ; but in St. Albans a course somewhat different from that prevailing in most towns is employed. The records seem to throw no satisfactory light on the procedure by which the indigent poor of the town were supported at a very early period, except that occasional men- tion is made of the fact that the paupers were given in charge of certain persons at a specified sum per week. But when the town had acquired a considerable population there was of course an increased number of poor people, and it became necessary for the authorities to look more carefully to the expense of their keeping. This matter came before the March meeting of 1847, at which time Luther B. Hunt, Cornelius Stil- phen, and Oscar A. Burton were appointed a committee to purchase a farm and erect suitable buildings thereon, to be used as a poor-farm. The result was the purchase, in 1848, of what was known as the Dan- forth farm in Georgia, at a cost of about $2,500, perhaps a little more.
This farm was used by the town for several years, but it appears that the plan of maintaining such an institution outside the limits of the town did not find approval from the people in general, and the question of the sale of the Danforth place was frequently discussed in town meetings, and the result was the final sale and transfer of the Georgia property, under the direction of a special committee, comprising Alfred H. Huntington, William W. Thorp, and Theodore W. Smith. This committee was se- lected at the meeting of June 25, 1855, but the sale was not effected until 1861. The town then joined with the Sheldon Poor-House Asso-
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ciation, using a part of the funds arising from the prior sale for the pur- chase of an interest in the association. Here the poor of the town of St. Albans have ever since been maintained, the annual expense thereof, according to the last report of the overseer, William P. Walker, being as follows : Amount paid for provisions, $449.17; shoes and clothing, $14.62; coal and wood, $164.21 ; physicians and medicines, $366.19; boarding transients, $93.25 ; care of sick, $32.25 ; board and care of sick at hospital, $187.67 ; burials, etc., $433.50; transportation, $48.26; rents for sick, $14; Sheldon poor-house, $771.90 ; services of overseer, $150. This, as may be seen, makes the total expense to the town for the care and support of poor persons the gross sum of $2,725.02.
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