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 42
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 42
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83
John Lawrence's Saw-Mill became his by purchase in 1866, having formerly been known as the Reed & Sprague mill, which has already been mentioned in this chapter.
Theodore H. Armstrong's Box Factory is one of the established indus- tries of the village, and is located on the river, just off St. Albans street. The water privilege here was formerly used by E. C. & M. Burt in
445
VILLAGES OF ENOSBURGH.
running a saw-mill. That firm was succeeded by Gladden & Marsh, and by them the mill was changed into a box factory. Marsh sold his interest to Gladden, and the latter, in 1886, to Mr. Armstrong. Under the present management the business done here is planing and match - ing lumber, all kinds of job work, and the manufacture of boxes for the spavin cure works and other patent medicine factories of the village and vicinity.
In addition to the manufacturing industries of the village mention may properly be made of some of the mercantile interests of the place. It is a fact that this branch of business is well represented in the village, but at the same time it does not appear to be overdone. The principal business blocks are those occupied and owned respectively by W. H. Billado and M. P. Perley, each of which is a substantial structure, the former two and the latter three stories in height. These proprietors have extensive stocks of general merchandise. Other substantial mer- chants are Messrs. Archambault, Jones & Co., Burt, Jeffords, Rublee, Burt & Potter, Stetson & Marsh, John Burns, and others well known in the town as men of undoubted worth and integrity. The public health is guarded by five worthy and regularly schooled physicians-Drs. W. R. Hutchinson, A. J. Darrah, F. S. Hutchinson, Achille G. Payment, and Charles R. Draper. The attorney of the village is Counselor Emmet McFeeters.
Church and other Societies .- The recently published Gazetteer of Ver- mont, in recording the history of the several church societies of the town, has devoted much space to that subject; in view of all this it scarcely becomes this chapter to discuss the several societies of that character at any great length, for their history remains the same, with the exception that a new generation of people has replaced that of twenty years ago. The churches and church societies of Enosburgh Falls are four in number, being respectively the Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, and Catholic. The society of the Baptist church was organized in 1830, then having a membership of only twenty-nine persons, but during the next ten years the number was increased to over one hundred. The church building is understood to have been the result of the joint efforts of this and other societies as a union meeting- house, but the others sub- sequently withdrew or sold out their interests, and built for themselves.
446
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
The Baptist church edifice is as substantial as any, perhaps, in the village, being of brick construction. It stands on Main street, in the center of the village.
The Methodist Episcopal Church is an attractively appearing building, of modern style of architecture, but without elaborate ornamentation, and stands on the west side of Church street, in the village. The con- gregation of the Methodist Episcopal church is the largest and finan- cially the strongest of any in the town.
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church was organized October 7, 1869, then having but three communicants in its parish. In 1872 the church edifice was built on Church street. It is a plain but comfortable wooden struct- ure, having a seating capacity for about 100 persons. The present rector of the parish is Rev. Edward S. Stone.
St. John the Baptist Church ( Roman Catholic ) was organized in 1870, although missionary labors of the church in the community dated back of that time. The church stands in the east part of the village.
Lincoln Lodge, No. 78, F. and A. M., was granted a dispensation in the winter of 1867, and chartered June II, 1868. Charter members : Solomon Bradley, Ralph Stebbins, William H. McAllister, J. M. Burt, Michael Hatch, Charles S. McAllister, S. B. Maynard, Alvin House, G. W. Maynard, S. O. Maynard, Eli Noble, George W. Sprague, J. A. Ladd, John Lawrence, C. E. Waller, Samuel Kendall, D. B. Stetson, Solo- mon Stebbins. The present membership is about fifty. Present officers : William H. McAllister, master; Linus Leavens, S.W .; E. H. Hamilton, J. W .; A. H. Manley, secretary ; J. H. Burns, treasurer; Charles Strat- ton, S. D .; W. L. McCarthy, J. D. ; Hiram Leach and T. W. Sprague, stewards.
Lafayette Chapter, No. 4, R. A. M., was chartered June 18, 1828, at East Berkshire, but was moved to Enosburgh Falls in 1868, soon after the organization of the lodge at this place. In a fire that occurred in this village some years ago the records of the chapter were burned. The members, too, have become scattered throughout the country, the society now being able to account for but twenty-two. The present officers are as follows : R. W. Marsh, H. P .; W. H. McAllister, king ; George W. Sprague, scribe; D. B. Stetson, treasurer ; J. H. Burns, secretary ; N. A. Gilbert, C. of H .; Linus Leavens, principal sojourner ;
447
TOWN OF RICHFORD.
A. R. Bell, R. A. C .; George Gibson, M. 3d V .; E. S. Pease, M. 2d V .; W. L. McCarty, M. Ist V .; C. A. Hull, guard.
Pixley Post, No. 102, G. A. R., was chartered in May, 1887, and so named in memory of Lieutenant Charles Pixley, whose remains lie buried in the village cemetery. The post has a membership of about twenty- two persons, and is officered as follows : George A. White, commander ; Richard Smith, S. V. C .; Daniel Burt, J. V. C .; E. B. Larrabee, Q. M .; John E. Chamberlain, adjutant.
In the foregoing chapter the reader's attention may be drawn to the fact that there is but little of eulogy or biography regarding the life and deeds of early residents of the town, when some of them were, per- haps, so prominently associated with town, county, and state affairs as to deserve some special mention ; but as preceding writers of Enosburgh's history have devoted their efforts mainly to that kind of history, the writer in the field to-day feels that further work of that character would be but a repetition of what has already been done, and therefore super- fluous. In view of this a later chapter is devoted to the lives of men of of the present generation : men who are in some manner identified with the present interests of the town, and who are regarded as worthy of having their records and deeds perpetuated.
CHAPTER XXII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF RICHFORD. !
T HE town of Richford lies in the extreme northern part of the state of Vermont, and is one of the border towns of Franklin county, de- scribed in the charter as containing thirty-six square miles. The sur- face of the town is very uneven, yet the greater part is suitable for ag- ricultural and grazing purposes, with a variety of soil well watered and fertile. There are also some variety of rocks, valuable as building ma- terial and for the manufacture of lime. In some parts small deposits of gneiss and slate are found.
' Written by Mrs. J. G. Powell.
448
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
The first settlement made in Richford was in 1795, by Hugh Miller. In the spring of that year Mr. Miller, with his wife, eight children, and three sons-in law, started from Brandon, Vt , whence, by some wilderness route, they found their way to this place. The sons-in-law were Robert Kennedy, Theophilus Hastings, and Benjamin Barnet. They located about one and a half miles from the falls. About one year later others came : Joseph Stanhope and wife, and a Mr. Loveland. Stanhope settled on a flat known at present as Stanhope flat, and Mr. Loveland on a brook southwest of the flat, which still bears his name .
In the spring of the year 1795 these immigrants reached their des- tined homes. Their first care was to construct a shelter for themselves and families. This they did by slashing the trees and covering them with boughs and blankets. They then cleared and burned the smaller trees, and converted the ground between the larger trees into cornfields. There they grew their corn, usually good crops, and as there were no mills accessible for grinding they converted some of the larger trees into mortars for pounding or grinding their corn.
Mrs. Miller, the wife of Hugh Miller, was an extraordinary woman, a woman of rare courage, and possessed great powers of endurance. There being no physician in town she was often called upon to visit the sick and suffering. She traveled much in midwinter on snow-shoes, by marked trees. In summer time she was obliged to cross the river by boats, which, many times in midnight darkness, brought her into great danger. The first sermon preached in town was delivered at her house. It was in the year 1802, by Bishop Hedding, a pioneer of Meth- odism, who, following the trail of the early immigrants, found his way to her home. This good woman survived her husband about ten years, and died in 1820. Her funeral was attended in a barn. She was buried on a hill near her home, beside her husband.
It was not long, however, before other families came from different parts of the state and even outside the state : the Powells from the Massa- chusetts border, the Royces from Tinmouth, and the Carpenters from Rutland. These pioneers made themselves homes in different parts of the state and were seemingly well united, for a time at least, until two distinct parties arose (the result of a political influence exerted by the exciting events of the French Revolution). Party spirit ran high,
449
TOWN OF RICHFORD.
although our government persisted in preserving a position of strict neutrality and of showing due respect to the mother country. Besides, the commerce of the country suffered greatly from the rules and regu- lation instituted by England. As a matter of course the people of Rich- ford, occupying territory bordering on Canada, were subjected to many hardships and dangers.
The earliest settlers of Richford, it seems, were not the original pro- prietors or landowners, but the territory was owned by a company of men, sixty in number, most of them outside of the state, and many of them living in the state of Connecticut. These men, Jonathan Wells, esq., and his associates to the number of sixty, petitioned the legislature of Vermont to grant them this tract of unoccupied land, lying in the northern part of the state, bordering on Canada, " and not heretofore granted." The legislature of Vermont, the Governor and Council, for the purpose of encouraging the settlement of a new plantation, and other valuable considerations, granted their request, "and this tract of land, six miles square, forming a part of the northern boundary of Franklin county, was incorporated into a town by the name of Richford."
Provisions of the Charter .- " Each proprietor of said town, his heirs or assigns, shall plant and cultivate five acres of land, and build a house at least eighteen feet square on the floor, or have one family settled on each right or share of land in said town within the term of four years next after the circumstances of the war will with safety ad- mit of settlement. This on penalty of a forfeiture of said grant or share of land in said town, which shall in all cases revert to the state. These grants, together with five equal shares, to be appropriated to public use, as follows : one share for the use of a seminary or college within the state; one for the use of the Franklin County Grammar School; one for the first settled minister of the Gospel in town ; one share for the support of the ministry ; and one share for the support of a school or schools within said town."
Town Meetings .- The first town meeting was called by Stephen Royce, of Berkshire, in a warning dated March 30, 1799, to be held at the house of Jonathan Janes. Agreeable to call the meeting opened and Stephen Royce was chosen moderator, after which the town was organized by the selection of the following officers: Town clerk, Chester Wells; treas-
57
450
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
urer, Jonathan Janes; selectmen, Jonathan Janes, Daniel Janes, and Robert Kennedy ; constable, Theophilus Hastings.
" Grand List for 1799:
Sixteen Polls, twenty dollars each. $320.00
Twenty-five acres of land improved 61.25
One House. 3.00
Other property 800.00"
These landowners, Jeremiah Wadsworth, Daniel Wadsworth, and Timothy Seymour, and others of Hartford, Conn., appointed as their lawful attorney Jonathan Janes, to vote for, and in their names in all legal meetings to draw lots, make, divide, and partition all lands owned by them in said town of Richford. In witness whereof is affixed their names and seals, the first day of July, 1800. That Jonathan Janes was for a time lawful agent for a majority of the landowners of the town is seen by a statement made by him, recorded on page 12, Book I, of the records of the town of Richford, as follows :
" Be it remembered that for the encouragement of the settlement of the town of Richford, I have this day agreed with Chester Wells (who is now residing in said Richford and owns a number of lots of land in said town) that I will, as agent for a major part of the proprietors of said town, give him a chance to pitch the lots he owns, except those he has already pitched, provided he takes only one lot in a place, and puts a settler on to each lot which he pitches, on any lands that are not al- ready engaged, that I have the care of."
The same year a tax of six dollars on each proprietor's right was voted for the purpose of paying Jonathan Janes for his services, time, and ex- penses in attending to matters concerning suits before the Circuit Courts; also "voted that John Powell be appointed collector to collect the above tax " About this time there was considerable uneasiness felt in regard to land titles, and in regard to the division or size of the lots, as no cor- rect record had been kept. On petition of more than one-sixteenth of the proprietors of the town of Richford a meeting was called to consider the subject of re-division. Agreeable to call fifty-seven proprietors, by themselves or duly authorized agents, met at the house of Jonathan Janes, June 21, 1801, and transacted the following business :
" Voted, That as it is found on examining the lots in said town that
451
TOWN OF RICHFORD.
some lots contain more than double the number of acres that other lots do, which ought to be of equal size ; and as it appears that, by reason of the said mistake, the same lands included in some of the lots surveyed for a first division are also included in the lines of some of the lands surveyed for a second division; and as it also appears by the papers handed over to the person who had heretofore, as it is said, been clerk for said proprietors, that no division has heretofore been legally made of any part of the lands in said town, and if there has been a division pretended to be made there appears no record of the same whereby it can be ascertained where each proprietor's lots are. It is therefore voted that all the former doings of said proprietors, if any have been done, and also of the surveys, be considered void and of no effect, and all the land be considered as common and undivided until a division shall be made, by voting to settlers the lots on which they live, or by drawing for their lots as the law directs.
" JONATHAN JANES, Town Clerk."
At a meeting of the proprietors of the town June 21, 1801, Bradford and John Powell were appointed a committee to lay out, and survey into lots of 105 acres each, three lots to each proprietor's right in said town, and to make an accurate plan and report the same as soon as completed, or at an adjourned meeting June 21, 1802.
" Met June 21, 1802, and report work not completed ; vote to adjourn to 1803 ; met and adjourned until 1806, when the report of the commit- tee was received and accepted." Still the settlers were not quiet; doubts arose in the minds of some in regard to the legality of the doings of the proprietors; whether the meeting of said proprietors was so organized as to make all doings legal and binding. Although the greatest effort was made to quiet settlers in possession of their lands there was still great uneasiness in regard to the titles, and also as to the size of the lots. Thus matters progressed until February, 1822, when the proprie- tors, by themselves or their agents, met at the house of Stephen Blais- dell, and appointed Asa Aldis, Stephen Royce, and John Powell a com- mittee to make a full and complete survey of the town, and a division among the proprietors, either by draft, or by voting to settlers the lots on which they were then located. All of this was thereafter done as re- quired by the proprietors.
452
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
The first freemen's meeting was held on the first Tuesday of Septem- ber, 1799, only eleven votes being polled. The vote was unanimous, however, for the following officers: Governor, Isaac Tichenor; lieutenant- governor, Paul Brigham; treasurer, Samuel Mattocks; representative, Jonathan Janes.
The following is a list of the various town representatives since the organization of the town : Jonathan Janes, 1799-1802 ; no record, 1803; Joseph Parker, 1804; Robert Kennedy, 1805-07; Amherst Wil- loughby, 1808; John Powell, 1809-10; William Rogers, 1811-12; Jo- seph Parker, 1813 ; William Rogers, 1814; Captain John Powell, 1815- 17; Hezekiah Goff, 1818; Captain John Powell, 1819-21; Caleb Royce, 1822; Sterling Parker, 1823-26; Jonathan Carpenter, 1827-29; Rev. William Rogers, 1830; Caleb Royce, 1831; William Rogers, 1832; John Huse, 1833-35; Alden Sears, 1836-37; John Huse, 1838- 39; Nathaniel Sears, 1840; Jay Powell, 1841-42; Josiah Blaisdell, 1843; Alden Sears, 1844; no election in 1845; Harvey D. Farrar, 1846-47 ; Silas P. Carpenter, 1848-49; Caleb Royce, 1850; Calvin P. Dwyer, 1851-52 ; no choice, 1853 ; S. P. Carpenter, 1854; Lucius Goff, 1855-56; Josiah Blaisdell, 1857; Charles Royce, 1858-59; Arvin A. Brown, 1860-61 ; Lorenzo Corliss, 1862-63 ; Orvill Smith, 1864-65 ; William Corliss, 1866-67; Caleb Royce, 1868; William C. Brown, 1869-70; M. W. Rounds, 1872; E. H. Powell, 1874; A. S. Chace, 1876; W. C. Brown, 1878; Alonzo Button, 1880; Richard Smith, 1882; Reuben Combs, 1884; J. S. Dailey, 1886; J. C. Baker, 1888; Henry Heath, 1890.
The first bridge across the Missisquoi was built at the mill-pond just above the dam. The dam referred to was a little above the present one. It was built by Timothy Seymour, of Hartford, Conn., in 1796. He also built a saw-mill (a little later) near where the present mill now stands and put into the mill a run of stones for the purpose of grinding corn. The mill stones were made from native granite.
The first store in town was owned by Amherst Willoughby, and lo- cated near the falls. He also built a distillery near the dam. Daniel Janes built a house on the north side of the river, on the site where William Corliss's house now stands. About this time Samuel Shepherd built a trip-hammer shop on the same side of the river. He built a log house
453
TOWN OF RICHFORD.
where G. N. Goff's house is now located, where afterwards John Dwyer built and lived nearly a half century, and was for many years the only blacksmith in the town. F. Steward built of scantling and boards a small house where now stands the house occupied over a half century by William Goff, one of the early settlers, and now occupied by Ho- mer L. Baker. Nathaniel Rains built a hotel on the corner near the present residence of C. S. Royce, esq. A Mr. Spring built a house near where Hon. Luther Baker lives. Deacon Joshua Smith, Caleb Sanders, and a Mr. Calf built tenements on the same road. Samuel Heath built on a road leading to " Hardwood Hill." Chester Wells and Rev. Will- iam Rogers settled on the road leading to North Berkshire, and Stephen Carpenter near where James Conner now lives, on a farm lying both sides of Canada line, with other settlers on the east side of the branch, on what is now Province street, and some in the south part of the village, now Main street. There were others who came about this time, among them Mr. Brayer, Mr. Ladd, Samuel White, Bradford Janes, Jared Farn- ham, and John French. About this time there was a road opened to the head of the rapids, to what is now known as East Richford. Set- tlers were now coming in quite rapidly, and much of the best land was taken. For awhile everything seemed prosperous, and land brought a good price. But a change came. In the spring of 1804 the high water did great damage to the business interests of the town. It took off the bridge and some of the shops and other buildings about the falls. The depression of business caused thereby, together with the disturbance in regard to land titles, which had previously agitated the settlers, induced many of the early inhabitants to leave the town. Some moved to St. Albans, some to Berkshire, and some even to other states, and across the border line to Canada, leaving the few with their large families to face the trials and hardships of pioneer life as best they could.
At the time our country declared war with Great Britain, 1812, the people of Richford found themselves face to face with their old enemy, although Vermont was not compelled to take up arms in the common cause. John and Bradford Powell were then living at the falls. John was an officer in the customs department, and also kept the only hotel in the place. This served as a rendezvous or barracks for the soldiers then stationed along the line. The company, called militia, who vol-
454
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
unteered to march in defense of the country, went as far as Plattsburgh, the headquarters of the United States forces on the frontier. They were expected to report for duty on arriving at camp. Some of these brave men, however, thought that too severe, and concluded to wait a little to see if they could not get along without them. It seemed they did.
The War of 1812-15, and the cold season following, nearly desolated the town. The few remaining inhabitants were in a starving condition ; corn could not be purchased for less than three dollars per bushel, and flour comparatively high, and, the worst of all, there was no money in circulation and nothing that would bring money or purchase the neces- sary articles of food. There was no alternative for the settlers but to cut down the trees and convert them into salts and potash, the only articles within their reach that would bring money ; meanwhile potatoes and milk supplied the large families with food.
In 1817 the third bridge across the Missisquoi was swept away, and the people were compelled to cross the river in boats until 1818. Hez- ekiah Goff built a bridge and warranted it to stand fifteen years. In the year 1822 the high water again did great damage to the people of Richford. It carried away the saw-mill, the grist-mill, and the cloth works, and also the bridge. This seemed almost a finishing stroke to the people of the town. By it some were nearly ruined. Stephen Blaisdell was one of the principal losers. It was about this time that the settlers of the town called a meeting of the proprietors at the house of Stephen Blaisdell and voted to have the town re-surveyed, which was accordingly done by Joseph Beeman, of Fairfax, as already stated, and matters so arranged as to give good titles and quiet the settlers in possession of their lands. This gave great encouragement to settlers, and it was not long before others came to town. Enoch Carlton, with his son-in-law, Alden Sears, came about this time. Sears built a store and did quite a successful business for a time. He afterwards built a hotel, which is still standing-a portion of the Union House of Richford. In 1837 Mr. Sears built a starch factory on a brook southwest of the Union House, which gave some relief to farmers for awhile, and until the potato rot cut short the supply. Mr. Sears afterwards converted his starch factory into a distillery.
455
TOWN OF RICHFORD.
In 1822 William Goff, of Sheldon, brother of Hezekiah Goff, came to town, and for the sum of $1,000 bought the falls and much of the land surrounding. He put into the saw-mill previously built by Blaisdell a run of stones for grinding. Mr. Goff afterwards built the grist-mill now standing. In making repairs on this mill, in 1884, the following inscription was found on the back side of the bolt: "The first grist- mill built in Richford was built by Colonel Seymour in 1797, burnt up in 1800. The second built in 1803, by Jonathan Janes, and stood until William Goff built another in 1824. William Goff built, in 1837, the
mill now standing. Men worked on this mill : A. Newton, S. Brown, W. Davis, A. Squire, C. Smith, F. Lamb, J. Wells, Jon. J. Combs, R. Lathrop, J. Harvey, A. Carr, and J. Upham."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.