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 49
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 49
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
520
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
over to the selectmen of the town, who were by vote authorized to re- ceive and invest it, the amount bequeathed, which they at once invested as a permanent fund, on good land securities, at six per cent. semi-an- nual interest.
August 13, 1879, the building was dedicated, having previously been named Brigham Academy. Rev. G. F. Wright,1 formerly pastor of the Congregational church, Bakersfield, and Pres. M. H. Bucham, of the Vermont University, delivered addresses on the occasion. Jacob S. Spalding occupied the chair. August 27th school opened, Frank L. Irish, principal, with 100 students: sixty resident, forty non-resident ; resident students free tuition. The second year of the school Otis S. Johnson was elected principal, and served until his death, in January, 1886. At the beginning of the spring term, 1886, F. E. Parlin, A.M., a graduate of Bates College, Maine, was engaged as principal, and con- tinued in charge until the close of the school year 1890, when he re- signed and Charles H. Morrill, a graduate from Dartmouth College, was elected principal. Mrs. Jacobs's interest in the school continues, and manifests itself in gifts for the benefit of the school by way of books, maps, charts, and apparatus for teaching the sciences.
Bakersfield never was much of a manufacturing town, not having any water-power of any extent. The earliest of manufactured articles was potash salts. There were several of these potash factories in an early day. Making ashes for the potash was one of the principal ways by which the early settlers got any ready money. The first tanning done in town was by Josiah Sheldon, near where Albert Rice now lives, and later at this point there was a starch factory and a wool-carding- mill, and at one time a potash ; later there was a tannery near where E. H. Beals's hotel now stands. In 1829 Chancey Childs erected a tannery on the branch over the hill back of where the North Meeting-house was erected. He afterwards took his brother Marcus in company with him, and did quite a business in tanning leather and manufacturing boots and shoes. The site of this tannery was formerly occupied by a grist- mill built by a Mr. Wheat, and a clothier's fulling-mill built by a Mr. Lowater and
' The Rev. G. F. Wright at the time of the dedication was pastor of the Free Con- gregational church at Andover, Mass. ; at present he is professor in Oberlin College in Ohio.
521
TOWN OF BAKERSFIELD.
afterwards owned by the late William Boutell. About the year 1824 John Saunders and S. B. Hazeltine, who owned a store in company, com- menced to manufacture whisky near where Sylvester Smith's house now stands, at the north end of the village. They also owned a potash situated near their whisky still, and manufactured pearlash. The first grist-mill was owned by Elisha Boyce; it was built in 1794, and stood near where Charles Brown's saw and grist-mill now stands. There was a starch factory on the opposite side of the stream from the mill ; this was owned by Joel Houghton. Brick used to be manufactured in the west part of the town, near the Solon Tupper farm. Lumber is the principal article manufactured at present; there are four saw"-mills in town-two are custom mills, the others ship lumber to market, M. R. Per- kins and William E. Pearsons. The capacity of Mr. Perkins's mill is 600,- 000 feet of dressed lumber a year; Mr. Pearsons's mill is somewhat less.
The early settlers moved into town on ox-sleds, there being no roads. Produce used to be hauled to Boston with teams, and goods and gro- ceries hauled back. In 1814 Moses Start and his brother, George, went to Boston, bought four yoke of oxen, and drew home a load of goods for Austin Fuller, of Enosburgh. When crossing the bridge in the south part of the town the bridge gave way. Moses Start was badly hurt. Some of the goods went over the falls below the bridge, one thing being a hogshead of New England rum, which at that time was considered one of the necessary articles. The town paid Mr. Fuller $286.84 for dam- age on goods, and Captain Start $75 for broken ribs. Later the people did business at St. Albans Bay and Burlington.
January 4, 1869, the town voted to issue its bonds to the amount of $20,000 to aid in building the Lamoille Valley Railroad, provided there was a station within three miles of Bakersfield village. This road crosses the southwestern part of the town, but the station is at East Fairfield.
The first census of Bakersfield was taken in 1800, when the population was 222 ; in 1810 it was 812; in 1820, 945; 1830, 1,087; 1840, 1,258; 1850, 1,523; 1860, 1.451; 1870, 1,403; 1880, 1,248; 1890, 1,163. This shows that the population steadily increased until 1850, when it was the largest; since then it has decreased.
Those who have held the office of town clerk since the town was or- ganized were Stephen Maynard, the first clerk elected at the first town
66
522
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
meeting, 1795, who held the office until 1800; Jonas Brigham, 1800-II; Joseph Barrett, 1811-23 ; Silas B. Hazeltine, 1823-80; Isaac N. Ran- dall, 1880, and now in office. Silas B. Hazeltine served continuously from his first election until his death in 1880, making fifty-seven years. His books are a model for neatness and accuracy.
From the year 1813 to 1817 it was the practice when persons or fam- ilies moved into town, who, it was thought, would be liable to become town charge, to summon them to depart the town by a warrant issued by the selectmen to the constable. It was found that this practice was operating to hinder the settlement of the town, and was discontinued. Those who became town paupers were supported by being boarded in families at the expense of the town. It was the practice at the annual March meeting to bid for boarding individual paupers. It was called setting up the paupers at vendue.
August 29, 1857, the town voted to unite with the towns of Fletcher, Richford, and Montgomery to form a poor-house association. The as - sociation was formed and called the Bakersfield Poor - House Association. The organization purchased a farm in the north part of Bakersfield for a poor-farm.
Town Representatives .- The first representative to the General As- sembly of the state was Jonas Brigham, elected in 1796. In 1797 there was no representative elected. In 1798 Jonas Brigham; 1799, Stephen Maynard ; 1800-06, Jonas Brigham ; 1807-08, Silas Hazeltine ; 1809- 15, Jonas Brigham ; 1816, Samuel Maynard; 1817-20, Joseph Barrett; 1821-23, Silas B. Hazeltine; 1824-26, Thomas Childs; 1827, Silas B. Hazeltine ; 1828-29, Azariah Corse ; 1830, Thomas Childs ; 1831-32, Harry Reynolds; 1833, Silas B. Hazletine; 1834, Thomas Childs ; 1835-36, Azariah Corse; 1837, Silas B. Hazletine; 1838-40, Azariah Corse; 1841, Charles Stone; 1842-43, H. Taylor Brigham ; 1844-46, none ; 1847, Carl Smilie ; 1848, none; 1849, Charles Stone; 1850, none; 1851, Thomas Hooker; 1852-53, none; 1854-55, Stephen Tracey Leonard ; 1856, S. Sumner Brigham ; 1857, Josiah Fay Brig- ham ; 1858, Stephen Tracey Leonard ; 1859-60, Seth Oakes; 1861, Charles G. Start ; 1862, Chancey Childs; 1863-65, William C. Wilson; 1866, Stephen Tracey Leonard ; 1867-68, Deacon James A. Perkins ; 1 869, Josiah Fay Brigham; 1870, Ira F. Dean; since 1870 the legislature
8. 18, 86 agettive.
523
TOWN OF BAKERSFIELD.
has held biennial sessions; 1872, Simeon Gould Start; 1874, Dr. George B. Cutler ; 1876, Josiah Fay Brigham; 1878, Elisha H. Beals; 1880, William Harrison Giddings, M.D .; 1882-86, Herbert F. Brigham, esq .; 1886-90, Deacon John A. Perkins ; 1890, Hon. Henry R. Start, who was elected Speaker of the House and afterwards elected judge of the Supreme Court. Residents of Bakersfield who have served one or more terms in the state Senate are William C. Wilson, 1858-59; Norman Wood, 1864; Henry R. Start, 1880; William Harrison Giddings, 1888.
Bakersfield's Benefactors .- Besides the gifts to the town for a school building, which have been mentioned, there have been other valu- able donations to the town and its churches. Peter Bent Brigham, be- sides leaving $30,000 for the cause of education, also left $10,000, the income of which is to be used in taking care of the cemetery where his parents were buried. This fund has been invested and the income used in accordance with his will. Jesse Knowles Maynard and William B. Shattuck have donated to the town land adjoining the cemetery for the purpose of enlarging it. The original cemetery and common were do- nated to the town by Joseph Baker, esq., the first settler, about 1798. The town voted in 1799 that the selectmen notify the inhabitants to ap - pear on a certain day and clear up and fence the burial-ground. The same vote was also taken in regard to the common at another meeting. In 1870 Ira F. Dean, a native and resident of Bakersfield, gave to the Congregational and Methodist churches $1,000 each to be invested in a permanent fund, called the Dean Fund. In 1878 David Stebbins, of West Brookfield, Mass., donated to the Congregational church a bell at a cost of $300. In 1879 Mrs. S. Jane Brigham Kendall, of Boston, Mass., who had previously given $2,500 for the school building, gave $1,300 to furnish steam heating apparatus for the school building. Mrs. Jacobs gave $590 for putting apparatus for putting out fires into Brigham Academy, and a marble bust of her brother, Peter Bent Brig- ham, which cost $1,000, occupies a spacious niche in the academy hall. She has still further shown her interest for the school and the cause of education by providing for seven scholarships in the Vermont Univer- sity and State Agriculturial College, exclusively for the benefit of grad- uates from Brigham Academy. In 1879 Mrs. jonathan Northrop, of Sheldon, Vt., a native of Bakersfield and a niece of Mr. Brigham, gave
524
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
a tower clock and bell for the school building, the whole costing $800. In 1886 Mrs. Mary Brooks, of Dunham, province of Quebec, presented to the Congregational and Methodist churches each $1,000. Mrs. Brooks was formerly widow of Seneca Paige, who was a native of this town. In 1885 Mrs. Elizabeth Stevens, wife of Dea. H. M. Stevens, of St. Albans, died leaving by will $1,000 to the Congregational church here. Mrs. Stevens was the only daughter of the late Captain Elijah Barnes, of Bakersfield. She passed several years before her mar- riage in the South among the freedmen ; a part of the time she spent in Atlanta, Ga., the remainder in Fisk University. Rev. H. J. Moore left by will his house in Bakersfield for a Methodist parsonage.
Physicians .- The physicians who have practiced in town for any length of time are Ebenezer Williams, Thomas Lassell, Amos Town, Dr. Sikes, Amos Pearsons, O. T. Houghton, Rollin Woodard, Dr. Day, Harvey Woodard, Dr. Perley, William H. Giddings, G. B. Cutler, and G. B. Stevens. Two of these physicians were natives of the town, namely : O. T. Houghton, who practiced here until he gave up business, and Will- iam H. Giddings, who graduated from the Medical Department of the University of Vermont at Burlington in June, 1866. He commenced the practice of his profession here the September following, and is practicing at this time.
The name of Brigham has been a prominent one here since the town was first settled. Jonas Brigham was one of the first three families that came to town. He was the first selectman elected, and the first town rep- resentative to the General Assembly. Cheney Brigham, his son, was the first male child born in Bakersfield. Of the Brighams now living in town Bradley, Nahum, Hollis, and Oakley Brigham are descendants of Jonas Brigham. The descendants of Uriah Brigham, one of the early settlers who resided in town, are Albert G. and Herbert F. Brigham. The late Josiah Fay and Peter Bent Brigham were sons of Uriah Brig- ham. The descendants of Joshua Barnes who live in town and bear the name are Wyatt, Harvey, and Austin Barnes. There are none of the descendants of Joseph Baker now living here. Mrs. Dr. G. B. Cut- ler is the only representative of Jeremiah Pratt residing here. There are no descendants of Stephen Maynard now living in town. Betsey, the daughter of Mr. Maynard, was the first child born in town. The first
Dasiab & Brigham
525
TOWN OF BERKSHIRE.
death in town was Isaac Freeman Farnsworth in 1798. The first mar- riage was that of John Maynard and Elizabeth Knowles in 1799. Jesse Knowles Maynard, now residing in town, was a son by this marriage.
The first hotel kept in the village was by Stephen Maynard where Jesse Dunham now lives. There are now two hotels, E. H. Beals's hotel and the Brigham House. In the early history of the town what was called June trainings of the militia and artillery companies were held. The first militia company was commanded by Captain Wilkinson and the first artillery by Captain Moses Start. S. G. Start, son of Moses Start, was promoted from first lieutenant of the company to the rank of captain, June 2, 1840.
One of the pleasant social features of the town has been the annual gathering of the Start-Perkins families on Thanksgiving day. In April, 1865, S. G. Start was married to Mrs. Betsey Perkins, widow of the late John S. Perkins, of Bakersfield. Mr. Start had six sons. Mrs. Perkins had one son, John A. Perkins, and six daughters. Four of the sons and four of the daughters settled in town. These families have met for the last twenty-five years on Thanksgiving day, with the excep - tion of one year, when on account of sickness there was no gathering of the family. These eight families have alternated in giving a Thanksgiv- ing dinners. The number who meet at these times ranges from thirty - five to fifty. There has been no death in these resident families during the twenty-five years until the death of Mrs. H. R. Start, in July, 1890.
CHAPTER XXVII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BERKSHIRE.
T' 'HE town of Berkshire is situated in the northeasterly part of Frank- lin county, and is one of the northern border towns of the state of Vermont; but unlike the majority of the towns bordering on the province Berkshire has received but comparatively few residents from Canada. And it is a fact that there are as few foreigners now living in
526
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
Berkshire as in any town similarly situated in this state. But this is readily accounted for in the fact that Berkshire ranks first in agricultural importance (comparatively, of course, for there are larger towns) among the several civil divisions of Franklin county, and there has been less inclination on the part of the people of the town, descendants from old families, to sell their lands and migrate to other places, or even to locate in settled communities in the region. The result of this has been to keep farms in the same families, passing from one generation to another, from the time of early settlement to this present ; and each succeeding gen- eration has seemed to be imbued with the same spirit of thrift as char- acterized their ancestors during the period of pioneership. Therefore the prevalence of this spirit of determination has worked to the great advantage of the town, and held within its borders, even to the present day, a class of inhabitants whose watchwords are thrift, enterprise, and progress.
But in at least one other material respect is the town of Berkshire different from many others in the county; and that in the fact that the people wisely determined to free their jurisdiction from indebtedness, and maintain it free and clear. The town, as did many others, bonded for the building and construction of the Missisquoi Railroad, generously aiding in that worthy enterprise, but unlike other towns the people here, under the leadership and advice of good influences, bought up their own bonds and relieved the town of the burden of pay- ing annual interest and the dread of principal to be paid in the future ; and now, when almost every branch of business, trade, and industry are in a depressed and unsatisfactory condition, the people of Berkshire may justly feel rejoiced in having early paid their bonded indebtedness, hav- ing now neither its interest or principal to confront them. This narra- tion may be slightly outside the limits of legitimate history, but the fortunate situation and condition of this town is so marked an exception to generally prevailing rules that it appears worthy of record in these pages.
Berkshire enjoys, furthermore, the blessings, for such they are, of possessing as rich, fertile, and productive lands as can be found in Northern Vermont; and the character of the land surface, too, is as advantageous as any in the county, for there is a noticeable absence of
527
TOWN OF BERKSHIRE.
mountain heights or other like elevations that are unfit for or not sus- ceptible of cultivation and improvement, for either general products of the farm or grazing. Localities are not wanting in which are found an abundance of stones and rocks, but these lots are turned into good use as pasture lands, and the many fine dairies, for which the town is famous, are evidence that the stony regions are not specially objectionable. The town is situated in the midst of a specially rich and valuable agri- cultural region, to the northward there being one of the fertile Canadian townships; on the east the best part of Richford; on the south the equally fertile Enosburgh ; while on the west side are the productive lands of Eastern Franklin.
Berkshire, too, is an exceedingly well watered and well drained town, the principal water course being the Missisquoi River. This stream enters the town about midway its eastern boundary, and flows thence southwest, a devious course, and passes on into Enosburgh, and finally discharges its waters into the lake. The Missisquoi is a stream of some considerable magnitude, and in its course through the town receives the waters of a number of tributaries, the largest of which is Trout River, the latter empty- ing into Missisquoi near the village of East Berkshire. Notwithstanding the fact that there are no falls or rapids in the rivers in the town, they afford abundant opportunities for the diversion of their waters to manufactur- ing uses, but there has been no effort in this direction on the part of local capitalists.
The valley of the Missisquoi in Berkshire is as charming a locality as can be found in Vermont; and while there are no grand hills to lend additional beauty to the scene in the immediate vicinity, back, away from the valley, both to the west and the east, are elevated lands, with some forest growths, and interspersed with fertile fields more delightful to the eye than any prairie view can offer by way of attraction. Be- tween the river valley and the western part of the town is a considerable tract of elevated tableland, and over this broad area is occasionally seen a hill-top which might be dignified with the name of mountain. A continuous range of elevated land extends from the southern-central part of the town to the middle-eastern portion, forming a divide, thus causing the general course of most of the small streams to be either northwest or southeast. In the northern and western portions of the
528
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
town is the outlet from Franklin Pond, or Silver Lake; while in the same region are Pike River and Burleson Pond, both in their way be- ing considerable bodies.
The town of Berkshire was brought into existence by virtue of action of the authorities of the state of Vermont during the year 1780, as the result of an investigation on the part of a select committee, of which Joshua Webb was chairman. In their report the committee recom- mended "that it is our opinion that the General Assembly grant or order to be granted four, five, or six townships of land, if it can be found without danger of lapping on the former grants." This recommenda- tion was made on the 10th of March, 1780; and on the 13th the com- mittee appointed to examine the several. petitions for grants of lands made this report: "That (in our opinion) we have agreeable to our appointment examined the several petitions severally, and find that there is a large tract of vacant and unappropriated land lying and being in the north part of this state, adjoining to the south line of the Province of Quebec, and west of Lake Memphremagog and the Green Mountains, and bounding west on lands heretofore granted by the government of New Hampshire, contiguous to Lake Champlain ; that your committee are of opinion that a part of the said tract, sufficient to make six town- ships of the contents of six miles square each, may, consistent with the interests of this state, be granted by your honors to the following gentle- men, petitioners and company for the several townships hereafter particu - larly named, viz .: To Major William Goodrich, Barzilla Hudson, Charles Dibble, and company, a township of six miles square as laid down in the plan herewith returned, by the name of Berkshire." The other towns granted at the same time, and under the same recommendation, were those now known as Enosburgh, Richford, Montgomery, Jay, and Westfield.
Of the whole number of proprietors of the town, according to the grant, there were sixty, and the grant was made on the following terms and conditions : That each proprietor pay to the treasurer of the state, or a committee hereafter to be appointed, the sum of eight pounds, lawful money, to be made good as it passed current in the year 1774; and each proprietor of the above towns (meaning the six towns above named), his heirs or assigns, shall plant and cultivate five acres of land,
529
TOWN OF BERKSHIRE.
and build a house at least eighteen feet square on the floor, or have one family settled on each respective right or share of land within the term of four years after the circumstances of the war will admit of a settle- ment with safety, on penalty of the forfeiture of each respective right or share of land in said town, and the same to revert to the freemen of this state, to be by their representatives regranted to such persons as shall appear to settle and cultivate the same. And said committee is em- powered to erase the names of such proprietors as shall not appear and pay the money aforesaid, and enter others in their stead. And that five sixty-fifth parts in said town be reserved for public uses of this state, as shall be hereafter described in the charters of incorporation for said towns, as also all pine and oak timber suitable for a navy.
From the tenor of the foregoing conditions the reader will observe that the shares into which the town was divided by the grant numbered sixty-five, while the proprietors were but sixty in number ; and that each proprietor was required to pay into the treasury, or to the com- mittee, the sum of eight pounds lawful money, as the purchase price of the grant and subsequent charter. There being sixty shares, one for each named proprietor, and five reserved rights, the whole amount paid for the town of Berkshire, exclusive of reservations, was the sum of £480, or its present equivalent of $2,400. This was undoubtedly a fair con- sideration for the town at the time in which the grant was made, it be- ing then a vast and uncultivated wilderness of woods and wilds, and with the uncertain results of the war then progressing, but it would be an exceedingly poor fifty-acre farm in Berkshire at this time that would not bring the amount orignally paid for the whole town one hundred years ago. It is quite probable that the proprietors considered they had a "good bargain," for their rights were paid for and the charter executed to them on the 22d of June, 1781.
According to the intention of the grant and the charter, and as laid down on the map or plan of the town heretofore referred to, Berkshire would contain thirty-six square miles, or its equivalent of 23,040 acres; but by an error in making the survey it was found that there was a consid- erable gore of ungranted land, wedge-shaped, but not pointed, between the towns of Berkshire and Richford; which gore was the occasion of much discussion in the town, and frequent action on the part of the state
67
530
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
authorities as well, and the question was not finally disposed of until some time during the month of November, 1802. In October, 1797, Ebenezer Marvin, Stephen Royce, and Stephen Pearl presented a peti- tion to the Governor and Council and legislature, in which they re- quested that the gore be granted for the benefit of the proprietors of Berk- shire, and the matter was the subject of frequent act afterward, and until 1802, when an act was passed establishing the lines of a number of the towns in this region, among them being Berkshire; and further, directing the sale of the gore lying between this town and Richford. Although there appears no record to confirm the statement, it neverthe- less appears to be conceded that this strip ultimately came to this town, for the south line is known to be about seven miles in length, and the north line about six and one-half miles, thus bringing to the town something like 2,000 acres of land in excess of the quantity provided for by the grant and subsequent charter.
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.