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 50
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 50
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From the time of granting the charter, in June, 1781, until the town was organized by its inhabitants, in 1796, the affairs of its local govern- ment remained in the proprietary. But it appears that the proprietors did not comply with the condition of the grant which required settle- ment to be made within four years after the same could be effected with safety after the close of the war. The war in fact ended in 1781, but it was not until 1783 that the treaty of peace was agreed to and signed, and there was no time after the year 1780 in which settlement could not have been safely made. But in this regard the state was not particular ; the town had been paid for and chartered, and the proprietors were do- ing what they could to induce settlement. They made the survey and plan of the town, and arranged for the division of the lands; moreover, they frequently besought the state authorities for the laying of land taxes, the avails of which were used in cutting roads from this to settled locali- ties, and otherwise preparing the way for future settlement. The sur- veys were completed in 1789, and the lands drawn for, by lot, in three divisions, the first and second being for 100-acre tracts and the third for 140-acre lots. However, it subsequently appeared that the lots were wholly unequal on account of the inaccurate surveys. And not only the proprietors themselves, and the inhabitants in fact of the town after them, interested in the matter of cutting and laying out roads, but the
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TOWN OF BERKSHIRE.
state as well seems to have acted in this matter, for as early as 1797 the subject of constructing a turnpike road from Berkshire to Brandon was agitated and discussed, and soon after that time the state road, as it was called, was laid out. The final action in this matter was taken and the law establishing it passed in November, 1803.
There was neither temporary nor permanent settlement within the town of Berkshire until ten years after the close of the Revolutionary war; therefore there could be no tax upon the inhabitants, either by way of contributions of men or means for that service, as was levied upon some of the towns further south in the state. But after the war was ended, among the early settlers in this town were found several persons who had performed excellent service for the state and country during the period of its continuance. The pioneer of the town, he to whom belongs the honor of having been the first settler, was Job L. Barber, who settled on lands lying on the west bank of the Missisquoi River during the summer of 1792. The pioneer was accompanied by his wife and child, who stayed with him throughout that season; and after he had made a clearing, built a temporary abode, and planted a little tract of land with crops he and his family went to the little settlement in then Huntsburgh, but now Franklin, where they stayed through the winter, returning to Berkshire in the following spring.
During the season of 1792 Job Barber was not entirely alone in the town, for soon after his coming there followed two other pioneers, Daniel Adams and Stephen Royce, but the latter were not accompanied by their families. Adams's pitch of land lay in the west part of the town, about where is the present hamlet of West Berkshire. Stephen Royce settled on land about a mile south of Barber, and on the river. Both made substantial improvements, after which their families were brought to the town, so that the month of April, 1793, witnessed the full settlement in Berkshire of three families, those of the pioneers just named. While each of these men were equally distinguished in con- nection with the early history of the town, and each entitled to honor- able mention as pioneers of an unimproved and comparatively unknown region, the fact remains that of the twain Stephen Royce was without question the most important personage; not so, however, from the fact that his son became one of the most distinguished men that Vermont
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
ever produced, nor from the fact that one of the representatives of a later generation of the same family has also earned a high place and deserved honors in the state government and in the affairs of the nation. Not on account of the abilities and achievements of his descendants is the name of the pioneer Stephen Royce to be ever honored, but rather on account of his own personal record during the period of uncertainty and doubt which preceded the war for American independence, and the part he took in the affairs of the New Hampshire grants, and as well in the war that soon afterward followed. Stephen Royce came to Tin- mouth, Vt., in 1774, from Cornwall, Conn. He, with Ebenezer Allen, represented that town at the Dorset convention of July 24, 1776, and was one of the signers to the famous document by which the people of the district pledged their lives and fortunes to support the cause for which the colonies were contending. He served during the war, hold- ing a commission as major.
Also in the year 1793 there came to the town other persons who had likewise been prominent in connection with the war. These were Captain Phineas Heath and Captain David Nutting, each of whom brought large families to the locality. About the same time, and possi- bly a year later, Jonathan Carpenter and James Adams added their families to the little community. Following these there came others to make for themselves homes in the new country ; and it must be that this settlement was very rapid, for in 1796 the town had the requisite number of resident freeholders to warrant its organization and the election of town officers. This event occurred on the 7th of March, 1796, and the officers first chosen were these: Town clerk, Captain David Nutting ; selectmen, Stephen Royce, James Adams, and Silas Pollard ; constable, Timothy R. Barker.
In 1800 Berkshire had a population of 172 souls, or, in families, about thirty-five or forty ; but small in point of population as the town was at that time, the people were not without some aspirations in the matter of desiring the county buildings to be located in their town. They put in a claim for this acquisition, and re-enforced that claim with the in- fluence of a number of strong men of the locality ; but it was of no avail, and the buildings were located at the present shire town. By 1810 the population of the town had increased to 918, from which time forward
HAZARD P. AUSTIN.
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TOWN OF BERKSHIRE.
there has been shown a gradual increase until 1850, when the maximum number of inhabitants was attained, the census of that year giving a total of 1,955. Since that time, however, there has been shown with each succeeding enumeration a general falling off in population, so that the town at present contains not far from 1,500 inhabitants.
Concerning the old families of Berkshire but little history has been preserved by way of publication, while the traditions held by the later and present generations of their descendants are not reliably accurate. The first settler, Job L. Barber, lived in the town till the time of his death, but his work in life did not bring him a competent fortune to cheer and comfort his later years, and he was compelled to live upon his pension as a soldier of the Revolution. "Captain Heath," says Mr. Royce's narrative, (upon which, by the way, the writer has made bold piracy for recollections of the pioneers,) " died when a little turned of fifty." His daughter became the wife of Jonathan Carpenter, also one of the pioneers, and of that union was born a numerous and thrifty race of descendants. Orson Carpenter was sheriff of the county from 1848 to 1852. Captain Nutting lived till nearly sixty years of age and died of consumption. His son, David R. Nutting, was quite a prominent personage in town, he being a carpenter, bridge builder, and surveyor ; also for a time he was the proprietor of an extensive mill privilege on Pike River. He had a liking for the law, was something of a pettifogger, and had two sons who became lawyers.
Major Stephen Royce, as has been related, came to Tinmouth from Connecticut in 1774. He there married Minerva, the daughter of Eben- ezer Marvin, on December 8, 1785, and continued to reside in Tinmouth until 1791, when the family moved to Franklin, but two years later moved over into Berkshire, on the improvement made by the pioneers during the year preceding. An interesting incident of Major Royce's journey from Franklin to East Berkshire in 1792 will be found in the chapter on Frank- lin. When the family moved over into the town the goods were carried on an ox-sled, the wife riding, but the husband walking and carrying the young child, Stephen, jr., the future governor of Vermont, then about five years old, the entire distance of sixteen miles through an unbroken forest. Of this child the reader will find a personal sketch in one of the preceding chapters of this work-the chapter devoted to the Bench and Bar of the
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
county. In 1799 Major Royce built the first frame house erected in Berkshire, upon which occasion, it is said, all the male population of the town were present. Elihu Marvin Royce, son of Major Stephen, was born in Berkshire, July 19, 1793, being the first white child born in the settlement. He married Sophronia Parker, daughter of Rev. James Parker, by whom he had three children, one of whom became chief judge of the Supreme Court of the state of Vermont, and a biographical sketch of whose life will also be found in the Bench and Bar chapter of this volume. Stephen Royce, the son of Major Stephen, never married ; he died in Berkshire, November 11, 1868. Judge Homer E. Royce, of St. Albans, still owns the old homestead and farm, and it becomes his great pleasure to visit the old place as frequently as possible, for around the old home still cluster a wealth of fond recollections and tender memories.
Elam Jewett was also one of the pioneers of Berkshire, having come to the town from Addison county during the year 1795. In his family were four sons, two of whom came with their parents and the other two a little later. All grew to be enterprising, industrious men, and contrib- uted not a little to the building up of the town.
About the same time there also came four brothers, Hiram, An- drew, Francis, and John B. Rublee, who settled in different parts of the town, and soon were reckoned among the leading men of the commu- nity. They were not only industrious and successful men, but as well men of undoubted worth and integrity of character ; and these traits were inherited by their descendants and handed down from one genera- tion to another, even to the present day. The surname Rublee is still represented in this and other towns of the county, nearly all of whom are descended from the same paternal stock.
About the beginning of the present century there appears to have been a considerable influx of settlers, among whom were the five broth- ers of the prominent family surnamed Stone. The brothers were John, Samuel, Benjamin, George W., and James, the first named of whom set- tled in the west part of the town, while the others took up lands in the Missisquoi Valley or its vicinity. John Stone became familiarly known as Elder Stone, from his connection with the early Baptists' meetings in the town, he not infrequently officiating as minister. In the same pe-
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TOWN OF BERKSHIRE.
riod, or about 1800, Oliver Austin came to Berkshire ; and about the same time also came the family of Deacon William Samson, who settled on the highland northeast from East Berkshire. Soon after his settle- ment there came his two brothers,"Thomas and Jonathan Samson, who settled in the same neighborhood. This family is still represented in the town, and one at least of the present generation of them is promi- nently identified with the manufacturing interests of Berkshire, for ac_ count of which see personal sketches of that town.
The surname Chaffee stands for pioneership in Berkshire, the first set- tler of the name having been Comfort Chaffee, who came from Claren- don, Vt., in 1803 or '04 and settled in the northwest part of the town. The town now has a number of the descendants of this pioneer, there being among them some of the foremost men of the locality, both in this and the adjoining town of Enosburgh.
John Lewis was another of the pioneers of Berkshire, having come from New Haven, Conn., about or soon after the year 1800, and located near the center of the town. He, too, left descendants, some of whom have become numbered among the leading business men of the county. The pioneer himself achieved honor through his service during the War of 1812-15, he having been in the battle of Plattsburgh. Josiah Wheeler, Theopolis Bond, and John Gaines also came to the town about the year 1800. Robert Anderson, the pioneer of a thrifty family of descendants, came about 1814; Harrison Brown in 1813, William Larrabee, a vet- eran of the Revolution, in 1806, and Silas Stowe in 1819.
Nathan Hamilton was one of the early residents of the town; he settled in the east part and was the local boot and shoemaker, and a successful farmer as well. None of this family surname are now dwellers in the town, but the name is represented by substantial descendants in Rich- ford and in Enosburgh. Also in connection with the early settlers there may be mentioned the name of Abel Johnson, who built the mills at West Berkshire as early as the year 1800; he was also justice of the peace and town representative at an early date. David Brewer and Asa Sykes, brothers-in-law, were in the town at an early day, as was also Mar- tin D. Follett, who became one of the leading men of the county. Chester Weld came to Berkshire in 1800, or earlier, and settled near the center. He was one of the early town clerks, likewise proprietors' clerk
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
and collector of taxes. His wife was a Comings, and her settlement with her husband was the occasion of the coming to the town of her brothers, Samuel and Andrew. From these have sprung the substan- tial families and representatives of the Comings' surname in this and ad- joining towns. Ezekiel Pond, Samuel Todd, John Perley, Dolphus Paul, David Coburn, Augustus Crampton, John M. Woodworth, Pennel Leavens, Robert Noble, Elijah Shaw, Harvey Clark, Aaron Chaplin, Reuben Rounds, and Cromwell Bowen were also early settlers in Berk- shire, and each in his own way and by his descendants helped to build up, populate, and improve the locality, making Berkshire what it many years ago became and to-day is-the foremost of the agricultural towns of Franklin county, and one of the best in the entire state.
From the location of Berkshire, being in the northeastern portion of the county, the people here were not seriously disturbed by the events that retarded settlement in some of the other localities, which troubles were brought about by maintenance of armed British troops on the fron- tier. To be sure this was and is a frontier town, and during the period of its early history the people here had the most friendly relation with those of the province on the north; and when the embargo laws were put into operation and enforced the inhabitants were adversely affected and suffered much of inconvenience, and on occasion did not hesitate to ex- claim emphatically against the action of the state and Federal authori- ties in depriving them of what they believed to be their just rights, and the sending of an armed force of troops. to prevent them from carrying on trade with the province people. And during the period of the War of 1812-15 there existed here the same loyal spirit as was shown by some of the pioneers of the Revolution who afterwards came and settled in the town. During this war, the second against Great Britain, the town had its organized militia ; and it had, too, that branch of the body of state troops which were known everywhere by the undignified name of "flood-wood," being so called from the fact that they were not fully uniformed, armed, and equipped. The great event in the region of Northern Vermont during this war was the battle of Plattsburgh, and in that event there were known to have participated at least six men from this town, whose names have been preserved. These were Captain Elias Babcock, Sergeant Scott McKinney, and privates Amos Chadwick, Samuel White, L. Hapgood, and Daniel Foster.
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TOWN OF BERKSHIRE.
Following the war the town of Berkshire entered upon an era of peace not hitherto enjoyed by its inhabitants during the period of its early his- tory. Every important interest that could add to the prosperity and well being of the people was industriously cultivated and developed, and Berkshire soon became known as the leading agricultural town of Franklin county. In the eastern part the Missisquoi had its course, which stream with but little expenditure might have been made to fur- nish an abundant water-power, but by diverting its waters to manufac- turing uses there would have been created, possibly, an injury to other privileges, both above and below, and therefore no attempt has ever been made in this direction in the town; in fact Berkshire has ever been known to possess such extraordinary natural advantages in character and quality of soil that agricultural pursuits have been sufficient to bring rich returns for the labor of the farmer, without hazard of losing by competition or the multitude of other dangers which are liable to effect manufacturing enterprises.
In the town from the close of the second war with Great Britain there appears not to have occurred any event that disturbed the peace and prosperity of the people until the outbreak of the Rebellion in 1861. In 1837-39, during the period of disturbance occasioned by the abortive attempt on the part of certain adventurous Frenchmen, there appears not to have been any uneasiness in this locality, and there was no inva- sion of the province from this point, hence nothing to excite more than an amused interest in what was transpiring on the border in the towns farther west. And following the war of 1861-65, during the so-called Fenian raid occurrences, the people of this town felt a great interest in what was taking place on the frontier, and particularly in the events in Franklin, where the vagrant "army" was quartered for a night, to which place many Berkshire people then made a visit and enjoyed the pleasure the occasion afforded.
But during the war of 1861-65 the town made its best record, for there were in control of the affairs at that time men of judgment, men of courage and patriotism, who were able to understand the extremities of the period, and thoroughly competent to meet every emergency as it was presented. By the census enumeration of the year 1860 Berkshire was found to contain an aggregate population of 1,890 persons, while in
68
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
1870 the number was found to have fallen to 1,609; therefore it is fair to assume that the number of souls in the town during the last two years of the war could not have exceeded 1,700. Notwithstanding this the town is credited with having furnished a total of 151 men, or nearly nine per cent. of its entire population. Of this aggregate 136 actually entered the service, while the records show that but four were drafted. Four men from the town were killed in action, twenty died of wounds and disease, and sixteen others were discharged for wounds or disability. Sixteen also are charged with desertion, but this may be fully ac- counted for in the fact that many persons came from the Canadian prov- ince into the town to enlist, being tempted and attracted by the liberal bounty offered by the local authorities; and after enlistment and receiv- ing the bounty money they fled beyond the jurisdiction of the civil and military authorities of the state. A preceding chapter of the present vol- ume is devoted to the services of the volunteers from this and the other towns of the county, in which will be found a full record of their deeds, and as well a full roll of the names of those who entered the service.
The town of Berkshire, as at present situated, contains three villages or trading centers, each of which is almost as old as the town itself, so far as occupancy is concerned, and each of which was founded by rea - son of the necessities of the early inhabitants. These are respectively known by the names of Berkshire, in the center of the town; West Berkshire, in the northwest part, and near the Franklin line; and East Berkshire, in the southeast locality of the town, on the Missisquoi River and the railroad bearing the same name.
Berkshire Center or Berkshire, the central village, is the seat of gov- ernment of the town, the town clerk's office being located at the place. The public buildings of the hamlet are the school of old district No. 4 and a church edifice, built originally as a union meeting-house, but now occupied chiefly by the Baptist society. The village itself contains not more than a dozen or fifteen houses, but is a post station, being reached by mail stage running from the railroad in Enosburgh. The village is situated in the center of a rich farming region, and its stores are patron- ized by the people of this particular locality. The business interests here are few, there being but two merchants-W. B. Jolley and S. I. Sweet-and the customary shops that find an abiding place in such lo-
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TOWN OF BERKSHIRE.
calities. The people of the locality who contributed to the building of the meeting-house at the Center were of the Universalist, Baptist, and Methodist denominations, but later years have worked such changes in these societies that two of them have discontinued their gatherings here, leaving the building in the possession of the Baptist society, and under the pastoral charge of Rev. W. G. Scofield.
West Berkshire is a small hamlet situated in the northwest part of the town, a little larger than the Center village, and drawing its trade from Franklin as well as from this town, and a very small patronage from the province. Its institutions are a school and Methodist Episcopal church; it also is the home of Dr. G. S. Goodrich, one of the two physicians of the town of Berkshire. The principal business interests are the mer- cantile stores of John Jolley and W. P. Andrews, and the harness factory of C. R. Elrich. Methodism in Berkshire dates back to the early years of the present century, but the organization of the society at West Berkshire was not completed until about 1845, and the meet- ing-house is of later erection. The early meetings were held wherever was most convenient : in schools, dwellings, and, in suitable seasons, in the open air. The present society found increased strength in the ac- quisition of membership from the Center society. The West Berkshire charge is now in the pastoral care of Rev. W. C. Robinson.
East Berkshire is a clean, pretty little village situated in the south- east part of the town, on the Missisquoi River, and on the line of the Missisquoi Valley Railroad. From the latter the village has derived its greatest importance. Within the limits of the village proper, al- though it has no corporate existence independent of the town, are several stores, two churches, a school, two factories, hotel, and a num- ber of excellent dwelling houses, the homes of some of the most promi- nent men in the county. The merchants are Kiles A. Paul, A. W. Rublee & Son, and H. A. Pond. The manufacturing industries are the horse- power and churn factory of William Samson & Co. and the har- ness factory of Merritt Stone.
Calvary Episcopal Church, of East Berkshire, was organized as a par - ish as early as 1818, at a meeting of church people held at the house of Dr. Titus Samson, but it was not until 1822 that the first church edifice was built. Rev. Jordon Gray is said to have been the first rector, fol-
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES. 1
lowed, in succession, by Revs. Richard Peck, Louis McDonald, Rev. Obear, Rev. Cull, E. H. Sayles, and Moore Bingham, all of whom were connected with the church prior to 1850. The present rector is Rev. J. Tragitt. The church services are now held in the substantial edifice that was built to replace the old wooden structure in 1873.
The East Berkshire Congregational Church owes its organization to the labors of the celebrated Rev. Benjamin Wooster, who was promi- nently associated with the military operations in the region during the period of the War of 1812 ; and otherwise he was closely identified with the work of the church in Northern Vermont. " Parson " Wooster or- ganized the Congregational society here in 1820, while Rev. Phineas Bailey was the first permanent pastor, his services as such commencing about 1822 or 1823. 'Succeeding Mr. Bailey the next pastor was E. W. Kellogg ; the third, Rev. Mr. Birge, then John Gleed, Preston Taylor, Phineas Bailey again, Waters Warren, and Elam J. Comings, the latter a native of Berkshire. The present pastor is Rev. George W. Pierce. The first church edifice of this society was built in 1822, and was occu- pied until 1860, at which time the present house of worship was erected.
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