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 63
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 63
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666
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
F. J. Hazen, D. B. Town, and Charles B. Russell were elected select- men March 3, 1885, and two days later they were petitioned by G. H. Hawrican, Spellman Hazen, Winchester Hazen, Jabez Hazen, E. F. Little, R. R. Hathaway, and Edgarton G. Hazen to call a special meet- ing of the town to take further action upon the matter in compliance with the acts of the legislature. A meeting was called for March 19, at which time it was decided to bond the town in the sum of $16,000 bonds bearing five per cent. interest annually, and $1,000 payable on the first day of April, 1890, and a like sum payable April Ist of each succeeding year until the whole should be paid. The contract for building the bridge was let May 12, 1885. to R. F. Hawkins, of Springfield, Mass., for the sum of $45,500. This sum, increased by contingent expenses and the cost of engineering, amounted to $47,500, one-half of which was paid by the state. The North Hero bonds, and what was contributed by other towns and individual subscriptions, constituted the remaining half of the expense. The structure consists of four fixed spans of iron bridge, one draw span giving two passages for boats, and several rods of " fill- ing " as approaches. The whole was completed and opened for travel on Thursday, October 28, 1886. The plan of construction called for 475 linear feet of stone approach on the east side, 350 feet of the same upon the west side, 850 linear feet of iron bridge, with a draw span of 196 feet, supported on piers of cut stone masonry built upon large cribs. The building of these cribs consumed over 2,000,000 feet of timber, 12 X 12 and 30 to 48 feet in length. The largest crib is 37 feet high 30 feet wide, and 50 feet long, firmly fastened with cross timbers every six feet. The cribs are filled with 9,000 yards of Isle La Motte stone.
The celebration upon the opening day was a time of rejoicing. For a century the channel had been crossed with inconvenience and fre- quently with danger, and now that it was securely spanned North Hero met her proudest day. Governor Ormsbee and the other state officials with ladies were present on the occasion. The legislature came en masse. All the heroes were there. So were their friends and relations. The place was at the bridge, and the weather was fine. Giles H. Haw- rican, as master of ceremonies, introduced Hon. Jed P. Ladd, who spoke in fitting words of welcome. State officials and others followed, one after another, with congratulations and good wishes. All rejoiced and,
667
TOWN OF NORTH HERO.
rejoicing, hungered. David Dodd's ox was expected to be there, but there were no facilities for the roasting. The good ladies of North Hero were there prepared. They fed the multitude and had provisions left. So closed October 28, 1886.
March 4, 1793, Nathan Hutchins, jr., John Martin, Elijah Knowlton, and Enos Wood were chosen to divide the town into school districts. The first school was taught in John Knight's barn by Lois Hazen. A frame building was erected for school purposes about 1803. There are four districts in the town, each having a good school-house, in which there has generally been maintained a successful school. They are known as the North End, South End, Jerusalem, and City Schools. The islands east of the main island at one time constituted a school dis- trict, but they were subsequently annexed to the other districts. The town has a school lot, the rent of which is apportioned, with other moneys, among the several districts. The teachers employed during a part or all of the year 1890 were Amelia McBride, Carrie Town, Win- nie Dodds, Viola Robinson, Joel Allen, Bertha A. Hazen, Emma Dodds, Josie Lewis, and James Tassie.
Utica slate, with some modifications, constitutes mainly the geologi- cal formation of the island. The soil consists of clay and loam, and produces good crops of grass, corn, oats, beans, buckwheat, potatoes, and onions. All the hardier varities of fruits are successfully grown.
The majority of the people are engaged in agricultural pursuits. The fine horses reared at the stock farm of R. C. Blanchard, the well- tilled farms of Matthew Dodds and many others, the fruit cultivated by U. H. Hazen and F. J. Hazen, and the thrift and enterprise of Haynes Brothers, as well as the general interest in farming, show that the people are fully up with the times in this leading occupation. "Island City," situated on the east shore of the island, and fronting a picture of nature's rarest beauty, has been the business part of the town since the organiza- tion of Grand Isle county. Here Jedediah P. Ladd built a hotel in 1803. For more than twenty years it supplied a room for courts and was the only jail. At this place was established the printing office from which, in 1833, was issued a semi-religious sheet called the Theological Repository. The court-house was erected in 1825, and within its walls are embraced the court- room, clerk's office, jailer's residence, debtor's-room, and dun-
668
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
geon. R. R. Hathaway and John Tudhope carry on business in general merchandise. H. C. Ladd brings mail from north and south. Here is the town house with church above. The " city " school-house stands con- veniently near. There are also one or two shops and several dwellings.
The first circuit minister sent to this town was in 1802. Meetings were frequently held in such buildings as could be obtained for that purpose, among which was the public house of Jedediah P. Ladd. When the court-house was built in 1825 the town contributed $500 for the privilege of using the court-room for church services. At the early settlement of the town there were two lots of land set apart for gospel
purposes. One was known as the minister's lot and the other as the ministerial lot. The first was to become the property of the first set- tled minister, and the rent of the other to be applied to the payment of the salaries of Protestant ministers. About 1860 Rev. A. Eaton, who claimed to be an Independent Methodist, settled in town and laid claim to the minister's lot. November 18, 1862, there was a Congregational church organized in town, and Rev. Stephen H. Williams was installed and settled as pastor by the unanimous vote of the church and society. Mr. Williams became the legal owner of the lot, which he sold after a few years and removed from town. June 3, 1865, the legal voters of the town agreed to relinquish all right and title to the use of the court- house, for town and church purposes, in consideration of a grant of land "on the south front of the court-house square," upon which to erect a town-house and church. February 28, 1866, there was an association formed for the purpose of erecting a church over the room to be used for town and school purposes. This was to be a union church, and free for any Protestant Christian society to hold meetings therein. The following persons became members of the association, and also contribu - tors to the enterprise : John Dodds, Joel Allen, Charles B. Russell, James Dodds, K. C. Allen, Charles Hyde, Abner Ladd, Fred Parks, James McBride, Jerome Hutchins, A. K. Hibbard, David Dodds, Asahel Allen, Mrs. E. Haynes, John Knight, Mrs. Guy Knight, Augustus Knight, Uriah Hazen, Giles H. Hawrican, Heman W. Allen, and R. C. Blanchard. Joel Allen was chosen president of the association ; Charles B. Russell, treasurer; John Dodds, Joel Allen, and Charles B. Russell, building committee. The building was erected in 1866, and the lower
669
TOWN OF NORTH HERO.
part or town-house was used for religious meetings until 1872, when the inner part of the church was finished, and since used mainly by the Methodist Episcopal church and society. Probably the deepest and most thorough religious awakening which this church has had was un- der the Rev. W. H. Hyde, in the fall of 1890, when about fifty persons professed conversion.
The people of North Hero have always been true and loyal to their country. Joseph Hazen as captain led a volunteer company from this town to participate in the battle of Plattsburgh, September II, 1814. The greatest excitement prevailed among those who remained upon the island, as they resorted to the south part of the town to witness the action of the British fleet as it passed up the lake to the attack. A brief extract from the town records of December 14, 1863, will suffice to show the attitude of her townsmen in the war of the Rebellion :
" Resolved, that the Selectmen of the town of North Hero be, and they are, hereby authorized to pay a bounty, not exceeding $300, to each volunteer who shall be mustered into the United States service before January 6, 1864, and applied on the quota of this town, to be raised under the last call of the President of the United States for vol- unteers.
" Resolved, that a tax of one hundred and forty-five cents on the dollar of the Grand List of this town is hereby assessed to be collected and paid into the town treasury for the purpose aforesaid, on or before the first day of February, 1864."
Town Clerks .- The town clerks of this town have held office as follows : Nathan Hutchins, 1799-1828; Joel Allen, 1828-46; William H. Rus- sell, 1846-47 ; John W. Brown, 1848; Abner Ladd, 1849-50; Jed P. Ladd, 1851-55 ; Fred Parks, 1855 ; Ransom L. Clark, 1856-57 ; Charles B. Russell, 1858-65 ; H. C. Mooney, 1865 ; Charles Hyde, 1866-71 ; J. M. Hawrican, 1871-76; Charles B. Russell, 1876-87; John Tud- hope, 1887-91.
Representatives .- The following are the names of persons who repre- sented this town in the legislature of the state in the years affixed to their names : 1791, Nathan Hutchins, jr., and at other times for six or seven years ; 1792, Enos Wood ; 1801-02, Stephen Kinsley; Nathan Hutchins, about nine years; for several years no record is obtainable; 1833, Augus-
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
tus Knight; 1834, Benjamin Butler; 1836, Elijah Haynes; 1837, Benjamin Butler ; 1838-39, Horace Wadsworth; 1841-42, P. L. Hazen ; 1843- 44, John Martin ; 1845, John Hazen; 1846-47, William Wilsey; 1848, David Harvey ; 1849-50, Asa Mooney ; 1851-52, Jabez Hazen ; 1853- 54, Jesse Hazen ; 1855-56, A. K. Hibbard ; 1857-58, Reuben Hyde ; 1860, Joseph Hutchins; 1861-62, Hiram Allen; for three years no record found; 1866, Dexter B. Town; 1867, Addison Hazen. Bien- nial sessions : 1868-69, Fred Parks; 1870-71, A. B. Hazen; 1872-73, Charles B. Russell; 1874-75, Jerome Hutchins; 1876-77, Orris P. Knight; 1878-79, David Dodds; 1880-81, Holland Fefee; 1882-83, Warren Clark ; 1884-85, Giles H. Hawrican; 1886-87, Charles Hyde; 1888- 89, R. R. Hathaway ; 1890-91, John Tudhope.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SOUTH HERO.
T HIS beautiful sub-division of Grand Isle county lies the farthest south of any of the five towns that comprise the county, and, moreover, it is one of the richest in productions of any of the towns of the state. In at least one material respect South Hero enjoys an advantage not pos- sessed by the other towns of the county except Alburgh, in that it has direct communication with the mainland over the Sand Bar bridge, or, as more commonly spoken, the Sand Bar.
The territory of the island of which South Hero forms a part became known to the enterprising people of Vermont and New England during the period of the early French and Revolutionary wars; and after the independence of the state had been declared, and when the governing authorities had recourse to the expedient of granting towns and other tracts of land as a means of creating a revenue for the civil and military conduct of the state, those who knew the true character and value of this island region were not slow to procure charters and grants of its terri- tory for their own use, whether or not they ever contemplated an actual
671
TOWN OF SOUTH HERO.
residence on the granted lands. But long years before Governor Chit- tenden made the grant of the "Two Heroes," long before Benning Went- worth made grants in this northern region as part of the province of New Hampshire, and even as far back as the period of the French do- minion in America, the lands now embraced within the boundaries of South Hero were granted by the king of France to one Monsieur Con- trecouer, which seigniory (for such it was called) included all of the terri- tory now forming South Hero, Grand Isle, and North Hero, and was known to the French as "la Grande Isle." However there is nothing to show that the French ever possessed the island for more than the tem- porary purposes of survey and grant, but it was surveyed under the do- minion referred to in 1732, and mapped and recorded in 1784. But the results of the last French and English war brought the region here un- der the British rule, and the French seigniories were mainly abandoned and nullified.
On the 27th of October, 1779, Governor Chittenden, in pursuance of a resolution of the General Assembly of the state, made a grant of all the lands of what is now Grand Isle county, excepting Isle La Motte and Alburgh, to Gen. Ethan Allen, Col. Samuel Herrick, Maj. Benjamin Wait, and their associates to the number of 363 persons, under the name of the " Two Heroes," and so named and called in honor of the services rendered for the infant state by Ethan and Ira Allen. But the substantial consideration of the grant was the sum of £10,000, or, what is about its United States equivalent, $50,000. For the purpose of receiving the consideration money the Governor and Council constituted a committee, comprising Thomas Chittenden and Ira Allen for that part of the pro- prietors who lived west of the mountains, and Benjamin Wait for those , who resided in the north part of Cumberland county, and Lieutenant- Governor Carpenter and Captain Jesse Burk for those residing in the lower part of Cumberland county. It was also and further provided that a committee should be chosen and have power to erase the name of any grantee who should refuse or neglect to pay his part of the consid- eration, and in his place to insert the name of any person who would agree to pay. This committee comprised Governor Chittenden, Ira Allen, and John Fassett, jr.
The "Two Heroes" remained as originally granted until the 2Ist of October, 1788, when their territory was divided, the north island being
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
called North Hero and the south island named South Hero. But be- fore this division was made, and on the 9th of January, 1783, the Gover- nor and Council passed a resolution providing " that there be six public rights of land reserved in the Two Heroes for the following uses : Three rights or equal shares to be located on the South and three on the North Island, one of which is for the first settled minister of the gospel, one for the support of the social worship of God, and one for the use and support of an English school or schools on each island respectively."
In the year 1798, by an act passed the 7th of November, the island of South Hero was divided and its territory erected into two towns, the south part constituting South Hero and the northern portion being named "Middle Hero." This division made by an east and west line cut the town into halves, or nearly so.
The first settler on the island of South Hero was Ebenezer Allen, in the year 1783. Every past writer of the town history has furnished sub- stantially the same sketch of the life of this pioneer, in view of which it would not become the present work to narrate at length that which has already grown old from frequent repetition ; therefore it is sufficient to relate here only that Allen came to the island by raft on the 25th of August of the year stated, having with him the frame for his house and lumber for other buildings, of which he had made a raft before leaving Shelburne Point, and on which he took his family. His landing was made on the south end of the island. He kept a public house and a ferry while living here. About 1800 Mr. Allen moved to Burlington, and died there March 26, 1806, aged sixty-three years. He was bur- ied with Masonic honors. While Ebenezer Allen resided on the island he would relate to his guests (pointing toward Essex Landing, N. Y.): " With about the same number [forty] of Green Mountain Boys I captured about fifty of the rear guard of the British army on their retreat to Can- ada; also their boats, horses, cows, goats, and I suppose all the equip- age of Old Ti and Crown Point." It was done, he said, by a ruse repre- senting the woods to be filled with Herrick's Rangers, which struck with terror all the British troops.
And this same Ebenezer Allen is credited with having emancipated the first slave person ever known to have been in Vermont, although within the meaning of the constitution slavery could not in fact exist.
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TOWN OF SOUTH HERO.
The records and archives of the state show that Ebenezer Allen with his men took from the British a number of prisoners, among them one colored woman; but the event is best narrated in the report of Allen himself, of which the following is a copy :
" HEADQUARTERS POLLET, 28th November, 1777. " To whom it may Concern :
"Know ye Whereas Dinah Mattis, a negro woman with nancy her Child of two months old, was taken Prisoner on Lake Champlain, with the Brit- ish Troops Some where near Col. Gillimer's Patten the Twelfth day of Instant November, by a Scout under my Command, and according to a Resolve Past by the Honnorable Continental Congress that all Prisses belong to the Captivators thereof-therefore She and her Child became the just Property of the Captivators thereof-I being Conscihentious that it is not Right in the Sight of god to keep Slaves-I therefore ob- taining leave of the Detachment under my Command to give her and her child their freedom, I do therefore give the said Dinah mattis and Nancey her Child there freedom to pass and Repass any where through the United States of America with her Behaving as Becometh, and to Trade and to Traffick for her Self and Child as tho' She was Born free without being Molested by any Person or Persons.
"EBENEZ'R ALLEN, Capt."
When Captain Allen came to the island to reside he was accompanied by Enos Wood, who settled on the north island, and Alexander Gordon, who located in the north part of this town. Another of the early set- tlers of the Lower Hero was Stephen Pearl, who like Allen had seen serv- ice during the Revolutionary period, and afterwards became one of the leading citizens of Chittenden county, being at one time sheriff. He was one of the committee to "set the stake" for the center of the town of St. Albans. Colonel Pearl moved to South Hero soon after 1786, and lived there several years, but afterwards moved to Burlington.
Also among the earliest settlers were several who had seen service during the war, their names being, so far as can now be recalled, Daniel Wadsworth, Alpheus Hall, Capt. Thomas Dixon, William Hazen, Isaac Adams, Benjamin Adams, Ephraim Duell, and John Monte, the latter a Frenchman. Other early settlers were Timothy Pearl, Calvin Fletcher, Warren Corbin, Benjamin Landon, Benajah Phelps, Dr. Simeon Clark,
85
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
and Thaddeus Langdon. With such men as Captain Allen and Colonel Pearl living on the island it was not a matter of much difficulty to in- duce others to settle here; in fact the character of the land was such as to offer extraordinary inducements to settlement; and as the town lay to the extreme south end of the island system, near the more thickly pop- ulated districts, and more remote from the scenes of disturbance prevail- ing after the close of the Revolution and prior to and even later than 1800, there was a constant demand for lands on the Lower Hero, much to the satisfaction of the numerous proprietors. So fast indeed was set- tlement and improvement made that by the year 1791 South Hero had a population of 337 and ten years later of 1,289, but of course this in- cludes the total of what is now South Hero and Grand Isle. In 1800 the aggregate of population on the Lower island exceeded the combined population of all the other towns of the county.
Although the town of South Hero had a sufficient number of inhab- itants to warrant its organization earlier than it in fact was done the people there do not appear to have moved in this matter prior to 1789, when on the 10th of March officers were elected as follows : Moderator, Stephen Pearl ; town clerk, Ebenezer Allen; selectmen, Alexander Gordon, Ephraim Duell, William Hazen, Stephen Pearl, and Ebenezer Allen ; first constable and collector, Isaac Adams ; second constable, Reuben Clapp.
But at this time and down to the year 1802 the town of South Hero, and as well that part of the island that is the town of Grand Isle, formed a part of Chittenden county, and was not entirely separated therefrom until the full organization of Grand Isle county in the year 1805. In the measures looking to the erection of the island towns into a separate county the people of South Hero took an active part, and were urged to press their case with increased vigor and zeal on account of the fact that all the island region except this town and Grand Isle, or Middle Hero, as formerly called, was a part of Franklin county, erected in 1792 and organized in 1795. This act of the legislature left the Lower and Middle Heroes a part of Chittenden county, and obliged their people to transact county and court business at Colchester and Burlington, to their great inconvenience ; therefore when the subject of creating a new county for the benefit of the islanders was first agitated the people of
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TOWN OF SOUTH HERO.
South Hero were at once interested in bringing about that end. It was finally accomplished in 1802, after a struggle that continued all of ten years.
During the interesting and exciting period that followed the close of the Revolutionary war the people of South Hero were not seriously affected by the events growing out of the British occupation of Alburgh and other points in the northern region; and when the embargo and non- intercourse laws were passed and enforced there was not the same in- surrectionary sentiment expressed here as in the localities farther north, although the interests here of the people suffered in common with other sections of the county. But during the War of 1812-15 the South Hero was a central point of interest, for the British boats passed close to the shore in their demonstrations against Burlington and Plattsburgh, and when the great battle on both land and lake was fought South Hero was not only a grand point of observation, but was liable at any time to be invaded by the British, and undoubtedly would have been had that en- gagement resulted differently. It is a fact that a good number of the men of this town had a part in that battle, for the town had its organ- ized militia and was within convenient reach of Plattsburgh by way of Cumberland Head, availing themselves of the privileges of D. Wilcox's ferry to that point. But unfortunately there appears not to have been preserved any record to show who were in the service from the town during the war, or who even were in the memorable battle at Platts- burgh.
Prior to the year 1847 the people of South Hero communicated with the mainland by boat and ferry travel, either public or private. As early as 1793 the legislature passed an act establishing a ferry-right between the island and Colchester, and in 1795 another was licensed between the island and the town of Milton. In 1796 David Maxfield was granted the right to maintain a ferry between South Hero and Georgia. November 7, 1798, Benjamin Bell was granted the privilege of a ferry between the island and Cumberland Head, N. Y. In 1805 Richard Mott and Ira Fox sought to have ferry communication be- tween the town and Milton. D. Wilcox's ferry to Cumberland Head was licensed in October, 1807. Wallis Mott and John Mott were appli- cants for ferry rights in November, 1814, and Ira Fox was licensed in 1815 to ferry to Milton.
676
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
The present established means of communication between South Hero and the mainland of the state is the so-called Sand Bar bridge, a company for the building and maintenance of which was chartered on November 11, 1847, with a capital stock of $25,000 in $10 shares. This was a movement for the greatest interest and benefit of the people of South Hero and Grand Isle, for it furnished them direct and ready ac- cess to Milton. The whole island wanted the bridge built, so the people contributed liberally to its construction by taking stock in the company, some men in considerable amounts. The distance across the water is one mile and twenty rods. This part of the bridge was build by Sam- uel Boardman for $18,000. The road through the marsh, a distance of two miles, was built by A. G. Whittemore for $5,500. The entire cost of the structure, houses, and equipments was $24,016.62. While the people of South Hero subscribed liberally to the stock of the company the enterprise has not proved a remunerative investment by way of cash returns, but as a public convenience the bridge is of the greatest advan- tage to the islanders, as their produce is readily carried to Milton for marketing and shipment.
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