USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Royalton > History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911 > Part 104
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viii. Eli, b. Mar. 16, 1809; d. May 8, 1830, Vt.
ix. Susan, b. Mar. 16, 1812; d. 1844, Chelsea.
x. Julia, b. Dec. 27, 1814; d. May 1, 1832, Lowell, Mass.
RIX FAMILY.
1. DEA. DANIEL [4] RIX (Thomas [3], James [2], Thomas [1]), b. Sep. 24, 1738, Preston, Conn .; d. Mar. 30, 1823, Roy .; m. Oct. 28, 1762, Rebecca Johnson, b. 1739; d. Jan. 21, 1823, Roy .; bur. N. Roy. Cem. See "Earliest Settlers." Mr. Rix assisted in carting materials for Fort Fortitude at Bethel. His first log house below S. Royalton was described some years ago by Rachel Ann Rix in a sketch of the Indian raid. The house contained two large rooms and two bedrooms. The fam- ily made and covered some of their own furniture, and so at- tractive was the house within and without, that a neighbor said, "I declare, Deacon, what knack some of these gals and wimming dew have to bring things round ship shape. Now there's your wife, Deacon, allerz seems to carry a streak of sunshine wher- ever she goes." A woman with a streak of sunshine about her was what often made endurable the privations and trials of pioneer life. The children were probably all born in Preston, except Jerusha. He was elected dea. 1787; resigned in 1815. * i. Susan [5], b. June 30, 1764; m. (1) Heman Durkee, and (2) July 12, 1820, Hezekiah Hutchinson, brother to John Hutchinson, and a widower with six children.
2. ii. Garner [5], b. July 31, 1769.
iii. Joseph Johnson [5], b. Aug. 31, 1770; d. 1867, Memphis, Mich .; m. (1) Feb. 25, 1794, Roy., Cynthia, dau. Thomas and Marcy (House) Bingham, b. Oct. 10, 1767; d. Nov. 21, 1834, Alexander, N. Y .; m. (2) Miss Way .; rem. to Alexander, N. Y., abt. Oct., 1810, when he sold 38 Dutch. His children were born in Royalton except George B. Joseph was one of the boys captured by the Indians, and re- leased at the intercession of Mrs. Handy. Children: (a) Garner Johnson [6], (?), b. Apr. 15, 1795; d. Feb. 25, 1885, Kala-
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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
mazoo, Mich .; m. in Alexander, Laura Durkee, and rem. to Mich., 1839; six ch .; Albert and Daniel live in Mattawan, Mich .; (b) Harry [6], b. Dec. 1, 1797; d. Apr. 10, 1867, Memphis, Mich .; m. Mar. 15, 1825, Eliza Roberts; six ch., four boys; (c) Ira [6], b. Apr. 6, 1800; d. June 16, 1884, Kalamazoo; m. May 19, 1850, Vilata Estelle Moores, b. Dec. 10, 1828; rem. to Mich .; associate judge on the supreme bench for a term of years; (d) Cynthia [6], b. Mar. 28, 1802; m. Earl Kidder, and res. in Alexander; (e) Oel [6], b. Aug. 1, 1804; d. Sep. 8, 1880, Memphis, Mich .; m. May 20, 1836, Lydia Sage, b. Aug. 20, 1814, Shafts- bury; five ch., one, George H. [6], res. in Lawton, Mich .; (f) Lucy Maria [6], b. Aug. 1, 1804; d. Mar. 26, 1870, Silver Creek, N. Y .; m. Dana Spaulding, who d. Feb. 21, 1872; four ch .; one, Albert Henry, res. Chicago, Ill .; (g) George B. [6], b. Jan. 10, 1812, Alexander; m. Aug. 25, 1841, Olive Anna Northrop; six ch .; was high sheriff for Kala- mazoo County, Mich.
iv. Rebecca [5], b. May 10, 1773; m. Rev. Abial Jones.
3. v. Daniel [5], b. Apr. 22, 1775.
4. vi. Elisha Lee [5], b. Mar. 5, 1777.
* vii. Jerusha [5], b. Aug. 23, 1780, Roy .; m. Amos Hutchinson. 2. GARNER [5] RIX, son of Daniel [4], b. July 31, 1769, Preston, Conn., prob .; d. Aug. 28, 1854, Roy .; m. 1790, Bet- sey, dau. Ezekiel and Elizabeth (Bliss) Lyman, b. Nov. 14, 1773, Lebanon, Conn .; d. Nov. 18, 1851, Roy .; both bur. N. Roy. Cem. Garner was one of the original grantees. He was only twelve years old at the time the charter was granted. No explanation is given, why his name was included with other grantees of legal age, but in all probability it was because of his captivity by the Indians. The account of his captivity is found in the "Burn- ing of Royalton." No doubt his whole life was changed by the experience of that time. He was strong in mind and in body. It was his boast to the end of his life that he was never sick a day and never lost a meal of victuals. He was found dead in his bed, and had passed to the other land without suffering the decay of his mental and physical powers. His original holdings of land included 100 acres in 26 L. A., 100 acres in 22 L. A., and 100 acres in 14 T. P. His after division was sold by his father with his own in 1785. When he arrived at manhood he purchased other land, but he settled on 22 L. A., and cleared the farm where Pearl Dewey now lives. He built the saw mill which still stands on the brook. Once every winter his children and grandchildren were invited to come to dinner, and the "In- dian story" was then re-told in his most realistic way, imitating the yell of the savages, and in his excitement he would some- times rise and brandish his cane for the war club and tomahawk. He was once called upon to relate it when a donation was given to Mr. Burnham, principal of the Academy. The story of his Sunday bear is told by his grandson, Daniel G. Wild, Esq., in the Wild Memorial. "One Sunday morning, seeing a big bear in the field where his cattle were, the carnal mind got the better of his religion, and seizing his gun, a relic of the Revolutionary War, he, with his dog, went for the bear. The bear, he said,
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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
suddenly lost his appetite for beef, and made for an old hemlock with the Deacon and the dog in hot pursuit. The bear won out and climbed the tree, but the gun and the Deacon and the dog were too much for him, and his meat replenished the family larder." When his wife at one time broke down with the care of her large household, and doctors failed to help her, he fitted up the old farm wagon with an easy chair and other conveniences for traveling, and with his two work horses drove her down to her old home in Middletown, Conn. They made the trip in eight or ten days each way, and she came home perfectly cured.
i. Ebenezer [6], b. Feb. 29, 1792; d. Apr. 24, 1872, Roy .; m. Sep. 29, 1822, Roy., Rhoda D., dau. Darius and Rachel (Bingham) Dewey, b. July 10, 1791, Roy .; d. Dec. 22, 1847. He seems to have left town for a while after attaining majority, but settled here in 1817. He was a farmer and wheelwright. In the year of his marriage he bought of Daniel Rix, Jr., a part of 26 and 30 L. A., including a dis- tillery and brick house. Ch .: (a) Rachel Ann [7], b. Oct. 17, 1823; d. Oct. 9, 1889, St. Louis, Mo .; m. Nov. 30, 1853, Philip M. Howland of Sandy Hill, N. Y. She grad. from Royalton Academy and Castle- ton Female Sem., and was a woman of superior intellectual attain- ments; ch .: (i) George H. [8], b. Jan. 5, 1855, Roy .; m. Dec. 25, 1901, Isabel Hogan; res. 3937 Kennerly Ave., St. Louis, Mo .; (ii) Susie A. [8], b. Aug. 4, 1857, Brooklyn, N. Y .; m. 1878, John Harmonies De- Graff, b. June 2, 1858, Amsterdam, N. Y .; no ch .; (b) Joseph Blodgett [7], b. Aug. 10, 1825, Roy .; d. 1861, Port Jarvis, N. Y .; m. Emeline Wickham of Greenville, N. Y .; (c) Rhoda Dewey [7], b. Jan. 3, 1827; m. Sep. 8, 1863, Elisha J. Baldwin; res., Springfield, Mo .; two sons, Frank Heron and Eugene Wallace; (d) Martha [7], b. Aug. 15, 1830; d. Sep. 17, 1830; (e) Cornelius [7], b. Jan. 26, 1832; (f) Harriet [7], b. Mar. 3, 1834; d. Dec. 9, 1839.
ii. Rebecca [6], b. Jan. 28, 1794; m. Darius Dewey, Jr.
iii. Levi [6], b. June 1, 1796; d. Sep. 5, 1872, Roy .; m. (1) Lydia M., dau. William and Nancy (Gorham) Matthews of Rochester, b. 1805; d. June 8, 1843; m. (2) May 29, 1850, Roy., Lucy Flynn, dau. Elisha Lee and Betsey (Flynn) Rix, b. Sep. 10, 1812, Roy .; d. Dec. 25, 1863, Roy. See "Medical Profession." Ch .: (a) William Matthews [7], b. 1830; d. Jan. 6, 1892, unm .; (b) Mary Elizabeth [7], b. 1832, Rochester; d. Mar. 18, 1875; m. (1) Daniel Ainsworth, son of and Lucinda (Ainsworth) Guptil, who d .; m. (2) Oct. 10, 1872, Chester Chapman, son Richard Roswell and Nancy (Chapman) Flynn of Bethel; res. Bethel and Haddonsfield, N. J .; ch .: (i) Carl Clifton [8], d. young; (ii) Katherine Leona [8], b. May 17, 1860; m. O. R. Collins of New York; (iii) Carrie Belle [8], m. Herbert E. Flint, and res. Springfield, Mass., 155 Catherine St.
*iv. Lucinda [6], b. May 10, 1798; m. Elisha Wild.
v. Heman [6], b. July 25, 1800; d. Jan. 14, 1892, Lebanon, N. H .; m. Betsey, dau. Barnabas Fay, who d. Apr. 9, 1883, Lebanon. Ch .: (a) George [7], b. Nov. 4, 1829; d. Apr. 1, 1899, Lebanon, N. H .; m. Oct. 16, 1855, Sylvia Maria Walker, b. Apr. 30, 1834; ch .: (i) Chester Lincoln [8], b. May 16, 1861; postmaster in Lebanon for a time; rem. to Worcester, Mass .; two ch .; George became blind; (b) Albert Wins- ton [7], b. Aug. 29, 1831; d. Mar. 7, 1892; m. May 10, 1863, Lizzie A. Ayers [7], b. 1832; d. Oct. 9, 1898, Lebanon; ch .: (i) Mary Louise [8], b. July 8, 1871; (ii) Lizzie [8], b. May 14, 1873; d. young; Al- bert W. was a machinist in Lebanon.
vi. Calvin [6], b. May 29, 1802; d. abt. 1832, unm.
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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
vii. Florinda [6], b. Apr. 13, 1804.
viii. Daniel [6], b. Aug. 4, 1805; d. Feb. 27, 1877, Roy .; m. Florilla E. Stone. Mr. Rix was elected deacon of the First Cong'l Church in 1860, which office he held until his death. He died on Sunday, from the effects of a fall from the scaffold in his barn, after his return from church. He was found unconscious and did not re- gain his senses. He was an honorable and honored citizen of the town. Ch .: (a) Daniel S. [7], b. Mar. 7, 1838; (b) Edwin [7], b. July 27, 1839; (c) Florilla A. [7], b. Dec. 24, 1840; d. Jan. 28, 1873, Roy .; (d) William Stone [7], b. Dec. 14, 1845, Waldoboro, Me .; m. Nov. 27, 1878, Sarah, dau. Capt. Solomon and Olive (Matthews) Taylor; grad. of Dartmouth, 1874; prin. Utica New York Preparatory School, and ruling elder in the church; res., Utica, N. Y .; four ch.
ix. Mary [6], b. Mar. 12, 1809; d. Sep. 12, 1846.
x. Eliza [6], b. May 18, 1815; m. Feb. 11, 1852, Dea. Cyrus Page of Barnard.
xi. Joseph [6], b. Apr. 11 or 23, 1811; d. young.
3. DANIEL [5] RIX, son of Daniel [4], b. Apr. 22, 1775, Preston, Conn .; d. Sep. 1, 1846, Roy .; m. Apr. 8, 1798, Roy., Anna, dau. Curtis Cleveland, b. 1775; d. Feb. 22, 1825, Roy. Soon after coming of age Daniel, Jr., bought a farm in 26 L. A., land that his father owned. He was actively interested in poli- tics, some account of which may be found in Chap. XLII. He bought parts of 30, 17 and 18 L. A., and ran alone or in com- pany with others a saw mill and a grist mill, and a distillery. His energies were directed in various channels. He served as selectman ten years, and represented the town in the legislature in 1815 and 1817. His opinions had weight in the political affairs of county and state.
i. Almira [6], b. Feb. 13, 1799; d. Feb. 3, 1801, Roy.
ii. Jerusha [6], b. June 18, 1801; d. June 19, 1819, Roy.
iii. Marshall [6], b. Jan. 24, 1803; d. Dec. 23, 1891, Sharon; m. Adeline, dau. Aaron Ball of Groton, N. H .; ch .: (a) Jeannette [7], m. James Ireland; died; no ch .; res., Waterloo, Ia .; teacher before her marriage; (b) Gustin Marshall [7], b. Aug. 23, 184-, Roy .; m. Apr. 14, 1870, Hannah M., dau. Frank Brown of Norwich; ch. born in Sharon: (i) Myrtle Azella [8], b. Sep., 1873; (ii) Linwood Marshall [8], b. Dec., 1875; m. and has one ch .; res. in Mass .; (iii) Joseph Carroll [8], b. Mar. 28, 1879; res., Sharon; (iv) Frank Lester [8], b. Sep. 28, 1883; (c) Rosette Adeline [7], b. 1847, Roy .; d. Apr. 30, 1903, Alden, Ia .; m. Apr. 29, 1866, Albert, son Sam. and Julia (Derby) Richardson of Norwich, and had Fred, Mabel, Stella; (d) Betsey Ann [7], m. Thomas Strong; no ch .; (e) Ensign Jubel [7], b. July 5, 1852 (?); m. Abbie Bruce; ch. born in Norfolk, Neb .; (i) Harry Bruce [8], b. Dec. 20, 1890; (ii) Frank Ray [8], b. May 17, 1891; (iii) Mabel Abbie [8], b. Apr. 24, 1897; (f) Levi Daniel [7], b. Oct. 13, 1854, Sharon; m. Sep. 2, 1882, Strafford, Marion Helen, dau. Daniel and Amelia Ann (Tucker) Wallace, b. Sep. 28, 1860, Strafford; ch. born in Sharon; (i) Forest Leland [8], b. Oct. 21, 1883; (ii) John Elmer [8], b. Aug. 11, 1885; (iii) Wesley Donald [8], b. May 30, 1887; (iv) Bessie Amelia [8], b. Aug. 14, 1889; (v) Goldie Idella [8], b. May 30, 1892; (vi) Foster Vernon [8], b. Oct. 15, 1895; (vii) Eugene Harrison, b. June 22, 1903. Levi D. is a farmer in Sharon. iv. Lyman Lewis [6], b. Mar. 14, 1805; d. Mar. 22, 1895, Bethel; m. Mary M. -, who d. Apr. 22, 1883, aged 68 yrs .; ch .:
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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
(a) Daniel M. [7], b. April 11, 1843, Roy .; d. Sep. 6, 1900, Bethel; m. Nov. 19, 1871, Almira, dau. Mark and Abigail Gilson, b. 1851, Gran- ville; ch .: (i) Anna [8], b. 1882; m. Jan. 17, 1903, Glenn W., son Frank V. and Lucy (Whitaker) Gilman, b. 1880, Stockbridge; one son, b. Nov. 15, 1906; (ii) Calvin Leroy [8], b. Oct. 13, 1883, Bethel; (iii) William W. [8], b. June 23, 1895, Bethel. Lyman Lewis lived in Roy. some years then rem. to S. Tunbridge; he sold out there in 1883. He bought a one-half interest in the Broad Brook picking and carding machines in 1835, and in 1847 he sold to Marshall. He grad. from Dartmouth in 1827; a physician.
v. Martha [6], b. Aug. 13, 1807; m. Mar. 15, 1829, Samuel
Hutchins. vi. Philander [6], b. Dec. 22, 1809; d. July 25, 1837.
vii. Celina [6], b. Dec. 21, 1811; m. Nov. 13, 1831, Dr. Enoch Thatcher.
viii. Son, b. June 26, 1814; d. June 27, 1814.
ix. Sarah [6], b. Mar. 25, 1815.
x. Jerusha [6], b. Oct. 29, 1819.
xi. Jennette [6], b. Dec. 4, 1831.
xii. Daniel [6], b. Jan. 31, 1825; d. Mar. 14, 1825; ch. all b. Royalton.
4. ELISHA LEE [5] RIX, son of Daniel, b. Mar. 5, 1777, Preston, Conn .; d. Dec. 9, 1851, Roy .; m. Oct. 26, 1801, Roy., Elizabeth, dau. Richard and Mary (Record) Flynn, b. July 17, 1780; d. May 27, 1846, Roy. Elisha lived on the home farm with his parents, below S. Royalton. This he sold in 1812 to Joseph Lee. He removed to the farm above Roy. village, known as the Rix farm, near the cemetery, where he died. In 1844 he sold the most of the farm to his sons George and William. He held the highest town offices except that of representative. He was a true scion of the old stock, noted for gentle courtesy, upright dealing and intellectual endowment.
i. Almira [6], b. July 26, 1802; d. May 15, 1858, unm. ii. Lewis [6], b. Dec. 10, 1803; d. Oct. 12, 1804; bur. S. Roy. Cem.
iii. Emily [6], b. Jan. 16, 1804; d. Oct. 15, 1861, Wells River; m. July 26, 1827, Abel Underwood, b. Apr. 8, 1799, Bradford; d. Apr. 22, 1879, Wells River; ch .: (a) Elizabeth [7], b. Mar. 31, 1830; m. Benj. B. Clark, and had five ch .; res. St. Johnsbury; (b) George Rix [7], b. Apr. 15, 1832; d. Oct. 10, 1856, Ala., unm .; (c) Emma Rix [7], b. Feb. 13, 1835; d. Oct. 15, 1861; (d) Ellen M. [7], b. May 18, 1841; m. (1) July 15, 1858, William Roscoe Dean, who d. Aug. 13, 1861; m. (2) Apr. 10, 1872, Dr. H. D. Hickok; res. Malone, N. Y .; three ch .: (e) Susan A. [7], b. Sep. 2, 1842; d. Nov. 3, 1896; m. (1) Jan. 25, 1859, George Damon, an officer in the Civil War; m. (2) Mar. 27, 1876, John P. Flanders, who d. Jan. 7, 1894. Abel Underwood grad. from Dartmouth in 1824; U. S. Dist. Att'y, in Vt., 1849-53; judge of Circuit Court, 1854-57.
iv. George [6], b. Dec. 6, 1807; d. Mar., 1891, Keokuk, Ia .; m. (1) Apr. 28, 1840, Eleanor Porter, dau. Calvin and Sarah (Bill- ings) Skinner, who d. soon; m. (2) Jan. 31, 1842, Rebecca Diel, b. Apr. 30, 1822; d. Apr. 30, 1901; ch .: (a) Susan Flynn [7], b. Dec. 13, 1842, Sumterville, Ala .; d. Aug., 1884, Chicago; m. Dec. 6, 1843, Henry M. Collisson, who d. in Chicago the same day as his wife. He was an Englishman, and an Episcopal minister, highly educated. They
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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
had four ch .: (b) Alice Montgomery [7], b. June 6, 1845, Sumterville; m. June 18, 1872, Frederick McKee Stafford, b. Jan. 24, 1842, Tus- caloosa, Ala .; five ch .; res. Keokuk, Ia .; (c) George Frederick Diel [7], b. 1850; d. 1862; (d) George Edward [7], b. June 25, 1853, Gainsville, Ala .; m. Jan. 8, 1878, Mary Cooper Tucker, b. Oct. 17, 1855, Keokuk; member of the firm Stafford and Rix; cashier of the State Central Savings Bank of Keokuk; (e) Rebecca [7], lived but ten days; (f) Harry Spence [7], b. 1858; (g) Frank Underwood [7], b. Aug., 1860; d. Aug., 1861; (h) Charles Daniel [7], b. 1862; d. July, 1873. George rem. to Sumterville, Ala., then to Mobile, where he had a wholesale grocery business. He established the banking house of Rix, Hale & Co., in Keokuk, Ia., in 1857, and also later carried on a wholesale iron business.
v. Charles [6], b. Aug. 16, 1809; d. 1851, Sumterville, Ala., unm.
5. vi. William [6], b. July 10, 1811.
* vii. Lucy Flynn [6], b. Sep. 10, 1812; m. Dr. Levi Rix.
viii. Susan Durkee [6], b. May. 16, 1818; m. June 26, 1844, Oscar C. Hale of Wells River, who d. May 30, 1880, on board steamer "Clinton," on his way home from Minn. He was cashier of Newbury bank for seventeen years, and was mainly instrumental in the arrest of "Bristol Bill," who broke into the bank while Mr. Hale was cashier. He rem. to Keokuk, Ia., and organized the banking Co. of Rix, Hale & Co., with his brother-in-law; treasurer of the city of Keokuk sev- eral years; trustee of Iowa College at Grinnell.
ix. Edward [6], b. Aug. 1, 1820; d. Mar. 6, 1907, Roy .; m. (1) June 28, 1840, Louisa, dau. David W. and Sarah (Eaton) Wells, b. May 18, 1825, Woodstock, N. H .; d. Sep. 26, 1878; m. (2) May 17, 1883, Mrs. Mary T., dau. Ishmael and Huldah Hall (Bemis) Tuxbury, b. May 18, 1821; d. Sep. 26, 1878. She was the wid. of Charles Clapp. No ch. Mr. Rix lived in Royalton village a while, but his last days were spent on the home farm where his father died. He was quite deaf in his old age, but retained his mental powers until shortly be- fore his death, and enjoyed talking of the early days in Royalton.
5. WILLIAM [6] RIX, son of Elisha [5], b. July 10, 1811, Roy .; d. June 27, 1892, Roy .; m. Sep. 11, 1837, Burling- ton, Katherine Fletcher, dau. Thaddeus and Abigail (Wilkins) Kendall of Burlington, b. Jan. 31, 1814, Mt. Vernon, N. H .; d. Nov. 1, 1905, Roy. Mr. Rix was born on the farm where his father lived and died, the Timothy Durkee lot. He was edu- cated in the district school, fitted for college in Royalton Acad- emy, and entered the University of Vermont in 1830. His rec- ord at the University was honorable, but ill health compelled him to seek a milder climate, and he left before graduation in 1834. Though not a graduate, the U. V. M. conferred on him the honorary degree of A. M. in 1843, a fitting recognition of his intellectual attainments. After his marriage he settled in the South, and established the firm of Rix, Kendall & Co. at Mobile, Ala., with branches in two other towns. He was pros- perous in his business until the breaking out of the Civil War. His marked Union sentiments made his residence at the South during this period one of anxiety and danger. His facile pen pictured some of the events of that period in a publication en-
3111
Mrs. Katherine Fletcher (Kendall) Rix, 1814-1905. 'illiam Skinner, Jr., 1839- William Skinner. Senior, 1807-1862.
Elisha Lee Rix, 1777-1851.
William Rix, 1811-1892. Martin Tullar Skinner, 1821-1889. Mrs. Maria B. (Smith) Skinner, 1811-1862.
IRA M. Russ 1827 -1898.
NATHANIEL M. RUSS 1814~ 1883
THOMAS J. RUSS.
JEREMIAH RUSS
1824-1908
NIEL
1811-1896
Russ
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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
titled, "Incidents of Life in a Southern City During the War." His son was subject to draft in the Confederate army, and he gives a vivid account of his escape, and the letter which the son wrote to his mother after the vessel in which he was fleeing had run the blockade. An extract follows, describing the son's feel- ings when the first gun was fired :
"I saw a streak of lightning, but did not think any more about it. I had just got seated, when whiz-z-boom-you ought to have seen me tumble into the cabin, between the cotton bales. I got down there quicker than a prairie dog ever got into his hole. I expected every moment to see cotton bales, cannon balls, and the whole side of the ship come into the cabin. I kept below about fifteen minutes, and thought then that all danger was over, and I would go on deck and see the fun of passing the fleet. I had hardly got my head out of the cabin, when very unpleasant sounds struck my ear-whiz-z-bang-boom- whiz-z-boom-the shells were screaming and dropping all around us. Such a romantic sight I never witnessed in my life-balls whizzing-shells exploding-every ship in the fleet lighted up."
One extract is given showing the condition of the poverty- stricken people in Mobile :
"The storehouses were broken open one after another, and their contents seized and conveyed to the several parts of the town. - A woman, once of the better sort, and for want of something more appropriate, dressed in silks borrowed from better times, is rolling before her to her distant home a barrel of flour. A brawny Irish woman staggers by with a side of bacon balanced on her head, and as many hams as her arms can clasp. There were more women than men that assumed the character of beasts of burden. A feeling of retributive justice lent new energy to their spirits, when they discovered that the warehouses were literally stuffed with provisions of the best kind, much of which had been permitted to lie till spoiled, while they and their little ones had been starving in sight of plenty."
Mr. Rix with warm sympathies could not fail to interest himself in improving the condition of these poor people, and to be active in re-establishing government in the city and state. At a meeting of loyal citizens gathered for that purpose he was chosen president.
Soon after the close of the war he returned to Royalton. He spent his last days peacefully in his native town, trusted and honored by all. He was in the truest sense a gentleman of the old school. It has been said of him that he was "a man of profound convictions, of great probity of character, and ever esteemed for a magnificent manhood." Courteous to his hum- bler brother, charitable to all, a welcome companion for culti- 59 1
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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
vated and scholarly minds, he lived and died an honor to the town of his nativity.
Mr. Rix became acquainted with his wife while in the Uni- versity at Burlington, The Kendall and Wilkins families from which she sprang were identified with the social, educational, and business life of New Hampshire. Her parents moved to Burlington when she was fourteen. A well-known journalist familiar with her in her girlhood wrote a poem in her honor. This is one of the stanzas :
"Young Kate, there is a witching spell
In thy sweet name and sweeter face,
And hearts and tongues with rapture dwell Upon thy loveliness and grace,
For, lovely girl, thou seem'st to be All music, love, and poetry."
Of her position as a young bride in Mobile it was said, "Mrs. Rix was a woman, no matter where her place of residence, who could accept and worthily fill the most exacting social posi- tion. Her versatility and varied accomplishments tended to make her popular and widely known in the southern city and state." Of her life after their return to Royalton it was truth- fully and feelingly written, "Every worthy object was the recipient of her help and benefaction. Her home church of St. Paul was especially dear to her heart, and in this her in- terest never waned. Truly it may be said of her that she grew old beautifully, retaining that gentility and urbanity that ever characterized her to the very end." She was proficient in music and was accustomed to sing at commencement at the U. V. M., where her services were highly valued. She had a keen sense of humor and was a lover of nature in all its moods. The Cong'l church, to which Mr. Rix belonged, received many evi- dences of their interest in its work. They are both remembered as public benefactors, kind neighbors, and cultured people whom it was a privilege to know.
i. George Wilkins [7], b. Mar. 16, 1842, Mobile, Ala .; d. Nov. 27, 1848, Mobile. * ii. Katherine Kendall [7], b. Oct. 15, 1845, Sumterville, Ala .; m. William Skinner.
iii. William Elisha [7], b. July 16, 1847, Mobile; d. Jan. 13, 1867, Concord, N. H., unm. iv. George Wilkins [7], b. July 2, 1849, Roy .; d. Apr. 7, 1856, Mobile.
v. Abigail Wilkins [7], b. June 21, 1852, Mobile; d. Dec. 23, 1852.
vi. Susan Hale [7], b. Apr. 1, 1854, Mobile; d. Apr. 21, 1855, Mobile.
* vii. Elizabeth Flynn [7], b. June 21, 1852, Mobile; m. J. D. Denison.
The Rix family clearly traces its origin to Sir John Thomas Rix, Earl of Offord of Brancaster Castle, Brancaster, Eng. Thomas [1], came to Salem, Mass., abt. 1645; rem. to Preston, Conn., and died
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931
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
there. Thomas [3], the father of Dea. Daniel Rix, was born in Salem, Mass., 1693; d. there Oct. 10, 1771. The old home of Dea. Daniel Rix in Preston, Conn., stood until Jan., 1906, when it was burned.
ROBINSON FAMILY.
AMOS ROBINSON, m. (1) Levina -, who d .; m. (2) Betsey , b. 1762; d. Dec. 9, 1838, Roy .; bur. Broad Brook Cem .; Mr. Robinson was first listed in 1797, and his first pur- chase of land was in 1799, when he bought M. 7 L. A. His activities in the industrial line have been mentioned in Chap. XXVI. Like some other of Royalton's early citizens, he became involved in debt, and was forced to spend some time in Wood- stock within jail limits, but seems to have succeeded in arrang- ing his affairs, and resuming business. He went to Sharon, but the place of his death has not been ascertained. The little settlement on Broad Brook was no doubt due to his energy and effort. i. Amos, b. Dec. 28, 1797, Roy .; m. (1) Dec. 10, 1821, Roy., Betsey, dau. Asahel and Nancy (Smith) Davis, b. 1795; d. Sep. 15, 1824, in Brownell house, Broad Brook; m. (2) June 9, 1825, Lois, dau. Joseph and Desire (Culver) Safford, b. Dec. 4, 1800, Roy .; ch .: (a) Nancy, b. 1824; m. Apr. 21, 1847, George W. Fay; (b) Betsey, twin of Nancy, m. George Clark; (c) Dwight G., b. 1832; d. Feb. 18, 1853; there were also Mary Ann, m. N. Thacher, Martha and Cyrus, who d. in prison in Civil War; Calvin, Alfred, William, d. in Roy., Charles. Martha m. (1) an Englishman, who became a Mormon, and from whom she separated; (2) an American; (3) an Irishman; (4) a Dutchman, and had ch. by each; res., Volney, Ia. Many of this family went to the far West. Amos was killed by lightning while haying. His wife survived him several years; res., Neenah, Wis .; in So. Roy. several years.
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