History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911, Part 42

Author: Lovejoy, Mary Evelyn Wood, 1847-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Burlington, Vt., Free press printing company
Number of Pages: 1280

USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Royalton > History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911 > Part 42

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The first recorded action taken by the town regarding ceme- teries bears the date Dec. 12, 1794, when Zebulon Lyon, Elias Stevens, and Benjamin Parkhurst were chosen a committee to lay out burying grounds. On Jan. 13th of the next year Abel Stevens and Isaac Skinner were chosen a committee to see if they could raise a sum of money by subscription sufficient to pay Timothy Durkee for one acre of land for a burying yard in Royalton, the expense being ten pounds. This committee reported Feb. 10th that they had raised the money, and the selectmen were instructed to take a deed of "ye burying yard in Town & enter into bonds in the Name & behalf ye Town to Timothy Durkee to fence & forever to keep well fenced ye yard on his farm." There are standing in this yard today records of, at least, eight burials before the town took any action re- garding the purchase of the land. The deed given by Mr. Dur- kee is dated Feb. 4, 1797, and specifies that he received $33 for this acre, which is a part of lot 53 Town Plot.

Although the records do not show that the town owned any cemetery except the one at North Royalton, yet they did not neglect their duty, but Apr. 13, 1802, they chose five men located near five of the cemeteries "to look into the situation of the several yards in Town & make report at some future meeting." Josiah Wheeler was chosen to act as "saxan" at the burying yard near Jireh Durkee's at North Royalton.

Before the town had secured a deed of Mr. Durkee, Abijah Burbank and Abijah Jr. had deeded to Luther Fairbanks, Nathan Page, and Richard Kimball, a committee for the "third society" one acre for a cemetery, receiving three pounds there- for. This deed is dated Sep. 17, 1795, so that what has been known as the Howe cemetery is one of the oldest in town. Just what this "third society" was cannot be stated with any cer- tainty. The different church organizations were sometimes

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spoken of in that way. There was a Baptist society in that part of the town, but the committee acting for the society in buying the cemetery were connected with the Congregational church. It may refer to the societies organized for securing a right to cemeteries. If the one at South Royalton is counted as first, the one at North Royalton as the second, then in point of time this would be the third. School districts were sometimes spoken of as societies.

The next legal right to cemetery land is dated Mar. 19, 1806. At this time the First Branch school district took a deed from William Lee of Middletown, Conn., for one-fourth acre of land, Ashbel Buckland and Dexter Waterman acting as a committee, and paying therefor three dollars. The oldest headstone, as has been said, bears the date, Mar. 16, 1791, but it seems probable that this lot was used for a burial place earlier than this. About 1879 Mr. John A. Slack, who owned the farm bordering this cemetery, enlarged the burial lot by enclosing some of his own land, and sold part of the land to Elmer Woodward and others. Not far from 1900 Charles C. Southworth, who then owned the Slack farm, still further enlarged the cemetery by adding land from his farm, as the lots had all been taken in the cemetery as it then stood. In 1908 Mr. Woodward and others formed an association for the purpose of caring properly for this ceme- tery, and were duly incorporated through the office of the Sec- retary of State, under the title of The Branchview Cemetery Association. This organization has had a new fence built about the yard, and the ground put in excellent condition. Those who had friends buried there freely contributed in paying the ex- pense, so that this graveyard is one of the best cared for in town. The original lot belonging to the district ran eight rods on the road and extended back seven and one-half rods, and was pur- chased for the "sole use of a buring yard for the aforesaid dis- trict forever," and it was stated that the "foresaid district is to make and maintain the fence."

The deed of the cemetery on Broad Brook was given by Philip Royce, July 12, 1812. On this date he conveyed one acre to District No. 5, for which he received $12. This burial lot had been in use ten or more years, the oldest stones there being for the children of Amos Robinson, and they bear the dates of 1803 and 1804.

The Second School District obtained title to land for a ceme- tery Nov. 15, 1815. This district was defined in limits in 1792. Daniel and Ira Havens sold the land, eleven and one-half rods by seven rods, and were paid fifty dollars. The lot had been in use ten or more years before any legal transfer of the land was made. In 1849, Mar. 3, Bestor Pierce deeded to Harry

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Bingham five-eighths of an acre, which Mr. Bingham was to deed to the district whenever it should wish to enlarge the ceme- tery. Sep. 21, 1858, Mr. Bingham quitclaimed this land to Levi Baker for $12.50, with the agreement that the district should have it when needed. The district records show that a special meeting was called for Mar. 29, 1862, and when met, they voted to buy an addition to the cemetery, of Levi Baker, and Gideon Bingham was appointed to secure the deed. Ira Pierce, Isaac S. Shepard, and William Shirlock were chosen to solicit sub- scriptions, and also to build a fence. Harvey Reynolds was appointed sexton. The deed was given Feb. 20, 1863.

It seems quite probable that the First District acquired no title to their cemetery until Oct. 20, 1836. If there had been a verbal gift from Elisha Kent, from whose land the lot was taken, and whose farm was a part of 10 Large Allotment, the cemetery had been in use so long that no deed was thought of. Mr. Archibald Kent had owned this lot for some years previous to 1836. Burial places were allowed to go unfenced, and cattle and sheep to graze in them, as they are doing today over one pri- vate lot in this town. The need of fencing the cemetery no doubt grew more urgent as the years went on, and this may be the reason why the district paid Mr. Kent $100, which money was used in building a wall about the yard. The district ob- tained a deed of three-fourths of an acre. This yard was en- larged July 21, 1857, by a deed from Cyrus Safford to the selectmen, transferring 84 rods, to be used for no other purpose than for a cemetery for the First School District, the selectmen to hold it subject to the control and supervision of said inhab- itants or such persons as they may appoint. An article in the warning for a meeting Dec. 4, 1858, read, "To see if the town will purchase a part of the new burying ground near South Royalton to be used as a public burying ground." It was passed over, and the same article was passed over in March, 1859, and again in December, 1860. The selectmen appear to have acted without the authority of the town in buying the land of Cyrus Safford, and they refused to appropriate the money to pay for it. The selectmen, John B. Durkee, Isaac F. Shepard, and Thomas Fay, therefore, deeded by quitclaim to Oliver Curtis and Charles M. Lamb this extension, which these men had been responsible for, and the town had no claim upon the land. The addition was made in front of the old yard, bringing it near the highway. The lots in the new addition were taken, so that in 1884 Lyman C. Tower, who had bought the place adjoining the cemetery on the south, enlarged it by the addition on the south side of one row of lots and a driveway. Another enlargement was called for in 1896, and S. C. Drew, the present owner of

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the Tower place, added a strip on the southeast corner of the yard about twelve rods long and twenty-four rods wide.

In 1904 the legislature chartered the South Royalton Ceme- tery Association, naming as the corporation J. H. Hewitt, W. V. Soper, A. P. Skinner, C. E. Black, E. J. Fish, C. P. Tarbell, M. S. Adams, J. O. Belknap, A. G. Whitham, R. B. Galusha, W. O. Belknap, their associates and successors, and the care of this cemetery was given to them, provided the owners of lots consented. They did not.

In 1866, Nov. 30, the Royalton Cemetery Association pur- chased of Martin Joiner one and one-fourth acres, paying there- for $400, and laid out Pleasant Hill Cemetery at the lower end of Royalton village. This has one of the most beautiful views in town, but is somewhat difficult to reach, as it lies on a rather steep hill. Headstones are found here dated as far back as 1831, but are probably removals. This corporation built the tomb in the slope next to the highway, and efforts were made to have the town assume the expense and ownership, but they have thus far been without avail.

The last cemetery to be laid out was the Riverview. This lot was purchased July 7, 1905, of Anson P. Skinner and Charles C. Southworth for $550 by the South Royalton Cemetery As- sociation. Improvements were soon begun. New roads were graded to the ground, so that the ascent is comparatively easy. The lots were surveyed and carefully laid out. Driveways and foot paths were made, and a book provided for keeping records of interments, so complete in detail that, if preserved, the place of burial can always be easily found without the aid of the head- stones. Full items of identification are given, such as dates of birth, death, burial, name of undertaker, last residence, and name of nearest friend. By the payment of $70 the lot of any one will be perpetually tended. The present officers are, trus- tees, J. H. Hewitt, W. V. Soper, A. P. Skinner, C. E. Black, C. P. Tarbell, J. O. Belknap, W. O. Belknap; president, J. O. Belknap; secretary, W. O. Belknap. The cemetery is located on an eminence on the east side of the First Branch, near the mouth, and has a magnificent view of the river winding down to Sharon, and the hills in the distance. Thirty-four interments have al- ready been made.

Of what may be called neighborhood or private burial lots the largest is the yard near the old Dewey farm, on what is called Dairy Hill. No record has been found in the deeds from father to son of any reservation for this purpose, but the land where the cemetery is located belongs to 11 Large Allotment, and was owned by Ebenezer Dewey. Judging by the dates on the headstones he was the first to be buried there in 1794. The

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Coys, Watermans, Deweys, and Morses are buried in this yard. This ground is kept fenced, but shrubbery has been allowed to grow unmolested.

What has been known as the Howard burial lot was used chiefly for the burial of the Howard family. When Oscar Henry came into possession of the farm, he gave, Mar. 18, 1858, a quit- claim deed of this tract of land 26 feet by 36 feet to Elisha Howard and John S. Storrs, to be used forever as a cemetery. There are found here now seven of the Howard family, three of the Parker family, and two children of David Page. It is not fenced, and is in an open pasture, in a dilapidated condition. If it is not protected, it will not be many years before the head- stones will disappear. The earliest date on these stones is Feb. 11, 1813.

Samuel Metcalf set apart one-fourth acre of his land, Aug. 5, 1818, for a neighborhood cemetery. He held a part of the college right. The oldest headstone in this yard is that of Reuben Schellenger, who died Mar. 22, 1801. Here are buried the Metcalf family, and Rhoda Riggs, the wife of James, and others whose graves are unmarked. This yard is fenced, but in years past has been unkempt, and has a neglected appearance.

Benjamin Bosworth and the Lindleys used a part of the Lindley farm for a burial lot. It lies next a fence on the pres- ent Merville Waldo farm. It has been so badly overgrown with shrubbery as to make it almost impossible to tell who is buried there, but the past year the selectmen have had it cleared of bushes, and some of the stones disinterred. When Amos and Benjamin Bosworth sold a part of the Lindley farm, Sep. 13, 1828, they reserved a tract two rods by eight rods, and the right to go to and from the same. When Stephen Hicks sold this Lindley land to Ebenezer Cox in 1836, he made the same reser- vation.

Emeline, the daughter of Seth Moxley, was buried on her father's farm, and when he sold eighty acres from W. 31 Large Allotment, he reserved a tract six feet by eight feet where she lies buried.

There is an excavation under a ledge in the pasture nearly opposite Albert Taylor's house in Royalton village, on the land once owned by Jacob Cady. At the opening of the cave is a stone erected to the memory of Morrice, son of Jacob and Judith Cady, who died Aug. 2, 1803. In a deed which Amos Bosworth gave to Oramel Sawyer, transferring the Jacob Cady premises, Oct. 13, 1838, mention is made of the burial of Jacob Cady and wife on the land. No headstones are to be seen there today. This is in an open pasture where cattle graze every year, and is entirely unprotected except by nature.

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On the farm now occupied by George Taggart is the Perrin family lot, well fenced and cared for. Here Asa, Greenfield, and other members of the family are buried. Another small family Perrin lot is on the farm that Asa Perrin, Jr., owned, where he and his two wives and others are buried. These are the Perrin Burial Lots, Nos. 1 and 2 respectively.

Not far from the Lindley lot, in a corner of a field on the hill, but nearer the highway, some others are buried, in all probability some of the Freeman family, but the lot is in such condition as to make it very difficult to ascertain who lie there. The headstones which some recollect as having seen there, ap- pear to have fallen down and to be covered with earth. This is called the Freeman Burial Lot.

When Samuel Howe sold No. 1 Dutch, Mar. 22, 1869, he reserved thirty feet by twenty for a burying lot. It has been learned that the bodies buried there were later removed to the Havens cemetery, and the land became part of the farm owned by Mr. Howe.

In 1863 Dudley C. Denison and Minot Wheeler became the owners of a strip of land north of and adjoining the cemetery at North Royalton. About 1865 it was plotted and lots were sold from it for interment of the dead. The next year Mr. Wheeler sold his interest to Mr. Denison, who continued to sell lots. After his death the property came into the possession of his daughter, Gertrude. This new addition is fenced like the old with a fine iron railing, which was built by Mrs. William Rix, who solicited funds for this purpose. When Mr. Philip Sewall died he left by will $500, the income of which was to be used for the benefit of the new addition. Not many vacant lots remain in this addition.

The owners of lots in the South Royalton cemetery formed themselves into an association, and on Nov. 16, 1906, they re- ceived a charter of incorporation. The members named were George Ainsworth, Charles West, W. M. Sargent, John W. Woodward, M. S. Adams, D. L. Burnett, Frank S. Ainsworth, O. S. Curtis, Charles H. Woodard, George Manchester, M. J. Sargent. The present officers are, trustees, C. H. Woodard, M. S. Adams, M. J. Sargent, Frank Ainsworth, Mrs. Erva J. Sargent ; president, C. H. Woodard; secretary, Erva J. Sargent. The name of the incorporation is "The Village Cemetery Asso- ciation of South Royalton." This cemetery has a number of unmarked graves, and some of the old headstones have fallen and been removed from the places where they originally stood, so that it is a difficult matter for the association to complete the records of the yard.

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In 1834 David Wheelock in a deed to Peter Wheelock re- served one-fourth acre of land as a family burying ground for- ever. This reservation has not been identified as a family lot, and it may never have been so used.

At the March meeting, 1909, the town authorized the Roy- alton Historical Association to proceed to name such cemeteries and burying lots in town, as had not been authoritatively named. The Association did this, retaining the ordinary name where it seemed advisable, and keeping in mind the desirability of hav- ing the name give some idea as to the location of the yard. The cemeteries that were not cared for by incorporated bodies were thus designated: The North Royalton cemetery, above Royal- ton village; the Royalton Broad Brook cemetery, in district five; the Howard cemetery, in district twelve; the Howe cemetery, in district eleven; the Havens cemetery, in district two; the Metcalf cemetery, in district four; the Lindley cemetery, in dis- trict sixteen; the Dewey cemetery, in district three; the Perrin Burial Lot, No. One, on the George Taggart farm, and the other Perrin lot, No. Two; the Cady and the Freeman burial lots.

CHAPTER XXIV.

HOTELS.

Just when the settlement of the town had progressed so as to feel the need of a public hostelry, there is no means of know- ing. As it was a frontier town until 1780 or later, there could have been little demand for entertainment by travelers. The destruction of the town in 1780 retarded its increase in popula- tion for several years, and people coming to it or passing through would very likely be entertained at private houses.

Capt. Gilbert, who lived on the West farm, may have had a hostelry there, as he did later at the "Pierce Stand." Zebu- lon Lyon, who took the initiative in so many good works, may have furnished a home to wayfarers before he sold to Elkanah Stevens land within the limits of Royalton village. Mr. Stevens is the first landlord in town of whom there is any positive record.

Zebulon Lyon did not originally have 46 Dutch, in which lot Royalton village is located. Mr. Lyon had East 54 Town Plot. In 1782 he bought of Capt. Ebenezer Brewster of Han- over, ten acres in 46 Dutch adjoining his land and lying along the river. This may have included a part of what is now the village. In 1788 Mr. Lyon purchased of Capt. Brewster the whole of 46 Dutch not before sold or otherwise disposed of. Capt. Brewster had already deeded to the town of Royalton the meeting-house lot.

It was this lot that served as a magnet to draw business and professional men toward the center of the town, and in the early part of 1791 a little settlement began there. In Novem- ber of that year Elkanah Stevens came to town. To him Zebu- lon Lyon sold two tracts joining the meeting-house lot, one or both of which extended to the river. On this land he probably had his store. In the latter part of 1793 he purchased of Mr. Lyon 252 rods near the "Lyman fordway," and on this lot there was already an inn or Mr. Stevens built one. The records of 1801 refer incidentally to "Landlord Dickinson," who lived at the center of the town, but nothing in the deeds indicates that he had a hotel in the village.

The venture of Mr. Stevens does not seem to have been very remunerative, for the Boston parties to whom he had mortgaged

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his property foreclosed, and in 1806 quitclaimed the same to David Waller. This David was one of the boys made captive by the Indians and taken to Canada. He was now married and had several children. Dr. Joseph Gallup had a hotel in Bethel at this time, and after remaining in Royalton three years, Mr. Waller exchanged property with Dr. Gallup, and removed to Bethel.

One reason for the non-success of the hotel at the center of the town may have been that Capt. Daniel Gilbert established himself in Royalton in 1792 or '93, and he kept an inn at what has since been known as the "Pierce Tavern." The house which he purchased was Nathan Morgan's, and it had been occu- pied by Zabad Curtis. Mr. Curtis had been assessed as a trader. Mr. Gilbert was a man well known outside of the town, and travelers from the south would be likely to patronize him, and so pass by the inn only two miles farther on.

Dr. Gallup disposed of his hotel to Col. Stafford Smith of Bethel in 1810, who removed to Royalton soon after. Col. Smith possessed the tact and ability to make a success of his business. He was not personally in charge during all the years that he held the property, as he was engaged in military service some of the time. How much he did in the way of improvement is not exactly known, but the main part of the present "Cascad- nac" is said to have been erected by him. It was while he was in the hotel, that it had the honor of entertaining President Mon- roe and Gen. Lafayette.

Col. Smith was somewhat irascible, and the small boys liked to stir him up. A road led from the hotel by the house where Rev. Joel Whitney now lives, on toward the pinnacle. The children used to slide there in winter, and they would come down the hill pell mell and dash against the hotel. One evening they had a large sled with a full load, and, as usual, bumped into the tavern. This was too much for the Colonel, and he took an axe and shivered the offending sled into kindling wood. In the morning he found out that it was his own sled that he had demolished, and the boys had scored one more victory.

In 1818 Dolly Smith, widow of Jacob Smith, leased land to Col. Smith for the purpose of building a summer dining hall. This was probably the building between the church and the pres- ent academy, used on the occasion of Lafayette's visit, and pre- viously on training days.

The next year after Lafayette's visit Col. Smith leased the hotel to Moses Cutter for five years. The Vermont Advocate published at Royalton, states in its issue of Feb. 15, 1827, that the roof of Mr. Cutter's dining hall fell in from the weight of snow. Possibly that was the end of this hotel extension, at any

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rate, no further notice of it appears. Mr. Cutter had a store and could give little personal attention to running a hotel. In 1828 Simeon T. Stone was the landlord. Two years before Mr. Cutter's lease ran out Col. Smith sold the tavern to Amos Bos- worth. Two years later Samuel Blodgett got a half interest in it, and took the personal conduct of it upon himself.

The hotel property was evidently not a paying investment to these proprietors, and their affairs became involved, so that in 1843 the hotel was sold to John Mitchell Alexander, who almost immediately conveyed it to Benjamin and Harrison Alex- ander of Sharon. Alden W. Titus of Brandon bought it of the Alexanders in 1845, and conducted it for four years, when he sold to William Skinner. Mr. Skinner held it for three years, then sold to Chester Baxter of Sharon, buying it back in 1855, and within two days transferred it to Frederick Washburn of Randolph.

A niece of Mr. Washburn lived with him. A clerk at one of the stores boarded at the hotel. Some one came into the store one day and asked the clerk, "How do you like your new land- lord ?" "First rate," was the reply. "We have beans for din- ner, cold beans for supper, and warmed-up beans for breakfast." Then looking up and seeing the pretty niece in the door, he added, "And they are good beans, too."

A new hall is mentioned in 1855, and that was probably the wing at the southwest end of the hotel, where the hall now is.

Pearl D. Blodgett and William Skinner both held the prop- erty in 1856. Alden Chamberlin bought it in October of that year. Mr. Chamberlin had had experience in catering to the public. He had served as landlord in the "Cascadnac House" in Gaysville, and two years in the East Randolph hotel. Mrs. Chamberlin was a famous housekeeper, cook, and manager, and he was genial and courteous to his guests. The hotel in those days entertained many parties, and was a favorite place for lovers of Terpsichore. Its hall was also devoted to charitable works, and there the Soldiers' Aid Society met in those trying days of the Civil War. If its walls could speak, they would rehearse the scenes when men and women gathered there, and with busy fingers scraped lint, plied the needle, knitted stock- ings, and eagerly discussed news from the front, while many hearts were aching with anxious thought of loved ones, or with the consciousness that the soldier boy would nevermore return to the home nest. They could tell, too, of the mazy whirl, as the squeaky violins ground out "Money Musk" for tripping feet of maid and youth.

The wedding bells now and then rang in the old tavern. It was May day, 1859, that the fair young daughter of the host,

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Mr. Chamberlin, gave her hand and her heart into the keeping of Dr. Constant Manchester, and the marriage rites were performed in the old village hotel.

Mr. Chamberlin was a sufferer from sciatic rheumatism, and the disease finally compelled him to seek rest, and in the latter part of 1863 he sold to Byron G. Conant and Stephen Freeman. The next year Mr. Freeman bought out his partner and ran the business about one year. He then deeded the prop- erty to George Gilson, who, in about two years, deeded it back to Mr. Chamberlin. Ira P. Thatcher now took the hotel, and after two years or less conveyed it to Horace White. Mr. White in 1872 conveyed the hotel to Alden B. Crapo of Randolph.

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History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911, Part 42

Author: Lovejoy, Mary Evelyn Wood, 1847- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Burlington, Vt., Free press printing company Number of Pages: 1280

Author: Lovejoy, Mary Evelyn Wood, 1847-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Burlington, Vt., Free press printing company
Number of Pages: 1280