USA > Vermont > Rutland County > History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 100
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Attorneys. - Among the lawyers who have practiced in Wallingford in the past may be mentioned Jonathan Houghton, Abiel Childs, A. L. Miner, Fred- erick Hall and Hon. David E. Nicholson, now of Rutland. The oldest attor- ney remaining in practice here is Judge Harvey Button, who was born in Clar- endon on the 17th of January, 1800. He has been continuously in practice here since June 1, 1826. In February, 1832, he married Irene Miller, who died in April, 1844; in October, 1848, he married Sarah Miller, cousin to his first wife. Judge Button, whose career is no less honorable than long, still re- tains the faculties which brought him into prominence.
J. W. Ainsworth was born in Athol, Mass., April 27, 1808. He began to practice in the east part of the town about 1845, and came to this village about 1858.
Charles H. Congdon, who has his office with Judge Button, was born in Wallingford on the 6th of October, 1820. From 1831 to 1881 he lived in Danby.
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
Physicians. - The following physicians have practiced in Wallingford, but are now deceased : Drs. Samuel L. McClure, John Fox, Augustus Mulford, Nathaniel Ives, Samuel Griswold, Herman Shaw. Dr. David Holden studied in the office of Dr. Fox, and married his preceptor's sister, Mary Fox. He practiced here before 1820. Dr. Joseph Randall, who was in practice here at about the same time, also studied with Dr. Fox. Dr. Silas Hamilton is said to have been in practice here earlier even than Dr. Fox, and to have relinquished his practice as early as 1813.
The present practice here is divided between Drs. W. E. Stewart and J. Avery. The former was born in Castleton, December 3, 1843 ; received his medical education at the medical department of the University of Vermont at Burlington, from which he was graduated June 20, 1867. He first practiced about six months in the east part of this town, and from 1868 to 1880, was in Dorset. In June, 1880, he came to this village.
Dr. Avery was born in Brandon on the 14th of July, 1845 ; was gradu- ated from Long Island College Hospital in the class of 1876, and practiced until July, 1880, in Starksboro, Vt., when he began to practice in Wallingford. He is a member of the Rutland County and also of the Vermont State Medical Societies.
South Wallingford. - The information concerning the earlier days of this village was obtained largely from Mrs. Oscar Eddy, whose maiden name was Mercy Stafford. Her father was John Stafford, the youngest of four brothers, Palmer, Holden, Ormond and himself. Her great-grandfather, Thomas Staf- ford, with his brother John, were sons of Lord Stafford of Staffordshire, Eng- land, and emigrated to this country in a vessel of their own. Her grandfather, Stutely Stafford, married Rebecca, widow of John Irish, of Tinmouth.
John Stafford, Mrs. Eddy's father, was born September 4, 1798, in South Wallingford, in a building a few rods northeast from the site of the present railroad station. He lived and died within a mile of his birth-place. He died August 13, 1846. His wife, Rebecca A. Wood, was a native of Watertown, Mass. They had seven children, of whom Mrs. Eddy and Lewis Stafford are alone left in Wallingford.
Mrs. Eddy's memory is distinct as far back as 1830, when the village of South Wallingford was much smaller than it is now.
John Ormond and Holden Stafford owned and operated then the saw-mill and grist-mill, which were combined in the same building now constituting W. W. Kelley's marble-mill. About 1835, or later, Jesse Lapham, John H. Vail and Aaron R. Vail, all from Danby, bought the Stafford mills, and erected a forge on the site of an old cotton factory which had burned. This cotton fac- tory was erected as early as 1815, on the site of Mr. Ely's pulp-mill, by Jonas Wood. South Wallingford in 1830 was a stage station between Rutland and Bennington. There were, consequently, more transient guests here then than
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TOWN OF WALLINGFORD.
since the railroad displaced the stage. Calvin Bunce then kept a store on the site of Mrs. Eunice Wade's present residence. When Jesse Lapham came he built a store four stories in height. The building, which is owned now by W. W. Kelley, is a tenant house across the creek from the depot. George S. Allen, the only lawyer then here, lived in the house now occupied by Cornelius Hall. There were no physicians here, North Wallingford monopolizing the med- ical practice. Joshua Johnson kept a blacksmith shop, which still stands in the south part of the village. Gideon Corey, who died only five or six years ago, then had a shoe shop nearly opposite the church. The school building, which in winter held as much as sixty pupils, stood on the site of the present building, but was smaller. The present school-house was erected in 1836. Judge Joel Ainsworth was teacher here about that time. Jarvis Andrus operated a tan- nery and had run it for years, on the site afterwards covered by the hotel. He also kept hotel right across from the site of the church and frequently accom- modated men who used to train here. The tannery went down in 1850. The hotel was kept after that by different landlords, the last one being Joseph Ed- gerton, who left about 1875. The building is now occupied by George Smith.
The first marble was quarried here about 1835 or 1840, twenty rods north of Oscar Eddy's residence, by Orange Carpenter. He was soon followed by Mr. Hurd, of New York; then came Mr. Lippitt, of New York, for a number of years. They both had a marble-mill on the dam south from the quarry, which Oscar Eddy, as the carpenter, built. W. W. Kelley then followed Lip- pitt, and at first quarried and shipped his product in the rough. He now saws it here. He has operated the mill for about fifteen years. He also owns a saw and grist-mill here.
The building formerly used as a pulp-miil was built about 1864 by John Adair, who intended it for a marble-mill, but did not succeed here. Edward P. Ely and Julius T. Remington bought it in May, 1880, and established the Pioneer Pulp-Mill. The partnership was dissolved in June of the same year. In the fall of 1881 Mr. Ely, who still owns the property, built the saw-mill portion of the building, and now has both steam and water-power.
The cheese factory of A. R. Ames was started by him in 1873.
Postmasters. - The present postmaster, E. O. Fuller, was appointed about 1876, and has kept the only store in the village since 1873. His predecessors, respectively, in the post-office, have been George Smith, Ancil Eddy and John H. Vail.
East Wallingford. - I. R. Fuller was born in Troy, N. H., August 13, 1820, and came to East Wallingford in March, 1834. There was no village then, only two dwellings, one a little southwest from Mr. Fuller's present resi- dence, occupied by John Jackson, and the other just above the present post- office, occupied by Joel Constantine. The old landmarks are standing yet. East Wallingford is, therefore, the youngest, as well as the most vigorous, of
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
the villages in Wallingford township. Joel Constantine was about the earliest man around here. In 1834 he operated a saw-mill, on the site of the Aldrich mill, which was erected about 1812. Some of the remains of this old mill are still visible.
Another of the early inhabitants of the village, William H. Congdon, was born on the 26th of May, 1826, about two miles southwest from the village, on the place now owned by James C. Patch. There was quite a large church edifice within a stone's throw of his birthplace at the time of his birth and which stood there until about 1865. There is none there now. It was built as many as sixty years ago. As early as 1820, he says, an old distillery was running about half a mile west of East Wallingford, on the farm now owned by Henry Wardwell, of Arlington.
Todd's Hotel. - This neat little house was erected about the year 1863 by E. A. Cutler, who kept it two or three years and has been followed successively by H. E. Sawyer, Daniel Ensign, Charles Allen, H. L. Warner, Alson Ahite, J. B. Powell, and the present proprietor, Joel Todd, who began here on the 27th of March, 1879. The house has sleeping-room for twenty or twenty-five guests. Mr. Todd is a hotelman of experience who entertains a number of Boston and New York sojourners every summer, and who is acquiring an ex- cellent reputation for the elegant balls and game-suppers which he gives with increasing frequency. His dancing-hall, it is claimed, is the largest one con- nected with a hotel in the State.
The tannery of Huntoon & Son, though not strictly an East Wallingford enterprise, is as fitly inserted here as in either of the other villages in Walling- ford. This tannery was built in 1815 by Mathial Smead. Nathan Mattocks succeeded Smead and was followed by John P. Bowman. Hirain W. Lincoln then operated it for some time. James Huntoon & Son bought it in 1865. It was burned in 1869 and rebuilt the same year.
The grist and saw-mill of E. H. & B. W. Aldrich was built in 1861 by William H. Corydon and I. R. Fuller, who operated it four or five years under the firm name of Corydon & Fuller. Various persons, including Eben Bailey, William Kent, O. Dodge and D. G. Jones were individually and as partners interested in the concern until February, 1878, when the present proprietors succeeded the firm of Aldrich & Jones. E. H. & B. W. Aldrich started the manufacture of chair stock in the fall of 1880, and now ship about fifty car- loads of rough stock annually. The grist-mill has a capacity for about forty- eight carloads of corn per year, while the saw-mill cuts from 400,000 to 500,- 000 feet of lumber in the same space of time.
Mercantile .- The oldest store in the village is the dry goods and general store of W. R. Spaulding & Co. (the firm of E. H. & B. W. Aldrich being the " com- pany.") The building was erected and the business started in 1866 by Henry White and R. D. Bucklin, under the firm style of White & Bucklin. Bucklin
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TOWN OF WALLINGFORD.
succeeded the firm and ran the store for a number of years, being followed by Jerome Converse. W. D. Hulett ran the store during the winter of 1884-85 and was succeeded in April by the present company.
J. Smead established his present trade in stoves and hardware, and began his work in the tin-shop in 1866. F. O. Stafford started his clothing and gen- eral store in April, 1883.
The general store of John R. Priest was started in June, 1884, as successor to the one formerly kept by S. H. Stevens. E. R. Allen established the trade in the opposite store years ago.
The carriage factory of Dennis Sird was started in the spring of 1883, and in the following fall the blacksmithing department of George Spooner was added.
Attorney .- There is but one practicing attorney in East Wallingford, viz. : Henry B. Hawkins, who was born about two miles west of his present resi- dence on the 14th of December, 1846. He was admitted to practice in the Rutland County Court in March, 1874, and in the Supreme Court of the State in 1880.
Physicians. - Dr. S. D. Hazen was born May 24, 1842, at Athens, Vt. He studied medicine in Natick, Mass., and was graduated from a medical in- stitution in 1866. He came here immediately after being admitted. Dr. R. L. Chase was born in Chester, Vt., on the 13th of April, 1847. He was grad- uated from the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati, O., on the 11th of May. 1875 ; practiced about a year in Lawrence, N. Y., and then came here. He served four years and two months in the 7th Vermont Regiment during the Rebellion.
The town farm of Wallingford, which contains about 140 acres, is situated about a mile west of East Wallingford. There are now about fifteen poor on the farm. It was purchased of Solomon Woodward about thirty years ago.
Water Works .- The East Wallingford water- works system is a private en- terprise, started about 1873 by R. D. Bucklin, H. L. Warner, Abel Ray, James Starkey and Edward Chilson. The water is taken from a source about a mile southwest from the village. The present owners are Joel Todd, Elias Stewart, Abel Ray, Ed. Chilson and the Bucklin estate.
Postmasters .- The first postmaster liere was Joel Constantine, who received the appointment about the year 1850, or very soon after the railroad had be- gun business. He was followed by Henry White, and he respectively by Will- iam H. Congdon, H. P. Hawkins, J. P. Powell, Jerome Converse and the pres- ent incumbent, John C. Priest, who was appointed in May, 1885.
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
CHAPTER XLII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WELLS.
W TELLS is situated in the southwestern part of the county, and bounded on the north by Poultney and Middletown ; on the east by Tinmouth and Middletown ; on the south by Pawlet, and on the west by Washington county, N. Y. The township was originally laid out six miles square, with 23,040 acres, an allowance being made for " highways and unimprovable land by rocks, ponds, mountains and rivers." On the 28th of October, 1784, 6,118 acres were taken from the northeast corner of the town as a part of Middletown, and on the 3Ist of October, 1798, nearly 4,000 acres more were taken from the northeast part and annexed to Poultney, leaving only about 13,000 acres in the town. The town was chartered by Benning Wentworth under date of September 15, 1761, to Captain Eliakim Hall and sixty-three others ; very few, if any, of these ever resided here.
The western part of Wells is moderately rolling in its surface, while the east- ern part is mountainous ; Pine Hill, Moose, Horn and Northeast Mountains in that part, and St. Catherine Mountain, lying between Poultney and Wells, and Pond Mountain in the center of the town, are all considerable elevations. There are many good farms in the eastern part and in the valleys between the mountains. The soil is fertile, well adapted to grazing and grain raising ; dai- rying now forms the principal pursuit, and lumbering is still carried on quite extensively.
Lake St. Catherine, already described in the history of Poultney, lies partly in this town and is a beautiful sheet of water. The principal stream is the out- let of this lake, which flows southwesterly and empties into Pawlet River.
The town was organized March 9, 1773, with Ogden Mallory, moderator, and John Ward, clerk. At the second meeting, held November 1, 1773, Og- den Mallory, Daniel Culver, Joseph Lawrence, Abner Howe and John Ward were chosen selectmen. Ogden Mallory, Timothy Moss and Reuben Searls were the first listers, elected March 11, 1777. In 1780 there were twenty- three freemen in the town as follows: Ogden Mallory, Gideon Searls, Abel Merriman, Reuben Searls, Increase Rudd, Zacheus Mallory, Silas Mallory, Caleb Smith, Timothy Moss, Barnabas Moss, John Moss, Richard Crouch, Samuel Culver, Gill Mallory, Benjamin Richardson, Abner Howe, Jonathan Webb, Alexander Gordon, Ebenezer Sumner, jr., Joshua Culver, Ebenezer Welton, Daniel Culver, Daniel McIntosh.
Early Settlements .- Of the pioneers of the town the following brief mem- oranda must suffice : Davis Amidon settled early on the turnpike road in the west part and kept a tavern on the site now occupied by David J. Morris.
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TOWN OF WELLS.
Joseph Andrews, from Granville, N. Y., in 1801, settled in the west part of the town, and died in 1821. Isaac Andrews was one of the earliest settlers and was town clerk some years prior to 1790. Simeon Atwater came into the town in 1800 and settled in the west part, where John Porter now lives; he had previously lived a few years in Pawlet ; he had three sons, Daniel, Jonathan and Stephen, and two daughters. Daniel Atwater settled here and remained until his death, in 1861, in the second house east of Mr. Porter's where Asa Atwater now lives. Jonathan and Stephen Atwater were also residents of the town, the former removing to Middletown in 1832. Bethuel Barden canie to Wells in 1816 and located where Jolin Barden now resides ; he died in 1831. John married Susan Lamb and they had sons, Edgar O., Adams L., Ferrin and Herbert E. John Barden has represented the town in the Legislature and held many town offices. Robert Beebe was an early settler in the west part of the town, and his son, Ozias, who lived where his son John now resides, passed his life here. David Blossom was an early settler where H. W. Lewis now lives ; he left the town in 1804 ; his son David C. lived in town until 1816 and Will- iam until 1832. Peter Blossom, brother of David, settled where Rodney M. Lewis lives ; he served in the Revolutionary War. His son Seth died in the town in 1859; was wealthy and represented the town several years. Amos Bowe, from Middletown, Conn., was an early settler near Pond Bridge on the place now owned by Alva Mitchell ; he was an exceptional scholar for those times, and died in 1844. Samuel Broughton was an early settler and a leading citizen ; he removed to Moriah, N. Y., in 1825. His brother John came early to the town, locating on the farm owned by Daniel Francis ; he removed away in 1828. Joseph Button came to the town with his father, Matthias, in 1785, locating where Marcellus Francis lives; he had a large family; was justice more than forty years and in the Legislature two years ; he died in 1826. Jo- seph, jr., lived on the homestead until 1833, when he removed to Chautauqua county, N. Y. Ebenezer Butts, from Canterbury, Conn., came here about 1787 and settled on " Butts Hill " where William Cooper now lives; he was the first settler in that part and had a family of seven children. Andrew Clark, from Cheshire, Conn., settled in 1790 on a farm now owned by Isaac Mitchell and occupied by Myron Willard ; his family comprised ten children ; he died in 1819 and had occupied the office of selectman fourteen years. His son John spent his life in the town and died much respected in 1845. Stephen Clark, also one of the early settlers, located in the west part of the town on a farm now owned by John Porter and occupied by Mr. Larkin ; he was justice a number of years and one of the early school teachers ; he died in 1827. Ros- well Clark, also from Cheshire, came in with his wife on horseback and settled a few miles north of his brothers, where his son Hoel now lives. William Crossman came into the town in 1796 and settled on a farm now owned by Henry C. Burton ; he commanded a company in the Revolution. Thomas
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
Clemens settled in the east part in 1783 and was the father of five children. His son Michael succeeded to the homestead and in turn transferred it to his son Wesley, who became a prominent and useful citizen ; held the office of justice many years and various other town offices ; he died suddenly in 1849, leaving a family of eleven children. Joel Clemons settled early on land now owned by Hiram Francis ; he had two sons, Asa and Thomas; the former took the homestead and died in 1865 ; his widow and two of her sons, Joel and Alexander, still reside in the town. Giles Cook came to the town about 1780 and located about a fourth of a mile east of the village ; he removed west early. Abner Cone was one of the earliest settlers, locating where James H. Parks lives. William Cowdry came to the town in 1787 and settled where D. N. Lewis lives ; he removed to Middletown in 1809. His son Oliver became mixed up with Mormonism. (See history of Middletown herein.) Josiah Cross settled in the latter part of the last century on the north part of the farm now owned by Cyrus Jennings and occupied by Henry Reynolds ; he removed to Roxbury, Vt., in 1833. His brother Samuel came in at the same time. Daniel Culver settled in the town in 1771 and was the first representative from this town to the General Assembly; his daughter Catherine was the first per- son married in the town, according to the records. Daniel's son Samuel set- tled where Henry McFadden lives and acquired a competency by dealing largely in wild land ; he held many town offices and died in 1831. Joshua Culver, brother of Samuel, came in about the same time ; Rogers Culver suc- ceeded to his homestead, but removed to Michigan in 1832. Ebenezer Dart, a Revolutionary soldier, lived several years in town and has descendants here now. John S. Davis, another Revolutionary soldier, came from Granville in 1815 and died here in 1845. Azariah and Jedediah Derby, brothers, came from Connecticut, the former settling where John Barden lives and the latter on the farm owned by Carpenter brothers ; they both removed west many years ago. Nathan Francis settled where Martin Parks lives in 1783, coming from Wallingford, Conn .; his three brothers, Jonathan, Hezekiah and Joel, came with him. He was a member of the Legislature two years and held other offices; he died in 1846. The families of this name have been promi- nent in the town. Joel Francis spent a long life in town and had a family of six children. John Francis came from Wallingford, Conn., in 1783 and raised a large family; he died in Middletown. Timothy Fuller came from Barnstable, Mass., in 1794 and settled where Hiram Francis now owns. He was a respected citizen and father of a large family. Levi Fry settled in the east part in 1783, and dicd about 1820. His brother David also lived here. Alby Geer was an early settler in the southwest part. His son Cyrus resided in town until his death in 1862. Rufus Glass came from Connecticut in 1786 and settled where Wesley Rowe lives; he and his wife died of the epidemic which prevailed in ' 1813. His son Arunah lived on the homestead until 1855, when he removed
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TOWN OF WELLS.
to Illinois. Samuel Glass came in in 1786 and located where William Hicks lives, adjoining his brother Rufus; he died in 1813. Josiah Goodspeed, sr., came into town in 1794, married Jemima Blossom and they lived together nearly sixty years ; both died in 1826. Ansel Goodspeed settled in the same year where Ann McBreen lives ; he was an influential and respected citizen ; was town clerk forty-six years, justice of the peace many years, and two years in the Legislature ; he died in 1847. Gershom Gifford came to the town in 1786, locating on the place now occupied by Hoel Clark ; he died in 1795. Daniel Goodrich was an early settler where Ira Goodspeed lives ; he reared a large family. His son Roswell built the grist-mill operated in later years by Orville Goodrich ; his son Halsey occupied the homestead to 1833, when he purchased the grist-mill and ran it until his death in 1857. Isaac Goodsell purchased land in Wells before the war, which was occupied by his son Daniel from 1797 for sixteen years; he removed to Ontario county, N. Y. Winslow Goodspeed came to the town in 1794 and located where his grandchildren now own; he died in 1842 ; his son, Winslow, jr., located east of the village and became a prominent citizen, holding several offices. Stephen Goodspeed also settled in the town in 1794 and died in 1845. This family name has been numerously represented in the town and its possessors prominent in various directions. Nathaniel Grover came from Massachusetts early and located in the east part of the town where Benjamin Norton lives; he removed to Tin- mouth. His son Allen taught school for eleven winters in town, held several offices and carried on mercantile business more than thirty years. Hon. M. D. Grover, of Port. Henry, N. Y., is his son, and another son is Dr. A. C. Grover, also of Port Henry. Matthew, James and Zalmon Hall were early settlers in the town ; the two former removed away. John C. Hopson came from Wall- ingford, Conn., at an early day and settled where N. W. Crandall lives. His son Oliver was ordained as a minister and preached in Wells and Poultney, but later removed to Connecticut. His son Almon lived and died in the town ; was a teacher many years and held various offices. John C. jr., removed to Whitehall, N. Y., in late years ; he represented the town two years. Raymond H. lived in the village, where he carried on blacksmithing and the grocery bus- iness; he is deceased. Robert Hotchkiss came into the town in 1796 and set- tled on lands now owned by Alva Mitchell ; in 1810 he removed to the north- east part of the town, where William Donahue lives ; he died in 1829. Joshua Howe came from Connecticut in 1783 and settled on the place afterward oc- cupied by his grandson, Joshua, and now owned by Downer Perry. He built the first grist-mill in town, the walls of which still stand on land owned by H. W. Lewis. He died in 1800. His son Samuel settled on part of the home- stead. Joseph, another son, also located on part of the homestead where Downer Perry lives; David lived where Linus Atwater now resides. The family has been numerous and respected. Aaron Ives settled in town in 1785,
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
where Darius Parks now lives ; he died in 1801. Aaron Kellogg settled early on the place occupied by Henry Reynolds, and removed thence to Stowe, Vt. Joseph Lamb, from Norwich, Conn., located about 1778 where William Cooper lives in the northeast part of the town ; he died in 1809. His son Levi was a respected citizen and died in 1835. Phineas Lamb came into town in 1804 and settled where William Hicks lives in the north part of the town ; he was a Revolutionary soldier. His son, Captain William Lamb, was a leading citizen of the town; captain of the militia; town clerk seventeen years and held many other offices. Rev. Shubel Lamb was a son of Joseph, before mentioned, and lived in town until his death in 1850; he was a local preacher for nearly sixty years and was in the Legislature two years. This family has been one of the most numerous and respected in the town. The same may be said of the Lewis families. Barnabas Lewis, with his son Benjamin, came to Wells from Cheshire, Conn., about 1807, having been preceded previous to 1800 by his sons Zurial and Levi ; David, another son, came also to the town some time before the Revolution. The latter owned and occupied the farm of Oscar Sprague and died in 1845 ; David B. succeeded to the homestead of his father and died in Poultney in 1866. Levi lived a short distance north of the village ; he was a tanner and died in 1811. Artemas Lewis, son of Levi, lived at the village and held the office of justice many years. Orlin, brother of Artemas, was postmaster several years and filled several town offices with ability ; he died in 1865. William Lewis came from Pawlet and settled on the farm now occupied by Daniel Francis ; he died in 1836; his son John lived on the homestead until 1864, when he removed to Poultney. Zenas Lewis lived where James S. Goodspeed now resides until about 1843, when he removed to Tinmouth. Walter Lewis came to the town in 1832, and lived here until his death in 1867. Nathaniel Lewis was an early settler and lived on the farm now owned by D. S. Parks in the northern part of the town ; his son Reuben was a physician in this town several years and went west. Benjamin Lewis, sen., came to town in 1807 and settled on the place now owned by Hiram WV. Lewis ; he died in 1847 leaving a family. Benjamin, jr., with his son Rodney, has been engaged in manufacturing and mercantile business in the town. Am- brose Lewis lived on the place now owned by George and Frank Goodspeed ; he removed west many years ago. It will be seen that this family has been one of the most numerous in the town, and many of the name have been prom- inent in the community. Benjamin Lunibard came with his family of seven children and located here in 1797 ; descendants have lived in the town since. Mallory Ogden was the first settler in the town, coming in 1768 ; he built the first framed barn in Wells ; its site was near the dwelling owned by William Cooper and occupied by William B. Spencer ; he died in 1811, aged ninety- one ; he had four sons. His brother Zacheus-came in about the same time ; little is known of his history. Abel and Samuel S. Merriman came to the town
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