USA > Vermont > Rutland County > History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 53
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It is probable that West Rutland will be connected with Rutland village by a street car line ere long, which may add to its future prosperity.
Sutherland Falls (or Proctor).1-The first mention of Sutherland Falls was made by James Cross, who conducted a scouting party of twelve Canada Mo- hawks from what was then called Fort Dummer to Lake Champlain in the year 1730. The reference by him was to the effect that on May 6 they passed two great falls, which are believed to have been Gookin's and Sutherland Falls. Eighteen years later Captain Eleazer Melvin, of Concord, Mass., made the same journey and in the record of his travels speaks of passing " the great falls." Of the early settlers at this point, it is quite probable that John Sutherland was the first to take up a permanent abode. He built a grist-mill which stood on the site now occupied by the air-compressing machinery of the Vermont Mar- ble Company, and a saw-mill that stood a few rods north of the old lower mill ; both of these buildings were destroyed by the great flood of July, 1811; the saw-mill was, however, rebuilt and operated by Messrs. Powers & Gookin, then of Center Rutland, until it was destroyed by fire in 1828. Little is known of Mr. Sutherland's early life, and the date of his settlement cannot be definitely determined ; but it was without doubt as early as 1766 or 1767. There was surveyed and laid out to Sutherland, April 1, 1779, 109 acres of land on the east side of the creek, and a few years later, in 1786, another lot was surveyed to him by " Joseph Crary, county surveyor," containing " 116 acres of land in D township - seventy-five acres on the original Right of John Beals and forty- one acres on the Right of Deborah Stone."
1 The facts here stated relative to the early settlement and industries of Sutherland Falls are de- rived from a manuscript written by the late R. S. Humphrey and kindly furnished us by his widow. Mr. Humphrey gives credit in the manuscript for assistance from D. C. Powers, M. 1'. Humphrey, Samuel Butler and D. B. Humphrey, the greater part of whose early lives were spent in that vicinity. We have condensed the language of the manuscript, adhering only to the facts stated.
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
It is probable that the nearest settlers to Mr. Sutherland at the time of his arrival were Gideon Cooley, who located in 1767 on the farm now owned by S. G. Loveland and James Mead, just west of the site of Center Rutland. Mr. Sutherland was an outspoken Tory and in sympathy with the New York gov- ernment in the famous controversy, and thus incurred more or less animosity from his few neighbors. Mr. Humphrey writes : " He was on ordinary terms with his neighbors and carried on his grist-mill ; but it cannot be denied that tradition has given him the name of being selfish and grasping ; one story being that at the time of the battle of Hubbardton, when so many of the set- tlers left their homes and sought protection at Bennington, they were forced to leave their swine roaming at large. They branded the animals and turned them into the woods. On their return they found some of the hogs in Mr. Sutherland's pen."
Mr. Sutherland at one time owned all of the land on the west side of Otter Creek from the Pittsford line to the land now owned by R. C. Mead. He died about the year 1808, leaving one son, Peter Sutherland, who is reported as being a somewhat visionary person and lacking his father's shrewdness and business capacity. After the flood of 1811 the business at the falls was par- tially crippled and the grist-mill site was sold to R. M. Powers, who rebuilt the mill. Peter Sutherland still carried on the wool-carding business established by his father and also built a forge for the manufacture of bar iron. The card- ing-mill stood a little southeast of the grist-mill, and near where the water first comes through the tunnel. The forge stood across the gulf south of the struct- ure that contains the upright shaft for transmitting power. The wool-carding business was abandoned when Peter Sutherland left the place, and the forge passed into possession of Francis Slason, then to Eliphalet Leonard and sub- sequently to the Humphrey brothers. Mr. Humphrey's account of the great flood is to the effect that it was by far the most disastrous ever experienced in this part of the State. It carried away the grist-mill and saw-mill and de- stroyed all other property that came within its reach. The water came up over what was then the roadway, just above the sluice or tunnel, swept down through where the coping shop and the air compressing building now stand and car- ried everything before it. The water was deep enough so that a man swam from near the west end of the bridge westerly to where the road turns to the north. Water rising to the same height now would overflow the railroad track and run through the rock cut west of Myron C. Warner's house at a depth of six feet or more. The bridge was swept away and was subsequently built far- ther down the stream.
John Sutherland built the first framed house at the falls; it stood a little south of the covered bridge, and was occupied by the Sutherland family until Peter removed from the place, about the year 1820. Richard M. Powers set- led in early life just north of the falls, where he owned a large tract of land.
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TOWN OF RUTLAND.
the greater part of which, with his residence, was a little way inside of the Pittsford line ; but he at one time had some interest in the mills at the falls and was a man of prominence in the community. He was for many years a mem- ber of the Pittsford Congregational Church, was much respected and died in 1847. His children were Richard, drowned in the Winooski River soon after the battle of Plattsburg, in 1813 ; John, who died in early manhood ; Lucy, who married Daniel Smith and settled in West Rutland; Daniel C., who lived for many years on the south part of [the Powers farm ; he learned the black- smith trade and for many years carried on a shop, which has been converted into a dwelling. He sold this property to his brother in 1850, and removed to West Rutland, where he was foreman for William F. Barnes, for some years, in a marble quarry. Later he lived a number of years in Illinois and finally returned to Pittsford and died suddenly in the winter of 1882. Amanda Pow- ers died in 1870; Mary, wife of Eben Goodrich, lives in Ohio ; Sarah married N. S. Warner, and died in 1881 ; Melinda died in 1882 in Ohio ; Polly mar- ried Burr Chapman, of West Rutland, and died many years ago; Charles lived some time just north of the Beaver Pond on the " Back road," but sold out to his younger brothers and removed to Chittenden, where he passed the greater part of his life. He died suddenly in 1881, while living with a daughter near Forestdale. He was an eccentric man, a strong abolitionist, and entertained exaggerated ideas upon religion ; Nicholas M. learned the carpenter's trade with Abraham Owens, of Pittsford, and in later life became a successful bridge- builder, having erected the bridge at Havre de Gras, Md., and many other noted structures. He is now living in Clarendon. J. C., familiarly known as " Cooley," lived in the house purchased of Daniel C. during most of his life. He died suddenly in the summer of 1881, making the fourth death in the fam- of children in that year, three of whom dropped dead instantly The youngest of the family is Artemas C., who lives on the homestead, and in late years built a fine dwelling on the site where his father built his first house nearly a cen- tury ago.
The Chatterton family were prominent among the early settlers of this sec- tion of the town. Isaac, father of Leverett and grandfather of G. H. and J. T. Chatterton of a later generation, settled a little south of the falls on the east side of the creek as early as 1783 or 1784. Leverett was his only son and lived and died on the homestead. His daughters were Polly, who married Robert Gilmore, and died in West Rutland at the great age of ninety-three years ; Chloe, who married Silas Smith, of West Rutland, and died about 1848 ; Charlotte, who married Morris Reynolds and died about 1849. Isaac Chatterton was a member of the Congregational Church from 1788 to the time of his death ; both himself and his wife, as well as his son, lived to more than ninety years of age. Leverett Chatterton built the stone house on the home- stead ; he was born in 1784 and died in 1878. Joseph Humphrey was one of a 29
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
family of fifteen children and was born in Winchester, N. H., his father being Colonel William Humphrey, a Revolutionary officer. Joseph, one of the pio- neers at Sutherland Falls, left home when fifteen years old, and started from Winchester in 1784, alone, barefoot and in his shirt sleeves, with an axe on his shoulder, to make a home for himself. He arrived in this neighborhood and began work at whatever he could find to do, making his home with and working for Isaac Chatterton for some time; he also worked a year for the man who had the contract for building the old stone jail in Rutland village. This was soon after his arrival, at least within a few years of that event. He worked too for John Sutherland, and finally bought of him sixty acres of land, embracing the territory where R. S. Humphrey lived and extending south to the Mead farm and easterly to Otter Creek. When this purchase was made in 1793, there was a log house on the place, which had been abandoned long enough for a sumach tree to grow in the fireplace to four inches in diameter. Two years later he brought his young wife into the wilderness to share his burdens ; her name was Hannah Parmelee, whose parents resided in Pittsford. The moving was made on an ox sled at one load, the bride riding behind on horseback. Her two younger brothers accompanied to return the steers, and Mr .. Humphrey relates the circumstance of hearing them in their old age nar- rate the incidents of the trip and particularly of the supper in the little log house. Some bread was brought with the load from Pittsford, and a ham, while some corn meal had been laid in by the husband to start upon ; these were brought out or rather down, for the ham had been hung on the side of the great chimney ; a johnny cake was baked in a skillet before the fire, some of the ham fried and the table spread. The furniture consisted of three chairs and three knives and forks. These were shared by the bride and her two brothers. The husband brought in a wooden block to sit upon, and used his jack-knife to both whittle out a fork and cut his food. In this way they made a beginning. This little incident supplies a simple picture of the beginning made by hundreds of the pioneers of the town. Indeed, it is a brighter one than would be afforded by the experiences of a majority of the early settlers.
The children of Joseph Humphrey were William, born in the log house, died in 1863 ; Diana, Mercy, Willard, Adaline, died when five years old; Moses, died in infancy ; Moses, the only one now living; Joseph, died in 1849; and Ashbel, died in 1862. William inherited the homestead, and made several purchases in addition thereto. He was a respected citizen.
The manuscript of Mr. Humphrey mentions the name of Fayette Vaughan as a resident at the falls for many years ; he was in charge of the store for a period and left it to become a salesman in the marble yard, removing to Rut- land in 1870 or 1871. He was instrumental in advancing the school interests at the falls, having purchased of D. B. and R. S. Humphrey the old stone school-house, which he converted into a dwelling. In 1866 the people of the
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TOWN OF RUTLAND.
school district felt that a larger school-house was needed and erected what is known as the two-story school-house. The history of this district is briefly as follows: Previous to 1836 there was no school district at the falls; the so- called Humphrey farm belonged to District Number 10, while all north of his farm and south of Pittsford was considered a part of the south, or Kingsley District of Pittsford. When Moses and Willard Humphrey began business, in 1836, a new district was formed and numbered fourteen, including all of the territory south of the Pittsford line to Joel M. Mead's farm. They began an attempt to secure the erection of a school-house for the new district by sub- scription, and but for the financial crisis of that immediate period, the project would undoubtedly have been consummated. But the work was perforce stop- ped when the building was about half finished. Children were growing up who needed educational privileges and yet lived nearly two miles from a school- house, and a place was also much needed for religious meetings, which purpose it was anticipated the school-house would serve when completed. At this critical time William Humphrey borrowed $240 on his own account (a large sum in those days for a man of limited means) and finished the school- house. The first use it was put to was for a religious meeting in October, 1838. In consideration of Mr. Humphrey's outlay the district conveyed to him all its title in the house, and he kept it insured for many years and in good repair at his own expense, besides paying his regular assessments. When the subject of building a new school-house was agitated in 1865, the old building had passed into the possession of D. B. and R. S. Humphrey ; they offered it to the district for the amount of their father's first investment, but the offer was declined, and they sold it to Fayette Vaughan, as stated. The new building was located about twenty rods south of the old one, the site being donated by the Humphrey brothers, with certain conditions in the deed. The cost of the present building was about $4,600, it having been erected when prices of labor and materials were high.
In later years, and since the enormous development of the marble interest of the Vermont Marble Company, the hamlet at Sutherland Falls has grown considerably, the employes of the company serving to furnish a large popula- tion. Signs of improvements are seen on every hand, and the beautiful spot may be destined to become the site of a prosperous village in the not distant future.
Center Rutland .- The falls and the excellent water-power on Otter Creek about two miles west of Rutland village led to the gathering there in the early years of quite a manufacturing business and considerable population. These falls were originally embraced in the lands owned by the pioneer, James Mead, and were for a time known as " Mead's Falls." Early in the present century the falls and considerable surrounding territory passed into possession of Will- iam and Richard Gookin, and for many years were quite commonly known as
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
" Gookin's Falls." Within the past forty years the present name of Center Rutland has been given to the place.
Here James Mead's first grist-mill was built, as already detailed. William and Richard Gookin came here from New Hampshire. They were energetic and enterprising men and soon improved their possessions at the falls and ap- plied their valuable water-power in the operation of several successful manu- facturing establishments. On the south side of the stream they erected a full- ing-mill and also a grist-mill. A paper-mill was built by them on the site of the present blacksmith shop of the Vermont Marble Company, which, with the grist-mill, stood on the north side. The paper-mill did quite a business for a number of years; writing paper and other varieties were manufactured and several teams were kept on the road gathering rags and selling the product. Mr. Gookin also erected the store building now occupied by Shedd & Son and kept a store there.
Richard Gookin died in comparatively early life. His wife was Mary Fay, daughter of William Fay, the Rutland publisher. He had one son, William Fay Gookin, who removed to Port Henry, N. Y. William Gookin died in 1865. His children were four daughters, two of whom, Eleanor and Mary, married George H. Beaman ; one, Agnes, married Carlton A. Munger, and Annette married Wallace W. Slason. His son, Hiram N., was for a time as- sociated with his father in his business operations, and with others, and subse- quently went to New York and thence to Florida, where he died of consump- tion. He had two other sons - Frederick Y., now living in Chicago, and Samuel, the eldest, who died at Center Rutland at forty years of age, of con- sumption.
A communication received from the venerable George H. Beaman, most of whose life has been passed at Center Rutland, pays the following tribute to the character and energy of William Gookin.
" By the purchase in early years of the century of the falls still bearing his name and a large portion of the land on which is built the village on the north and east side of the creek, and by the erection of a saw-mill, grist-mill, paper- mill, large carding-machine and cloth-dressing establishment, the store now occupied by F. W. Shedd, and by the intoduction of such mechanic shops as were then deemed necessary to a country village, Mr. Gookin gave an impulse to the business of the place that it has never entirely lost."
The paper-mill property passed from Mr. Gookin to his son, Hiram N., and Ambrose L. Brown, and was operated by them until it burned ; it caught fire from slacking lime. The other property at the falls was purchased by Dr. James B. Porter and Wallace W. Slason, and William F. Barnes acquired an interest in it soon afterward, which led to the introduction of the Porter family into the marble industry. They built a marble-mill adjoining the grist-mill ; but after a few years' operations they failed and assigned to Samuel Griggs.
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TOWN OF RUTLAND.
He employed Captain William Gilmore to manage the business temporarily, until the entire property passed into possession of Dr. James Porter. It was carried on by him and as a part of his estate after his death, until sold to the late John B. Page. With the latter Charles Clement became associated and later took the entire business and controlled it until it, with most of the other property at the falls, came into possession of the Vermont Marble Company.
Ralph Page was one of the pioneers in business at this place, and his sons, Thomas and D. R. Page, were associated with him for some time and after- wards carried on the business. Ralph kept a store and the " old Page Tavern," which is still standing, and died there; he also carried on a distillery in early years.
Jacob N. and Ezekiel L. Bailey were also conspicuous in the community early in the century ; they were carpenters and built the houses where they lived. Whitman B. Haskins and Zera Mead lived there and operated the full- ing-mill of William Gookin for a period, probably under a lease.
Captain William Gilmore, now living in Rutland, was another early mer- chant and manufacturer at the falls. He and Charles Clement purchased the property on the south side of the creek and erected the second marble-mill at this point. Mr. Clement was then doing a mercantile business in the old Page store, where he had been located for several years ; and had previously been in trade two years at West Rutland. Mr. Clement sold the store to William H. Liscomb and John Osgood, who finally closed out the business. In 1862 Mr. Clement purchased Captain Gilmore's interest in the marble-mill, and con- tinued it in company with his son until it was transferred to the Rutland Mar- ble Company ; later it passed to the Vermont Marble Company.
In the store building now occupied by F. W. Shedd & Son, which was erected and used for mercantile business by the Gookin brothers, William Y. Ripley began trade in 1837, having exchanged a farm with Thomas Page for the house in which he lived and died, and purchased the stock of goods in the store. Evelyn Pierpoint joined him for one year in this business, after which Mr. Ripley carried on the store several years, when he closed out his stock and John Cramton occupied the building and began the manufacture and sale of tinware. The store was subsequently occupied by J. Brigham Proctor, and others, and now by Mr. Shedd and his son. Of the Ripley marble industry at this place we have elsewhere spoken.
With the centralization of trade and manufactories at East Rutland and the development of the marble industry at West Rutland, much of the former act- ivity of Center Rutland has disappeared. The grist-mill, now operated by the Vermont Marble Company, the marble-mill of the same company and the mill of Ripley Sons, constitute the present manufacturing interests of the place. Besides the store of Messrs. Shedd, H. C. Harris carried on mercantile business in a large store in what was formerly the Methodist Church building ; he be- gan trade here in 1882. P. H. Dolan is the present postmaster.
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
CHAPTER XX.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BENSON.
T HE grant of the townships of Benson and Fairhaven (the latter then in- cluding the present town of Westhaven and adjoining Benson on the south), was made by "the Governor, Council and General Assembly of the Representatives of the Freemen of Vermont," October 27, 1779. While the Fairhaven charter bears the above date, for some reason that of Benson was delayed and its date is May 5, 1780. The grant was made to seventy-five in- dividual proprietors, with five equal shares for school and gospel purposes, as was customary. The original proprietors who were active in procuring the charter were residents of Williamstown, Mass., and its immediate vicinity.
The town of Benson lies in the northwest part of the county, and is bound- ed on the north by Orwell; east by Sudbury, Hubbardton and Castleton ; south by Fairhaven and Westhaven, and west by Lake Champlain. The town contains nearly 28,340 acres, or nearly forty-two and three-fourths square miles. The name of the town was given in honor of Hon. Egbert Benson, an eminent man and prominent attorney of New York State during the Revolu- tionary period.1 The surface of the town is considerably broken and uneven in the northern, southeastern and southwestern parts, giving to about one-third of the area a hilly or mountainous and rugged character. Through nearly the center of the town from north to south extends the slate deposit, which is cov- ered with a fertile soil, extending from a mile to a mile and a half in width. Most of the remainder of the soil of the town is clay. The town is well watered by numerous lakes, streams and ponds, of which Sunset Lake, a handsome lit- tle sheet of water in the northern part, is the largest. Glen Lake is in the
1 In a sketch of the history of this town, prepared by the late Hon. Loyal C. Kellogg, we find the following relative to this matter: " Judge Benson was interested, as owner or as agent for the own- ers, in New York patents or grants, which covered the territory now embraced within the limits of the town of Benson; and, as Vermont at the time when the charter of the town was applied for was an in- fant state, struggling for existence against the claims of New York, and not recognized by the Confed- eration, those who were interested in "looking out the town " as a place for settlement were apprehen- sive that the State organization and authority of Vermont might be overthrown, and that their titles under a grant from Vermont would thereby become worthless and lost. To avert any such result, a committee of the proprietors went to Albany, and called on Judge Benson, and stated to him their de- sire to make a settlement in the proposed new township, and their embarrassment arising from the con- flicting and contested titles, and their anxiety to be relieved from any interfering claim or title arising under the New York grants, in case they should procure a charter from Vermont and make a settle- ment in the township. He assured the committee that if those they represented should procure a charter from Vermont and make a settlement in the township, they should never be interfered with or disturbed by any claim under the New York title which he represented; and he encouraged them to proceed in making a settlement in the township, and intimated to them that it would be a personal grat- ification to him if they would call the new township by his name." This was the origin of the name of the town.
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southwestern part and extends into Fairhaven and Castleton. There are sev- eral smaller ponds in various parts of the town, giving to the general landscape a high order of natural beauty. Hubbardton River, with its tributaries, is the principal stream ; it rises in the town of Hubbardton and flows southwesterly through Benson and into Westhaven.
The first meeting of the proprietors of Benson was held on the 16th of March, 1779, in the proceedings of which we find that it was " voted to raise £108 18s. on the proprietors by equal assessment," and that " £40 2s. of said money be paid to Jonathan Meacham and Absalom Baker for looking out said town," and that " £68 16s. be paid to the surveyor and chainmen for running out said town;" and that "Jonathan Meacham, Matthew Dunning and Eze- kiel Blair be a committee to carry a petition to the General Court of Vermont for a grant of said town ; likewise to take care of the money to be raised," etc. At the second meeting, held on the 10th of June, 1779, it was " voted that a committee be appointed to lay out the first division lots, beginning on the first of October then next." The third meeting was held at Pownal, December 15, 1779, and subsequent meetings were held at Bennington, Pownal and Poultney.
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