History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 56

Author: Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925. 1n; Rann, William S
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co.
Number of Pages: 1170

USA > Vermont > Rutland County > History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 56

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Benson Landing. - This is a small hamlet on the shore of Lake Champlain, north of the Center. It grew out of the lake commerce which assumed great importance immediately after the opening of the Champlain Canal in 1823, and was a center of considerable business for many years. A. L. Hale & Compa- ny (E. M. Ladd) have kept a store here for six years, and for the four years just previous to that were located in business on the dock with J. R. Harlow, as Harlow & Hale. Previous to that time P. G. Ladd & Son kept the store on the dock, the senior members of the firm having been in business there twenty years or more. There is no other business at this point.

Attorneys. - The first lawyer who settled in this town was Albert Stevens, who remained here between 1800 and 1802. Samuel Jackson came here about 1807 but absconded after a few months. Ira Harmon settled in Benson in March, 1810, and practiced here about twenty years. John Kellogg came here in' May, 1810, and remained in practice until 1840. He was born at Amherst, Mass., May 31, 1786; came to Vermont in 1805, and on the 22d of April, be- gan studying law in the office of Loyal Case, of Middlebury ; finished his stud- ies with Hon. Horatio Seymour, in Middlebury, and was admitted to the bar in 1810. In Benson he gained a foremost position and enjoyed a large prac- tice. He was postmaster from 1813 to 1822, and for twelve years town clerk ; delegate to the State Constitutional Convention of 1822, and represented the town eight terms ; in 1838 he was Democratic candidate for United States sen- ator, and one of the delegates at large to the National Convention of the same party. His professional life was marked by great energy and industry, and his character was one of decision and sound principles. He was the father of Hon. Loyal Case Kellogg. (See chapter on the bar of the county). Marshall R. Meacham began practice in Benson in 1825 and continued to his death Au- gust 24, 1833, at thirty-four years of age. David L. Farnham was in practice here from 1826 to 1828, when he removed to other parts. Richard W. Smith practiced here one year (1830-31). Milo W. Smith, son of Chauncey, was in practice from 1831 to 1852, when he removed to Indiana and died there. Loyal C. Kellogg practiced here from 1839 to 1859, when he was elected one of the judges of the Supreme Court of the State; in 1860 he removed to Rut- land.

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TOWN OF BRANDON.

Physicians. - The physicians who practiced in this town in early years and subsequently are mentioned in the chapter devoted to the medical profession, as far as anything is now known of them. There are at the present time two physicians in practice in the town - Dr. Henry R. Jones, born December II, 1823 ; received his medical education at Castleton and graduated in the fall of 1849. He practiced the first two years thereafter in New Haven, Vt., and came to Benson in 1853 ; he was married in the same year, and has enjoyed an extensive practice and the esteem of the community.

Dr. J. P. Newton, born in Swanton, Vt., March 12, 1845, received his med- ical education at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and graduated in March, 1872. He came at once to Benson (June, 1872), excepting a few weeks in Long Island Hospital College.

CHAPTER XXI.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BRANDON.I

T HIS town was originally granted by virtue of a patent from George the Third to the following named proprietors, on the 20th day of October, 1761 : -

"Josiah Powers, William Keyes, Boaz Brown, David Powers, Benjamin Sha- dor, jr., Silas Wetherbee, Jonathan Reed, John Fox, William Farr, Levi Farr, Samuel Pool, Nathan Farr, Stephen Brown, David Munroe, Walter Powers, Joseph Fuller, Phineas Wilder, Edward Brown, David Vernas, Nehemiah Ful- ler, Ezekiel Wright, John Lamson, Aaron Brown, John Canning, Daniel Pond, Jonathan Hartwell, Benjamin Reed, Thomas Munroe, Joseph Reed, Amos Lamson, Nathan Fellows, Josiah Powers, jr., Eliphalet Fails, Nathan Chase, Asa Holyest, Peter Wright, Joshua Wright, Tilly Wilder, Ephraim Brown, Nathan Russel, esq., William Russell, Josiah Elwood, Thomas Sawyer, William Fry, Aaron Brown, jr., Elijah Powers, Benjamin Robbins, David Spafford, Ezekiel Powers, Benjamin Powers, David Fails, Silas Brown, Ezekiel Powers, Theodore Atkinson, esq., Joseph Newmarch, esq., Titus Salter, Ephraim Shat- man, Ephraim Shatman, jr., Thomas Gibbs, William Shadock, Timothy Haild, Thomas Barrett, Timothy Fox, Aaron Davis, Captain Aaron Brown, Silas Lamson. His excellency Benning Wentworth, esq., a tract to contain five hundred acres as marked B. W. on the plan which is to be accounted two of the within shares, one share for the incorporated society for the propagation

1 Invaluable aid has been rendered in the preparation of this chapter by John A. Conant, Captain A. S. Cook, George Briggs and others.

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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.

of the gospel in foreign parts, one share for a globe for the Church of England as by law established - one share for the first settled minister of the gospel, and one share for the benefit of a school in said town."

Previous to this time application to Benning Wentworth had not been made very frequently or strenuously urged, because of the hazard of settling upon a wilderness territory adjacent to a province which formed a battle-ground be- tween two so powerful enemies as the French and English. When, therefore, Montreal and the whole Province of Canada were surrendered, September 8, 1760, to the British, the fertile but irregular tracts of land lying to the east of Lake Champlain were eagerly sought after by speculators and those who from natural bent and training had become the pioneers from their infant civilization on the Western Hemisphere. There was usually an interval of several years, however, between the granting of a charter and the beginning of a settlement in the respective towns ; for example, in ten towns of Rutland county the charters of which were granted between the 26th of August and the 20th of October, 1761, settlements were begun as follows :

Pawlet, 1761 ; Danby, 1765 ; Clarendon and Rutland, 1768; Castleton and Pittsford, 1769; Poultney and Wells, 1771 ; Brandon, 1772.

Brandon was, it will be seen, settled more recently than any of the towns south of it. For the first twenty-three years after it was chartered it was known by its charter name of Neshobe. According to J. Hammond Trumbull1 Neshobe means " double-pond," or " half-way. pond." It was originally ap- plied to that part of Littleton, Mass., where the ponds are situated, and the name has reference to their location. A tribe of Indians living there was called Neshoba Indians, and Mr. Elliott established a praying town on Neshoba Hill. In 1714 the Neshoba lands were incorporated into a town, and the name was changed to Littleton in December, 1715.

Neshoba or Neshobe seems to have been selected by Captain Josiah Pow- ers2 for the newly chartered town in the New Hampshire Grants. He was born in the " Garrison House " on Neshoba Hill where he spent most of his boyhood days, until he moved to Greenwich. After a few years he became possessed with a desire to speculate in lands in the new county and presented his petition for a township. It was a matter of but little choice to Governor Wentworth what the name of the new town was, provided he got the benefit of the reservation of five hundred acres. Any land speculator presenting a sufficient number of names of petitioners could obtain a grant of a township. If the applicant presented no name for his township, the governor usually named it after some of his English favorite friends or places ; but it seems that the birth-place of Powers had some pleasant associations for him, which led him to select Neshobe3 for his new home.+

1 Manuscripts of the Rutland County Historical Society, Vol. II.

2 The Powers Family, by Amos H. Powers.

3 Proceedings of the Rutland County Historical Society, Vol. II.

4 Furnished by Dr. John M. Currier, of Castleton.

475

TOWN OF BRANDON.

The original boundaries of the town were the same as the present. It contains 22,756 acres of land. It is bounded north by the town of Leicester, Addison county, east by Goshen and Chittenden, south by Pittsford, and west by Sudbury. On the 20th of October, 1784, the act of the Legislature con- firming the organization of the town gave it the name of Brandon. Mr. John A. Conant is authority for the statement that the name, like that of Clarendon, Rutland, Leicester, Salisbury and other towns, was taken from an English nobleman, the Earl of Brandon, instead of being a corruption of Burnet town, as previous accounts have recorded. According to the statement contained on page 429 of Hemenway's Vermont Historical Gasetteer, "the first tree felled in this town with a view to settlement, was in the month of October, 1772, when Amos Cutler, then a single man, came from Hampton, Conn., made an opening and built a cabin which he occupied alone during the following winter. April 5, 1773, John Ambler and David June, his son-in-law, came into the town from Stamford, Conn., and made their pitch jointly, south of and ad- joining Mr. Cutler, and extending, as it was afterwards surveyed, to near the north line of Pittsford."

The next settlers came just previous to or during the Revolutionary War, and are named so far as possible in the order of their arrival. Josiah Powers, Elisha Strong, Thomas Tuttle, Joseph Barker, John Mott, George and Aaron Robins, Benjamin Powers, Jonathan Ferris, Joshua Goss and Samuel Kelsey. All but the last two are supposed to have come here before the beginning of the war. The first settler, Amos Cutler, made his first clearing on the farm now owned by Josiah Rosseter. He died there on the 18th of March, 1818. His wife, whom he married November 23, 1773, was daughter of Jacob Si- monds, of Hampton, Conn. Cutler was a blacksmith by trade, and worked at the business here, with tools of his own manufacture. Owing to the restrictive measures of Great Britian, compelling the colonies to purchase most of their necessities of her, the scope of Cutler's productions was very limited.

A fulling-mill was built by James, son of John Ambler, and stood on the small stream that crosses the road between the farm now occupied by Otis F. Smith and the one formerly owned by S. B. June.

David June, a native of Stamford, Conn., came to Brandon in 1773 with his father-in-law, John Ambler. They made a joint pitch in the south part of the town, which was by Mr. June's later purchases made to comprise 225 acres in the homestead at his death. He built a log house and returned to Stamford in November of the same year of his arrival, bringing back his wife and two sons. He came with two horses, upon one of which the family, except him- self, rode, and the other carried the goods. They arrived safely after a most fatiguing journey. Mr. June was on the proprietors' committee to lay out roads " from Pittsford to Leicester, and from Pittsford to Sudbury, and from Pittsford to the mills, on the east side of the creek." He died in June, 1819.

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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.

He had four sons and three daughters. The sons were Daniel, Asahel, Stephen and David.

Captain Josiah Powers, originally of Littleton and afterwards of Green- wich, Mass., was the leading man of the proprietors. He became the most extensive land-owner in town. He owned at one time about three thousand acres, but continued to sell until at his death he had disposed of nearly all his. former possessions. He came here to reside in 1774, and settled on the place now known as the Goodenow farm. His log house stood about fifty rods. southwesterly of the present dwelling. He was drowned October, 1778, while attempting to ford on horseback a stream swollen by a flood. He was return- ing, it is thought, from attendance at the Legislature at Windsor.

Dr. Benjamin Powers, brother to Captain Josiah Powers, came to Neshobe about the same time. He was the first physician in town ; was probably a single man. He died towards the close of the war.

Captain Elisha Strong settled before 1774 on a lot called the Governor's lot, on the west side of the creek, embracing the present Bardella marble quarry land. He was moderator of the first proprietors' meeting held in town in September of 1774. Captain Strong died near the close of the war. Noah Strong, his eldest son, began on what was formerly the " Goss Place," now the town farm. He was among the earliest of the settlers and purchased of Sam- uel Beach, then of Rutland, for twenty-four pounds, the original right of Thomas Sawyer ; also of his father-in-law, Josiah Powers, the right of William Frye, and other purchases. He had seven children, all but one of whom were born in this town. He built the first mills, long known as Strong's mills, on the site of S. L. Goodell's marble works. He sold his homestead, then con- taining 180 acres, to Joshua Goss for £480 in 1796 and removed to Ohio.

Captain Thomas Tuttle came here about 1774 from Pittsford, although he had formerly lived in Tinmouth. He first settled on what has since been known as the Farrington farm, owned by Franklin Farrington ; his log house stood near the creek and the present road to Sudbury, a few rods from where the railroad crossing now is. The original survey contained one hundred and ten acres. His house was burnt by the Indians in 1779, as were also those of his son, and his son-in-law, Barker. He was killed in an attempt to escape from Fort Washington after the surrender of that stronghold to the British.

Joseph Barker came here before the war and settled on land then adjoining that of Captain Tuttle on the south. His house stood on the north side of the road to Sudbury, some distance from it, and near the present railroad cross- ing. He married Martha, daughter of Captain Thomas Tuttle. He was taken prisoner by the Indians in November, 1779, on their second hostile visit to Brandon. Feigning sickness and keeping the Indians awake until the latter part of the first night, when his guards were overcome by sleep, he effected his escape. Meanwhile Mrs. Barker had started to go to Noah Strong's, a

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TOWN OF BRANDON.

distance of more than three miles. Night coming on and having gone as far as the deserted log house of the Robinses, she there remained for the night ; there, without other attendant than the other child, a babe was born to her, and there Mr. Barker found her the next day ; she was properly cared for and re- covered. The child was named Rhoda, and married and removed to western New York. Thompson's Gazetteer gives the year of this incident as 1777 ; but it was two years later. Mr. Barker was a shoemaker ; was twice chosen selectman, several times constable and held other town offices. He removed to the West.

Deacon John Mott came from Richmond, Mass. He first purchased of Josiah Powers, on the 8th of November, 1774, one hundred acres for £15 on the right of David Vernas. He also made purchases of James Stone and Thomas Tuttle. He came here in 1775, and remained until 1812, when he removed to Mount Vernon, Ohio. He was a very prominent man in town. He built the house now standing on the premises of his half-brother, Henry Harrison.

Gideon Mott purchased of him in June, 1784, two lots of fifty-five acres each, for £11, one adjoining Amos Cutler and the other on the Gilbert, now the Locke Brook. He pitched on the latter, and built a house on the north side of the road leading from Albert Wood's to the Cook farm ; when he began here there was north of him but one house, that of Noah Strong. Samuel Mott, brother of John Mott, bought land of Gideon in 1786. He began on the present farm of J. Walton Cheney, made his "opening " and erected his unpretentious blacksmith shop a few rods south of the dwelling-house of Mr. Cheney, and on the west side of the present road. George and Aaron Robins, brothers and single, came a little before the breaking out of the war, from Petersham, Mass., and built a log house on the place now owned and oc- cupied by Owen Morgan. Their widowed mother kept house for them. They were bold, fearless enemies of the Indians, and were killed by a band of them in November, 1777.

Jonathan Ferris, from Stamford, Conn., purchased of John Ambler, March 30, 1776, for {28 " York money," a tract of one hundred and ten acres lying on the north line of Pittsford, the farm now owned by T. B. Smith. He lived single and died at an advanced age, having been for several years under the care of the town.

Joshua Goss, from Montague, Mass., settled here before the close of the war, on the west side of the highway, and some fifty rods from it, about as far north as David June's house. In 1796 he bought the well-known Goss place, now the town farm, of Noah Strong, where he for years kept a public house. He died in December, 1826.

Samuel Kelsey came from Wallingford before the close of the war and settled on the farm now owned by Arnold Manchester. He removed to the West.

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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.

Among the other early settlers were Charles Johnson, a tailor, who lived in Brandon from the latter part of the last century until his death in 1859, and John Conant, esq., a native of Ashburnham, Mass., father of Mr. John A. Conant. He was born February 2, 1773. He came to Brandon in 1796 and purchased of Simeon King and Joseph Hawley, "one-half of the mills and water-power in the village " for £160. The deed was dated December 23, 1796. He was by education a carpenter and joiner. By subseqent purchases he became proprietor of the entire water-power of the village. In 1816 he erected the stone grist-mill which is still standing at the head of the lower falls, and in 1839 he built the brick mill below it. In 1820 he erected a blast- furnace in the village, to which establishment the village owes the greater part of its present prosperity and business activity. He died June 30, 1856. Cap- tain Nathan Daniels made a " pitch " in 1774, on the place since known as the Douglas, and later still the Blackmer farm, now owned by E. D. Thayer, where he remained for twenty-two years, when he removed to Paris, N. Y. He married Lydia, daughter of Captain Thomas Tuttle. The first proprietors' meeting held in the town was at his house. Deacon Jedediah Winslow came in 1773 from Barre, Mass. He pitched on the northeast side of the creek, near the road leading from the village to the Blackmer bridge ; he died April 9, 1794, aged sixty-nine years. John Whelan also came in 1773 from Pittsford. He pitched on the place now owned by Elam French. He died May 5, 1829, aged sixty- six years. Nathaniel Fisk was from Danby. Al- though he purchased here in 1774, it is thought that he did not make Brandon his place of residence until after 1784. Dr. Nathaniel Sheldon, a large land- owner, came before the war. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Captain Josiah Powers. He first lived in the house near the creek, built by Captain Powers, and more recently on the farm now owned by H. A. Sumner, on which he was the first to begin. Although a physician, he did not attempt to engage extensively in practice.

Other early settlers in Brandon were Nathaniel Bacon, who purchased what is now known as the Bacon farm owned now by Harley Buel (near the vil- lage), in 1778; Jacob and Philip Bacon, who came a few years later ; Gideon Horton, jr., who came here from Colebrook, Conn., in about 1783, and pur- chased a farm, including Hog Back, and extending westerly to the creek ; Judge Hiram Horton, son of the foregoing, who came in 1784, and commenced on what has since been known as the Deacon Powers farm, in the south part of the town, now occupied by Nelson Briggs; John Sutherland, of Sutherland Falls (Proctor), which were named after his father. He erected the first grist- mill in town, at the lower falls in the village. Roger Stevens had previously built a saw-mill on the same site, which the Indians destroyed in 1779. James Sutherland, father of John, purchased of Abel Stevens, on December 18, 1779, for eighty bushels of corn, 110 acres, being the first division on the original

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TOWN OF BRANDON.

right of Tilly Wilder, and " embracing the falls and mill privileges in the vil- lage." He sold to John Sutherland in March, 1781, for ten pounds. He re- turned to Sutherland Falls, now Proctor, in a few years, and remained there until his death. Deacon Joseph Hawley came from Rutland before 1790. Deacon Edward Cheney came from Dublin, N. H., in 1783, and lived on the place since called the Joseph Dutton farm. George Olds came from Manches- ter in 1783, and began on what has since been known as the Abel Goodenow farm, although his first pitch was on the place which forms a part of the farm of the Seager brothers. David Jacobs, a Revolutionary soldier, came, in 1783, upon the farm now occupied by Carlos Smith. Simeon Bigelow was from Conway, Mass., whence he came to Brandon (or Neshobe), in 1783. He settled on the farm of David M. June. David Buckland, sr., came from Hartford, Conn., in 1783, and commenced on the farm since called the Luther Conant farm, now occupied by Aaron Vail. Captain Timothy Buckland came about 1784. The farm is still known among a few as the " Captain Tim Buckland farm," and is now occupied by his grandson, Hiram Buckland. Deacon Mo- ses Barnes, from Lanesboro, Mass., came immediately after the close of the war, and purchased lands which embrace the present farm of Charles Fay. In 1806 he exchanged with Seth Carey for the farm on which he passed the remainder of his days, and which is now occupied by the Knowlton brothers. Samuel Seeley Schofield came about 1784 and built his house near the notch in the mountain on the westerly part of the present farm of William McConnell. His brother, Frederick, began on the farm adjoining what is known as the Cook farm, on the south. William Dodge, sen., began in 1784 on the place more recently known as the Elijah Goodenow farm, now owned by Otis F. Smith. Jonathan, his son, first bought of Nathaniel Sheldon in 1784, and in 1793 of Willard Seaton, the latter purchase including lands which joined the north side of John Mott's home farm. He afterwards purchased the " Dodge farm," now occupied by Clarence Marsh. Ebenezer Squires came here from Windsor early in 1784, and resided on the road leading from the town farm to the site of the Blake furnace in Forestdale. Joseph Larkin is said to have built the first house east of the river in the village, near the site of the present dwelling- house of Joseph Rosseter, esq. Lorin Larkin is supposed to have come from Dorset in 1784. He purchased of John Sutherland "a lot lying around and enclosing the mills, which afterwards came to be known as " Larkins's mills." Stephen Durkee came from Windham, Conn., in about 1784, and set- tled in the south part of the village. Deacon Benjamin Stewart came from Danby as early as 1784, and is supposed to have been the first settler in that part of Sugar Hollow which is in the town of Brandon. David Finney, jr., began on the place now comprising the easterly part of the William McCon- nell farm. Timothy Goodenow settled, about 1784, on a lot situated between the farms of Harmon L. Buckland and the Knowltons. Daniel, the eldest son,

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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.

came, in 1803, upon the place since known as the Daniel Goodenow farm, now in possession of Otis F. Smith. Elijah, the second son, left his father's house in 1792, and removed to the Dodge farm, on the creek. Asa Goodenow began, in 1787, on the farm where Charles Carr now resides. He was a carpenter and joiner, and built the present dwelling house of Mr. George Briggs. Abel Goodnow purchased, with Luther Dodge, of George Olds, in September, 1792 ; in 1794 he bought out Dodge. The farm is now in possession of Josiah Ros- seter. In 1805 Willis Goodenow bought the farm now in possession of T. B. Smith, where Ichabod Paine formerly lived, joining the north line of Pittsford. Years later he purchased the Daniel Goodenow farm. Roger Starkweather came from Shaftsbury in 1784, and resided until his death in May, 1812, in the house which stood in the hollow on the road leading westerly from David June's. He was a Revolutionary soldier and a very eccentric man. Elisha Starkweather, his brother, came from Shaftsbury in 1785, and was the first to begin on the Deacon Barnes farm, now in possession of Mr. Knowlton. Sim- eon King came to town about the year 1785. Stephen Hall, sen., made his purchase of forty acres, of Nathaniel Daniels, October 12, 1785, for £30. He enlarged his possessions by subsequent purchases, embracing a large part of the farms since owned by his sons, Stephen and Harvey, now occupied by Samuel Hall and Charles Smith. Captain Abraham Gilbert came from Noble- town, N. Y., in 1785, and purchased of Captain Nathan Daniels, collector, the whole right, except the first division, of Thomas Barrett. He began the place known in later days as the Cook farm, now owned by Captain Cook. The stage road was originally laid by this house. Captain Gilbert was the first post- master and remained in that office until his death ; he also kept an inn there. Nathan Flint, sen., settled on the Potwine farm, now owned by Daniel Good- enow, in 1785, and remained there until his death in July, 1816. Ephraim Flint. son of Nathan, settled in 1785 on lands forming a part of the farm now occupied by D. W. Prime. In 1786 his brother, Nathan, jr., began on the farm now owned by George W. Parmenter. Another brother, Roswell Flint, began on the place afterwards for years occupied by William Dodge, jr. William Flint, long known as "Billy Flint," another son of Nathan, sen., became an extensive importing merchant in Upper Canada. Benjamin Hurlbert began, in 1785, on the farm recently occupied by Joseph Davidson, in Sugar Hollow. Amasa Polly came here from Suffield, Conn., about 1785. He was a carpen- ter and joiner and was one of the committee appointed to build a bridge over Otter Creek near Captain Daniels, and near the site of the present Blackmer bridge. Joshua Field came from Winchester, N. H., in 1786, and purchased of David Jacobs the first division of Peter Wright, 110 acres, and the second division of Ezekiel Powers, the same extent. He lived there during his long life, and was prominent in the church. He died in March, 1837. Simeon Avery came here from Norwich, Conn., in 1786, and afterwards, in company with John Cur-

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History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 56

Author: Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925. 1n; Rann, William S Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co. Number of Pages: 1170

Author: Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925. 1n; Rann, William S
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co.
Number of Pages: 1170