USA > Vermont > Rutland County > History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 72
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The Hennessey store, built about 1794, stood six or seven rods north of Lyon's dwelling-house, and was closed in the first half dozen years of the cen- tury. The store of Seth Persons was erected on the lot purchased in Decem- brr, 1808, by Seth Persons of Major Tilly Gilbert, and which included the site of the present First National Bank building. It was converted into a dwelling- house in 1812, by Mrs. Anna Wells. In 1815 or 1816 Dr. Israel Putnam built a new store on Mrs. Wells's land which did good mercantile service for years.
Village Organisation. - " The village of Fairhaven was first laid out and established December 21, 1820, under a general law of the State, by Isaac Cut- ler, John P. Colburn and Harvey Church, selectmen of the town at the time, as follows : ' Whereas application has been made to the undersigned, selectmen of the town of Fairhaven, to lay out and establish a village in said town agree-
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TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN.
able to an act passed March, 1817, restraining certain animals from running at large in villages within the State, we do, therefore, lay out and bound a village in said town as follows : Beginning at the southeast corner of Barnabas Ellis' farm (called the Wadkins place) ; thence westerly on the south line of said farm, and on the south line of Enos Bristol's farm to the southwest corner thereof; thence northerly on said Bristol's, and on Tilly Gilbert's west line, till it strikes the road leading from the meeting-house, in said town, to the State of New York, by way of the Rev. Mr. Cushman's; thence in a straight line until it strikes the turnpike at the place where said turnpike and the road lead- ing from Curtis Kelsey's westwardly, intersects ; thence easterly on the north line of said road until it strikes the highway leading from Fairhaven to Castle- tleton Mills ; thence to the southeast corner of a piece of land recently sold by Curtis Kelsey to John Beaman ; thence in a straight line to the northwest cor- ner of Hezekiah Whitlock's farm ; thence southwardly on said Whitlock's west line to his southwest corner; thence in a direct line to the bounds begun at.'
" We do not learn that any other action in reference to a village, than this formal survey, was taken by the citizens of Fairhaven until the fall of 1865, when the Legislature of the State passed a charter or act of incorporation, erecting a tract of one square mile into a corporate village."1
The first officers of the village elected at a meeting held on the 4th of De- cember, 1865, in Adams and Allen's Hall were as follows : Edward L. Allen, clerk; Ira C. Allen, Israel Davey, Joseph Jennings, trustees ; Joseph Adams, treasurer ; John G. Pitkin, collector ; John W. Eddy, Julius H. Bosworth, John J. Williams, Timothy Miller, and William C. Green, fire wardens.
Perhaps the most beneficial results of the village organization is the laying of an aqueduct from Inman Pond to the village, thus affording its inhabitants ample and convenient supplies of water. The first action towards the estab- lishment of the works was the appointment in December, 1879, of James Pot- tle, George M. Fuller and O. A. Peck, to act as committee to investigate and report the feasibility of bringing water to the village. Upon due investigation Inman Pond was selected as the source of supply and money was borrowed to prosecute the work of laying the pipe. The works cost about $37, 147.35, and consist of a main ten-inch pipe, clarifying pipes of from six to eight inches in diameter, according to location. There is a fall of nearly two hundred feet from the pond to the street in front of the Park View House. The present village officers elected on the second Tuesday in April, 1885, are the follow- ing : William H. Preston, clerk; Robert Morris, Lawrence Kinsella, trustees ; O. A. Peck, J. T. Hughes, E. H. Lewis, water commissioners ; William A. Smith, collector of taxes; E. H. Phelps, treasurer; C. C. Knight, chief engi- neer ; William A. Stephens, O. A. Peck, T. H. Streeter, L. E. Wood, E. L. Goodrich, fire wardens in the order named.
1 From A. N. Adams's History of Fairhaven.
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
PRESENT BUSINESS INTERESTS.
The Slate Business. - This most prominent industry in Fairhaven was be- gun in a small way by Alonson Allen and Caleb B. Ranny, in the fall of 1839, who quarried for a time with a view to the manufacture of school slates.
James Colman is one of the pioneers in the slate business of Vermont. He and Ryland Hanger introduced the marbleizing process here in the spring of 1859, and carried on the business together until the summer of 1862. Before 1859 Mr. Coleman had been for some time in West Castleton, and after the dissolution of the partnership he passed a year in England, and the remainder of the time until 1880 in West Castleton. In 1880 he became associated with Melvin Wescott.
The firm of Colman & Westcott now do a considerable business, having one quarry in the village, from which a superior quality of green slate is taken, and one mill, with appurtenant machinery for the finishing of slate. They employ in all about forty men.
William E. Lloyd, successor to Lloyd, Owens & Co., has been continuously interested in the quarrying of slate here since 1865, his quarries being situated on the farm of Loomis Spaulding in Poultney, though the enterprise properly belongs to Fairhaven. He and R. E. Lloyd, in company with Owen Owens, G. O. Williams and Owen Ellis, leased quarries on this farm in the fall of 1865. R. E. Lloyd, in 1872, also, with John E. Lloyd, operated quarries on the same farm, and now owns that interest. He and Robert W. Jones are successors, too, to a company formed in August, 1871, composed of themselves, Hugh D. Humphrey and John E. Lloyd. R. E. Lloyd, R. W. Hughes, and William R. Hughes are working a quarry about a mile northwest from Hydeville, called the Little Pond quarry. This is a mill stock quarry, while the others last above mentioned produce only roofing slate.
Simeon Allen erected the two mills which he still operates in 1867, and be- gan the manufacture of slate. He works four or five openings in Fairhaven, and employs about twenty-five men in the mills and fifty in the quarries.
R. C. Colburn began the manufacture of marbelized slate mantels in 1869, and continued until 1876, when the Stewart Marbleized Slate Mantel Company was organized with T. B. Stewart, president, and R. C. Colburn, treasurer.
The Vermont Union Slate Company was established in September, 1871, by the present proprietors, A. R. Vail and son, M. H. Vail. They occupy the old foundry erected by Israel Davey, and finish and marbleize slate. They have one quarry and employ from fifty to sixty men.
The business which William P. Fox now does in finishing slate and manu- facturing slate mantels was established in 1873 by Thomas Fox, who erected the finishing mill at that time. The present proprietor succeeded him in 1875, and in 1883 erected the rough stock mill opposite the station, which is now leased by Colman & Wescott. Mr. Fox keeps busy some twelve or fourteen hands.
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TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN.
The Riverside Slate Company was incorporated in the spring of 1881, with a capital stock of $6,000. The first president was Andrew Pierce, and the first secretary and treasurer, Bishop Merriam. The mill was built the same year. The quarry, about eighty rods east of the mill, has two beds, and pro- duces green and variegated slate. About thirty men are employed. The present officers of the company are, Thomas Greer, president ; B. Merriam, treasurer ; A. H. Merriam, secretary.
The Hazard Slate Company was incorporated August 31, 1882, and pur- chased their property of N. R. Reed, who had operated the grist and saw-mill, still run by this company since 1866. The officers of the company are : W. F. Parker, president ; S. L. Hazard, treasurer and superintendent of works; S. L. Hazard, jr., clerk. The capital stock is $80,000. About sixty men are em- ployed. The quarry, which is located on the Scotch Hill vein, produces purple slate. The grist and saw-mill were remodeled at the time the company took possession, and the building now occupied as a shirt-factory was built anew. The buildings are constructed on the most approved plans. The grist-mill has three run of stone.
The business of sawing marble was here commenced in the fall of 1845 by William C. Kittredge, Alonson Allen and Joseph Adams, under the firm name of Kittredge, Allen & Adams. Allen & Adams continued the business after October, 1846, until 1852. In the latter year, Ira C. Allen entered into part- nership with them. From 1854 to 1869, Alonson Allen having withdrawn from the firm, the name was Adams & Allen. In the fall of 1869 Joseph Ad- anis purchased the entire interest, and took in his son, A. N. Adams, from whose history we have drawn largely.
The Valido Marble Company, chartered in 1883, with a capital stock of $300,000, is the legitimate successor to the business thus established by Kit- tredge, Allen & Adams. The enterprise probably belongs to Rutland (as the quarries are in West Rutland), and is mentioned in that chapter.
J. Warner began the manufacture of marble and granite monuments, etc., in Fairhaven in September, 1884. For further details of this great and grow- ing industry, see preceeding chapter on the marble and slate deposits of the county, and later biographies of Alonson Allen, R. Hanger, and others.
Miscellaneous Manufactures. - The manufacture of brick now carried on by E. L. & D. A. Allen, was begun in 1855 by Timothy and John Miller, who were succeeded in 1858 by Otis Eddy & Son. The Allen brothers followed in 1871. This firm have made over 800,000 brick in a season, and average about 300,000. The clay from the yard, which is about eighty rods northeast the railroad station, is remarkably free from lime and all other impurities. They now have two kilns in use.
E. L. Allen began to manufacture oil safes in 1863, in an old building near the depot, where the coal house now is. The Allen Oil Safe Company, now
39
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
carrying on the business, consists of D. L. and E. A. Allen, and was formed in 1871. The business has been carried on in the present building since 1879, when it was built. For fourteen years before that the shirt factory building was used. The safes will hold from fifty to fifteen hundred gallons of oil, and contain from one compartment to twelve. They are sold throughout the United States and Mexico and lead the market.
The shirt factory of Miller, Hall & Hartwell (Justus Miller, William L. Hall, Charles E. Hartwell, Frank B. Miller) was established here in 1883 by Miller & Bingham, of Troy. In November, 1885, the present firm succeeded to the business. About 2,000 dozen shirts are made here per month. The main business is at Troy.
The firm of Hill & Dedrick (E. R. Hill and F. M. Dedrick) manufacturers of wagons and carriages, was formed in April, 1885. They employ about ten hands, and are reasonably confident of increasing to a large business.
Present Mercantile Interests. - The merchant of longest standing now do- ing business in the place is Thomas Hughes, who began to deal in boots and shoes here as early as 1856. He erected the building he now occupies in 1880. His son, W. T. Hughes, began in a small way to sell books, stationery, etc., in 1879, and has now a business of gratifying proportions. R. E. Lloyd estab- lished a store here in 1859, and continued alone until 1882, when he associated with himself his present partner, J. T. Hughes. They carry a stock of from $12,000 to $15,000. Albert B. Harrington commenced the manufacture and sale of harnesses October 8, 1860, in the building which he still occupies. Pitkin & Brother, dealers in hardware, tinware, glassware, etc., are successors to a business founded by W. W. Pitkin and F. W. Mosely, in the spring of 1861. The present partnership was formed in the fall of 1865. Their store was formerly on River street, but they removed to their present location after being burned out in 1878. Dr. Clark Smith, druggist, commenced in an old building on the same site as the one he now occupies, in 1864, as successor to A. H. Stowe. The present building was erected in 1871. F. H. Shepard succeeded Joseph Jennings in a grocery and general mercantile trade in 1866. The extensive mercantile business of Goodrich & Adams (E. L. Goodrich and A. N. Adams), was established in 1854 by Adams & Allen, who then erected their store building on the site of Colonel Lyon's old hotel barn. The firm of Goodrich & Adams was formed in the spring of 1868. O. A. Peck, furniture, sewing machines, picture frames, glass, etc., started in business in Fairhaven in 1869, succeeding a small business headed by S. N. Peck. He is also and has always been undertaker. Thomas McGuire began to trade in general mer- chandise here in 1869. Wilbur F. Parker, dealer in jewelry and fancy goods, began his trade in Rutland in 1862, removing to Fairhaven in 1871. He occu- pied his present store building five years. He carries a large and well selected assortment of goods, the largest stock, indeed, in the county outside of Rut-
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TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN.
land. O. Reed & Son (Roland C. Reed) succeeded, in 1883, C. Reed, exten- sive dealer in coal and lumber, who established the trade in April, 1874. In 1880 he erected a large and commodious coal-house near the railroad and so situated that the cars are switched on to the ground floor of the building and their contents dumped into the basement. The coal comes direct from the mines of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company in Carbondale, Pa. The firm sells about 3,000 tons of coal per annum, and deal quite largely, also, in lime and cement. The grocery trade of M. & P. Maley was founded by the present proprietors May 1, 1876, on a capital of about two hundred dollars. In 1884 they had an income of about $36,000. The general mercantile busi- ness which H. S. Humphrey and I. W. Parkhurst now carry on under the firm style of Humphrey & Parkhurst, was established in 1866 by E. D. Humphrey and R. R. Williams. Their successors, who preceded the present firm, were E. D. Humphrey & Co. They value their stock at from $10,000 to $15,000 according to the season. E. H. Lewis, dealer in stoves, etc., bought out M. Lamphere in 1879. R. O. Jones started his cigar store here in March, 1880. S. D. Williams commenced trading in boots and shoes in his present building in 1880. His son, E. J. Williams, became associated with him in 1882. W. H. Lloyd, who carries a stock of dry goods and groceries worth about $7,000, opened his store here in April, 1880, after a course of mercantile experience which fitted him for success. A. L. Kellogg started his jewelry store here in 1881, having then just returned from the West. He was eight years proprietor of a drug store here after 1867. On the Ist of December, 1881, John H. Foy became successor to E. Preston as dealer in harnesses, trunks, bags, etc. Pres- ton established the business a few months previously. M. P. Mead has con- ducted the drug business in town since February, 1884, having then succeeded George N. Harris. Harris followed A. L. Kellogg, before mentioned. The Burdett Brothers established their grocery business April 1, 1884. The enter- prising firm of clothiers, Bardy, Babbitt & Co., composed of N. R. Bardy, George D. Babbitt and F. M. Wilson (manager), was formed and their busi- ness established on the 19th of April, 1884, on the corner of Main and River streets. On the Ist of April, 1885, they removed into their present quarters on the corner of Liberty and Main streets. They carry an average stock of about $15,000. W. V. Roberts and David Morris, general merchants, entered into partnership in March, 1885, and established their present business at that time. The general store of H. M. Redfield was first opened October 8, 1884, by E. W. Baker. W. W. Dawley & Co., of Rutland, then kept it for a few weeks as auxiliary to their business at the last named place. Mr. Redfield suc- ceeded them in May, 1885. O. A. Proctor established the grocery trade in 1880, which W. H. Proctor has conducted since July 18, 1885. W. L. How- ard, the present postmaster of Fairhaven, has dealt in books and stationery since he began the performance of official duties, on September 1, 1885. A.
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
W. Langmaid and F. H. Kimball, under the firm name of Langmaid & Co., opened a confectionery store on the 2d day of December, 1885.
Banks. - The First National Bank of Fairhaven was organized as the im- mediate result of a meeting held at the hall of Adams & Allen on the 20th day of January, 1864, with a capital of $100,000. The first board of directors were Joseph Sheldon, Zenas C. Ellis, Ira C. Allen, Joseph Adams, Pitt W. Hyde, Charles Clark, John Balis, Benjamin S. Nichols, Chauncey S. Rumsey. The presidents have been as follows: Joseph Sheldon, Joseph Adams, Zenas Ellis (elected in 1878) and the present incumbent, Rodney C. Abell, who was elected in the fall of 1883. The cashiers have been Merritt Clark, of Poultney, Samuel W. Bailey, and the present cashier, elected in 1873, E. H. Phelps. The present directors are R. C. Abell, M. Maynard, F. A. Barrows, Cyrus Jennings, C. S. Rumsey, George W. Dikeman and A. N. Adams. During the twenty-one years of its history this bank has without an omission paid semi- annual dividends of never less than four per cent. and reaching sometimes five per cent .; the aggregate of these payments being $189,456. The surplus fund is $20,000, and the undivided profits are over $21,000, making the net total profits since organization, $213,993.07.
The Allen National Bank was organized on the 2d day of April, 1879, with a capital of $50,000. The first directors were Ira C. Allen, S. Allen, Norman Peck, Owen Owens, M. L. Lee, C. C. Knight and Ellis Roberts. The first officers were as follows : Ira C. Allen, president ; S. Allen, vice-president ; Charles R. Allen, cashier. The present directors are Ira C. Allen, S. Allen, C. C. Knight, Owen Owens, Charles R. Allen. The deposits in this institu- tion amount to $42,509. The surplus fund is $5.000, and the other undivided profits aggregate $37,055.91.
Most of the insurance business of the place is done now by W. H. Preston, agent for the Continental, Sun, Niagara, and New England companies, and E. D. Humphrey, agent for the Northern, Queen and Commercial Union com- panies.
The Press .- Concerning the history of the press in Fairhaven, we cannot do better than quote the following extract from Adams's History of Fairhaven :
" After Matthew Lyon's time the business of printing and publishing was not carried on in Fairhaven until the year 1853. At that time, De Witt Leon- ard, son of Ira Leonard, residing near the State line, then a young lad, com- menced printing for his own amusement, upon a press of his own construction. He issucd several numbers of a small monthly paper called The Banner, in 1854 and '55, using second-hand type procured from the Whitehall Chronicle office. Being encouraged by having several jobs given him, he ordered new type from time to time from the founders, until in a few years he had quite a complete assortment of jobbing type. In 1856 he printed and bound for the author, Edward L. Allen, a Slater's Guide, a table for the computation of roof-
tra le Alli
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TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN.
ing slate. This was the first book printed in town subsequent to Matthew Ly- on's time. One number of a small sheet called the Golden Sheaf was issued in January, 1861. Business had increased so much that in November, 1861, he purchased a Gordon press, the first power press ever brought into the town. Being engaged in bookselling, he issued a small quarterly or monthly sheet, as an advertising medium, in 1856-57.
" In September, 1863, the first number of the Fairhaven Advertiser was issned as an advertising medium for the merchants and business men of the town. It was circulated gratuitously, and other numbers were issued from time to time, as the demands of advertisers required, until Wm. Q. Brown purchased the office, when it was made a regular monthly publication. Its circulation was 1,000 copies.
"Among various other works emanating from this office was a Quarterly Journal, containing from thirty-two to thirty-six octavo pages, published by Ripley Female College, commenced in February, 1865, and continued until February, 1886, when Mr. Leonard sold his press to McLean and Robbins, of Rutland, and the type and other material lay unused until the July following, when Wm. Q. Brown purchased it and removed it to his dwelling-house on Washington street, and adding a new Gordon press, continned the job printing business and made the Rutland County Advertiser a regular monthly paper. Mr. Brown, wishing to remove from the town, sold his office back to De Witt Leonard in April, 1868, who conducted it three months, until July 1, when he sold it to Messrs. Jones and Grose. Through the efforts of the gentlemen last named a weekly paper, styled the People's Journal, was started. A number of the leading business men in town assisted them in purchasing a new Taylor cylinder press and an outfit of type and material for the newspaper. The first regular issue of this paper was dated September 5, 1868. Its editor was Rev. P. Franklin Jones, who was also pastor of the Fairhaven Baptist Church, and H. Seward Grose, Mr. Jones's son-in-law, was publisher. A part of the second story of Norman Peck's dwelling and the second story of his new building, ad- joining the drug store, were occupied as the printing office. After being con- nected with the paper a few months, Mr. Jones retired from the editorial chair, and Mr. Grose became editor as well as publisher.
"In the summer of 1869, payments not being promptly made, the office fell into the hands of the citizens who had assisted them, by whom it was sold in July, 1869, to De Witt Leonard and E. H. Phelps, who continued the pub- lication of the paper under the firm name of Leonard & Phelps, the name of the paper having been changed to The Fairhaven Fournal, E. H. Phelps, ed- itor. This paper is still being published by these gentlemen, and has obtained a good circulation in Rutland and Addison counties and the neighboring towns in New York State."
The Fairhaven Weekly Era, ably edited by John Metcalf, has had but a brief existence, but promises much for the future.
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
Attorneys .- For biographical notices of deceased attorneys and physicians the reader is referred to Chapters XVI and XVII.
The oldest living attorney in Fairhaven is Hon. Cyrenius M. Willard, who was born in Pawlet, Vt., on the 13th of September, 1820. He studied law with G. W. Harmon, of Pawlet, and was admitted to practice on the 19th of September, 1841. He practiced in Fairhaven from May, 1842, until 1854, when he accepted a position as cashier of the Castleton National Bank, and re- paired to that village. He was a member of the State Senate in 1856-57, and from 1864 to 1872 practiced law in Castleton. From 1872 to 1874 he resided in Boston, and from then until 1884 lived part of the time in Pittsford. He resumed his practice in Fairhaven in July, 1884. For the ten years preceding 1872 he was judge of probate for the Fairhaven district.
George M. Fuller was born in Pittsfield, Vt., on the 10th of August, 1842, worked on a farm during his boyhood days, attending the common schools and the academy at West Randolph, Vt., began the study of law in the office of the Hon. C. H. Joyce on the 7th of April, 1867, remained there until September 4, 1867, when he entered the law department of the Univer- sity at Albany, graduated in May, 1868, and was admitted to the bar at Al- bany on the 18th day of May, 1868. He then returned to Rutland and again resumed his studies in the office of Hon. C. H. Joyce. At the September term of the Rutland County Court in 1868, he was admitted to the Rutland county bar. On the 2d day of October, 1868, he came to Fairhaven and en- tered the law office of H. G. Wood; here he remained in Mr. Wood's employ until the spring of 1872, when he formed a copartnership with Mr. Wood, which continued until the next October, at which time Mr. Wood removed from the State and Mr. Fuller succeeded him in the law business, was elected State attorney in September, 1876, and held the office for two years ; was elected a member of the General Assembly in 1878, was chairman of the committee on rules and also a member of the judiciary committee of the House of Repre- sentatives.
W. H. Preston was born in Fairhaven on the 29th of March, 1860. He stud- ied law with George M. Fuller and was admitted to practice in March, 1883. He has always practiced in Fairhaven.
Physicians .- Dr. T. E. Wakefield was born on the 15th of March, 1821, at Manchester, Vt. He studied medicine with Dr. Charles Bacchus, of Fair- haven, and was admitted to practice in 1843. He has in reality practiced medicine here since 1842. Dr. C. H. Carpenter was born July 23, 1832, in Whiting, Addison county, Vt, ' He studied medicine with Professor Perkins, of the Castleton Medical College, and was graduated from the Burlington Med- ical College in 1862, and from the medical department of the University of New York in the winter of 1874-75. He commenced practicing in Fairhaven in 1862. Dr. W. H. Morehouse was born in Brandon, Vt., July 29, 1845.
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