USA > Vermont > Rutland County > History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 80
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Mill River is the only considerable stream ; it rises in the extreme south- west part part of the town, flows northerly and crosses a corner of Wallingford, emptying into Otter Creek in the town of Clarendon. There are numerous smaller streams, all of which on the western slope empty into Mill River ; those on the eastern slope find their way to Black River and thus into the Connecticut.
The surface of the town is uneven and hilly, though less so than most of the mountain towns ; there is less waste land in it than in the majority of towns in the State, in spite of its situation on and near the mountain; it has no swamps, no rugged ledges and no abrupt and inaccessible mountains.1 The soil is better adapted to grass than grain, and not very much of the latter is raised. The farmers generally find it more profitable to keep their land in grass and devote their attention to the raising of stock or the manufacture of butter and cheese, than to even raise their own breadstuffs. Oats are, how- ever, raised in considerable quantities, but mainly for home consumption.
Early Settlements .- The first settlement on Jackson's Gore was made by Abraham Jackson, and Stephen, Ichabod G. and Chauncey Clark, of Connect- icut, in the year 1782. In the following year they were joined by Jacob Wil- cox and Benjamin G. Dawley, from Rhode Island, and soon after by Jonah, Amos and Ebenezer Ives, also from Connecticut ; they were gradually followed by others. The first settlers in that part of the town which was formerly Lud- low were Joseph Green, Nathaniel Pingrey, Abram Crowley, David Bent and Silas Proctor, who came in about the year 1786. They were soon joined by John and Jonas Hadley, Joseph and Jonathan Pingrey, Richard Lawrence and Samuel Cook. These two settlements, though only about three miles apart, were, according to Dr. John Crowley (from whose sketch many of these facts
1 Professor Hagar, in his report on the geology of the State says : " The tourist who thinks Mount Holly is a poor town is mistaken ; for there are few towns in the State which produce more cattle, sheep, beef, pork, butter and cheese, or have a larger number of wealthy farmers." Dr. John Crowley, in his interesting sketch of this town, in the Vermont Historical Magasine, says : " The Rutland rail- road runs through a sort of gorge or ravine, and the traveler who passes through by rail sees the poor- est part of the town, and often makes taunting remarks about the country and a people who can obtain a livelihood in such a sterile region ; but let him travel a mile or two in either direction from the line of the railroad, and the substantial farm houses, commodious barns, and general signs of thrift will essen- tially modify his opinion of the character of the town, and of its inhabitants."
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are taken), " for some time ignorant of their proximity to each other. Those on the west side, or the ' Gore,' supposed the settlement nearest them was in the valley of Otter Creek, while those on the east side thought their nearest neighbers were on Black River in Ludlow. They were separated by an un- broken wilderness, with not even a 'blazed ' footpath between them, each having reached their settlements from opposite directions. They are said to have discovered each other in the following manner : Some of the settlers on the east side started out on Sunday morning to look for stray cattle; after traveling westward some two miles, they were about to take another direction, when they were surprised by hearing the barking of a dog still farther west. They followed the sound, and soon came to the log cabin of Ichabod G. Clark, which stood some forty rods northwesterly from the spot where the Mount Holly railroad depot now stands. At this cabin the people of the 'Gore ' were on that day assembled for religious worship. The surprise of each party was equaled only by their gratification at finding neighbors so near. They at once set about providing means of intercommunication by marked trees and subsequently by primitive roads; and the acquaintance thus begun soon rip- ened into friendship and constant intercourse, and resulted in the union of the two settlements into one town, as before described."
The Clarks were, perhaps, the most prominent family in the organization of the town and its later improvement. Stephen Clark settled on a farm at what is known as the North Parish and near the Baptist Church, owning all of the land in the vicinity of what is now North Mount Holly. His farm has since been divided into several estates. None of his descendants is living in the town. Stephen Clark became a man of influence and was given the honor of naming the town, calling it after Mount Holly in Connecticut, from which place he emigrated to Vermont. He was a son of Job Clark, of Wallingford, and married Rachel Jackson, of the same town. Their sons were Lyman, Miles, Russel, Asahel, Stephen, Orville, Homer; and daughters, Fanny, Orpha and Lorry. | All but two or three of the eldest of these were born in Mount Holly. Mr. Clark prospered here for some years, but met with reverses for which he was not responsible, and removed to Ohio in the fall of 1815. Miles and Ly- man had already preceded him to that then new State. Asahel settled at Glens Falls, N. Y. In Ohio the family prospered and became prominent. Asahel Clark, during his life in Glens Falls, became eminent as an attorney, and General Orville Clark, who located at Sandy Hill, N. Y., became conspic- uous in military life, as well as in politics.
Abraham Jackson was one of the Quaker settlers of Mount Holly, and Nelson W. Cook has furnished us with the following sketch of his life : He was born at Cornwall, Conn., in 1750, and came to Wallingford with his father in 1773. He was made the first town clerk of the town and the first representa- tive, holding the latter office in the years 1778, 1780, 1781, 1785, 1789 and
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
1790. In 1781 he was successful in securing the large grant of land from the Legislature which has always borne his name and forms a large part of the town of Mount Holly. He was a large owner in this tract, his possession in- cluding a small lake and valuable water privileges at its outlet. Here he erected the first saw-mill in the town. The first house he built stood on the elevated land east of Mechanicsville, now owned by Elwin Dickerman. Mr. Jackson sold the house to a Mr. Morrison in 1800 and built the house directly north, now owned by George Mead. He possessed in a large degree those great moral and religious principles by which men's lives should be guided ; and it was at his house that the meetings of the first religious society in the town were held. It was in his "spacious kitchen " that they sat in silent worship. He removed to "the Gore" in 1791 and was chosen moderator of the meeting that organized the town ; he was also its first representative in 1793. In 1810 he sold out his real estate and removed to northern New York.
It will, perhaps, be as well to give Mr. Cook's notes of other prominent early Quakers of this town in this connection: Stephen Baker came from Rhode Island in 1790 and settled first in Danby, removing from there to Mount Holly. His wife was Susanna Mathewson. He returned to Rhode Isl- and for a few years, afterwards returning to Danby, where he died in 1858, at the age of eighty years. He had a family of eleven children.
Peter Baker, a brother of Stephen, came from Rhode Island in 1804 and settled in Mount Holly. He died in 1852, aged seventy-eight years. His children were Lydia, Candace, Jonathan, Sanford, Stephen, Willard, Amasa and Nathan L. Jonathan married Anna Hasmore, of Mount Holly. His children were Marcellus (married Alvira, daughter of Edmund Wheeler) ; Ann Eliza, who married Frederick Parmeter ; James, who lives in Michigan, and Mary Ann.
Samuel Cook was born in Preston, Conn., May 18, 1765. He married Sally Chamberlain, of Wethersfield, Ct., January 1, 1791. He was the third son of Thaddeus and Zervia (Hinckley) Cook, and the fifth in descent from his Puritan ancestor, Gregory Cook, of Cambridge, Mass. He left home after he became of age, his father giving him $1,000 with which to purchase land. He made his purchase in Ludlow, clearing a large portion of it, on which he always lived. He was a successful farmer and gave considerable attention to stock raising, and improved his farm in various ways, with good buildings, fruit trees, etc. He early joined the Quakers and was one of the strictest and most con- scientious of that sect. When the town of Mount Holly was organized he was elected to "take a list of the polls and ratable estates of the inhabitants of the town." In 1793 he was elected grand juryman, and in 1795, selectman. He was a lieutenant in the militia until he joined the Quakers, when he re- signed. He never accepted office after connecting himself with the Quakers. He lived a quiet, industrious life, and raised a large family, as follows : Hinck-
Nelson w. look.
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ley, born October 27, 1792 ; Wyatt, born February 3, 1794; Thaddeus, born May 31, 1795 ; Sabrina, born May 28, 1797 ; Chauncey, born April 27, 1800; Lumas, born February 21, 1802 ; Mary, born March 14, 1804; Uriah, born September 12, 1806; Anson, born February 25, 1809; Julia Elma, born August 1, 1812. The three daughters are living and two sons, Wyatt and Lumas.
While the Quakers of this town were not very numerous, they formed an influential and respected portion of the community.
Jedediah Hammond was for many years a leading man in this town. He came from Old Bedford, Mass., in 1770, and settled on "the Gore." He was for several years constable and collector and held other town offices ; was repre- sentative six years and justice of the peace sixteen years. He became quite noted as a "pettifogger," and had a large business before the justices' courts. He held the office of deputy sheriff early in the century and had the custody of James Anthony in 1813, on the night before his expected execution for the murder of Joseph Green, as detailed in the preceding chapter of Rutland. Anthony hung himself in his cell and Mr. Hammond was charged with being accessory to the crime ; but the charge was not substantiated. He died No- vember 20, 1849, at the age of eighty-three years.
John Crowley, second son of Abraham Crowley, was a prominent pioneer and lived in the east part of the town. He was elected town clerk in 1801, and held the office nine years ; he held every other office in the gift of the town, except that of constable ; was representative six years, and justice of the peace twenty-five years from 1802. He removed to St. Lawrence county, N. Y., in 1827 and died there September 12, 1840, aged seventy-four. He was the father of Dr. John Crowley, for a sketch of whom see Chapter XVI.
Stephen Tucker was a prominent early resident and died December 26, 1828, aged sixty-four. He was town clerk four years and held other responsi- ble positions; was twelve years justice of the peace and held the office when he died. He was an honorable and upright man ; he lived one and a half miles west of Mechanicsville.
Deacon Edmund Bryant was an early settler and one of the substantial men of the town ; particularly prominent in religious affairs ; was one of the originators of the Baptist Church and its first presiding officer. He died De- cember 19, 1839, aged seventy-one years, honored by the entire community.
A similar record may be given of Deacon Isaac Dickerman, who was for many years a leading citizen and a pillar in the Baptist Church. He, more- over, held very many of the town offices and discharged their duties with the utmost faithfulness.
Hon. Nathan T. Sprague settled in the town in 1810 and for many years wielded a strong influence in all its affairs. He engaged in mercantile business, in which he was very successful, during the most of the time of his residenee
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
here, and also became a large land-owner and carried on farming extensively. He held many offices ; represented the town seven years and was justice of the peace many years. He became the wealthiest man who lived in Mount Holly ; but removed to Brandon in 1833 and several times represented that town in the Legislature and held the office of assistant judge of the County Court.
Abel Bishop was one of the noted early schoolmasters of this town - one of the first to teach here and followed the occupation twenty years. He was representative four years and justice of the peace. He removed to western New York in 1825.
Edward Parmeter, father of Frank, came to Mechanicsville in 1836 and was a respected and useful citizen.
Among other inhabitants in Mount Holly who were prominent in its affairs of whom we can give only the briefest memoranda were Daniel Jaquith, who located very early in the extreme south part; and Phineas Carlton near him. Joseph and Benjamin Frost, who lived about a mile northward from Mechanics- ville. Hoxey Barber and David Chatterton who settled near the site of Bowlville. Alfred Crowley, who lived on the place formerly occupied by his grandfather, Abraham Crowley. Abel Foster, who settled on the place now occupied by Henry Foster, great-grandson of Abel and son of William W., who removed to Springfield, Mass. Ebenezer Ives, father of Allen, who still occu- pies the old place with his son. Jonah, Amos and Jonathan were brothers of
Ebenezer and came in in 1781. Leumas Tucker, grandson of Stephen Tucker before mentioned, who occupies the homestead; and Stillman Tucker, who lives on the place formerly owned by his father, Joseph Tucker. Jonas Hol- den, who lived on the place now occupied by his grandson, Marvel Holden. Aaron Horton, who lived where his grandson, Darius, now resides. Perry G. Dawley, father of L. Dawley, was the first male child born in Mt. Holly. He settled on the farm now owned by D. G. Dawley, his grandson, between the turnpike and "shunpike." Perry G. was the father of eight boys and three girls; these are all dead excepting two sons, Perry A. Dawley, now in Bowl- ville, and L. Dawley.
Others who have lived in the town and performed noble work in clearing the lands and making homes in the wildernees, were Thomas and Asa White, Joseph Bixby, Abel Farwell, Job Todd, Asa and Jesse Sawyer, Edmund and James Tarbell, Enoch Jaquith, Royal, John, George and Walter Crowley, Sam- uel Hosmer, John Chandler, William and Jacob Earle, William Graves, Isaac Fish, John Moors, Zacheus Prescott, Jacob White, John Randall, Jethro Jack- son, John and Samuel Russell, Pardon Crandall, Perry and Alexander Wells, Nathan Doolittle, Seth Livingston, Elijah Davenport, Martin Cole, Thomas Davis, Joseph Kinnee, and probably others whose names and deeds are in the past.
The inhabitants of Mount Holly have gone forward in advancing the ma-
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TOWN OF MOUNT HOLLY.
terial interests of their community, with little to disturb or interrupt them. The long-remembered cold season of 1816-17 had less effect in this town than in many others ; a good deal of hardship was, however, experienced from the pre- vailing scarcity of provisions and money.
Dr. Crowley, in his sketch, from which we have liberally drawn, notes the occurrence of a number of casualties, the first of which was the accidental death of Lyman Dickerman, in 1825, by being thrown from his carriage. In 18- Silas Proctor, jr., was killed by a falling limb, while felling a tree in the woods ; and the next year Judson Chilson, a young man, met his death in the same manner. In the month of April, 1852, Silas E. Cole was drowned in Randall's Pond, while rowing in company with Miss Tamar Pratt. The lady was saved by the heroic conduct of D. L. Dawley, but the young man, being unable to swim, was drowned. In April, 1853, a little son of Leander Derby was drowned in the flume of his father's tannery ; he was an only child. In April, 1865, Charles Kimball, while demolishing an old building, was fatally injured by be- ing struck on the head by a falling timber. During the great freshet of Octo- ber, 1869, Mrs. Esther Bixby, wife of J. J. Bixby, and her little son, were stand- ing near the bridge at the outlet of Randall's Pond, watching her husband and A. C. Randall, as they were attempting to save some lumber. Suddenly the ground gave way beneath them and they were precipitated into the boiling cur- rent. The accident was witnessed by two men, who hastened to the rescue and succeeded in saving Mrs. Bixby ; the boy was drowned. On the morning of the 8th of June, 1870, a terrible railroad accident occurred about half a mile west from Summit Station, where a culvert allowed the current of a small stream to cross under the track. A heavy rain swelled this stream into a tor- rent and the surroundings of the culvert were washed out. The morning train, containing one express and passenger car with about thirty passengers, passed upon the track at this point, which sank and caused the overturning of the pass- enger car. Six men lost their lives in this accident, and very many were in- jured.
In the Rebellion. - No town in Rutland county did more than Mount Holly, according to number of population, for the support of the government in its struggle with rebellion, or did it more freely. The following record gives the names of the soldiers who enlisted from this town, and the organizations in which they served, as nearly as it has been possible to obtain them : -
Volunteers for three years credited previous to the call for 300,000 volun- teers of October 17, 1863. - Dana Ayres, co. C, 6th regt .; Orson H. Benson, George L. Briggs, co. I, 5th regt .; George W. Briggs, co. B, 9th regt .; Rodol- phus D. Briggs, co. C, 6th regt .; Warren Briggs, co. G, 5th regt .; Nelson Broe, co. B, 9th regt .; Hiram D. Bussell, Barney Cannon, co. C, 6th regt .; Daniel Cannon, co. I, 2d regt .; James Cannon, co. C, 5th regt .; Charles Champagne, co. D, 7th regt .; Phillip E. Chase, co. I, 2d regt .; Reuben L. Chase, co. A, 7th
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
regt .; William V. Chase, co. G, 7th regt .; John Clark, co. F, 6th regt .; John Clark, co. M, 1Ith regt .; Chauncey M. Cole, co. C, 3d regt .; Major S. Damon, co. G, 7th regt .; James Darcy, John Day, co. C, 4th regt .; Henry M. Fletcher, co. B, 9th regt; Anson Foster, co. C, 4th regt .; Daniel Frost, Stephen Frost, co. I, 2d regt .; David W. Fuller, co. D, 9th regt .; Charles S. Goddard, co. H, roth regt .; Elisha M. Goddard, co. C, 6th regt .; Corwin Graves, Edmund B. Graves, Stephen A. Graves, co. B, 9th regt .; James C. Grover, co. D, 9th regt .; John Haley, jr., co. C, 4th regt .; Elander Haskell, co. C, 4th regt .; Thomas Healey, 4th regt .; Rufus K. Headle, co. C, 10th regt .; Oscar Hemenway, co. H, roth regt .; David N. Hill, co. B, 9th regt .; Isaac L. Hill, co. I, 5th regt .; James T. Holmes, co. I, 2d regt .; Henry N. Horton, co. B, 9th regt .; Eli H. Johnson, co. M. 11th regt .; John King, co. C, 6th regt .; Michael Lane, co. C, 4th regt .; Charles A. Loomis, co. G, 4th regt .; Patrick H. Lynch, co. D, 9th regt .; William H. Lynch, co. C, 4th regt .; William S. Mandigo, co. I, 2d regt .; George H. Martin, Goel R. Martin, co. I, 5th regt .; Joshua B. Martin, co. C, 10th regt .; George C. Mead, co. H, 10th regt .; Henry P. Morehouse, co. C, 6th regt .; Harrison H. Mudge, co. G, 5th regt .; Harry H. Mudge, Charles W. Newton, co. B. 9th regt .; Henry Nolett, co. I, 2d regt .; Daniel C. Parker, co. D, 9th regt .; Benjamin F. Parmenter, co. I, 2d regt .; Emerson J. Pingree, co. C, 6th regt .; Robbins R. Pingree, co. D, 7th regt .; Mortimer Pratt, Loren F. Pratt, co. G, 7th regt .; Darius D. Priest, Ethan A. Priest, co. I, 2d regt .; Dan- iel Richardson, co. I, 5th regt .; Ebenezer Richardson, co. G, 9th regt .; Will- iam S. Roberts, co. B, 9th regt .; Hoxey C. Rogers, co. I, 2d regt .; John Shar- row, co. B, 9th regt .; Franklin W. Stacy, Timothy Sullivan, co. C, 6th regt. ; Charles W. Tarbell, co. G, 7th regt .; Henry Tole, co. I, 2d regt .; Melville B. Warner, co. I, 5th regt .; William G. Watts, co. C, 4th regt .; Martin Wells, co. D, 7th regt. ; Perry G. Wells, co. I, 2d, regt .; Thomas Wilson, co. C, 4th regt .; Edmund A. Woodard, co. B, 9th regt.
Credits under call of Octobrr 17, 1863, for 300,000 volunteers and subse- quent calls. Volunteers for three years. - Lawson E. Barber, Aram Caryl, Ist bat .; Harrison Earle, co. G, 5th regt. ; Moses Fisk, 3d bat .; Raymond J. Fletcher, co. G, 5th regt .; George W. Mandigo, co. K, IIth regt .; Orrin N. Mudge, co. G, 5th regt .; Isaac Randall, co. B, 7th regt .; Truman M. Smith, George S. Willard, co. G, 5th regt.
Volunteers for one year. - Lawson E. Archer, 9th regt .; Henry Barrett, Austin L. Benson, Edwin B. Chase, Joseph Colby, David G. Dorsett, co. I, 2d regt .; Anson Foster, co. C, 6th regt .; Daniel C. Freeman, co. K, 7th regt .; Henry Glynn, co. D, 9th regt .; George Jeffts, 9th regt .; Franklin A. Moore, co. D, 9th regt .; Charles W. Priest, Charles H. Ray, Hiram Simonds, Hiram L. Warner, John L. Willey, jr., co. I, 2d regt.
Volunteers re-enlisted. - Rodolphus D. Briggs, Barney Cannon, co. C, 6th regt .; Lorenzo A. Dodge, Myron E. Hubbard, co. I, 2d regt .; Perry Lamphire,
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TOWN OF MOUNT HOLLY.
Henry Morehouse, co. C, 6th regt .; George H. Martin, co. I, 5th regt .; Hoxey C. Rogers, co. I, 2d regt .; Perry G. Wells, co. I, 2d regt.
Not credited by name - Three men.
Volunteers for nine months. - Eben J. Bailey, jr., Henry Barrett, Michael Clowery, Frederick W. Crowley, co. H, 14th regt .; Harrison H. Earle, Morton A. Ives, John Mahon, co. H, 14th regt .; Ryland R. Parker, co. C, 16th regt .; Nathan Priest, George G. Rice, Charles W. Shedd, Joseph F. Shedd, co. H, 14th regt .; Silas A. Thompson, co. B, 14th regt.
Furnished under draft .- Paid commutation, S. H. Ackley, Morgan S. Caryl, Langdon Cook, Oscar B. Cole, Ambrose Esterbrooks, Wells A. Foster, Joshua E. Gates, Robert Hoskinson, P. B. Lincoln, Daniel H. Parker, Wesley Priest, Charles H. Ray, Henry B. Smith. Procured substitute, George P. Hammond. Entered service, Daruis A. Martin, co. E, 4th regt.
Population .- The following statement shows the population of Mount Holly at the various dates named and indicates a steady growth until the last decade : 1791, -; 1800, 668 ; 1810, 922 ; 1820, 1157; 1830, 1318 ; 1840, 1356; 1850, 1534; 1860, 1522 ; 1870, 1582; 1880, 1390.
Present Officers of the Town .- Windsor Newton, town clerk; S. H. Ackley, E. A. Priest, A. W. Cook, salectmen ; Windsor Newton, treasurer ; J. D. S. Packer, constable ; George W. Graves, Michael Clowery, H. C. Carpenter, listers ; 1. L. Hill, Z. B. Babbitt, S. M. Dickerman, auditors ; Alfred Crowley, trustee ; C. W. Priest, B. F. Parmenter, N. B. Pinney, fence viewers; M. D. Harrington, Hiland Holden, grand jurors; George W. Graves, M. J. Holden, S. M. Dickerman, Henry Lord, Sylvester Tucker, D. G. Dawley, Willam B. Hoskison, A. D. Peck, M. A. Ives, W. D. Holden, Spencer Pillsbury, P. L. Allard, petit jurors ; O. M. Pelsue, M. D. Harrington, town grand jurors ; A. E. Doty, inspector of leather ; S. M. Dickerman, Henry Pratt, Milan Dicker- man, O. F. Wheeler, pound keepers; Edson Holden, overseer poor; Marshall Tarbell, surveyor of wood and lumber ; Z. B. Babbitt, town superintendent ; J. D. S. Packer, collector of taxes.
Ecclesiastical .- In preparing a history of the churches of this town we can not do better than avail ourselves of the very carefully written material of Rev. L. P. Tucker, of Mechanicsville, which was printed in the Vermont Tribunc during the present year. This material is indicated by quotation marks, and we have made such additions as seem to be desirable : -
"In common with other towns where its introduction has resulted in a more permanent organization than this, the first resident .minister was a Congre- gationalist - Rev. Silas L. Bingham. The exact date cannot be determined, but it was about the year 1800. There is a vague tradition of a church built by the society which was organized by him in 1802, but it lacks evidence and is probably unfounded. If, however, it did exist, it was the first church edifice in town. Meetings were, more probably, conducted in private dwellings and
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
barns, the house of Matthew Wing, on the farm now owned by George W. Meads, being occupied for that purpose by this as well as, in after years, other denominations. Here adults and children were baptized by the then novel mode of sprinkling. In 1805 the resident pastor moved to New Haven, Conn. There never was another. The organization was kept up until 1856, the mem- bers having interests in the Union Church afterward built in Mechanicsville, and there was occasional preaching by non-resident clergymen. Its member- ship embraced Deacons Asa White, Benjamin Parker and Dan Peck ; also Mr. Hoyt, of the firm of Newton & Hoyt, who sixty-five years ago conducted the mercantile business in Mechanicsville. Not one of the members of the original society in now alive.
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