History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 97

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 97

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Arunah Waterman Hyde, the present proprietor of the hotel, son of James K. Hyde, was born May 14th, 1842 ; married on the 3d of January, 1866, to Miss Elizabeth Eddy, of Whitehall, N. Y. In 1862 the old hotel was destroyed by fire, and the present house erected by James K. Hyde in 1865. A. W. Hyde has had the entire management of the business in his hands since that time. The hotel has capacity to accommodate two hundred guests. The Hyde Manor fame as a perfect resort for families with children has long been 52

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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.

established. Mr. Hyde well sustains the reputation of the family name for genialty and heartiness, and will undoubtedly educate his only son, James K. Hyde (born March 14, 1874), to carry on the business for the fourth gener- ation.

With reference to the early condition of the town, Colonel H. H. Merritt, now of Brandon, briefly gives the following information : In 1820 there was a grist- mill in the north part of the town, with one run of stone; there was no distillery here, the nearest one being operated by Mr. Bresee, of Hubbardton. Judge Warner's ashery, store and tavern have already been mentioned. David Layton had an ashery in the north part of the town. Isaac Huff and Roger Burr ran the only saw-mills in town, the one at the outlet of Huff's Pond, and the other at the outlet of Burr's Pond.

To prove that Sudbury did her share in the war of the Rebellion, the fol- lowing names alone will suffice : -

Volunteers for three years credited previous to the call for 300,000 volun- teers of October 17, 1863 .- Peter Baker, Schuyler Baker, 2d bat .; Tuffel Brother, co. L, 11th regt .; Nathaniel Bucklin, co. H, 5th regt .; John M. Chase, co. L, IIth regt .; Charles V. Cool, co. H, 5th regt .; Lewis Gonyaw, Erskine S. Graves, 11th regt .; Mason K. Goodell, 2d bat .; Anthony Jacobs, Milton Lan- den, James F. Lillie, co. H, 5th regt .; Alonzo Martin, co. B, 7th regt .; Frank- lin Merchant, co. H, 5th regt .; Julius K. Morgan, co. K, 2d regt .; Henry J. Nichols, co. C, 11th regt .; Julius Reivers, 2d bat .; Charles M. Shaw, 5th regt .; James L. Slason, John C. Slason, co. B, 9th regt .; Alphonzo F. Smith, co. C, IIth regt .; Edward H. Smith, co. H, 5th regt .; James Sullivan, co. M, 11th regt .; Julius M. Walace, John N. Welch, co. H, 5th regt.

Credits under call of October 17, 1862, for 300,000 volunteers and sub- sequent calls. Volunteers for three years .-- Augustus P. Chase, co. E, 11th regt .; Luther Grover, co. K, 2d regt .; Moses C. Hunt, Frank J. Mayhew, Clarence McArthur, 2d bat .; Julius S. Morgan, co. K, 2d regt .; Daniel W. Smith, Erasmus D. Thompson, 2d bat .; Charles C. Ward, co. H, 5th regt.

Volunteers for one year. - Alva M. Allen, Rial F. Carr, 11th regt .; Will- iam R. Derby, co. B, 8th regt .; Volney W. Jenks, co. F, Ist s. s .; Wallace Sawyer, Harrison M. Williams, co. H, 5th regt.

Volunteers re-enlisted .- Nathaniel Bucklin, Charles V. Cool, Jonathan Larrabee, James F. Lillie, co. H, 5th regt .; Peter May, George Oakland, Julius Rivers, 2d bat .; Charles M. Shaw, co. H, 5th regt .; Morrill Sheppard, 2d bat .; John N. Welch, co. H, 5th regt.

Volunteers for nine months. - Abram C. Ackerman, Lorenzo G. Barrett, Albert F. Burr, David W. Clark, William Goodrow, Martin Ketchum, German Landen, Charles P. Morton, co. G, 12th regt .; Harrison T. Pettee, Sherrard Sawyer, Charles C. Ward, John L. Wood, co. G, 12th regt.

Furnished under draft and paid commutations. - Franklin T. Landen. Procured substitute .- Edward J. Johnson.

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TOWN OF TINMOUTH.

Ecclesiastical .- The first Congregational Church of Sudbury was organ- ized in 1803, with Silas Persons for its first pastor. Land was soon afterwards donated by Apollos Rollo, and the church edifice was erected in 1807. The church property is valued at about $1,500. A great many deaths have de- pleted the membership of the church in later years, so that the present mem- bership is very light. The present pastor, Rev. Mr. Grout, has passed fifteen years of his ministerial life in Africa. He came to Sudbury in June, 1885.

Post-office .- The first postmaster within the memory of living men was Joseph Warner, who kept the office near the ashery. The present postmaster, N. A. Bucklin, was appointed in 1879, as successor to R. W. Pitts, who had held the office for fifteen or twenty years. Jefferson Goodrich preceded him. Mr. Bucklin has had a general store here since the year 1878.

The following table shows the variation in population which has fallen to the lot of Sudbury since the year 1791 : 1791, 258; 1800, 521 ; 1810, 754; 1820, 809 ; 1830, 812 ; 1840, 766; 1850, 794; 1860, 696; 1870, 601 ; 1880, 562.

CHAPTER XL.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF TINMOUTH.

T HIS town as originally chartered was six miles square ; but its area was re- duced about one-third by taking off a part in the formation of Middle- town and a part in forming Wallingford. (See history of Middletown.) The town lies in the southern part of the county and is bounded north by Clarendon and Ira ; east by Wallingford ; south by Danby, and west by Wells and Mid- dletown. Its charter is dated September 15, 1761, and was granted to Joseph Hooker and others, in seventy shares, with the following customary five shares reserved : " One tract to contain 500 acres, marked on the map B. W., for His Excellency, Benning Wentworth, esq." One share for the incorporated society for the " propagation of the gospel in foreign parts ;" one share for a glebe for the Church of England ; one share for the first settled minister, and one share for the benefit of schools in the town. Although the charter ordered that the first town meeting should be held in 1762, it was not obeyed, and the town was not organized until March 8, 1774, at which time Charles Brewster was chosen clerk.

The surface of this town is broken and somewhat mountainous. A range of considerable elevation extends the length of the town from north to south, dividing it into what are locally known as " East Town " and " West Town."

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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.

West of this range is a fertile valley which affords excellent farming and graz- ing lands ; eastward of the range lies the rich and fertile valley of Tinmouth River. This is the principal stream and flows northerly across the town into Clarendon. Poultney River rises in the west part of the town, and numerous small streams have their sources among the highlands and join the larger streams mentioned. Tinmouth Pond is in the extreme southeast part and is the source of Tinmouth River. The soil of the town is varied between wide extremes and gives it prominence as an agricultural and dairying district. There are rich deposits of iron, the ore being of excellent quality, and large quantities of it were used in early years in the Tinmouth furnaces, or transported to Plymouth and other points. There are also marble and black lead deposits in the town.

Records .- Following is a list of the original grantees of the town: Joseph Hooker, Jared Lee, Elijah Cowles, Eleazer Root, Jehiel Parmelee, Ebenezer Orvis, Joseph Porter, Samuel Whitman, John Porter, Captain Eph. Treadwell, Lieutenant John Hart, Daniel Curtis, Gideon Beldan, Stephen Dorchester, James Hitchcock, Abraham Crittinton, James Naughton, jr., Thomas Newell, Josiah Lewis, John Horsford, Elias Roberts, Amos Barnes, Levi Porter, Abel Hawley, John Camp, Stephen Hart, jr., Samuel Pike, John Wiard, Ebenezer Hawley, Samuel Cogswell, Isaac Newell, Jonathan Andrus, Thomas Bell, Abel Carter, David Smith, Ebenezer Fish, Ephraim Hough, Stephen Grannis, Cap- tain Isaac Hurlburt, Admiah Parks, Simeon Hart, Joel Parks, Ephraim Tuttle, John Street, John Hart, of Wallingford, John Carter, Jacob Carter, jr., Asahel Cogswell, Isaiah Moss, Daniel Lankton, Jonathan Blacklee, Joseph Star, Cap- tain Edward Gaylord, Andrew Gridley, Reynold Beckwith, Ebenezer Hubbard, Aaron Howe, Joseph Bunnill, Richard Wiband, Daniel Warner, Eliakim Hall, Zachariah Gillet, Timothy Hall, John Carrington.

The town organization took place, as stated, on the 8th of March, 1774, and Charles Brewster was made the first town clerk. John McNaile (McNeal) was made moderator of the meeting and James Adams, Charles Brewster and John McNaile were elected selectmen. It did not require a very important man in those days to secure two or more town offices.

There was little for the first town authorities to do, except to lay out roads and, as was the universal custom, make arrangements for religious services and schools. Hence, we find among the resolutions passed at the early town meet- ings the following :-

March 12, 1776. "Voted, That we will build a log house to meet in on the Sabbath."

November 24, 1778. " Voted, That the inhabitants of this town will hire preaching 3 months or until our annual meeting in March next.

" Voted, That this town doth make choice of Rev. Obadiah Noble to preach for us the above 3 months."

April 6, 1779. "Voted, That this town will hire preaching this year, and that we will get a candidate to preach, if we can.

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TOWN OF TINMOUTH.

" Voted, That we choose Thomas Porter, Obadiah Noble and Solomon Bingham as a committee to provide preaching.

" Voted, That Mr. Noble shall supply the pulpit till we can get a can- didate."

July 6, 1779. "Voted, That we will hire preaching four months.

" Voted, That we, the inhabitants of the town of Tinmouth, direct our committee to hire Mr. Benjamin Osborn to preach with us the 4 months above mentioned.

" Voted, That we will raise {400 to build a meeting-house."

April 6, 1780. "Voted, To give Mr. Benjamin Osborn a call to settle in the work of the ministry in this town.

" Voted, That if Mr. Osborn shall settle in the work of the ministry in this town, that, in addition to the ministerial right of land in this town, we shall give him as a salary for the first year after his settlement, £35, for the second year, £40, and so on, in the same progression, until his salary shall amount to £70 per year, during the continuation of the said Mr. Osborn in the work of the ministry in this town; said salary to be paid, one-half in wheat, rye and Indian corn. Wheat at 5s. per bushel, rye at 3s. 6d. per bushel, corn at 2s. 6d. per bushel, the remaining one-half to be paid in lawful money, equivalent to the price of grain above mentioned."

If the foregoing measures mean anything, it is that the early settlers of Tin- mouth were determined to have the gospel preached among them, and that they were imbued with a spirit of religion and morality. This town has fur- nished many eminent men ; and no one can say that this spirit of veneration for religion and the teachings that followed it did not contribute largely to the production of those men.

Upon other matters we find the following votes : -

April 6, 1779. " Voted, That this town do accept the report of the com- mittee sent to Poultney to assist in building the fort at Castleton.

"Voted, That we will raise the men, that is, 30, in order to build the above fort.

" Voted, That Captain John Spafford shall choose the men, with Gideon Warren and Major Royce to assist as a committee to choose the men."

The patriotic spirit of the Revolution was evidently not wanting in Tin- mouth. The following names indicate those who took active part in the Rev- olutionary struggle from this town, though it is probable there were others ; Nathaniel Chipman, Neri Cramton, - - Phillips, Major Stephen Royce, Samuel Noble, Elisha Clark, John Train, Benjamin Chandler.

Tinmouth was chosen as the shire town when the county was organized in 1781, and the courts and public business were conducted here until 1784, the courts being held in Solomon Bingham's inn, one room serving as a bar-room and court-room and the other as the family living-room. When the jury retired

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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.

to consult upon a verdict, it is said they repaired to a log barn eight or ten rods away from the log tavern. The county jail, also constructed of logs and, as tradition has it, with a blanket hung up for a door, was situated about a mile from the court-room. There was then no way of going to court except on horseback or on foot. There were a few sleds in the town, which served very well when there was snow; but there were no wheel vehicles except rough ox- carts or heavy lumber wagons.

Early Settlements. - We have named the men who were elected to town offices at the first meeting ; they were the first comers to the town. About the time of the organization of the town Ebenezer Allen and Stephen Royce came in. They were appointed delegates from Tinmouth to the first conven- tion that was assembled to declare the New Hampshire grants an independent state. They met at Cephas Kent's in Dorset in July, 1774. Ebenezer Allen and Charles Brewster (the first town clerk) were delegates to the convention that assembled at Windsor in July, 1777, and adopted the constitution of Ver- mont. Before this time, or within a year or two after, Elihu Clark, Jonathan Bell, Thomas Porter, Obadiah Noble, Samuel Mattocks and Ebenezer Martin moved into the town. Charles Brewster was the first representative of the town in the Legislature and was also appointed a judge of the court which was created for the Rutland shire of Bennington county, before Rutland county was organized.

Solomon Bingham was a blacksmith and lived on the place now occupied by Samantha Eddy. He did not work much at his trade in this town. He had a large family and his oldest son, Solomon, was educated at Dartmouth, studied law and practiced several years in Tinmouth ; he removed to Franklin county. The elder Solomon was the second representative of the town.

Colonel John Spafford was one of the first settlers and located at the south end of the " Tinmouth flats." He was a man of prominence, the third repre- sentative of the town and prosperous in business. Heman Spafford, of Clar- endon, is a son of Colonel John.

John McNeal (whose name is " McNaile " in the records) was one of the most active and energetic of the early settlers He lived where Linus Valen- tine's brick house stands, and kept the first inn in town. When the Revolu- tionary War broke out, he espoused the wrong cause and his property was con- fiscated. The sale of his farm, he being free from debt, put more money into the Vermont treasury than any other similar sale.

John Train came in with the early settlers, bringing with him his son Orange. He died in 1777. Orange Train was the first constable of the town and rep- resented it in the Legislature nine years. Dexter Gilbert, one of the oldest men now living in the town, is a grandson of Orange Train.

Benjamin Chandler, one of the first immigrants to the town, had a numer- ous family, and was killed at the battle of Bennington. His son, also named Benjamin, was a physician and lived and died at St. Albans.

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TOWN OF TINMOUTH.

Samuel Chipman was another of the very early blacksmiths of the town. He had six sons, Nathaniel, Lemuel, Darius, Cyrus, Samuel and Daniel. Sev- eral of these sons became eminent in the State, particularly the oldest, for a sketch of whose career the reader is referred to the foregoing chapter on the legal profession of the county. Lemuel Chipman studied medicine, as did also his brother Cyrus ; the former practiced for a time in Pawlet ; represented that town in the Legislature and was six years a judge of the county court ; he re- moved to the western part of the State with his brother Cyrus, and there be- came distinguished in politics. Darius Chipman was a lawyer and after occu- pying for several years the farm in Tinmouth which he had bought of Na- thaniel, removed to Rutland and was for fourteen years State's attorney. The three younger sons of Samuel Chipman left the town when they were licensed to practice their profession.1

The old farm which was occupied by Nathaniel Chipman is now in posses- sion of Bartlett Stafford. When Mr. Chipman took possession of his father's farm in 1781, he built a forge for the manufacture of bar iron ; for several years he divided his attention between his profession (having been admitted to the bar in 1779), the farm and the forge. He finally sold all his real estate to his brother Darius, removed to Rutland and entered upon his long and emi- nent public career, as elsewhere detailed.

Cephas Smith was an early settler and an industrious farmer. He removed to Hanover that he might educate his sons, Cephas and Cyrus, in Dartmouth ;

I A monument was erected to Nathaniel Chipman which was dedicated October 3, 1873. It stands on an eminence about one-half mile east of the hamlet in Tinmouth ; it is twenty-two feet high, the base being white and the shaft clouded marble from the Sutherland Falls quarries ; it bears the follow- ing inscription : -

** State of Vermont,

to NATHANIEL CHIPMAN, Born in Salisbury, Conn., November 15, 1752. Died in Tinmouth, Vt .. February 15, 1843- A principal founder of the civil institutions of this State, and framer of its fundamental laws. Eminent as a Lawyer, Judge. Legislator and Statesman, for his allity, learning and fidehty and as a citizen for his purity of life. Graduated at Vale College. 1777- An officer in the War of the Revolution. Came to Tinmouth, April 10, 1779. A member of the Rutland County Bar. Chief Justice of Vermont for five years. U. S. District Judge two years. L. S. Senator six years. One of the commissioners who negotiated the admission of Vermont into the Union, 1791."

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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.

they studied for the law, Cephas locating in Rutland and Cyrus in Vergennes. When the education of his sons was finished, the elder Cephas removed back to his log house in Tinmouth.

Bethuel Chittenden, an Episcopal clergyman and brother of the first gov- ernor of Vermont, preached in the town for many years. He cleared a farm, and in company with Major Royce built the first saw-mill in the town. He removed to Chittenden county in 1790.

There were four brothers named Cramton who settled early in this town, of whom Neri was, perhaps, the most conspicuous. He was one of Ethan Al- len's men at the capture of Ticonderoga. He was subsequently captured by Burgoyne's men with a scouting party. He could not escape except by accept- ing protection under Burgoyne. He returned home, and the day before the battle at Bennington had proceeded on his way with his family as far as Arling- ton, on their way to Litchfield. Becoming convinced there was to be a battle, he left his family and went to Bennington to take part in the engagement. He was told that if he should be captured he would be hung. He replied that he would never be taken again alive, and he fought bravely in the battle with his heroic compatriots. He lived about one and one-half miles north of the center of the town, and has descendants now living here.

Stephen Rice was one of the earliest and most successful farmers in the community. One of his grandsons, Levi Rice, now lives in the town.

Elisha Clark, who has been named as one of the Revolutionary soldiers from this town, was a man of unusual mental and physical vigor. At the close of the war he returned to Tinmouth. In 1786 he was appointed probate judge for the Rutland district and held the office nineteen years in succession. He had a numerous and respected family. Dr. Philetus Clark was a son and spent most of his life in Tinmouth, becoming eminent in his profession. He has pos- terity in Tinmouth and elsewhere, some of whom have also become conspicu- ous. He lived to be about ninety five years of age.

Obadiah Noble, mentioned among the early settlers, was a graduate of New Jersey College, and a Congregational minister in New Hampshire before he came to Tinmouth. When Rutland county was organized he was appoint- ed clerk of the court, which office he held ten years. He was the first justice of the peace of Tinmouth after the county organization and held the office nineteen years. Himself and his wife both reached the age of ninety years. One of his sons was Hon. Obadiah Noble, who died in 1864 at the age of eighty-seven. He was justice of the peace in this town thirty-eight years ; register of probate in 1799; judge of probate from 1814 to 1828; assistant judge of the county court from 1839 to 1842 inclusive; represented the town six years, and was senator in 1838-39. He was a man of eminent good sense and practical judgment and of spotless character.

Samuel Mattocks came to the town early from Westford, Conn. He was

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TOWN OF TINMOUTHI.

a captain in the Revolutionary army, but resigned when he came to Tinmouth. He represented the town in the Legislature four years from about 1780; was two years a councilor and seven years a Rutland county judge. In 1787 he was appointed treasurer of the State, continuing in that office thirteen years. His youngest son was made governor of the State.

Ebenezer Marvin, the pioneer, was a physician and represented the town five years ; he was judge of the Rutland county court six years; was chief judge when he removed into Chittenden county, becoming chief judge there, and later in Franklin county he held the same office.

Thomas Porter (called Captain Porter when he first came to Tinmouth) represented the town three years about the beginning of the century and was a member of the council eleven years; judge of the county two years and judge of the Supreme Court three years. He was an eminent and successful man, and lived to the age of ninety-nine years. Dr. Porter, who so long pre- sided over the theological institution at Andover, was his son.

Major Stephen Royce, whose name has been mentioned among the earliest settlers, was a prominent man in the community; had a large family, some of whom became conspicuous in the State.

John Irish and his tragic fate merit some attention from the historian. He and his brother William lived in the north part of the town on adjoining farms, and built their houses but a little distance apart and near the road which ran parallel to the line fence between their farms. When the news of the surren- der of Ticonderoga reached Tinmouth on the Ist of July, 1777, a great part of the inhabitants started southward into Arlington, Shaftsbury and Bennington. Those who did remain on their farms sought protection, as a rule, from Bur- goyne. Among these were the two brothers Irish. A little later the council of safety sent a scouting party consisting of Captain Ebenezer Allen, Lieuten- ant Isaac Clark, and John Train and Phineas Clough, private soldiers, into Tin- mouth to learn what was going on among the " Protectioners " and to recon- noitre a Tory camp in East Clarendon. These men were personal acquaint- ances of the Irish brothers. When the party arrived in the west part of Tinmouth they were informed that it was suspected the two brothers were about joining the Tories and that the shortest route to the Clarendon camp would pass their dwellings. They accordingly took that road. As they approached Irish's clearing, Allen directed Clough to give his gun to Train, go on and ask William Irish the nearest road to the Tory camp, at the same time telling him that he (Clough) had decided to go and join the Tories. When Clough arrived at the house he found both brothers and made the statement according to his orders. Clough was told that he must consider himself a pris- oner; that they would see about his joining the Tories. William then directed John to take Clough home with him, and he would soon follow and help take care of him. John had an Indian tomahawk in his hand and told Clough to

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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.

walk along with him; they walked on toward John's house, he with the up- lifted tomahawk in his hand. When Allen saw this from his place of conceal- ment, he said to Train: "We must get as near as we can to John's house with- out being discovered." He and Train started by one path and Clark crawled along behind the brush fence, the three meeting near the house undiscovered. Here Allen gave directions that under no circumstances was either of them to fire until he did. He then stationed himself about two rods north of the path; Clark about the same distance south of it, and Train fifteen or twenty rods far- ther east, all being hidden behind trees. They had not waited long before Clough stepped from the door and, after looking about, started for the woods. He had got partly over the fence when Irish came out, partly dressed, with a gun in one hand and powder-horn in the other. He called out to Clough to stop or he would shoot him. While in the act of raising his gun, apparently to carry out the threat, Allen shot him through his left hand, knocking his gun from him. Irish then turned around so as to face Clark, who shot him through the heart. The party, after killing Irish, went on to Clarendon, and after reconnoitering the Tory camp, returned to Arlington.

It is, perhaps, proper to state that different versions of this affair have been given, one of which is to the effect that Allen went to the dwelling-place of Irish for the express purpose of killing him; but the details as given above come down to us upon the authority of Judge Obadiah Noble, and probably should be given credence.

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History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 97

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