USA > Vermont > Addison County > Salisbury > History of Salisbury, Vermont > Part 9
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Previous to the beginning of the present century, the number of deaths was less, in proportion to the number of inhabitants, than at present. This was very probably owing to the more uniform tempera- ture of the atmosphere, and perhaps to the more reg- ular and healthful habits of the people. Many of the early settlers lived over ninety years. John Morton died at the age of ninety-four years; George June, ninety-seven years; and Mary Holt died in July, 1844, having reached her one hundred and third year.
The more common contagious diseases have pre-
* This disease first made its appearance among the soldiers at Burlington and Plattsburgh, in the latter part of 1812.
162
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
vailed to a greater or less extent in town for a great many years. Among them we might mention meas- les, hooping-cough, mumps, canker-rash, and small- pox.
The latter disease has not made its appearance here more than two or three times.
In 1803, by a vote of the town, a pest house was built, a little to the south of Abner More's house, on the farm now owned by James Fitts.
Here many individuals were inoculated with the small-pox, under the guidance and care of Dr. John Horton and Dr. Henry Porter.
But in 1807, vaccination was introduced among us, and as it proved to be a preventive of the small-pox, great numbers were vaccinated; so that the small- pox has almost been [unknown among us since that time .*
* Dr. Edward Jenner, of Gloucestershire, England, ascer- tained by experiment, that vaccine virus, or a virus taken from cows in a certain stage of the disease, when transferred to the human system by inoculation, was a safe and very sure pre- ventive of the small-pox. This discovery was made about 1798, and after having been tested for a short time in England, was communicated to all parts of Christendom. It met with great resistance and derision for many years, but Dr. Jenner lived to see it triumphant, and finally received the honor and name so justly due him. He died in 1823.
163
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
In the spring of 1820, one or two individuals living in the south part of the town were vaccinated, as they supposed, but through the mistake of their physician they were inoculated with the genuine small-pox. From these persons the disease spread into a few fam- ilies in that vicinity, but in no case proved fatal.
The author is not aware that any instance of this dreadful disease has occurred in this town since that time.
The following table shows the population of the town at different periods; also containing the names of physicians and attorneys, and the time when each here commenced practice.
Population in 1791, 446
Population in 1800, 644
1810,
709
66
1820,
721
1830,
907
1840,
942
$6
6€ 1850,
1,027
PHYSICIANS,
Darius Matthews,
1789
Josiah W. Hale,
1812
Eliphaz Perkins,
1791
* A. G. Dana,
1821
Thomas Dunbar,
1796
Washington Miller,
1822
* Paul Thorndike,
1801
Luke Hale,
1829
John Horton, 1802
* William Fitts,
1830
* Henry Porter,
1802
M. H. Ranney, 1835
Rev. Abiel Jones,
1804
O. G. Dyar,
1846
Rufus Newton,
1805
J. N. Moore,
1851
Eli Derby,
1808
* C. S. Chase, 1856
* Harvey Guernsey,
1808
H. C. Atwood,
1859
164
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
ATTORNEYS.
Horatio Waterous,
1802
* Robert Bostwick, 1823
James Andrews, jr.,
1809
E. N. Briggs, 1826
* Thomas French, 1811
John Prout,
1838
* S. H. Tupper,
1816
* John Colby,
1848
Theophilus Capen,
1817
A. W. Briggs,
1859
TABLE OF TAVERN KEEPERS, AND TIME WHEN EACH WENT INTO BUSINESS.
Solomon Bigelow,
1788
P. & A. Johnson, 1813
Eleazer Claghorn,
1789
Isaac Hill, 1813
Hamlin Johnson,
1798
Ellery Howard,
1814
Lorin Lakin,
1795
Moses Hitchcock,
1815
Stephen Hard,
1795
Ruel Smith,
1818
Reuben Saxton,
1799
Elnathan Darling,
1826
Christopher Johnson,
1800
Carey Allen,
1828
Elias Kelsey,
1801
Abiel Manning,
1829
Solomon Everts,
1803
P. G. Alden,
1831
William Kilburn,
1804
Lucius Barker,
1832
Patrick Johnson,
1808
James Cook, 1836
Johnson & Brooks,
1810
Nehemiah Pray,
1836
Brooks & Kilburn,
1811
T. W. Kelar, 1840
Jacob Linsley,
1812
Rollin T. Howard,
1846
· The foregoing is made with reference to the time each tavern keeper took out his license. It may not show the exact time when each commenced keeping a public house.
* Remained in town but a short time.
165
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
In addition to the names above, might be mentioned the different owners and proprietors of the hotel at Lake Dunmore. But as these have been named be- fore, they are here omitted.
Moreover, the hotel at Lake Dunmore has been more a place of summer resort, than one simply for the accommodation of travelers.
TABLE OF MERCHANTS AND RETAILERS OF SPIRITS. MERCHANTS.
Josiah Rossiter,
1797
Jason Rice, 1826
Libeus Harris,
1802
Parker & Ives,
Merriam & Kilburn,
1804
Barrows & Kidder,
1828
Bela Farnham,
Abiel Manning, 1829
Ambrose Porter,
1805
John Beckwith & Co., 1831
Brooks & Merriam,
66
Linsly & Chipman, 1832
Joshua Brooks,
1806
Howard Harris, 1844
Weed & Conant,
William Rustin,
1851
Patrick Johnson,
1807
E. A. Hamilton,
1852
P. & A. Johnson,
1808
S. E. Waterhouse,
1852
Dickinson & Brooks,
1810
James Fitts, jr.,
1858
Aaron Barrows,
1815
Wm. Rustin & Co., 1858
James I. Catlin,
Benj. Eastwood,
1859
Catlin & Atwood,
1817
RETAILERS OF SPIRITS.
John Deming,
1796
Abner More,
1809
66
$6
:،
Joseph Cheney,
1803
66
..
14
-
166
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
Joseph Cheney
1803.
Abner More,
1809
66
66
66
66
65
66
66
66
66
66
66
66
66
66
M. H. Ranney,
1839
P. O. Barrows, 1847
About the time of the completion of the Rutland and Burlington Railroad, a union store was started in the depot building in West Salisbury, under the management of J. S. Messer. This store did a limited business for a short time, and was closed.
Since the passage of the law known as the Maine Liquor Law, intoxicating liquors have been sold in this town, as in other towns of the state, by an agent appointed by the county commissioner for that pur- pose.
The first agent was Lothrop Bump, who held the office in 1853 and 1854. In 1855, this office was given to Darius Holman, in which he continued to act until the appointment of Eugene A. Hamilton, in 1859.
Of crimes in Salisbury, it is a pleasure to say that the history is short.
With the exception of some of the disturbances and breaches of the peace which grew out of the contro- versy between Salisbury and Leicester, already men-
167
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
tioned, our people have not often required the atten- tion of the higher courts in criminal prosecutions.
The first instance of theft of much notoriety, was that of Joseph Andrews, who, in the night, by means of false keys, entered John Deming's store and took a quantity of goods; sometime during the same night he also unlocked Mr. Deming's stable and stole his stallion, whereby he made his escape.
He was soon overtaken, however, and brought back, and afterward, on trial at Middlebury, was found guilty, and sentenced to have a piece of one of his ears cut off, to have the letters H. T. branded upon his forehead with a hot iron, to mark his crime, and to receive thirty-nine lashes on his naked back at the public whipping-post.
All these punishments were inflicted in the most summary and zealous manner by John Chipman, who was high sheriff of Addison county at that time.
This took place sometime in the latter part of the last century.
Subsequent to this, but one case occurred which required the execution of these cruel, inhuman and barbarous laws.
It was in the year 1807 or 1808. A young man of respectability, and of highly reputable connections, (as it was afterward ascertained), fell into bad com-
168
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
pany, and was so unfortunate as to pass a counterfeit bank bill, of the denomination of five dollars.
The crime was proved against him-and, being a stranger here at that time, was unable to procure bail, and finally was sentenced to receive thirty-nine lashes upon his naked back.
William Slade was high sheriff, at that time, and officiated at the whipping-post. Several other crim- inals were whipped at the same time, in the labor of which the sheriff was assisted by his deputies.
To see three strong men relieving each other, in the fatigue of whipping these boys till the blood ran down their backs, would astonish the present generation, and is a sight which we never wish to witness again.
Since the state prison was completed, (in 1809) many of the old and more barbarous laws of the state have been repealed, and imprisonment and hard la- bor for a term of years, according to the nature of the
offence, have been substituted for the revolting pub- lic infliction of punishment, of the earlier days .*
Only a few instances of speculating in counterfeit money have been detected in this town, and in these
"The only crimes which are at present punishable by death, in Vermont, are, murder, killing a person in a duel, perjury in consequence of which life is taken, and arson by means of which some person's life is destroyed."
169
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
the business was done on quite a small scale; but the offenders were convicted, and made to suffer the just penalties of the law in the state prison.
The grand jury has found bills against two of our people for the crime of perjury. In the one case the bonds were forfeited and the respondent went clear, and in the other the respondent went to trial and was acquitted.
The one indictment and trial for manslaughter we have already noticed, which also resulted in the ac- quittal of the respondent.
The offence (properly a crime) of selling intoxica- ting liquors without a license, has been quite general, as the dockets of the county court plainly show.
Probably other instances of crime have occurred, which, though noticed by the grand jury, have not been made public.
The following are the names of parties divorced in Salisbury :
Aaron Goodrich and his wife Sally, whose maiden name was Bigelow.
James Crook
Desire,
Wainwright.
Harry Johnson, 66 66 Sally,
Capron.
Jesse Story,
Betsey,
Pierce.
Joseph Cheney,
Hilpa,
Nash.'
H. W. Noyes, 66 Lucinda,
66 Bartlett.
Harry Johnson and his divorced wife were married again, within a year or two after the bill of divorce had been granted.
14*
-
170
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
Aaron Goodrich and his wife separated by a con- tract mutually agreed upon between themselves.
Mrs. Hilpa Cheney afterward married Mr. Smith, of New Haven, Vermont.
With this exception, and that of Mr. Johnson and his wife, the author is not aware that either of these divorced parties were ever married again.
In regard to Rev. Mr. Cheney, in justice it should be said that, previous to the year 1822, he had fully sustained the reputation of a learned, pious and faith- ful minister of the Gospel, and was highly esteemed by his brethren in the ministry.
But in the autumn of 1822 he received a severe bruise on his head, occasioned by a fall from his horse, which so impaired his intellectual faculties as to produce partial mental derangement, and to render him an exceedingly unpleasant companion.
After this accident, he appeared to have an imper- fect control of his mind, and could not regulate his habits nor limit his desires so as to live a perfectly blameless life.
And as for his good wife Hilpa, her character as a woman of christian meekness, fidelity, and intelli- gence, had long been too well established, to admit of the belief that she could have been the cause of fam- ily difficulties.
The writer had occasion to be well acquainted
171
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
with the facts connected with some of the fore- going cases of divorce, and in examining them, and in a careful observation elsewhere, it is found that one of the most prolific causes of domestic diffi- culty, lies in an arbitrary spirit exercised by either the husband or wife. In a relation so intimate as that of the marriage relation, this spirit has no limit to its opportunities and disagreeable ways of manifesting it- self. In one of the foregoing cases, it was found that the husband was from a family in which the father held the reins of government, and the wife from an- other in which the mother had been wont, almost ex- clusively, to govern as well as to manage all domestic concerns. It was in this disparity of education and habit, that lay the beginning of all their difficulty. The entire and exclusive jurisdiction of the family being claimed by both, it was obtained by neither, and the final result was, a divorce.
.. We cannot help here suggesting to the young candidates for matrimony, that they will find frailty in all human nature, and that the true way to meet it is in mutual forbearance and kindness ; and that there is nothing in the marriage relation-unless it be the gross and disgraceful sin of adultery-which so alien- ates the affections, destroys confidence, and blunts the sense of moral responsibility, as that haughty, de- ceptive demeanor of a dictating, domineering spirit.
172
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
The person who indulges this spirit, nullifies the most sacred promises, and patronizes moral treason. Re- member the words of the great apostle-" Wives, sub- mit yourselves unto your own husbands ;" "Hus- bands, love your wives ;" "Submitting yourselves, one to another, in the fear of God."
173
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
CHAPTER XV.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND SOCIETY .- THE METHODIST CHURCH.
FROM the books of the Congregational church in Salisbury, is taken the following record of its begin- ning :
" Salisbury, Feb'y 8, 1804 .- We, Solomon Storey, John Holt, Aaron L. Beach, Gilbert Everts, jr., Elia- kim Weeks, Hannah Weeks, Anna Copeland, Eliza- beth" Beach and Hannah Everts, being desirous to form ourselves into a christian church, have met for that purpose. Present,
REV. JEDEDIAH BUSHNELL, " BENJAMIN WORCESTER.
"Having previously given a relation of the ground of our hope, and been propounded for two weeks, we proceed to make choice of the following confession of faith, to be our creed, and bind ourselves to walk as a church of Christ; wishing grace, mercy and peace, through our Lord Jesus Christ, may descend upon us and our successors in this church.'
174
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
ARTICLES.
"I. We believe there is one God, a self-existent, in- dependent, and infinitely wise and holy Being, who is almighty in power, unchangeable in his nature, and possessed of all possible perfection ; the great creator, sole preserver, and sovereign disposer of all things.
"II. We believe that this one God, in a mysterious, incomprehensible manner, subsists in three persons- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost-distinctly three persons, yet essentially but one God, and that these three persons are co-equal, co-essential and co- eternal, in all the divine perfections.
"III. We believe that the Scriptures contained in the old and new Testaments, are the word of God, given by divine inspiration, and are a perfect, and the only rule of faith and practice.
"IV. We believe that God exercises a moral gov- ernment over all his rational creatures, and that in his glorious administration, the divine law of God is a perfect, infallible, and eternal rule of righteousness, requiring perfect, persevering obedience, upon the pain of eternal damnation.
"V. We believe that God made man, at first, per- fectly holy and happy, and appointed Adam, the pa- rent of mankind, to be the federal head and repre- sentative of all his natural posterity, promising that if he continued in perfect holiness they should be
175
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
happy, but in case he disobeyed, they should fall with him into a state of sin and death.
"VI. We believe that our first parents fell from their original state of holiness; consequently, accord- ing to God's holy and wise constitution, all mankind were born into the world sinners, and became justly deserving God's wrath and curse forever and ever.
" VII. We believe that Jesus Christ is a substitute for the sinner; that he yielded perfect obedience to the divine law of God, and bore its curse; that he thereby vindicated the justice of the law, brought in everlasting righteousness, and opened the way for the exercise of mercy to the guilty. Now, in saving the sinner, God is just and the justifier of him who be- lieves in Jesus.
"VIII. We believe that, in consequence of the atonement made by the death of Christ, divine mercy is freely offered to all sinners who will exercise re- pentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
"IX. We believe that, although divine mercy is freely offered to all who will repent and believe, man- kind are so far sunk in sin, being wholly corrupt, and at enmity with God and the Gospel, that they will not exercise repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ until their hearts are subdued by Almighty power, or a new heart is given them crea-
176
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
ated after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness.
"X. We believe that, notwithstanding sinful re- jection of divine mercy, God did from all eternity, for the glory of his great name, without any respect to the future actions of his creatures, elect some of the human race to everlasting life, through the medi- ation of his son Jesus Christ, and entered into cove- nant to save them from their state of sin and misery, justly leaving the rest of mankind to perish in their sins for their wilful rejection of the glorious offers of divine grace.
"XI. We believe that Christ ever had a church in the world, consisting of his true followers, and that he will continue it to the end of the world, and that baptism and the Lord's supper are the ordinances.
"XII. We believe that baptism is to be adminis- tered to believers and their infant seed, and that Christ has instituted a discipline to be strictly ob- served in his church, according to his directions in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew.
"XIII. We believe that all who truly believe in Christ will certainly persevere in holiness unto eternal life, being kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation.
"XIV. We believe that at the last day Christ will come in the clouds of heaven with power and great
---
177
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
glory, raise the dead from their graves, judge the world in righteousness, and doom the wicked to ever- lasting destruction, and receive the redeemed to the happiness and glory of his eternal kingdom."
To these articles of faith all candidates were re- quired to give their assent, before admission into the church.
The candidates were also required to undertake the obligation of a covenant, by which they promised to yield perfect obedience to the will of God, to keep holy the Sabbath day, to observe morning and even- ing prayers, and to cultivate those conditions of heart, and of mind, which would best enable them to per- form their duty both to God and man.
These articles of faith, and this covenant, were re- vised by a vote of the church, in 1810, and were ren- dered less exceptionable, by adopting a different phraseology, while the original ideas and sentiments remained very much the same.
They were again revised and altered, in 1831, under the direction of Rev. Daniel Rockwell. This last re- vision did not meet with much favor among the people, and seemed to the clergy of the Congregational order to be of much less value than the former one.
The following table, made after a careful examina- tion of the church records, shows that from the time the church was first organized, in 1804, to 1847, one
15
178
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
hundred and ninety-four persons were added to its numbers by profession, and forty-five by letters from other churches ; that fifty-seven were dismissed, and thirteen excommunicated.
Since 1847, forty-three have been added by profes- sion, and fifteen by letter ; twenty-four dismissed, and two excommunicated-making, in all-
Additions by profession. 237. By letter,
Dismissions, 81. Excommunications, 15. 60.
This table is undoubtedly correct, so far as it goes ; but of course its record of dismissions and excommu- nications does not show the losses of the church by emigration and death.
From the time of the organization of the church to 1847, fifty adult persons were baptised ; (most, if not all, at the time of their admission into the church), and during that time one hundred and twenty-three children were brought forward for baptism, either by their parents or guardians.
The present number of the church is one hundred and three, beside quite a large number belonging to what is called the "society."
Among this latter class are found some of the most efficient and liberal supporters of the Gospel in town. One member of the society pays a hundred dollars per annum for this purpose, which in a town of small salaries shows no mediocre generosity.
--
179
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
Added by
profession.
Added by
letter.
o - Dismissed.
Excommu-
nicated.
Date.
Added by
profession.
Added by
letter.
- Dismissed.
Excommu-
municated.
1805.
2
0
0
1828.
O
0
1
0
1806.
15
0
1
0
1829.
0
0
0
0)
1807.
2
0
1
0
1830.
0
0
0
0
1808.
2
O
0
0
0
1832.
0
0
0
1
1810.
25
0
1
1
1833.
5
4
1
0
1811.
3
2
0
0
1834.
5
7
0
0
1812.
0
2
0
0
1835.
0
1
0
2
1813.
1
1
0
0
1836.
9
1
4
2
1814.
1
2
0
0
1837.
8
0
14
0
1815.
1
0
0
1
1838.
6
0
3
0
1816.
0
0
0
0
1839.
1
5
1
0
1817.
2
0
3
0
1840.
19
3
0
0
1818.
2
0
2
0
1841.
0
3
3
1
1819.
1
0
0
0
1842.
1
0
3
1
1820.
0
0
0
0
1843.
0
3
3
0
1821.
36
0
2
0
1844.
0
0
2
0
1822.
5
1
1
0
1845.
0
2
0
0
1823.
0
1
1
1
1846.
0
0
3
0
1824.
1
2
0
2
1847.
0
3
0
0
1825.
0
0
0
0
-
-
-
1826.
0
0
3
1
194
45
57
13
0
1827.
0
0
0
1804.
1
0
0
0
0
1831.
40
2
4
1809.
This table shows the time of all periods of special interest in matters of religion in the church, since its formation. For instance, in 1806, under the ministry
-
Date.
180
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
of Rev. Abiel Jones (who was also a physician), fif- teen were added to the church. Again, in 1810, even when the church and society were without any regu- lar ministrations of the Gospel, twenty-five persons were added.
This religious interest appeared to take its rise, under God, in Middlebury College. The students of that institution spent much time in establishing and attending weekly conferences in this town especially for young people. At this time, Deacon A. L. Beach and Ebenezer Weeks (then a student in Middlebury College), spent many weeks traveling from house to house, to encourage people to attend and to interest themselves in these meetings.
For this renewed religious interest, the Congrega- tional church in Salisbury was indebted not only for the services of the students in college, but especially to president Atwater, and other ministers, for their great labors and kindness at this time. Rev. Messrs. Bushnell, Parsons, Hibbard, Merrill, and others, were always zealous men in any good work, and here showed their zeal at this time.
In the infancy of the Congregational church of Salisbury, (when it needed assistance the most), these men were ever ready to give it help, and did give it an impetus which it feels to this day.
This church had no settled minister until 1811.
181
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
and as few of the leading business men were members of it, it was compelled to struggle through great diffi- culties and dangers, for several years.
In 1805, (before a single male member had been added to its original number), it suffered very much from the derelictions of one of its leading members, who was, however, reclaimed after great trial and dif- ficulty.
In 1807 the discipline of the church was brought in requisition to reclaim another leading member who had gone astray, and in 1810 still another was found in serious fault, and expelled.
There had, during all this time, existed difficulties between certain members of the church and some of the leading business men, which deterred the latter from uniting with the former. But these difficulties appear to have been overcome during the extraordi- nary time of religious interest, in 1810.
· At this time the following vote was recorded on the church records, viz : " May 14th, 1810. Voted by the church and society, that no old matters shall be brought up any more, as matters of objection or difficulty among each other."
No deacons were elected until May 8th, 1811, when Aaron L. Beach and John Holt were elected to that office ; and no regular minister was installed over the 15*
182
HISTORY OF SALISBURY.
church until October 15th, 1811, when Rev. Rufus Pumroy was called to fill that place.
On the 18th of November, 1816, at his own request, and by the council of the Addison county consocia- tion, called by himself, Mr. Pumroy was dismissed from this pastoral charge.
He, being the first settled minister in town, was, by the terms of the charter, vested with what was called the "ministerial right" of land ; but at the time of his dismission, at the suggestion of the council, he deeded one-half of this land to the Congregation al church, it being thought that his residence here had not been of sufficient length to entitle him to receive the whole of it.
As the causes of Mr. Pumroy's dismission are not made matters of record, and, therefore, patent to all, they will be noticed on a future page.
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