USA > Vermont > Windsor County > History of Windsor County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 30
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But, at last, the day of usefulness of the old brick school house was at an end. The village had become of sufficient importance to justify the erection of a larger and more pretentious school building ; one that would not only accommodate the probable school population for years to come, but one, as well, that would be an ornament and an honor to the place. During the early years of the present decade this subject was much dis- cussed, but it was not until the year 1885 that definite action was taken.
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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.
At a meeting held October 6 a committee, consisting of Hiram Harlow, Dwight Tuxbury, L. W. Stocker, Rev. Edward N. Goddard, H. P. Mc- Clary, Mrs. Abbie Butler and Mrs. Mary L. Paine, was appointed for the purpose of erecting or causing to be erected a high school building, sub- stantially in conformity with plans then adopted, and as the building now appears. That this committee performed well their part is evidenced by the large and elegant structure that now adorns the " common." Its pro- portions and appearance are so well known as to need no description in these pages ; and it is a common remark that Windsor has a high school which is not inferior to any in the State, though there may be others of greater size. Its entire cost, including furnishings, was about $17,000. It was built during the year 1886.
The report of the district superintendent for the current year ending 1789 shows the total expense of the district schools to have been $3,- 754.42 ; that the attendance at the high school was 62 pupils ; the gram- mar, 59; intermediate, 81 ; Center Primary, 61 ; South Primary, 58 ; West Primary, 39.
Village Water Supply .- For the purpose of supplying the village with pure and wholesome water a company was organized in pursuance of an act of the Legislature passed in 1849. The name of the Windsor Aque- duct Company was adopted, and of it Roswell Smith was chosen presi- dent, and Samuel R. Stocker, secretary. The company at once com- menced operations by constructing a reservoir and stopping the water of a small mountain stream, a short distance west of the village ; and from the reservoir a main pipe was laid to the village, and thence distributed through the principal streets. The first stream was found to afford an insufficient amount of water, to remedy which the company soon took measures to secure an additional supply from a reservoir on what was known as the Ely farm.
In the year 1888 the village acquired the rights, property and inter- ests of the old company, and at once undertook and accomplished a com- plete re-organization of the whole system, under the immediate direction of commissioners appointed for the purpose. " The village voted to con- struct a distributing reservoir on the land of R. F. Ely, and also a stor- age reservoir on land of Thomas Sears, at the head of the Dudley Brook," from the combined capacity of which reservoirs an abundant supply of
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an excellent quality is assured. The work of the commissioners has been by no means confined to establishing a source of supply, for additional street mains have been laid in various localities, and fire hydrants placed at convenient points, so that not only an ample water supply is secured for domestic uses, but the heavy gravity pressure affords excellent pro - tection in cases of fire. The work of the commissioners is not yet wholly completed, although enough is already done to assure the people of the village of the wisdom of their course in acquiring the franchise and property of the old company and holding the plant as one of the in - stitutions of the corporation. The expense of the enterprise when com- pleted is estimated at something like thirty-five thousand dollars, possi - bly a little more.
The Town Hall .- This building can hardly be considered as one of the public properties of the village, but it is within the corporation limits and was brought into existence largely through local influence and a tax upon local property. And, withal, it is an ornament to the place and a building to which the people may point with just pride. Prior to its erection the old court-house was made to answer the purpose of a town hall, besides being but to numerous other uses ; but the old struct- ure was hardly a thing of beauty, nor was it suitable for the require- ments of the village and town. It was therefore sold and removed, and in its place was erected the town hall,-a beautiful structure, elegant in design and complete in finish. It is not over-large, nor yet too small; admirably adapted for the uses of the town and village, and so arranged and provided as to afford an excellent hall for all classes of entertain- ment. The building rests upon a solid granite foundation, the latter in- closing a large, well ventilated and well lighted basement, while the superstructure is of brick with a slated roof. The rear portion of the basement is arranged admirably, and is used by the Windsor Library Association. The upper part is divided so that the town officials have a convenient room for meetings, the room being thirteen by fourteen feet in size, while the general hall or auditorium is forty-five feet square, aud twenty-two feet in height. Besides, there is a spacious gallery at the west end, over the entrance. The stage is at the east end of the building, and is seventeen by twenty-two feet in size, with convenient rooms on either side.
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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.
As is indicated by a tablet in the entrance, the "Windsor Town Hall " was built during the years 1881-82; building committee, Charles C. Beaman, jr., Hiram Harlow, Henry D. Stone, Rollin Amsden, Horace Weston ; architects, Appleton & Stephenson ; builder, Hira R. Beck- with. The building complete cost the town the sum of twelve thousand dollars.
The Windsor Library Association .- This institution of Windsor was organized under the general laws of Vermont, in December, 1882. At that time the remnant of the former social library known as the Athe- næum was about to be dissolved. This coming to the knowledge of Hon. William M. Evarts and C. C. Beaman, esq., these gentlemen proposed that a new library be organized, to which should be sold at a low price the old Athenæum books; and that a starting subscription of $1,000 be raised in the town, to which they would add another $1,000; and would also meet a yearly subscription of $100 with an equal sum, for five years. This generous proposal was accepted. The $2,000 was provided; the Athenæum books were bought for $100. There were about 1,800 vol- umes, of which 1, 110 were United States public documents, mostly of little value, though some of them were very desirable. The town offi- cers allowed the use of a large light basement in the town hall. The town meeting voted the association the tax allowed by law for public library purposes, which vote has been annually repeated, conditioned on the free use of the library to all Windsor people.
On the 23d of June, 1883, the library was opened to the public, then having on its shelves 3,235 volumes, all of which have been catalogued on the plan of Dewey's Decimal Classification, the work being done by Rev. E. N. Goddard. From that time to the present the library has been increased continually, so that its present number of volumes reaches 5,670. The rooms are open for loaning books on Wednesdays and Sat- urdays, in all seven hours a week. The number of volumes loaned has averaged 8,500 yearly, four-fifths of which are fiction and juveniles. In August, 1886, the trustees were advised that the late Hon. Hiram Har- low, then just deceased, had by his will bequeathed to the association, " for the purposes of said association," the sum of $20,000. Litigations and other complications of the estate have thus far prevented the trust- ees from receiving the benefits from this generous bequest. No ques-
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tion is raised, however, of the validity of the bequest, so that it will eventually come to the association.
The present officers of the association are as follows: President, Mil- ton K. Paine ; vice-president, W. H. Fullerton ; secretary and treasurer, Horace P. McClary ; trustees, C. C. Beaman, E. N. Goddard, Arthur W. Harris, Horace P. McClary, Marsh O. Perkins, Charles Tuxbury, Luther C. White ; librarian, Edward N. Goddard; assistant librarian, Miss F. G. Tuxbury.
The State Prison .- This is by no means an institution of the village or town, but of the State, and being located within the corporate limits of the village, requires at least a brief mention in these pages. Be it said, however, to the credit of this locality that the population of the prison has been augmented but very little by reason of convictions and commitments from Windsor county.
The act under which the State prison was erected was passed on the 3d of November, 1807, and by it Ezra Butler, Samuel Shaw, John Cameron, Josiah Wright and Elihu Luce were constituted a commission to select a site and superintend the erection of the prison building, for which work of construction the commission was authorized to draw against the State treasury not exceeding $30,000. Windsor was desig- nated as the location for the building, and work was at once commenced and so far completed during 1809 that convicts to the number of twenty- four were sent here. The original prison, thirty-six by eighty-four feet in size, was built wholly of stone, and is a part of what is now known as the east wing. In 1809 a workshop and keeper's residence were built ; and subsequent to that year, there have twice been made extensive additions and enlargements, first in 1830, and again in 1882. As is the custom in many other States, so it is here, by which the services of the prisoners are sold to manufacturing contractors. In the Windsor prison Messrs. Brackett & Co. of Boston employ the prisoners, paying the State fifty cents per day for the work of each inmate. The prison, however, has not a sufficient convict population to perform all the work of manufact- ure carried on by the firm, and this has necessitated the erection, by the firm, of a large frame building adjoining the prison, in which is employed a number of persons from the village. The entire prison institution is under the superintending charge of Mr. E. W. Oaks.
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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.
The First Congregational Church of Windsor, or as more commonly known, The Old South Church, is by many years the senior of the re- ligious societies of the village, its organization and origin dating back to the year 1768, at which time it was called the "Church of Cornish and Windsor." Of its early history the historical sketch published in the church manual says: "The Covenant was adopted at Windsor, Septem- ber 21, 1768, four years after the settlement of the town was commenced, and at Cornish one week later ; at which time an Ecclesiastical Council publicly recognized the church according to Congregational usage, and installed Rev. James Wellman as its pastor. The church consisted of ten members, four of whom were residents of Windsor"- (Israel Curtis, Ebenezer Hoisington, Joab Hoisington, Hezekiah Thompson).
" It was arranged that the pastor should preach one-third part of the time in Windsor, and the remainder in Cornish. He received as a set- tlement two hundred acres of land, and his annual salary was forty pounds, in the currency of New Hampshire, one- third part of which was to be paid by the people of Windsor. To secure the payment of this sum a bond was given to the pastor, signed by the citizens of Windsor. The payment was to be made in October, either in money or 'in Graine, or Pork, or Beef, or Day's Labor.' This engagement was to expire in five years.
" On the third of April, 1774, eleven members of this church requested and received letters of dismission for the purpose of forming a church in Windsor. Two of these were original members ; the others had united with it subsequently. Soon afterward we find the church of Windsor in existence, but we have no record of its organization, and there is no evidence that a council was convened for that purpose. It is not improbable that it was assumed that the church of Cornish and Windsor had now become two distinct churches, and that no further organization was thought to be necessary."
The year in which was erected the first church edifice, or meeting- house, for this county is not known ; neither does there appear to be any existing record to determine the time of building the first house of worship under authority of the town, which, whenever done, was probably in accordance with the then prevailing custom of building at the public expense. The first church, however, is believed to have been
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built prior to the year 1779. It was nearly square, with a pointed roof, and had no steeple. It was the only meeting-house in the East Parish for about twenty-five years. The present church building, that known as the Old South church, was erected in 1798, at an expense of about $5,000. In 1844 the building was substantially remodeled at an expense of about $3,000. Still further improvements, costing about $1,400, were made in 1852, among them the purchase of an organ for the church.
The succession of pastors of the Congregational church has been as follows : James Wellman, David Tullar, Benjamin Bell, Bancroft Fowler, John Wheeler, George S. Wilson, Thomas Kidder, Franklin Butler, Ezra H. Byington, S. P. Cook, Rev. Searles, William Greenwood, S. S. Martyn, the latter being the present pastor.
The First Baptist Church of Windsor .- The history of this church and its society carries back into the eighteenth century, having been organ- ized, according to best information obtainable, on the 3d of Decem- ber, 1785, by eleven persons who were members of the Woodstock Bap- tist Association, so called. But the society seems not to have acquired sufficient strength to build a church home before the year 1802, and this was used by it until 1815, at which time the first building, a frame structure, was replaced by a more substantial one of brick, both being located on the General Forbes property, now a part of the Evarts prop- erty. But it appears that in 1813, and the year following, the society of the Baptist church underwent a substantial and radical re-organization, according to the society records, and the result was the signing by forty - two persons of articles of association, bearing date December 30, 1813, and taking the name, "First Baptist Society of the East Parish of Wind- sor." The society at this period became quite strong in point of mem- bers, so that the expense of the erection of the brick church was a burden easily borne. Its cost was nearly forty-four hundred dollars. The building committee was composed of Israel Tewksbury, Thomas Lever- ett and John C. Thompson. Rev. Leland Howard became first pastor of the new church in 1816. Of the old church, Rev. Roswell Smith was first pastor.
In 1874 the society built and occupied the handsome church edifice at the corner of Main and River streets, on land purchased from Dr. Edward Phelps. It cost $16,000. The new church was formally dedicated in
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July, 1874. Its seating capacity is about three hundred. The present pastor, Rev. William C. Carr, assumed charge as such on the first of June, 1887.
St. Paul's Church (Protestant Episcopal) .- The records of the town clerk of Windsor preserve a copy of a certificate, or rather a letter, dated 22d of August, 1785, in which the Rev. Ranna Cossitt, " clerk by virtue of my ecclesiastical office which I hold by lineal succession from our Lord Christ," appointed Alexander Parmalee to be warden of the Church of England for the towns of Windsor and Reading. There are also sev- eral certificates that certain persons named in them are members of the Church of England. These were given, it is presumed, to protect the holders from taxation for supporting a minister or preacher and build- ing a meeting-house at the general expense.
The first point of history of the Protestant Episcopal church in Wind- sor, of which there appears a record, is that in September, 1816, the biennial convention of the Eastern Diocese (including the whole of New England except Connecticut) was assembled here. Divine service was celebrated in the Baptist edifice, which then stood on what is a part of Senator Evarts's lawn, and the business sessions were held at Judge Hub- bard's residence. The acting members of the convention, representing the church in these five States, seem to have been eight besides Bishop Griswold. How the convention came to be here, where there was no church organization, rather than at Claremont, is not understood.
Immediately after the close of this convention a correspondence was opened with the Rev. James Morss of Newburyport, Mass., by Mr. Thomas Thomas of Windsor, in behalf of himself and some of his friends, urging Mr. Morss to come to Windsor and inaugurate church work here, and make it his home. In response to these letters Mr. Morss did come and spend two Sundays, November 30 and December 6, 1816. During this time he baptized about thirty persons, celebrated the Holy Com- munion, and organized the parish of St. Paul's church, and arranged for continuing the services under the care of a lay-reader, Colonel Alexan- der Dunham. These services were had in the old court-house on Com- mon Hill, and the congregations assembled were large.
The letters to Mr. Morss continued and urged his return, with sug- gestions that if he should do so they would be able to have Vermont
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and New Hampshire set off in a diocese by themselves, of which Mr. Morss would surely be the bishop. The letters contain curious notes of the " odium theologicum which the new movement experienced from their neighbors of the 'Standing Order'" as well as of the newly invented stoves, and the cost of living in Windsor, etc. Though Mr. Morss was not persuaded to move here, yet he did spend two more Sundays here in August, 1817, strengthening and encouraging the new parish.
The Rev. G. Leonard was made the first minister of the parish in the fall of 1817 or early in 1818. During his ministry the church was built, and was consecrated by Bishop Griswold in November, 1822, and Mr. Leonard was formally instituted as its rector the next day The church is said to have cost about $7,000, a large part of which was contributed by the Hon. Jonathan H. Hubbard, who became the senior church warden and so continued to his death in 1848. Bishop Griswold, in his Episcopal address of the next year, on reporting the consecration of the church, adds : " We have rarely, if ever, seen more laudable efforts of pious liberality and united zeal than that which has added to the num- ber of our churches, this beautiful edifice." And it still remains a sub- stantial and venerable and respectable place of worship, though very plain and old fashioned.
Mr. Leonard's rectorship extended to 1829, when he was succeeded by the Rev. W. Horton, since which time the succeeding rectors of St. Paul's have been as follows: W. Horton, 1829-35 ; Darius Barker, 1836-38 ; O. H. Staples, 1838-41 ; W. D. Wilson, 1842-45 ; O. H. Staples officiated occasionally in 1845-46; Josiah Perry, 1848-51; W. R. Johnson, 1851-55 ; T. L. Randolph, 1856-58 ; Malcolm Doug- lass, 1859-72; J. B. Trevett, 1872-74; T. J. Taylor, 1874-78 ; E. N. Goddard, 1879, and now the officiating rector of the church.
St. Francis's Church (Roman Catholic) .- The first missionary labors among the Roman Catholic families of this locality are believed to have been begun by the Rev. Father Daly, of Boston, who visited here every four or five months, and in a regular way, some forty or more years ago. Succeeding Father Daly's visits, Rev. Charles O'Reilley came to the locality, and after him the Rev. Father Pigeon. The latter was suc- ceeded by Rev. Daniel O'Sullivan, during whose ministry the parish was fully organized and St. Francis's church built, the latter in 1882.
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Rev. Patrick Cunningham next came to the pastorate, and was in turn succeeded by the first resident priest, Father Robert F. Higgins. Father Higgins died June 23, 1888. The next resident priest, the present in- cumbent, the Rev. Father William N. Lonergan, came to the parish January 20, 1888.
There was a time when the congregation of St. Francis's parish was as strong in numbers as any of the church societies of the town or vil- lage, for, when the cotton-mills were in operation, a very large part of the employees were Catholics; but with the decline of manufacturing in the village these persons have many of them been compelled to seek employment in other places. Thus has the strength of the parish been greatly reduced. At present it numbers between one hundred and fifty and two hundred persons.
All Souls' Church .- Under the name just mentioned there was quite recently united the persons and families that formerly comprised the Unitarian and Universalist societies of the village and locality ; a union not of formal compact, but of common consent, and one organized upon a liberal basis of thought and action, for a common purpose-the spir- itual and moral welfare of all interested persons. It so happens that the more recent officiating ministers of this society and church have been Unitarians, but the services can be, and have been, so ordered as to be wholly acceptable to those who were formerly identified with what was known as the Universalist society. And the church building, too, which was erected in 1847 (a still earlier one having been built in 1838), is the property of the Unitarian Association of Boston, having become so by transfer from the local society tuat was too few in point of num- bers to maintain and support it and its minister. And the association also makes an annual donation of $350 for the support of services in the church, the balance of expense being borne by the resident congrega- tion. The present officiating minister is Rev. Joseph Wassall, who, in addition to his regular pastoral duties, also acts as chaplain at the State prison.
The Methodist Episcopal Church and society of Windsor was formed on April 25, 1870, and placed under the pastoral charge of Rev. David Megahy; and although the society at one time numbered one hundred members, it has never been strong enough to build a house of worship,
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but holds meetings in halls and such other places as can best be secured. For a time the society leased and occupied the Unitarian church building.
Banking Institutions of Windsor .- " In 1816," says Zadock Thomp - son's "Gazetteer," "applications were made from Burlington and Windsor for the incorporation of a bank in each of those towns. After consider- able discussion the matter was referred to the next session of the Legis- lature. At the session in 1817 the subject was called up and an act passed incorporating a bank at Windsor ; but for some reason it did not go into operation, and at the session of the Legislature in 1818 a new act of incorporation was obtained for a bank in Windsor, and a bank was also incorporated in Burlington. The Bank of Windsor became in- solvent and failed."
The foregoing extract refers to what was known in local banking cir- cles as the old Windsor Bank, which is understood as having continued in business until the year 1838, or about that time, before its affairs were finally wound up by the insolvency of the concern. Then for a period of nearly ten years Windsor had no banking institution of any kind, but in 1847 the Ascutney Bank was charted, with a capital stock of $50,000, and opened its doors for business early in 1848. Allen Wardner was president, and Jason Steele, cashier. The Ascutney Bank continued in operation, with a fair degree of success, until after the passage of the National banking act, when, in 1865, its officers at once accepted the provisions of the law, and procured for it an act of incorporation, under the style of The Ascutney National Bank of Windsor, with a capital stock of $100,000.
The Ascutney National Bank was in all respects a profitable concern, and succeeded, by the year 1881, in piling up as surplus the splendid sum of $70,000, and that after paying large semi-annual dividends. But the bank never lived out the term of its charter ; and why, there appears to be no satisfactory explanation, unless it was that the stockholders were anxious to divide the accumulated surplus. However this may be is not a matter of much concern; sufficient it is to say that the bank went into voluntary liquidation during the latter part of 1881.
The Windsor National Bank was incorporated under the provisions of the National banking act, in the month of September, 1884. Its
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capital stock is $100,000. There has been but little change in the offi- cers or board of directors of the bank since its organization. On the death of Hiram Harlow, the first president, Ripley Clark, the then vice- president, was advanced to the vacancy, and the vice-presidency was filled by the election of H. P. McClary. L. C. White succeeded at the same time to the vacancy in the board of directors.
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