History of Windsor County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 51

Author: Aldrich, Lewis Cass. ed. cn; Holmes, Frank R
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1260


USA > Vermont > Windsor County > History of Windsor County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 51


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Atherton, Jonathan, son of Jonathan, was born in Cavendish, October 14, 1787, and married January 9, 1817, Roxana Ives, only daughter of Elihu and Phebe (Hall) Ives, of Ludlow, Vt. Their children are, Ellen R., wife of Edwin Clement, of Cavendish ; Solon Ives, Joseph V., Everett H., and Henry B., a lawyer of Nashua, N. H. Jonathan died May 17, 1875.


Atherton, Solon Ives, son of Jonathan, was born in Cavendish, September 3, 1821, and married for his first wife, Laura Lamb, of Bridgewater, Vt. Their children are as fol- lows: Alvin, a resident of Ludlow ; Isaac Ives, died young ; Harry P., who died in 1887 while practicing medicine at Great Barrington, Mass .; Abbie L., wife of James Bagley, of Ludlow ; Roxana Alice, wife of Alfred T. Robinson, of Cambridgeport, Mass .; Eliza W., wife of Louis V . Haskell, of Stramsburgh, Neb .; Robert A. a resident of Springfield, Vt. Mr. Atherton married for his second wife Mrs. Rosana Pushee, nee Colburn, and they have one child, Eva Vaughn.


Atherton, Everett H., son of Jonathan, was born in Cavendish, September 25, 1828, and married Laura A. Blood. They have four children : Charles E., employed by the U. P. R. R .; Walter B., Marion L., a resident of Nebraska, and Hugh H. Mr. Atherton has been engaged in the lumber business since 1860, and in that year built a saw and grist- mill at Whitesville.


Barrett, Charles F., was born in Mount Holly, Vt., June 27, 1814, and is the second son of Edward and Abbie (Bassett) Barrett. Atter attending the local schools he became a student in the Black River Academy at Ludlow and the Chester Academy at Chester. His father removed from his native town, Ashby, Mass, to Mount Holly in 1809, but returned seven years later and remained until 1823, when he came to Ludlow, Vt. His father being a farmer, he also engaged in that occupation until he was twenty years of age. He then began as a clerk in Sargeant & Robinson's at Chester, and afterwards obtained an interest in the firm. He remained in Chester until 1844, when he removed to Bartonville, Vt., where he resided till 1848, when he came to Proctorsville, where he now lives. He was constable nineteen years, deputy sheriff two years; was the first station agent on the Rutland and Burlington Railroad at Proctorsville ; deputy U. S. revenue collector seven years, and has been register of probate for the Windsor district since May, 1873 ; he has also served his town in the capacity of selectman, town agent to prosecute and defend suits, representative in the Legislature, justice of the peace, and overseer of the poor. His first wife was Sarah Henry, and they had one child, Frances S., wife of Albin L. Thompson, of Rutland, Vt. His second wife was Lydia E. Ober, now living.


Deane, John F., of Cavendish, was born in Weathersfield, June 29, 1814, and was the eldest son of Barnabas and Isabella (Frink) Deane. He attended Chester Academy, but was fitted for college at the Kimball Union Academy, at Meriden, N. H. He then en-


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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.


tered the University at Vermont, graduating in 1836. Mr. Deane read law with Judge Aiken of Windsor, and Judge Dutton, of Cavendish. He became a member of the Windsor County Bar in 1841, and began practicing law in Cavendish, which he contin- ned until his death April 20, 1884. Mr. Deane was a member of both houses of the Leg- islature, and was State's attorney from 1865 to 1867. His widow, who was Miss Mira P. Barlow, survives him. They had no children.


Eaton, Joseph, was born in Ashby, Mass., December 4, 1780, and came to Ludlow; Vt., in 1818, and died at Chester, Vt., March 31, 1861. He married Betsey Willington, and liad eight children: Catharine, widow of Arza Smith, resides at Ludlow, Vt .; Lucy (deceased), married Ryland C. Haven; Betsey, widow of Robert Myers, resides in Lud- low, Vt .; Maria (deceased), married Joseph Reed; Joseph P., Nancy, wife of I. B. Puffer, of Putney, Vt. ; Charles W., lives in Springfield, Vt .; Caroline, wife of Abner Feltt, of Andover, Vt.


Eaton, Joseph P., son of Joseph, was born at New Ipswich, N. H., August 11, 1814, and married Lydia White and they had three children, viz .: Joseph, who died in Caven- dish, and married Anna Spaulding and left two children, Fred J., Alice ; Albert S., and Nancy F. Mr. Eaton has resided in Cavendish since 1839.


Ely, Rev. Richard M., was born in Windsor, Vt., February 10, 1795. His father was a farmer and he received only the benefits of a common school education. He was or- dained pastor of the North Springfield Baptist Church. While in charge of the church the Masonic troubles occurred. Mr. Ely had been a Mason since 1818 and rather than renounce the order he resigned his pastorate. He afterwards had charge of the Baptist Churches in Saxton River, Townshend, Chester, Mount Holly, Vt., and Barnstable, Mass. His last charge was at Cavendish, where he died June 10, 1861. He married Lora Skinner, and they had six children : James W. C., a physician of Providence, Rhode, Island; Ryland F., resides at Windsor; Francis W., Mary E., wife of Charles L. Blood, president of the National Bank at Three Rivers, Mich .; Edward P., and Lora S., both died single.


Ely, Francis W., son of Richard M , born at Springfield, Vt., March 27, 1828; married Sarah E. Hill, and have three sons: Frank D., whe married Flora M. Cady, and they have two children : Florence, and Helen, and reside at Windsor, Vt .; Harry H., and Richard S., both reside at Cavendish.


Fletcher, Henry Addison, was born in Cavendish, December 11, 1839, and enlisted as a private in the Sixteenth Vermont Regiment, and promoted to a lieutenancy at the battle of Gettysburg. He has been a member of both houses of the State Legislature, and was aid-de-camp with the rank of colonel, on the staff of the governor. He resides on the farm settled by his grandfather, and is engaged in farming.


Fullam, Benoni Buck, son of Sewall, jr., was born in Ludlow, March 22, 1833. He was one of ten men who enlisted at the first call for troops for the late war and became a member of company E, First Vermont Regiment and was mustered out August 15, 1861. He re-enlisted in the Sixth Vermont Regiment and was appointed sergeant-major and promoted to first lieutenant of Company G; after serving three years he again en- listed in the First Regiment of Frontier Cavalry, and was discharged June 27, 1865. He married Elizabeth H. Metcalf, and has one child, Hattie E.


Green, Isaac, a native of Massachusetts, emigrated to New Hampshire, and subse- quently came to Cavendish. He was for seven years a soldier in the Revolutionary War and died in July, 1822, in his seventy-second year. He married Miss Chamberlain, and had the following family : Isaac, Thomas. died at Reading, Vt .; Ephraim, died at Ply- mouth, N. H .; John, died in Pennsylvania; James died at Barre, Vt .; Abigail (de- ceased), married Timothy Proctor; Martha, died aged about 75 years, but never married ; Esther (deceased), married Nehemiah French; and another Esther died young.


Green, Isaac, son of Isaac, was born December, 1781, and married Polly Parker and had nine children, viz .: Mary (deceased), married Lewis Archer ; Eliza (deceased), mar-


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OLD FAMILIES.


ried Colonel Jabez Porter; John, married Permelia Cady, died in Plainfield, N. H .; James, married Nancy Johnson, died in Plymouth, Vt .; Joshua Parker, Levi J., mar- ried Philinda Hall, is a resident of Plymouth. Vt .; Henry, married Augusta Cady, died in Granville, Vt .; Hannah, wife of Thomas A. Cheney, of Plymouth, Vt .; Abner Franklin, married Melissa Hill, lives at Westminster, Mass. Isaac became a resident of Plymouth in 1817, where he died May, 1853.


Green, Joshua Parker, son of Isaac, was born in Plymouth, Vt., August 30, 1822, and married Mrs. Nancy Green, nee Johnson. Of their five children, three died in infancy. The others are James, born in Cavendish, November 8, 1857, married Emma S. Lawrence, no children ; his second wife was Mary J. Lawrence, by whom he has one child, Ralph Waldo; and Walton, a resident of Cavendish. Joshua P. has resided in Cavendish since 1856. His present wife, Mrs. Phoebe Russell, nee Gould Walton, was born September 21, 1868, in Cavendish.


Grout, Henry, son of Dan, was born in Cavendish, September 12, 1834, and was twice married. His first wife was Lorinda Parker, to whom he was married in 1857 and by whom he had six children, viz : Betsey M., Herbert L, Marshall D., Ervin P., Amasa, and Alice M. She died in 1875, and in 1876 he married Hattie E. Proctor, by whom he had one son, Stillman P. Betsey died in her fourteenth year. Herbert married Hattie I. Forbush, and had two children, Ethel and a little sun, both of whom died in infancy. Marshall married Emma I. Cooper, and has one son. Ervin married Mary E. Covell, and has one child, Carrie. The three above mentioned sons are in the employ of the Estey Organ Company at Brattleboro. Amasa has been employed in a furniture store in the same town. Alice died at the age of a little more than two years. Stillman resides at home.


Hill, George S., was born in Walpole, N. H., May 31, 1823 and is the youngest son of Abel and Nancy (Fisher) Hill. His father moved to Cavendish in 1837. Mr. Hill has been a resident of Proctorsville since 1847, and was engaged in mercantile pursuits till 1856, when he became connected with the Black River Savings Bank, of which he was cashier from January 27, 1856 to 1878, since which time he has been its president.


Kendall, William, was born in West Windsor, Vt., October 12, 1829. He is the second son of Horace Kendall, and has been a resident of Cavendish since 1854. He married Sophia Todd, and has no children.


Proctor, Timothy, was born in Littleton, Mass., July 29, 1762, and came to Cavendish in 1788, where he died July 21, 1834. He married Sally White, of Acton, Mass. They had seven children : Timothy, died at Stowe, Vt .; Sally (deceased), married Bliss Russell ; Daniel W., died at Massena, N. Y .; Susannah (deceased), married Martin Crowley ; Am- asa, died in Cavendish, and left no issue ; Miriam, died young, and Stillman.


Proctor, Stillman, son of Timothy, was born in Cavendish, September 26, 1801, and married Harriet Seaver. They had two children : Freedom S., and Hattie. E., wife of Henry Grout, of Cavendish. He resides in Cavendish.


Proctor, Freedom S., son of Stillman, was born in Cavendish, February 24, 1830, and married for his first wife Maria E. Spaulding. Their children are : Fred H., born May 10, 1854, and is a resident of Weathersfield ; Alice M., wife of Oscar Grout. of Weathersfield ; Frank W., and Mary L., wife of Frank Wiggins, of West Windsor. The second wife of Freedom S. was Belle Sanders.


Proctor, Frank W., son of Freedom S., was born in Cavendish, January 20, 1863, and married Mary E. Field. They have one child Elsie M., and reside in Weathersfield.


Pollard, Don C,, was born in Plymouth, Vt., April 25, 1840, and was the eldest son o R. P. and Mary A. (Shedd) Pollard. He was engaged in the mercantile business at Ply- mouth Notch, and came to Proctorsville in the spring of 1863, where he opened a general store. He has also carried on the produce business, nnd was for three years partner with his brother D. M. Pollard, in the wholesale grocery business at Keene, N. H. He has


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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.


been first selectman of Cavendish fifteen years, also delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Cincinnati in 1880, on Democratic State Committee several years, and candidate for State Treasurer in 1890. He married Sarah J. Moore, and has four chil- dren : Fred D., Mary V., Parker H. and Dallas F.


Piper, Leonard, son of Amos, who was a son of Noah, one of the early settlers of Balti- more Vt., was born in that town August 7, 1806, and married Alvira Warren, and had the following children : Ann, wife of Charles D. Parker, of Cavendish ; Leonard C., a res- ident of Brattleboro, Vt .; Nelson G .; two named Mary, both of whom died young; Mar- vin L, who lives at North Springfield, Vt; Oscar, who died young. Leonard resides at North Springfield, Vt.


Piper, Nelson G., son of Leonard, was born at Ludlow, April 22, 1840, and married Almira Blood. Their children were Oscar, who died young; Lillie A. and Ralph R. Mr. Piper has been engaged in lumbering business since 1861, at which time he became a resident of Cavendish.


Russell, Noadiah, was born at Middletown, Conn., in 1745, and married Miss Weston. They had the following children : Isaac, died in Iowa; Nathan died on the route across the plains to California in 1850; Stephen, died in Iowa; Nathaniel; Polly (deceased), married Stephen Weston ; Lydia (deceased), married Lyman Bates; and Lois. Noadiah was the second settler in town, and died May 14, 1833.


Russell, Nathaniel, son of Noadiah, was born in Cavendish, in 1786, and married Patty Hardy. Of their eight children the two eldest died young ; the others were Urial, Milly, wife of Henry Sparks, of Cavendish ; Eleanor (deceased), married Burke Rice ; Richard, married Mary Whitney, and resides on the farm settled by Noadiah in 1770; Oliver, and Nathan, both died young. Nathaniel died in March, 1872.


Russel, Urial, son of Nathaniel, was born in Cavendish, July 5, 1823, and married An- geline A. Wilson. They have had three children, Alice R. (deceased), Addie L., and Mattie B., wife of Eben C. Ford, of Ludlow, Vt.


Spaulding, William, was born at Chelmsford, Mass., September 11, 1737, and came from Westford, Mass., to Cavendish in 1783. He married Esther Dutton and had the follow- ing family : John, William, Mary, Esther, Asa, Joseph, Zedekiah, Betsey, and Zacheus


Spaulding, Zedekiah, son of William, was born at Westford, Mass., in 1775, and died March 25, 1847. He married Grace Wood, and their children were Aaron Wheeler, died in Cavendish; Salmon, died in Bloomfield, N. Y .; Sally, married Charles Ives, died in Ludlow; and Allen, died in Cavendish, August 14, 1885.


Spaulding, Allen, son of Zedekiah, was born in Cavendish, September 3, 1805, and died August 14, 1885. He married Cynthia Goddard, and had two children: Laura (de- ceased), married Frank M. Robinson ; and Marcus A., born in Cavendish, February 17, 1835, married Victoria E. Fullam, and they have one son, Arthur G., born November 30, 1869. Mr. Spaulding is a resident of Ludlow.


Spaulding, Phineas W., was born at Chelmsford, Mass. He married Rachel Hadley, and had eight children, viz. : Phineas W., who died in Cavendish; Rachel, Armenia (de- ceased), married William Spaulding; Ryland R., died in Weston, Vt .; Melvina, wife of A. H. Moore, of Charlestown, N. H .; Fidelia (deceased), married R. D. Kellogg; Rufus, Lydia M., wife of Hiram Stanley, of Weathersfield, Vt .; Elbridge E., resides at Athol, Mass. Phineas W., died in Ludlow, October 30, 1865.


Spaulding, Rufus, son of Phineas W., was born at Ludlow, November 13, 1828, and married Ellen Lawrence. They have four children : Edwin R., resides at Springfield, Mass .; Willis L., married Belle Bigelow, March 15, 1890, and lives in Cavendish ; Wal- ter L., and Florence E. Rufus has resided in Cavendish since January, 1869.


Wheeler, Daniel, was born in Jaffrey, N. H., January 12, 1788, and was the son of John and Susanna (Spaulding) Wheeler. His father was born December 27, 1756; was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and died April 16, 1791. Daniel first came to live


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ÔLD FAMILIES.


in Cavendish in 1804, remaining until 1809, when he returned to his native town, but became a resident of Cavendish again in 1819. He married Mary Powers, of Jaffrey, N. H., and had three children, Mary L., Daniel Hosmer, and Peter Powers. He died April 16, 1870.


Wheeler, Daniel Hosmer, son of Daniel and Mary (Powers) Wheeler, was born in Jaffrey, N. H., November 9, 1816, and married Susan Davis. They had two children, Daniel Davis and Frank Herschel. He died February 17, 1891.


Wheeler, Daniel Davis, son of Daniel H. and Susan (Davis) Wheeler, was born in Cavendish, July 12, 1841. He entered the war of the Rebellion September 21, 1861, as a second lieutenant in Company C, Cavendish Company, Fourth Vermont Volunteers, and ro e to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, Assistant Adjutant-General, and Brevet Colonel of Volunteers. He is an officer of the regular army with the rank of Captain and Assistant Quartermaster, and is stationed at the General Depot of the Quartermas- ter's Department, at New York City. He married Sophie S. Deming, of Terra Haute, Ind., and has two children, Deming and Sophie.


Wheeler, Frank Herschel, son of Daniel H. and Susan (Davis) Wheeler, was born in Cavendish, February 27, 1851. He married Kate Dole, of Hartford, Vt., and has two children, Merrill Dole and Frank E. He resides on the farm that has been in possession of the family since 1830.


Whitcomb, Charles Warren, was born in Rutland, Vt., October 15, 1854, and is the eldest son of Asa Wentworth and Elizabeth W. (Hill) Whitcomb, who have been resi- dents of Cavendish most of the time for the past fifty years. Charles W. received only a common school education, excepting two terms, at the Green Mountain Institute, at South Woodstock, and one at the Rutland High School. In 1871 he was employed by the National Black River Bank, where he remained one year. He then worked at Cav- endish station for the Central Vermont Railroad and in the American Express Office, at Burlington, Vt., until 1874. Since that time he has been employed continuously by the above bank, and has been its cashier for the last twelve years. He is at present Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge of Vermont, F. and A. M., the Grand Chapter of Vermont, Royal Arch Masons, and the Vermont Council of Deliberation, A. A. Scottish Rite. Also Secretary Lafayette Lodge No. 53, F. and A. M., Cavendish, and High Priest Skitchewaug Chapter, No. 25, R. A. M., Ludlow.


White, Samuel, the son of Mark, was born in Acton, Mass., February 5, 1744, O. S., and married for his first wife, Dorothy Billings. There was no issue that lived to maturity. His second wife was Hepsibah Barrett, and their children were Dorothy, who married Edmund Ingalls; Hepsibah, who married Miss Dorrin and removed to Michigan ; Samuel and John twins, the former died at Westford, Vt., Anna, died at the age of seven years ; Joseph, died at Cavendish ; George Washington, died young; Benjamin Frank- lin, died at Boston, Mass .; Anna, married Sewall Kinney. He married for his third wife, Mrs. Rachel Adams. Samuel died in Cavendish March 24, 1823, where he had resided since 1786.


White, John, son of Samuel, was born at Westford, Mass., August 18, 1851, and mar- ried Lydia Wheeler. Their children were Mary, died single; George Washington, and Lydia (deceased), married Joseph P. Eaton. John died August 29, 1859.


White, George Washington, son of John, was born in Cavendish May 19, 1820, and married for his first wife Ruth Bailey. His second wife was Clara M. Swift, by whom he had one child, Elliott G.


White, Elliott G., son of George W., was born in Cavendish June 8, 1856, and married Nella C. Wheeler. They have one child, Marion C. Elliott G. is engaged in mercantile business at Cavendish, and is the present town clerk and postmaster.


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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.


CHAPTER XXIV.1


HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LUDLOW.


T HE town of Ludlow, as it was originally granted to Jared Lee and his sixty-five associates, September 16, 1760, by Governor Benning Wentworth, of New Hampshire, contained in area about 24,000 acres. The western part of this territory was known by the name of Jackson's Gore, and was divided from the other portion of the grant by a high elevation now known as Ludlow Mountain.


At a town meeting held at the house of Stephen Read, October 8, 1792, by a vote of thirteen in the affirmative to seven in the negative, it was voted to set off this tract, which contained about 11,739 acres, to the town of Mount Holly, which was organized in that year. The town thus became irregular in form, the greatest length being from north to south, and the average width about three and a half miles. It is bounded on the north by Plymouth; east by Cavendish and Chester ; south by Andover and Weston ; and west by Mount Holly in Rutland county.


The town, lying as it does at the foot of the Green Mountains, con- tains within its limits the eastern declivity of a lofty summit known as the Ludlow Mountains, making the western part very mountainous. In the northwest corner there is the only pass in that range of mountains through which a railroad could be built with easy grades north of the Boston and Albany Railroad. In the eastern part of the town there is a lofty range of serpentine mountains, and it is believed by some per- sons that at one time it formed the eastern barrier of a considerable body of water which covered the central part of the town. The Black River enters the town from Plymouth, and flows south till it reaches the village of Ludlow, when it takes an eastern course and crosses the town line into Cavendish at about the center of the town. On the west side of the town the West Branch enters from Mount Holly, and after flowing for about three miles, empties into the Black River. There are a num- ber of other small water-courses in the town, the Williams River just crossing the southeast corner. Along the valley of the Black River the


' By Nelson W. Cook.


HON. REUBEN WASHBURN.


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TOWN OF LUDLOW.


land is level and arable and produces good crops, and though farming is not conducted on any large scale, there are a number of good farms in the town.


Nearly all the rocks and minerals common to the State are found in different parts of Ludlow ; there is granite, mica, slate, and a variety of marble known as verd-antique. In the western part of the town quar- ries of carbonate mingled with the sulphate of lime are found. There is also an excellent quality of soapstone. In the serpentine range are found asbestos, talc, and hornblende. Iron ore of the purest kind has been found in the southwest corner of the town, and mingled with the common ore are a native magnet and specimens of the oxides and sul- phates of iron.


Early Settlement and Organization .- There is no evidence that any of the original proprietors of the town of Ludlow ever became an actual settler. Over a score of years passed away from the time the original grant was given before any white man attempted to make a permanent settlement. In the year 1784 James Whitney moved into the town and became the first settler, locating his land on the North Hill, about one mile from the river. The following year Simeon Read and Jesse and Josiah Fletcher moved with their families from Massachusetts, and set- tled on the flats north of the river. The fifth settler in the town was Captain Elihu Ives ; he was from Connecticut, and located on the farm now in possession of his grandson, Solon Ives Atherton, in 1785. His younger brother, Levi, became a resident of the town the following year. The same year Ephraim Dutton, a native of Westford, Mass., settled in the town; he was a carpenter and joiner by trade, and built the first house and first church in the town. From this time till 1790 a number of families settled in different parts of the town. Jonas Holden, a Rev- olutionary soldier, settled a short distance east of the village on the north side of the river.


.


Samuel Cook, a native of Preston, Conn., came in 1789 and settled in the western part of the town. Captain Joseph Green, of Leicester, Mass., in 1788, bought of Samuel White ninety-eight and a half acres of land, which included the twenty-eight miles encampment, so called, emigrated to the town and by subsequent purchases became a large landholder.


67


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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.


Captain Green's brother-in-law, David Bent, came from Templeton, Mass., in 1788 and returned for his family, making the entire journey on horseback.


Thomas Bixby, also from Westford, Mass., located in town about this time, and settled on the farm now owned by Calvin Bixby.


During the year 1788 Jonas and John Hadley, who were brothers, came from Groton, Mass., and located on land on the west side of the mountain. Jonas made a visit to his native town and died there. One of the most distinguished citizens among the early settlers was Peter Read, who was a large landholder, and who lived north of the present village. His brother, Stephen, also took an active part in town affairs and lived on what is now the "shunpike " road. Richard Lawrence came from Mason, N. H., to Ludlow, in 1790. The Pingreys, Na- thaniel and Jonathan, came from Rowley, Mass., about 1790, and set- tled in the western part of the town.


The population of the town in 1791 was only 179. The first grand list of the town taken in 1792 aggregated £540, and in 1796 this had increased to £1,071, 15s., there being a reduction of forty-four polls for military duty, which was probably two-thirds of the male population. In 1789, seven years earlier, and only four years after the first settle- ment of the town, there were sixty-six poll taxes paid. There were under cultivation 290 acres of land. There were forty-two horses and seventeen colts; twenty-nine pairs of oxen ; a hundred and forty-two cows over three years of age, and forty-nine young cattle. The early settlers had five silver watches. There was only one house that was as- sessed for any amount, Josiah Fletcher paying a tax on a five hundred dollar residence. We append the population of the town at each cen- sus taken: 1800, 410; 1810, 877; 1820, 1,144; 1830, 1,227; 1840, 1,363 ; 1850, 1,619; 1860, 1,568 ; 1870, 1,827 ; 1880, 2,005.




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