History of Windsor County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 84

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 84

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

county in 1842-43. He was regarded as a man of good judgment, with the courage to express his own opinions as well as to form them. Mr. Field married, February 16, 1832, Louisa, daughter of Daniel and Annah Lenthal (Ames) Griswold. She was born in Springfield, Decem- ber 5, 1807. They had four children, all of whom were born in Spring- field, viz .: Walbridge Abner ; Cordelia Louisa, died at eight years of age; Fred Griswold; and Isadore L, wife of Durant J. Boynton, of Springfield. Abner died December 19, 1864.

Walbridge A. Field, the eldest son of Abner, was born April 26, 1833, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1855, having attended the pre- paratory school at Perkinsville, Springfield Wesleyan Academy at Springfield, and Kimball Union Academy at Meriden, N. H. He served as a tutor at Dartmouth College for two years, attended Harvard Law School, and studied law with Hon. Harvey Jewell, of Boston, Mass., was a member of the Boston City Council, and assistant United States District Attorney for Massachusetts, under Richard H. Dana, jr. În 1869, during General Grant's administration, he was assistant attorney- general of United States, under Attorney-General E. R. Hoar, and resigned that position to practice law in Boston ; was member of the law firm of Jewell, Gaston & Field, afterwards Jewell, Field & Shepard. In 1876 he received the certificate of election of representative from the Third Congressional District of Massachusetts, but the seat was con- tested, and was finally decided against him, but he was returned from that district in 1878. At the expiration of his term in Congress in 1880 Governor John D. Long appointed him one of the justices of the Massa- chusetts Supreme Court, and in 1890 he was elevated to the position of chief justice, which position he now holds. Judge Field married, Oc- tober 4, 1869, Miss Ellen Eliza McLoon, of Rockland, Me., by whom he had two daughters, viz .: Eleanor Louise and Elizabeth Lenthal. His wife died March 8, 1877, and in 1882 he married Miss Frances Far- well, of Rockland, Me. Fred G., the youngest son of Abner, was born January 1, 1842. He is a merchant engaged in business at North Springfield. He represented Springfield in the Legislature of 1870 and 1872, and was Senator from Windsor county in 1880. He married, July 2, 1872, Miss Anna M. Tarbell, of Cavendish, Vt. They have two chil- dren, viz .: Fred Tarbell, born December 24, 1876, and Bertha Isadore. 104

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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.

R OBBINS, CHARLES, was born in Chester, April 20, 1818, and is the eldest son of Philemon and Patty (Duncan, nee Carter) Robbins, He finished his education at the age of fifteen years, having only attended the district schools of his native town. He then engaged in the mercan- tile business, being employed by Cummings & Manning, of Ludlow, Vt. He remained with this firm two years, and was employed the two fol- lowing years by William Marsh, of Cuttingsville, Vt. Returning to Ches- ter he was for a year in the employ of Sherwin & Richardson, who had a general store on the North street. By the advice of physicians he gave up indoor work, and in 1840 commenced driving stage on the mail route detween Boston and Burlington, which he followed until Decen)- ber, 1846. He married, November 27, 1846, Miss Elizabeth Hicks, but there was no issue from this marriage. After his marriage Mr. Robbins, in company with George Orcutt, became proprietor of the Franklin House in Rutland, Vt. In less than a year he sold his interest to his partner and purchased and ran what is now the Bomoseen House in Castleton, Vt. After running the latter hotel for a year he sold it, and till December, 1849, drove stage between Rutland and Middlebury. The Rutland and Burlington Railroad being at this time put in operation Mr. Robbins was appointed station agent at Cuttingsville, Vt., where he remained eighteen months, and in May, 1851, was appointed station agent at Chester, which position he filled till May, 1856. He then ac- cepted the position of station agent at Kewanee, Ill., a station on the C. B. and Q. Railroad. He remained West till April, 1860, when he returned to Chester and became a clerk in his brother's store, where he remained till March, 1873, when he was elected town clerk and treas- urer. Mr. Robbins filled these positions till 1888, when he positively refused a re-election. He was assistant postmaster at Chester Depot from 1873. to 1876, and from the latter date, till he resigned in 1890, postmaster ; he has also been a notary public for seventeen years.

R OBBINS, PHILEMON H., was born in Chester, July 25, 1825, and is the youngest son of Philemon and Patty (Duncan, nee Carter) Robbins. His father was born in Sterling, Mass., in 1783 and came to Chester from Templeton, Mass., in 1806. He married for his first wife

Chat Robbins

A.LITTLE.

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Lucy Sawyer and they had five children : Hannah and Orrick L., both died single ; Otis died in Cavendish without issue ; Lucy (deceased) married D. H. Onion ; and Sophia died single at the age of sixty-seven years. He married, second, Mrs. Patty Duncan, nee Carter. Their children were Charles, James, died single, and Philemon H. The elder Philemon was a harness-maker by trade, but in 1819 opened a hotel on the North street, which he ran for twenty-seven years. Our subject received a common school education, also attended the Chester Academy, but at the age of fifteen was obliged to leave school, his father having become paralyzed, and from this time till he was of age he had the sole charge of his father's business. Upon reaching his maturity he com- menced his mercantile life and entered the employ of Joshua C. Dana, who carried on a general store in Chester. He was in Mr. Dana's em- ploy for one year, after which he was clerk in William Marsh's store at Cuttingsville, Vt. Owing to the failure of Mr. Marsh our subject was only four months in his employ and for the next two years and eight months worked for Jones & Dow, who succeeded William Marsh at Cuttingsville. In 1850 Mr. Robbins in company with his brother-in - law, Charles C. Holden, under firm name of Robbins & Holden, pur- chased Messrs. Jones & Dow's interest in the Cuttingsville store. They continued business till 1854, when they purchased a stock of goods of Brown & Gleason and associated with them as partner Austin P. Storey, the firm being Robbins, Holden & Co. This firm was dissolved in 1857 and on April 15th of the following year Mr. Robbins retired to his native town. At this time there was but one mercantile house at Chester Depot, and Mr. Robbins then built his present store-room and engaged in the hardware, iron, steel, flour, grain and grocery business. He con- tinued business alone till 1863, when he formed a partnership with George D. Barton, the firm name being Robbins & Barton. This firm was dissolved in 1865, when Mr. Robbins was alone for a few months, and in the same year he formed a partnership with Frederick W. Marsh, the firm being Robbins & Marsh. This partnership continued till April 1, 1888, when Mr. Marsh's interest was purchased by the senior mem- ber of the firm. The original store has been enlarged from time to time so that it is now 120 x 28 feet, the front of the building being in addition

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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.

twelve feet wider than the back. A store-room 30 x 80 feet is also located on the side of the railroad track. A two-story building 30 x 30 feet is used for the sale of agricultural implements. Mr. Robbins's trade is not confined to Chester, but extends over a radius of thirty miles. He carries the largest stock of blacksmith supplies of any retail house in the State. His assortment of bar iron is not equaled by any competing house in Vermont. Mr. Robbins does some jobbing trade, but is mostly confined to retailing, and the fixtures of the retail department of his store are not excelled in any of the cities of Vermont. Mr. Robbins, politically, is a Republican and has never been an aspirant for official honors. He has been a member of the Universalist church for over twenty years. He married November 16, 1853, Martha H., daughter of Harry and Elizabeth Green (Spencer) Holden. She was born in Shrewsbury, Vt, January 16, 1832. They have two children : Charles O., born March 4, 1860, was educated at Goddard Seminary, Barre, Vt., and married Alice Weston of Westfield, Mass., and is engaged in the hardware business at Brattleboro, Vt .; and Martha Elizabeth, born January 11, 1865, is the wife of Frank J. Smith, of Chester Depot.

H ARLOW, COLONEL HIRAM, was born in Rockingham, Vt., Octo- ber 16, 1810, the oldest in a family of four children of William and Margaret (Campbell) Harlow. His father was twice married. He mar- ried, first, Margaret Campbell, and had children as follows: Hiram ; Amelia was the wife of Urbane Britton, of Springfield, Vt .; George died in Neenah, Wis .; and John died in New York city. He married, second, Amelia Fling and had eight children, viz .: Lucia, Alvord, Horace, Frank, Susan, Henry, Mary, and Ellen. William died in Windsor, his first wife in Rockingham, his second in Windsor. Colonel Harlow, as he was familiarly known, losing his mother when six years of age, lived with his grandfather, Campbell, until he was nineteen years of age. He then went to Springfield, where he learned the millwright trade, which he followed there for a few years, then purchased a farm and carried it on until 1845, when he was elected superintendent of the Vermont State prison, which necessitated his removal to Windsor. He had,

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while a resident of Springfield, taken an active part in public affairs, and represented that town in the Legislature in 1843-44 and 1845. He held the office of superintendent of the State prison eighteen years. This position was at first an arduous and trying one. Under his ad- ministration all of the affairs of the institution were systematized, and thenceforth conducted with that vigor, efficiency and integrity which characterized all his business transactions. He was widely and favor- ably known in business and political circles, and was repeatedly called to positions of trust and honor, not only by his townsmen, but by his county and State. He served in the Legislature as representative from Windsor in 1849, 1850 and 1851, and again in 1859. He was elected to the State Senate in 1866, and declined a nomination in 1857. In 1884 he was chosen one of the electors-at large in the presidential can-

vass. He was much interested in municipal affairs, and his judgment could be and was relied upon as to the best management of all public affairs. For twenty-two years he served as selectman, and to his pru- dence and sagacity much is due for the excellent condition of the town's finances. He was closely identified with many of the business interests of Windsor, and to him the village is chiefly indebted for the aqueduct, gas works, and other public improvements. He was deeply interested in the new cemetery, the land for which he presented to the town, and which, through his own generous contribution and earnest solicitations, has been so far improved and beautified. Upon the resig- nation of the Hon. Allen Wardner as president of the Ascutney National Bank, Colonel Harlow was chosen president, which office he acceptably filled till the bank went into voluntary liquidation. Later he was elected president of the Windsor National Bank, which office he held at the time of his decease. He was also president of the Jones-Lamson Machine Company and the Ascutney Cemetery Association. His high sense of honor and strict integrity inspired the fullest confidence of all with whom his business relations brought him in contact. Universally esteemed he deservedly occupied the high position he held in the community. Col- onel Harlow died at his home in Windsor, July 26, 1886. On the oc- casion of his funeral all places of business were closed, and many people from neighboring towns joined with the residents of the place in paying

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the last token of respect to the deceased. Colonel Harlow married, March 23, 1835, Rachel S., daughter of Jeremiah and Sally (Farrar) Ab- bott. Mrs. Harlow was born in Springfield, Vt., August 24, 1813. Her paternal ancestor in this country was George Abbott, who emigrated from Yorkshire, England, about 1638, was among the first settlers of Andover, Mass., and died in 1657. Her grandfather, Jeremiah Abbott, married Susan Baldwin, of Tewksbury, Mass., August 19, 1768, and had nine children, of whom her father, Jeremiah, the eldest son, was born February 26, 1772. He married Sally Farrar in May, 1800. The latter was born April 17, 1775, died June 1, 1819. Jeremiah Abbott, her father, died in Springfield, Vt., October, 1850.

HI AZELTON, DANIEL W., M. D., of Springfield, was born in Heb- ron, N. H., May 11, 1824, being the eighth child in a family of nine children, of Danieland Mary (Walker) Hazelton. He had an aca- demical course of study in his native town, and commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Gilman Kimball of Lowell, Mass. He graduated from the Vermont Medical College, at Woodstock, Vt., in 1848. The following year he was appointed house physician of one of the city in - stitutions of Boston, then located at South Boston, now on Deer Isle. He first started for himself in his chosen profession in 1850, at Antrim, N. H., remaining there three years, when he was obliged to relinquish his practice for a year owing to ill-health. In 1855 he located at Stod- dard, N. H., where he practiced till the spring of 1857, when he re- moved to Cavendish, Vt. He remained at the latter place till 1878, when he removed to Springfield, where he is now located. In the fall of 1861 a large amount of sickness was prevalent among the troops of the First Vermont Brigade, and Dr. Hazelton was commissioned by Governor Holbrook, and ordered to report to the general of that brig- ade, which was then attached to the Army of the Potomac. Though never mustered into the United States' service Dr. Hazelton at different times during the war was engaged on the field of action. During the illness of the surgeon of the Fourth Vermont he occupied the position of surgeon in that regiment. He was present at the battles of the Wilder-

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ness, Cold Harbor and several others that took place in Virginia. He is a member of the State and Connecticut River Medical Associations. Dr. Hazelton married Laurette H. Hammond, and has one child, William F., born in Cavendish, Vt., January 5, 1860, who fitted for college at the Vermont Academy at Saxton's River, Vt., after which he studied medi- cine with his father, and attended the University of Vermont one year, graduating in 1884 from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York city, where he had been two years. He was on the house staff at the Bellevue Hospital, New York, eighteen months, and is now engaged in business with his father.

UERNSEY, REV. GEORGE SMITH, was born in Westminster, Windham county, Vt., December 30, 1818. Amos, his grand- father, was born in Richmond, N. H., April 9, 1768, and married, first, August 30, 1789, Abigail Bolls. On the 9th of March following he moved from Richmond and settled in Westminster, Vt., and here five children were born. They were Lucy, born October 30, 1791, married Jedutham Russell, and died at Saxton's River ; Reuben, father of George S .; Eunice, born March 12, 1797, died in Pittsfield, Vt .; Phebe and Simeon both died in infancy. Abigail, his wife, died June 30, 1801. Amos married, second, March 13, 1803, Mrs. Elizabeth Kittridge, nee Eaton, and by this marriage there were five children, viz .: Willard and Wilder, twins ; Allen and Deborah, twins ; and Corrinna C. Amos died August 21, 1841, in Westminster, aged 73 years. Reuben above, born October 18, 1793, married Achsah Smith, eldest daughter of George and Eurania Smith, of Westminster, Vt., born June 21, 1795, and had thirteen children, four of whom died in infancy. Those who grew to adult age were Lorinda, the wife of Ransom R. Farnsworth, and died at Saxton's River, aged 52 years ; George S .; Amos F., blacksmith, lives in Pittsfield, Vt., and married Lucy C., daughter of Daniel and Lucy Abbott, of Stockbridge, Vt .; Lucy J., the wife of Jonathan H. Ranney, a farmer of Pittsfield, Vt .; Lucinda, widow of Norman Durkee, lives in Bethel, Vt .; Moses R., died in Barton, Vt., aged 24 years; Lora Ann, was the wife of Charles S. Mason, of Ludlow, and died September 16, 1864, aged 31 years ; Lorilla, the wife of A. E. Baker, a farmer of Stock-

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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.

bridge; Ransom A., married Adelaide Brown, of Stockbridge, and is a coal merchant living in Hudson, Mass. Reuben, in the fall of 1834, with his family, moved from Westminster to Pittsfield, Rutland county, Vt., and bought the farm where he died, October 14, 1878, aged eighty- five. Achsah, his wife, died March 3, 1875, aged seventy nine. George S. prepared for college at Burr Seminary, Manchester, Vt., and at the Liberal Institute, Lebanon, N. H., and was assistant teacher in the for- mer and associate principal in the latter. He taught school six years, common and select, in Rochester, Vt., and vicinity, and had students in his family for private instruction for many years. Instead of entering college he entered the ministry, preaching his first sermon in Roch- ester on the third Sunday in August, 1843, and in the spring of 1844 became the settled pastor of the Universalist parish in said town, and occupied that position sixteen years. During his pastorate, and mainly through his influence, their present house of worship was built, being dedicated February 6, 1850, the pastor preaching the dedicatory sermon. Mr. Guernsey received the fellowship of the Vermont State Convention of Universalists at its session in Plainfield in August, 1843, and was ordained by a council held in Rochester, March 6, 1844. And while he has made Rochester his permanent home, he has filled the pul- pits of his denomination at nearly fifty different places, and some of them for many years. He married, first, November 26, 1844, Elizabeth R., daughter of Samuel and Anna (Merrifield) Eaton, born in Westminster, Vt., March 23, 1824. They have two sons, George Rolla, born May II, 1846, married, January 26, 1870, Susie B., daughter of Celim E. and Emmalissa E. (Chamberlain) French, of Barnard, Vt. They have one son, George French, and live in Windsor, Vt. Frank Eaton, born June 7, 1855, married, September 19, 1889, Louisa Frank, and lives in Cleve- land, Ohio. Mrs. Guernsey died December 5, 1863, aged thirty-nine. Mr. Guernsey married, second, January 26, 1865, Mrs. Elmira Lamb, nee Steele, born January 22, 1833, in Roxbury, Vt., daughter of Israel and Ervilla Steele. Mr. Guernsey was town superintendent of schools for many years, and postmaster 12 years under the administrations of Presidents Pierce, Buchanan, Johnson and Cleveland. He has been an active member of I. O. O. F. for forty years. He has officiated at 553

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funerals, and married 648 persons, and was secretary of the Vermont State Convention of Universalists for nine years. He now lives in the same house he moved into forty-seven years ago.

S ANDERS, COLEMAN, was born in Windsor, Vt., October 2, 1820, and was the eldest child in a family of eight children of Levi and Betsey (Lewis) Sanders. His father was a shoe- maker by trade and was a native of Weathersfield, Vt. He removed to his native town when Coleman was five years of age and carried on a farm in connec- tion with his trade. Our subject attended the local schools, also the Perkinsville Academy, and on becoming of age was employed as clerk in a general store at Perkinsville, where he remained two years. He then went to Claremont, N. H., and worked three years for William Farwell, and afterward one year for Jonathan Chase, of Springfield. In 1848 he came to Chester and was for four years clerk in F. E. Fuller- ton's store. In the spring of 1852 he formed a partnership with David Gray under the firm name of Gray & Sanders, and opened a store on the South street, and in the fall of the same year they removed to what is now Chester Depot. The store-room, now occupied by his son, was built for them and was the first building, except the depot, that was erected at Chester Depot. This firm continued business for two years, when Mr. Gray's interest was bought by Mr. Sanders. The latter continued the business alone till 1873, excepting that Charles Heald was his partner for one year and Horace Parmenter for one year. After his retirement from business Mr. Sanders carried on a farm until his death. In politics a Republican, he was called upon by his fellow citizens, at different times, to fill the office of selectman. In his religious belief he was an Episcopalian. On May 27, 1847, he married Celinda, daughter of Elias and Mehitable (Marcy) Hoadley. Her father was a native of Massachusetts, her mother of New Hampshire. She was born in Hartland, Vt., June 6, 1828. They had four children, all natives of Chester, viz .: Coleman H., born April 24, 1849, married P. Ellen Car- penter and has two children, viz .: Roy L. and Emily ; Ella C., born

105

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September 2, 1851, died September 3, 1854; Willie F., born April 12, 1856, married Ella Sawyer, resides at Winchester, N. H .; and Cora, born August 31, 1862, is the wife of Henry W. Brownell, of Chester. Mr. Sanders died August 17, 1888.

ILLETTE, DANIEL O. This gentleman traces his descent back to one John Gillette, one of the fifty-one charter proprietors of Lebanon, Conn. He had a son John, who married Abigail, daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth (Woodward) Lee. They had several children, among whom was Ebenezer, born June 5, 1705. He was one of the charter proprietors of Hartford, Vt., and received as his share in the first division lot No. 16, lying on the Connecticut River north of White River. He never became a resident of Hartford, but made subsequent purchases, which he afterwards deeded to his sons, John and Israel. He married, September 23, 1730, Mary, daughter of Jacob and Rebecca (Wright) Ordway. She was born August 16, 1712. They had children as fol- lows : Israel, Rhoda, Ezekiel, John, Mary, Isaac, Rebecca, Ebenezer, and Jacob. He died October 19, 1776; his wife September 4, 1791.

Israel, of the above family, was born September 17, 1738, and married, first, January 8, 1761, Martha, daughter of William and Elizabeth Thrope, of Lebanon, Conn. She was born May 17, 1739, and died July 4, 1763, leaving one child, Daniel Ordway, born in Lebanon, Conn., March 23, 1762, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1787, went West and there died in 1823. He married, second, November 15, 1764. Susanna Durkee, of Woodbury, Conn. Their children were: Martha, born in Lebanon, Conn, September 21, 1765, married, December 9, 1802, David Haze, and was accidentally drowned in the Connecticut River, June 17, 1833 ; Roger, born in Lebanon, August 6, 1767, died in Hartford ; Susanna, born January 31, 1769, died December 18, 1779; Mary, born July 22, 1770, married, October 19, 1809, John Smith, of Hanover, N. H .; Ebenezer, born June 27, 1772, died April 24, 1859 ; Abel, born May 17, 1774, died May 15, 1852; Israel; Rhoda, born April 17, 1778, died October 23, 1780 ; Jacob, born March 9, 1780, died in 1866; and Susanna R , born September 4, 1783, married John

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Smith, of Hanover, N. H. Israel moved from Lebanon, Conn., to Hartford, Vt., about 1768, and first settled in the immediate vicinity of the village of Olcott. He built and lived in the house now occupied by his grandson, Daniel O., where he died July 8, 1829. His wife died July 26, 1821. He participated largely in the affairs of the town, was selectman from 1769 to 1771, one of the Committee of Safety in 1777, took an active part in military matters and was a lieutenant. Israel, son of Lieutenant Israel, born April 7, 1776, married Mary Sanborn, of Haverhill, N. H. She was born May 12, 1779. He was a farmer in Hartford. His children were: Elizabeth S., born September 21, 1801, married Edward P. Harris ; Nathan, born September 18, 1803, died in Hartford, July 15, 1878 ; Justus, born April 12, 1806, died December 22, 1845 ; Martin S., born June 26, 1808 ; Athela, born July 17, 1810, married Jedediah Sprague ; Nancy M., born February 27, 1813, married Albert Buel ; John, born in 1815, died aged twenty-four years; Mary, born January 15, 1817, married Wolcott Hatch; Cummings, born in 1821, died in Michigan when twenty-one years old ; and Daniel O. Israel died January 5, 1835 ; his wife February 29, 1856. Daniel O., the youngest of the above family, was born March 21, 1819, and mar- ried, September 20, 1843, Julia A., daughter of Jacob B. C. and Susan (Loveland) Burton. She was born October 23, 1821, and died October 21, 1873, leaving two children, Susan A., born October 8, 1850, married, November 29, 1879, Charles C., son of John and Julia A. (Heath) Kins- man. He was born July 30, 1852. They have children as follows : Harry G., born January 16, 1881; Julia B., born February 28, 1884 ; Belle H., born August 10, 1885 ; and Lawrence C., born June II, 1888. Bennie Burton, born July 21, 1865, graduated from Dartmouth in 1888, an organist and teacher of music in Boston. Daniel O. is a farmer and extensive landowner, resides on the old homestead, was selectman from 1858-65, and is a public spirited, hospitable and worthy citizen.

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History of Windsor County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 84

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

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