USA > Vermont > Addison County > Middlebury > History of the town of Middlebury, in the county of Addison, Vermont > Part 12
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It was my wish to embrace a seientific account of the different branches" of the natural history of the town; but I have neither the requisite information on the subject, or sufficient time or strength to obtain it. Several explorations have been made by scientific gentlemen, but I have found no account, which is complete or satisfactory.
Rev. Thomas A. Merrill D. D., as early as 1807, when ncarly all the early set- tiers were living, began to collect facts relating to the settlement of the town, which he incorporated in a sermon, delivered on Thanksgiving day in December 1840. This was printed in a pamphlet, with a large appendix. In a few instances, I may have relied on his statement for a date, or an unimportant fact, without feel- ing the importance of giving him credit, although I am not aware of any case, where I had not other evidence from records or otherwise. I have designed to ob- tain facts from original sources, as far as accessible; and, if necessary, in any case, to rely on secondary evidence, to give the proper credit.
Nearly all this work, was written two or three years ago. Numerous deaths and other events have occurred, and some information has been received since, which I have crowded into the text or placed in the notes.
I have occasion to be very grateful, as the reader will be, to the friends, who have gratuitously contributed all the illustrations of the work. These will add a value to it, if there is none elsewhere,-without expense to the subscriber.
In the biographical notice of Judge Phelps, an errer occurred, in making Roger S. Sherman, instead of Roger S. Baldwin, his classmate. The former being a fa- miliar name, and both distinguished men in Connecticut, I thoughtlessly com- mitted the error.
An error, from a similar cause, occurred in the biographical notice of Judge Doolittle, in naming the Episcopal Church in Middlebury, St. Peter's, instead of St. Stephen's. And probably the reader will find many more such errors.
SAML. SWIFT.
CONTENTS.
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CHAPTER I.
PAGE.
Late settlement of Vermont-Charter and explanations-Proprietors' records 141
CHAPTER II.
Results of the votes of the Proprietors-Partition-Town Plat-Second or first hundred acre division-Third or second hundred acre division-John Chip- man's, and other surveys-Change of territorial limits. 153
CHAPTER III.
Settlement before the war in charter limits-Benjamin Smalley-Gamaliel Painter-John Chipman and others-In territory annexed from Cornwall- Surveys and pitches-Asa Blodgett-Theophilus Allen-The Bentleys, and others-Settlement after the war in this territory. 166
CHAPTER IV.
Retreat of the settlers-Employment in their absence-Other events during the war-Miss Torrance's story-Judge Painter-Col. Chipman .. ...
.... 180
CHAPTER V.
Return of settlers-Smalley-Thayer-Jona. Chipman-Torrance-Col. Chipman -- Foot family .. 190
CHAPTER VI.
New settlers-Stephen Goodrich-Robert Huston-Johnson-Buttolph-Kirby Sumner-Preston and Mungers-Sellick-Deacon Sumner-Olmsted- Vanduzer-Barnet-Hammond-Craft-Loomis. . 202
CHAPTER VII.
James Crane and brother-Gideon Abbey-Nathan Case-Darius Tupper- Dea. Boyce-East Middlebury Village-Incidents of the early settlement Famine. 223
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6
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VIII.
PAGE.
Face of the country-Soil-Agriculture-Mineral Spring. ......... 231
CHAPTER IX.
Settlement of the village-Abisha Washburn-Painter's mills-Foot's mills Hop Johnson-Col. Storrs-Painter, in the village-First store-Samuel Miller-S. Dudley-B. Gorton-John Deming-S. Foot-B. Seymour-M. Post. 235
CHAPTER X.
Darius Matthews-Curtis and Campbell-Dr. Willard -H. Seymour-D Chip- man-J. Rogers-A. Rhodes-L. and J. McDonald-S. Mattocks-W. Young-F. Hill-P. Starr-Dr. Clark-N. and I. Stewart-J. Simmons- Seminary Street-Slade & Co .. 248
CHAPTER XI.
O. Brewster-Asa Francis-J. Fuller-H. Bell-L. Case-P. Davis-J. Hen- shaw-L. Hooker-W. Slade-E. Hawley-Capt. Young-D. Dickinson-D. Page-G. Painter 271
CHAPTER XII.
Further settlements west of the creek-Stillman Foot-Appleton Foot-Har- vey Bell-John Warren- Capt. Markham. S. Sargeant-J. McDonald-J. [ Doolittle-T. Hagar-Judge Phelps-J. Jewett-J. Blin-C. Porter 286
CHAPTER XIII.
Condition of the village at an early day-Growth and improvement of the vil-
lage-Incorporation. 296
CHAPTER XIV.
Organization-Corporate proceedings
CHAPTER XV. 305
Highways and Bridges -- Early surveys-Mode of repairing-Bridge at the Falls-Three Mile Bridge- Centre Turnpike-Waltham-Roads about village 311
CHAPTER XVI.
Support of the Poor. 317
CHAPTER XVII.
Health-Diseases-Mortality. . 320
.-.
CONTENTS. 7
CHAPTER XVIII. PAGE.
Banks-State Bank-Bank of Middlebury-Savings Bank. 325
CHAPTER XIX.
Manufactures-Forge and Gun Factory-Cotton Factory -Grist Mill-Warren's Factory-Mid. Man. Company-Marble Mills-Fires-D. Nichols. . ... 330
CHAPTER XX.
Printing-Newspapers and other periodicals-Books-Post Office and mails, .. 340
CHAPTER XXI.
Professional men-Lawyers-Physicians-Merchants- Manufacturers-Me- chanics
346
CHAPTER XXII.
Educational-Common Schools -Addison County Grammar School. . . . 367
CHAPTER XXIII,
Middlebury College,
CHAPTER XXIV. 376
Female Seminary-Miss Strong-Mrs. Willard-Incorporated-Misses Mahew -Mrs. Cook-Miss Swift-Mr. Tilden-Dr. Lathrop-S. Hitchcock-W. F. Bascom-Miss Gordon. 391
CHAPTER XXV.
Ecclesiastical-Early laws for supporting the Gospel-Congregational Society -Proceedings of the town-Episcopal Society-Methodist Society-Baptist Society-Catholic Society. 402
CHAPTER XXVI.
Incidents of the War of 1812 432
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
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CHAPTER I.
LATE SETTLEMENT OF VERMONT-CHARTER AND EXPLANATIONS- PROPRIETORS' RECORDS.
THE settlement, by the English, of the territory now constituting the State of Vermont was long delayed, because it was remote from the seaboard and their earlier settlements. A still greater hin- drance to the settlement was the fact that the French, who possessed Canada, had also the possession of Lake Champlain; and in 1731 had established a fort at Crown Point, and in 1756 another at Ticonderoga. They continued their possession and control of the western part of that territory, until they were driven from their forts and the lake by a British force under Gen. Amherst in 1759, which was followed by the final conquest of Canada in 1760. Until this time English settlements in this territory would have been exposed to the constant depredations of the French and Canadian Indians ; it being the thoroughfare of their war parties to the south and east.
In the meantime Benning Wentworth had been appointed, in 1741, by the King of England, Governor of the Province of New Hampshire, with authority to issue patents for lands in unoccupied territories, to such persons as applied for them. Assuming that the Province of New Hampshire extended as far west as the Provinces of Massachusetts and Connecticut, he claimed the right, under his authority, to grant charters over this whole territory. His first grant was a charter of the town of Bennington in 1749, extending
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
to within twenty miles of Hudson River; and in January 1760, he chartered the town of Pownal, south of the former town. About a dozen towns had also been chartered east of the Green Mountains. But excepting the towns of Bennington and Pownal, which were remote from the scene of danger, no grants were made in Western Vermont, until 1761, the year after the conquest of Canada. In that year there was a general rally for lands in what has since been called the "New Hampshire Grants," and no less than sixty charters were granted on both sides of the mountain. Among these was the charter of Middlebury, and eight other towns in the County of Addison.
It was the design of Governor Wentworth, as well as of the grantees, where there was room, and convenient boundaries would permit, to make each town six miles square. This was thought, especially in agricultural regions, a convenient size for towns established under the New England system of town corporations. Larger territories had been granted in the older States of New England ; but being found inconvenient for the purposes for which they were designed, they have been divided into two or more towns, or new towns have been formed from parts of several towns. Their experience had taught them the propriety of giving them a more convenient form. This size was thought to be sufficiently conve- nient for all the freemen to meet in or near the center, for town and freemen's meetings, and large enough to sustain, without too great a burthen, the requisite institutions, and accomplish the objects and discharge the trusts committed to them. And experience has shown that much smaller towns are often heavily burthened and embarrassed in accomplishing these purposes.
Among the applicants for lands were a large number of gentle- men residing principally in Salisbury, Litchfield County, Conn. They agreed to unite in procuring a survey of the lands, and in their application to Governor Wentworth for charters. For this purpose they appointed John Everts, Esq., of that place, as their agent. Having procured the requisite aid, he penetrated into the wilderness a hundred miles beyond any settlements, before he found sufficient space, not previously surreyed, or in process of surveying, so far
143
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
as to preclude his claim. It is understood, that it was the intention of the applicants to obtain charters for only two towns. But the agent finding that there was sufficient and convenient space for the location of three towns, on the east side of Otter Creek, between the " Great Falls " at Vergennes on the north, and Leicester on the south, he proceeded to survey the whole tract. Beginning at . the head of the falls he surveyed the excellent township of New Haven, and proceeding south he surveyed the other two towns. The head of the falls at Vergennes was fixed on as a permanent boundary and starting point, from which the whole tract was sur- veyed and measured. This also is a boundary and starting point from which the important town of Ferrisburgh was laid out. This point was therefore regarded as so important, that, in order to make the location more definite, a cannon was placed perpendicularly in the rock, in a hole excavated for that purpose. This monument is still standing.
In order to make arrangement for a sufficient number of grantees for each of the three towns, some of the original applicants agreed to take shares in two and others in all the three; and a few more were admitted as proprietors. On the application of the agent the Governor of New Hampshire issued charters for these three towns, according to the surveys presented. The southern was named Salisbury, from the town in which the grantees resided; the northern, from another distinguished town in Connecticut, was named New Haven ; and the other was named Middlebury, because it was located between the others. The charters of New Haven and Middlebury are dated November 2, 1761, that of Salisbury on the third day of the same month. By the charters all the towns are bounded west on Otter Creek, and extend, where there is not room below, up the westsern slope of the Green Mountain for their eastern boundary.
The charter of Middlebury is made in a printed blank, of the same description as those of the other towns, and we omit the more formal parts, together with the provisions for fairs and markets and give only an abstract.
Benning Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, in the name
144
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
of George the Third, King of England, grants " unto our loving subjects of our said Province of New Hampshire and our other Governments," "whose names are entered on this grant, to be divided to and amongst them into sixty-eight equal shares," a tract " containing by admeasurement 25,040 acres, which tract is to contain something more than six miles square." The boundaries are as follows : " Beginning at the southerly corner of a township granted this day by the name of New Haven, at a tree marked, standing on the bank of the easterly or northeasterly side of Otter Creek, so called, from thence running east seven miles, thonce turning off and running south ten degrees west six miles and sixty-four rods, then turning off and running west to Otter Creek aforesaid ; then down said creek, as that runs to the bound first mentioned," and it "is incorporated into a township by the name of Middlebury," It also provides, " that the first meeting for the choice of town officers shall be held on the first Tuesday in January next, which said meeting shall be notified by Capt. Samuel Moore, who is hereby also appointed moderator of the said first meeting," and that "the annual meeting forever hereafter for the choice of such officers for the said town shall be on the second Tuesday of March annually." The following conditions are annexed to the charter. First, every grantee, his heirs or assigns, shall plant and cultivate five acres of land, within the time of five years, for every fifty acres contained in his share," " on penalty of the forfeiture of his grant or share in said township." Second, " that all white and other pine trees, fit for masting our Royal Navy be carefully preserved for that purpose," "upon penalty of the forfeiture of the right of such grantee," "as well as being subject to the penalty," of acts of Parliament. Third, "that before any division among the grantees, a tract of land, as near the centre of said township, as the land will admit of, shall be reserved and marked out for town lots, one of which shall be allotted to each grantee, of the contents of one acre." Fourth, " the grantees to pay annually, for ten years, the rent of one ear of Indian Corn only, if lawfully demanded." Fifth, every proprietor, settler or inhabitant, "to pay annually after ten years " " one
145
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
shilling proclamation money for every hundred acres," he so owns ·· in lieu of all other rents, and services whatsoever."
The following are the endorsements on the back of the charter. " THE NAMES OF THE GRANTEES OF MIDDLEBURY, VIZ :
John Evarts,
Nathl. Evarts, 3d, John Turner, Jun.,
Amos Hanchit,
Elijah Skinner,
Saml. Towsley,
Elkanah Paris,
Ebenr. Field, 3d,
John Strong,
Benjamin Paris,
Saml. Turner,
John How,
John Baker,
Zecheriah Foss,
Oliver Evarts,
Gideon Hurlbut,
Ebenr. Field,
Russell Hunt,
Ebenr. Hanchit,
Nathl. Flint,
Capt. Josiah Stoddar,
Deliva. Spalding,
Benjn. Everist,
Bethel Sellick,
Noah Chittenden,
Jeremiah How,
Saml. Skinner,
Mattw. Bostwick,
John Read,
Capt. Saml. Moore,
Thomas Chittenden,
John Abbit,
James Claghorn, Lt. Mathias Kelsey,
John McQuivey, Benjamin Smalley,
Saml. Keep,
Rufus Marsh,
Lt. John Seymour,
Elisha Painter
Elias Read,
Datis Ensign,
Ruluff White, Noah Waddams,
Lt. Janna Meigs,
Elisha Shelden, Jun., John Evarts, Jun.,
David Owen.
Moses Read, Jun.,
Jona. Moore Jun., Charles Brewster,
Matthw. Baldin,
Nathl. Skinner, Jun., Theo. Atkinson, Esq.,
Lt. Jonathan Moore, David Hide, Jun., M. H. Wentworth, Esq.
John Benton, Thomas Chipman,
His Excellency Benning Wentworth, Esq., a tract of land con- taining five hundred acres, as marked B. W. in the plan, which is to be accounted two of the within shares, one whole share for the Incor- porated Society for the Propogation of the Gospel in foreign parts, one share for a glebe for the Church of England, as by law estab- lished, one share for the first settled minister of the gospel, and one share for the benefit of a school in said town.
Province of New Hampshire, Nov. 2d, 1761. Recorded in Book of charters, page 278. THEODORE ATKINSON, Secy."
Hezekiah Camp, Jun.,
Moses Read,
Daniel Morris,
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY. [Plan of Middlebury.]
South 10d west 6 miles 64 rods.
East seven miles.
B. W.
Creek ·
Otter
To the sixty shares of the sixty applicants, is added one share each for Theodore Atkinson, the governor's secretary, Michael H. Wentworth, his nephew, the Society for the Propogation of the Gospel, a glebe for the Church of England, and for a school, mak- ing, with two shares for the governor, sixty-eight, as mentioned in the charter.
The boundaries probably contain "something more than six miles square," but not so much as the plan on the back represents. It was probably supposed that Otter Creek, which is the western boundary, runs east of north about the same as the description places the eastern boundary, 10 degrees ; but its course is some- what west of north ; by which the north line does not extend so far
West to Otter Creek.
147
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
east as was supposed, and of course the south line returning to the creek is shorter than was intended.
The "rent of one ear of Indian corn," for the first ten years, in the fourth condition of the charter, is only a nominal rent, while the grantees should be clearing up their farms, intended as an acknowledgment, that they hold, according to the Feudal system, as tenants under the king, and have not an absolute independent title, such as we call fee simple. The rent of "one shilling proc- lamation money," was designed as a permanent rent, to be paid annually to the king, after ten years. The governor of New York required a higher rent in all his grants ; and it was a ground of opposition by the Green Mountain Boys to the claims of that State, that besides the exorbitant fees of the governor, and other officers concerned in completing the grants, he demanded a rent of "two and six pence " for each hundred acres. Our thanks are due to the revolutionary patriots, that we are wholly free from any such ser- vile burthens. The "proclamtion money " in which the rent was to be paid, or " prock money," as it is called in some of the records of the proprietors, means simply the lawful money of New Eng- land, six shillings to the dollar, established by proclamation, instead of sterling money .. .
According to the directions of the charter, " Capt. Samuel Moore," who was by that instrument appointed moderator, gave notice of the first meeting of the proprietors, and presided in it, and the following is a copy of the record of the proceedings.
" At a meeting of the proprietors of the town of Middlebury, in the Province of New Hampshire, said meeting being regularly and legally warned. and held at the dwelling house of Mr. John Evarts,in Salisbury, this 5th day of January, A. D.1762.
1. Voted and chose Samuel Keep clerk for said proprietors.
2. Voted and chose Matthias Kelsey, Ebenezer Hanchit and James Nichols selectmen for said town of Middlebury.
. 3. Voted and chose Jonathan Chipman collector for said proprietors.
4. Voted to allow 10s to Matthias Kelsey for his cost and extraordinary trouble in the proprietors service.
' 5. Voted to raise 9s on each right, 6s in silver and 3s prock money, except those which have paid a 9s rate, which was granted when the proprs. of New Haven, Middlebury, Salisbury and Cornwall were jointly in company,-such to be exempted.
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
6. Voted to give Mr. Atkinson for his kindness and many good services, done for the proprietors, 300 acres in said township adjoining Governor Wentworth's right of 500 acres, allowing a highway or highways through said land for the benefit of ye proprietors, in the most convenient place or places.
7, Voted and adjourned this meeting to the 2d Tuesday in March next, at 10 o'clock before noon at Capt. Samuel Moore's in Salisbury.
Test SAML. KEEP, Proprietors Clerk."
" At an adjourned meeting of the proprietors of the township of Middlebury, held at the house of Capt. Samuel Moore in Salisbury, on the 9th day of March, A. D, 1762.
1. Voted and chose Samuel Keep Clerk.
2. Voted and chose Matthias Kelsey, Ebenezer Hanchit, and Charles Brewster. selectmen for said town.
3. Voted and chose Jonathan Chipman, Collector.
4. Voted and chose John Evarts, Treasurer.
5. Voted to send Matthias Kelsey, to lay out 50 acres to each right in said. township.
6. Voted to raise a rate of 9s on each right.
7. Voted to give 6s per day to committee men.
8. Voted to lay out one acre to each grantce, as near the centre of said town as possible.
9. Voted and adjourned this meeting till ye 2nd Tuesday of October, at one of ye clock afternoon, at the house of Capt. Samuel Moore, in Salisbury.
Teste SAML. KEEP, Clerk."
It will be observed, that this meeting was held on the day ap- pointed by the charter for " the annual meeting forever hereafter," to be held " for the choice of officers for said town." It was for this reason that the officers were re-chosen, although they had been chosen but two months before. An adjourned meeting was held at the time and place appointed, and again adjourned to the 2d Tues- day of February next at the same place; and a meeting at the time appointed by the last adjournment " was opened and then voted and dissolved said meeting."
The following are the records of three meetings, all of which seemed to have been designed to constitute the annual March meet- ing for 1763. For some reason, the second, which was held as an adjourned meeting, and perhaps the first, were not considered legal, or a majority were not satisfied with the proceedings, as at the third, which was held on the same day as the adjournment of the first, the whole business was performed anew with some alterations, and for this probably a new notice was given. .
149
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
" At a meeting of the proprietors of the township of Middlebury held at the house of John Evarts in Salisbury, this 2d Tuesday of March, A. D. 1763.
1. Voted and chose Mr. John Evarts, moderator.
2. Voted and chose Saml. Keep Clerk.
3. Voted and adjourned said meeting till ye 4th Tuesday of instant March at 10 o'clock before noon, at the house of Capt. Samuel Moore, in Salisbury.
Teste SAML. KEEP, Proprietors Clerk."
"At a meeting of the proprietors of the township of Middlebury, held by adjourn- ment at the house of Capt. Saml. Moore in Salisbury, this 22d day of March 1763.
1. Voted and chose Matthias Kelsey. Ebenezer Hanchit and Saml. Tousley selectmen for said town of Middlebury.
2. Voted the next annual meeting, viz. ye 2nd Tuesday in March next, shall be holden at the house of Capt. Saml. Moore in Salisbury.
3. Voted and dissolved sd meeting.
Test SAML. KEEP Clerk."
" At a meeting of the proprietors of the township of Middlebury in the Prov- ince of New Hampshire, being legally warned and held, at the house of Capt. Saml. Moore in Salisbury, this 4th Tuesday of March, A. D. 1763.
1. Voted and chose Capt. Saml. Moore Moderator.
2. Voted and chose Saml. Keep, Clerk.
3. Voted and chose John Evarts, Capt. Saml. Moore and Matthias Kelsey as- sessors.
4. Voted to lay out one acre to each right or share, as near the centre of the township, as conveniently may, with allowance for highway or ways, if needful, each highway to be 4 rods wide.
5. Voted to raise a rate of 20s on each right to defray the charge of laying out the first and 2nd divisions, (public rights only not to pay.)
6. Voted to give the whole of the above said 20s rate to the committee, that shall lay out the first and second divisions in said township, and produce a mathe- matical plan thereof by the first day of October next. Said committee to lay out all the public rights in said township. Said committee to collect said 20s rate. James Nichols and Benjamin Smalley appointed committee to lay out sd first and 2nd divisions.
7. Voted to raise a rate of. 9s on each right to pay the back charge except such as have paid ye 9s rate, which was granted ye 5th of January, A. D. 1762.
8. Voted and chose Benjamin Smalley, Collector.
9. Voted and chose Mr. John Evarts, Treasurer.
10. Voted that the treasurer pay to Mr. Benjn. Smalley the sum of 4s which is due to him for money he paid for said proprietors.
11. Voted and adjourned this meeting to the 2nd day of October next at 12 o'clock, at the house of Capt. Saml. Moore in Salisbury.
Test SAML. KEEP, Proprietors Clerk."
"" At a meeting of the proprietors of the township of Middlebury, held at the house of Capt. Saml. Moore in Salisbury, this 20th day of December, A. D. 1763.
1. Voted and chose Capt. Samul. Moore, Moderator.
2. Voted and chose Saml. Keep, Proprietors Clerk.
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
3. Voted and accepted the plan presented by Benjamin Smalley, as a mathe- · matical plan of sd township.
4. Voted that John Hutchinson and Samuel Moore, Jr., draw the lottery for the rights aforesaid.
Voted and adjourned sd meeting till the annual town meeting in March next at the house of Capt. Sam'l Moore, in Salisbury.
Test, SAM'L KEEP, Proprietors Clerk.
There is no record of the annual March Meeting in 1764.
" At a meeting of the proprietors of the township of Middlebury, legally warned and opened at the house of Doctr. Joshua Porter in Salisbury, this second Tuesday of March, 1765.
1. Voted and choses Mr. James Nichols Moderator for said meeting.
2. Voted and adjourned sd meeting to the house of Mr. John Evarts, forthwith.
3. Opened sd meeting at said Evarts, and voted and chose Ebenezer Hanchet, Jolm Evarts, and Sam'l Keep, Committee for said proprietors.
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