USA > Vermont > Addison County > Middlebury > History of the town of Middlebury, in the county of Addison, Vermont > Part 30
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Mr. Bellows had probably, at the time, the contract for carrying the mail on this route, and the act was probably passed with refer-
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
erence to the then present and prospective arrangement for carrying the mail, as well as to the condition of the roads, and the travel on them. For the first four years, we suppose, the mail was carried through the route once in two weeks, and for the last six years to 1803 once a week. When the stage did not run, the mail was car- ried on horse back. In the fall of 1801, when the writer first came to Middlebury, and some time after, a two horse waggon for a stage was run by Mr. Wheelock of Rutland, who also carried the mail, once a week, starting from Rutland, on Monday morning, and reaching Middlebury the same day ; Tuesday it reached Burlington, Wednesday St. Albans, and the three following days returned to Rutland. Afterwards the mail was carrid twice and then thrice a week, and now for many years daily.
POST OFFICE IN EAST MIDDLEBURY.
The post office in East Middlebury, was established January 29, 1834 ; and the following is a list of the postmasters since that time, with the dates when they entered on the duties of their office.
Timothy Mathews, Jun.,
January 29 1834
Levi Needh am
November 21 1837
Orleans P. Torrance
April
1 1846
Levi Needham
January 21 1850
Royal D. Farr
July 5 1854
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
CHAPTER XXI.
PROFESSIONAL MEN-LAWYERS-PHYSICIANS.
IN the course of our history, we have had occasion to mention several of our professional men. We here add short notices of others, who have been or are in the practice of law in town.
BEAUMONT PARKS Esq. was admitted to the bar in 1811, con- tinued in the practice some years, and removed to Indiana, where he was employed in teaching.
ROBERT B. BATES Esq., originally from Connecticut, had been in practice a short time in the State of Delaware, and was admitted here in June 1813. He was in the practice here fifteen or twenty years. During that time he was elected a representative of the town six years, three of which he was Speaker of the House of Representatives. He afterwards removed to Albany and thence to New York, where he died a short time after. Mr. Bates was a man of talents and vivid imagination; and of considerable attain- ments in literature as well as in law. He was also an eloquent and popular advocate; and in short was like a splendid, but short lived meteor.
Rev. JOEL H. LINSLEY D. D., son of Hon. Joel Linsley of Cornwall, and brother of Charles Linsley Esq., was licensed as a lawyer in December 1815. He commenced practice as a partner of Hon. Peter Starr. But after a few years, he thought it his duty to leave the profession for the ministry. He was successively set- tled as a pastor in Hartford Conn. and in Boston ; for several years afterwards he was president of Marietta College in Ohio, and for the last few years has been settled as a pastor in Greenwich Conn.
Hon. DORASTUS WOOSTER, son of Moses Wooster of Cornwall, was licensed in December 1816. He pursued the study of law in
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
the office of Judge Doolittle. He opened an office and continued his practice more or less until the time of his death. His practice was interrupted for some time by his appointment as Judge of the County Court. Under the old judiciary system he was appointed chief Judge in 1824, and assistant Judge from 1825 to 1831, and from 1844 to 1846. He was also assistant Judge at the time of his death, having been elected the fall previous. He was also a member of the State Senate in 1840 and 1841. He died suddenly in January 1855, in his sixty-eighth year.
Hon. GEORGE CHIPMAN, son of Hon. Daniel Chipman, was ad- mitted to the bar in June 1821. He commenced practice as junior partner of his father, and continued in practice here twelve or fif- teen years, and during the time held the appointment of State's Attorney from 1827 to 1830 inclusive. Business of a different character called him to Canada, where he resided several years. After his return from Canada, he resided a few years in Ripton, and during the time was assistant Judge of the County Court from 1846 to 1849. He has since been employed in the State Depart- ment in Washington, until recently he has been removed, and has resumed the practice of law in that place.
CHARLES LINSLEY Esq., brother of Joel H. Linsley mentioned above, was licensed in Franklin County in 1823, and immediately established himself in the practice in this village. He has contin- ued the practice, as counsellor and advocate, here and in the neigh- boring counties until the present time. He has recently opened an office in Rutland and removed his family there, but has not relin- quished his business in this county. His practice was partially in- terrupted by being engaged six or seven years as a director and so- licitor of the Rutland and Burlington Railroad Company, and as railroad commissioner under the act of 1855, for two years.
EDWARD D. BARBER Esq. was graduated at Middlebury College in 1829. He had interested himself in politics before he left col- ·lege. Immediately after, he became the editor of the Antimasonic Republican, which was started through his influence, and he contin- ued its editor until 1832. From 1832 to 1836 he was editor of the Middlebury Free Press, While having charge of these papers. he
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HISTORYOF MIDDLEBURY.
prosecuted, as his engagements would permit, the study of the law. He was licensed in June, 1834. In 1831, he was appointed sec- retary to the Governor and Council; in 1832 and 1833, he repre- sented the town in the House of Representatives, and officiated as clerk of that body in 1834. He remained an active politician through life, and was always an ardent advocate of reform and every meas- ure which he thought adapted to ameliorate the evils of society. He was frequently called on to deliver orations and address public assemblies, and was successful in such efforts. But his party being generally in the minority, his political influence and distinction did not increase according to the promise of his early political precocity. His talents and scholarship were much above the ordinary rank. For a man as fond as he was of stirring out door service, he attained a good knowledge of the law, and was a successful advocate. The property of the Glassfactory Company, at Lake Dunmore, having fallen into his hands, he wished to convert it to some productive use; and procured the incorporation of a Hotel Company, which erected, principally under his direction, the splendid establishment there, for the accommodation of summer visitors, and winter parties. He was there temporarily with his family, when he was taken sick and died on the 23d day of August 1855, at the age of forty-nine.
PHILIP BATTELL Esq., son-in-law of Hon. Horatio Seymour, who had been for some time in the practice of law in Cleveland, Ohio, returned with his wife in declining health to Middlebury, and was admitted to the bar in this county in December 1839. But he chose to devote himself to literary pursuits and the education of his children, and did not engage in the practice of his profession. Ho was graduated at Middlebury College in the class of 1826.
. JULIUS AUGUSTUS BECKWITH, a son of Zechariah and Julia (Smith) Beckwith, was born at Monkton in this county, where his father then resided, on the 10th day of February 1821. In May 1827, the family removed to Middlebury, and have since resided in this village. The subject of this notice was graduated at Middle- bury College in 1840. He was a good scholar and excelled espe- cially in literature, and bore a prominent and honorable part in the public exercises of his class, at the time of their graduation. He
*
L. Grovelier, Inth Boston
ScBuchwith
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
pursued his professional studies in the office of Hon. Horatio Sey- mour, and was admitted to the bar in 1843. He commenced and for a few years continued the practice as a partner of Charles Lins- ley Esq., and has since continued it alone. His practice was always extensive and increasing, and he left numerous clients to mourn his decease. He was laborious in the discharge of his professional duties, punctual in all his engagements, diligent as a student, and made himself thorougly acquainted with the points and law of the cases, in which he was employed. He excelled especially as an ad- vocate from the commencement of his career. He was a ready and popular speaker, his style was classical and his arguments well arranged, clear and forcible. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives in the year 1854 and 1855; and his prospects were prominent for still further advancement, in public life, when arrested in his career.
Mr. Beckwith was also distinguished as a citizen, companion and friend. Full of life and animation himself, he imparted animation and good feeling to all circles in which he moved. He made him- self particularly interesting to all young persons, who came in con- tact with him. Always companionable, he drew to himself many warm and attached friends. He devoted much attention to literature, and possessed, for a professional man, more than ordinary literary attainments.
Mr. Beckwith, when about fourteen years of age, had deep relig- ious impressions ; and his friends entertained strong confidence that he was a christian. When, in the midst of his classical and pro- fessional studies and rivalships, he looked forward to the scenes, which were before him, and in which he was to bear a part, his ar- dent temperament and hopeful disposition invested the wide world and its pursuits with a bright and cheerful coloring, and inspired him with an ardor and ambition, which, for a time, took the place of his religious impressions. He was not chargeable with immoral- ity, and he was ever a friend and supporter of the instiutions of re- ligion, in the church and society, with which his associations more immediately connected him. But otherwise he appeared to the world regardless of the higher claims of religion, and, with his con-
27
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
stitutional ardor and undivided devotion, he engaged in the business of his profession, and in the amusements and gaieties of life.
But two or three years before his death, he was brought to a more serious consideration of the subject of religion, as he after- wards stated, and felt deep sorrow for his neglect of its claims, and especially for his ingratitude to his Savior, who, he thought, had followed him in all his wayward course. It was his intention then to show himself more decidedly and publicly on the side of religion, by uniting with the church. But the pressure of his professional duties, for which he afterwards expressed regret, delayed the execu- tion of his purpose. When he was first attacked with the disease of which he died, and some months before its termination, and when others had no apprehension of a fatal result, his religious impressions re- vived, and he conversed freely with his friends on the subject. As he drew near the close of his life, in the full possession of his mental powers, he expressed still deeper sorrow for his neglect of the pro- fession and duties of religion, but expressed a satisfactory reliance on the mercy of his Savior, of whom he always spoke with the most ardent adoration and gratitude. And when, two or three days be- fore his death, he was told that his disease was incurable and he would soon die, he received the announcement with calm resignation. He continued to the close in a similar frame of mind, and expressed no desire to live except to convice the world of the sincerity of his- faith. The closing scene was triumphant, although peaceful, and his last words were-" Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." He died on the morning of Thanks- giving, December 3, 1857, in the thirty-seventh year of his age.
Mr. Beckwith was married on the 28th day of June 1847, to Miss Abby M. Wainwright, daughter of Rufus Wainwright Esq., and Mrs. Abby (Sargeant) Wainwright. Being an only daughter, her parents. were unwilling that they should leave them, and they remained to constitute a part of Mr. Wainwright's family. Besides the dis- tressing bereavement of Mr. Beckwith's widow, his death brought deep affliction and sorrow alike upon the parents and inmates of two mourning families for the loss of a beloved son and brother.
EDWARD J. PHELPS Esq., son of Hon. Samuel S. Phelps, was
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
graduated at Middlebury College in 1840, pursued the study of law at the law school of Yale College, and in the office of his father in Middlebury. He was licensed in 1843, and commenced the prac- tice here in partnership with E. D. Barber Esq., and after an ex- tensive and increasing practice for two or three years, removed to Burlington, where he continued his practice until 1855, with an in- terruption of two or three years, while he held the office of second controller in the treasury department in Washington. In 1855 he removed to New York, but continued his practice also in the coun- ties of Addison and Chittenden ; and has recently returned to Ver- mont and fixed on Burlington for a residence.
DUGALD STEWART Esq., son of Hon. Ira Stewart, was graduated at Middlebury College in 1842, and was admitted to the bar in De- cember 1847, but was immediately employed in the financial de- partment of the Rutland and Burlington Railroad Company, and now holds the office of County Clerk for this county.
ERASTUS W. DRURY Esq. was admitted to the bar at the June term of the County Court in 1836. When he came to Middle- bury, a few years before, he was employed as the editor and pub- lisher of a newspaper, and, in the meantime, pursued the study of law preparatory to his admission. In December following he was appointed postmaster, and continued in that office about six years, so that he did not enter actively on the profession of law. After- wards he remained in practice a few years,-principally in partner- ship with Charles Aiken Esq., who removed here from Springfield in this State, where he had been in practice,-and removed to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where he resides. Mr. Aiken also removed to Wisconsin.
The following are the present resident lawyers.
Hon. PETER STARR, son of a clergyman of the same name in Warren Conn., was graduated at Williams College in 1799, and de- voted the following year to the business of instruction, as the first preceptor of an academy then just established in Westfield Mass. The succeeding year he officiated as tutor in Williams College. He pursued his professional studies partly in Williamstown Mass. and partly in the office of Samuel Miller in this place. He was ad-
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY,
mitted to the bar in this county in February 1805, and immediately opened an office with an extensive and increasing practice. He has been several times called by the suffrages of the people to represent the town in the House of Representatives, and the county in the Senate. He was chosen a member of the Council of Censors in 1841, and has filled numerous offices and trusts in town. Except these partial interruptions, he has continued an extensive practice, -as counsellor and advocate-until within a few years past, the infirmities of increasing age have induced him to relinquish its ac- tive duties. In 1819 he was elected a member of the corporation of Middlebury College, and has since been a prominent and influen- tial member of that body. He is also a member of the corporation of Addison County Grammar School, and has always afforded effi- cient aid in the promotion of our literary institutions.
OZIAS SEYMOUR Esq., son of Hon. Horatio Seymour, was grad- uated at Middlebury College in the year 1820. He pursued his professional studies at the Litchfield Law School, and was admitted to the bar in this county at the June term 1824. Since that time he has continued in extensive practice in this village, a part of the time in partnership with his father, and part of the time separately. He was chosen and officiated as State's Attorney for the county for six years from 1839, and was a member of the Constitutional Con- vention in 1850.
JEDIDIAH S. BUSHNELL Esq., son of Rev. Jedidiah Bushnell of Cornwall, was graduated at Middlebury College in 1826, and was admitted to the bar in June 1830, after having pursued his profes- sional studies in the office of Hon. Peter Starr. He immediately entered into partnership with Mr. Starr, and afterwards with Mr. Barber. He had afterwards a separate office; and until recently has held the office of Register of the Probate Court since 1841.
EMERSON R. WRIGHT Esq. was graduated at Middlebury Col- lege in 1838, studied law with Edward D. Barber Esq. and was li- densed to practice in June 1842. He immediately commenced the practice in partnership with Mr. Barber, which was continued a short time, and he has since continued the practice separately until the present time. He held the office of postmaster during the ad-
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ministration of Mr. Pierce, and for a short time under the adminis- tration of Mr. Polk.
JOHN W. STEWART Esq., son of Hon. Ira Stewart, was gradu- ated at Middlebury College in 1847, and immediately entered upon the study of law in the office of Hon. Horatio Seymour. He was licensed in December 1849, and immediately opened an office for the practice of his profession, and still continues in extensive prac- tice. He was elected State's Attorney three successive years; com- mencing in 1851, and has represented the town in the House of Representives in the years 1856 and 1857. Since 1851 he has of- ficiated as secretary of the corporation of Middlebury College.
WILLIAM F. BASCOM Esq., after his graduation at Middlebury College in 1838, entered on the business of teaching, and was for five or six years a tutor in Middlebury College. He was afterwards principal of several literary institutions. He had also been for several years principal of the Female Seminary in this village, and in the meantime pursued the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in December 1855. He opened an office in the village, but continued, for a short time, his connection with the seminary, so far as to superintend its general interests. In the spring of 1857, he removed to Minnesota, and afterwards to Lasalle in Illinois. He has since returned to the east, and has recently-May 1859- opened an office in this village. During his former residence in Middlebury, he was elected to represent the town in the Constitu- tional Convention of 1856.
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT Esq., son of the late Rufus Wainwright, was graduated at Middlebury College in 1852, having pursued his preparatory studies at the Addison County Grammar School. He was admitted to the bar in December 1856, and has his office in the rooms occupied by his brother-in-law, Julius A. Beckwith Esq.
PHYSICIANS.
Dr. WILLIAM BASS, from Windham Conn., pursued the studies of his profession at Westfield Mass., when there were no medical schools in the country, but the honorary degree of Doctor of Med- icine was conferred on him by the corporation of Middlebury Col- lege in 1825. He settled in Middlebury as a physician in 1797,
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when a young man. Soon after he purchased, as before' stated, the dwelling house and part of the farm formerly owned by Capt. Stephen Goodrich, east of the village. In this place he continued to reside until the time of his death. In the meantime he built the large house on the premises, and otherwise enlarged and improved the homestead. Immediately on his settlement here, he entered into an extensive and increasing practice, which was enlarged by the removal of Drs. Willard and Matthews to other spheres. He was not only a skilful and faithful physician, but, by his social disposi- tion and manners, became popular and a favorite in many families, in this and the neighboring towns. His practice was laborious and profitable, until near the close of his life, the infirmities of age and disease forced him to retire from it. He possessed sound judgment and practical common sense, and was popular as a man, as well as physician, and had an extensive influence in town and was often ap- pointed to places of trust. He was distinguished for his benevo- lence in all his relations, and for his liberality to all our literary, religious and benevolent institutions. Ile was also a prominent and influential member and deacon of the Congregational Church. His death occurred in March 1851, at the age of seventy-five.
Dr. JONATHAN ADAMS ALLEN died at his residence in this vil- lage on the 2d of February, 1848, at the age of sixty. At a meet- ing of Addison County Medical Society in the same month, his death was announced, appropriate and highly commendatory resolutions were adopted, and Dr. S. Pearl Lathrop, of Middlebury, was ap- pointed to prepare a biographical sketch of him, which was after- wards ordered to be published in the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal. This sketch we have before us. Our limits will allow us to use only a part of its materials, with such others as we possess.
The subject of this sketch " was of poor but respectable parent- age." His father was Amos Allen, son of Seth Allen, who was an immigrant to this country from Wales. His mother was daughter of Abel Smith, and grand-daughter of Jonathan Adams of Medway, from whom he received his name. The mother of Jonathan Adams was killed by the Indians, and he, after his head was dashed against a stone, was left as dead, but was afterwards found alive, and be-
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came distinguished in various departments of public life. Through him Dr. Allen's geneology is traced to the origin of the family of John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams.
Dr. Allen was born at Holliston, Mass., on the 17th day of No- vember, 1787. His father at an early day removed with his fam- ily to Newfane, Vt. Here he labored with his father on the farm. During this period he had only the advantages of a common school education. But having a thirst for learning, he purchased books for himself by trapping and selling furs. By this means he was able to store his mind with much useful knowledge. On the 17th of November, 1808, his 21st birth day, he started with a bundle con- taining his wardrobe, to "seek his fortune." He engaged in the duties of a school teacher, in the West Village of Townshend, in this state, and immediately made arrangements with the minister of the parish to be instructed in Latin. In this position he remained for several years, and afterwards gave his attention more directly to studies preparatory to the practice of medicine under the tuition of Dr. Paul Wheeler of Wardsborough. He also attended the lec- tures at Dartmouth College, under Dr. Nathan Smith, and there he received his degree of Doctor of Medicine, August 24, 1814. Af- ter a practice of two years at Wardsborough, in partnership with Dr. Wheeler, his instructor, he removed to Brattleboro in August, 1816.
In October, 1820, he was appointed to deliver lectures on Chem- istry in Middlebury College, which he continued until 1826. He removed his family to Middlebury in the spring of 1822, and com- menced practice here; and at the same time, he was appointed Pro- fessor of Materia Medica and Pharmacy in the Vermont Academy of Medicine, then in connection with Middlebury College. In this office he continued until 1829. He continued the practice of his- profession in Middlebury until his death. His practice as a surgeon and physician was always extensive and increasing from year to year, and was not confined to the town or county in which he resi- ded; but in cases of surgery and difficult cases of disease, he was often called beyond the limits of the state. Notwithstanding his great labors in his practice, he was always persevering in his stud- ies, and employed all his leisure hours in the diligent pursuit of
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knowledge. He not only became a learned physician, but directed his studies to other sciences, and especially to those branches of nat- ural history more immediately connected with his profession. Among other specimens of Natural History, he made a handsome collection of minerals, which were purchased by Middlebury College, and con- stitute an important part of their cabinet. Several scientific arti- cles which he wrote were published in Silliman's Journal of Sci- ence. He also published a still greater number of articles, on va- rious branches of medical science, and the laws of nature, as appli- cable to the practice of medicine, in the Medical Journals. He was a prominent member of the State Medical Society, and an active and much respected member and officer of Addison County Medical Society, up to the time of his death.
Dr. Allen had many traits of character, besides his learning, which endeared him to his friends, professional associates, and espe- cially to his patients. He was always amiable, unassuming and conscientious ; always prompt in his attention to his patients, who were never neglected, whatever sacrifice it cost him. He wore him- self out in their service. Even after he was enfeebled by disease, he continued his labors, until they induced or aggravated diseases which prematurely terminated his life. His usefulness was not con- fined to his professional duties, but as a citizen he was prompt by his aid and influence in promoting every good object.
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