USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Pittsford > History of the town of Pittsford, Vt., with biographical sketches and family records > Part 29
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John Rockwood, born in 1790, son of Samuel, of Fitz- william, N. H., came to Pittsford in 1821, and bought of Andrew Leach one and one-half acres of land, which included the house lots now owned by Paschal Whitaker and Simeon. Gilbert, also "one-half of the saw-mill* and one-half of the mill yard north of the bridge on the road leading from the village to Heman Johnson's." The deed was dated September 19, 1821, and was in consideration of three hundred and fifty dollars. As heretofore stated, he and his brother, Lyman, built the house now owned by Mr. Whitaker in 1822, and he
" This was the Fassett mill.
377
WILLIAM WHEELER-OLIVER BROWN-JOHN COOLEY.
married Lucinda Kimball, Oct. 2, 1823, and resided in the house with his brother. In early life he had worked at clock- making, but here he devoted the most of his time to wagon- making. The shop in which he worked stood where Mr. Gilbert's house now stands. This was removed some years since, and is now one of the shops recently occupied by Dudley and North. His wife Lucinda died in 1840, and he married Delia, daughter of Ezra Cummings, early in 1841, and in 1844 he removed to McHenry, Ill.
William Wheeler married Philinda, daughter of Robert Loveland, in 1823, and located near the south line of the town occupying the first house south of the present railroad bridge, near Sutherland Falls. He changed locations several times while residing in this town, and at one time moved to some part of the State of New York, but returned to Pittsford, and eventually moved to Brandon where he died in 1867.
Oliver Brown, harness-maker, born October 17, 1793, son of Elijah, married Lydia Maria Bixby, Nov. 14, 1823, and located on the Elias Hopkins place, now owned by R. R. Drake. He resided in the south part of the house, and used the north part for a work-shop. It would appear that he rented this place for a term of little more than two years, as we find that he purchased it of Gordon Newell, Esq., the 9th day of May, 1826, for the sum of six hundred dollars. Mr. Brown resided on this place till 1842, when he sold it to R. R. Drake, and has since resided in various places, though for the last four or five years he has been living with his daughter, Mrs. William Eayres, of Rutland. His wife, Lydia Maria, died May 12, 1840.
John Cooley, son of Capt. Caleb, married Amanda Cook, October 12, 1823. His trade was that of a potter. He located in a log house on the north slope of the hill, some one hundred rods southeast of Demas Chaffee's. After residing there a short time he purchased the land on the south side of the road,
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HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
near what was known as the "Pocket Furnace," and built the two-story house now occupied by George Putnam. He resided there a few years, and manufactured earthen ware. He after- wards built the house now owned by his son, Orin. This was built on the southeast part of what was his father's home farm. He died there, July 17, 1856.
Jeffrey Barnes, son of John, was born May 27, 1792, married, Feb. 24, 1823, Violet,* daughter of David Brewster, and located on the home farm with his parents. Afterwards he resided some months with his brother on the Johnson farm, now owned by Alexander Parmelec. He bought the Weeks place, near the Village, in 1825, but after the death of his father, he bought of his heirs the home farm, upon which he resided till 1832, when he exchanged farms with David Hall, and obtained, by the exchange, the Mead farm, now owned by B. J. Douglas. In 1855, Mr. Barnes bought of Frank May- nard the place which had a short time before been fitted up by the latter, and on the 12th of November he commenced to occupy it. While in the vigor of manhood he was a very industrious man, and well understood the public business of the town ; and for a long period he held some office within the gift of his fellow-citizens. He died December 17, 1861. Mrs. Barnes died February 19, 1865.
George Godfrey located here in 1823. His grandfather- whose name was also George-was a Brigadier General in the Revolutionary war. He married Bethiah Hodges and settled in Taunton, Mass., where were born the following children, viz .: Mary, Joanna, Lydia, Wealthy, Jerusha, George, Rufus, John and Melinda. George, the father, died at Taunton, June 30, 1793. George, the eldest son, was born Sept. 17, 1758, and during the early part of the war was in the army as waiter for his father, but afterwards entered the ranks as private.
* Born Feb. 28, 1797.
379
LYMAN GRANGER.
During the latter part of his life he drew a pension from the government. He married, December 26, 1782, Abigail King, who was born June 22, 1763, and they settled in Bennington, Vt. They had eight children, viz .: James, Samuel L., Abigail, George, Melinda, Bradford, Catherine K. and J. Pitts. George, the third son, was born Nov. 21, 1793, and was a soldier in the war of 1812. He married, Nov. 6, 1823, Relief Lincoln, who was born March 3, 1787. They came to this town and located on the farm now owned by the heirs of the late James R. Smith. Mr. Godfrey died October 5, 1837. Mrs. Godfrey afterwards married Randall, and died May 20, 1863.
Lyman Granger-son of Simeon, hereafter to be men- tioned -was born in Sandersfield, Mass., December 22, 1794. He was graduated from Union College about 1820, and at once entered upon the study of law. He commenced the study of his profession at the Litchfield Law School and closed it with Judge Samuel Church, of Salisbury, Conn. He com- menced practice in company with Moses Strong, Esq., of Rut- land, in 1823. In the fall of this year he married Frances Smith of Rutland, who was born Feb. 23, 1799. About this time-in company with his father, then living in Salisbury, Conn., and his younger brother, Chester-he purchased several small lots of land in Pittsford, and the following year he came here to reside. For a little time, he occupied the Ewings house, now known as the Armington house. On the 30th of November, 1826, he and his brother, Chester, pur- chased of Andrew Leach the furnace property, "consisting of 160 acres of land with all the buildings standing thereon," and the sum paid was six thousand dollars. Immediately after this purchase Lyman removed to the white cottage on the south side of the road leading from the road on which the school house now stands, to the Furnace. The father and two sons carried on the furnace business, and the firm was known as "Simeon Granger & Sons," though the father had not yet
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HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
removed his residence from Connecticut. The company built the white house on the north side of the road and a few rods east of the cottage already mentioned, in the spring of 1827, and Lyman afterwards occupied this. He practiced law about two years after he located in this town, but after acquiring an interest in the Furnace, he relinquished professional business and devoted his whole attention to the interests of the com- pany. His wife Frances died December 31, 1834, and in 1836 he married Betsey Spurr. The following year he sold his inter- est in the furnace property and moved to Granville, N. Y. He died suddenly at Utica, on a visit, June 18, 1839.
Amanuel B. Eckley, son of George, was born in Boston, Mass., June 27, 1796, and married, 1824, Polly Simmons, who was born in Chittenden, Vt., April 26, 1798. They resided some years on the west part of the farm once owned by Simeon Clifford, a part of which had been sold to, and occupied by, Eli Hudson. In 1867, Mr. Eckley and his son Samuel bought the Lewis Barlow farm, and on this they now reside.
Asa Paine also located in this town, in 1824. He was the son of Edward and Nabby (Smith) Paine, and was born in Leicester, August 26, 1801. He bought the Rowley farm in 1823. January 15, 1824, he married Harriet Horton, of Mt. Holly, and located on the recently purchased farm. His wife Harriet died Nov. 18, 1826, and he married Sally, daughter of Lot Keeler, of Pittsford, March 18, 1827.
Humphrey Worden, son of Peter, was born in Dover, Dutchess County, N. Y., August 29, 1800. While an infant his parents removed into this town, where his minority was spent. He married Anna, daughter of Ithiel Barnes, in June, 1825, and located with his parents, then occupying the first house east of the school house, in District No. 10. He sold that farm in 1841, and purchased the one upon which he after- wards lived and died. He died Nov. 5, 1869.
Warren Barnard was born August 26, 1790, the son of
381
WARREN BARNARD-DAVID WARD.
Andrew, born November 28, 1764, the son of Dan who has been mentioned as coming from Coventry, Conn., in 1784, settling in the south part of this town, and afterwards remov- ing to Chittenden. Warren married Elizabeth Clark, Nov. 4, 1813, and located in Chittenden, where Mrs. Barnard died. January 6, 1814. He came to Pittsford in 1825, and boarded some months at the hotel; October 24, 1826, he purchased of Lyman Rockwood the place now owned by the heirs of the late Charles Walker, D. D., and the 4th of December follow- ing, he married Abigail H. Lincoln, and located in that house. He sold his place for a parsonage, and in 1834, bought of Michael Sanders the farm now owned by the heirs of the late David Hall. He resided on this farm till 1839, when he sold it to Hall, and bought the place he now occupies of Ira Hitch- cock. His wife Abigail died April 5, 1857, and he married Laura W. Shaw, April 24, 1860.
David Ward is a descendant of William who emigrated from England, and was living in Sudbury, Mass., as early as 1639. David's ancestry, traced back in a direct line, is as follows, viz .: David, of Pittsford, born in Shoreham, Vt., Feb. 27, 1797, son of Adam P., born in 1769, son of William, born in Union, Conn., July 13, 1741, son of Uriah, born Feb. 24, 1715, son of William, born in Marlboro,' Mass. June 9, 1691, son of William, born in Sudbury, (probably,) June 7, 1670, son of Obadiah, born about 1632, the third son of William, the first of the family in this country.
David, of Pittsford, married Mary Ann McCollum, Feb. 7, 1818, and located in Saratoga, N. Y. He removed to May- field, and from thence to Pittsford, Vt., in February, 1826, locating on the place he has ever since occupied. His wife, Mary Ann, died March 20, 1852, and he married Amelia, daughter of Edward Clifford, March 2, 1853, and she died in 1854, and he married, Sept. 13, 1855, Eveline Lord, who was born in Putney, Vt.
382
HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
Jeduthan Thomas, born June 27, 1807, son of Ebel, of Chittenden, married Minerva Scott, December 27, 1826, and resided some years on the Woodruff farm-now David Sco- field's. In 1863, he removed to his present place of residence, formerly owned by Luther Nurse and his son William.
David Johnson, son of Isachar, married Esther Bailey, February 20, 1826, and located with his father on the Stephen Mead farm, now owned by B. J. Douglas. They had resided on that farm several years before the son married. The father bought of Jeffrey Barnes the farm upon which Alexander Parmelee now resides, and not long after they removed to this farm, Isachar, the father, died. After residing there a few years David removed from the town.
Ebenezer Blanchard Rand, son of Capt. Zachariah, was born in Westminster, Mass., December 17, 1802, married Betsey Scofield, of Brandon, March 6, 1826, and located on the home farm in Sugar Hollow. In 1840, he bought of Ebenezer Brooks the Ewings tavern and kept a public house till the time of his death, January 3, 1851.
Jonathan Burditt, son of Thomas, was born in Lancaster, Mass., Nov. 16, 1798. His early life was spent with his father on the farm, but after he had attained his majority he went to Canada and engaged in the lumbering business. After an absence of a few years he came to Pittsford, where his parents then lived, and bought the small farm east of Marshall Thomas', near what was called the "Four Corners." The 5th day of April, 1827, he married Sally Floyd, who was born in Springfield, Mass., April 30, 1804. They located on the farm above mentioned, and resided there until the fall of 1852, when they bought of Abraham Owen what had formerly been known as the Mosher place, now owned by Richard and Charles Burditt. Mr. Burditt died on this farm, July 6, 1868. Mrs. Burditt died December 19, 1863.
Harris W. Phillips, son of Jacob, married Fanny, daughter
383
LABAN BOWEN-A. C. KELLOGG-CHESTER GRANGER.
of Ebenezer Conant, in 1827, and located on the home farm with This brother Orin. The house he occupied stood some rods north of the house now occupied by his brother. He resided on that farm until 1850, when he sold his share of it to Orin, and removed to Illinois.
Laban Bowen, was clerk for Sturges Penfield, in the store, some years before he was married. He married Esther, eldest daughter of Amos Crippen, December 6, 1827, and located in the house now owned by Thomas Hennessey. This house had been built for him by Mr. Penfield. After residing there a few years he moved to Pennsylvania.
Amos Cushman Kellogg, born Nov. 22, 1803, son of Amos, married Nancy Bogue, of Chittenden, October 9, 1827, and located on the home farm with his brother, Samuel H. He resided there until 1837, when he bought of Timothy Lester the farm upon which he now resides. At one time he took an active part in the military affairs of the State, and rose, through various grades of subordinate offices to the rank of Brigadier General.
Chester Granger, born July 5, 1797, son of Simeon, mar- ried Mary Smith, of Rutland, December 5, 1827, and located in the white cottage, on the south side of the road leading to the Furnace. He took possession of this immediately after it was vacated by his brother Lyman, and resided there about nine years, or until Lyman moved to Granville, and then took his place in the house on the north side of the road. After the death of the father, Simeon, his share of the furnace property claimed by his heirs was purchased in 1835, by Chester and his brother, Edward L. Granger, and the business of the firm was conducted in the name of C. and E. L. Granger until 1846, when the younger member of this firm died, and his share of the property was purchased by George Hodges, when the busi- ness was conducted in the name of " Granger, Hodges & Co." The furnace property was afterwards transferred to the
384
HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
" Pittsford Iron Co.," and Granger and Hodges retired. Mr. Granger left Pittsford and engaged in the iron business in Pennsylvania, and also assisted in a foundery establishment in Providence, R. I. Within a few years, however, he has returned to his adopted town, and is now enjoying the fruits of an industrious life. His wife Mary died in Pittsford, April 1, 1838, aged thirty-two years, nine months and twenty- eight days.
James Lowth is the son of James who was born in Dun- dalk, Louth County, Ireland, in 1765, married 1788, Margaret McGuire, who was born in Coat Hill, Cavan County, in 1768, and located in Killeary, Meath County. They had two sons, James and Edward. The father was liberally educated, and for some years the principal of an academy, but died in 1794; the mother died in 1820. James, the eldest son, born May 14, 1790, married, in 1800, Marcella Guirk, who was born June 20, 1791. They came to America in 1827, and soon located in Pittsford. For a few years Mr. Lowth found employment at the Furnace, but on the 21st day of April, 1832, he purchased of Clark Taft the farm upon which he still resides, with his son Matthew. He has been an industrious man, of good habits. His wife died June 21, 1848.
John R. Dunlap, born August 23, 1802, married (1827) Sarah Walker, and located on the farm now owned by Daniel Ray. He left the town in 1843.
Addison Buck, son of Alfred, was born February 19, 1804. A part of his early life was spent as a clerk in the store of his uncle, then residing in Bridport. He married Amanda H. Hayward, of Bridport, April 16, 1827, and located on the Mott* place in Pittsford Village. He built a store a little south of the house and went into mercantile business. His store was burnt in the winter of 1827-8, and he built a new
* This, for a time, was owned by Dr. Mott.
385
SIMEON SMITH-RUFUS WHEDON.
one upon its site and continued to occupy it as a store till about the year 1853. He was appointed Postmaster under the administration of President Jackson, and served as such through the administration of Martin Van Buren. Mrs. Amanda H. Buck died November 4, 1858, and Mr. Buck married Fidelia E. Field of Brattleboro, July 10, 1861. He is now residing on the Cooley place and is employed as a meat merchant.
Simeon Smith is the son of Abijah and Sabra Smith,* and was born in Pittsford, February 7, 1806. December 24, 1827, he married Lydia Bickford, who was born in Canada, June 14, 1806. They resided some years in the westerly part of the town, but in 1856, Mr. Smith bought of Newell Leonard the John Parmelee place, and has since resided on it.
Rufus Whedon (as he spelled his name) was the eldest son of James Whedon, and brother of Isaac, who has already been mentioned. He was born in Connecticut in 1757, and at the commencement of the Revolutionary war, being then eighteen years of age, he enlisted as a soldier in the American army, and served through the war. He was with Washington, in the most of that General's hard-fought battles, and during some part of the time he was a member of his body-guard. After the close of the war, he married Anna Norton, and resided in Connecticut till 1827, when he removed with his family to this town, and resided a year with his brother Isaac. April 2, 1828, he purchased of Abel Penfield the farm which had been owned and improved by Ebenezer Hopkins, the same which is now owned by William P. Ward. Mr. Whedon moved on this farm very soon after he bought it. Mrs. Whedon died of small-pox, February 9, 1832. Mr. Whedon afterwards married a Widow Gatt, of Rutland. He died April
* Abijah Smith's children were Abigail, Israel, Mary, Simeon, Leander and William.
26
386
HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
5, 1840. He was a tall, portly man, quite social, and delighted to narrate his military experience, and he had a fund of anec- dotes respecting the "Father of his country."
We have little knowledge of Leonard Fargo prior to the time he came to Pittsford. He had resided some time in Rut- land, and there lost his first wife. He came to this town in 1828, and on the 7th day of December, that year, married Hepzibah Rider, daughter of Rufus Wheaton, and perhaps resided a short time in Rutland, though not long after their marriage they were occupying the Rawson place in this town. After the death of Mrs. Fargo's father, in 1840, his farm was divided among her heirs, and Mrs. Fargo had her share set off to her from the south part of it, and Mr. Fargo built a house and barn upon that part-the same that now stand near the foot of the hill, south of William P. Ward's. Mr. Fargo died there in 1868; Mrs. Fargo died in 1870.
Thomas H. Palmer was born in Kelso, Scotland, Dec. 27, 1782, and in early life came to Philadelphia and was there employed some years in a printing office. His attention was mostly directed to literary pursuits, and being a man of great energy and perseverence, he soon acquired an extensive knowl- edge of almost every department of science. On the 8th of July, 1822, he married Joanna T. Fenton, who was born in Georgia, Vt., September 25, 1800. They resided in Philadel- phia four years, then came to Rutland, Vt., and resided two years ; and on the eleventh of June, 1828, Mr. Palmer bought of Jeremiah Howard the Phineas Ripley farm in Pittsford, for which he paid three thousand dollars. This farm had been mortgaged by Mr. Ripley to the Vermont State Bank, and it was afterwards sold to Mr. Howard. Mr. Palmer located in Pittsford about the time he purchased this farm, and occupied for some time the Ripley house, now owned by Samuel T. Fenton. In 1832, he built the brick house-one of the largest
387
ABIEL MITCHELL-GRANGER FAMILY-ARBELA ADAMS.
and pleasantest houses in the town-and in this he resided till his death, July 20, 1861. The homestead is still retained and occupied by the Palmer family.
Abiel Mitchell, son of Abiel, was born in Easton, Mass. He married Sarah Lingham and located in Chittenden, Vt., prior to 1806. In 1828, he bought of Daniel Keith the place on which his son William now resides, near "Sand Hill," so called. He died there in September, 1848, and his son William then bought the place.
The Granger family is of English origin, and the first of the Pittsford branch settled in Massachusetts in the early part of the last century. The Christian name of the early immigrant is not now remembered, but he had a son Simeon, who was born in Suffield, Conn., September 17, 1734, married Abigail Dudley, of Saybrook, Conn., Nov. 26, 1757, and located in Springfield, Mass. He afterwards removed to Sandersfield, where he died in 1815. His wife Abigail died in Deerfield, Ohio. Their youngest son, Simeon, born in Springfield, Mass., March 17, 1770, married Phebe Couch, of Sandersfield, Conn., in 1791, and resided there till 1801, when he removed to Salis- bury, Conn., where he was a farmer and real estate broker. He purchased some real estate in Pittsford in 1825, and as heretofore stated, became the head of the firm of "Simeon Granger & Sons," in 1826. Though he did business in Pitts- ford, his family remained in Connecticut until May, 1829, when they removed to this town and occupied the Keith house, which stood on the south side of the brook, where Seba Smith's house now stands. He died here, November 9, 1834. Mrs. Granger died February 6, 1840.
Arbela Adams, born April, 1804, son of Thomas, married Olive Hawes, of Croydon, N. H., August 17, 1829, and located on a part of the home farm. The house built for him stood on the east side of the road between the present residence of Elias T. Adams and that of Seba Smith, but scarcely a vestige of it
388
HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
remains. He removed to the West about the year 1846.
William Nourse, youngest son of Ebenezer, was born in Fitzwilliam, N. H., June 3, 1807, and in early lite learned the potter's trade of Solomon Goddard, of Troy. He married Charlotte Kimball in 1827, and in the winter of 1829, came to Pittsford and bought of Andrew Leach, sixty square rods of land on the north side of the road and near the east end of what is now known as the Colburn bridge. Upon this he built a pottery and made earthen ware. He resided, at this time, in the house which stood near where Asa Nourse's house now stands. On the 5th of June, 1834, he sold the pottery to his brother Asa and removed to South Chittenden, where he engaged in the same business. Soon, however, he removed to Middlebury where he resided a few years, after which he removed to Weybridge where he died.
James Gorham came here in 1829. He was the son of Wakeman Gorham, who was born in Massachusetts, married Polly -- , and located in Chittenden, Vt. Their children were Polly, Lucy, Carter, James, Jerusha and Almira. James was born in Chittenden, in June, 1801, married Dec. 9, 1829, Angeline Wood,* daughter of Joseph Tottingham, and located on the Abraham Walker place in Pittsford Village. Mr. Gor- ham was a shoemaker, and worked at his trade in a small shop which stood a few feet south of the house. He built the pres- ent house, and died there January 10, 1849.
The town, at an adjourned meeting, March 29, 1820, "Voted to raise two Cents on the Dollar of the list of A. D. 1820, half paid in Grain, payable the first of January next."
"Chose William Thomas School Trustee in Pleasant Valley District."t
" Voted that the Selectmen have discretionary power to
* Born Ortober 1, 1809.
t This district included what is known as Cobb Hill. Allen Cobb, a prominent settler in that district, hearing some person speaking of it in terms of deri-ion, reproved the scoffer and christened that section of the town Pleasant Valley District, a name by which it was.long after know.
389
EXTRACT FROM RECORDS.
purchase Whisky, or Cider Brandy for Squirrel hunters not to exceed six Gallons."
March 1, 1821. "Voted to pay the Listers twelve dollars each for their services in 1820."
At this time the most of the larger bridges in the town were built upon trestle work, and almost every spring on the breaking up of the ice in the streams, they were more or less injured, so that the cost of supporting them was felt by the tax-payers to be a heavy burden. Many persons were of the opinion that several of the bridges and roads in the town might be dispensed with ; and the selectmen were requested to call a special meeting of the legal voters of the town, for the pur- pose of taking some action upon this matter. A meeting was called by a warrant containing the following articles :
" 1st. To choose a Moderator.
2d. To see what number of bridges in said town they will agree to support, and what number they will agree to dis- continue.
3d. To fix on the method of rebuilding those that should be regarded necessary or expedient, either by raising tax or otherways."
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