History of the town of Rockingham, Vermont, including the villages of Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Rockingham, Cambridgeport and Bartonsville, 1753-1907, with family genealogies, Part 23

Author: Hayes, Lyman Simpson, 1850-
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Bellows Falls, Vt. : The Town
Number of Pages: 1048

USA > Vermont > Windham County > Rockingham > History of the town of Rockingham, Vermont, including the villages of Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Rockingham, Cambridgeport and Bartonsville, 1753-1907, with family genealogies > Part 23

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There are now forty teachers employed in the town, of whom twenty-eight are in the village of Bellows Falls, four in Saxtons River, and six in rural districts in which schools are still maintained. The high school now requires the attention of the principal and six assistants. Two special teachers, having charge respectively of the art and penman- ship departments, and of music, are employed in the Bellows Falls and Saxtons River village schools.

The scholars are transported from many farming com- munities to the villages or the other rural schools, thus making possible larger and better schools. Schools are con- tinued in only six rural districts.

The present school board has three members, Herbert D. Ryder, chairman since 1889, Dr. James C. O'Brien, and Dr. John H. Blodgett. An attempt was made in the year 1893, when the control of the schools was taken from the districts and assumed by the town, to change the name from Bellows Falls High School to Rockingham High School, as it now became free to the pupils from all parts of the town. This attempt failed on account of the long continued associations of the original name, and the school has always been known as the Bellows Falls High School. In 1893, a school paper, the Oracle, published by the students of the high school, was started and continued until the fall of 1900.

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Other Schools of the Town

In 1891, a private kindergarten was established by Miss Mary Dascomb in the vestry of the Congregational church and has been continued by her since. A room in the old high school building is now occupied by her school.

A BOYS' BOARDING SCHOOL

There was, during the '30's, a boy's boarding school located near where Wyman Flint's dwelling now stands on Westminster street, a little south of the corner of Henry street, the capacity being from fifteen to twenty pupils. In this school a number of men in later years, prominent in Bellows Falls and other localities, received their fitting for life's work.

SAXTONS RIVER SEMINARY

In 1842, a seminary with the above name was started in Saxtons River village and held a high standard of education during its whole history. It ceased its work in 1866 to be followed three years later by the first effort to establish Ver- mont Academy in its place. During all the years of its existence, the seminary was held in the building now occu- pied by the graded schools. This building was built in 1809 and occupied for a church, used by three different denomina- tions. In 1842 some public spirited citizens became inter- ested in the enterprise and contributed largely of their means to purchase the building and support the school. Among these were George Perry, Dr. R. A. Severance, Joseph Leach, Fletcher Perry, Hon. Daniel Kellogg, Hon. David Chandler and many other prominent citizens of the vicinity.

Rev. D. H. Ranney was the first principal, remaining in charge some two years. During this time, Miss Margaret Man, Miss Howlett and Miss Ellen Gregory were assistant teachers.

Reuben Hubbard Washburn, the second principal, also remained two years, and associated with him as teachers were Miss Gertrude Hyde (later Mrs. N. T. Sheafe), Miss Sarah Warren of Ludlow, Miss Whittlesey, and Lucien Sherman of

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History of Rockingham

Dover. The third principal was Mr. Colby, but he remained with the school only a short time.

The fourth principal was Prof. L. F. Ward, a man widely known in after years in this vicinity as an educator, and, later, as principal of Bellows Falls high school. He continued in charge of the seminary from 1847 until 1852 and his assistants were Miss Marion Ward, Miss Jane Smith, Mrs. Butterfield of Grafton, Miss Fanny Arnold and Mrs. E. M. Ward.

Rev. J. M. Wilmarth succeeded Prof. Ward. He was a man noted for his missionary efforts in Europe, for his crit- ical scholarship, especially in French literature, and as a divine rather than as a teacher.

During the next three years, the seminary was in charge of Rev. W. N. Wilbur and under his direction it enjoyed a high degree of prosperity.

The seminary was afterwards taught by Mr. Frost, by M. D. L. Collester, who was afterwards a professor in a Minnesota college, and by D. L. Aldrich, who was the last principal, closing his labors in 1866. Since that time the seminary has been discontinued. A number of persons who afterwards achieved considerable eminence in the world were at one time pupils in this old seminary, and a number of the older present residents refer to the days spent there with great pleasure.

VERMONT ACADEMY

The first public movement toward the establishment of Vermont Academy at Saxtons River village was made at the annual meeting of the Vermont Baptist State convention, held at Windsor, November 10. 1869, when the following reso- lution was adopted :

" Resolved : That the time has come when the Baptists of Vermont should awake to an increased interest in the subject of general education, and should express that interest by taking immediate steps to secure the establish- ment and adequate endowment of a first-class Literary and Scientific Institute for the education of our youth of both sexes."

The following committee of seven was appointed to take the necessary preliminary measures for carrying the resolu-

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History of Rockingham

Dover. The third principal was Mr. Colby, but he remained with the school only a short time.

During the next three years, the seminary was in charge of Rev. W. N. Wilbur and under his direction it enjoyed a high degree of prosperity.

VERMONT ACADEMY

The first public movement toward the establishment of Vermont Academy at Saxtons River village was made at the annual meeting of the Vermont Baptist State convention, held at Windsor, November 10, 1869, when the following reso- lution was adopted :

The following committee of seven was appointed to take the necessary preliminary measures for carrying the resolu-

VERMONT ACADEMY, AT SAXTONS RIVER, 1906,

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Vermont Academy

tion into effect : Revs. T. H. Archibald, G. S. Chase, W. L. Palmer, M. A. Wilcox, S. F. Brown, Hon. R. J. Jones and William M. Pingry. The institution was incorporated in 1872. It was proposed to raise by subscription a perman- ent endowment fund of $100,000 and the project met with good encouragement from the first. The first large subscrip- tion was for $20,000, given by Charles L. Jones of Cam- bridge, Mass., a native of Saxtons River, and the first build- ing was named "Jones Hall" in his honor. The citizens of the village added $30,000 to this and in 1873 the whole amount was made up.

The academy was first opened in 1876 in the dwelling just east of the Baptist church, known as the Perry house, and all the exercises of the school were held in that house until Jones hall was erected. As the years passed and the demand increased, new buildings followed. The present plant comprises nine first-class buildings, all substantially planned for the various purposes, representing an outlay of something over $125,000.

Dr. Horace M. Willard, now of Quincy Mansion school, Quincy, Mass., was the first principal and remained at the head until 1889, when Dr. George A. Williams, now at the head of the Greek department in Kalamazoo college, suc- ceeded him. Rev. Homer C. Bristol was principal for two years following Dr. Williams' resignation, and was succeeded in office by Dr. Edward Ellery. He resigned in 1904 and the present principal, John L. Alger, succeeded him.

The school has, ever since its start, admirably filled its place as the state school of the Baptist denomination, and has been an important factor in the educational and business enter- prises of this town. The number of graduates to the pres- ent time is about six hundred. Several thousand students have received a part of their education at this school, includ- ing many of our present prominent citizens.

In the years of growth a large debt was accumulated, and in 1897 a movement was set on foot to relieve the school of this burden. Rev. S. H. Archibald was chosen field secre-

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History of Rockingham

tary, and by dint of hard work, generous responses on the part of friends of the school, and the pledge of J. D. Rockefeller of New York, to add $15,000 to the endowment fund when the debt was paid, the task was accomplished.

ST. AGNES HALL

On the corner of School and Cherry streets in Bellows Falls, and until its removal in 1895 to make way for the present high school building, stood a long, rambling two-story frame building which had served as one of the earlier dwellings of the place. For the twenty-two years between 1867 and 1889 this was occupied as a young ladies boarding school. Dur- ing the last twenty years of its existence the school was under the direction of Miss Jane Hapgood and the standard of efficiency was high. Hundreds of women scattered over the world look back with pleasure to school days passed there.

The school was under the patronage of the Episcopal diocese of Vermont, the local rectors and the bishop taking an active oversight, and girls came from all parts of the country, it being distinctively a church school. The build- ing was 'erected for a dwelling and for many years was occupied by S. R. B. Wales, the grandfather of George R. Wales, the present dry goods merchant. It dated back to about 1800, but was enlarged when it became a school.

The school was started a year or two previous to the coming of Miss Hapgood. In 1869 she took a lease of the property for twenty years from its owner, the late James H. Williams, who purchased it for the purpose, but the school attained no celebrity until it came under the care of Miss Hapgood. The name, "St. Agnes Hall " was given it by Rev. Charles S. Hale, then rector of Immanuel church. At the expiration of the lease it was relinquished, as the diocese had established a similar school, Bishop Hopkins' Hall, in the vicinity of Burlington.

Miss Jane Hapgood was born on the ancestral farm in Reading, Vt., September 18, 1831 ; graduated from Troy

ST. AGNES HALL. Taken down in IS95.

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A List of Early Pupils

Female seminary, 1850 ; taught in South Carolina four years and in Illinois four years ; and was vice-principal of Cleveland seminary two years, previous to assuming charge of St. Agnes Hall.

A "SELECT SCHOOL " IN THE EARLY '40'S

The following list of pupils in a select, or subscription school in Bellows Falls in the early '40's was given the writer by the late Mrs. A. F. Nims, who was the "Cynthia M. Chapin " of the list. The school was kept in a building then standing where the Church homestead now is on the east side of Westminster street, and is the same now owned by Mrs. Ellen Brosnahan further south on the same street. The building was erected and occupied as a tin-shop by Simon Pettes on the site of the present Mammoth block on the south side of the Square, and was so occupied by him after it was moved, previous to being occupied as a school.

The teacher of the school for a number of terms, was Miss Susan Evans, who was a member of the family of Rector Carlton Chase of Immanuel church, later Bishop Chase of New Hampshire.

The pupils were :

Sarah Barker, whose father was W. P. Barker, the village butcher.

Sarah Conant, daughter of William Conant, furniture manufacturer.

Helen and Alexine Frasier, daughters of Col. Alexander Frasier, who owned the grist mill.

Emily and Edward Bingham, daughter and son of O. E. Bingham, merchant.

Anna, Emma A. and Charles Fleming, daughters and son of Alexander Fleming, agent of the Canal company.

Caroline and Charles Wentworth, daughter and son of Col. Asa Wentworth, merchant.

Anna Hapgood, daughter of Charles Hapgood, noted as chorister of Immanuel church.

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History of Rockingham

Martha and Frances Chase, daughters of Charles Chase, the tanner.

Martha Church, daughter of Harmon Church, farmer.

Mary E. and Ellen R. Blake, daughters of William B. Blake, paper maker at the Forest mills.

Elizabeth and Caroline Silsby, sisters of Mrs. Charles Hapgood, whose father was a bridge builder of Charlestown.

Sarah Robertson, daughter of Roswell Robertson, financier.

Catherine, Charlotte and Adaline Guild, daughters of Rufus Guild, shoemaker and cultivator of mulberry trees and silk worms.

Cynthia M. and Thomas F. Chapin, daughter and son of Levi Chapin, farmer at North Walpole.

Artemas Johonnott, grandson of Dr. Artemas Robbins, the village physician.

Fitch Hyde, son of Col. Russell Hyde, hotel-keeper and merchant.

Rudolph Geyer, Nathaniel Tucker's grandson, at the toll bridge.

Nehemiah Royce, son of a farmer.

Frank, John and Hammond Grout, sons of Solon Grout, capitalist, who lived where James H. Williams now does.

Ellen, daughter of John W. Moore, editor and proprietor of the Bellows Falls Gazette.

Mary and Ann L., daughters of Seth Hapgood.

CHAPTER XVII.

ROADS, POST-ROADS, TURNPIKES, HIGHWAYS

One of the hardest problems with which the first settlers of this town had to contend was the making of roads through the then unbroken wilderness. The burden was greater in Rockingham than in many other towns because of the hilly nature of its surface and its large streams to be bridged and followed.

The first meetings of the grantees or "proprietors" under the charter from King George II. indicate the many obstacles met and overcome. They assessed themselves frequently for roads during the ten years in which they managed the affairs of the town. At the second meeting of the proprie- tors, held May 29, 1754, Andrew Gardner, Jonathan Bigelow and Asahel Stebbins were chosen a committee to "lay out roads," and it was "voted that twenty shillings old tennar as above be Laid on Each proprietor to be Laid out upon mak- ing Road, and that money be worked out at twenty shillings per day Between May and September else be worked out at fifteen shillings per day."

One of the earliest votes of the citizens after the manage- ment was turned over to the actual residents in 1761 was of the same import. Thomas Stebbins and Moses Wright were the first highway surveyors, elected in 1762, and at a special meeting held a month after the annual meeting Major Oliver Lovell was chosen in the place of Moses Wright, who had resigned.

These roads, at first marked through the forests only by blazed trees, soon became rough bridle paths. All trans- portation was performed on foot and horseback, no vehicle with wheels being used till many years later. Probably nothing was in those days done toward grading roads, only the obstructing trees and rocks being removed.

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History of Rockingham

The legislature, October 27, 1795, authorized the build- ing of the first post-road through the town, it being part of a road to be laid out from the south line of Vermont to the north line of the town of Newbury. Dr. Samuel Cutler and David Sanderson of Bellows Falls, and Adjutant Eliakim Spooner were appointed a committee to lay out this road through Windham county, and it was "to be laid near Con- necticut river." The definite survey of this road through the town of Rockingham showing each turn and the points of compass, was filed at the town clerk's office in 1796. Its location has never been changed in any material degree. It was a part of a system of post-roads of this section of New England, being a post route, or " a road on which the post or mail is conveyed."

"Post-riders" were employed, and an important part of their work was the sale and delivery of the different news- papers published in the vicinity. At the time this post-road was built, there were papers published at Westminster, Wal- pole and Windsor, and the post-riders had control of their circulation upon their routes.

Two advertisements in the Vermont Intelligencer and Bellows Falls Advertiser in 1818, the second year of its publication, were as follows :-

POST-RIDER'S NOTICE.

Reuben Prentiss proposes to ride Post for the purpose of distributing the Vermont Intelligencer for the term of one year from the 26th of January last. and will supply gentlemen, who may be disposed to take said paper on the most accommodating terms in any part of his route, which will be from Bellows Falls to Saxton's River village, Westminster west parish, Putney, Brookline, and Townshend, to Athens.

Said Prentiss will likewise perform errands and transact business with which he may be entrusted with faithfulness, punctuality, and at a reasonable rate.

February 16, 1818.

A POST RIDER.

Wanted immediately, to distribute the Vermont Intelligencer in Rocking- ham, Springfield, Weathersfield, Reading and perhaps further north. There are always about one hundred subscribers on a part only of said route, and it is believed that more might be obtained. Apply at the Printing-Office. Bellows Falls,

February 16, 1818.

BILL BLAKE & CO.

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Post-Roads Established

An eartier post-route, which had accommodated the inhabitants of the east side of the town, and Bellows Falls, was laid out down the Connecticut on the New Hampshire side. Page 263 of the Records of the N. H. Committee of Safety shows that July 27, 1781, John Balch was appointed a post-rider for the term of three months, and they agreed with said Balch to set out from Portsmouth on Saturday morning and ride to Haverhill by way of Conway, Plymouth, thence down the river to Charlestown, Keene and to Ports- mouth again, every fourteen days during the term, for which service he was to receive "seventy hard dollars, or paper money equivalent." In 1792, a post-rider carried the mail once a fortnight from Concord through Weirs, New Boston, Amherst, Wilton, Peterboro, Dublin, and Marlboro to Keene, and thence through Westmoreland, Walpole, Alstead, Acworth, Charlestown, Claremont, Newport and Hopkinton to Concord. Thomas Smith of Surry was post-rider on this route. His compensation was £12 per year and the per- quisites on papers and private packages. The postage at that time was six-pence (about twelve cents) on each private letter for every forty miles, and four-pence for any number of miles less than forty. Mr. Balch continued to ride for two years and was succeeded by Timothy Balch of Keene who was reappointed in 1785.

The era of turn-pikes was inaugurated during the very last years of the eighteenth century, and continued in this town and vicinity until about 1840. The name "turn-pike" originated from the "gate on a road to obstruct passengers, in order to take toll :- orginally consisting of cross bars armed with pikes, and turning on a post or pin." A "turn- pike road " was a "road made by individuals, or by a corpor- ation, on which tolls were collected," and their construction was a popular mode of investment.

The first through this town was "The Green Mountain Turn-Pike," chartered by the legislature November 2, 1799. It extended from the east line of Clarendon to Bellows Falls. Among its incorporators and first owners were John Atkinson,

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History of Rockingham

the Englishman who invested his money in the building of the Bellows Falls canal ; Dr. William Page, the civil engineer who built the canal and who was the first postmaster of Bellows Falls ; and Daniel Farrand, one of the first lawyers of the town, later a judge of the supreme court. There were to be four gates on the road, one near its east end in Rock- ingham, one in Cavendish, one in Ludlow and one in Shrewsbury. The toll established by law to be taken at each of these gates was

" for each coach, phaeton, charriot or other four wheeled pleasure carriage, drawn by two horses fifty-six cents, and for each additional horse, ten cents. For every chaise, chair, sulky, or other two wheeled pleasure carriage drawn by one horse, thirty cents ; and for each additional horse, nine cents. For every cart or waggon drawn by two oxen or horses, twenty-five cents ; and if drawn by more than two oxen or horses, for every additional ox or horse, four cents. For every sled or sleigh, drawn by two oxen or horses, twelve and an half cents : and for each additional ox or horse, three cents; and if drawn by one horse, eight cents. For every man and horse, six cents. For all horses led or driven, exclusive of those in teams or carriages, two and one- half cents. If under two, if over ten, one cent each. For all neat cattle in droves of the number of ten or under, the sum of two cents each ; if over ten, one cent for each additional creature- And for all sheep or swine to the number of twelve, a cent each ; if over twelve at the rate of three cents per dozen."

The charter provided " that no person shall be obliged to pay any toll at either of the said gates who shall be going to or from public worship or to or from any grist mill or sawmill, or on militia duty or on the ordinary domestic duty of family concerns."

Among the other provisions of the charter, toll gatherers must not delay travellers and the corporation should be liable for any damages because of condition of the road. If any person should turn out for the purpose of going around the gate he should forfeit and pay triple toll as a fine. Plain signs should be displayed at each gate showing the rates of toll.

A charter was granted October 26, 1807, to a company for the building of a turnpike connecting with the Green Mountain Turnpike at Chester and continuing over the mountain to Manchester, Vt. This later became a part of the most popular stage route between Boston and Saratoga Springs.

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Charters Granted for Turnpikes

Another charter was granted by the legislature November 7, 1800, to a corporation named the Connecticut River Turn- pike Company to build a turnpike through Rockingham. In the list of incorporators were Dr. William Page and Dr. Samuel Cutler of Rockingham and Gen. Lewis R. Morris of Springfield, Vt. They were empowered to build a road " from the now turnpike road north of the bridge at Bellows Falls to the south line of Thetford, in such place or places as said corporation shall choose." There were to be four gates in the distance, at each of which the rates were relatively the same as those quoted above except that they began with thirty-one cents instead of fifty-six cents, and the other specifications named correspondingly lower rates. It was provided, however, "that no one of the gates contemplated in this act shall be erected in the Town of Windsor."

These turnpikes were built and maintained by private capital for about forty years after which the different towns through which they were laid arranged to purchase them and they became parts of the present system of highways.

Investment of capital in these turnpikes was popular and remunerative during the years they were in use. Early in their existence in this town, changes were made in the system of toll charges by locating gates at less distances from each other and by charging a smaller rate of toll at each, but the aggregate always mounted to practically the same figure in the whole distance. Older residents still refer to certain sections of road as "the turnpike."

A few present residents remember the old toll gate, and adjacent toll house, which was located about sixty rods north- west of the blacksmith shop in the village of Rockingham on the road to Chester, and recall the convivial celebration of the removal of the gate when the road was made free. The principal "exercises" were held at the village tavern, of which Harvey Woods was the proprietor.

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History of the town of Rockingham, Vermont, including the villages of Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Rockingham, Cambridgeport and Bartonsville, 1753-1907, with family genealogies, Part 23

Author: Hayes, Lyman Simpson, 1850- Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Bellows Falls, Vt. : The Town Number of Pages: 1048

Author: Hayes, Lyman Simpson, 1850-
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Bellows Falls, Vt. : The Town
Number of Pages: 1048