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 32
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2. E. E. Dewey restaurant.
3. (East side of Square ) George O. Guild dry goods and groceries : S. H. Guild tailor ; C. B. Eddy office ; Albert Derby's office and Masonic hall.
148. E. Hapgood shoe shop.
149. Post office.
150. Jabez Hills, tenantless.
151. J. F. Saker, tailor and A. S. Wood milliner.
152. Bellows Falls Bank.
153. Warren Walker dwelling.
154. Old Morgan Tavern then owned by Edmund Blake and used as a tenement house.
155. (South ) Grocery store, J. G. Wightman.
155. (North ) Millinery store of the Misses Guild.
156. S. C. Fleming dwelling.
157. Tinshop and engine house.
158. William Flavin dwelling. 159. Niles Aldrich dwelling. 160. F. P. Hadley dwelling. 161. E. W. Hildreth dwelling. 162. John Kimball dwelling. 163. Black & Spaulding tenements. 164. Ezra Kimball dwelling. 165. R. Spaulding dwelling. 166. Spaulding's buildings, restau- rant in south portion. 167. E. Brown dwelling.
168. Samuel Guild dwelling. 169. Alfred Dow dwelling.
170. Alvah Pierce dwelling. 171. Norman llarris tenements. 172. Alfred Kemp dwelling. 173. J. McNamara dwelling. 174. Josiah Bowtell, dwelling, was the first railroad station in Bellows Falls.
175. Storehouse of Arms & Willson. 176. J. Willson & Co. flour and grain. 177. Vermont Valley railroad freight depot and woodshed.
178. Rutland & Burlington R. R. car house and woodshed.
179. T. Londrigan dwelling. 180. Paint shop.
ISI. Sullivan dwelling.
182. William Nutting organ factory. 183. Charles Towns livery stable.
184. Bowling alley connected with Island House.
185. Ist story grocery, 2nd story " Island Hall."
186. Island House owned by Charles Towns.
187. Aaron Arms dwelling.
ISS. Daniel Higgins dwelling.
189. E. Moon dwelling. 190. D. Brosnahan dwelling. 191. Mrs. Mansfield dwelling.
Village Charter Granted 353
192. Patrick Casey. 197. Livery of Island House.
193. J. Bennett dwelling. 198. Cheshire freight house.
194. Nathaniel Tucker tenements 199. J. Willson & Co. storehouse.
and toll house.
200. Rutland R. R. Co. rail shop.
195. Thomas Itallahan dwelling. 201. to 205 small R. R. buildings.
196. John Holloran dwelling.
In the year 1831 the legislature defined the boundaries which are now practically the limits of the Bellows Falls village corporation in an act incorporating the " Bellows Falls Fire Society " for protecting the village property from destruction by fire. The boundaries were designated :
"Commencing at the southeast corner of said town, running on the southern line of the same to the southwest corner of Solomon Hapgood's farm, thence northerly to the northwest corner of Lorana and James Morgan's farm ; thence easterly on the north line of said farm to the Connecticut river ; thence southerly to the place of beginning."
Until this time the village had no organization except such as was included in the whole town of Rockingham. Under this act certain rules were prescribed regarding safety from fire, and the inhabitants of the area named were taxed to pay for a primitive fire protection consisting of a "Hydrau- lic Fire Machine," a few buckets, ropes and ladders. The "Machine" was a second-hand one that was worked by two cranks on which eight men could work at a time. It was kept in a building where the Edward Arms block stands at the present day on Westminster street.
The Vermont legislature November 1, 1833, passed "An Act of Incorporating the Inhabitants of the First School Dis- trict in Rockingham For the Purposes Therein Mentioned," which, if approved by two-thirds of the legal voters of the said school district should give them certain rights and privi- leges independent of the town. Among these privileges were the power to sue and be sued in the courts of law, to provide fire protection, to build proper streets, sidewalks and sewers, to hold real estate not exceeding $2,000 and personal property to the same amount; to make by-laws for the proper government and policing of the village, and to tax the inhabitants to pay necessary expenses.
24
354
History of Rockingham
As often occurs in progressive movements there were many who strongly opposed the new order of things. At the first meeting of the voters called to ratify the charter, held in the village school-house on the corner of School and Cherry streets the first Monday in January, 1834, Rev. Carl- ton Chase, rector of Immanuel church, was elected chairman and S. H. Taylor clerk. Those present voted against its acceptance twenty-five to thirteen. At the same meeting a committee of five was appointed to canvass the voters of the village and ascertain how each stood upon the question of its adoption. The committee consisted of Henry F. Green, Solomon W. Adams, Ira Russell, B. E. Mack and John Sawtelle. When, at an adjourned meeting January 13, it was found the committee had taken no action, the members were discharged and new ones appointed. They were H. F. Green, S. R. B. Wales, Ira Russell, Horace Baxter and Stephen I. Mellish. They were instructed to at once "ascer- tain the number of the male inhabitants of the District," "solicit the names of all the legal voters in favor of the act of incorporation, and report at an adjourned meeting." Janu- ary 30, 1834, this committee reported their canvass of the voters. They had secured the assent of seventy-four out of one hundred and six voters then residing here.
The following is a complete list of the legal voters resid- ing in the village January 30, 1834, as shown by the report of the above committee.
Adams, Solomon W. Downer, Thomas
Hills, Henry F.
Atkinson, John
Doyl, Alexander
Kennedy, Levi
Bancroft, Ilorace
Doyl, Patrick
Kimball, John
Barker, William P.
Elmore, Eri Lord, George
Barrett, Marshall
Evans, George
Lowell, Wm.
Baxter, Horace
Fleming. Alex.
Luck, Robert
Billing, John
Fraser, Alex.
Lynch, Wm.
Bingham, O. A.
Gilbert Clark
Mack, Benjamin E.
Buckland, M. S.
Gleason, Richard
Mead, Aaron
Bundy, P. E.
Goodridge, Samuel W.
Mellish, George
Burnham, Henry S.
Graves, Hiram A.
Mellish, Stephen I.
Burt, Benj. Green, Henry F.
Miller, Ed. D.
Campbell. A. S.
Minard, Mahlon
Cary, John
Griswold, Theodore Guild, Josiah
Monroe, Gustavus
N MARRIS STORE OF BRICK 3 STORIES
DAVIS & RUSSELLS TAVERN OF WOOD 3 STORIES
WENTHWORTH & BINGHAM STORE DF BRICK
3 STORIES
DWELLING HOUSE OF WOOD 2 STORIES
-79 FT-
-
-
- 54FT-
-
20 FT,
40FT.
60F1
CARRIAGE MAKERS SHOP OF WOOD 2 STORIES.
PLATFORM
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-
1
-
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1 -68F1 --
JEWELERS SHOP BOOK STORE PRINTING OFFICE B.C. R.C
MANSION HOUSE 2 STORIES
7
1
-24 Ft-
SHED BELOW & HALL ABOVE
1
BARN
-
-
.
SOUTH PART OF THE SQUARE IN BELLOWS FALLS, NOV. 28, 1839. From Drawing by Col. Alexander Fleming, Agent of the Bellows Falls Canal Co.
DWELLING HOUSE OF WOOD COOPER SHOP UNDERNEATH
- 55F1-
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....:
استطع١٠٠
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1
355
Voters in Bellows Falls in 1834
Chase, Carlton
Hapgood, Solomon, Jr. Shipman, Abraham
Clark, Andrew
Haseltine, Benj. B.
Shipman, William
Conant, James
Hatch, W. C.
Shrigly, Wm.
Conant, William
Henry, Wm.
Simonds, Willard
Corbally, John
Morgan, James
Snow, Solomon
Cook, Benj. G.
Parker, Caleb S.
Stone, Wm.
Craven, Patrick
Parks, Cady
Taylor, Sam. H.
Cummings, David
Parks, Fred W.
Thomas, Perley
Cutler, James 1.
Parks, Joseph
Tiffany, Amasa
Davis, Loren
Pettes, Simon
Tole, Patrick
Davis, Warren
Pierce, Alvah
Townsend, James S.
Day, Abraham S.
Pierce, Reuben, Jr.
Tucker, Nath'l
Day, George W.
Proctor, Ips.
Upton, Daniel
Guild, Roswell S.
Reid, Freeman L.
Wales, S. R. B.
Guild, Rufus
Robertson, Jno.
Wales, Samuel
Guild, Rufus, Jr.
Robertson, Richardson
Watkins, George 2d
Hall, Caleb
Robbins, Artemas
Wheeler, Arnold
Hall, John
Rogers, John
Wells, Jno. H.
Hall, Wm. Fred
Russell, Ira
Wightman, John G.
Hapgood, Charles
Sawtelle, John
Wilcox, Anal. H.
Hapgood, Levi
Sawtelle, Oliver
Wise, Daniel
Hapgood, Solomon
The last survivor of the the above named voters, who were the business men of that year, was Richardson Robert- son, who died in 1905 at Charlestown, N. H., at the age of ninety-six.
At the same meeting at which the report of the committee given above was accepted, the following were elected the first officers of the corporation " for the year ensuing :" Sam. H. Taylor, clerk ; John Sawtelle, S. I. Mellish, John H. Wells and Wm. Conant, bailiffs ; Carlton Chase, S. R. B. Wales, H. F. Green, Simon Pettes and Wm. Henry, wardens ; Horace Baxter, S. H. Taylor, Wm. Henry, A. Robbins and H. F. Green, a " Committee to draft a code of bye-Laws for the Government and regulation of the Corporation ;" Henry F. Green, treasurer ; Ira Russell, collector.
At various times as the village has grown the first charter has been amended to meet changed needs, but in most respects it has remained substantially as adopted in 1834.
Until 1869 the village had no building of its own except a small shed-like structure for keeping the small hand fire
356
History of Rockingham
engine. The annual and special meetings were usually held in the only school-house of the place, at the corner of School and Cherry streets. It was a one-story brick building at this time with two rooms. February 9, 1835, the village voted " no " to a proposition to add a story to that building to provide a hall in which to hold meetings. At times the records show meetings held in "Wightman's Hall," which was in Farr's block on Rockingham street, "Chase's Hall" over Charles E. Chase's store in what is now Barry's block on Westminster street, in "Gray's Hall " in Gray's block, sometimes in the hall over the horse sheds of the " Mansion " or " American " House, which stood where the store of the Chase Furniture Co. now is, sometimes at the "Bellows Falls Stage House " on the site of Hotel Windham, and sometimes in later years at the offices of Lawyers C. B. Eddy or H. E. Stoughton.
The first vote looking toward a village building was January 3, 1853, and the agitation was kept up until the summer of 1869 when it was voted to build the frame engine house, hall and village building located between Rocking- ham and Canal streets, which served the corporation for all its purposes until 1903, except the meetings of voters of later years which were held in the opera house. The vote under which that building was erected limited the total expense to $1,650. S. S. Coolidge, O. F. Woods and G. H. Babbitt were the building committee. The building was occupied for some purposes during that summer. August 21, 1869, Capt. Walter Taylor was " appointed a committee, and he is hereby authorized and directed to build a lockup in the lower north room of the engine house at a cost of not to exceed $100." Also some other finishing of the interior and sheath- ing was authorized. From this time until the opera house block was erected in 1887, village meetings were held in that hall and Union hall, since then in the opera house, the voters having outgrown the accommodations of engine hall.
The present modern brick block of the corporation was erected upon the same site as the old one, in 1903, at a cost of about $25,000. It is occupied by the offices of the bailiffs,
357
Old Bellows Falls Wells
police station, water department, fire department head- quarters, and a hall and offices are rented.
The first water supply of the village was obtained from wells dug in the vicinity of many of the residences and public buildings. The last of these wells connected with public buildings, was closed up in 1903 when the foundations of the village building were laid between Rockingham and Canal streets. When the workmen came to excavate for the foundations of the new building they found the walls of the well still in good condition although the well itself was filled to some depth with debris. This old well had an interesting history. It was dug in 1799 by Quartus Morgan, who had the year previous purchased the historic "Morgan Tavern " located on the opposite side of Rockingham street, now known as "Frost's block." It was dug as a supply for that hotel at first. It soon became the principal supply for all the resi- dents of that vicinity, and was known as the "town well." In the last years of its use it had a large well house, and a long chain with a bucket on each end, running over a drum operated by a crank; when one bucket ascended full, the other one descended. Many of the present old residents remember seeing this well and house, and recall going there to procure water.
When " Robertson's Tavern " was built in 1817 upon the present site of Hotel Windham, the supply of water was secured from a similar well behind the house, between where the railroad track now is and the canal. This water was good for cooking purposes, but so hard that the different proprietors of the hotel had to use a "wash house" on the banks of the canal using river water for their laundry work.
A few years after the well was dug a peculiar taste became apparent in the water. At about that time, a great interest, which in some places amounted to excitement, was engendered by the discovery of important and valuable medic- inal springs in different parts of the country. The springs at Saratoga were being developed, and the medicinal qualities
358
History of Rockingham
of the Abenaqui springs, located two miles south of Bellows Falls in the town of Walpole, which became so popular a few years later, were then being prominently discussed. The curious taste and smell in the water which came from the "Robertson Tavern " well was at once attributed to the same popular cause, and Mr. Robertson became convinced that he had a second Saratoga, with an equal bonanza for his pocket- book. The fame grew for many weeks, the qualities of the well water becoming more and more pronounced, and people came from long distances with jugs and all kinds of recep- tacles to get the water. It was soon reported to have made marvellous cures of many kinds of diseases. A new and showy house was erected over the well and many people boarded at the tavern to get the benefit of continuous use of the water.
One day it occurred to Mr. Robertson that it would be a good plan to clean out the well and still further improve it. When those who were at work emptying the well came to the bottom they were chagrined to find the decayed bodies of two large house cats which had in some manner fallen into the well. Their presence had caused the offensive taste and odor to which the valuable qualities had been attributed. After the cleaning was completed, there were no further indications of " medicinal " qualities, but the water was of an unusually pure and sweet taste. Mr. Robertson was ever after sensitive at being rallied upon his "medicinal " water, but claimed that he " had the advantage of having enjoyed fame, even if it was of brief duration."
When the Mansion House was erected on the location now covered by the block of the Chase Furniture company and other buildings extending as far south as the School street stairs, a well was dug almost in the centre of the ground now covered by the store of the New York Racket. Over that well for a number of years was a large wooden pump with a long handle, under which was a long trough and into it the water was pumped for animals. Buckets from the house were filled by hanging them on the spout of the pump. The
359
Bellows Falls Aqueducts
picture of this old building upon another page shows this old pump and wooden trough standing in the yard, a prominent feature of the surroundings of the building.
Traditions of the family state that Solomon Hapgood was the first resident to bring running water to his dwelling. His residence was on the west side of Westminster street, on the north corner of the present Hapgood street, where the residence of Francis G. Flint now is.
His aqueduct was at first made from pine "pump-logs," later changed to freestone. His source of supply was a small spring on the side of Oak hill. Later other persons had similar private aqueducts supplying one or two families.
As early as 1821 the question was agitated of bringing water from Minard's pond. The legislature October 27 of that year passed an act incorporating the "First Aqueduct company," upon the petition of Bill Blake, James I. Cutler and Alexander Fleming, "to bring water from Minard's pond, so called, about 1 1-2 miles from said village." No pipe was laid there until 1848.
November 4, 1822, the "Second Bellows Falls Aqueduct company" was incorporated, the act not naming the incor- porators. This company was formed for the purpose of bringing water from the large springs in Westminster, just above Gage's Mills, a distance of about two miles. The first meeting of the stockholders of this corporation was held at Robertson's Tavern, June 3, 1828. The stockholders were Henry F. Green, James I. Cutler, Rufus Emerson, Alexander Fleming, William Hall, Hall & Goodrich, John Robertson, Elizabeth Atkinson, Artemas Robbins, Carlton Chase, J. D. Bradlee, Simon Pettes and Benjamin Burt. There were twenty-four shares in all, of which Judge Benja- min Burt owned three and the other stockholders owned one and two shares each. The officers elected June 16, 1828, . were Dr. Artemas Robbins, president; Rev. Carlton Chase and William Hall, Esq., directors ; Henry F. Green, clerk ; and Simon Pettes, treasurer. They purchased the springs of Judge Burt for $100. December 30, 1828, a committee
360
History of Rockingham
reported the aqueduct as completed by Levi Crowell, Jr., the cost being $1,696.05. Mr. Crowell gave bonds of $2,500 to guarantee that the water would run all right for three years. This aqueduct was first laid with freestone cut about two inches square and twelve or fourteen inches long, bored lengthwise, and the sections were connected by lead thimbles. A few sections of this old aqueduct are still treasured as curi- osities. It was later relaid with lead pipe and has served with varying regularity from ten to fifteen families until the present time.
The present principal source of water supply of the village is a natural pond located a mile and a half northwest of the centre of the village, for many decades known as " Minard's pond." It contains thirty-seven acres, and the surface of its water is two hundred and ninety feet higher than the paving of the Square when it overflows. It nestles in a basin among the hills, completely surrounded by woods, and forms a picturesque and beautiful locality. The water comes largely from very cold springs that rise from the bottom of the pond and it is of unusually pure quality. Within the past few years, as the population of the village has increased and demanded more water, two brooks have been brought into the pond to add to the supply.
The first pipe from Minard's pond was laid in 1848 by a private corporation chartered under the name of the " Bellows Falls Water company." It was organized with the follow- ing directors : James H. Williams (Ist), Asa Wentworth, Jr., George Slate, William Conant and John Arms. Mr. Williams was president and Mr. Slate superintendent and manager during all its history. It was proposed to lay a three-inch pipe, but the village voted to pay the company six per cent interest on the amount of the difference between the cost of a three and four-inch main, and the latter size was adopted. The laying of the mains was completed in 1850 and from that year it became the principal source of supply of the village. The works were purchased by the village in 1872 for $22,000, and in 1873 the four-inch main was
Minard's Pond Water Supply 361
replaced by an eight-inch pipe. Again in 1898 this size was found inadequate and it was in turn replaced by the present main of twenty inches in diameter.
Early in the history of the use of the pond as a water supply, a dam was placed across the low bank on the east side, materially increasing the storage capacity. This dam was relaid and raised five feet higher in 1904, again increasing the estimated storage capacity from seventy-five million gallons to one hundred and thirty-five million gallons.
Frequent analysis of the water by the state laboratory has shown it to be of remarkable purity, and this has been proved by the average good health of the citizens.
The locality around this pond is one of historic interest. Formerly there were numerous dwellings in the vicinity. The pond received its name from the Minard family, who were among the first settlers in the town. William Minard originally lived on what is now known as the Barber park farm on the line of the electric railroad. He built two houses for his sons on the old road leading directly over the hill back of the farm buildings and past the south end of the pond, con- necting near the present intake with the road leading down the east side of the hill to Bellows Falls.
During the memory of a number of persons now living, the land on the east side of the pond, now covered with dense forest, was cultivated, and one resident tells of seeing "a bear in the meadow mowing just east of the pond" when she was a girl. In going from Bellows Falls to the intake, just before the pond was reached, the road divided and a person could go to Saxtons River around the north or south end as they chose. Both roads are now overgrown and hardly discern- ible, but form a pleasing ramble for pleasure seekers. Mr. Minard cleared the first growth of trees around the pond and they produced the most valuable timber of all this locality. Many of the tall pines were floated down the river and found their way to England to be used for ship masts. The old growth of oak was used for ship knees.
There still remain indications of one house that stood on
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History of Rockingham
the east side of the pond near the present intake and an old cellar-hole on the south side in what is known as the Gris- wold pasture. In this latter house, until about fifty years ago, lived a descendant of the Minard family, who, as well as his wife, was a somewhat peculiar character.
Among the stories told by present residents, handed down from their ancestors is the following : Mr. Minard, wishing to make his wife a present, gave her a side-saddle, and, as they had no horse, she used it hour after hour on a log which she had placed in the dooryard. At one time an ox team drawing timber across the pond in winter, broke through the ice. The driver called lustily to Mr. Minard for help, who shouted back asking if "a nail hammer would help in getting the oxen out of the water."
There are two or three farm dwellings still occupied on the western slope north of the pond. Several have fallen to decay since the old road across there was used. This road north of the pond connects with a cross road from the Barber farm to Rockingham village, but little used at the present time.
Minard's pond was, in the early years of the settlement of this vicinity, much noted for its excellent fishing, pickerel, perch, pout, shiners and eels being found there in abundance. On account of the purity of the water from the springs at the bottom, the fish were of firmer and better quality than those found elsewhere. In a "Geographical Gazetteer of the State of Vermont," published in 1823 by N. J. T. George is this statement : "Minard's pond covers an area of about 100 acres. About six years since, pickerel were first procured to be put into this pond by the particular exertion of Gen. H. Bellows ; and the past season (1821) pickerel have been taken weigh- ing five pounds."
The contrast is great between to-day's complete equip- ment of a modern system for fighting fires compared with that of 1835, when the first inventory of the fire department was recorded. It was :
Early Fire Fighting Appliances 363
"One engine with Rigging and Hose sufficient to work the same. Twelve Buckets. Two Narrow Axes. Two Fire Hooks. Five Long Lad- ders. Four Short Ladders and one Engine House."
The members of the engine company numbered sixteen of the leading citizens, and William Conant was captain that year. They had no supply of water but such as could be drawn from the canal and the village wells. The pay of the members of the "department" was provided for in the first by-laws of the village as follows :
" The Polls of all members of the Engine Company shall be exempt from taxation, by this corporation, during the term of said membership, and be furnished with an annual supper at the expense of the Corporation under the direction of the Wardens."
The annual supper clause was repealed in 1842, but until that time this was one of the annual society functions of the place.
In 1849, the question of a larger engine was first agitated but no action taken until after the conflagration of March 14, 1860. During that summer a new "Hunneman" hand engine was purchased at an expense of $1,363, and many of to-day's residents remember the victories won by it in various tests with other departments at firemen's musters at Rutland, Keene and elsewhere. The small value of the first engine is shown by the account of the village treasurer, which shows only $22.50 received for it when sold in 1863. Plank, later cement, reservoirs were placed at the intersections of some of the streets, and these were many years filled by the pipes of the Bellows Falls Water company. After the pur- chase of the water supply by the village, and the enlargement of the mains, hydrants were gradually installed, until to-day there is no property within the limits of the village not covered by them, with a pressure of one hundred and thirty pounds to the inch, as well as by the steamer, mill pumps and other appliances which are second to none in villages of this size. This is shown by the fact that since 1868 no fire has extended outside the building in which it originated.
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