History of the town of Shoreham, Vermont, from the date of its charter, October 8th, 1761, to the present time, Part 16

Author: Goodhue, Josiah F. (Josiah Fletcher), 1791-1863; Middlebury Historical Society (Middlebury, Vt.)
Publication date: 1861
Publisher: Middlebury [Vt.] : A.H. Copeland
Number of Pages: 372


USA > Vermont > Addison County > Shoreham > History of the town of Shoreham, Vermont, from the date of its charter, October 8th, 1761, to the present time > Part 16


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26


H *Hall, Lieut. Elias 41-2-3 * Capt, John 42


Hall & Hunsden, 69


Halladay, Theodore 105


*Haldimand, General 156 Hand, Nathan 32, 100, 186, (B. S.) Samuel 98, 105, 142 Augustus 68 Harrington, Edward 34 Russel 37 Hart, John 163 Hawley. Charlotte 184


Haven, Rev. K. 127 *Hayes, Colonel 151 *Haynes, Rev. Lemuel 110 Healey, Jabez 24 Benjamin 24, 105, 126


Hemenway, Samuel 34, 49, 180. 190 Daniel 45-6, 88 Asa 45 Jacob 7


Herrick, Nathan 20 Rufus 20, 31 Samuel 20 Hewitt, Marcus 102


Hickok, Ira 37


Higley, William S. 38, 69


Hill, David 65, 68 Caleb 75 Hillard. Elder 127


Hitchcock, William A. 75 Holbrook, Eleazer 27, 138 David 27 Holley, Samuel H. 71, 100 S. H & J. 68, 100 Houghton, Nahum 7


Howe, Job L. 49. 180, (B. S ) Bela 9, 10 *Humphreys, Gen. David 62 Ilunsden, Charles 31, 34 Allen 31 John S. 34 Robert B. 35 Hunt, Samuel Senr. 31 Samuel 31, 49, 132 John N. 24, 66, 92 Lewis 30, 81 Mrs. 139


J *Jarvis, William 62


Jenison, Levi 32, 50, 61, 106, 187 Ruth 187 Silas II, 32, 187; (B. S.)


Jennings, Gideon 32 Isaac D. 32 Johnson, William 22, 32 Henry 22 Mr. 127 Joshua 160 Jones, Noah 7, 26, 49 William 29 Asa 29 Jason 32 Nelson 33 Samuel 29, 110 Samuel 0. 35


*Judd, E. W. 94


K Kellogg, Elijah 7, 10, 12, 15, 41, 49


Daniel N. 10, 91, 134


* Benjamin 152


* Judge Isaac 152 *Kennedy, J. W. G. 90


King, Mrs. Zerubah 67 Mrs. Pardon 102


L Lamb, James M. 122


Lapham, Horace 10, 135


Larrabee, John 20, 49 John S. 20, 37, 66, 71, 133, 138; 172 William H. 35-7, 75 Lorenzo 124 Timothy 24, 124


Lawrence, Abraham 40 Aaron 40


*


Effingham 63


Leonard, George 35


Lewis, Elisha 35, 105


L'Homidieu, Mrs. 98


*Lincoln, General 43


*Livingston, Chancellor 62 Loveland, Rev. S. C. 127


M


Manly, Nathan 49 Markham, Ebenezer 37 Mrs. Sally 152 Manning, Abiel 68 *Marshall, Rev. Mr. 124 Marsh, Jonas 33, 126 J. A. 33 Leonard, 33, 126 *Macomb, General Alex. 104 McLaren. John 67, 74 McGinnis, John 145


196


INDEX OF NAMES.


McGinnis, Mrs. 145 Menona, Rev. Paul 112 *Merrill, Thomas A. 94 Miller, Joseph 35


Moore, Paul 7, 8, 15, 48, 88, 134, 151, (B. S.) 159 James 26, 27, 88, 110, 157, 159, (B S.) James (2d) 24 Franklin 7, 26 Miss Mary J. 120 Morse. Aaron 102 Morton, Rev. Daniel O. 115, 129, 134


N


Needham, Nicanor 35, 75


Newell, Herod 94, 136, 141 E S. 95 *Newton, Sir Isaac 83


. Marshal 9, 182 Liberty 30 Daniel 17, 19, 49, 126, 135


North, Abijah 21, 88


Mrs. Abijah 134


Simeon 21


Nathaniel 22, 35, 104, 141


Seth 21, 88


Marvin 141


Northrup, Jeremiah 31 Samuel 31 Edwin 26 Edwin H. 27, 31


0


Occum, Rev. Sampson 112 Older, David 102 Ormsbee, John 32, 126 Thomas J. 35, 68, 138, 143


P


Page, Timothy 74. 110, 138 David E. 75


Page & Thrail, 67 *Palmer, William A. 71


*Phelps, Maj. Noah 12, 39


* Samuel S. 135


Perry, A. W. 31


*Pettingill, Rev. Amos 115 Pond, Josiah 22, 49, 110,138,158,(B.S.) *Pope, Mr. 140 Post, Jordan 23 Powell, General 44


Powers, B F. 7, 9 Pratt, David 160 Prescott, Mr. 93 *Prevost, General 183


Puan, Francis 102 Putnam, General 29


R


Ramsdell, John 33, 126 David 33 Randall, Abel 17


*Ravlin, Elder Thomas 1283 Reynolds, John 10, 88 William 11 Rich, Thomas 27, 36 125 Nathaniel 27


Charles 28, 49, 63, 67, 125, 127, 132, 142


Davis 37, 51, 67, 132


Charles (2d) 63


John T 63


Quintus C. 92


Hiram 11, 19


John 102


Samuel 102


Clark 129, 130 Elder Caleb 125, 127


*Robbins, Rev. A. R. 40, 112


*Roberts, Eli 152


Robinson, Erastus 63


Rockwell, Samuel 31


S. B. 69


* John 66


Roe, Orvin 66


Rossman, James 68


Rowley, Thomas 10, 19, 26. 37 45 -6 -9, 110, 132, 162, (B., S.)


Hopkins 12


Thomas Jr. 12, 19, 163


Nathan 37, 163, 171


Rev. Samuel 168


Russell, David 24, 49


Oliver 24 Spaulding, 36, 68


S


Sanford, Lot 31, 98 Perez 68


Sawyer, Elder Ephraim 100, 122-3-1 *Schuyler, General 40


Severance, Edwin J. 35


Seymour, Moses 68


Skeels, Elder Samuel 28, 29, 100, 122


*Skene, Major Philip 16, 39 *Skinner, St John B. S. 97 Simouds, John 38, 69, 70 J.J. 69 W. 0.69


Sisson, Gideon 81-2, 138, 141, 188 Smith, Stephen 12, 23, 122, 182 Eli 23, 49, 110, 122-3, 186 Nathan 23 Nathan Jr.'23 Amos 23 Philip 24, 102, 131, 138 John 27,160


197


INDEX OF NAMES.


Smith, John W. 160


Joseph 23, 66, 122 Orville 66, 99, 135 Sereno 23 Lewis 102 Samuel 102


Sally 134 Polly 182 Rev. Eli B. 98, 116


Elihu 45 Hiram 16


Snow, Amasa 102


Eli 102 Ezra 124


Southgate, David 7


Spicer, Rev. Tobias 124


Stanley, Amos 33 Mrs. Zeviah 99


*Stark, Jonathan 102 *Starr, Rev. Peter 112 Stevens, Roger 88


Stewart, Calvin 103


Matthew 30-8-9


% Ira 170


Stone, Amos 24


Streeter, Rev Barzillai 127


Strong, Moses 71,93


Stickney, Tyler 63, 74


Sunderlin, John 68


Sunderland, Asa 91


T


Taylor, John B. 103


Thomas, Levi 68


Thompson, E. J. 84


Thorn, Hallett 59


Tottingham, B. B. 31


Tower, Gideon 27 Samuel 31 Benjamin 31


Tracy, John 24


Treat, John 31


Trimble, George 67


Alexander 67


Trimble, G. & A. 69


Turrill, Ebenezer 27, 36, 49, 188, 181, (B. S.) Daniel 27


Beebe 27


Truman 68


James 68


Royal 27


David 136 Turrill & Walker, 69


*Tyler, Joseph 15


*Vaughan, Benjamin 23 ,


W Waller, Henry 32 Waite, Upton 33 Wait, William 103


Wallace, Isaiah 34, 124 John 124 *Walton, E. P. 97 Ward, John 141 * Gen. Artemas 11, 20


*Warner, Setlı 15, 152


Watson, William 30


Watts, Nicholas 189


Wells, Randall 144 *Wentworth, Benning 1, 2, 4, 5


*West, Rev. Joel 49, 110-11-12


Weed, Joseph 69


Weeks, Refine 59


White, Allen G. 73


Wickton, Elder 124


*Williams, Roger 163


Witherell, Horace 103


Royal 27 Sylvester 27


Willson, William 29, 126 William G. 29


Jonathan 29


Manoah 32


John 74, 126


Jonathan 126


Wolcott, Samuel 9, 12, 18, 28 Samuel Jr. 9, 12, 19, 88 Almon 9


William 19


William G. 19, 68


Alvin 19


Philemon 19, 137 1


Levi 35, 36


Samuel 72


Jesse 19


Calvin 19


Seymour 103


Wright, Andrew 24 Mrs. Andrew 28


Elijah 33, 63, 125


Kent 36, 67, 68


M. W. C. 29, 92, 94


Charles K. 73 Ebenezer 126


Silas 72


Wright & Hall, 69


Woods, Elder Abel 49, 123, 138


V


198


INDEX OF NAMES. TABLES OF NAMES AND STATISTICS.


Grantees of Shoreham,


Page 45


Graduates of Colleges,


149-50


Town Clerks,


52


Female Foreign Missionaries, 15


Treasurers,


52


Select-Men,


52-4


Constables,


54-5


Population at different times, 55


80


Representatives, in Convention,


78


Funds for Common Schools,


83


County and State Officials,


78-9


Agricultura) Productions (1859),


90


Members of Congress,


80


Lumber Products,


95


Principals of Academy,


84


Summary of Population, (1860)


147


Postmasters,


97


Six Months' Soldiers,


107


Vergennes Volunteers,


107


Census Social Statistics-Valuation, Taxes, Schools, Churches, Libra- ries, Paupers, Wages, 147-8


Plattsburgh Volunteers,


107-3


Births, Deaths and Marriages, 148-9


77-8


Political Party Numbers,


32 & 34 John St .V. Y.


Cameron & Walch, Lith


Sami Swift


STATISTICAL AND HISTORICAL ACCOUNT


OF THE


COUNTY OF ADDISON, VERMONT.


WRITTEN AT THE REQUEST OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MIDDLEBURY,


X


BY SAMUEL SWIFT.


1


MIDDLEBURY : A. H. COPELAND. 1859.


Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by A. H. COPELAND,


In the Clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the District of Vermont.


/


PRINTED BY MEAD & FULLER, MIDDLEBURY.


NOTICE.


-


In writing the "Statistical and Historical account of the County of Addison," it has not been my intention to interfere with the histories of the several towns, which may be published ; nor state any facts or Statistics, exeept such as have some reference to the County generally. I should have been gratified to notice some of the distinguished citizens in the several towns, especially such as have been in office in the county ; also the Academies and other High Schools, which have been established in several towns. But I was unwilling to take these out of the hands of the historians of the several towns, which they will be much better qualified to describe, and which are more properly within their province.


This work was written, when the materials were collected, in 1855. Since that some changes of a public character have taken place, and some information has been received, which I have inserted in the text or notes ; but most of the chapters remain as they were written,-no new materials have been collected.


S. SWIFT.


CONTENTS.


(COUNTY OF ADDISON.)


-


CHAPTER I.


PAGE.


Territory-Face of the Country-Soil-Original Forests-Lime-Marble- 5


Streams.


CHAPTER II.


County Seats-County Buildings-Courts-Changes of the Judiciary


19


CHAPTER III.


Indians-Indian Relics.


23


CHAPTER IV.


French Settlement in Addison County-Couquered by the British and their Retreat-Grants of Land by the French 4.1


CHAPTER V.


New Hampshire Charters-Controversy with New York ..


CHAPTER VI.


51


Opposition West of the Mountain-Negotiations with the Inhabitants of Ben. nington-Affair at Walloomsic-Capture and trial of Hough-Col. Reed's Claim-Captain Wooster's Grant-Dunmore's Grant. 59


CHAPTER VII.


Effects of the War and the Declaration of Independence on the Controversy- Conclusion of the Controversy. 70


CHAPTER VIH.


Incidents of the War in the County of Addison. ...


.


80


CHAPTER IX.


Agriculture-Wheat-Transition from Grain to Stock-Sheep


94


CHAPTER X.


Cattle-Horses


106


CHAPTER XI.


Agricultural Society-Medical Society .. 113


CHAPTER XII.


Population-Character-Advantages-Dangers


APPENDIX.


121


No. I .- Chief Judges of the County Court-Assistant Judges of County Court -County Clerks-State's Attorneys-Sheriffs-High Bailiffs-Judges of Probate District of Addison,-District of New Haven .. 125


No. II .- Statement of Agriculture, Farms and Implements, Stocks, Products &c., taken from Census of 1850. 130


No. III .- A Table showing the population of the several towns in the County of Addison, at each United States Census, since Vermont was admitted into the Union. · 181


COUNTY OF ADDISON.


CHAPTER I.


TERRITORY-FACE OF THE COUNTRY-SOIL-ORIGINAL FORESTS- LIME-MARBLE-STREAMS.


SOON after the organization of the Historical Society of Middle- bury, the importance of procuring, as early as possible, histories of the several towns in the County became a subject of consideration. Already nearly all the men who had shared in the occurrences and toils of the first settlement had passed away; and their imme- diate descendants, who are the next best witnesses, will soon follow them. It is known to all, who have any knowledge of the subject, that no histories are so interesting to residents, especially descend- ants of the early inhabitants, as the history of the perils and hard- ships of the first settlement in their respective towns. Yet this subject had been everywhere too much neglected, and was likely +- be neglected, unless some exterior influence show!" wvught to bear upon it. The subject was. +1 -se, brought more distinctly before the Society, at. +4 -> annual meeting on the 29th day of De-


cember, 18.10. At this time a committee was appointed to consider the subject and make report at the next meeting. At a subsequent meeting, on the 23d of February, Professor STODDARD, one of the committee, made a report, which was accepted, and the plan recom- mended was adopted, and a committee appointed to carry it into effect. This committee appointed competent agents in the several towns, and sent to them circulars, embracing the plan recommended


2


-


6


HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


by the society. But the committee have found it a more difficult task than they had anticipated to accomplish so desirable an object. Some of the agents declined the undertaking, and others, who had given encouragement, neglected the task so long that all hope from them was given up. In many of the towns new agents were ap- pointed, and requested to perform the service. In two of the most important towns, gentlemen, fully competent to the undertaking, had collected materials, and made progress in the work; but in the midst of their labors, one of them was arrested by death and the other removed from the State. Notwithstanding the faithful exer- tions of PHILIP BATTELL, Esq., Secretary of the society and one of the committee, a few only of the histories have been completed. But it was thought best to delay the publication no longer. On examination and inquiry, however, no person could be found willing to undertake the publication of the whole together, as was proposed, or separately, on account of the limited sale which must attend the work. Since the passage of the act of the Legislature at their ses- sion in 1858, it is proposed to commence the publication of the his- tory of each town separately, as fast as they are written, and the towns shall furnish the requisite encouragement. The histories are obtained through the agency and published under the direction of the society. But it is to be understood that the society take to themselves none of the credit or responsibility of the composition. These belong exclusively to the several authors.


As the plan is designed to embrace the histories of all the towns with some generar tu of Addison, it is thought proper to introduce them properly has no history. It has of that territory as a whole. The County graphy and its geology ; but it has no active independent existence; no av or laws of its own to be recorded. It is a field rather, in which the Start porates by its acts and laws. It has its courts, but they are established by the State; and it has its officers, but they are appointed or commissioned by the State. Its history is only the history of a part of the State, and the history of the State is its history. This fact may justify the record we make of incidents, which properly belong to the his- tory of the State. In doing so we have relied on original docu-


7


HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


ments, and do not design to give any general history, but to confine ourselves chiefly to such incidents as are not contained in our present State histories, and thus perhaps correct some views and facts stated by them.


The County of Addison is situated on the west line of the State and nearly in the centre north and south; between 43º 50' and 44° 10' north latitude. It is bounded on the west by Lake Cham- plain, the western boundary of the State; on the north by the towns of Charlotte, Hinesburgh and a part of Huntington, in the County of Chittenden ; on the north-east by a part of Huntington, and by Fayston, Warren and Roxbury, in the County of Washington; on the south-east by Braintree, in the County of Orange, and Roches- ter, in the County of Windsor; and on the south by Benson, Sud- bury, Brandon and Chittenden, in the County of Rutland. It em- braces at the present time the following towns :


ADDISON, GRANVILLE,


NEW HAVEN, STARKSBOROUGH,


BRIDPORT, HANCOCK,


ORWELL, VERGENNES,


BRISTOL, LEICESTER, PANTON, WALTHAM,


CORNWALL, LINCOLN,


RIPTON, WEYBRIDGE,


FERRISBURGH, MIDDLEBURY,


SALISBURY, WHITING.


GOSHEN, MONKTON,


SHOREHAM,


The County formerly embraced an unincorporated tract of land known by the name of Avery's Gore; the east part of which, by act of the Legislature passed November 6, 1833, was added to the town of Kingston, now Granville, and the north part was added to Lincoln, by act of November 12, 1849.


This County was established by act of the Legislature October 18, 1785, and the territory which it contained is described in the act as follows : "Beginning at the northwest corner of Orwell, then running eastwardly on the north line of Orwell, Sudbury, Brandon and Philadelphia, and then so far east as to intersect the west line of the first town, that is bounded in its charter, or some town or towns, which are dependent for their original bounds on Connecticut River as aforesaid, to the south line of the Province of Quebec, which is the north line of this State; then westwardly in said line through Missisque Bay, &c., to the centre of the deepest


8


HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


channel of Lake Champlain ; then southwardly in the deepest chan- nel of said lake till it intersects the west line from the northwest corner of said Orwell; then east to the bounds begun at; which territory of land shall be known by the name of the County of Ad- dison ; and the east line of said County of Addison shall be the west line of the counties of Windsor and Orange, so far as they join."


The County by this act embraced the territory to the north line of the State, so far east as to include a large part of the Counties of Washington and Orleans. The town of Kingston, now Granville, not included in the original boundaries, was set off from Orange County to this, by act of the 19th of October, 1787. The act es- tablishing the County of Chittenden was passed on the 22d of Octo- ber, 1787, making the north line of this County the same as at present, except that it embraced the town of Starksboro, which af- terwards by the act of 1797 was included in this County. The town of Warren, which was included in this County, by act of the Legislature in 1829, was annexed to the County of Washington ; and the town of Orwell, then in the County of Rutland, was, on the 13th November, 1847, annexed to this County. These constitute all the changes made in the territory of the County since its first establishment, leaving in it the towns above enumerated.


The eastern part of the County extends over the first range of the Green Mountains; and five of the towns are situated on, or among the mountains, and others extend their eastern borders up the west- ern slope. About a quarter of the county is mountainous, or has a soil of similar characteristics. The soil of this tract is generally loam of variable compactness, and some is gravelly or sandy. Some of the hills are so stony or steep as to be better suited for pasture than for tilling. But large portions are not too stony or steep to be excellent tilling lands, and are quite productive of many valuable crops. When opened for a season to the influence of the sun, they produce good crops of corn, spring wheat and other grains, and they are especially valuable for grazing. The alluvial lands on the branches of White River in the eastern towns, and on other streams, are especially valuable for these purposes. The towns west of the mountains are in part very level, and in part, what may be called


9


HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


rolling, with a few hills too prominent to bear that designation. Among which is Snake Mountain, a long ridge of moderately ele- vated land, lying on the borders of each of the towns of Addison, Weybridge and Bridport. In these towns, the prevailing soil is clay, of different degrees of stiffness, with some loam, gravelly and sandy land, on the more elevated portions, which rise above what is said by geologists, to have been once covered with water.


On the borders of Lake Champlain, especially in the towns of Addison, Panton and Ferrisburgh, are very extensive flat lands, composed of clay, with a mixture of vegetable substances, which were obviously once the bottom of the lake. These lands, when cleared are remarkably productive of grass ; but for other crops are too stiff for easy cultivation, and are liable to suffer when the season is too wet or too dry. In this tract are several sluggish streams. One of which especially, being of greater extent than the others, bears the name of Dead Creek. It rises in Bridport, and runs northerly, through Addison and Panton and empties into Otter Creek in Ferrisburgh. This, as well as the others, is supplied to a moderate extent, from small springs at the bottom of the channel, but principally by rain water and melted snow, collected from an extensive surface in small ravines. The stream being nearly on a level with Otter Creek, the water is increased or diminished by the rise or fall of the latter stream, whose waters set up into it. An- other called Ward's Creek, also rises in Bridport, and runs through a corner of Addison and empties into the lake about a mile south of Crown Point, and another called Hospital Creek empties into the lake a short distance north of Chimney Point. The quantity of water in these depends on the height of the water in the lake. These sluggish streams afford water for cattle in their neighborhood, through the summer, except in the driest seasons.


Lemon Fair rises in Orwell and runs through the eastern part of Shoreham, southeast part of Bridport, and northwest part of Corn- wall, and empties into Otter Creek in Weybridge. In Shoreham there is a considerable water power on this stream, but below that it is very sluggish, and its quantity of water depends much on the height of the water in Otter Creek, in the spring and other freshets.


10


HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


On the borders of this creek are also extensive flat lands, which have no superior for the production of grass.


On the borders of Otter Creek are also extensive flats, which in the spring and other high freshets are overflowed by the waters of the creek. A part of the tract, especially in Cornwall and Whiting on the west side, and Middlebury and Salisbury on the east side, is so low as to be called a swamp, and, except small patches called islands, consists of vegetable substances to the depth, in some places, of ten feet. These lands when cleared and thoroughly drained be- come very productive.


The natural growth timber on the flat lands last mentioned, was pine, cedar, tamarack, soft maple, black ash and elm, with an occa- sional mixture of other trees. And similar timber was the growth of a similar swamp in New Haven, and another in Shoreham. On the flat lands on the border of the lake, the original timber was pine, oak, soft maple, black ash, and some other trees in smaller numbers. On the western slope of the mountain were a few patches of pine, and in other parts of the mountainous region were fine groves of maple, beach, birch, black cherry and hemlock, and a very handsome growth of spruce, which has become an important article for building and for exportation. In other parts west of the moun- tains were considerable tracts of pine and oak. Besides these the principal trees were maple, beach, ash, basswood, butternut, walnut and hemlock. The large quantities of pine and oak have been so freely used for building and for exportation, that they have already become scarce and high in price.


In the western part of the County, the lands on the borders of the lake, especially in the towns of Bridport, Addison and Panton, are greatly deficient in water. There are no considerable running streams, except the dead streams we have mentioned. The living water from springs is very limited; and some of these are so strongly impregnated with Epsom Salts, that the inhabitants have evaporated the water to procure the salts for medicine. It is said that cattle are fond of the water, and that the springs were much visited by the deer before the settlement of the country. In some parts the inhabitants are obliged to resort, to a great extent, to rain water for


11


HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


family use; and farmers, who live at a distance from the lake and creeks, are much troubled in dry seasons to obtain water for their cattle. Except the limited water power on Lemon Fair in Shore- ham, there is none in that town or either of the towns above men- tioned of much value. And yet these towns are among the most wealthy agricultural towns in the County.


The range of granular lime stone, which enters this State from Berkshire County, Mass., at Pownal, and passes through the Coun- ties of Bennington and Rutland, passes also through this County. The lime produced from it is of a very superior quality, and is thought, by those acquainted with it, to be much superior to the lime from Maine, which is common in the Boston market. Considerable establishments,-one especially, near the Whiting Railroad Station, built by L. P. White, Esq .- have been formed for manufacturing it; and large quantities are already exported by the railroad to the eastern towns; and the demand is such as to authorize an extensive enlargement of the business, where the requisite fuel is not too ex- pensive.


From this range large quantities of marble are taken out and manufactured in Bennington and Rutland Counties, and exported to every part of the United States. The marble improves, in its fine- ness and compactness, as it advances north, and it is believed that the best in the whole range is to be found in Addison County. It is of a finer quality than any which has been discovered, unless it be the quarry in Sudbury near the south line of this County. It is pronounced by competent judges to be superior to the Italian marble for statuary, and the only doubt is, whether large blocks can be ob- tained sufficiently sound. No sufficient exploration has been made to settle that question. No persons have been able and willing to invest a sufficient capital for that purpose. Some injudicious ex- penditure was made on a quarry about a mile east of the village of Middlebury. But it has been in hands not yet able to make a thor- ough exploration. Another quarry, on which there has been some expenditure, is at Belden's Falls, two miles north of the village of Middlebury. It was purchased, together with the water power, by the late Col. PERKINS, of Boston, and PERKINS NICHOLS, of New


12


HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.


York, both too far advanced in life to engage personally in the business. Under a contract made with them, a company of men undertook to make an examination of the quarry, under the super- intendence of a scientific gentleman, Professor FOSTER. The ex- amination was continued for several weeks, and a considerable num- ber of blocks were taken out, and the Professor, to the very last, expressed entire confidence that the marble was sound, and that & large establishment would soon be made for the purpose of working it. But the work was suddenly stopped without any reason known to us.




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