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 5
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Voted, That there be allowed in each lot of the third and fourth divisions, five acres for the use and benefit of the town for highways, if needed, forever.
Voted, That there be reserved two acres of each and every one of the lake lots, for the use and benefit of the town, if needed, for- ever.
Voted, Mr. Daniel Hemenway be a superintendent to oversee the business of laying out of lands voted to be laid out by the Proprie- tors of Shoreham.
Voted, Thomas Rowley, Esq., be the surveyor to lay out the lands voted to be laid out in Shoreham, and his wages to be one dol- lar per each day while in service.
Voted, To lay a tax of Five Spanish Milled Dollars on each right or share of land in Shoreham, to defray the charges of laying out the lands now voted to be laid out, and other back charges against the Proprietary, and that said tax be collected by the first day of October next.
Voted, That this meeting be adjourned to the sun's rising to- morrow morning.
The meeting opened according to the adjournment, on the 29th April, A. D., 1783.
Voted, The first division lots be now drawn by lottery to each Proprietor, reserving out of the draft No. 37 for a town plat, and No. 28 for the first settled minister ; Nos. 35, 30, 29, 19, 34, 31, 16 and 17 to be left out of the draft for the present.
Voted, A committee of three be appointed to prepare and super- intend the draft.
Voted, Col. Doolittle be one of the committee, for the purpose mentioned in the above vote ; Voted, Mr. Roswell Brown be one of the committee; Voted, Mr. Hemenway be the third committee-man, and that the Clerk be directed by the committee to make entry on the record to each original Proprietor, the number drawn to his right.
Voted, That each Proprietor, or his representative, shall pay one
47
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
dollar to entitle him to the privilege of drawing his or their lot, which dollar be one dollar paid in part on account of the five dol- lar tax on each right, voted to be raised for defraying the cost of the proprietary, and the collector's or treasurer's receipt shall be his or their discharge for so much.
Voted, That the Surveyor be directed to lay out one hundred acres of land, in proper form, in parallel lines, that shall enclose each mill place that may be found, and thought proper for the use of building mills in the township of Shoreham.
Voted, That one hundred acres be surveyed and laid out as afore- said, to enclose the place where the saw-mill formerly stood, and the same be set to the right of which Ephraim Doolittle was the original grantee : And it is expected that the said Doolittle cause a saw-mill and a grist-mill to be built at said mill place as soon as possible, and that there be reserved, for the use of said mills, suf- ficient pond room for the use of said mills forever.
Voted, That this meeting be adjourned to the first Monday of Oc- tober next; at one o'clock in the afternoon, then to meet and open at the house of Amos Callender in Shoreham.
THOMAS ROWLEY, Proprietors' Clerk.
The above is a complete transcript of the proceedings of the first Proprietors' meeting of which a record remains. Doubtless meet- ings had previously been holden, perhaps in Massachusetts, before emigration took place, to prepare measures for that object, and in the town after the settlement was commenced.
The next meeting was held accordingly, at the house of Amos Callender in Shoreham, October 6th, 1783. Certain official appoint- ments were made, and the following votes passed :
Voted, That the lake shore shall be free for each and every of the inhabitants of Shoreham, for fishing by drawing seine, &c., ex- cepting what is wanted for the building of wharves.
Voted, That the Five Mile Point, so called, in Shoreham, be laid out in acre lots ; to each Proprietor one acre, exclusive of a two-rod road to the end of said Point, and that each acre-lot be drawn in a lottery to ascertain cach original right, and that the oth- er lake lots extend east of said acre division, so far as they may lie back of said acre-lots, and also on the whole of the lake shore, ex- cepting the Governor's lot, in equal shares to be divided to each proprietor, equal in width, in parallel lines with the south line of the town, extending so far east as to contain twenty-five acres, to be drawn by lottery. and ascertained to cach original right, and called the second division.
48
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
The next meeting was held, by adjournment, at the same place, October 16th, 1783. Various lots were assigned by vote to differ- ent rights ; an additional tax of five dollars on each right was laid, and certam accounts allowed as follows :
Voted, Paul Moore's account against the proprietary of the town of the Township of Shoreham, being Five pounds law- ful money principal, and Five pounds eight shillings, being the in- terest eighteen years, the same to be allowed and paid.
Voted, Daniel Newton's account, exhibited in behalf of the es- tate of Marshall Newton, deceased, for the labor of two men twen- ty-five days each at four and six pence per day, for the proprietary of the township of Shoreham, Ten pounds and the interest for eighteen years, at 10-16-0. Voted, The above account be allow- ed and paid.
The above votes show that a company was engaged in surveying in this town in 1765, one year before the first company came, in 1766. Paul Moore was one engaged in that service, and doubtless remained ' through the winter of 1765 and 1766, evidence of which has been derived from other sources. The surveyors' accounts of Roswell Brown and Timothy Chipman were also allowed at the same meeting.
Sept. 22d, 1784. Six lots were voted to be included in the Fourth Division, along the upper falls of Lemon Fair, to accommodate the mills on those falls, and that a dam ten feet high be allowed to be built at the head of the falls, from the bottom of the channel at the lower dam, for the benefit of flowing a mill-pond, and that the priv- ilege be allowed for flowing a pond for the benefit of mills forever . and these six lots to follow the stream where it covers the most of the pond.
June 7th, 1786. A large number of accounts were examined and allowed, chiefly for work done upon the roads, and at an adjourned meeting, on June 21st, it was voted to lay a tax upon the Proprietors of Shoreham to raise the sum of £128, 5s, 3d, lawful money, to pay the back cost, voted to be paid for surveying and laying out their lands and making roads, &c.
The last meeting of which there is a record existing on the Pro- prietors' Book, was held November 4th, 1793.
The first TOWN MEETING of which there is any record was held,
49
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
as legally warned, for the purpose of organizing the town, choosing and qualifying Town Officers, &c., November 20th, 1786. Present : Nathan Manly, Esq., Justice of the Peace. Thomas Rowley, Esq., was chosen Moderator, and Town Clerk; Selectmen, Amos Callen- der, Ebenezer Turrill, Eli Smith ; Town Treasurer, Ebenezer Tur- rill ; Constable, Elijah Kellogg. The remainder were chosen by nomination, to wit : Daniel Newton, Stephen Barnum, John Lara- bee, Listers ; Elijah Kellogg, Collector ; Stephen Barnum, Grand Juror ; David Russel, Daniel Newton, Nathan Rowley, Ebenezer Turrill, Josiah Pond, Surveyors of Highways.
The above officers were sworn before Nathan Manly, Justice of the Peace.
May 30, 1791. A committee of seven was appointed to divide · the town into convenient School Districts, to wit : Noah Jones, Amos Callender, Jacob Atwood, Ebenezer Turrill, Thomas Barnum, Nathan Rowley and Thomas Fuller.
January 31, 1792. At this meeting, a religious constitution was reported by a committee, previously appointed, and adopted, styled " The Constitution of the Shoreham Christian Society." It pro- vides that the First Division lot of the Minister's Right should be conferred on the first settled minister ; that he shall be bound to deed the Second and Fourth Division lots to the next settled minis- ter of a separate religious society, if any, and the remainder of said right to the town for the use of schooling; that the salary of the first minister shall be " sixty pounds," to be paid in wheat at four shillings per bushel, or in other articles to his acceptance. These measures seem to have been adopted with a view to the set- tlement of Rev. Joel West. See Religious History. '
March 4, 1793. A report was received and adopted, dividing the town into eight School Districts
July 14, 1810. A controversy had existed many years in rela- tion to the claim of Elder Abel Woods, minister of the Baptist So- ciety, to the ministerial right of the town. This claim had been contested in the courts, on the part of the town, and no satisfactory decision attained. At the meeting of this date, Charles Rich, Sam- uel Hunt, Samuel Hemenway, Job L. Howe and Thomas J. Orms- 7
50
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
bee were appointed a committe to settle with Elder Abel Woods, by agreement or otherwise, as they shall judge proper. No subsequent action in the matter is observed in the records.
March 3, 1323. A committee was appointed to build, or other- trise procure, a Poor House, for the reception of the poor, with dis- cretionary power to expend not exceeding Six Hundred Dollars for the same.
September 1, 1829. The Selectmen of the town of Shoreham, Messrs. Kent Wright, Silas H. Jenison and Isaac Chipman, made a report ascertaining and defining the rights of the Town to the Common.
March 1, 1830. Voted to raise one cent on the general List for painting Newton Academy, and procuring a bell for the same.
December 20, 1836. Elisha Bascom, Levi O. Birchard and John Baird, were appointed Trustees to receive and manage such portion of the public money, as may be deposited in the town agreeably to the provisions of an act (of the General Assembly) to provide for the receipt and disposition of the Public Money of the United States which may be deposited with this State, approved November 14th, 1836.
April 29, 1844. A motion being made to approbate Inn-keepers to sell spirituous liquors for the ensuing year, after discussion, it was decided in the negative by vote, 14 to 87. On motion, it was Resolved, That the civil authority be instructed to approbate such perons as they may judge expedient, to sell spirituous liquors, by retail, who will pledge themselves to sell only for medicinal and manufacturing purposes. Passed unanimously.
March 1, 1859. Voted to appropriate $150 for the purpose of procuring the writing of a History of the Town of Shoreham .*
March 6, 1860. The sum of $100 dollars was voted as a con-
»Rev. Mr. GOODHUE having removed with his family to Wisconsin, this vote was obtained to provide for the expenses of his return and temporary absence from home, while engaged in completing the work referred to.
51
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
tribution of the Town, to be appropriated for the purpose of pub- lishing said History.
Messrs. Ebenezer Bush, Isaac Chipman, Davis Rich, E. B. Chamberlin and R. Birchard, were appointed a committee to carry into effect the above votes.
-
52
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
CHAPTER IX.
TOWN OFFICERS-POPULATION FROM TIME TO TIME.
TOWN CLERKS.
Thomas Rowley,
1787-88.
2 years.
Eliakim Culver,
1789-91,
3 "
John Smith, Junr.,
1792-93,
2
John B. Catlin,
1794-1801,
8 "
Thomas J. Ormsbee,
1802, 1806-08,
4
Charles Rich,
1803-05,
3 "
Bela Bailey,
1808,
Joseph Smith, 2d,
1809.
Ebenezer Bush,
1810, 11, 13-26,
16
Samuel H. Holley,
1812,
Levi O. Birchard,
1827-59,
82 “
Rollin Birchard,
1860,
TREASURERS.
Ebenezer Turrill,
1787-92
6 years.
William Jones,
1793-95, 1801,
4 ..
Samuel Hemenway,
1796-98,
3
Jacob Atwood,
1799, 1800,
2
Samuel Hunt,
1802-04,
3
James Fisk.
1805-11,
7 4
Joseph Smith, 2d,
1812-22, 24-26,
14 "
Ebenezer Bush,
1823,
Hiram Everest,
1827,
Elisha Bascom,
1828-44,
17
Edgar S. Catlin,
1845-47,
3
Edwin S. Atwood.
1848-56, 59-60,
9
Rollin Birchard.
1856,-58,
3 16
SELECTMEN.
Eli Smith,
1787, 90,
2 years.
Ebenezer Turrill,
1787,
Josiah Pond,
1787. 89,
2 "
53
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
Isaac Flagg,
1788-89, 94,
Amos Callender,
1788, 92, 1788,
Stephen Smith,
1788-89-1800-01,
4 "
Thomas Barnum,
1788-89,
2
Thomas Rich,
1789-90,
2 "
James Moore,
1790-96,
7 4
Jacob Atwood,
1791-92.95-96,
4
Timothy Page,
1791-93,
3
John Larrabee.
1792,
1
John Ormsbee,
1793, 1803,
2 .
Timothy Chipman,
1794, 98, 1808,
3
Samuel Hemenway,
1795-96, 98,
3 .
John B Catlin,
1797,
Amos Stone,
1797, 1802,
2 .
William Jones,
1797,
1
Charles Rich,
1798-1801,
4 "
Samuel Hunt,
1799-1800, 04-06,
5
Elijah Wright,
1801-04,
4
Stephen Barnum,
1799, 1802, 05, 14,
4
John S. Larrabee,
1803, 04,
2
Ebenezer Atwood,
1805-07, 12-19, 21, 22.
13
Timothy Larrabee,
1807, 09,
2 .
Aaron Lawrence,
1807,
Andrew Birchard ,
1808,
Barzillai Carey,
1809-11,
3 .
William Willson,
1809-10,
2 "
John Baird,
1810-11, 24-25.
4 .
Elisha Bascom,
1811-13, 20-23, 25,
8 .
Hopkins Rowley,
1813,
Joseph Smith,
1814-19,
6 "
Samuel Hand,
1820-25,
6 .
Samuel Northrup,
1820,
Kent Wright,
1827-37, 40. 42, 43, 47,
15
Silas H. Jenison,
1827-35,
9
Isaac Chipman,
1827-34,
8
John T. Rich,
1835-36, 38, 42, 42,
5 16
Marvin North,
1836-38,42-44, 50,
7 "
Lewis Hunt,
1837, 49,
2
M. W. C. Wright,
1888, 39,141, 55,
4 .
Levi B. Harrington.
1839,
Elmer Jones,
1839, 40, 43,
Horace Lapham,
1840, 41.
Orvel Smith,
1844, 45, 52,
3 "
Nazro Northrup,
1844, 45, 52,
8 years. 2 .
James Fuller,
54
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
Alonzo Birchard,
1845, 46, 52,
3 years.
Gasea Rich,
1846, 47,
2 "
Jasper Barnum,
1846-48,
3 "
Lynde Catlin,
1848, 49, 59,
3
Bela Howe,
1849, 50, 56,
3 .
Schuyler Doane,
1850, 51,
2
A. W. Perry,
1851,
John S. Ward,
1851,
A. B. Bascom,
1852,
David Cutting,
1853, 56,
2
James F. Frost,
1858, 55,
2 1
Lewis Treadway,
1856, 57. 59, 60,
4 ‹‹
Hiram Rich,
1856,
Thurmon Brookins,
1856,
James M. Lamb,
1856,
Eli Ray,
1856,
Edwin B. Douglass,
1857,
Stephen Barnum,
1857,
Julius N. North,
1860,
John T. Rich,
1860,
CONSTABLES.
Elijah Kellogg,
1787,
Ensign Colver,
1788,
Timothy Chipman,
1789,
John S. Larrabee,
1790,
Samuel Dunbar,
1791,
John Treat,
1792. 93, 95,
3 years.
Samuel McClellan.
1794,
Joshua Healy,
1796, 98,
2
Charles Rich,
1797,
Philip Smith,
1799, 1800-05, 7,
8 «
Thomas J. Ormsbee,
1806,
Ebenezer Atwood,
1808,
Samuel Rich,
1809, 10.
2 «
William Wolcott,
1811, .
Jeremiah Cutting,
1812,
Silas H. Jenison,
1818, 15,
2
David Barnum,
1816,
Zorastus Culver,
1816,
Jonathan Wright,
1817.
Robert R. Hunsdon,
1818,
William Wolcott,
1819, 20, 2
David Hill,
1821-24, 26,
.5 "
Jesse C. Higley.
1825,
1
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
Marvin North.
1827-29,
3 years.
L B. Harrington,
1830-35.
Amos D. Callender,
1836,
Reuben Smith,
1837-40,
4 “
Alphonzo B. Bascom,
1841-45, 47,
6 .
Lorenzo D. Larrabee,
1846.
Otis S. Barrett,
1848-51.
Myron B. Randall,
1852,
Carlos'H. Jones,
1853,
Ira G. Bascom, 1854-60,
As has already been stated, at the commencement of the year 1786, there were but eighteen families in town. During that year there was an addition of sixty-three families. The following table shows the number of inhabitants at different periods, as given by the United States Census :
Year. No. inh.
Year. No. inh.
1791- 721
1830-2137
1800-1447 1840-1674
1810-2043 1850-1601
1820-1881 1860-1382
Thus it appears, that, in five years, from 1786 to 1791, the number of inhabitants had increased more than ten fold : in nine years, from 1791 to 1800, it had doubled, being at the commencement of the present century, the most populous town in the county. From 1800 to 1810 it had increased more than 47 per cent. From 1810 to 1820 it had decreased about 162, 12 1-2 per cent. This was caused, in part, by the prevalance of a fatal epidemic in 1814, but mostly by the emigration of many families and young men to the county of St. Lawrence in the State of New York. In 1830 the population of the town stood higher than at any other time in its history, hav- ing increased 256 in ten years, or about 8 1-2 per cent. From 1830 to 1840 it had decreased 463, caused by a large emigration to Michigan and Illinois, which commenced about the year 1831. From 1840 to 1850 there was a decrease of 72 in ten years ; of 442 in forty years, and only a gain of only 156 in fifty years. The more serious decrease of the last decade of the census, may yet be modified in the official report. It has been observed that
55
56
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
while the policy of land-holders extends the size of farms, their numbers must diminish in proportion. Since the commencement of the present century, it is believed more than Five Thousand per- sons have emigrated from this town to other parts of the country.
57
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
CHAPTER X.
HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE-FIRST PRODUCTS-WHEAT -- SHEET- HORSES-CATTLE.
From the first settlement of the town the people with few ex- ceptions were devoted to agricultural pursuits. Most of the early settlers came here poor, with means barely sufficient to purchase fifty or one hundred acres of land. At an early day they had to struggle on through many difficulties ; but by persevering industry and econ- omy, most of them in a few years became independent, and a few of them wealthy farmers. At first a large amount of labor was ex- pended in clearing the land of a dense forest. To us this must ap- pear to have been a work requiring the life time of the laborer to accomplish. But in the manner in which they proceeded, it was a work of less time and difficulty, than we of the present day can easily imagine. The early settler in these forests cut at first only the small timber, and left the larger trees standing. The general practice was to cut all the trees which were sixteen inches in diam- eter and under, and to pile the brush around the larger timber, or girdle it. In burning the brush the larger trees were killed. A portion of the logs were drawn off and laid into fences, to enclose the fields, and the remaining timber was piled in heaps and burnt on the ground. By pursuing this method much labor was saved. In some instances contracts were made for clearing land in this manner, as low as four dollars and fifty cents per acre. As a remu- neration for this labor, the owner of the land was almost sure of a crop of wheat the next year, yielding from twenty-five to forty bushels to the acre. After the first or second crop, the land was 8
58
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
usually stocked with grass, to which the soil is remarkably adapted. The dead standing timber was gradually removed in the winter, to supply the family with fuel, of which great quantities were con- sumed in their large open fire places. The pine trees, as their pro- gress to decay was more slow, were permitted to stand longer ; but in a few years were cut and split into rails and laid into fences, many of which remain sound now, after the lapse of sixty years.
At an early day a market was opened for lumber at Quebec. Many of the early settlers employed their winters in drawing im- mense quantities of pine logs and square timber to the lake, to be sawn into deal or plank three inches thick, which were floated in rafts through Lake Champlain, and down the Sorel and St. Law- rence to that mart. It was but a small compensation which the la- borer received for his time and toil, though he was ultimately en- riching himself by clearing his lands, and thus extending the area of cultivation. The oak timber was cut and squared, or split into staves, and was sent in the same direction for a market. Before the forests were cleared the quantities of these two kinds of timber were immense, and the farmer at an early day was essentially aided in bringing his lands into a state of cultivation, by devoting his winter seasons to the timber business.
From the year 1783 to 1791, the productions of the land were mostly wanted for home consumption. Wheat was the principal production at that early day, and as there was little money in cir- culation, contracts were made mostly to be paid in that article, or in rreat cattle. The necessities of the farmer often compelled him to part with his wheat to the merchant, in the fall or early winter, at prices varying from thirty-seven and a half to seventy-five cents per bushel, while many who lacked a supply were under the neces- sity of purchasing it from him before harvest at $1 or $1.25.
From the year 1797 to 1810, wheat was the principal staple of the farmer. During this period, the high prices caused by the wars in Europe, brought him a rich reward for his labors. The land for this crop was generally plowed in June, and laid in fallow during the summer, plowed again the latter part of August or first of Sep- tember, and sowed with winter wheat. The snows of winter were
59
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
generally a sufficient protection from frosts; and a large crop, of the finest quality known in our markets, was secured at the next harvest, and the winter employed in getting it out and drawing it to Troy, where it found a ready market at prices varying from one dollar twenty-five cents to two dollars per bushel. The restrictions put upon our commerce about the year 1810, seriously embarassed this branch of industry.
Previous to the last war with Great Britain, very few sheep had been kept. In the suspense of importations caused by that war and the restrictive measures which preceded it, more wool was wanted for domestic use and to supply the infant manufactures to which that war had given rise. The common wool of the country sudden- ly rose as high as one dollar per pound. The high price of the article stimulated the farmers to increase their flocks, and a general desire was awakened to make wool growing a leading business. The in- terest of the farmer soon prompted him take measures to improve the quality of his staple in order to meet the demands for the finer fabrics.
In the year 1816 the merino sheep were introduced into this town from Long Island, by Zebulon Frost and Hollet Thorn, and considerable numbers were sold by them to our farmers for about forty dollars each, and some bucks for a much larger sum. One buck was sold to Refine Weeks for fifteen hundred dollars. The destruction to the wheat crop from the year 1824 to 1837, by the midge or weevil, induced almost every farmer to stock his farm mostly with sheep. While wool sold for fifty and seventy-five cents per pound wealth rapidly increased; the farms were enlarged and this soon became the largest wool growing town of equal extent in territory, in Vermont, and probably surpassed in the quantity of this product, any town of the same area in New England, or in the United States. According to the census of 1840, the number of sheep in this town was 41,188, and the number of pounds of wool 95,276.
The fall in the price of wool about the year 1839-'40, from which it has never fully recovered, caused a very serious interrup- tion to the business of the farmer. Those who had run in debt for
60
HISTORY OF SHOREHAM.
lands, in the hope of being able to pay for them from the produce of their flocks, suffered severely. Efforts now began to be made to improve the breed, with a view both to greater uniformity in the quality of staple and greater weight of fleece, and in both of these respects many have met with great success. The excellence of their flocks, as well as those of many other towns in the county, has giv- en to their shecp almost a world wide celebrity, and drawn hither purchasers from almost every section of our country, south and west, at prices which have made this as yet the greatest of any one of the branches of our husbandry. It will be percived that according to the census returns of 1840, the average weight of fleece was only a fraction over two pounds and five ounces to each sheep. There may have been some error in the returns. Some may have counted in their lambs. But it may be safely stated that the average weight of fleece was at that time considerably less than three pounds. The light- ness of the fleece must be attributed principally to the mixture of the Saxon blood with most of the flocks, which commenced a few years before. The farmers were not slow to perceive the loss which they had sustained by their attempts to produce a finer staple, as the higher price of this did not compensate for the loss sustained by a diminution of the weight of fleece. They began, therefore, about this time, to pursue such a system of breeding with Spanish bucks as would be most likely to result in an increased weight of the wool per head. With what success this has been done, the returns of the census of 1850 will show in part. The average weight of fleece in the county of Addison according to the census of 1840 was a trifle over two pounds and five ounces to each sheep. In 1850 it was a trifle less than three pounds and five ounces to each sheep. Show- ing a gain of nearly one pound per head on the whole number kept in the county, in the space of ten years. It is believed that the gain in fleece, since 1850 in this town, has been nearly, if not quite equal to that of the ten years between 1840 and 1850, being at the present time not less than four pounds to the fleece. Some of the best graded flocks shear on an average five pounds, and some of the pure blooded Spanish merino flocks more than six pounds to the fleece, of washed wool.
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