USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Springfield > History of the town of Springfield, Vermont : with a genealogical record > Part 37
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Mm H. H. Putnam.
business ability and elected him con- stable and collector in 1880, and first selectman in 1885, which office he held until 1889, and was again elected in 1892. He was president of the village in 1889, and first trustee in 1891. In 1886 he was commander of Jarvis Post, G. A. R., and delegate to the National Encampment at St. Louis in 1887. In 1889 he built a commodious and well finished residence on the James Lovell land, east of what was formerly called the Col. Wood place, where he now lives.
He m. May 26, 1874, Sarah R. Pulsipher, daughter of William W. and Electa (Barnes) Pulsipher of Rock- ingham. Ch. :
I. May Emma, b. Aug. 22, 1875.
II. John Charles, b. Feb. 11, 1877.
III. William Eli, b. Feb. 15, 1879.
IV. Edwin Garfield, b. Dec. 14, 1881. V. Howard Eaton, b. Sept. 19, 1883. VI. Harry Barnes, b. April 25, 1887.
VII. Russell, b. Feb. 18, 1882; d. Feb. 22, 1889.
VIII. Sarah Lousia, b. April 8, 1891.
IX. Carrie Lucy, b. March 25, 1893.
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
John Putnam, father of William H. H., m. 2d, Caroline Howard, who after the death of her husband came to Springfield to live. She d. Feb. 8, 1894. Ch. :
I. James H., b. June 3, 1848. He learned the tinsmith's trade of Wiley & Smith, at Rockingham, Vt., during the war; worked at Bellows Falls. and later at Springfield, where he is now in the employ of Pond, Gridley & Co.
II. Carrie R., b. Sept. 29, 1850. She was of most aimable and generous disposition and noble Christian character, always a cheerful helper in every good work. She d. Feb. 24, 1894, mourned by a large number of loving friends.
DAVID A. RANDALL m. Jane C. Woodard, daughter of Jonas and Betsey (Hall) Woodard. Ch. :
I. Minnie J., b. Aug. 4, 1862.
II. Nellie A., b. Oct. 20, 1864.
FREDERICK L. RANDALL, son of Simeon and Percis (Ward) Randall, was b. June 11, 1825; m. April 4, 1850, Ellen P. Messenger, daughter of Ezra R. and Philena (Corlew) Messenger. Ch. :
I. Ezra F., b. in Fitchburg, Oct. 25, 1852; d. May 30, 1886. He m. Oct. 20, 1880, Stella V. Sillsby.
II. Edward L., b. Oct. 24, 1866.
HENRY J. RANDALL, son of Levi C. and Johanna (Litchfield) Randall, was b. Feb. 22, 1831; m. May 25, 1862, Maria L. Parker, daughter of Amnos and Lucinda (Nevers) Parker. Ch. :
I. Levi L., b. March 25, 1863; m. Dec. 31, 1885, Jennie Jenkins.
II. Gertrude M., b. April 16, 1867.
III. Agnes S., b. March 23, 1874.
JOHN RANDEL was born in Durham, N. H., March 9, 1730, and moved into Springfield in November, 1786.
He was in the company of Rangers under Major Robert Rogers, ordered by Gen. Amherst, Sept. 13, 1759, to attack the Indian settlement of St. Francis, on the St. Francis River, in Canada. After destroying the village of St. Francis, Major Rogers, to avoid pursuit, determined to return to Crown Point by way of No. 4, Charlestown, N. H. Having reached Lake Memphremagog, and pro- visions being scarce, he divided his detachment into small companies, and, having ordered them all to assemble at the month of the upper Amonoosuc, where he expected to find food, he sent them on their march. It seems that Randel and five others attempted to reach No. 4 by a shorter route than that down the Connecticut, and strike Black River. Randel and two of his com- panions reached the river at the falls, where Springfield village now stands, the others having died on the way. Randel cheered the other two, telling them they were now near the fort. When at the falls near Gould's Mills, they became delirious, and Randel was obliged to leave then, while he followed along the river until he saw smoke which led him to a log cabin belonging to John Nott, a settler near the mouth of Black River. Mrs. Nott was wash-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
ing and had a good fire, and while warming himself, Randel asked for food and was given some beans. His attack upon them was so ravenous that Mrs. Nott asked him how long he had been without food, and when she learned that he was one of the Rangers of Major Rogers her generosity knew no bounds. She soon had a savory cup of tea for him and cared for him overnight. In the morning he reached the fort, where he found some of his comrades had safely arrived. A party was sent back to look for the two men left at the falls, but they were never found.
John Randel was a cooper by trade, and tradition says that when cutting hoop poles on Skitchewaug mountain he discovered a lead mine, but kept the location of it a profound secret. The fact that a small vein of lead was found when blasting for the road near J. M. Butterfield's gives some ground for believing the tradition true. Frank Hubbard Keyes of Watertown, Mass., who was born in 1826, and who lived iu childhood with his grandfather, Calvin Hubbard, on the Hubbard farm, told the writer that he remembers a visit of this Randel to the farm in 1830; that Randel told him that he was a century old, and gave an account of the journey above described, which made a lasting impression on his mind. Randel then was living in Spencer Hollow, and came on horseback.
JAMES RANDEL, son of John came here with his son Solomon from Dur- ham, N. H., in 1790, finding their way to Lockwood's Falls by marked trees. They settled in Spencer Hollow, on land now owned by John R. Gill.
SOLOMON, son of James, b. in 1781, d. Sept. 9, 1863. Hem. in 1804 Elizabeth Eldridge. They went to Barnstable on their wedding tour, on horseback, each having a horse, an unusual luxury in those days. Ch. were:
1. Parmela, m. Daniel Washburn ; res. in Guildhall, Vt.
2. Miles, d. in Springfield.
3. Smith K.
4. Mary, m. Hiram Houghton.
SMITH K. RANDEL, son of Solomon, b. in Springfield, Sept. 21, 1812. He was identified with the business enterprises of this town for many years. At one time he was in the stone-cutting business, and sold to Franklin Barney, in 1851. He was afterward in stove and tinware trade, and later a member of the Vermont Snath Co. He and George O. Henry built the block now owned and occupied by C. A. Leland & Son. He bought and for seventeen years lived on the Smiley farm, lately sold to Norman Stone; also owned the Litch- field farm after the death of its former owner, M. P. Whitcomb. Some years since he built the house north of the common, where he died in 1895.
Mr. Randel was a man of indomitable courage. He had a profound regard for religious institutions, and was always a generous supporter of the Metho- dist church.
He m. April 12, 1838, Emeline Henry, dau. of Samuel and Sarah (Cooledge) Henry of Charlestown, N. H. Ch. :
(1). Mary, b. March 3, 1839; m. Emerson Whitcomb; she d. March 14, 1881.
(2). George H., b. Dec. 29, 1841; settled in Fitchburg; engaged in marketing ; m. Mary S. Atwood (deceased).
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
(3). Abbie E., b. March 22, 1845; m. Enoch W. Wetherbee.
(4). Edwin S., b. Nov. 11, 1848; m. Christina Weston.
(5). Sarah H., b. Sept. 21, 1851; m. Oscar Weston.
(6). Elizabeth, b. Jan. 28, 1854; m. John D. Cutler.
(7). Charles F., b. Sept. 2, 1856 ; d. Feb. 20, 1864.
(8). James, b. April 10, 1859; m. Nellie C. Patterson.
T. TAYLOR RANNEY, son of Timothy E. and Charlotte (Taylor) Ranney, was born at Lee's Creek, Indian Territory, Nov. 9, 1852. His parents came east in 1861, running the border gauntlet, overtaken first by Southern sym- pathizers and then by Northern, several times by each. Taylor was educated at West Charleston, Vt., and at St. Johnsbury Academy. In 1869 he entered a country store at West Charleston. In 1871 he was with Heywood & Co. at Claremont, N. H., and later in dry goods store at Montpelier. In February, 1889, he located at Springfield in company with C. D. Perkins, under the firm name of Ranney & Perkins, dry goods, succeeding Henry Fletcher in the " Corner Store."
He m. Abby E. Densmore, daughter of Jonathan and Clara (Dustin) Densmore of Claremont, N. H. Ch. :
I. C. Raymond, b. at Montpelier, July 2, 1883.
LEONARD REDFIELD, son of Roswell and Betsey (Belknap) Redfield, was b. in Springfield, Nov. 24, 1880; m. July 1, 1845, Martha Cook, daughter of Otis and Betsey (Tobey) Cook. Ch. :
I. Martha Helen, b. March 3, 1848; d. June 3, 1863.
II. Leonard C., b. July 28, 1850; m. March 17, 1886, S. Agnes Leach.
III. Elizabeth A., b. Aug. 26, 1853; d. June 24, 1863.
IV. Everett Hamilton, b. Dec. 17, 1855.
V. Fred Clinton, b. Sept. 13, 1858.
VI. Hattie Frances, b. Nov. 21, 1861; d. June 11, 1863.
VII. Julia Francelia, b. Aug. 14, 1864 ; m. Daniel F. Wheeler, Oct. 12, 1886.
DANIEL RICE. On the 24th of September, 1888, there passed from our midst a man who for forty years had been a familiar figure to the people of Springfield. Although not a constant resident here, he was always a lover of the place, and perhaps did his part toward sustaining the reputation for indus- try, independence, and loyalty to right principles which our quiet New Eng- land town, in common with many another like it, has always borne.
Daniel Rice was born in Dummerston, Vt., on the twenty-fourth day of July, 1808. Nurtured and reared upon a farm in the times when a day's work meant toil from the rising to the setting of the sun, he acquired from his surround- ings the character which he retained through life. Great physical strength, simple tastes, good habits, and a love for the beautiful in nature were the re- sults of this early training, and they constituted the bulk of his capital and stock when he left the farm to make for himself a place in the world.
His educational advantages had been small, confined to a few winter terms in school when nature kindly covered the earth so deeply with her white mantle that the farmer boy could not cultivate the fields and might therefore have leisure to cultivate his mind. Nevertheless, his inclination soon led him
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
to books, and as his first work was in selling them, extensive travel and con- tact with men gave him a practical education which no other schooling could supply. Before the country was gridironed with railroad tracks, he travelled through the West with horse and buggy, and was equally familiar with the South from Virginia to Texas, in the days of slavery. In his efforts to secure the rare books which he afterward published, he went several times to Europe, ac- complishing his object each time. The nature of these works took him among the statesmen and scientists of the past generation, and from such men as Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Andrew Jackson, and John J. Andubon he received friendly encouragement in the publication of his books, which were nearly all of a national character. The most important of them were the "North American Sylva," a botanical work of great beauty, containing hand-painted steel engravings of all the trees native to the soil of our country; the " His- tory of the Indian Tribes," with colored plates of the principal chiefs and war- riors familiar to history, taken from the original paintings in the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, which were afterward destroyed by fire ; and the " Na- tional Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans," from Washington to Grant, and containing more than one hundred and fifty biographies and steel engravings. In addition to these, he was interested in the rare works of the naturalist Aubudon, and also published a sumptuous folio edition of "Boy- dell's Illustrations of Shakespeare." Among these books he toiled for more than half a century, winning for himself the reputation of publishing uniqne and costly books which others hesitated to take np.
And yet, in the midst of this work in which he delighted, there was another influence entirely foreign to it, which was constantly drawing him from it. He was a lover of the soil, and every year the old associations among his native hills lured him back from the city to labor in the fields he had helped to beautify and among the trees his own hand had planted. What to others seemed hard work was to him relaxation and rest, and np to the time of his death he was the example, as well as the advocate, of the dignity of labor and the nobility of doing with one's might whatever oue's hand found to do. As a citizen, he was loyal and public spirited, contributing to the extent of his means to any good work. Many of the trees along onr highways, abont our school grounds, and in the cemetery where he now lies, were placed there by him. In politics he was a stanch Republican, and the last time he left the honse was to cast his ballot for the man whose grandfather he voted for nearly fifty years ago.
Enemies he undoubtedly had, for he was uucompromising when his ideas of justice and morality werc infringed upon. He recognized but two classes of people in the world, the good and the bad, and casting his lot with the former, he shunned the latter altogether. Neither policy nor self-interest ever turned him from the path he had marked out as the right one. His mistakes were er- rors of judgment, not of motive, and he ended his life, as he began it, -an honest, sturdy, and God-fearing man, whose dearest possession was his spot- less reputation.
Mr. Rice married Maria P. Munn, who is still living (1894). Ch. :
I. Ann Maria, b. Sept. 2, 1842; d. Feb. 15, 1843.
II. Ellen Sophia, b. Dec. 8, 1844; d. Aug. 7, 1864.
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
III. Frank Fletcher, b. July, 12, 1847; d. Feb. 6, 1881.
IV. Florence M., b. -; m. Charles H. Robbins. Ch. :
1. Florence Hyde, b. Feb. 6, 1875 ; res. in Boston, Mass.
V. Arthur Frederick, b. Feb. 3, 1856. Fitted for college at Springfield High School, and graduated at Dartmouth in the class of 1886. Married, and resides in New York.
CHARLES E. RICHARDSON was b. in Roxbury, Mass., Dec. 13, 1836; was ed- ucated in the common schools, and commenced business for himself in Charles- town, N. H., on the spot where the Silsby Library now stands. Ile had a country store, telegraph office, and was also postmaster and town clerk. On the death of George Olcott. cashier of the Connecticut River National Bank, George Olcott, Jr., was appointed cashier, and Mr. Richardson was appointed teller. In 1886 he came to Springfield to succeed E. P. Gilson as cashier of the First National Bank, but was obliged to re- linquish the position on ac- count of his health. When the Parks & Woolson Ma- chine Company was incor- porated in 1874, he became the treasurer, which position he now holds. Ile has for several years been president of the First National Bank, has had a large experience in finance, is a man of in- tegrity and sterling char- acter, and has been a valuable member of the business firms and institutions with which he is connected.
FRED M. RICE, son of Frederick and Lois (Cush- CHARLES E. RICHARDSON, man) Rice, was b. in Wind- sor, May 13, 1852; m. Dec. 31, 1879, Emma C. Putnam, daughter of 'Timothy M. and Sarah A. (Gould) Putnam. Ch .:
I. Ethel N., b. Dec. 4, 1882.
II. Adin L., b. April 22, 1884.
III. Cleon G., b. May 6, 1885.
IV. Edgar F., b. Dec. 12, 1887.
ORRIN RICE, son of Benjamin and Lois (Hardy) Rice, was b. in Rocking- ham, Vt., March 28, 1820; m. July 1, 1847, Jane W. Randall, daughter of Moses and Esther (Whitney) Randall, b. at Springfield, June 25, 1829. Ch. :
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
I. Esther J., b. June 20, 1848; m. Edwin E. Lawton. He d. - ; she m. 2d, Nelson Parker.
II. George S., b. Feb. 9, 1850; d. in infancy.
III. Lois J., b. Aug. 6, 1851; m. Aug. 15, 1878, George F. Putnam.
IV. Ida M., b. Feb. 23, 1864 ; m. Lyman M. Randall, Nov. 24, 1878.
V. Lizzie, b. Feb. 12, 1866; d. in infancy.
WILLIS H. RICHMOND, son of Lemuel C. and Jane A. Richmond, was b. in Barnard, Vt. He is now Deputy Superintendent of the House of Correction at Rutland, Vt. He m. June 8, 1876, Bertha Smith, daughter of Samuel and Al- mira (Hadley) Smith, b. in Londonderry, Vt., April 18, 1856. Ch. :
I. May J., b. May 6, 1877.
II. Claude M., b. Jan. 6, 1879.
III. Ralph C., b. July 4, 1880.
IV. Pearl H., b. Sept. 18, 1888.
PATRICK RILEY, son of Thomas and Bridget (Burke) Riley, was b. in Ire- land, March 10, 1835; m. Kate Meehan, daughter of Patrick and Elizabeth (Lemon) Meehan. Ch .:
SAMUEL ROLLINS.
I. Lizzie J., b. March 9, 1876. II. Maggie L., b. April 27, 1880.
III. John P., b. May 4, 1883.
JUSTIN T. ROBINSON, son of William and Lois (Taylor) Robinson, was b. in Reading, Sept. 6, 1829; m. Lydia Bagley, daughter of Fred- erick and Lucinda (Crosby) Bagley. Mr. Robinson is en- gaged in the lumber and chair stock business at Gould's Mills. Ch. :
I. Ada L., b. March 18, 1865. II. Laban M., b. Feb. 10, 1873. In business with his father. III. Clara L., b. Nov. 18, 1878.
THOMAS T. ROBINSON, son of William and Mary (Tal- bot) Robinson, was b. in Northfield, Vt., March 12,
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
1846 ; m. Nov. 12, 1872, Anna Monroe, daughter of William and Ann (Hinckley) Monroe, b. in Oswego, N. Y., March 19, 1851. Ch. :
I. Arthur W., b. Oct. 3, 1873.
II. Mabel S., b. Jan. 28, 1879.
III. Cora S., b. Oct. 23, 1881.
IV. Ethel M., b. Feb. 16, 1885.
JAMES F. ROBY, son of Moody and Dolly (Richardson) Roby, was b. Feb. 20, 1842, at Peru, Vt. ; m. Nov. 8, 1866, Mary M. Lockwood, daughter of Sey- mour and Lucy (Allbe) Lockwood; res. in Springfield.
SAMUEL ROLLINS, son of William and Lydia (Stone) Rollins, was b. in Rockingham, July 26, 1820. He lived in Springfield most of his life and oc- cupied many responsible positions. Hc was one of the trustees of the Spring- field Savings Bank and president of the board at the time of his death, Feb. 13, 1892. He was for many years one of the listers, and a justice of the peace. He m. Jan. 1, 1857, Catharine Moore; she d. July 28, 1871. Ch. :
I. Marion J., b. Aug. 3, 1863.
II. Edwin, b. March 30, 1868; d. in infancy.
HORACE G. RUMRILL, son of Samuel and Polly (Taylor) Rumrill, was b. March 17, 1833; m. Lucinda A. Randall. Ch. :
I. Harvey G., b. Aug. 21, 1857 ; m. Emma J. (Hicks) Halc. II. Ella, b. Jan. 3, 1859 ; d. March 5, 1864.
III. George L., b. Nov. 2, 1860; d. March 18, 1879.
IV. Ambrose J., b. June 19, 1862; m. Sarah Baker.
V. Willard H., b. April 8, 1864 ; m. Florence Chapman.
VI. Eunice J., b. July, 14, 1867 ; m. George Howard.
VII. Olive L., b. Dec. 21, 1869; m. Charles Ellis.
VIII. Oscar H., b. April 12, 1872. IX. Fred E., b. Oct. 21, 1873.
NOAH SAFFORD, b. Oct. 12, 1789, in Rockingham, son of Philip and Elizabeth (Bigelow) Safford.
NOAH SAFFORD.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
It was this Philip Safford who marched from Rockingham to Westminster in 1775 with a company of his townsinen, to the relief of the Whig or Liberty party, who would not allow courts to be held in the name of King George III., and drove the royal party from the court house. Hall, in his history of eastern Vermont, says, "Philip Safford, a lieutenant of the Rockingham militia, was in the court house at the time, sallied out the main door, bludgeon in hand, knocking down eight or ten who endeavored to arrest him, and received in return several cuts on the head from a sabre from the royal sheriff. It was here," says Hall, " that the torch of war was first kindled which so soon after blazed forth like a beaeon light at Lexington and Bunker Hill."
Philip Safford, with his family, moved just over the line north into Spring- field on to what was so long known as Parker IIill. About the year 1811, Noalı, with his brother Philip, bought of Elisha Bisbee the traet of forest land about one half mile south of the village on the west side of the river. There was no road leading down to the river exeept what he and his brother made. They soon divided the land, Philip taking the northern and Noah the southern half, leaving them about forty acres each. Noah m. Naney, daughter of Isaae and Betsey Tower, a lady of great energy of character. To them were born five children.
NOAH B. SAFFORD.
Noah B., after teaching sehool in his own village for a time, went to Pennsylvania and taught. After attending the law school at Harvard, he studied with his eousin, HIenry Closson, in Spring- field, and after with Judge Colamer at Woodstock. After completing his studies, he entered the law office of Gov. Cooledge at Windsor as junior partner. He after- ward moved to White River Junction, and bought the diseontinued works of the Lathams. He represented the town of Hartford in the Legislature twiee, and the eounty in the Senate. He was a man of first-class ability, and a very lovely man.
Henry, the second son, followed the trade of his father, that of earpenter. At the age of twenty years he went west and south, remain- ing several years. Return-
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
ing to Springfield he followed his trade as contractor. Represented the town in the Legislature twice. In 1861, at the outbreak of the war, he received the appointment of assistant assessor in the internal revenue service, and held that office for the full term of its existence. In 1869, at the time of the great flood which destroyed his gristmill and damaged his farm, he sold out and purchased a large farm at Hartford, and in the spring of 1871 moved thither.
Charles H., having developed a great capacity for music while yet a boy, went to Boston and placed himself under the best instructors, and gained eminence as a musician. Ile d. in 1873.
Isaac T. went to Chicago and established himself in the pianoforte manu- facturing business.
The only daughter, Rc- becca, m. John C. Holmes of Springfield.
From 1829 until the closc of the war no man in Spring- field occupied a more con- spicuous position than Noah Safford. In his early career he invented two kinds of straw-cutters, which were patented; the patents were several times renewed. These machines had a wide sale in all this vicinity, and in addi- tion large numbers werc made for the southern mar- ket, sent to Boston and shipped to Richmond, Va., the proprietor each fall following and spending the winter in Virginia, selling the machines to southern planters.
This was in the days of slavery, and he saw many slaves sold to go to the rice and cotton plantations. HENRY SAFFORD. These scenes made him swear - eternal war on slavery. While he was a liberal man, he would give nothing to the American Board or any other society that received the earnings of slaves. His house was a welcome shelter for the fugitive slave. He demanded that all anti-slavery speakers be heard in the pulpit and lecture room. His eman- cipation opinions caused much opprobrium and social, ostracism to be cast on him, but his sunny, loving nature overlooked it all.
He was among the first to help organize and give character to the temper- ance cause, withholding patronage from those who sold liquor, as at that day all the stores in the village sold by the glass and quart. At this day one can
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
scarcely conceive of the depth of feeling and ostracism visited upon one so radical and pronounced in his advanced opinions. In 1829 he, with Richard McCray, Isaac Fisher, and Gates Hawkins, built a stove foundry at the west end of the falls bridge, about twelve rods south of the bridge.
A year or two after Mr. Safford bought the others' interest, and moved his family into the village, and for about twelve years carried on the business, and built the large building standing at the end of the bridge for a wood shop, where he built factory and mill machinery. This for years was the largest business carried on by any one man in town. In 1837, when Clay's sliding tariff crippled the woollen manufactures of New England and all the mills on Black River shut down, Mr. Safford sold his village property and moved down to his small farm, one half mile below the village; here for the remainder of his life he passed a sunny old age. It was one of the good places to visit, where a generous hos- pitality was dispensed. The views of the earlier years had been adopted as the maxims of the day, and the asperities of politics had ceased. He died in the year 1864.
WILLIAM HENRY SALISBURY, oldest son of Gen. Moses B. Salisbury, was b. in Springfield, Aug. 17, 1817. When he was two years old his parents returned to Rhode Island, their native State. He very early manifested a taste for me- chanical pursuits, and at the age of sixteen was sent by his father to Connecti- cut in charge of a gang of mechanics to build and put in running order a woollen mill, which he did to the entire satisfaction of the owners. He was engaged with his father in building and putting in operation woollen mills until twenty years of age, when he engaged in business with the late William G. Angel, of Providence, and assisted him in constructing the first wood-screw factory in this country. In 1849 he went to Atlanta and soon engaged in a very profitable mercantile business. When the War of the Rebellion broke out he, being of strong Union sentiments, sold to his partners and came north, losing his whole fortune. He offered his services to the government, but was persuaded to engage in building a large woollen mill to manufacture clothing for the army, known as the Wanskuck Mills. In July, 1865, he became the agent and manager of the Washington Mills, Lawrence, Mass., where he made the first worsted goods in this country, known in the market and sold as " London coatings."
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