USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Springfield > History of the town of Springfield, Vermont : with a genealogical record > Part 5
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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 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
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OF. SPRINGFIELD, VT.
ing a high time, they proposed burning everything in the room. Some one told him to take the Bible and burn it ; he hesitated. " What, a little afraid, Charles ?" " Yes, a little afraid." He had considerable to say in school meetings, and sometimes abused his opponents. They had had a violent time, and he became very much excited and talked hard to one of his neighbors. That neighbor went north during the winter, and while he was away Wescott experienced religion. When his neighbor returned and he saw him coming, he met him, asked his forgiveness, and was so penitent that no one doubted his conversion. The next house was Francis Griswold's. Mr. Griswold bought the Capt. Wescott house after his death, and tore down his own. Joseph Lewis now lives there. We will now go down the hill, across the brook to the house now occupied by Mrs. Knight. John Griswold lived there. He must have been an early settler, as his first child's birth is recorded in 1772, and he was probably here some time before that event. The first store was in the front part of this house. Thomas and Nathaniel Fullerton, of Chester, owned the goods. James Robinson was their clerk. Asahel Streeter's black- smith shop stood opposite. Several rods east, near the brow of the hill, stood the potash. Next was Dr. Webster's, where Julia Myrick now lives. Dr. Webster was the first settled physician. Next Obadiah Streeter's shoe shop and dwelling. Next the house on the corner, known as the haunted house. These have been mentioned before. We will now turn the corner. On the left is the graveyard, purchased by subscription in 1816, deeded to the town in 1876. Many had their dead removed from the Jacob Lockwood graveyard. On the north lived John Williams, said to have been one of the first settlers. Nearly opposite was Thomas Place's house. Meetings were sometimes held in the barn. Farther on, on the north side near the Perkinsville road, stood Job Crosby's house. Following on towards Baltimore, on the top of the hill toward Leonard Redfield's, was Thomas Smith's house. Near Leonard Redfield's was the Blockhouse, said to have been built by Timothy Williams, great-grandfather of J. W. Lockwood, whether for security from the Indians or for a sub- stantial dwelling I cannot say. I suppose the Indian trail was
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
through Baltimore across the mountain. It crossed Black River just below the covered bridge near the house built by Abigail Lyndes, afterward owned by John D. Ward. Several curiosities have been found near the bend of the river,-a stone implement, a gun barrel a foot longer than the usual length, arrow-heads, etc. An Indian dressed in his blanket, with his squaw and papoose, passed through the place as late as 1830 or 1831. A school was kept in the Blockhouse mentioned above as early as 1793, per- haps earlier. Some of the timbers of this building are in the Redfield barn. The next house is Dennis B. Allen's, built on the opposite side of the road from the one occupied by his father. The Allen farm was purchased of John Griswold in 1810 by Jona- than Allen, father of Dennis B. David Boynton lived in the first house on the Woodbury farm. The next house was built by Dea. Jonathan Woodbury after he purchased the farm of Daniel Bacon, whose buildings were on the south side of the road.
We will now commence near Chester line. Here was Luther Field's farm, now owned by Mrs. Amos Fairbanks. It had one of those houses with a large cellar kitchen and dancing hall so noticeable among the Rhode Island emigrants. Next was Oliver Cook's sawmill (near Granville Leland's house), built at an early date. Next on the same side of the road, opposite the Lewis Cook place, was the brickyard and kiln. Opposite stood the Christian Meeting-House, and a little farther down was Thomas Cook's house. The house now standing was built by Lewis Cook in 1863. Oliver Cook built the house on the hill where May Ann Cook now lives. Next to Lewis Cook's is the house built by Carter Robinson. John Hall's house was moved from the Widow Newton's farm, near the Riley Phillips place. The house owned by Mr. Chedel was built on the spot where Mr. Burke's house now stands, by Philo Hitchcock. Mrs. Keith's house was built by Wesley Lockwood about 1856. Opposite was Moses Bixby's house and shop. The next house on the south side of the road, now owned by Ozro Perkins, was built by Col. John Boynton at a very early date. It formerly stood between Albert Davis's and Luther Warren's, and was taken down and put up in its present place by Levi Carlisle fifty or sixty years ago. Carlisle had a
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
tanyard. The house owned by Mrs. Dyer was built by Allen Bates. The house occupied by Edmund Lockwood and Warner Earle was built by Thomas Place. He (Place) was a fun-loving man, and any joke played upon him was relished by his friends. He had a fine lot of watermelons, and then as now they were apt to be stolen. He delayed picking them, as they were not quite as ripe as he would like them. One morning rising early he looked toward the watermelon patch, and what a looking patch ! It was strewn with rinds and parts of melons ; vines and slices were scattered all around; even the kettle which hung out of doors, and was used on washing days, was trimmed with vines, and the garden decorated generally. One neighbor after another came along and sympa- thized with him, and soon quite a crowd collected to hear his troubles. Some one suggested going to the garden to see how much mischief had been done to the patch. Not a melon had been picked nor a vine pulled. A fun-loving neighor had taken his own melons and vines and strewn the garden. Mr. Place saw that he was sold, and it was many a day ere he heard the last of it. Next to Mrs. Keith's, on the north side of the road, is the house occupied by Sylvester Burke. It was built by him in 1847. His store, built in 1837, is changed into a dwelling and occupied by his son Sid- ney. Next is the Baptist Church, built in 1835. The first school- house was built on the same spot as early as 1811, but was burned in a few years. Formerly this place had much trouble with the schools. It first commenced by hiring a teacher who was a foreigner but well educated. He called veal, " weal," and veni- son, " wenison." Some thought the best English was none too good, but, notwithstanding the opposition, he was hired, and he vented his spite on the scholars of his opponents. Even little ones of scarcely more than half a dozen years were ferruled until their hands became swollen.
The schools were supported by subscription, and the next ques- tion that arose was, shall the wood and board be reckoned on the scholar ? The contest was so strong that it resulted in two schools, each party supporting its school for two years or more. This was a great drawback to education ; and the loss of the school- house by fire, compelling the schools to be kept in barns and other
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
places, also resulted to our disadvantage ; while Perkinsville, with Mr. Spring for teacher seven winters, modelled as good a set of pupils as could be found in any town. He succeeded in putting a polish on his scholars such as is rarely seen in common schools.
Next to the church is the parsonage, built in 1870. The next house, owned by David Lockwood, was built by two parties, the upright part by Ephraim Leland and Edmund Lockwood, the low part by Allen Bates. The house occupied by Mrs. Abner Field and D. J. Boynton was the first tavern in North Springfield. It formerly stood on the corner where Mrs. Moses (White) New- hall lives. Nathan Lockwood built the brick front (on the cor- ner) about 1819 or 1820. The other part of this house was built about 1800. Here the Indians used to stop and have their dances. Dea. Abraham Lockwood built his log-cabin on the spot where this house now stands, when all around was a wilderness. After- ward he settled on the farm owned by Charles Eaton.
One thing we have to rejoice over, the abolishment of " turkey shoots," a relic of barbarism. The turkey was tied on to a box, and placed a certain number of rods away to be fired at, for so many cents a shot. The place usually selected was back of Emery Parker's house, on account of the hill, so that the shots might do no harm. Many would kill, but not all. Then they would " hustle " as it was called, a kind of gambling. Later in the evening gambling would commence and last, perhaps, as long as the money lasted. The turkey shoots usually commenced on Friday, and continued until Saturday night, and sometimes later. Gambling was a besetting sin for a certain class in and around North Springfield. It kept them in debt and sunk them in ruin. Some lost their little farms. Had not the temperance movement been advanced, we would have been in a sad condition. The in- habitants of this new country wished to have all the comforts of the older towns. They planted orchards, and, the soil being new, they yielded bountifully, more fruit than was needed, but the rest must not be wasted. So distilleries sprang up and converted their apples into cider brandy. As there was little or no sale for it, they carried it home for their families to tipple. They did not think of the labor in gathering the fruit or making the cider, but
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
did not like to see the fruit go to waste. Although not a very desirable drink, it partially satisfied a desire for stronger drink, but made bad work in many families, and when total abstinence came up, why, there were so many times when it could not be dispensed with, it was out of the question to give it up. But some conscientious ones began to realize whither we were drifting, and to wake up to our danger. Dea. William Davis had a barn to raise, and he was determined to raise it without the use of liquor. He provided refreshments, but the men said they would not work without liquor. After a while, however, their better natures pre- vailed, and the work went on. This caused the outbreak ; people began to see where they stood, for or against. Conscientious per- sons could see where they should be, and it made a great gap. The war raged violently, but the temperance element prevailed, and a little "Cold Water Army" sprang up, numbering forty members. They held meetings, spoke pieces, etc., and the princi- ples of temperance, which with many will never be forgotten, were planted in their minds. At that time T. S. Arthur printed a newspaper with many temperance stories, which helped the cause. His "Six Nights with the Washingtonians " caused quite a sensation. About that time John B. Gough was rescued by his daughter, Hannah.
Fred J. Field's house was built in 1871. The store was built by James Litchfield as a dwelling-house for his son, Otis B. Litchfield, but was changed to a store in 1831. Opposite the store stands the house of Ira Lockwood. It was built for a store as early as 1821, but altered to a dwelling-house by Jotham Bartlett. Next came the gristmill and house. The mill stood where Mrs. John White's barn now stands, and the house a little west of it. The mill was rebuilt as early as 1822 by Cyrus Boyn- ton. The first miller was Elder Roberts's father. John White's house was built about 1834 or 1835. The brick house on the corner was improved - the wood part moved away and brick put up to take its place - by Allen Bates. Here was kept the first store (after the one on the hill was closed), by Phineas Wales; George W. Kimball, clerk.
The first house on the road from the old meeting-house on the
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
hill, as you approach the village, was built by Ebenezer Pike, not far from 1826. It was torn down a few years ago. A little farther down, on the opposite side, stands the house of Emery Parker. The first house was built by Dr. Ariel Kendrick about the year 1829 ; afterwards burned, and rebuilt by Mr. Parker. The next building is our third schoolhouse, built not far from 1829 or 1830. The next, owned by Asa Fullam, was rebuilt by Sylvester Burke and Abner Field. The house on the lower cor- ner was built by Allen Bates, who gave the Common to the village, a part of which was lost before the law was made which allows no one to hold public lands by possession. George Johnson kept a store in the west end (at the time that - Chase and Jolin Perkins kept a store where Mrs. White's store now stands, which was burned about 1827 or 1828, when occupied by Frost & Litchfield). A tanyard was put in, and a tanning, currying, and shoemaking business carried on for several years. In the garden was a small house occupied by Levi Haywood, and afterwards by Cyrus Haywood. Dr. Micajah Martin's house was commenced by Benoni Lockwood, Esq., but was not finished for several years, per- haps in 1820. Darius Streeter lived there, and built a shop where Emery Parker's shop now stands. In front of this place was one of those lovely spots that nature alone knows how to beautify. The brook ran as it now runs, and the small brook crossing Mrs. Tolles's garden united with the larger brook, near the shop. This delight- ful spot was covered with large trees, among which were the button- wood, elm, and ash. The trees were so large they keptout the smaller growth, and left a nice carpet of grass, which made it always a pleasant place to walk in. Mr. Nathan Lockwood's peacocks used to spend the night in the tall trees, which showed their taste for the beautiful. The house owned by Richard Bradford was built by Levi Damon about the year 1820. On the opposite side of the street (Mr. Cole's) was our second schoolhouse, built about 1816. Here we cross the old road which ran north through Mr. Bradford's garden, and south over the bridge, then southeast until it united with the now travelled road. The house now owned by Sally Smith was built by Lewis Howe. The next house, owned by Mrs. William Chandler, was built by Martin C. Spicer. Ebenezer Pike built the house opposite, where Mrs. Morey lives.
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
We will now ascend the hill, and stop at Dea. Martin Boynton's home. This was built by Daniel Griswold about 1792 or 1793. Whether or not it was built before the present road was laid out, I am unable to say, but the road seemed to have been between the rows of apple-trees. The house opposite, owned by Dea. O. E. Averill, was built upon the flat by Martin C. Spicer. Dr. Ariel Kendrick's house was built in 1867, 1868. The house that for- merly stood on the corner was built by Joel Griswold, afterward kept as a tavern, was burned, and rebuilt by Abel Brown, burned the second time when occupied by Mr. Gregory. It was that kind of spontaneous combustion which arises from too much in- surance. The first house was built in 1821. The house that now stands on the corner was built by Leonard Parker about 1855. Opposite stands the house of Joel Griswold, built about 1839. It was kept as a temperance house (the tavern on the corner having been given up in 1832). This was the last hotel kept in North Springfield. The house owned by Dexter Martin, and burned in 1884, was built by Henry Dyer in 1840. The house opposite, now occupied by Mrs. William Johnson, was built by Joel Griswold in 1831. We will now pass to the John Farnham house, and the next, owned by Mrs. John O. Weeden. These were built by John Farnham and Leonard Parker about 1840 or 1841. The house near the bridge was built by Henry Martin in 1861.
We now come to the Mills. This was one of the earliest settled localities in this vicinity. Here Nicholas Williamns built his first house; he could hear the wolves call and answer each other from the neighboring hills. The old house stood long after he built his new house, and sometimes a fox would be seen peer- ing out of the window, much to the surprise of the children. Here was one of the loveliest strolls in this vicinity ; here we found the rare cardinal flower, the groundnut, the beds of wild roses, not more than a foot high, reaching to the water's edge. The grapevine that festooned the tall trees that skirted the bank of the river, combining with the dark evergreen that mirrored itself in the river on the opposite bank, made it a place of rare beauty. Here in autumn were found the butternut, the frost
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
grape, the choke and black cherry, the thorn apple, the winter- green berries, and all those fruits so grateful to the youthful appetite.
The first house beyond the mill was built by Esquire Benoni Lockwood for Mrs. Bundy, his daughter, in 1840, 1841. The second house was built by Lorenzo Lockwood. The third house built about 1844, and occupied by Esquire Benoni Lockwood, was burned in 1873 or 1874 when oocupied by Cephas Lockwood. The first dam was put across the river by Oliver Cook, but was carried away before any mills were erected. The mills were built by Joel Griswold or Allen Bates.
We will now start from the corner house, owned by Charles Leland. The building opposite, used as a cheese factory, and the first house on the left were built by Lorenzo Lockwood. The blacksmith shop was built by Frank Hall as late as 1880. The house on the east side of the road, owned by Alfred Stanley, was built by Mr. Boyce. Formerly there was a sawmill between this building and the cheese factory, owned by Joel Griswold. The house owned by Mr. Adams was built by Nicholas Williams, after the bridge was built across Black River, and the road laid out to Weathersfield line. He was the same Williams who settled at the mill, was the father of Timothy and Eleazer. Farther ou a road leads to the Benjamin Barnes place. It was formerly lease land, and leased to Mr. Barnes by Lewis R. Morris. The house was burned, but another was built. Farther south, near the Cran- berry Pond, were two houses, one occupied by Benjamin Spooner, the other by Joshua Bruce, but they long since passed away.
We will now start at the covered bridge. The first house was built by Abigail Lyndes, not far from 1820. The next, owned by Leonard Piper, was built by Edmund Lockwood about 1831. The next was occupied by Mr. Eaton, afterward used as a chair shop by Ephraim Burpee. The house, burned a few years ago, and owned by Ransom Rumrill, was built by Ephraim Smith. Next stood the blacksmith shop, kept by Mr. Peabody. It was at this shop that the boys had their large Jew's-harps made. Major Clark occupied the next house, which Mr. Bugbee now owns. It was built by Nathaniel Hudson. Now we come to the house on the
+3+
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
flat, occupied by Elisha Lockwood, and the house on the hill, north, occupied by Ezekiel Lockwood, both sons of Jacob Lock- wood. These places are owned by Sardine Parker and Mrs. Lyman Lockwood Munson and son .*
We will now return to the Edson X. Pierce farm. Here Amos Lockwood lived with his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Lockwood. The next house was occupied by Richard Lee, more familiarly known as Grandpa Lee. He distilled all kinds of herbs. The children picked wintergreen for him, and were paid in picture books. Next is the house owned by Daniel Bur- bank, built by John Haywood, Jr., and occupied by Oliver Williams as early as 1826. The house on the west side of the road (John D. Ward's) was owned by John Haywood, Sr., grand- father of Mrs. Hiram Newton, Mrs. Spencer Cook, and others. The house owned by Albert Davis was built by Beaman Boynton. The house near by was built for Levi Miller.
We will now return and go up the hill to the house built by Nathaniel Hudson, better known as the Richard Smith place. (Within a few years the house has been moved to Springfield village.) We will pass down the hill to the house occupied by Laban Knight, then north to a house occupied by Matthew Pierce, then across by the old schoolhouse to Mr. Bixby's. His son, Capt. Bixby, occupied the house near. Retracing our steps and travelling south, we arrive at the house built by David Stimson, but burned a few years ago, when owned by Mr. Nason. This was one of the early built houses. The next was occupied by Ebenezer Cook. These houses were built more than eighty years ago. Next comes the Taylor place, cleared of every vestige of habitation. In a few years one will hardly realize that here were farms that produced well, and whose owners brought up large families and sent them out with something to start homes else- where.
* Mrs. Dexter Martin says that Sardine Parker's house originally stood on the other side of Squire Baker's, but, on account of the water, It was moved. to higher ground, and stood for a time back of the " Spring " house. It was moved to its present location by Rice Childs in 1850. The house owned by Squire Baker was commenced for a large hotel, in 1819, by Jacob Lockwood. Large barns were erected, but were destroyed by fire the following year. The project was given up, and the house sold to Enos Bigelow. Sardine Parker's house was built a few years before 1819, and the Ezekiel Lockwood place (Mrs. Munson's) still earlier.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN
Now we will start at the bridge by William Cole's. Mrs. Fisher's house was built forty or fifty years ago. The next house was built by Mr. Jones; the next by J. Wesley Lockwood. Clark Allen's house, built by John White, was moved from the bank of the brook. Between its former and present location stood the potash, which was erected, I think, by Chase & Perkins ; also the house in which Eliakim Ellison lives. The house owned by Mrs. Barnard Carleton was built by Hannah Williams, daugh- ter of Abraham Lockwood.
The house that stood between Colburn Livingston's and Frank Snell's (taken down some years ago) was built by Amos Lock- wood, son of Abraham Lockwood, as early as 1810. The house owned by Fanny Wheeler has so many times been taken down and rebuilt, that it is difficult to tell by whom it was built. Probably none of the house that stood there in 1817 remains.
We pass on south to the Keith Mill. The water power be- longed to Benoni Lockwood. Here stood one of the first saw- mills, if not the very first, in the settlement. Benoni Lockwood was the grandfather of Wesley, Cephas, and Lorenzo Lockwood. The house near the mill was built by Salmon Cook. We will go up the hill to the house owned by Dea. Abraham Lockwood. The old house was taken down, and the new one built, by Sylves- ter Ellison. Farther up the hill is the farm known as the Bur- bank place. This house was built by Luther Lockwood. Paul Haywood, grandfather of Lorenzo, Charles, and Purdy Haywood, built the next house, occupied afterward by Ephraim Martin. At the end of the road a Mrs. Newton lived. On the hill east was Dea. Selden's place, and down near the French Meadow lived the Phillips family.
In the brick house beyond the milldam, on the road to Chester, lived Benoni Lockwood. After crossing the bridge below Mrs. John White's, the first house on the right, owned by Mary Per- kins, was built by Jared Downs. The house opposite, Eliakim Ellison's, has been previously mentioned. Sylvester Winslow's house was built in 1868. The house nearly opposite, owned by Philip Lord, was built by George Earle in 1879. The next building is the Advent Church, which was formerly a Congrega-
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OF SPRINGFIELD, VT.
tional church in Perkinsville, and was moved to its present site about 1856. The large house opposite was built by J. N. Lock- wood in 1870. The two smaller houses on the cross street, one occupied by the Misses Harris, the other owned by Frank Snell, were also built by him. The small house beyond the Lockwood house was built by J. Colman Bowen. The next house, owned by Melvin Chapman, was built for a Widow Spaulding. The house farther on, where the two roads meet, was occupied years ago by Zara Mann.
We will now commence at the house below Fanny Wheeler's, owned by Page Perkins. This was a church not many years ago, built by the Advents about 1860. Below this lived Perley New- ton. Now we pass down the road to " Pine Hill." The present road runs very nearly where the old one did. Here Joseph House lived. The next house, Mr. Russell's, was built by Edmund Lock- wood sixty-seven or sixty-eight years ago. His early married life was spent in this home. Formerly Edmund Lee lived in the Lewis Lockwood house, built before 1807. Many years ago it was burned and the present one built. Next is the Jacob Lock- wood farm. The first house, one of the oldest in this vicinity, was burned. The graveyard was on this farm, and there is every indication of early settlement. Those hardy pioneers must have faced many hardships, and suffered from insufficient food, before they cleared land enough to raise the bread they needed. The potato was not prized as it now is. Ten bushels were sufficient for a large family. It is told that a lady went to visit some friends, and while there one potato was given her. She put it in her work pocket, and hung it on the bedpost near the fire, and kept it for future use. The streams were then filled with trout. An expert snarer could snare them almost as fast as one could pick them up. Pigeons were plenty. A lady told me that when she went to live in their log-cabin in Chester, her husband had to take a pole and drive them away. They salted a half-barrel of the breasts of the birds. But pigeons did not last the whole year, and the streams were frozen during the long winter, when subsist- ence was difficult. Some of the earliest settlers went to the French Meadow for grass to keep their cows during the winter.
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