USA > Vermont > Men of Vermont : an illustrated biographical history of Vermonters and sons of Vermont > Part 39
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He married, Oct. 8, 1866, Ada O., daugh- ter of Luther P. and Mary A. (Rounds), Howe of Mount Tabor. One daughter, Mabel, is the issue of the marriage.
BALCH, WILLIAM EVERARD, of Lun- enburg, son of Sherman and Eliza (Glines) Balch, was born in Lunenburg, Feb. 3, 1854-
BALDWIN.
After pursuing the usual educational course in the public schools and at St.
WILLIAM EVERARD BALCH.
Johnsbury Academy, he entered his father's carriage shop to learn that trade, and after a two years' sojourn in the West, in 1876, he returned to his native place and again entered the employ of his father. From his early boyhood, Mr. Balch had de- voted all of his spare time to the study of natural history and the collection of speci- mens illustrating that science. On his re- turn to Vermont he learned taxidermy, and employed his leisure in forming a collection of the birds and mammals of the state, with such success that in eight years he had gath- ered specimens of all the representative birds and mammals of Vermont. This col- lection was sent to the World's Fair at New Orleans as the state collection, and about this time he was offered the position of state taxidermist, which he still holds. The high scientific standard of his work is amply at- tested by the specimens of his skill exhibited at the Fairbanks Museum at St. Johnsbury.
Mr. Balch represented the town in the Legislature of 1892.
He wedded, Sept. 27, 1876, Ella, daughter of Jordan and Lois A. Marr. They have two children : Florence May, and Walter.
BALDWIN, CHARLES, of Dorset, son of Thomas and Polly (Lanfear) Baldwin, was born in Dorset, Oct. 30, 1816.
For C. Baker,
BALDWIN.
BALDWIN.
His education was obtained in the public and select schools of Dorset. In 1835 he went to work for his brother and learned the trade of a cooper and after four years of this employment be removed to Rutland, where he entered the employ of Gersham Cheney. Ile then returned to his brother, and finally purchased the business in 1841, and till 1891 continued to follow his vocation in that locality.
Mr. Baldwin was married Feb. 4, 1848, 10 Susan, daughter of Rev. William and Susanna (Cram) Jackson of Dorset, who died in November, 1878. His second wife was Mary E. Willard of Castleton, whom he married June 4, 1879. She died in July, 1889. He married, Dec. 30, 1889, a third wife, Sarah, daughter of Charles and Adah ( Eells) Bangs of Lenox, Mass.
He has been a strong Republican since the formation of the party and has held most of the town offices, serving as county com- missioner since 1882. Mr. Baldwin is a stockholder in the Factory Point National Bank and the Battenkill Industrial Society as well as a large owner of real estate.
William J. Fuller, while living with Mr. Baldwin, enlisted in Co. G, Ist Vt. Cavalry and died in Andersonville in August, 1864, and in honor of his memory W. J. Fuller Post, No. 52, G. A. R., in Dorset is named.
In his religious views Mr. Baldwin is a Congregationalist and has always taken a deep interest in the welfare of the Sunday- school and all other means for the advance- ment of religion in the church and society.
BALDWIN, A. T., of Wells River, son of Erastus and Lucinda (Richardson) Bald- win, was born at Topsham, Aug. 31, 1841.
Erastus Baldwin, his father, located at Wells River early in the present century, settled upon a farm in that town and later engaged extensively in the trade of a har- ness manufacturer, which vocation he pur- sued until the time of his death, which oc- curred July 16, 1889.
Mr. A. T. Baldwin received his education at the common schools of the town and at St. Johnsbury Academy and at the age of twenty-four he formed a partnership with his brother, Mr. E. Baldwin. The firm engaged in the wholesale boot and shoe business and for twenty years did a larger business than any other concern in the state. In 1879 Mr. A. T. Baldwin was a partner in the firm of Henry, Jay & Baldwin, which operated at Fabyan's, and continued for three years. Then, in connection with Erastus, Jr., he purchased a mill and timber lands at Groton Pond, where the brothers conducted an ex- tensive and profitable lumber business till shortly before the death of Mr. A. T. Bald- win. Soon after his brother's death Mr. E.
Baldwin entered into copartnership with Mr. L. D. Hazen of St. Johnsbury, which continued for three years.
Mr. A. T. Baldwin was one of the bright- est business men ever reared in the village of Wells River, and left one son, who died three weeks after his father, making his
A. T. BALDWIN
uncle sole heir to the bulk of his property, and the latter, desirous to keep the family name in honorable remembrance, has erected a structure for the village library association as a memorial, which is styled the Baldwin“ Library Building.
Mr. Erastus Baldwin takes a lively inter- est in agricultural pursuits and is perhaps best known as the proprietor of the Baldwin Valley Farm, which covers a large area and is one of the leading stock farms in New England. This he has now sold to his son, H. T. Baldwin.
Mr. Erastus Baldwin is president of the Wells River Savings Bank which position itself confirms his character for unstained integrity and business sagacity.
He acts with the Republican party, but, though interested and well informed in national and state affairs, he has chosen to remain a private citizen in spite of many urgent calls to accept important and re- sponsible positions of trust.
He was united in marriage Jan. 6, 1863, to Ellen, daughter of William B. and Mary A. (Chamberlain) Abbott. One son has been born to them : Hammon T.
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BALDWIN.
BALDWIN, FREDERICK W., of Barton, was born at Lowell, Sept. 29, 1848, the son of Asa and Rosalinda (Shedd) Baldwin. He is of English descent, this branch of the Bald- win family being derived from John Baldwin who appears in Billerica, Mass., as early as 1655 and who came from Hertfordshire, Eng- land, about 1640.
Frederick was brought up on his father's farm and enjoyed only such advantages for education as the average Vermont farmer gives his children. He attended the district school in his native town until he was seven- teen years of age and afterward the Westfield grammar school, the normal school at John- son and the Vermont Conference Seminary at Montpelier.
FREDERICK W. BALDWIN.
At the age of twenty-two he entered the law office of Powers & Gleed at Morrisville and was admitted to the bar of Lamoille county at the December term, 1872, and soon afterward formed a copartnership with Gen. William W. Grout which continued till 1875. Since then Mr. Baldwin has been in the successful practice of his profession in Barton.
In politics he has always been an ardent Republican. In 1872 he was elected assist- ant secretary of the state Senate and secre- tary of the same in 1874,-'76,-'78 and state's attorney of Orleans county in 1880. He has been successively elected the Orleans county member of the Republican state committee since 1884. His ability as a member of that committee has been fully demonstrated by
BALL.
his having been elected the secretary and treasurer of the committee in 1886 and in 1888 its chairman, which position he still holds. This year, as a recognition of his zealous work for the party he was elected a presidential elector at large for Vermont, and was the messenger to carry the vote of Ver- mont to Washington. Mr. Baldwin has always been deeply interested in biography and history, especially that of Vermont, and his library of Vermont books is one of the choicest in the state. In 1886 he published the "Biography of the Bar" of Orleans county, containing a sketch of every lawyer admitted or who had practiced in that county since its organization. Mr. Baldwin has given liberally of his time and money for the development of business in Barton Village, at present being a stockholder and secretary of two corporations for that purpose, the Bar- ton Manufacturing Co. and Barton Hotel Co.
Mr. Baldwin belongs to the Congrega- tional church and has labored earnestly in its behalf.
He married Miss Susan M. Grout, Sept. 24, 1873, by whom he had one child, Edward Grout Baldwin. Mrs. Baldwin died in 1876. Mr. Baldwin was united in a second marriage Oct. 28, 1878, to Miss Susan M. Hibbard of Brooklyn, N. Y.
BALL, FRANKLIN P., of Rockingham, son of Abraham and Hannah (Edwards) Ball, was born in Athens, May 2, 1828 ..
His education was derived from the cus- tomary course at the common schools of the times.
His early life being spent at the home of his parents, he removed at the age of twenty- three to Springfield where he resided and was engaged in manufacturing for thirty years, during this time occupying many responsible positions and representing that town in the General Assembly of 1867-'68. In 1883 Mr. Ball removed his manufacturing business to Bellows Falls in the town of Rockingham, and since that time he has successfully conducted his business from this point.
Politically Mr. Ball has always affiliated with the Republican party and at its hands he has been honored with positions of trust, representing the town in the Legislature of 1888-'90, serving on the committee on rail- roads, and also as a senator from Windham county in 1892.
Mr. Ball offered his services to his country when the call was made, but owing to his constitution was not accepted.
Mr. Ball first married Margaret Wilson in May, 1852. She died in January, 1855, with- out issue. He contracted a second alliance with Elizabeth, daughter of Asa and Margaret Meacham, in July, 1857. This union has been
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B.ALLARI).
BALLARD.
blessed with four children : Margaret E., George F., Everett M., and Winifred E.
Mr. Ball's religious preference is that of the Methodist Episcopal faith, and he has
FRANKLIN P. BALL.
been closely connected with the societies of both Springfield and Bellows Falls, always contributing liberally to their support.
BALLARD, HENRY, son of Jeffrey B. and Amelia (Thompson) Ballard, was born in Tinmouth, April 20, 1839.
¿ His early education was obtained in Tin- mouth and at Castleton Seminary, and im- mediately after his preparatory studies he entered the University of Vermont, from which he graduated with high honors in the class of 1861, having been selected to de- liver the master's oration at the college com- mencement three years later.
In September, 1862, he became a student in the Albany (N. Y.) Law School and he graduated from that institution in May, 1863, and at the time of his graduation the Hon. Amos Dean, the founder and dean of the school, said of him that he was one of the best students that ever was graduated from that institution. He at that time gave prom- ise of what he has since been noted for-a popular and successful advocate.
After his graduation, in 1863, he at once entered the office of Daniel Roberts, Esq., of Burlington, and there remained until he was admitted to the bar in September, 1863, when he opened an office in that city, where he has resided ever since. In 1864 he was
admitted to practice in the United States district and cirenit courts.
Mr. Ballard has obtained a well-earned distinction in the practice of his profession, and while he has the reputation of being one of the best criminal lawyers in the state, he has also been equally successful in the trial of civil cases. lle is emphatically a trial lawyer and as a jury advocate he stands among the best. His practice has not been confined to his own locality but has extended into many counties in the state. Among the notable cases in which he has been engaged are the celebrated crim. con. case of Shackett against Hammond in Addison county; the National Bank of Brandon against John A. Conant et als, a suit to recover $125,000 lost by reason of alleged forgeries ; the Rutland Railroad Co. against ex-Governor John B. Page, noted as the longest jury trial ever had in New England, lasting nine weeks ; the cases that arose out of the Hartford bridge accident against the Central Vermont Rail- road C'o .; the slander case of Lizzie J. Cur- rier against J. B. Richardson in Windsor county ; State against Edwin C. Hayden for the murder of his wife at Derby Line ; and State against Smith for the murder of his wife by poison at Vergennes. He is an
HENRY BALLARD.
effective speaker on political subjects, and since 1868 his services on the stump have always been in demand during political cam- paigns, not only in Vermont, but in New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He has sometimes made as many as one
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BALLOU.
hundred speeches in a single campaign. He is a ready speaker upon all occasions and he has frequently appeared upon the lecture platform.
Soon after the commencement of the civil war in the summer of 1861, and immediately after his graduation from college, Mr. Bal- lard enlisted as a private and was mustered into service as 2d lieutenant of Co. 1, 5th Vt. Vols., and served with this regiment through the Peninsula campaign, being pres- ent at the battles of Lee's Mills, Williams- burg and the seven days' fight before Rich- mond, but he was obliged to resign in July, 1862, on account of ill health.
Mr. Ballard belongs to the Republican party, and was elected to the state Senate from Chittenden county in 1878-'79, serv- ing on the committees of judiciary, state prison, and federal relations. In 1888-'89, he represented the city of Burlington in the lower branch of the Legislature and did effective service on the judiciary and general committees, of which last body he was the chairman. He has been city attorney of Burlington for two years. In 1884 he was a delegate to the Republican national conven- tion at Chicago, where he was chairman of the important committee on credentials. There were forty-five cases of contested del- egates' seats before the committee and much credit was given to him for the manner in which he acquitted himself in that responsi- ble and difficult position. He was one of the reading clerks at the Republican national convention in 1888.
He is a member of the Stannard Post, G. A. R., and was a delegate from that body to the national encampment in San Francisco, in 1886, and has been judge advocate for that order in Vermont. For many years he has been a member of the Webster Histori- cal Society of Boston, and of the Home Market Club of Boston, also of the American Institute of Civics, New York City. He was a charter member of the Vermont Command- ery of the Loyal Legion. He is a member of the Algonquin Club, Burlington, and of the Lake Champlain Yacht Club, and of the Vermont Fish and Game League.
In religious belief he is an Episcopalian, and he takes an active interest in the Young Men's Christian Association.
He was united in marriage, Dec. 15, 1863, to Annie J., daughter of Robert and Huldah (Bailey) Scott of Burlington, and he has four children : Kate (Mrs. James B. Hen- derson of Burlington), Frank Scott, Mary E., and Maude.
BALLOU, HOSEA BERTHIER, of Whit- ingham, son of Hosea Faxon and Mary (Ballou) Ballou, was born Jan. 8, 1826, in Monroe, Mass. His father was a Univer-
BARNEY.
salist minister, and he is a grandson of the Rev. Hosea Ballou, father and founder of Universalism in America.
Mr. Ballou's education was obtained in the district schools and at the old Whiting- ham Academy. Early in life he served an apprenticeship and became a carpenter and joiner, which occupation has employed him more or less during his life.
Mr. Ballou has held every town office of importance, has been town clerk continuously since 1857, and was assistant clerk for fourteen years previous to that time ; this is a record of service unsurpassed by any in the state. He was deputy sheriff for some fifteen years, and has been a justice of the peace for a long period. In 1876 he was made an assistant judge of the county court, and held that office six years.
In his political views Judge Ballou is a Republican. In the time of the war he was enrolling officer for his district, and was active in filling the required quotas, and urging men to enlist. He has never belonged to any secret societies, and is a Universalist in his religious preferences.
Perhaps no man in his vicinity has oftener been called upon as an arbitrator ; and for forty-five years he has been conspicuously engaged in probate matters.
Judge Ballou was married June 22, 1856, to Adelia A., daughter of Samuel and Mercy (Bowen) Murdock. Of this union there is one daughter : Flora A. (Mrs. F. D. Stafford of North Adams, Mass.)
BARNEY, HERBERT R., of Chester, son of Allen and Mary L. (Willet) Barney, was born in Shrewsbury, August 27, 1856.
He received his early education in the public and private schools of Shrewsbury. Leaving home at the age of fifteen he went to Plattsburg, N. Y., remaining there one year as clerk and telegraph operator. Re- turning to Shrewsbury at the age of nine- teen, he assumed the responsible position of train dispatcher, the duties of which he dis- charged for two years. In 1877 he settled at Chester, and has acted in the capacity of station agent there till the present time.
He was elected as a Republican to the Legislature of 1888, and was an efficient member of the committee on corporations. He has been a prominent member of the Masonic order, holding several eminent po- sitions, as well as Past Grand of Chelsea Lodge, No. 39, of I. O. O. F.
He married, June 7, 18So, Emma F., daugh- ter of Alden and Mary (Stuart ) Howe of Lud- low. They have one child : Florence M.
BARRETT, BYRON SIMEON, of Bur- lington, son of Solomon and Apphia (Mil-
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HAKKETI.
ler) Barrett, was born in Madrid, N. Y., Dec 11, 1831.
His father, Solomon Barrett, was well known as the author of a series of gram- mars of the English, Latin, Greek, German and French languages, and the subject of this sketch was also the author of a work on English grammar, having been educated at the Utica ( N. Y. ) Academy and the Roches- ter Collegiate Institute.
He married, June 6, 1855, Ellen P., daugh- ter of Jacob and Rispah ( Burlingame ) Jones of Madrid, N. Y. Four children have been born to them, all now living : William Wal- lace, Nellie ( Mrs. E C. Browne ), John Fran- cis, and Franklin ('lark.
BYRON SIMEON BARRETT.
From 1860 to 1869 Mr. Barrett was asso ciated in business with the firm of John F. Henry & Co., druggists, and had the man- agement of the Montreal branch of their business. He then removed to New York where he was associated with Mr. Henry in the New York house. He then engaged in printing and literary work and contributed for several years to Puck and other metro- politan journals.
He visited Europe and spent two years in traveling through the states and territo- ries west of the Missouri ,and from the mate- rial gathered during the course of his trav- els there he has prepared a lecture entitled "Out West," which he is now delivering.
In 1889 he located at Burlington and es- tablished the newspaper The Earth, and in
BARSTOW.
1893 his firm, Barrett & Johnsons, bought the Vermont Farmers' Advocate and since then he has had editorial charge of both papers.
Mr. Barrett has never been an office- secker, but did some campaign work for Abraham Lincoln in 1859, and during his residence of nearly twenty years in Brook- lyn, N. Y., he was active in Republican pol- itics and was for several years connected with the Sons of Temperance and Good Templars, and was at one time an officer in the Grand Lodge of the S. of T. in the Province of Quebec. He is also an ama- teur musician of some note, having com- posed over sixty vocal and instrumental pieces that have been published by Ditson and other publishers.
Mr. Barrett is not a native Vermonter, but has cast his lines with us and takes a deep interest in the welfare of the people of this state, whose interests he conserves in both his papers with all the ability he can command.
BARSTOW, JOHN L., of Shelburne, son of Heman and Lorain ( Lyon) Barstow, was born in Shelburne, Feb. 21, 1832. His parents were of English descent, and several of his ancestors served in the colonial and Revolutionary wars.
He received his education in the schools of his native town, and began to teach in the district school at the age of fifteen. He went West at an early age and was engaged in active business in Detroit, but in 1857 returned to Shelburne and began farming, assuming the charge of his aged parents. In the fall of 1861, while serving as assistant clerk in the House of Representatives at Montpelier, he was appointed on the non- commissioned staff of the 8th Regt. Vt. Vols., and was afterwards successively promoted to the rank of adjutant, captain, and major, and was honorably discharged at the expira- tion of his term of service June 22, 1864. He entered the service with robust health and vigorous constitution, but nearly three years of arduous service in the swamps and miasmatic climate of Louisiana shattered both, and for many years malarial diseases deterred him from entering upon any active business pursuit. When he was made major, the rank and file of his old company pre- sented him with a beautiful sword, and when he left the regiment, the men who were mus- tered out with him presented him with another still more elegant. These two memorial gifts are justly preserved with great pride as evincing the regard of the enlisted men after they had served with him in the field.
The historian of his regiment says : "When, after the bloody fight of June 14, 1863, in
John & Barstow
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BARSTOW.
front of Port Hudson, General Banks called for volunteers to head a storming column for a final attack, Captain Barstow was one of the brave men who stepped forward to form the forlorn hope." He was acting adjutant general under Generals Thomas and Weitzel ; participated in all the engage- ments in which his regiment took part ; was complimented for eminent service in the field, for gallantry in the assault on Port Hudson, and honorably mentioned for his personal services. He had hardly reached home after leaving the army before he was called into state service by the offer of a responsible position in the recruiting service by Adjutant General Washburn, which office he was obliged to decline on account of shattered health. In September, 1864, he was elected a member of the Legislature, and it was during this session that the St. Albans raid occurred. At the request of General Washburn, Major Barstow immedi- ately repaired to the scene of action and was sent into Canada on a special mission, sub- sequently was made commander of one of the brigades of militia raised by the state in consequence of that daring raid. He was placed in command of the forces on the northwestern frontier of the state, and re- mained on duty until relieved by General Stannard in January, 1865. In September of that same year he was again elected to the Legislature by the unanimous vote of his town, and in the years 1866 and 1867 he was elected senator from Chittenden county. In 1870 he was appointed by President Grant to the office of U. S. pension agent at Burlington which he held for nearly eight years. He at once set about reforms that were of great benefit to the needy pensioner, and so discharged the duties of the office as to call from Hon. Carl Schurz, then secre- tary of the interior, an autograph letter of thanks. In 1879 Governor Proctor appointed him state commissioner for the centennial celebration of the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, and he rendered effective service in securing government aid for the under- taking, and for the monument, and in the arrangements for the celebration.
In 1880 he was elected Lieutenant-Gov- ernor for the biennial term, and in 1882 was elected Governor, the nominations to each office having been made by the unanimous vote of the respective conventions. He was the first Governor of Vermont to call the attention of the law-making power to the alleged discriminating and excessive rates of freight by transportation companies, and urged the creation of an effective railroad commission.
Colonel Carpenter, in his history of the 8th regiment, says : "The Ely riots occurred during Governor Barstow's term of office,
BARRON.
and his course in requiring that justice should precede force, and that the riotons miners be paid their honest dues, attracted much favorable comment throughout the country."
The resolution of the Legislature of 1884, requesting the Vermont delegation in Con- gress to use their best efforts to secure the passage of the interstate commerce law, was passed in pursuance of Governor Barstow's recommendation. At the close of his ad- ministration the Rutland Herakl gave ntter- ance to the general opinion of his constit- nents when it declared that "he had been as careful, independent, able and efficient a ruler as Vermont had enjoyed for twenty years."
The above sketch might be largely ex- tended, as he has held many other appoint- ments of trust and honor, such as president of the Officers' Reunion Society ; trustee of the University of Vermont and State Agri- cultural College; trustee of the Burlington Savings Bank ; commissioner to fix and pur- chase a site for the Bennington battle monu- ment, etc., etc. In 1891 he was appointed by President Harrison to serve on a com- mission with Gen. A. McD. McCook, U. S. A., to treat with the Navajoe Indians, and the work was brought to a successful and sat- isfactory conclusion. He was also disbursing officer of the commission, and to the aston- ishment of the treasury officers, returned nearly one-half of the appropriation for expenses. In 1893 at the request of Gov- ernor Fuller he has acted with the executive committee of the national anti-trust society. In regard to these elective offices it can be stated, as was said by Ashael Peck when he was elected Governor, "Neither solicitation nor hint of ambition for this dignity ever emanated from him." Governor Barstow never directly nor indirectly solicited the vote or influence of any man for any elective office.
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