Men of Vermont : an illustrated biographical history of Vermonters and sons of Vermont, Part 85

Author: Ullery, Jacob G., comp; Davenport, Charles H; Huse, Hiram Augustus, 1843-1902; Fuller, Levi Knight, 1841-1896
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Brattleboro, Vt. : Transcript Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 842

USA > Vermont > Men of Vermont : an illustrated biographical history of Vermonters and sons of Vermont > Part 85

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318

RYTHER, FRED E., of Dover, son of Eaton and Mary AA. ( Morse ) Ryther, was born in Dover, August 26, 1860.

He was educated in the schools of Dover and has followed the vocation of farming since early manhood, with the exception of some time spent in teaching.

An ardent Democrat in political faith, he has been honored by his townsmen with many positions of honor and represented Dover in the General Assembly of 1890.

SANBORN.

He enjoys the distinction of being the first Democrat to represent the town since the organization of the Republican party. He has also served the town as selectman for two terms and as superintendent of schools. Mr. Ryther is an energetic and popular young man, who has a life of much useful- ness before him, and that he is meeting the expectations of his friends is evidenced by his career.

SANBORN, ISAAC WHEELER, of Lyn- donville, son of Deacon Benjamin and Abi- gail B. (Stanton) Sanborn, was born in Lyn- don, Feb. 16, 1833. His grandfather came

ISAAC WHEELER SANBORN.

to Wheelock from Sanbornton, N. H., which was named in honor of the Sanborn family.

Isaac W. Sanborn received his education in the schools of Lyndon, the Lyndon and St. Johnsbury academies and Newbury Sem- inary, finishing his school studies in 1855. He has always been an extensive farmer, owning originally, with his father, the land on which the village of Lyndonville stands, and has large interests in real estate and banks. He is president of the Lyndon Sav- ings Bank, of the Caledonia County Publish- ing Co., and of the board of school direc- tors of the town of Lyndon. He has been a justice of the peace for twenty years.

Politically, Mr. Sanborn is a Republican and cast his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont in 1856. For thirty-five years he has discharged the duties of the town clerk and treasurer. For a quarter of a cen- tury he acted as secretary of the Caledonia County Agricultural Society and served the Young Men's Temperance Society of that county in the same capacity.

He has always been identified with the cause of education ; was one of the incorpor- ators and is at present secretary and treas- urer of the Lyndon Institute and Commer- cial College, to which he has been a liberal contributor, so much so that the Sanborn Student's Home, a fine boarding house erected in 1891, was named in his honor. To his financial ability have been entrusted the funds of the village of Lyndonville since its organization, and for several years he acted as town superintendent of schools. In 1870 and 1872 he represented Lyndon in the Legislature, serving on the committees on education, the standing joint committee and on the House committee on rules. He was assistant clerk of the House for two sessions, and in 1870 delegate to the Constitutional Convention.

Mr. Sanborn has decided literary tastes, is a regular correspondent of the St. Johnsbury Republican, and in his earlier days was a frequent contributor to several leading New York and Boston periodicals. At the cen- tennial celebration of the organization of the town of Lyndon, July 4, 1891, Mr. Sanborn was chairman of the executive committee. In his religious belief he adheres to the Bap- tist denomination, and is a liberal contrib- utor to all benevolent enterprises.

SARGENT, CALEB CUSHING, of Cor- inth, son of Jonathan and Sarah (Marston) Sargent, was born in Candia, N. H., Dec. 24, 1835. His ancestors in each family branch were of English extraction. His pa- ternal ancestor, William Sargent, son of Rich- ard Sargent of the Royal Navy, was born in England, in 1602, and came to America, it is said, on the Mayflower and landed at Ipswich,

349

SARGENT.

Mass., about 1630. He was one of the twelve men who commenced the settlement of Ipswich, in 1633, and afterwards helped to form settlements in Newbury and Hampton, and in 1640 was one of the eighteen original proprietors, or commoners, who settled New Salisbury, now known as Amesbury, Mass. His great-grandfather, Moses Sargent, of Candia, N. H., was a soldier of the Revolu- tion and one of the original proprietors and leading men of the early days of that town.

The early life of the subject of this sketch was spent on his father's farm until he was about eighteen years of age, when, under the inspiration of his mother's counsels, he re- solved upon the attainment of a liberal edu- cation ; but the accomplishment of his pur- pose lay along the way of hardships and amid difficulties whose solution seemed at times uncertain and disappointing to his youthful aspirations. However, by the dint of unmit- igated industry and perseverance, and by resources derived from his individual effort, mainly directed in the line of school teaching, he was enabled to attain the purpose of his early ambition. He pursued his preparatory studies at Blanchard Academy, Pembroke, N. H., and entered Dartmouth College in 1856, from which he graduated in class of 1860.

Immediately after completing his college course he commenced the study of law in the office of Clark & Smith, of Manchester, N. H., and in 1861 came to Corinth, and for the completion of his legal studies entered his name in the law office of Robert Ormsby, of Bradford. In 1857, Mr. Sargent was as- sistant at Blanchard Academy, and for four years next previous to 1864, was principal of the Corinth Academy, at Corinth; and a trustee and prudential officer of that institu- tion until its union with the Cookville graded school in 1876.

In 1863, being compelled by inauspicious circumstances to defer for a time his life purpose of the legal profession, he devoted himself to trade, and since then has been engaged chiefly in mercantile and general business pursuits, with agriculture as a col- lateral avocation, and under different business associations, but mainly in Corinth.

In 1878-'79 Mr. Sargent discharged the duties of assignee of the Union Mining Co. of Corinth, and later was paymaster, clerk and treasurer of the Vermont Copper Mining Co .; also of the Vermont Copper Co., in their several business operations at Pike Hill and Vershire, until their suspension in 1883.

The noted Ely riot of July 2, 1883, which necessitated the calling out the state militia to accomplish its suppression, was conse- quent upon this suspension. At its early inception it appeared to involve the destruc- tion of all the company's valuable works, if not the life of some of its officers, so intense

SARGENT.

and uncontrollable was the maddened furor of the men on the morning of its first out- break. While much of truth and considera- ble of conjecture has been written relative to the causes, scenes, and affairs of that disastrous occasion, yet one fact remains- on the afternoon of that ominous Monday, when the infuriated mob had taken the control of affairs into their own hands, and had surrounded the residence of the sick president, left unprotected by police or sheriff, and were howling threats of violence and devastation in every window and door- way, and the lives of the inmates seemed to hang on the doubtful mercy of the frantic assailants, that it was very largely due to the heroically cool, frank, and conservative action of the treasurer, in his conciliatory efforts with the men on that occasion, and unaided, that peace and order were tempo- rarily restored and the backbone of the riot partially broken, which doubtless saved the great property from destruction that in the councils of the frenzied rioters was to have been destroyed in early morning.

For five years subsequent to 1863 Mr. Sargent held the position of captain in the state militia and became early in life a mem- ber of the Masonic order, officiating as mas- ter of Minerva Lodge for twelve years.

In the cause of temperance reform he has taken an active interest, both in town and state, having filled the offices of counselor and treasurer in the Grand Lodge of Good Templars and represented that grand body in the Right Grand Lodge at Madison, Wis., in 1872, and has since been a grand officer in the order of the Sons of Temperance.

Judge Sargent is a Republican in his po- litical proclivities and was a member of the first state Republican convention, at Con- cord, N. H., in 1855, and has served as member and chairman of the Orange county republican committee for several years. In matters of town he has occupied responsible and conspicuous positions ; was superin- tendent of schools, justice of the peace, town agent and selectman for several years in suc- cession. For nineteen years he discharged the duties of postmaster, was delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1870, and was representative from Corinth in the Legis- lature of 1878, where he was an influential member of the House, serving as chairman of one of its larger committees. In 1886 he was elected assistant judge at the county court and re-elected in 1888, and in 1890 and 1891 discharged the duties of county auditor.

In his religious preferences Judge Sargent is a Congregationalist and has been an ac- tive member and officer of that society in Corinth for more than a quarter of a century.

350

SAWIIK.

He managed, May 28, 1861, Cordelia Viva, daughter of Theodore and Ruth Allen ( Temy) Cooke of Corinth. Four children were bone of this union : Carl Theodore, Edward Honghton, Carrie Delia, and Jennie Bell.

SAWYER, EDWARD BERTRAND, of Hyde Park, son of Joshua and Mary ( Keeler) Sawyer, was born in Hyde Park, April 16, 1828.

EDWARD BERTRAND SAWYER.

His education was obtained in public and private schools, to some extent under the care of a tutor, and during one term at the People's Academy. His father was his first instructor in the law, the study of which he commenced at eighteen years of age, reading also in the office of Hon. W. W. White, then of Johnson. Appreciating the defects of his early schooling, he adopted a system of self- education, taking Fowler's "Self Education, Complete " for a guide and Benjamin Frank- lin for his model.

Three years of his early life he spent with a brother who was engaged in trade in the Province of Quebec, and while with him he received a somewhat varied business train- ing, but he had a fixed inclination to the practice of the law, and after the preparatory study above referred to, was admitted to the bar of Lamoille county, at the June term of 1849, and immediately commenced to prac- tice with his father. The same year he was appointed clerk of the court, which office he

SAWYER.

held, with the exception of two years, until September, 1861, when he resigned to enlist for the war. He again held this appointment from 1868 to 1875, when he a second time resigned, and since then has continued in the practice of his profession.

In 1865 he interested himself in the arti- ficial breeding of trout, and was probably the first man in the state to engage in this enter- prise. Two years after he abandoned this undertaking, to purchase the Lamoille Newsdealer, a paper which he revivified and edited for three years, devoting a large share of its columns to the advocacy of the Portland & Ogdensburg R. R. In 1870 he sold this journal and varied his experi- ence by becoming the proprietor of the American Hotel, and after seven years' man- agement of this concern, retired to resume his professional labors, and since 1877 has given these his exclusive attention.

Mr. Sawyer devoted all his time from the beginning to the end of the war to the service of his country. He enlisted Sept. 14, 1861, having first raised and organized Co. D, 5th Vt. Regt., and raised Co. I, Ist Vt. Cavalry. Upon the organization of this body he was unanimously elected captain, and in the retreat of General Banks down the Shenandoah Valley received a severe injury by a fall off his horse. Having been previously promoted to major, though dis- abled, he did not suffer his energy to remain idle, but recruited two hundred men for the regiment at large, and in addition organized Co. L and Co. M, forming the sixth squad- ron of the regiment, of which he was colonel, when not in charge of a brigade or detached on special service, until he resigned. He was placed in the command of the 2d brigade of Kilpatrick's division when that general made his raid upon Richmond, and upon that occasion and many others was complimented for his efficient services by his superior officers, though no record can be found of his asking for promotion. In Sep- tember, 1863, he was wounded in the cheek by a rebel sharpshooter, and though in no great battles during the war was more than forty times under fire. Colonel Sawyer or- ganized and was the first commander of Aaron Keeler Post, G. A. R., which was named in honor of his maternal grandfather, a veteran of the American Revolution.

Colonel Sawyer was married in June, 1849, to Susan Almira, daughter of Hon. Isaac and Dorcas (Titus) Pennock. Of this mar- riage four children were issue : Myra Ellen (Mrs. F. N. Keeler), Edward B., Mattie Helen, and Bertha Mary (deceased). In August, 1866, he wedded Helen M. Pennock, the sister of his first wife, by whom he had : Alma Dorcas, Clarence Parsons, and Lucy Etta.

35 I

SCARFF.

Colonel Sawyer came from old Federal and whig stock, and sang Harrison songs in the political campaign of 1840. He was in the convention which instituted the Repub- lican party in Vermont, and in that of 1856, which nominated Ryland Fletcher for Gov- ernor of the state. He advocated Fremont's election, and spoke in his favor in every town in the county. An incident which fell under his observation during his resi- dence in Canada, attracted his attention to the subject of American slavery, and he be- came a most bitter opponent of that institu- tion. He was privileged to hear some of the joint debates of Douglas and Lincoln, and ever after remained an enthusiastic ad- mirer of the latter. He was the junior member and secretary of the Vermont dele- gation to the national convention of 1860,

and an uncompromising advocate of Mr. Lincoln's nomination. He represented Hyde Park in the Constitutional Convention of 1870, and favored the change to the bien- nial session. He is now a firm believer in the theory that law, and law only, makes money, and that the government can make a dollar out of any material.

SCARFF, CHARLES WAYLAND, of Bur- lington, son of Emanuel H., and Mary (Bowen) Scarff, was born in Pella, Iowa, June 3, 1858.

CHARLES WAYLAND SCARFF.

His early education was received in the public schools of that town, and he gradu- ated from the Iowa Central University in

SCOTT.

1878, four years afterward receiving from his alma mater the degree of A. M.

Commencing his active life as a teacher in the Marion county public schools, he soon after located on a tract of government land near Grand Island, Neb., where he was employed as a book-keeper in a wholesale hardware firm till 1885, when he went into the real estate business. As secretary of the Grand Island Board of Trade he was largely influential in securing the location of the Baptist University for that place, and for this institution he raised nearly thirty thousand dollars while on a visit to the East, which he made for that purpose. He was also en- gaged in the erection of a business block and a fine hotel of his own in Grand Island, and in 1887 organized its Street Railway Co. He has been a liberal benefactor to the Baptist University, having contributed ten acres of land for the building site, as well as a large amount of time and money to supply its various needs.

Mr. Scarff was married, June 3, 1882, to Lestina, daughter of Daniel and Emily Shep- ard Lebatt, of Grand Island, Neb. They have had four children : Emanuel (de- ceased), Eleanor May, Lestina Meda, and Walter Talmage.

In the spring of 1891 Mr. Scarff came to Burlington, where he has extensively engaged in real estate and manufacturing operations, mainly in developing and building up the Scarff addition to Burlington. He is a Re- publican in his political views, but has never accepted any office.

SCOTT, OLIN, of Bennington, son of Martin Billings and Mary Ann (Olin) Scott, was born in Bennington, Feb. 27, 1832. He derives his lineage on his father's side from Landlord Fay, of the historic Catamount Tav- ern, General Safford, Major Samuel Billings, and Jonathan Scott, while among his moth- er's ancestors were Capt. Moses Sage and Giles Olin, all of whom were pioneers in the early settlement in the southern part of the state and identified with the disputes concern- ing the New Hampshire Grants as well as taking an active part in the war of the Revo- lution.

The early educational advantages of Mr. Scott were limited to the district school, and at the age of eleven he found employment as clerk in Troy and Albany, N. Y. In 1846- '47, he attended the Union Academy, at Bennington, supporting himself by his own exertions. He then served an apprentice- ship of three years to learn the trade of mill- wright, at the same time pursuing a systematic course of study in engineering, and to increase his proficiency in this science he attended the North Bennington Academy for a year, then worked at mill building until he became fore-

SENTER.

man of the bagle Foundry and Machine Shops in Bennington. Here he remained ull 1858, when he entered into a partnership with llon. S. 11. Brown, of that place, to operate the Bennington Machine Works. This arrangement continued until 1863, when he purchased the interest of his partner and i 18644 purchased the business and plant of the Eagle Foundry and Machine Shops. In 1865 after purchasing a property suitable for that purpose, he erected thereon new build- ings, to which be transferred the plant of the Eagle Foundry and also that of his own es- tablishment thus consolidating the business of both, carrying on the concern from that time in his own name. A large part of the machinery used in the manufacture of gun powder during the war of the rebellion and since, was built by Mr. Scott, who has also exported machines for this purpose to various parts of the world. In 1869 he built the

OLIN SCOTT.

Lake Superior powder mills, at Marquette, Mich., and became a stockholder in the same and four years later became general superin- tendent of the Laflin & Rand Powder Co., of New York. In 1882 Mr. Scott formed the Ohio Powder Co., at Youngstown, Ohio, of which company he was for several years vice president and director. In 1884 he organ- ized the Pennsylvania Powder Co., Limited, at Scranton, Pa., of which company he was president and director. In 1887, he sold his interests in the above named powder com- panies and became consulting engineer and

agent for the Laflin & Rand Powder Co., of New York, and the DuPont Powder Co., of Wilmington, Del. ; which position he still holds, at the same time operating the Ben- nington Machine Works. His next venture was the establishment of a company for mnak- ing machinery for the mannfacture of wood pulp into paper stock and his improved New England pulp grinder has acquired great popularity in all parts of the United States and Canada. In 1892, he was chosen to and still holds the presidency of the Lasher Stock- ing Co., organized at Bennington, for the manufacture of men's half hose. In addi- tion to the other business operations named, he has continuously operated the Benning- ton Machine Works, to the management of which he still gives his personal attention.

Mr. Scott was united in marriage in 1856 to Celeste E., daughter of Samnel and Lydia Gilbert of Salem, N. Y. Two daughters and one son were the fruit of this union, none of whom survive.

He has been for many years a member and trustee of the Second Congregational Church, and a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, in which latter he has taken the de- gree of Kt. Templar. He was one of the originators of the plan for building the Ben- nington battle monument, is a director and recording secretary of the Monument Asso- ciation and has ever taken an active part in carrying out their designs. In this, as in many other enterprises, Mr. Scott has well served the interests of the community in which he dwells.

For many years he was town auditor and has also served the village graded schools and savings bank in the same capacity and has acted as a trustee of the graded school, being for two years chairman of the board.

Mr. Scott for four years held the commis- sion of captain of Co. K., Ist Regt., N. G. V., and served two years on the staff of Gov- ernor Farnham with the rank of colonel.

SENTER, JOHN HENRY, of Montpelier, son of Dearborn Bean and Susan C. (Ly- ford) Senter, was born in Cabot, Nov. II, 1848.

Having received his education in the com- mon schools and the high school of Concord, N. H., he for many years was a school teacher, having taught forty-three terms. He studied law with Clarence H. Pitkin, Esq., and was admitted to the bar in Montpelier at the March term of 1879. Subsequently he practiced his profession in Warren, but in 1885 moved to Montpelier and formed a partnership with Harlan W. Kemp, the firm doing both an insurance and law business, which arrangement continued until 1891. In 1885 he was elected a director and secretary

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SHATTUCK.

SENTER.

of the Union Mutual Fire Insurance Co. at Montpelier, which position he still retains.

For some years Mr. Senter has been the attorney for Montpelier village and he is now secretary of the Montpelier Board of Trade. In 1888 he was admitted to the bar of the United States circuit and district courts in Vermont.

Mr. Senter was married at Plattsburgh, N. Y., Nov. 30, 1876, to Addie G., daughter of Carlos and Mary (Ainsworth) Martin. They have five children : Frank Ginevra, Clarence Hiram, Mabel Addie, John Henry, and Clara May.

JOHN HENRY SENTER.

He is a Democrat and for twenty-one years has been secretary and assistant sec- retary of the Vermont Democratic state com- mittee, has held the office of justice of the peace, superintendent of schools and other minor positions. Mr. Senter was appointed national bank examiner under the first ad- ministration of President Cleveland. August 24, 1886, he was made United States cir- cuit court commissioner for the district of Vermont, being appointed thereto by Judge H. H. Wheeler. In January, 1894, Mr. Sen- ter was appointed by President Cleveland and confirmed by the Senate United States district attorney for the district of Vermont.

He is a member of I. O. O. F., affiliating with Vermont Lodge, Thomas Wildey En- campment and Canton Montpelier.

While in Warren he was an untiring and persistent advocate of the town system of schools and after years of effort saw its

adoption in that town many years before it became in 1892, by general law, the system for the state.

SHATTUCK, MARTIN, of Eden, son of Randall and Mary Ann (Thomas) Shattuck, was born in Belvidere, Feb. 5, 1842.

Mr. Shattuck received his intellectual training at the common schools of Belvidere, but his practical education was derived from hard labor upon his father's farm where he remained till he was twenty-two years of age, when he entered his cousin's store at Waterville as clerk. After two years at Waterville he married and went home to reside.

Having decided to engage permanently in trade he returned to Waterville, first enter- ing business with his father-in-law, but soon buying him out. After continuing alone for more than a year, in May, 1871, he moved to

MARTIN SHATTUCK.

Eden and with a very limited capital to start with for twenty-two years has conducted a general country store with a constantly in- creasing volume of business. He is also engaged in farming and the production of maple sugar. He is recognized where ever known, as a safe and successful finan- cier and a liberal donor to public and re- ligious enterprises.

Mr. Shattuck married, Jan. 31, 1866, Meribah Esther Hyde, daughter of William and Betsey (Fuller) Wilbur of Waterville.

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SHIAW.

SHAW.

They have two sons : Merton Carroll, and Harlan Wilhan.

He has always favored the Republican panty in his political inclinations and while at Waterville was made assistant postmaster, and after his removal to the town of Eden he was appointed postmaster which position he continued to fill for a period of about twenty two years. He has been made select- man, auditor and trustee of public money and in (880 was sent to the Legislature, being appointed a member of the committee on ways and means.

He has also knelt at the altar of Free Masonry, being a member of Mt. Norris Lodge of Eden, No. 69, and of Tucker Chapter R. A. M.

SHAW, ALBERT J., of St. Johnsbury, son of John and Elizabeth ( Harriman ) Shaw, was born in Barnet, March 2, 1830.

Ilis educational advantages were confined to the district and high school of Stephens- ville, followed by a course of study in Peacham Academy.

He naturally turned to those business pur- suits in which his early life had been passed, and has devoted his attention to agriculture and the manufacture of lumber. He re- sided in Victory from 1859 to 1890, when he moved to St. Johnsbury.

His political record commenced in 1868, when. he was made justice of the peace. Two years later he was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from Victory, and was the Republican representative of that town in 1876 and 1884. For twenty years he filled the position of town clerk and treasurer, and then declined re-election, while he manifested his interest in the cause of education by acting for nine successive terms as the town superintendent of schools.

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Men of Vermont : an illustrated biographical history of Vermonters and sons of Vermont, Part 85

Author: Ullery, Jacob G., comp; Davenport, Charles H; Huse, Hiram Augustus, 1843-1902; Fuller, Levi Knight, 1841-1896 Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Brattleboro, Vt. : Transcript Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 842

Author: Ullery, Jacob G., comp; Davenport, Charles H; Huse, Hiram Augustus, 1843-1902; Fuller, Levi Knight, 1841-1896
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Brattleboro, Vt. : Transcript Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 842