USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Wallingford > People of Wallingford, a compilation > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
[ 132 ]
LINCOLN ANDREWS (ANDRUS), 1796-1887
THE BALLOUS AND THE ANDREWS
made a success in this country. Ella M. Ballou's picture and a story of her life appeared in this publication. She died July 29, 1937.
John Ballou's great grandson, William Sabin Ballou, married Esther Amanda, the daughter of Lincoln and Esther Hulett An- drews. Lincoln Andrews, Jr. (for a time spelled Andrus) was the son of Lincoln Andrews and Amy Short who came to Dorset, Vt., from Taunton, Mass.
Lincoln Andrews, Jr. (or Andrus) lived on a farm at the foot of the cascades on the old road to Tinmouth, and was one of the jolly jokers of his time.
One day there came along to his house a peddler having for sale among other things an ointment for the itch. "Link" told the man that he had no use for this ointment but across the meadows to the east, where a fine house could be seen, there lived a man by the name of Goodyear Clark, who, while living in a good deal of style, was much afflicted with this trouble. And while Mr. Clark might deny it, "Link" knew there was much need of the ointment in his home, and if the peddler persisted he thought that he could effect a worth-while sale. The man went cheerfully on his way. On arriving at Mr. Clark's house he presented his wares and stressed the merits of the itch ointment. At length Mr. Clark be- came irritated at the man's persistence and showed it in his speech. But the peddler told him that he need not get provoked about it because a neighbor had told him how much Mr. Clark stood in need of a cure. Thereupon Mr. Clark asked if it was the neighbor who lived over there to the west of his farm. He was told that that was the man; and immediately there were explanations but no sale of itch ointment by the peddler. And Mr. Clark said, "He has made fools of both of us !"
At another time, in some way being short of flour at home, Lincoln Andrews went with a pail to Goodyear Clark's to borrow some. On arriving at the house he found that the Clarks had com-
[133 ]
PEOPLE OF WALLINGFORD
pany and the nature of his errand rather embarrassed "Link" in the presence of the company, so he transferred his embarrassment by saying to Mr. Clark that he had come to see if he could get the return of that flour which Mr. Clark had borrowed of him some time before!
However, it was no one-sided affair with these practical jokers. When a new merchant came to town Goodyear thought it no more than a kindly thing to caution him concerning certain individuals and particularly a Lincoln Andrews, who was in- clined to be "light fingered." When "Link" appeared at the store for the first time the new merchant, having been duly warned, was right at his elbow every minute.
When "Link" went to help himself to pipe and tobacco, which in those days was always furnished by the merchant for the men who sat around the stove and talked, the merchant promptly told "Link" that he would get it for him. "Link" having noted the close and constant attention given him by the new merchant, and this sudden activity to keep him from going to the cellar way, where the box of tobacco and pipes were kept, asked somewhat indignantly what was the matter with the merchant. The man re- plied that he need not become indignant for he had already been warned to keep an eye on Lincoln Andrews. Whereupon "Link" wanted to know who had been so solicitous for the welfare of the merchant respecting himself; and had no difficulty in quickly running down the matter to Goodyear Clark. At the same time the burden of anxiety was lifted from the merchant when he learned that one of the leading citizens of the town was not "light fingered."
It is a pleasure to think that in those old days of hard work and more simple living the people appear to have had just as much fun and enjoyment in life as those who live in modern times.
The children of Lincoln Andrews (Andrus) and Esther Hulett Andrews were as follows:
[ 134 ]
THE BALLOUS AND THE ANDREWS
Charles, born October 26, 1828; died February 10, 1863.
Loraine Harriet, born March 30, 1830; died August 27, 1898. Ann Eliza, born December 3, 1832; died June 25, 1924.
Married William Waldo April 20, 1853.
Mary, born January 14, 1836; died June 18, 1894. Married Almerin Hart July 21, 1874.
Esther Amanda, born March 28, 1841; died May 23, 1918.
Married William S. Ballou December 29, 1864.
Henry, born January 1, 1844; died January 20, 1850.
William Sabin Ballou, the son of John Jr. and Sophia Sabin, was born in Wallingford, Vermont, on September 13th, 1831. When a young man he spent several years, previous to 1860, as a clerk in New York City.
About 1860 he returned to Wallingford for reasons of health and engaged in mercantile and insurance business. He was also postmaster for a good number of years until the spring of 1882, when he sold his business to Myron Rogers, and with his wife and his sons, Henry Lincoln and William John, moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, then a territory, and engaged in ranching.
After four years in Wyoming he developed heart trouble that prevented his living in the high altitude of that country. He then sold out his interest in cattle raising and returned to Wallingford where he soon after bought the feed store and gristmill of Frank Johnson. He conducted this business until failing health caused him to retire from active life. He died on the 11th of November in the year 1898. He held minor town offices and was highly es- teemed as an upright, Christian citizen.
His wife, Esther Amanda Andrews, was born March 28th, 1841; and as a young lady studied at Troy Conference Academy in Poultney. At the outbreak of the Civil War she was teaching in La Grange Female College of La Grange, Tennessee, and re- turned home in 1861 on the last train to the North from that sec-
[ 135 ]
PEOPLE OF WALLINGFORD
tion of the country. On the 29th of December, 1864, she married William S. Ballou.
She was a woman of unusual personal charm, brilliancy of mind, genial spirit and beautiful Christian life.
John David Ballou, son of John Jr. and only brother of Wil- liam Sabin Ballou, was born in Wallingford, Vermont, Novem- ber 2, 1827; and died December 23, 1898. He married Phebe A. Bruce, July 16, 1850. After her death on May 15, 1875, he married for his second wife Sarah Allen Rounds of Hartsboro on March 5, 1878. No children were born of these marriages.
The entire life of John D. Ballou was spent in Wallingford. His trade was that of a wheelwright. He could make anything from a wheelbarrow to a water wheel to furnish power for a mill or factory, and also the flume to carry water for the wheel. In carpentry he could make anything from a shingle to the house it roofed, and produce fine pieces of cabinet furniture to furnish the house. One of the last things he made was a writing desk with a flat top covered with felt and having two rows of drawers on each side. It was made of black walnut. Apparently there was nothing he could not do in making things of wood, and his wag- ons were a long time in wearing out.
He was one of the old time skilled artisans, versatile in many ways and equal to all demands made upon him; a type of handi- craftsman which has nearly passed from the life of New England where it was once fairly common.
He was also a man whose word was as good as his bond; a quiet spoken, upright man of the highest Christian character, and very fond of flowers and the things that grew in the woods.
For a good number of years he was employed by the Batcheller Brothers in their fork manufactory and was a beloved friend of theirs throughout his life.
[ 136 ]
VI. THE FOX FAMILY
Tı HE first member of the Fox family to live in Wallingford was William, a descendant of Thomas Fox, who came from Lon- don, England, prior to 1638, and lived in Cambridge, Mass. Wil- liam was the sixth generation in this country. The following quotation is taken from "A History of that part of the Fox Family Descended from Thomas Fox," by N. M. Fox.
"William Fox was born June 28, 1760, probably at Newburg, N. Y. His father died when he was about two years old. His mother returned with two little boys to her native place, Wood- stock, Conn. We know very little about William's early life. He seems to have gained the reputation of being a wild, adventurous boy, and when the war of the Revolution broke out he enlisted in the army. He was but little over sixteen years of age at the time and did not probably take this step by the advice, or even the consent, of his friends, for his brother John thought it necessary to enlist for the purpose of taking care of him. Some months after they joined the army William was attacked with camp fever and reduced so low as to be almost helpless. While in this condition the alarm was given that the enemy was advancing. The long roll called every man to his post. John placed water and food within reach of his sick brother, then took leave of him, both fully real- izing if the enemy were victorious there was little chance that they
[ 137 ]
PEOPLE OF WALLINGFORD
would ever meet again. John shouldered his gun and started for the parade ground, but as he passed around the tent he heard William whisper his name with all the force he could muster, he was so reduced he could not speak aloud, John returned and, bending down over the sick brother asked what he wanted. 'Give it to them, John; damn them, give it to them,' replied the helpless boy, sinking back apparently satisfied to die alone if his brother would fulfill his last request. The alarm proved to be false. John had time to nurse his brother back to health before any action took place, but it is not probable that he found it possible to watch over William or control his actions. John remained in the army between four and five years. William was in the service three years and ten months, part of the time acting as a scout, for which his early experience as a hunter had well qualified him. At one time he was detailed to serve on a small sloop-of-war that the colonists kept cruising off the coast. The confined life on board this vessel was very unpleasant to one of his active habits, the weather was cold and stormy and the time for which he had agreed to serve on the vessel had long expired. There was no prospect that other men would be sent to take the place of the present crew. Under these circumstances Fox and two or three others concluded to leave the naval service and rejoin the regi- ments. One dark night they secured a boat and quietly left the vessel. They had gone but a short distance when the alarm was given and they heard the order given to fire a certain gun. Fox was the captain of that gun. His absence caused a few minutes delay, so that the boat was lost in the darkness before a gun could be fired. They landed in safety and made their way to the army, where they were secure in the friendship and protection of the officers of their regiment. It must have been at the close of his term of service under a call for the militia that he was engaged in the defense of an outpost at the time his uncle, Sergeant Jabez Fox, was killed. . ... The war in the northern states was now
[138 ]
THE FOX FAMILY
pretty nearly ended. Fox went back to Woodstock but did not re- main long at that place. Rutland County, Vermont, was then a frontier settlement, and many of the young men who had served in the army were leaving the old homes and striking out for the new country. Going with the tide William found himself after a weary march in this land of promise. We are not informed in re- gard to the amount of wealth he possessed at the time, but it was probably little more than the clothing he had on. It was necessary to earn a living and he hired to a man named Spafford at six dol- lars per month. His employer was clearing a new farm and steady chopping was the work required. The hardships, privations and loneliness of this new life often brought to his mind the comforts of the home he had left, but he did not change the resolution he had formed of making his own way in the world. Within a few months from the time he reached Vermont he had married Miss Philena White, a daughter of one of the early settlers; had bought a tract of land in the town of Tinmouth and commenced clearing a farm for himself. Game was abundant in those early days. Deer, bears and wolves found shelter in the dense evergreen forest that covered the mountains. Fox and his father-in-law, White, were very successful hunters, and it is recorded that they killed ten bears in a hunt of thirteen days.
"There is a story told of Fox and some of the other settlers building a wolf trap which they baited with a live sheep. The place where the trap was set was at considerable distance from their homes and it was arranged that each in turn should supply the sheep with hay and water. The particular day on which each man should attend to this duty was specified. It is not likely that the sheep doomed to play such an unpleasant part in the game was a very choice specimen of the flock, for when the first man brought his bundle he found that the old sheep had no further use for hay and was, in short, as dead as mutton. Quickly he de- parted, leaving his useless load as a witness that he had fulfilled
[ 139]
PEOPLE OF WALLINGFORD
his part of the contract but saying nothing to the rest of the party about the untimely death of the sheep. The next one made the journey and, taking in the situation at a glance, followed the ex- ample of his predecessor. Each succeeding day saw a man tramp- ing off into the mountains with a bundle of hay to feed a dead sheep until the last one of the party had been on this fool's errand; then they met to enjoy the joke.
"Four or five years after marriage Fox sold or exchanged his farm in Tinmouth for one in Wallingford where he resided the remainder of his life. It was a very pleasant place that he secured for a home and the house he built is still standing, though nearly a century has passed since it was completed. Fox became popular with the townsmen and held office of justice of the peace and town clerk for thirty years. Was also member of the legislature for twenty years. In the discharge of his duty as magistrate he probably married more couples than any other justice in the state. The fee for the ceremony was a silver dollar and as Fox invariably handed the dollar he received from the groom to the bride there were few ladies so indifferent to their own interests as to allow any other justice to perform the ceremony. His decisions were so just and equitable that it is said none of them were ever reversed in the higher courts. William Fox, Esq., married Philena White in Rutland County, Vermont, 1780. She was born October 1762. He died February 17, 1822 at Wallingford, Vermont. She died at the same place July 3, 1817."
If William Fox enlisted in the Continental Army when the war broke out and served three years and ten months his dis- charge must have been about the end of 1779. He married the following year, 1780, at Tinmouth, and his first child was born there August 24, 1781. From these facts we conclude that he came to Tinmouth in the spring or summer of 1780. Eight years then elapsed before he obtained title to a farm of one hundred acres, located on the east road about three quarters of a mile north of
[ 140 ]
DR. JOHN FOX, 1781-1853
SADDLEBAGS OF DR. JOHN FOX
T
THE FOX FAMILY
"Cobb's Corner." During these eight years four children were born, namely, John, William, Jr., Elenor and Fanny. He paid sixty-seven pounds (about $300) for the farm, which is evidence of hard labor and thrift during those years.
Apparently he was not satisfied with the Tinmouth farm, for on February 18, 1791 he purchased of Salathiel Bumpus for sixty- one pounds, twenty-three acres of land in Wallingford, located on the west side of the highway about a mile south of the village, where the old Tinmouth Road branched from the highway. Two years later, November 1, 1793, he purchased of Asahel Jackson additional acreage farther west, along the old Tinmouth Road extending as far as the "school lot." This increased his holdings sixty-eight acres and gave him a farm of ninety-one acres. The cost of the second purchase was one-hundred twenty-four pounds, equivalent to about $600. These purchases indicate his business ability and industry, for it is assumed that he came to Tinmouth with nothing more than the clothes on his back.
In November 1800, Jesse Fairchild deeded land to William Fox, lying between the highway and the Creek, adjoining the home farm of Benj. Bradley, for the sum of $660.
In March 1802 Fox, with seven other persons, purchased the sawmill and a dwelling house in the village of Wallingford- property that seventy years later was a part of the plant of Batch- eller & Sons. That same year he bought two acres with a dwelling house and barn located on the west side of the highway adjoining land of Daniel Douglass, Jonathan Thompson and Philip Edger- ton; and the following year, April 24, 1803, nine acres on the West Hill near the "school lot."
Thus, in a period of a dozen years he became the owner of con- siderable real estate; but his wealth did not consist entirely of property. He had a family of ten children growing up, only one, Laura, dying before reaching maturity. While he was industrious and a man of ability, no stretch of the imagination is required to
[ 141 ]
-
PEOPLE OF WALLINGFORD
visualize his wife, Philena, a busy woman with her household duties and the care of her children.
Besides the labor of cultivating his farm he built a house, part of which may be the "corn house" still standing on the farm now owned by William Merriam.
In 1797-98 he found time to perform the duties of Town Clerk, and in those same years he represented the town in the legislature. He was again elected in 1805 and each succeeding year to 1809. Then there was an interval of two years, after which he served three consecutive years, followed by a one year interval and four consecutive terms, the last of which was for the year 1818. He served once more, in 1821, the year before his death. Thus in fifteen popular elections he was chosen to represent his town in making the laws of the state; an unusual record. In the legislature he was chairman of Committee on Petitions of Collectors of State Taxes, and a member of many committees to which petitions were referred in conjunction with Committees from Council. (The Senate was not created until 1836. Before that date there was a House of Representatives and a Governor's Council.)
In 1795, from October 8th until the 27th, the legislature met at Windsor; in 1797 from February 4th until March 10th at Rutland; in 1805 from October 10th until November 11th at Danville; in 1806 from October 9th until November 11th at Middlebury; in 1807 from October 8th until November at Wood- stock; and thereafter at Montpelier, usually from the early part of October until the early part of November. The average length of the sessions was thirty-one days. Thus, for fifteen years, Fox gave one month each year to legislative duties, involving travel to and from the sessions when traveling in Vermont was slow and laborious.
Besides serving in the legislature, he found time to serve as Selectman for the years 1808 to 1812, inclusive.
The name of William Fox is found among those who attended
[ 142 ]
THE FOX FAMILY
a meeting called on the 21st of July, 1802, to consider forming a Congregational Society. We have no other record of his interest in affairs of the church.
When we consider the accomplishments of William Fox-his coming into the wilderness with nothing but determination to make a home; his energy which enabled him to clear the forest and gradually acquire property; his large family; his public serv- ice to the town and to the state; all of this done before he was sixty years of age-he deserves to be placed among the outstand- ing citizens of his time.
At the time of his death in 1822 William Fox's property com- prised his home farm of one hundred-two acres, valued at $2,200; personal property consisting of live stock, farming tools, house- hold furnishings, etc., $411.88; or a total of $2,611.88. Against this were claims by persons outside the family amounting to $1,053.33.
The following are his children.
John, born August 24, 1781; died June 17, 1853. William, Jr., born June 10, 1784; died April 7, 1872. Elenor, born March 20, 1786; died August 28, 1858. Fanny, born January 21, 1788; died February 26, 1823. Mary, born February 8, 1790; died June 30, 1827.
George M., born February 16, 1792; died October 15, 1819. Marvin, born December 25, 1794; died -. Laura, born January 26, 1797; died July 12, 1820.
Philena, born July 7, 1799; died -. Priscilla, born May 16, 1802; died May 18, 1818.
The Fox Genealogy states that John, son of William Fox, was born in Tinmouth, August 24, 1781, consequently he was less than nine years of age when the family moved to Wallingford where he grew up. He spent his boyhood on his father's farm and
[143]
PEOPLE OF WALLINGFORD
doubtless attended the village school. Choosing the medical pro- fession for his life work his preparation began by three years study of medicine with Dr. Z. Hamilton of Wallingford and of surgery with Dr. Ezekiel Porter of Rutland. He was licensed to practice by the first Vermont State Medical Society in 1807, ac- cording to the custom of the times, there being no medical insti- tution in the state. Subsequently, when the Medical College was established at Castleton, he received a degree of M.D. from that institution .*
May 12, 1807, he married Mary (often called Polly) Crary, daughter of Elias Crary of Wallingford. She was then nineteen years of age.
In the Vermont Historical Magazine we read: "He commenced his practice in Tinmouth. This was probably owing to an agree- ment which he entered into with Dr. Hamilton, that he would not practice medicine in Wallingford under three years after he should complete his profession; but this agreement being ful- filled, he immediately returned here [Wallingford] and com- menced practice, which he continued up to the last week of his life.
"As a medical practitioner Dr. Fox early gained, and ever after- wards retained the full confidence of the community. He was regarded as particularly skillful in surgical operations; but so eminent did he become, in all branches of his profession, that his services were frequently sought for in extreme cases, twenty or thirty miles away.
"The prevalence of what was called the 'Epidemic Fever,' in 1813, made that year the most trying one in his professional career. This was a fever which at first broke out in the army, and which subsequently spread through different sections of the state. It is related of him that he was often so fatigued by his labors at
* History of the Fox Family by N. M. Fox, p. 103.
[ 144 ]
THE FOX FAMILY
this period, that he would go to sleep while standing; for it was never his habit to spare himself when others, on account of their sufferings, required his services."
Dr. Fox believed in good food and plenty of it. No doubt his strenuous life demanded it. Whenever asked by a member of a patient's family what to feed a convalescent he often replied, "Be sure you do not let him get hold of any of your iron ware."
He was called to visit a very poor family in Tinmouth on a cold winter's day. He concluded from what he saw that the trouble was mostly caused by a too meager diet. He left a little medicine and said he would send later in the day whatever else they might need. He came home, packed a large box with food, in- cluding a quantity of salt pork, and sent it to the family as he had promised.
The practice of medicine in Wallingford during the first half of the nineteenth century was a severe tax upon the physical strength of the practitioner, which can be better appreciated when one considers the state of the roads and the means of trans- portation. The population of the village was small; most of the people were scattered about on farms, farming being the chief occupation. The main highway in 1820 was hardly suitable for carriage traffic, justifying the conclusion that the hill roads were little more than trails. Under these conditions travel was mostly on horseback, which compelled a doctor to spend many weary hours in the saddle. We are fortunate in having visual evidence of the manner in which Dr. Fox made his daily rounds to relieve those who were ill. His saddlebags, packed with medicine of vari- ous sorts to meet almost any emergency, have been preserved to us, just as they were laid aside by the venerable doctor. They are shown facing page 141. Wrinkled and worn, the service they rendered is apparent. They were found in the attic of his son's house; that is to say, in the house of Dr. William C. Fox of Wall- ingford, and their history from that time to this is as follows:
[ 145 ]
PEOPLE OF WALLINGFORD
after the death of Dr. William C. Fox in 1880, his house was bought and occupied by Dr. W. E. Stewart who found the saddle- bags in the attic. In 1898 Dr. J. H. Buffum purchased the Fox property and Dr. Stewart passed the bags on to him. Later Dr. Buffum moved to Wallingford, Connecticut. In 1933 the writer was a guest at Dr. Buffum's and was shown the saddlebags. Since then Dr. Buffum has sent them back to Wallingford, Ver- mont, to be placed in a suitable public building where they will be preserved.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.