USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Wallingford > People of Wallingford, a compilation > Part 5
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I have already spoken of the settlers who had come in before her father came. Let us now look for a few moments at the situa- tion of this new comer. His nearest neighbors on the south were Benjamin Bradley and family, a little beyond the present ceme- tery and there were none on the north nearer than the Meecham place then occupied by Abraham Ives. There was no bridge across Roaring Brook. When they crossed it they had to go on logs one side of which was cut off and made flat so that they could walk on them better. The brook was much more of a stream than it is now and there were fish in it in great abundance and down on the Creek there were plenty mink, muskrat and beaver.
For some time after they came to Wallingford, deer were found in considerable numbers in the forest and then she would get sight of a bear or a moose. And almost every night too they used to hear the cries of wolves and other wild animals not very far away. They used most to frequent the thick forests down by the Creek and the woods on the other side. At first these sounds frightened her but getting accustomed to them after a while she minded nothing about them.
Speaking of the condition of things in her childhood, "Every thing," she would say, "has changed from what it was then. Even the birds many of them are not the same as they used to be. When I came here we had the hawk and the owl and the blue jay, the partridge and the woodpecker and wild pigeons and wild duck and the snipe. But we never used to hear the lark and there were but few robins and swallows and blue birds and orioles and bobolinks. When I want to realize how old I am I let memory take a journey back to the doorless and hearthless log house by the roaring brook."
I have stated that Abraham Ives kept the first store and tavern. Neither of these was opened before 1779. No iron could be ob-
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tained without going to Ticonderoga. The inhabitants made their own sugar and most of their clothing. Mrs. Abraham Ives had a calico dress which cost 15 dollars. Mrs. Abraham Jackson also had one. They were very much admired.
This description will give you a view of the changes which have taken place. Scarcely anything remains as it was save the heavens which are over us. There in their beauty and glory still canopy as is but the scenes amid which we move are now changed. And as I am now speaking of changes perhaps no greater change has taken place since the days of our fathers than in the modes of conveyance. For our grandfathers and grandmothers did not use to ride in Pullman cars and beautiful covered topped carriages for though they perambulated "somewhat and muchly" it was not clearly in the modern fashions. The ordinary mode of pass- ing from place to place was on horseback. And when the sexes rode together it was on what was termed a pillion. That was a kind of saddle with a soft cushion extending behind having in addition to the ordinary stirrups of the saddle an additional one for the female, who mounted on her soft padding was accustomed to hold on by putting her arms around the gentleman's waist be- hind whom she rode. I presume some of the young people would like this mode of riding now. But it was very hard for the horse and has now gone so entirely out of date that I presume a pillion has not ever been seen by one of a thousand of the present genera- tion.
I have thus spoken of the early settlers and some of the cir- cumstances of their early situation. I would like to say more but time will not allow for many other topics still remain on which at least a word ought on this occasion to be said.
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III. SOLOMON AND ALEXANDER MILLER
AFTER Governor Benning Wentworth began granting land west of the Connecticut River to settlers, no doubt the citizens of Massachusetts and Connecticut were much interested and there may have been some excitement among those who had an inclina- tion for pioneering. The territory had been known as a wilderness prior to the declaration of peace between England and France that followed the defeat of the latter at Quebec, but after settle- ments began more and more was known of its fertile lands, its forests and its water-power. One can imagine groups of men in larger towns, such as Springfield, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, congregating at the village store, or at the black- smith shop, discussing news from the grants, speculating upon who had secured the best land, etc., or perhaps listening to the tales of a settler who had recently returned from the Green Moun- tain region.
Progress was slow in colonial days when communication was on horseback or by horse-drawn wagon over roads that were little more than trails through the forest. Governor Wentworth granted the charter for the town of Wallingford November 27, 1761, but ten years elapsed before the Proprietors held their first meeting in Wallingford, Connecticut, September 12, 1772;
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and the town was not organized until six years later, March 10, 1778. In the meantime a few settlers had established themselves on the land, constructed log houses, made clearings in the forest and got small fields under cultivation. At the first town meeting Abraham Ives was chosen Moderator; Abraham Jackson, Jr., Clerk; Joseph Jackson, Abraham Jackson and Jonah Ives, Com- mittee. Almost the first needs of the settlers were a gristmill and a sawmill; the former to prepare food for themselves and their animals, and the latter to make lumber for a multitude of necessi- ties. One of the advantages of this mountainous country, not possessed by the level prairie, was an abundance of water power that could be easily and cheaply developed, requiring only the skill of the mason, the wheelwright and the blacksmith.
Down at West Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, Solomon Miller was occupied in collecting taxes when not en- gaged in farming. He was evidently thrifty and had an eye open to an opportunity for a good real estate investment. He was born in 1731, when colonists were familiar with the forest and the In- dians who had not been entirely driven from their hunting ground in New England. He probably knew men who fought in King Philip's War and heard tales of the burning of Deerfield and the massacre of Bloody Brook from persons who were living at the time these events occurred.
About a month after the battle of Bennington Solomon en- listed in Captain Levi Ely's company and served as a private in the regiment of Colonel John Moseley, for the short period of thirty- three days, on an expedition to "Northern Department," travel- ing a distance of one hundred twenty miles. The records give no information concerning the object of the expedition.
Solomon married Desire Smith in 1756, she being then twenty- three years of age. Their family included seven children that lived to maturity; five boys and two girls. They were Solomon, Jr., born, 1761; Samuel, born, 1764; Elisha, born, 1766; Desire, born,
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PLATE II
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51
Fulling mill. Gristmin
1
23
Otter Creek
60
Fox Pond
Main Street
2
Property of Solomon Miller Wallingford, V.t.
MAP OF SOLOMON MILLER'S PROPERTY, PLATE III
Rearing Brook
THE
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W
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S
CREEK
GRISTMILL LOT
,
Fulling Mill
FORGE .
Sawmill
Elm St
SAWMILLWLOT/ I
MILLDAM
PLATE IV
DIAGRAM DAM SITE A MILL PROPER 1788
DIAGRAM OF DAM SITE AND MILL PROPERTY, PLATE IV
.
River St.
FORGE LOT
OTTER
Grist- mill
SOLOMON AND ALEXANDER MILLER
1769; Epaphras, born, 1770; Anna, born, 177 -; and Alexander, born, 1776.
Solomon Miller's first purchase of land in Wallingford is de- scribed in a deed dated October 6, 1784. He did not move to Wall- ingford until three years later, but it is scarcely probable that he bought what was afterwards described as his home lot, located on the main highway, without having inspected the ground. It was located on the east side of the highway and was divided twenty- three years later by a road, the lower part of which has since be- come Church Street. The lot was nineteen rods wide on the high- way and extended eastward about seventy rods, having an area of nine acres. For this land he paid £15, equivalent to, let us say, $75. On this lot, probably just north of the present site of the Congre- gational Church, he built his home, the first frame house in Wall- ingford. Years later this house became a part of Mrs. William Waldo's house, known as "The Bee Hive," located on the north- east corner of Main and Church Streets. This house, built for a tavern with large, square, two-story columns on the front, was burned in 1884.
About four months later, February 26, 1785, Solomon pur- chased of Abraham Ives, for the consideration of £100 (approxi- mately $500), forty-one acres of land located on both sides of the highway, extending from the east end of his home lot westward to the Tinmouth town line then established near the west shore of Fox Pond. This lot, together with his home lot, was 32 rods wide north and south and 250 rods long east and west, an area of fifty acres. This purchase was followed in March by another from Thomas Hinman of 40 acres for the sum of £90 (approximately $450). Of this, thirty acres lay between the highway and Otter Creek, part being north of a road from the highway westward across the Creek, now known as Elm Street, and part south of this road. Ten acres lay on the east side of the highway and on the
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PEOPLE OF WALLINGFORD
north side of the first road from Wallingford to East Walling- ford, now named Hull Avenue.
Solomon must have foreseen a village growing years later in this locality, his foresight probably being founded on the charac- ter of the ground, which was somewhat higher than the intervals along the Creek, and the water power in the falls of the Creek where a gristmill was already established and which was destined years later to turn the wheels of an industry.
On October 27, 1785 he purchased of Pratt Jones for £50 (ap- proximately $250), one hundred ten acres of land lying farther east, away from the highway, and bounded on the north for some distance by Roaring Brook. Later the Church Street road was con- structed across this parcel of land.
In July, 1787, Solomon Miller and his family moved from West Springfield, Massachusetts, to Wallingford, his oldest son be- ing then twenty-six years of age and his youngest, Alexander, eleven. He devoted himself to farming and in addition carried on a business of tanning and shoemaking.
It is interesting to note that the needs of the pioneer are first, a gristmill to prepare grain for food; second, a sawmill to supply lumber; and third, a tannery to supply leather for shoes, boots and harness. Clothing was made in the homes, requiring nothing more than hand-operated machines of simple construction, such as the spinning-wheel and loom. Thus were food, shelter and rai- ment prepared when new homes were established in the wilder- ness. All who had preceded Solomon Miller in making homes in Wallingford had of necessity built log houses that required no other material than the trees of the forest; but when those rude structures were succeeded by frame houses the need of iron was felt for a multitude of details such as nails, hinges, latches and all the product of the blacksmith shop. This need led to the construc- tion of a forge in which Solomon was interested, as will be ex- plained farther on.
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SOLOMON AND ALEXANDER MILLER
The home lot of nine acres and one quarter of Lot 22 were deeded by Solomon Miller, Jr. to his father for one dollar No- vember 16, 1789. We have no explanation of this transaction for a mere nominal sum, but it eventually gave Solomon, Sr. owner- ship of practically all of Lot 22.
In December, 1789, Solomon Miller extended his demesne by the purchase of one hundred acres adjoining his land on the south and extending to the Tinmouth town line, giving him land that touched the shore of Fox Pond. This purchase was made from Joseph Crary of Cavendish and the consideration was £27 (ap- proximately $135). He made but one other purchase of impor- tance, a small lot on the east side of the highway, October 6, 1792. Thus it will be seen that within an interval of about five years Solomon Miller came into possession of more than two hundred acres of land where the village of Wallingford was destined to be located. The total cost of this land, based on the consideration given in the deeds, was £309 (approximately $1,545).
April 5, 1796, he sold the land he owned on both sides of the road we know as Elm Street, about thirty acres, to Daniel Moon for £164 (approximately $820) ; and five years later he sold the ten acres on the east side of the highway to George Ruhman for $200. These two lots, comprising forty acres, is the land he pur- chased of Thomas Hinman in 1785 for £90 (approximately $450). These transactions indicate his business ability.
The shaded portion of the accompanying map, Plate III, indi- cates the land owned by Solomon Miller.
On February 10, 1789 the following named persons entered into a contract substantially as follows: the party of the first part, Stephen Clark; the party of the second part, Solomon Miller and Abraham Jackson, Jr .; the party of the third part, Asahel Jackson and Jedediah Jackson; and the party of the fourth part, Chauncy Clark.
It appears that these parties covenanted and agreed to pur-
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chase of Asahel Jackson a gristmill, a sawmill, a fulling mill and waterpower to operate these mills for the sum of £460 (equiva- lent to about $2,300). This mill property was located beside the Creek where a dam had been built the year before by Asahel and Jedediah Jackson to develop power. It was this same water power and land that Batcheller & Sons purchased about 1865.
The agreement by and between the four parties further stipu- lates that Stephen Clark shall have the gristmill known as "Clark's Gristmill," and the land described as the gristmill lot; that Asahel sells to Solomon Miller and Abraham Jackson, Jr. what was known as "Jackson and Miller's Forge" and the land on which it stands, described as the forge lot, together with the dwelling house and coal houses thereon; that Asahel sells to Jedediah one fourth part of the so-called "Jackson's Sawmill" with one fourth part of the land belonging thereto which is called the sawmill lot; and that Asahel sells to Chauncy Clark what is known as the "Chauncy Clark Fulling Mill" with the land on which it stands, containing nine square rods.
The accompanying diagram shows the relative location of the Creek and dam; the four mills; the boundaries of the lots; and the relative positions of Elm and River streets. The dimensions of the buildings are not known but they are indicated in their ap- proximate locations.
The agreement further states that Stephen agrees to maintain one-third of the "great dam" and the flume to his gristmill; the parties of the second part agree to maintain one-third of the great dam, one-half of the dyke from the Creek to the sawmill, nine- tenths of the great flume leading from the sawmill to the full- ing mill and the whole of the flume from the fulling mill to the forge; Asahel and Jedediah agree with Stephen, Solomon, Abraham and Chauncy to maintain 27/90 of the great dam and 2/6 of the dyke; also the gates of the sawmill; finally Chauncy agrees with Stephen, Solomon, Abraham, Asahel, and Jedediah
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THE SAWMILL ABOUT 1880
MASONIC APRON OF ALEXANDER MILLER
SOLOMON AND ALEXANDER MILLER
to maintain 3/90 of the great dam and 1/6 of the dyke. It is fur- ther agreed that Stephen shall have the first privilege of water from the Creek, sufficient for two sets of grinding stones and a bolt in the gristmill; Solomon and Abraham shall have second privilege of water sufficient for two fires, the great hammer and trip-hammer in the forge; Asahel and Jedediah shall have the third privilege of the water sufficient for the sawmill; and Chauncy shall have the fourth privilege of the water for the full- ing mill.
It is stipulated in the agreement that the surface of the water above the dam shall be not more than nine feet and one inch above the surface of the water below the dam. The allowable height of the dam was a subject of discussion many years later.
This is a remarkable agreement covering ten closely written pages in the public records of the town of Wallingford. It sheds much light on the early history of the village and for that reason, beside the part that Solomon Miller played, it is given consider- able space here. The accompanying diagram, Plate IV, was care- fully plotted from the boundaries of each lot as given in the rec- ords and from measurements of present landmarks.
The contract and other evidence implies that Asahel Jackson owned the gristmill, sawmill and fulling mill; also the water rights that he had developed by building the great dam, with the help of Jedediah Jackson, the year before; that the forge and iron works had been built by Solomon Miller in partnership with Abraham Jackson, Jr. and Jedediah Jackson on land that Solomon purchased of Asahel, Jedediah and Samuel Hull. By this con- tract the gristmill became the property of Stephen Clark; the forge, the property of Solomon Miller and Abraham Jackson, Jr .; the sawmill, the property of Asahel and Jedediah in the ratio of three to one; and the fulling mill, the property of Chauncy Clark. Three years later, January 27, 1792, Solomon sold his interest in
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the forge and adjoining buildings to D. Mecham and O. Richard- son for six tons of iron.
When Batcheller & Sons bought this property in 1865 Deacon Post had a mill on the site of the gristmill for grinding tanbark, the forge had been replaced by the pegshop building of Brett & Son, but the sawmill was still standing and continued to be used. At the west end and attached to the sawmill was a building equipped with saws and a lathe for making fork handles. In the basement of the building there was a machine for making wooden bowls. It is probable that this building attached to the sawmill was originally the fulling mill of Chauncy Clark. The sawmill and the pegshop building are shown opposite page 64.
Stephen and Chauncy Clark were brothers and were early settlers in that part of Wallingford which afterwards became Mount Holly. They had another brother, Ichabod Goodyear Clark, whose grandchildren were Philander Goodyear Clark, Mrs. Israel Munson and Mrs. David E. Nicholson of Rutland.
We wonder what change was taking place in the life of Solo- mon Miller after the turn of the century, for, in a brief deed bear- ing the date February 14, 1803, and for the consideration of $3,333.33 he conveys to his son Alexander, in these words, "The whole of the farm on which I now live in the town of Walling- ford aforesaid, containing about two hundred ten acres." Possi- bly his health was broken down; or he may have felt the effect of declining years; or, in contemplation of future events, he may have anticipated the difficulties of distributing an estate com- prised largely of real estate. It is interesting to note that the "con- sideration" was an amount much in excess of the sums paid originally for the land. No doubt the buildings and the labor ex- pended upon the land had greatly enhanced its value.
On the same date his son Alexander deeded to his honored father, Solomon Miller, and to his honored mother, Desire Miller, "The following tract of land in the town of Wallingford afore-
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said the south half of the dwelling house and two acres east of said house including land for a garden together with one half of the barn and one half of the land on which the orchard stands west of said barn with the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging to them, the said Solomon Miller and Desire Miller for and during the term of their joint lives and the life of the survivor of them, to use and occupy and enjoy as to them shall seem meet and proper the aforesaid premises being the same that have been this day deeded from the said Solomon Miller to me. Reference to said deed being had for particular description of said prem- ises."
Thus the lands of Solomon Miller in Wallingford passed to his youngest son Alexander, and provision was made for the father and mother during the remainder of their lives. Two years before his death Solomon became an invalid and gradually suf- fered the loss of his faculties until, toward the end, his son Alex- ander attended his father night and day. He died August 20, 1807, at the age of seventy-six, his wife having preceded him March 9th of the same year.
Solomon Miller served as First Selectman for the year 1786. We find no record that he held any other public office. He was evi- dently interested in the church for he was present at the public meeting called at the request of twelve petitioners desirous of forming a Congregational Church Society, and he was one of thirty that formed themselves into a Society "for the Support of the Gospel."
Alexander Miller was born in the year 1776. He doubtless came with his parents to Wallingford in 1787, for he was then eleven years of age. His educational opportunities were probably limited to winter terms in the district schools which at best offered but meager advantages. His natural ambition probably lay in the di- rection of business, rather than along scholastic lines. This con- clusion is supported by his success in business and the ungram-
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PEOPLE OF WALLINGFORD
matical, badly spelled letters that he wrote later in life. Most of his schooling was no doubt gotten in Springfield, for when he came to Wallingford in his eleventh year he was old enough to help with the work on his father's farm and in the tannery. Prob- ably this is what he did until 1803, when he purchased his father's farm and began operating it as proprietor.
The consideration given in the deed of the farm was $3,333:33. One wonders how he had been able to accumulate so large a sum, for he was then but twenty-seven years of age. It seems more probable that his father accepted his note for at least a part of the purchase price. From that time on, besides the business of farming, tanning and perhaps forging, he had the care of his father and mother.
Shortly after the father's death, August 20, 1807, Alexander married Lucretia Robbins. She was a teacher in Troy, New York. Their courtship had been long, as shown by the letters exchanged, copies of which follow this brief outline of his life.
Alexander built the house that is standing today opposite the Congregational Church and the accompanying reproduction from a photograph shows it as it was about 1880 before the piazza was added. A large elm tree to be seen standing in the street in front of the house was growing there before the town of Wallingford was put on the map; perhaps when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. In a letter to Miss Robbins dated 5th of July 1807 he says, "my house goes on slower than I could wish but hope to have it finished in a few weeks where by being more alone I believe my father will be better." This fixes the date of the house. Before building his house he lived with his father whose house stood on the east side of the highway, about where the Con- gregational Church now stands, or perhaps just north of Church Street. Again he writes, Sunday evening, 26th of July, 1807: "I have now removed to my house I have been erecting & find it has no bad effect upon my Father."
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The house has been, and still is, an ornament to the village. Its fine proportions, its substantial appearance, its simple lines, its spaciousness that suggests comfort and gives an air of dignity, all contribute to making it one of the best examples of colonial ar- chitecture in the village. While the piazza may contribute a little to convenience and comfort in the warm summer days, the col- umns and brackets are not in harmony with the original design. Alexander showed his good taste in placing the house well back from the highway and in providing a broad lawn with ample shade.
Alexander Miller was a member of the Masonic fraternity. His apron has been preserved bearing upon it insignia of the arch, the sun, moon, stars and numerous other symbols. The following letter shows his connection with the organization.
Rutland October 1 1810
Dear Sir
I under stand that the grand Lodge Met on Monday even & it is sed that you are one of the officers if so it will be necessary that you should attend if not I think it would be very agreeable to you to attend & all the rest of the Royal Arch masons as I under stand they have a wright all though we are not all voters be so good as to inform be so good as to inform all our Companings in Walling- ford &C I am with Due Respect your very Sincer friend & humbel servt-
Cap. A Miller
Thos. Miller
P S Excuse me for wrightin I did not no but it Might escape your mind
Alexander was a member of the local militia company but rec- ords cannot be found giving the date of his enlistment. Presum- ably he enlisted as a private but when Governer Smith called out the militia to suppress the so-called "Potash and Lumber Rebel- lion," May 5, 1808, he held the rank of Lieutenant; and when he
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