USA > Vermont > Caledonia County > Successful Vermonters; a modern gazetteer of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties, containing an historical review of the several towns and a series of biographical sketches > Part 13
USA > Vermont > Essex County > Successful Vermonters; a modern gazetteer of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties, containing an historical review of the several towns and a series of biographical sketches > Part 13
USA > Vermont > Orleans County > Successful Vermonters; a modern gazetteer of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties, containing an historical review of the several towns and a series of biographical sketches > Part 13
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RANNEY, HENRY. In 1836 Sul- livan Ranney, a native of Westmin- ster, moved from Coventry to South Kirby and located on a farm cleared by Josiah Joslin. It was here that the subject of this sketch was born July 4, 1843, his mother being Phoebe (Huggens) Ranney. The farm consists of five hundred acres
HENRY RANNEY.
and has twelve hundred sugar trees, eighty head of cattle, eighty sheep, and eight horses are kept. Mr. Ranney has always occupied a lead-
ing place in the affairs of the town and served several years as a lister and selectman. In 1880 and in 1890 he served Kirby as a represent- ative in the Vermont legislature. He has five children, Harry A., Phoebe, now Mrs. George A. Cross of Long Island, Mabel II., Frank, and Florence M.
The farm occupied by Mr. Ran- ney has only had three owners sinee it was taken up and cleared, viz., Josiah Joslin, Sullivan Ranney, and its present owner. Sullivan Ran- ney was a leading personage in his day and probably did more business than any man of his time in Kirby.
WETHERBEE, HENRY L., the subject of this sketch, was born at Lyndon, Vermont, May 25, 1834. ITis grandfather. Caleb Wetherbee, lived at Westminster, Massachusetts, where Nathan, the father of Henry L., was born. Nathan came to Ver- mont when a young man and mar- ried Tyla Leach, a daughter of Jon- athan Leach, the first settler at North Kirby. They had three chil- dren, Henry L., Silas, and Mary Jane. Mary J. died when a young lady. Silas became a merchant and died in Maine some two years ago. Henry L. married Emeline S. Wright of Lowell, Massachusetts. They purchased the old "Leach farm" where they resided for many years. The fruit of their marriage was four children, Revillo W., born February 4, 1857, who resides at West Leba- non, New Hampshire; Ehner E., born August 18, 1862, and died De- cember 28. 1896: Alson N., born December 14, 1867, resides at Phil- adelphia, and Eva J., born Novem- ber 25, 1877, and lives with her father. Mrs. Wetherbee died No- vember 28, 1898.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
Mr. Wetherbee always took an active part in all public affairs: was lister and selectman many years, represented Kirby in the legislature
HENRY L. WETHERBEE.
in 1872 and 1884, was town treas- urer from 1800 until his removal from town in 1898. He is a promi- nent member of the Odd Fellows, being past grand.
Hle now owns a fine residence at Lyndon, where he lives.
BENNETT, IRA P., son of Amos P. and Lucia Ann (Kittredge) Ben- nett, was born in Kirby, November 7th, 1850. When six years of age his father died and young Ira was left to " paddle his own canoe." He lived for some years with the late Harley Hall of Burke.
In 1871 he went to Springfield, Massachusetts, was traveling sales- man for wholesale houses nine years, then went into business for himself at Naugatuck, Connecticut, for three years; then went to Scranton, Penn-
sylvania, and opened a wholesale meat and provision market. Six years later he opened the largest dressed meat and provision house in Philadelphia. Since then he has opened in addition to this one a like house at Shamokin and one at Sun- bury, and operates all three. He resides at Philadelphia during win- ter and has a summer residence at Woodmont, Connecticut.
IRA P. BENNETT.
He married Eliza Tolles of Con- necticut. They have two children, Servyle and Marjorie. Ilis mother married again, Austin Barney, who died and left her a widow, and Ira bonght the farm and cares for her at the old home in Kirby. Mr. Bennett has one sister, Stella M., who married Charles Howland of Burke.
WARREN, JAMES E. James E. Warren was born August 12, 1859, in Kingsbury, Washington county,
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CALEDONIA COUNTY.
N. Y. He is the son of James C. and Clarrisa (Colvin) Warren. He received his education in the schools of his native place and located in Kirby in 1885, where he owns a splendid farm of 225 acres and forty head of stock. Mr. War- ren has always been a farmer of the progressive class. In 1884 Mr. Warren married Gertrude Taylor of North Concord, Vermont. The union has been blessed by seven children, James A., Etta C., Carl R., Clyde T., Dewey C., and Leigh N.
JAMES E. WARREN.
Mr. Warren has always taken a lively interest in all matters of a public nature and has served Kirby one year as constable and collector of taxes, selectman two years, and road commissioner three years.
REED, NATHANIEL, was one of the early settlers of Concord. He married Susan Sweat of Kirby. They were the first couple married
in Kirby. They reared six chil- dren, viz., Willard, Samuel, Louise, Rosetta, Cynthia, and Stephen. Mr. Reed died at the age of eighty years.
Stephen married, first, Polly Chickering. They had one child, Adelaide. He married, second, Polly, daughter of Amos and Ruth (Babcock) Hutchinson. There were born to them seven children.
REED, WINTHROP T., son of Stephen and Polly, was born Oc- tober 5th, 1844. On December 14th, 1867, he married Celia, daugh- ter of Joel and Lovina (Russell) Richards, who was born in Kirby, January 2d, 1846. They have two children, Winifred M. (who married Frank Montgomery and has three boys), Ivanilla E. (who married Fred
1
WINTHROP T. REED.
Pierce and has two boys). The daughters both reside at St. Johns- bury. Mr. Reed now resides on the old A. W. Burroughs farm in Kirby.
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He has served his town as lister for several years and is also a mem- ber of the town school board, and is prominent in public affairs.
Mr. Reed enlisted in the War of the Rebellion in the Third Vermont light artillery and served until mus- tered out, June 15th, 1865.
KELLEY, ROBERT, was born of Celtic parents in England, and at an early age enlisted in the British army and served as a soldier for many years. On that eventful June day, in 1815, he was, with his regi- ment, in the battle of Waterloo, fighting under Wellington, and par- ticipated in the gallant charge that ronted the French army under Na- poleon.
He afterwards came as a soldier to Quebec and after serving his full time was discharged from the army. Some years before coming to America he married Mary Ann Needham, and upon his discharge from the army settled with his fam- ily at New Ireland, P. Q. There were born to them a large family of children.
Thomas W., son of Robert and Mary Ann, was born at New Ireland, May 1, 1831, and in early years com- menced the battle of life so peculiar to that section. Many and inter- esting were the stories he would tell of his experiences, camping out, in hunting, fishing, logging, and pilot- ing parties through the Canadian forests.
He married Nancy A., daughter of John and Jane Ranney of Whee- lock, Vt. They had five children, Henry E., married and living in In- diana; E. Lillian, now in Boston; Emma J., deceased; William E., of Kirby, and one who died in infancy; also an adopted daughter, Annie
Wallace Kelley. About forty years ago Mr. and Mrs. Kelley moved on to the farm in Kirby which has been the family home ever since.
Mr. Kelley has held the office of constable and collector several years, lister a few years, and other public positions, always to the satisfaction of the people. Mr. Kelley died January 2, 1903, seventy-one years of age.
Mrs. Kelley and William E. own and keep the old home farm.
NICKERSON, JOSEPH, and his wife, Anna (Berry), came from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Westminster, Vermont, at an early date and reared a large family of children. He died in Kirby, October 15th, 1855.
BENJAMIN B. NICKERSON.
Benjamin B., son of Joseph and Anna, was born at Westminster, February 7th, 1808, and spent his boyhood days in that town. After attaining his majority he was em-
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CALEDONIA COUNTY.
ployed as attendant at the MeLean insane asylum in Massachusetts for six or eight years, until he came to Kirby in 1837, when he purchased the farm upon which he lived most of his after life. He was a much respected citizen and served his town as a public officer for many years.
On March 3d. 1840, he married Alice, daughter of David and Alice (Aiken) Ellenwood, who was born
JOSEPH W. NICKERSON.
January 10th, 1811. There were born to them seven children, Ilar- riet M., May 30, 1841 (married George A. Leach), David B., May 5th, 1843 (married Alma Ilough- ton), Alice A., January 2d, 1847 (married Frank B. Newton: she died May 29th, 1888), Joseph W., Lueva J., and Mary L., August 17th, 1853 (who died November 30th, 18:6). 1. Etta, September 29th, 1856 (mar- ried Daniel Davis and has two chil-
dren). The five children now liv- ing all reside in the town of Kirby. Mr. Nickerson died April 28th, 1887; Mrs. Nickerson May 27th, 1887.
LUEVA J. NICKERSON.
NICKERSON, JOSEPH W., son of Benjamin, was born in Kirby on July 11th, 1848. On December 4th, 1877, he married Ella M., daughter of Perkins A. and Lucy (Hunter) Vinton. They have three children, Merbert W., born January 14th, 1880; Mabel M., born July 24th, 1883; Gertrude E., born May 24th, 1898, all living at home with their parents on the farm. Mr. Nickerson has held the offices of se- lectman, lister, and justice of the peace for many years.
NICKERSON, LUEVA J., son of Benjamin, was born at Kirby, Oc- tober 29th, 1851. On November 24th, 1885, he married Hattie A., daughter of Perkins A. and Luey
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
(Hunter) Vinton. No children were born to them. Mrs. Nickerson died April 4th, 1901. Mr. Nickerson is a farmer, and has held the offices of se- lectman, lister, etc., for some years.
LEACH, JONATHAN, the first set- tler at North Kirby, a native of Massachusetts, married there Chloe Atwood and had two children before coming to Kirby. IIe erected a " log cabin " on the farm now owned by Albert Barnett, drew in his household goods and the two chil- dren on a hand-sled and began his home, clearing the land without a team at the first. The second year he put up the first frame building in town, being the barn now occupied by Mr. Barnett. In this barn was held the first school and the first re- ligious meeting in town. Six more children were born to them in Kirby. His wife died about 1810. He married again and had three more children. He built the first sawmill in town, near his house.
Jacob L., son of Jonathan and Chloe, married first Betsey Smith, and there were born to them five children. Mrs. Leach died in 1832, and he married Electa Aldrich, and five more children were born to them, after which the second wife died, in 1853. His third wife was Clara Martin. He died in 1829, aged eighty-one years.
George A. Leach, son of Jacob L. and Electa, was born in Kirby, January 11, 1840. When abont twenty-three years of age he went with his brother, Whipple A., who was captain of a whaling vessel, and spent about six years at sea. The remainder of his life has been spent upon the farm. He married Har- riet M. Nickerson, September 12, 1866. There have been born to
them six children: Ronello R., born November 28, 1870; Frank H., March 8, 1812; Ardella A., Aug- ust 8, 1873; Charles W., March 17, 1876: Henry W., February 16, 1880, who died December 1, 1887; Delmer B., April 18, 1883. None of the children are married.
WILLIS, CAPT. NATHANIEL, was born at Lebanon, N. H., July 23, 1:93. On November 15, 1814, he married Lucinda Wheatley of Lebanon, who was born November 12, 1792. They had four children. Captain Willis came to Kirby some time prior to 1820, took a deed of the farm now owned by Ira and C. A. Noyes, from Oliver Kane, encountered the usual pioneer trials. cleared up the farm
NATHANIEL WILLIS.
and remained upon the same until about 1848, when he removed to St. Johnsbury. He was one of Kirby's " stand-by " citizens, always
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CALEDONIA COUNTY.
in demand for counsel and aetion; served the town as lister, seleetman, overseer, and in other positions many years, and was town repre-
WILLIAM P. WILLIS.
sentative in 1839. He died Novem- ber 29, 1873.
Joel F., son of Captain Nathaniel, was born April 28, 1817, married Eleanor Hadloek (who was born May 18, 1822), on May 18, 1841. Only one child was born to them. Mr. Willis served the town as con- stable and collector and bid fair to take his father's rank in town, when he was stricken with consumption and died August 17, 1852. His son, William P., was born May 29, 1842. On December 11, 1864, he married Charity M. Young, born 1846.
Three children have been born to them, Mary E., a daughter who died in infancy; Ervin N., born February 2, 1869, resides in Littleton, New Hampshire; Sidney J., born May 20,
1877, who is now a student at Tufts college.
William P. resides on his farm at South Kirby and is at present road commissioner for the town.
THE JENKINS FAMILY. Lemuel Jenkins, a native of Hinsdale, New Hampshire, was born in 1758. He served in the Revolutionary army and was in the battle of Bunker Hill. He moved to St. Johnsbury, Vermont, from Chesterfield, New Hampshire, about 1800, where he re- sided until his death in 1843. He married Hannah Lewis. by whom he had nine children, Lemuel, Sylva- nus, Jonathan, Sarah, Sophia, Wes- ley, Obadiah, Alanson, and Lewis.
Lewis Jenkins, son of Lemuel, was born in Chesterfield, New
LEWIS JENKINS.
Hampshire, September. 1799, and went with his parents the following year to St. John-bury. He was ordained a minister of the gos-
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
pel in about 1840. He set- tled in Burke and owned the property now known as Belmont Stock Farm, and owned by Alonzo C. Farmer, his son-in-law. Mr. Jenkins married for his first wife Polly Griswold, daughter of Elisha and Lucinda Griswold of Waterford. They had eleven children, viz., Or- rin, Mary J. (who married for her first husband Orrin Kincade, and had three children, Emily [see Dr.
MILO JENKINS.
Colby, Sutton], Arthur, and Will- iam, and for her second Ros -- well I. Leach of Lyndon Cen- ter), Lewis, and Willis, who were twins; Emily J. (who married John Hicks), Milo, Lemuel, Nar- cissa, Lucinda (see Joseph Andrew, Brighton, Island Pond), Martha (see Alonzo C. Farmer, Burke) and El- vila Ann.
In March, 1839, Polly (Griswold) Jenkins died and Mr. Jenkins took
for his second wife Sarah, daughter of Jason Hall of Newark, and ten children was the fruit of this union, viz., Amelia S., Jason, Almira (see Hon. Preston II. Graves of Kirby), Arthur D., Benjamin F., Susan (see Alonzo (. Farmer, Burke), Alvah Eugene, Edna, Flora (Mrs. Wise of Manchester, New Hampshire), and Ellen V.
Rev. Lewis Jenkins was a man of great worth and unusual ability and
ELLEN A. JENKINS.
sound judgment. He represented the town of Burke in the legislature two terms, and when the special session of February 18, 1857, was called to take action regarding the rebuilding of the recently burned state house, a strong effort was made to move the capitol from Mont- pelier, Mr. Jenkins strenuously op- posed the measure, and by his clear, concise, and forcible argument did much and perhaps more than any
CHILDREN AND GRAND CHILDREN OF MILO JENKINS.
ADNA A. WILLIE L.
HARRIS E.
FRED E.
NELLIE A.
MARION B. JEFFREY. J. MILO JEFFREY. MILO W. JENKINS.
CHARLOTTE E. JENKINS.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
other single member to keep the state house in its present historic city.
Milo Jenkins was born in Burke, November 25, 1830; married Amelia, daughter of Jacob and Sally (Pierce) Sanderson, June 25, 1855. They had five children, Adna A., Fred Elmon, Harris E., Charles A. (who died in infancy), and Willie L. Mrs. Jenkins died December 9, 1866. Here it has been thought well to mention more fully the Sanderson family.
Jacob Sanderson, father of Amelia A. (Mrs. Milo Jenkins), was born in Putney, Vermont, October 15, 1781, son of Ebenezer and Abi- gail Sanderson. He died May, 1860.
Sally Pierce was born in Putney, Vermont, April 6, 1793, and was a daughter of Thomas and Abigail Pierce. Sally married Jacob San- derson in 1812. She died April 6, 1833.
Milo Jenkins married for his second wife Ellen A. Ethridge (see Capt. Asa C. Ethridge, Burke), March 5, 1868, and one child blessed this union, Nellie Amelia (see William H. Jeffrey, Kirby). Milo Jenkins represented the town of Kirby in the state legislature of 1882-783.
Adna Adelbert Jenkins was born in Newark, April 12, 1858, and re- ceived his education in the public schools of Burke, Island Pond, and at the New England Conservatory of Music of Boston. He located in Manchester, New Hampshire, in 1880.
Fred Elmon Jenkins was born in Newark, January 14, 1860, and attended the public schools of Kirby; married Emma Brown of Augusta, Maine, September 12,
1896. They have had two children, Alfred, who died in infancy, and Charlotte Ellen.
Harris Eugene Jenkins, born in Kirby, April 1, 1862, attended the schools of that town, and has always followed farming of the progressive order; married April 6, 1893, Mrs. Ada L. (Shirtliff) Amidon. One child was born, Amelia S., who died in infancy. Mr. Jenkins has served Kirby as selectman three years.
Willie Lafayette Jenkins was born in Kirby, October 9, 1866, attended the Kirby public schools, and has always followed farming. He mar- ried Carrie T. Logan of Victory, November 11, 1896. They have one child, Milo William. He now resides in Burke.
Nellie Amelia (Jenkins) Jeffrey, born in Kirby, June 29, 1869, at- tended the public schools of Kirby, and graduated from the Lyndon Commercial college, and from the Lyndon Institute, 1891. Taught school in Kirby, Burke, Newark, and Lyndon. June 12, 1891, was married to William H. Jeffrey.
JEFFREY, WILLIAM HARTLEY. In 1623 William Jeffrey of Chit- tingly. Manor, Suffolk county, Eng- land, "son of Audery," came to America in the ship Ann, landing in Virginia. There were five members of this family, according to the best authority, probably all brothers, as Audery, the father, does not appear among the list.
" Before the arrival of Endicott," says Governor Winthrop in his his- tory, " in our colony William Jef- frey, a planter, came to Weymouth," and later acquired that portion of Massachusetts now known as Ips- wich and Manchester-by-the-Sea.
Sincerely chung Williams Hangers
11
He now
1
Sincerely yours,
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CALEDONIA COUNTY.
This locality was for many years known as " Jeffrey's Neck." About 1629 William Jeffrey of Chittingly, Eng., and commonly referred to in early New England history as " William of Weymouth," located on the north side of Agamenticus mountain in York county, Maine, and it is claimed by some historians that this dates the first permanent settlement in the Pine Tree State.
He married Mary Gould, sister of John and Daniel Gould, of Newport, Rhode Island. They had six chil- dren: Mary, who was born at Wey- month, January 20, 1642. and married John Green of Newport; Sarah, who married Barzilla Barker of Rowley, Massachusetts; Susan- nah, Priscilla, John, and Thomas,
William Jeffrey left Maine in 1671, and went to live with his daughter, Mary Green, at Newport, where he died January 2, 1675, aged eighty-four years.
William H. Jeffrey, subject of this sketch, is of the eighth genera- tion from " William of Weymouth." He was born in Kennebunkport, Maine, April 8, 1867, son of Eleazer and Lydia Jane (Clough) Jeffrey.
Mr. Jeffrey received his edneation in the public schools of Biddeford, Maine, and read law with the well- known law firm of Hamilton & Cleaves of that city. Ile served two terms as tax assessor of Ward three in that eity.
June 12, 1891, he married Nellie Amelia Jenkins of Kirby, Vermont, daughter of Milo and Ellen 1. (Ethridge) Jenkins, by whom he has had three children, Marion Bet- sey, Milo Eleazer, who died in in- fancy, and J. Milo.
Mr. Jeffrey has devoted a greater part of his time to travel, news-
paper, magazine, and book work and has published many souvenir and historic works of value. He lo- cated in Vermont in 1902.
DUNTON FARM, THE. Never in all her long centuries of wonder- ful picturing was Dame Nature in a gentler or more artistic mood than when with her giant brush and di- vine inspiration she fashioned the wonderful setting that was destined thousands of years after to be the town of Kirby, and in no part of this beautiful region was she more kind than in that portion where rests the Dunton farm. For cen- turies upon centuries these gran- deurs were for the eyes that knew naught else, for the red man and his fellows, who made the products of the streams their sustenance and its fertile lands their happy hunt- ing grounds. Then came Peter Page, before the year 1800, the sturdy pioneer with his woodman's axe, and carved himself a home from the richness that was his for the asking.
Peter Page purchased the west- erly side of Lot No. 37, which em- braces the Dunton farm. His deed was from John Atkinson and dated December 1, 1806. He cleared the land and built a house here on the bank of the Moose river. Page had a large family and was of an ad- vanced age, and in 1810 he deeded his farm to his son, Phineas, con- ditioned upon his support during his lifetime. An amusing condi- tion among others was, " That the said Phineas shall furnish the said Peter with three glasses of good spiritnous liquor every day." Sev- eral generations of the Pages were reared here and much of historic in- terest has occurred on this spot,
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
which is one of the prettiest loca- tions in Caledonia county, lying on a southerly slope overlooking the Moose River valley and being only five minutes' drive from post-office, stores, railroad station, church, and school. The buildings are new and
to Maud L. Pearson of St. Louis, Missouri, daughter of Wesley R. Pearson, formerly of Kirby. Her father, Wesley R. Pearson, was a son of Gilbert, who married Clar- inda Ford, daughter of Robert Ford of Kirby.
WILLIAM S. DUNTON.
commodious, with all the modern conveniences, and is all in all a beautiful and tasty farm home.
William S. Dunton was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but has lived in Vermont most of his life. October 22, 1898, he was married
Mr. and Mrs. Dunton bought their beautiful home from the es- tate of Hosea Bartlett and have made marked improvements. The children are Lucy Ray, Robert Ford, and Algernon Pierey.
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CALEDONIA COUNTY.
BURKE .* Population, Census of 1900, 1,184.
The town of Burke was chartered February 26th, 1782, by Thomas Chittenden, governor of the " Inde- pendent Republic of the Green Mountains," Joseph Fay, secretary. Most of the grantees were inhabi- tants of Litchfield county, Connecti- cut, though among them we recog- nize the names of Ira Allen, Samuel Safford, John and Agnes Strong, and John Strong, Jr.,-all patriots in the early days of Vermont who doubtless received grants of land in this as in many other townships in return for services to the struggling state.
The charter of Burke was con- firmed by the admission of Vermont to the Union in 1791, and in 1800 a copy, certified by Roswell Hop- kins, then secretary of state, was engrossed on the town records. The survey took place in 1787, when Captain Uriah Seymour, one of the original proprietors, and Seth Spen- cer allotted the land. The town was divided into two divisions and each proprietor received a right of 160 acres in each division, reserving five rights to public uses as provided by the charter, viz., to state college, county grammar school, town school, minister's support, and one right to the first settled minister. Five rights of unassigned land re- mained, of which a third division was made in 1805, about eleven acres to each owner.
A gore, called in the old records "Burk Tung," containing 3,400 acres lying on the west side of Kirby mountain, was set off, with Hop-
kinsville on the east side of the mountain, in 180%, to form the township of Kirby. The original estimate fell too low, there still re- maining to Burke an area of 20,320 acres.
In 1791 came Benjamin Belden, surveyor and agent for the owners in Connecticut. He came on horse- back and camped on a little natural meadow not far from the present village of East Burke. He visited the town every summer for fifteen years and through him sales of land to settlers were effected. Lemuel Walter of Litchfield county, Con- necticut, made the first clearing in the summer of 1792. It was on the high ridge of land which runs through the center of the town, just north of the Lyndon line, and is now a part of Mountain-view farm. Here he lived two summers and a winter in a log hut with only wild beasts for companions. He brought his family to Burke in 1794, and the next year they were joined by the families of Godfrey Jones, who set- tled just north of Walter; Ranney Spencer, who cleared and built a cabin on the Humphrey land but soon removed to the west of Burke Green; Barnabas Thurber, on the farm now owned by Mr. Dodge; William Barbour on Burke Green; and Samuel and David Colefix near the East Haven line. Only one of the original proprietors settled in Burke, Ozias Humphrey, whose lin- eal descendant, Julius A. Hum- phrey, still owns and occupies his land. The desirable high land was soon taken up and the settlers who flocked in by scores after the first
. The foregoing article was prepared by Mrs. Mabel Hall Walter on the occasion of the Burke centennial in t896, and is a particularly accurate article on the early settlement and history of the town of Burke .- EDITOR.
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