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 61
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 61
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 61
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born in Derby in 1852. His pater- nal grandfather, James Jenne, was born in 1:80, and came from Plain- field, New Hampshire, to Derby and married Betsey Corey. One of his sons, Job C., a farmer, married Eliza B. Corey. Seven children
JOHN W. ERWIN.
dent, and is in a great measure self- educated. He has always taken an active interest in politics, but never seeking office, although he has held responsible positions in both town and county.
JENNE, LUCIEN P., son of Job C. and Eliza B. (Corey) Jenne, was
were born to them, three of whom are now living: Edwin E., Lucien P., and Luman E.
Lucien attended the district schools and Derby academy. He re- mained on the home farm until of age, when he went to Massachusetts and remained a year. Returning to
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
Derby. he entered the employ of .1. J. Albee and remained for three years.
In 1882 he founded his present undertaking and furniture busi- ness. He also owns the old B. Hin- man grist and feed-mill, aud is iden-
( ne child, a daughter, Ruth P., has leen born to Mr. and Mrs. Jenne, born June 24, 1895.
Mr. Jenne is a leading, public- spirited citizen. He has served as town treasurer since 1882, trustee of the United States deposit fund
LUCIEN P. JENNE.
tified with many of the progressive enterprises of the town.
In 1880 he married Hattie S., daughter of Chester Carpenter, Jr., and paternal granddaughter of Colonel Chester Carpenter. Also she is a maternal great-granddaugh- ter of Judge Timothy Hinman.
since 1898, and in 1902 he repre- sented Derby in the general assem- bly, serving on the educational com- mittee, where he left his impress on the important measure which finally became law.
MORRILL, ALVAH J., a son of James and Lousia (Smith) Morrill,
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
was born at Derby, April 12, 1840. He received a good common school education in the district schools of Derby and worked on the home farm until June 9, 1862, when he enlisted in Company E, Ninth regi- ment, Vermont volunteer infantry,
Mr. Morrill is a wide-awake, active, and yet conservative citizen, fully abreast of the times, always taking a lively interest in public matters, and possessing a keen per- ception and sound judgment has frequently been called upon to hold
ALVAR J. MORRILL.
in which organization he served three years and thirteen days, being mustered out as third sergeant of his company in June, 1865. He returned to the home farm and married Martha Paine of Derby. One son has been born to them, Charles F.
public positions. lle has served Derby in the various town offices, including road commissioner nine years, selectman four years, and in 1894 was chosen representative to the general assembly of Vermont.
The early history of the Morrill family dates back to the coming of
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
several members of this sturdy stock from England to America. James Morrill, Jr., son of James Morrill, Sr., and father of the sub- jeet of this sketch, was born in Dan- ville in 1816, located in Derby in 1838. and died in 1875.
HUNT, JERRY A., a son of Mitch- ell M. and Henrietta (Porter) Hunt, was born at North Troy, March 26, 1871. He attended the district schools and remained on the farm
JERRY A. HUNT.
until twenty-one, when he went to St. Johnsbury and entered the em- ploy of Frank A. Scott as a clerk. A little later he went to Richford, where he clerked for a time. Re- turning to North Troy, he entered the employ of (. A. Barrows and remained for seven years.
In 1901 Mr. Hunt located at Der- by Line, where he opened a thor- oughly up-to-date fancy grocery, and has met with excellent success.
February 21, 1896, Mr. Hunt was united in marriage with Julia M. Ferry of Cambridge. Two children have been born to them: Porter, born January 15, 1897, and Milton, born November 8, 1902.
Mr. Hunt is a genial and popular young business man, affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and Ma- sonic fraternity.
SILVER, ALBERT ALLEN, son of Arad and Sophia E. (Nichols) Sil- ver, was born October 1, 1834, in Bloomfield, Essex county, Ver- mont. His father, Arad Silver, born in 1193, was the son of Samuel and Abigail Buzzell Silver. As a lad of eleven years, Arad Silver moved from Concord, New Hamp- shire, to Bloomfield on the Connect- icut river. His mother, after the death of Arad's father, had married Hiram Clough, who was, like her first husband, a veteran of the Revo- lutionary war. They settled in what was then the almost unknown wilderness country of northeastern Vermont. Some years later, Arad Silver established at Bloomfield (then called " Minehead") a home which until recently remained in the possession of the family. Arad Silver was a strong type of man, sagacious and practical, of great executive ability and force of char- acter. His wife was a woman of fine nature, intellectually and spirit- ually. These same characteristics have been handed down through succeeding generations.
Albert A. Silver was the ninth in a family of ten children. He was educated in the public schools of Bloomfield and at Derby academy. Of this same academy he has served as trustee and secretary of the
ALBERT A. SILVER.
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Board of Trustees since 1881. In his young manhood he taught school in his native town of Bloom- field and in Brunswick, where he was successful and highly respected as a schoolmaster. He also served as superintendent of schools in Bloomfield. His interest in educa- tion has always been keen, and he has always taken an active part in educational affairs.
He was married September 22, 1857, to Sarah Warren Jenne of Derby. Their six children are: Ed- gar Oscar, Elmer Ellsworth, Jennie Laura (died March, 1884), Albert Allen, Jr., Annie Adeline (died December, 1885), and Sarah War- ren, wife of Dr. Walter H. Parker of Boston.
In 1822 Mr. Silver removed his home from Bloomfield to Derby in order that his children might have the advantages of instruction at the Derby academy. In 1881 he bought the Colonel Chester Carpen- ter homestead where he still resides, occupied with farming and enjoying in the success of his children the results of his earlier sacrifices for their education and progress.
SILVER, ALBERT A., JR., son of Albert A. and Sarah W. (Jenne) Silver, was born at Bloomfield, Ver- mont, March 5, 1865. He was edu- cated in the public schools of Bloomfield and Derby, at Derby academy and at the University Grammar school of Providence, Rhode Island, under Dr. Merrick Lyon and Dr. Emory Lyon. He entered Brown university in 1885, with the class of 1889, but his col- lege course was later interrupted by illness. After his recovery, he en- tered, in 1889, the employ of Silver, Burdett & Company. Of this com-
pany he became a member and is now a director, winning his success through natural ability and solid qualities of character.
In December, 1898, Mr. Silver was married to Blanche Pray of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mrs. Silver died three years later, and after the loss of his wife Mr. Silver traveled extensively. He spent a considerable time in the Philip- pines, China, and Japan, and com- pleted the circuit of the world be- fore his return to New York. Al- though he is now located in New York city, Mr. Silver retains an ac- tive interest in Vermont affairs, and holds his citizenship in his native state.
SILVER, EDGAR OSCAR, son of Albert A. and Sarah Warren (Jenne) Silver, was born in Bloom- field, Vermont, April 17, 1860. His paternal ancestors came from Eng- land: his maternal ancestors were chiefly English and French Huge- not, with an infusion of Ulster blood from the north of Ireland. His great-grandfathers, Samuel Silver and Samuel Nichols, fought in the Revolutionary war; his great-grand- parents on his mother's side, James Jenne and his wife, were among the first settlers of Orleans county, Vermont, whence they subsequently moved from southern New Hamp- shire.
Edgar O. Silver attended the pub- lie schools of Bloomfield, Vermont, and of Derby, Vermont, his mother's native town, whither he removed with his parents in 1872 ; continued his education at the Der- by academy and the Waterville Classical institute (now the Coburn Classical institute), Waterville, Maine ; matriculated at Colby col-
ALBERT A. SILVER, JR.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
lege and later entered Brown uni- versity, being graduated from the latter college, A. B., 1883, A. M., 1886. While a student at Brown he was editor-in-chief of the Bru- nonion; and in his senior year served as president of the college Young Men's Christian association ; and at graduation was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
When sixteen years of age, while himself a student, he taught a dis- trict school at Coventry, Vermont ; the following year taught a school at West Charleston, Vermont, and later interrupted his college course at Colby to teach a grammar school at Claremont, New Hampshire.
Immediately after graduation from college, Mr. Silver entered the employ of Messrs. D. Appleton & Company, the well-known New York publishers, remaining with the firm until April 21, 1885, when he founded in Boston, Massachusetts, the business which has since devel- oped into the successful and well- known publishing house of Silver, Burdett & Company. In this business are associated also his two brothers, Elmer E. and Albert A. Silver, Jr. From the incorporation of the firm on April 1, 1892, Mr. Silver has been its president and general manager. In the fall of 1897 he removed to New York city.
Mr. Silver was married January 4, 1888, to Susan Florence Maine of North Stonington, Connecticut. a graduate of Wellesley college, 1886. They have seven children: Kather- ine, Annie Louise, Edgar Oscar, Jr., Helen Florence, Priscilla War- ren. Susan Geraldine, and Blanche.
Mr. Silver resides in East Orange, New Jersey, making his summer home at Derby (where he
has retained his citizenship) on his "Fairmedes Farm," which he pur- chased in 1892. He has traveled extensively through the United States ; went to Europe in 1891 and again in 1899-in June of the latter year attending, as a member, the International Congress of Pub- lishers at London : and in 1901 vis- ited the Hawaiian Islands.
Outside of business interests, Mr. Silver has given special attention to the study of Economics (serving as a member of the "Committee on Visitation," Department of Political Economy of Brown university since 1902), to Sociology, to Finance and to International questions, and has been actively associated with vari- ous educational, literary, philan- thropic and religious interests. He is a trustee of Brown university, of Roger William university (color- ed) at Nashville, Tennessee, of Der- by academy, at Derby, Vermont. Peddie institute, Hightstown, New Jersey ; chairman of the Board of Trustees of Shaw university (for colored men and women) at Raleigh, North Carolina. He is a director of the Northern National bank of New York city ; and is on the executive board of the American Baptist Home Mission society. Mr. Silver is also a member of the Aldine association ; the Phi Beta Kappa Graduates association ; the Brown University club of New York ; the University club of Boston ; the Laurentian club, the New England Society of Orange. New Jersey : and the Republican club of East Orange, New Jersey. He is a loyal son of Vermont, and takes a deep interest in all that concerns the welfare and progress of this native state and his home town, Derby.
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Very truly yours Edgar o Dilany
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
BATES, ALONZO D., son of Lewis C. and Lucy Ann Bates, was Jorn in Derby, Vermont, November 30, 1827. He received his educa-
ALONZO D. BATES.
tion in the public schools and Der- by academy. After leaving school he engaged in teaching in Georgia and Alabama from 1848 to 1854. He then returned to Vermont and applied himself to the study of the law, and was admitted to the Orleans County bar June, 1858. He estab- lished himself in the practice of law in the village of Newport, Vermont, soon after his admission to the bar and remained there until 1864. being twice elected to the office of state's attorney, serving in that ca- pacity in 1860 and 1861.
He then removed to West Charleston, Vermont, where he re- mained six years, removing in 1820 to his native town where he spent
the remainder of his life. He died February 19, 1902.
Alonzo D. Bates was a man of sterling character, an honest coun- selor and an upright man. He fol- lowed after no copy, believing it to be the duty of every one and of him- self in particular to develop his own character.
In March, 1860, Mr. Bates mar- ried Katherine Robertson Benham, a daughter of Deacon Nathan Stod- dard Benham, one of the early pioneers who was born in Derby, Vermont, in 1802. Two children were born to them, Clara Benham and Stoddard Benham, who with their mother, still reside in Derby.
Stoddard Benham Bates was born
STODDARD B. BATES.
March 18, 1862, attended the pub- lie schools and Derby academy. Is a man of decision ; takes a lively in- terest in everything that will aid the
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
social or industrial life of Derby. Has opinions and expresses them, and is a loyal friend and an inde- fatiguable worker for what he be- lieves to be right. For a number of years he was a deputy sheriff and
ica, landing at Quebec but soon settled in Holland, Vermont, where Thomas found work for a time, later he was employed by Otis Thompson of Derby, staying with him several years and in 1850 married Mariette
THOMAS WARD.
was elected constable at 22 years of age. In politics he is a Republican that believes in party loyalty.
WARD, THOMAS, late of Derby, a son of James and Harriet Ward, was born March 7, 1820, in Suffolk county. England.
In 1832 the family came to Amer-
J. Thompson. a daughter of his former employer.
After his marriage Mr. Ward lo- cated in Salem (now a part of Der- by) ; here he remained until 1858, when he removed to Derby C'entre, where he resided until 1822 : in that year he purchased the Otis Thomp-
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
son farm at Derby Line, the old homestead and birthplace of his wife.
For twenty years he was widely and favorably known, both in Ver- mont and Canada as an extensive
society as trustee and steward until 1903, the year of his death.
Charles D. Ward, son of Thomas, was born at Derby and was edu- cated in the public schools and at Derby academy. He resides with
CHARLES D. WARD.
dealer in hops and one whose word in business transactions was as good as his bond ; a man of carefnl and sound judgment, clear business brain and of sterling character.
For many years he was an active, earnest, working member of the Methodist church and served that
his sister in the old homestead. Mr. Ward is a wide-awake and pub- lic-spirited citizen who takes a keen interest in anything that will bene- fit the town and is ever ready to lend a hand to a worthy canse.
LAY, EDWIN R., the subject of this sketch, was born in Westfield,
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
Massachusetts, on July 1, 1834, son of Ralph and Sarah (Hull) Lay. His early education was ob- tained in the public schools. After leaving same learned the painter's trade, which he followed, except
at Rock Island, Province of Quebec (just across the line from Derby Line, Vermont), under the name of Lay Whip company, the largest in Canada, and one of the largest and best equipped on the continent, and
EDWIN R. LAY.
when in the army until 1871. En- listed in company F, Seventeenth Massachusetts volunteers, and re- mained with same until close of war. In 1821 began the mannfac- ture of whips at Westfield, Massa- chusetts. On September 1, 1890, established a manufacturing plant
of which he still retains the active supervision.
Became an Odd Fellow in April, 1860, and joined the Mount Moriah lodge of Masons at Westfield, Mas- sachusetts. in 18:1. Is an active member of the G. A. R. Is a pub- lie-spirited citizen and takes a lively
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
interest in all that appertains to the public good, and is a generous contributor to the same, one of his gifts being a sold'ers' monument presented to the Lyon G. A. R. post at Westfield, Massachusetts, on May 30, 1900. The statue is of gray metal, and represents a sol- dier with a musket at parade rest. The figure is life-size, and is the exact height of Mr. Lay. It is a fine piece of work, and the veterans fully appreciate the gift. The statue was unveiled by Ralph C. Lay. the twelve year old son of Fred E. Lay, and grandson of the generous donor.
He early joined the Republican party and has been an unwavering believer in its policies. His sum- mer home is at Derby Line. In winter he resides at Westfield, Mas- sachusetts.
THE RICKARD.
THE RICKARD is a neat, cozy, and well appointed hotel of 14 rooms, all heated. The house was built in 1896 by the present pro-
prietors and has the modern con- veniences. A good livery is run in connection. The house is delight- fully located and well conducted.
Harry M. Rickard looks after the comfort and wants in a splendid manner. The Rickards have been located at Derby Centre for the past eight years and have won a good reputation in the hotel line. The house is connected by tele- phone.
SUITOR, WILLIAM & SON, ma- chine shop and foundry, dealers in pipe and pipe fittings, valves and water gauges, engines and boilers, Babbet metal, shafting, pulleys, hangers, etc .; all kinds of castings made to order; general repairing and machine construction done on short notice.
This firm consists of William Suitor, who learned his trade at Leeds. Megantic, and who had an experience of nearly twenty years at the Fairbanks works of St. Johns- bury. He also run general repair shops at Lunenburg and North Danville, where he had a large and varied experience in machine work. The junior member of the firm, Ed- win J. Suitor, son of the senior part- ner, learned his trade of the Fair- banks company, at St. Johnsbury, after which he worked in the shop of John Markland, Boston, about a year, following which he engaged for one year as machinist for the Peerless Manufacturing company of the same place, since which time he has been engaged with his father in the conduct of their constantly in- creasing business.
William Suitor married Miss Susan Kinnear January 18, 1876, and the following children have
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
been born to them: Edwin J., No- vember 18, 1878; Mabel F., August 23, 1883; Arthur E., August 11,
EDWIN J. SUITER.
1886; Marion H., March 2, 1895; and S. Bertha, April 17, 1897.
ORLEANS BOAT AND MACHINE COMPANY. This firm, consisting of George W. Reed, Harry W. Darling, and Dr. Charles V. Bogue, is one of Newport's latest and most import- ant business acquisitions. Mr. Reed, the senior partner and gen- eral manager of the firm, is a nat- ural mechanic of high order. He thoroughly fitted himself as a me- chanie in some of the best machine shops in Boston. He is especially gifted in designing and construction of boats, having constructed a steamer for the late E. Raymond, former president of the Passumpsie division of the Boston & Maine rail- road, at the age of fourteen. This steamer is still in use, and is proba- bly the only example in the world of the construction of a practical steamship by so young a boy. Mr. Reed has built some very fine boats for the local trade to which he re- spectfully refers all looking for first-class work. Among others he refers to those of the Hon. G. H.
ORLEANS BOAT AND MACHINE CO.
B-17
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
Prouty and W. C. Linsey of New- port. Mr. Reed was born in Sher- brooke, Province of Quebec, and is thirty-eight years of age. He is married and has two promising boys.
Mr. Darling and Dr. Bogne, while not giving their time to the manu- facturing department, are both active in the business of the com- pany.
still resides there. Five children have been born to them, two of whom are still living, John Fletcher Niles and Frank A. John F. mar- ried Ina Robbins of Derby.
Allen P. Niles has served Derby two years as a selectman and nine years as overseer of the poor. The home farm consists of some 320 acres, has 3,200 sugar trees, and sixty-five head of stock is kept.
ALLEN P. NILES.
NILES, ALLEN P., son of Zebu- lon W. and Sarah G. (Pape) Niles, was born at Derby, August 26, 1839, and attended the public schools of Derby and Lyndon academy. In 1850 he left Derby and did not re- turn until 1864. In October of that year he married Augusta A. Fletcher of Derby, and for two years carried on the homestead; he then purchased the old home and
MRS. ALLEN P. NILES.
PARKER, JOHN J., youngest son of Edwin W. Parker of Lennoxville, Quebec, was born at Hatley, Quebec, February 23, 1877, attended the public schools, and in 1899 located at Derby Line.
Mr. Parker early developed a taste for the refined and artistic, there- fore decided on a career of a photo- graphic artist, in which line he has now had some eight years of success-
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
ful experience. Since locating at Derby Line he has won, by strict at- tention to business, a marked degree of public favor and his work has
JOHN J. PARKER.
caused favorable comment. Nice posing, proper lighting and retouch- ing, coupled with a splendid hand- ling of each subject, naturally makes work coming from the Parker studio a credit to the artist and to the town in which he resides.
CRAFTSBURY. Population, Census of 1900, 1,251.
The town of Minden was granted to Colonel Ebenezer Crafts and his sixty-three associates November 6, 1780, and chartered August 23, 1781. This name was retained un- til October 27, 1790, when it was changed to Craftsbury in honor of Ebenezer Crafts, the first settler in what is now Orleans county.
The first settlement was made by Colonel Crafts in 1788. He opened a road from C'abot and built a house and sawmill.
The town was organized in March, 1792, with Colonel Ebenezer Crafts, moderator; Samuel Crafts, clerk; that same year Colonel Crafts was elected the first representative.
The first child was Betsey Cutler, born August 22, 1:91. The first physician was Dr. James Paddock, who came in 1793. He married Augusta Crafts, daughter of Colo- nel Crafts and had two sons, James A. and William E. The latter was a merchant in the town. James A. graduated from the university of Vermont, read law, and practised until his death. He reared four children. The youngest, Augustus, is now a merchant at Craftsbury village.
SAMUEL C. CRAFTS.
Colonel Ebenezer Crafts was born at Pomfret in 1740, graduated from Yale in 1759, was in command of a company in the Revolution, and died in 1810.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
Hon. Samuel C. Crafts, son of Ebenezer, was born in Woodstock, Connecticut, 1768, graduated from Harvard 1790, was for thirty-seven years town clerk, served in the leg- islature five terms, two terms as clerk of the house of representa- tives, ten years assistant judge of the county, six years as chief judge, six years as a member of the council of the state, and in 1816 was elect- ed a member of congress and held that office eight years. He was again elected to the state council and chief judge again for three years, and in 1829 was elected gov- ernor of the state and served three years. He was president of the constitutional convention of 1829, and in 1849 was elected to fill an unexpired term as United States senator. He died in 1853.
Craftsbury furnished eight men in the War of 1812, 128 in the Civil war, and bore $14,275.92 of ex- pense.
The Congregational church was organized on July 4, 1797, the Methodist in 1818, and the Reform- ed Presbyterian about 1830.
ANDRUS, DON FREDERICK, youngest of the four sons of Hor- ace S. and Lavinia G. Andrus, was born at South Craftsbury, Orleans county, August 5, 1867. He at- tended the public schools of his native village until 1881, when he entered Craftsbury academy, and pursued the classical course under Leland E. Tupper, A. B., and grad- uated in May, 1884. During the following year he taught in the public schools, and meanwhile pur- sued advanced studies at the acad- emy. Ile matriculated at the Uni- versity of Vermont in September, 1885. and graduated in the full
classical course in June, 1889. His excellent scholarship and exem- plary character won the esteem and high commendation of the mem- bers of the faculty. While a stu- dent in college, he united with the College street Congregational church of Burlington; became a charter member of the Alpha Tau Omega Greek letter fraternity, Beta Zeta chapter; was one of the ten publie speakers chosen to represent the college at junior commence- ment, and one of the ten at senior commencement; and was class poet at class-day exercises.
Don F. Andrus was united in marriage to Linnie May, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Austin Scribner, in 1891, and three daughters, Myra May, Cora Ethelyn, and Alice La- vinia Andrus, are the fruit of their union.
Mr. Andrus was three years prin- cipal of Derby academy, and during this time revised and enlarged the courses of study, established a chem- ical laboratory, instituted military drill, founded a business depart- ment, and raised the term atten- dance from twenty-five to seventy- five: meanwhile substantial repairs were made, and the fund largely in- creased. During his three years principalship of MeIndoe's academy many important improvements were made, including the establishment of a library. State Superintendent Ranger refers to Mr. Andrus as fol- lows : " Among the teachers of this state Mr. Andrus holds a high place. He is energetic, skilful, painstak- ing, abounding in strong, manly life, and he possesses a vitality that never seems to be exhausted in the accomplishment of his high aims. Personally I have always felt that
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