USA > Vermont > Franklin County > Successful Vermonters; a modern gazetteer of Lamoille, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, containing an historical review of the several towns and a series of biographical sketches > Part 16
USA > Vermont > Grand Isle County > Successful Vermonters; a modern gazetteer of Lamoille, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, containing an historical review of the several towns and a series of biographical sketches > Part 16
USA > Vermont > Lamoille County > Successful Vermonters; a modern gazetteer of Lamoille, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, containing an historical review of the several towns and a series of biographical sketches > Part 16
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 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
located on a broad swell of land two miles from Fairfax and three miles from Georgia station, it commands a fine view of Mount Mansfield. Nearly all of the mow- ing and tillage is available for the use of machinery, and the farm is steadily increasing in fertility. Mr. Brush keeps 75 head of cattle, including 60 Jersey and Ayrshire grade cows, and a dozen horses. He has recently erected a model barn
vanized iron buckets, conducts the sap to camp through 60 rods of three-fourths-inch iron tubing, and boils rapidly with evaporators. He runs his syrup thin from evapora- tor allows it to settle fully and then renders it to the standard den- sity and draws it into a galvanized lined tank where all of the nitre is deposited. All of his product of from 700 to 1,000 gallons is made into maple syrup, which is largely
SUGAR HOUSE OF S. WARNER BRUSH.
for swine, and is engaging exten- sively in the rearing and sale of shoats of the Chester White breed.
Mr. Brush has an excellent equipment for butter making, with a power separator and cold stor- age room and makes an excellent grade, which sells at remunerative prices. Perhaps the most notable feature of his farming is his sugar making resource. He sets up 2,600 maples, mainly with tin and gal-
sold in bulk to Welch Brothers of Burlington.
Mr. Brush is a careful student of modern methods and alert to adopt the latest improvements.
Mrs. Brush died in 1900, leav- ing one son, Wesley N., a student at Bellows Free Academy. In 1903 Mr. Brush married Cora, daughter of H. S. and Maria Uf- ford of Fairfax and their home is cheered by the presence of a little
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daughter, Dorothy. S. Warner Brush is superintendent of the
Methodist Episcopal Sabbath- school, a member of that church and a most exemplary young man in every relation in life.
WHEELER, ROLLIN, son of Al- fred and Maria (Buck) Wheeler,
ond husband, Mr. Thurston, and died at 96 years of age.
Alfred Wheeler moved to the present homestead about 1814, and resided there until his death, in 1850, at the age of 59.
Rollin Wheeler was the youngest son of a family of four sons and
ROLLIN WHEELER.
was born in Fairfax, December 25, 1833. His grandfather, Zalmon Wheeler, son of Joseph, the pio- neer, of Fairfield, also settled there about the same time.
Hannah Butler was married to Zalmon Wheeler at 14 years of age, had a family of six children by him, and eight children by her sec-
five daughters, of whom four are now living. He was born on this farm, and has always resided here. He was educated in the district school at Buck Hollow, then an ex- cellent school, with sometimes an attendance of 70 pupils.
At the age of 17, by his father's death, the care of the farm de-
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
volved upon him. In 1863, at 30 years of age, he married Mary Adelia Chittenden a great-grand- daughter of the Reverend Bethuel Chittenden, the first Episcopal clergyman in the state. Six child- ren have been born to them. All are now living with the exception of the eldest son, Xenophen C., a teacher, who died in Portland, Oregon. Rollin Arthur, the sec- ond son, is a civil engineer in New York City, Frederick Albert is superintendent of schools of the towns of Munson and Brimfield, Massachusetts. These three sons are graduates of U. V. M. Will- iam Alfred graduated from Al- bany Business College; Mary Cyn- thia, a graduate of the Boston Con- servatory of Music, is a music teacher in New York City; Grace Chittenden, formerly a student at Burr and Burton Seminary, re- sides with her parents.
The Wheeler homestead of 180 acres, is located in Buck Hollow, four miles from Fairfax village. The farm is conducted on dairy lines. He has a good sugar place of 1,000 maples and his maple syrup and sugar goes to all parts of the country.
Since the formation of the party, Mr. Wheeler has been a Republi- can. He inherits the strong per- sonality of a stanch pioneer an- cestry. He is a first cousin of the late Vice-President William A. Wheeler of New York.
LEACH, HOBART F., son of Cy- rus and Mary B. (Hawley) Leach, was born in Fairfield, October 25, 1853. John Leach, his great- grandfather, was one of the earliest settlers of Fairfield, and his wife, Hannah (Page) Leach, was also of pioneer stock in that town. Of their 10 children, Willis married
Betsey Danforth, by whom he had six children. Cyrus, the youngest son, married, in 1849, Mary B. Hawley of Fairfax, and five chil- dren were born to them : Myron B., who is a creamery man in Essex ; Millard F., a farmer in St. Albans; Hobart F., Julia A. (deceased), and Hannah (Mrs. L. B. Warner), of Swanton.
In 1860 Cyrus Leach purchased and moved to the old Gale farm, three miles from Fairfax village. Mr. Leach and his estimable wife are passing their declining years with their son, Hobart, on this ex- cellent farm.
Hobart F. Leach completed his schooling at New Hampton Insti- tute. He married, in 1877, Abbie M., daughter of Calvin and Martha (Story ) Howard of North Fairfax. They removed to Essex and resided on a farm there for seven years, af- ter which they returned to the old Gale farm, where they have since resided. This fine farm contains 300 acres, suitably divided into mowing, pasture and woodland.
There are nearly one hundred acres of mowing and tillage, in- cluding 22 acres of rich flowage meadow. This is one of the best grass farms in the state, every acre being fitted for machinery. For many years 60 head of cattle have been kept, besides the farm team, and the farm usually cuts 150 tons of hay. The stock is of grade Ayr- shires.
Cyrus and Hobart F. Leach have rebuilt the barns, which are roomy and convenient. In 1873, Mr. Leach erected the elegant two- story farmhouse, a model home.
In this beautiful home are gath- ered three generations, represent- ing the springtime, the full mid- summer and the winter of life.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
They are a society unto themselves. Hobart and Abbie M. Leach have eight children living: Eunice, wife of Charles B. Strait; Sarah M., Lyman Hawley, Cyrus A., Ed- mond F. Eunice was a student of Malone Business College, and Sarah M. is a graduate of Vermont Acad- emy. Five of the children are stu- dents of the Bellows Free Acad- emy. On this farm and in this
as selectmen and are worthy and highly respected citizens.
HOWARD, CLINTON S., son of Guy W. and Effie E. (Spaulding) Howard, was born in Fairfax, Oc- tober 28, 1875. His grandparents were Daniel and Alvira (Max- field) Howard. Daniel was the son of Marshall Lovina Howard, who came to Fairfax about the be- ginning of the last century. Mar-
MR. AND MRS. HOBART F. LEACH AND FAMILY.
home are found in a pre-eminent degree those conditions that make for the best citizenship. It is a Christian home and all of the envi- ronment is cheerful, kindly and prosperous.
The Leach family are Baptists in religious belief and support. Hobart F. is a deacon of that church.
Cyrus and Hobart F. Leach are Republicans in political action ; have served the town several terms
shall Howard was quite a large landowner and farmer near San- derson Corners. The Maxfields were among the early settlers of the town.
Clinton S. Howard completed his schooling at New Hampton In- stitute taking the business course. At 18 years of age he went to Mas- sachusetts and learned the paint- er's trade, which he followed there for three years. Returning to Fairfax, in 1897, he engaged as a
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
clerk for E. D. Shepardson, re- maining in that capacity for two years. He then leased his store near the center of Fairfax village of A. B. Beeman, purchased
tures of grain, flour and feed, and does a lively business in barter of farm products. A large annex in the rear of his store contains a heavy stock of grain and feed. His
CLINTON S. HOWARD.
a fresh stock of general mer- chandise and has since conducted
a flourishing and steadily-in- creasing business. He carries ev- erything usually found in a gen- eral country store, also the fea-
location is especially desirable and he conducts the leading general store of Fairfax. Mr. Howard gives his careful, personal atten- tion to the details of his business, is a genial and accommodating
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
salesman and his acquaintances be- come customers and his customers, friends. He is a good type of the enterprising young business man who makes his own way in life.
Mr. Howard married, in April, 1899, Hattie, daughter of Samuel Austin of Fairfax. Their home is cheered by the presence of two children : Malcolm, five years of age, and Merle, three years. Mr. Howard is broad gauge in his so- cial affinities. He is a past master of Lamoille Lodge, No. 6, A. F. & A. M., and a Royal Arch Mason. He is also a member of Chittenden Lodge, Knights of Pythias, of Westford.
At the March meeting, 1906, Mr. Howard was elected a trus- tee of the Bellows Free Academy.
HUNT, CAPTAIN LUTHER B., son of Stratton Ball and Abigail C. (Parmelee) Hunt, was born in Fairfax, August 30, 1836. Strat- ton B. Hunt was born in Alstead, New Hampshire, in 1799, son of Caleb and Lydia (Walker) Hunt. Orphaned in infancy, he was reared by an aunt. At the age of 21, he came from Charlestown, New Hampshire, to Fairfax on foot, and with a pack on his back, and here he resided until his death, in 1881. After clerking a few years for his brother, Luther B. Hunt, he settled on a farm near the village, and was an active fac- tor in the social and public affairs of the town, serving many years as constable and deputy sheriff.
John Parmelia, the first Ameri- can ancestor of Luther B. Hunt, was of a noble Belgian family, and came to Connecticut in 1639. Jo- seph Parmelee, Mr. Hunt's mater- nal grandfather, was a son of Cap- tain Oliver Parmelee, who was a lieutenant in the Fourth Regiment
of King George III, and in 1776 re- ceived a commission signed in the bold hand of John Hancock, as captain of the Seventh Company, First Regiment, Continental Vol- unteers. Mr. Hunt has this ven- erable document, also a commission from Jonathan Trumbull, captain- general of New England.
Joseph Parmelee came to Fair- fax in 1802, one of six brothers, and engaged in the manufacture of cloths and as a cloth dyer and dresser, many years, and died at the age of 79. The four children of Stratton B. and Abigail P. Hunt were Joseph Parmelee, who died in 1865; Luther Ball, Abigail J., who married Charles Halstead of New York City, and Clarissa Collins, who, with Luther B., lives at the old homestead.
Luther B. Hunt was educated at New Hampton Institute. In 1857 he went to Wataga, Illinois, and engaged as a clerk, and was ap- pointed postmaster under Presi- dent Buchanan. When the war broke out he enlisted a company of volunteers, was tendered the cap- taincy, but accepted the position of second lieutenant, and fought with his company at Forts Henry and Donelson, and at Pittsburg Landing, where the company went in with 40 men and came out with 16. On one occasion, in charge of prisoners, he reported personally to General Grant. On account of sickness, he resigned after the sur- render of Corinth, in the fall of 1862. With health recuperated, he enlisted another company in 1864, which became Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Illinois, and was elected its cap- tain. At the close of his service he returned to Wataga, but in 1866 was called to Fairfax by the death
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
of his brother, where he has since resided. He married Ella P. War- ren in 1877, who died in 1882.
Mr. Hunt is a Democrat in poli- ties, but voted for Lincoln in 1864. He has served the town as consta- ble, and during the past 25 years as
jewels, and after the revival of La- moille Lodge as No. 6, in 1847, re- peatedly filled the chairs. Luther B. Hunt has been a Mason since 1858, is a past master of Lamoille Lodge and many years its esteemed secretary.
1
LUTHER B. HUNT.
town clerk. For nearly three quarters of a century the lo- cal business of the Vermont Mu- tual Fire Insurance Company has been conducted by Stratton B. Hunt and Luther B. Hunt, who is now one of the directors.
S. B. Hunt became a Mason in 1820, and during the anti-Masonic times took charge of the lodge
LEARNED, NORRIS O., son of Henry S. and Caroline (Sander- son ) Learned, was born in Fairfax, January 14, 1852. William Learn- ed, the first American ancestor of this family, came to Massachusetts as early as 1632. Joseph Learned, great-grandfather of Norris O., em- igrated from Connecticut and set- tled in Bennington, afterwards in
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
201
Milton, and finally removed to Fairfax, where he died in 1836. The first seven of his children were born in Connecticut, five in Ben- nington, three in Milton, and the remainder of the 19 at Fairfax. In 1851 there were 75 grandchildren. Joseph, the grandfather of N. O.
and lived there the rest of his life. He was admitted to the bar of Franklin County in August, 1808, but did not practice law; was a member of the Legislature of 1833- '34, and in 1853-'54, and died in Fairfax in 1867, where all of his children had been born.
NORRIS O. LEARNED.
Learned, came with his father from Connecticut, and was one of the early settlers of Fairfax, to which place he moved in 1809, tak- ing possession of a farm of 150 acres which he had bought next to his father's. The place was then an almost unbroken wilderness. He built a log house, cleared the farm
Henry S. Learned was born May 3, 1817, the fourth child of a fam- ily of four sons and three daugh- ters. He married Caroline San- derson in 1845 and settled on the farm in the east part of the town now owned and occupied by the subject of this sketch, and died there in January, 1866.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
Thomas Stickney, the grand- father of Caroline (Sanderson) Learned, was a soldier of the Revo- lution, and with his comrades en- dured incredible privations and hardships of Arnold's expedition to Quebec through the Maine wil- derness. The eldest son of Henry S. Learned, Willis A., was born in 1848, graduated from New Hamp- ton Institute, was a teacher there and elsewhere, and a mer- chant, and died in Fairfax in 1878. Norris O. Learned completed his schooling at New Hampton Insti- tute, but not his education, for he has always been a student.
Soon after leaving school, at the age of 18, owing to the death of his father, the care of the home farm devolved upon him. The farm, originally of 160 acres, has been in- creased to 280 acres. It is located about three miles from Fairfax, and is a well-conducted and pro- ductive farm. Mr. Learned has rebuilt the house, which is now a commodious and attractive farm home. He is a successful farmer and public-spirited citizen, a judi- cious and omniverous reader and a careful observer as well. He made the tour of the St. Louis Exposition, and of the Yosemite Park, Colorado Canyon, and other points of interest, in 1904, and gave a descriptive lecture at Fair- fax which was highly commended.
Mr. Learned was elected select- man in 1891, and served two terms. In politics, an independent Dem- ocrat, he was elected to the Legis- lature in 1892, in this strongly Re- publican town. He married, in 1875, Paulina C. Marvin of Fair- fax. Their three children are: Blanche M., Grace F. and Ralph H. Both Mr. and Mrs. Learned are members of the Methodist
church of long standing, and the latter is chorister of the choir. Mr. Learned is greatly interested in the cause of education, and is now a school director. He represents the type of the practical farmer who is also a student of books and affairs. He has an excellent pri- vate library and for seven years has been president of the Fairfax free library.
THE BELLOWS FREE ACADEMY. This unique institution, an expres- sion of the wisdom and benefi- cence of the late Hon. Hiram Bel- lows, a former resident of Fair- fax, is at once a prophecy and a realization of better educational advantages for Vermont. Mr. Bel- lows in his will devised four acres of land, situated at the corner of Hunt and Spring streets in Fair- fax village, to five citizens in trust as a site for the future erection of a free academy. The will was made July 5, 1876, and Mr. Bel- lows died October 18 of that year. "I give and beqeuath in trust to my native town of Fairfax two hundred and fifty shares in the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Company, the par value one hundred dollars each, the divi- dend thereon, as far as practicable, to be invested in said stock until the same amounts to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, for the purpose of establishing a free school in the town of Fairfax; said school to be located on the premises hereinafter mentioned and de- scribed; said school to be known and called The Bellows Free Acad- emy of Fairfax, Vermont, in which academy the primary and higher branches of learning shall be taught; said academy shall be con- ducted in all respects in such man- ner as to further the education of
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
203
children and young men so as to fit them for usefulness. And so far as is practicable it is my wish that children of indigent parents receive the advantage of said school in preference to those who have ample means for the support and
have accumulated to the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, the trustees are directed to proceed to erect on said premises suitable buildings for the purpose aforesaid, to expend in buildings, apparatus and library, a sum not
HIRAM BELLOWS,
Donor Bellows Free Academy.
education of their children. The -design of this bequest is to furnish ample means and grounds for the erection of suitable buildings thereon, and to secure competent teachers and such means and fa- cilities for education as the times may demand. When the funds
to exceed fifty thousand dollars, leaving the sum of not less than two hundred thousand dollars as a permanent fund, the interest of which is to be expended in the best manner in procuring teachers and other incidental expenses of said Bellows Free Academy."
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
The trustees adopted the policy recommended by Mr. Bellows and continued to invest the gains of the fund in Rock Island stock, buying when the stock was below par, twice borrowing money for that purpose. The stock rose steadily until in 1902 it reached 175 and it was evident that a sale at that price with another com- paratively small investment would realize the required sum of $250,- 000. A meeting of the town was called, which authorized the sale, and F. Wayland Shepardson through Morgan & Co. negotiated the sale at 176.5 per cent.
The trustees advertised for bids to erect the building according to approved specifications and the contract was awarded to Mason & Co., who erected the building at an expense of about $45,000.
The following gentlemen were trustees when the academy was for- mally presented to the town August 31, 1904: I. F. Wilcox, president ; F. Wayland Shepardson, secre- tary and treasurer; Giles Rugg, C. H. Brush, Cyrus A. Hawley.
The establishment of this benefi- cent institution opens a new era for education in Fairfax, perhaps for the entire state. The school is the model of the idea of the town cen- tral school, well graded and pro- viding equal advantages to all, from the primary to the academic grades. The abundance of means makes possible the adoption of four courses of study : Classical, Latin scientific, English and business. The scope of the work is broad and practical, as is indicated by the cur- riculum. Not only do those who desire special scientific training or preparation for college receive the best of advantages, but those whose education must be confined to a
course in a secondary school will find the work admirably adapted to their needs.
Bellows Free Academy is espe- cially fortunate in its equipment. The building is large and commo- dious, lighted throughout by elec- tricity, supplied with a telephone system, with a master clock and synchronizing clocks, heated with steam and has a modern and hygi- enic system of ventilation. The sec- ond floor entire is devoted to the academic department, there being a large general room, ample class rooms and laboratories well lighted and thoroughly equipped. On the third floor is a large assembly hall, where chapel exercises occur each morning and where music recitals, debates, public speakings, recep- tions, etc., are held.
The building also contains a li- brary and reading room. The reading room table is supplied with daily papers and current periodi- cals. The academy has an excel- lent preparatory department, so that a large number of pupils en- ter the high school well qualified to do good work.
The system of conveyance of pu- pils from all parts of the town in routes traversed by covered barges is a unique feature in Fairfax, se- curing as it does the best instruc- tion, uniformity of grading and the enthusiasm of numbers.
CHITTENDEN, MERRITT D., son of Heman B. and Emma Har- riett Darrow, was born in Johnson, February 18, 1874. He is a lineal descendant of Reverend Bethuel Chittenden, the first settled Epis- copal clergyman of Vermont, and a
brother of Governor Thomas Chittenden. Heman B. Chitten- den was well and favorably known as a teacher in Franklin County
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
and at the University of Vermont. The subject of this sketch fitted for college at the Swanton High School and entered the University of Ver- mont in the fall of 1890. He pur- sued the classical course and grad- uated with the degree of A. B. in June, 1894. He was a member of
While here he received an invita- tion to take charge of the public schools of Brandon, which he was compelled to refuse until the ex- piration of his engagement at Roch- ester. Meanwhile the place had been kept for him and in Septem- ber, 1898, he assumed the arduous
MERRITT D. CHITTENDEN.
the Delta Psi college fraternity of his alma mater. His antecedents and inclinations led him to choose teaching as his future life work. His first experience was at Under- hill, where he remained a year and one term, when a better position opened for him at Rochester.
but congenial duties of the princi- palship of a school of nearly four hundred pupils.
While at Brandon he had an ef- ficient and congenial assistant, Miss Gertrude M. Cahee, daughter of James L. Cahee of that town. Their mutual esteem ripened into
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
a more sacred and intimate relation and they were married August 14, 1901. They have a little daughter, Elizabeth F. Mrs. Chittenden is a graduate of Smith College, of the class of 1895, is a lady of fine social and mental gifts and a most suc- cessful teacher. While at Brandon Mr. Chittenden was president of the Nature Club and a member of the local library board.
Mr. Chittenden has utilized every opportunity to augment his scholarship and his capacity for usefulness, having taken courses at the Martha's Vineyard and the Harvard summer schools. When the Bellows Free Academy 'was opened in September, 1904, he was unanimously elected to the princi- palship, an important position which he has since ably and accept- ably filled. He was elected presi- dent of the Vermont Schoolmas- ters' Club in October, 1905, and in December was appointed county examiner of Franklin County.
Mr. Chittenden enjoys the im- plicit confidence and esteem of pu- pils, citizens and trustees and dis- charges his professional and civic duties with enthusiasm and effi- ciency. He is a member of La- moille Lodge, No. 6, F. & A. M., of Fairfax, and of Champlain Chap- ter, R. A. M., of St. Albans.
BAKERSFIELD.
Population, Census of 1900, 1,158.
The town originally consisted of 10,000 acres of land granted by the state to Luke Knowlton, Feb- ruary 28, 1787, and known as Knowlton's Gore. This grant was deeded to Joseph Baker, January 24, 1791. At an adjourned ses- sion of the General Assembly it was voted that the grant be called
Bakersfield, after Joseph Baker, the first settler. By subsequent acts of the General Assembly, sev- eral additions were made from the adjoining towns of Smithfield and Fairfield. A part of Knight's Gore was annexed; also, 1799, a part of Coit's Gore on the south- east. It is not known at what time Joseph Baker came to town, but it was prior to his taking the deed from Knowlton. There were only three other families before 1794, when three more families came. From 1794 to 1800, settlers con- tinued to arrive, so that at the tak- ing of the first census of the town, in 1800, the population was 222.
The following were among those active in town affairs who came be- fore 1800: Joseph Baker, Stephen Maynard, Jonas Brigham, Jere- miah Pratt, Luke Potter, Jonathan Farnsworth, Joshua Barnes, Oliver Houghton, William Perkins, Jo- seph Barrett, Moses Start, Ephraim Maynard, Uriah Brig- ham, Amos Cutler, Solomon Davis, Samuel Cochran and Aaron Smith.
The town was organized and the first town meeting held, March 30, 1795. This meeting was called at the dwelling house of Joseph Ba- ker, the warning being signed by Jonas Fisk, a justice of the peace of Cambridge. Meetings contin- ued to be held at the same place until a schoolhouse was erected, after which they were held there. The first town officers were: Town clerk, Stephen Maynard; select- men, Jonas Brigham, Joseph Ba- ker, Stephen Maynard; constable, Amos Cutler. The only other busi- ness done at this meeting, besides electing officers, was to vote to keep the swine shut up from the 20th of May to the 20th of October.
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