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 18
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 18
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 18
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
Hervey A. Churchill, son of Parker and Paulina (Larned) Churchill, was born in Fairfax, September 11, 1871. His educa- tion was completed at Georgia High School and New Hampton Institute, Fairfax. At 11 years of age he began to work in a creamery during the summer and at the early age of 16 he became manager of a creamery in Fairfax. For 11 years he was continuously in the employ of Gardner Murphy. an extensive owner of creameries. In 1894 he was employed by the Franklin County Creamery, re- maining three years; was subse- quently butter maker three years at Cambridge and one year at Col- chester. In the spring of 1901, he purchased the North Hero Cream- ery, which he sold the following September.
In the fall of 1901 he erected his present plant, Sunset Creamery, one of the most thoroughly equipped and modern in the state.
219
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
The separator has a capacity of two tons of milk per hour. He com- menced operation in March, 1902, and during eight months made 102 tons of butter. During the same months of the following year, with extended routes, he made 138 tons of butter. Mr. Churchill then decided to cut off some of the more distant and unremunerative routes and with these reductions, the busi- ness remains about equal to that of the first year. Three teams are employed during the best of the
and successful salesman. He is a member of the Vermont Dairy- men's Association.
He married, in 1891, Katie Ran- kin of Georgia, who died in 1896, leaving one child, Gladys. In 1900 he married Jennie, daughter of Albert G. and Celina (Larabee) Brigham. Their only child is Brigham Winston Churchill.
SINNOTT, JOHN E., son of Moses and Eleanor (Roach) Sinnott, was born in Sheldon, September 11, 1836. His father, who followed
SUNSET CREAMERY, HERVEY A. CHURCHILL, PROPRIETOR.
season in gathering the cream, which is weighed and sampled at each patron's door. Mr. Churchill sends patrons' locked test jars to the experiment station at his own expense. The creamery has from seventy-five to one hundred pa- trons. During the winter season the creamery force is partly em- ployed in cutting and storing ice and wood. Mr. Churchill took the first premium for butter, at Bur- lington, in 1897, and at Montpelier in 1898. He has a good record as a citizen, a skillful butter maker
the avocations of shoemaker and farmer, came to Bakersfield in the spring of 1853, and died in 1854, leaving a widow and a family of eight children in limited circum- stances. John Sinnott, at 18 years of age, assumed the arduous duty of carrying on the farm and car- ing for the family, consisting of his mother, three younger sisters and a brother. His school advan- tages had been very meagre, mainly winter terms, but he secured aca- demic training for the younger members of the family, was to
220
SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
them a father and elder brother, and gave them a comfortable outfit.
Endowed with a strong phy- sique, resolute will and good prac- tical judgment, he worked his way steadily through and over the ob-
selectman and school director, and in 1894 was elected, as a Demo- crat, to represent Bakersfield in the Legislature.
Mr. Sinnott has always been a man of independent views, and as a member of the board of select-
JOHN E. SINNOTT.
stacles that beset his path, and achieved financial success. By his sterling qualities of mind and heart he won in a rare degree the esteem and confidence of his fel- low townsmen and was by them elected to many positions of re- sponsibility. He served repeat- edly as constable, auditor, lister,
men refused to sign the town bonds until the stipulated location of the railroad was assured.
He married, in 1870, Margaret Howrigan of Fletcher, who died in 1874, leaving two daughters: Eleanor, wife of J. A. Farrell of Jericho, and Mary (deceased), wife of James O'Neal.
221
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
John E. Sinnott is the only male representative of his family in Ba- kersfield. He still owns his dairy farm of 350 acres, but since 1893, has rented it, and makes his home for the most part at Bakersfield village, with an occasional sojourn with his daughter, Mrs. Farrell, and three grandchildren at Jericho. A frank, genial and outspoken man, Mr. Sinnott has a host of ac- quaintances and friends.
MONTGOMERY.
Population, Census of 1900, 1,876.
The town of Montgomery is sit- uated in the northeastern part of Franklin County. By the origi- nal charter the town contained 36 square miles, but to this was added, in 1858, by legislative enactment, 7,000 acres from the town of Lowell, in Orleans County, and from Avery's Gore, making its present extent 30,040 acres.
The town was granted, March 13, 1780, to Stephen R. Bradley, Reverend Ezra Stiles, Reverend John Graham, Reverend Daniel Ferrand, Reverend Ammi R. Rob- bins, Reverend Judah Champion, Reverend Abel Newel, Peter Starr, Reverend Hezekiah Gould, Rever- end Noble Everett, Reverend Jon- athan Edwards, Reverend Buckley Olcott, Reverend David Perry, Reverend Joseph Strong, His Excellency Thomas Chittenden, Pierpont Edwards, Ira Allen and 43 others, together with five equal shares for public uses.
One share was granted for the benefit of a college, one share for county grammar schools, one share for the first settled minister, one for the support of the ministry, and one full share for the support of an English school or schools in
town. There were the usual con- ditions of an actual settlement and cultivation of five acres of land within three years, by the grantee or his representative, or, failing, a forfeiture of the grant.
The town was chartered in Oc- tober, 1789. When surveyed, the town was divided into three divi- sions, first, second and third, and each proprietor was given a lot in each division, a total of 357 acres to each.
The first permanent settler in the town was Captain Joshua Clapp, a worthy Revolutionary officer who, with his family, moved from Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the spring of 1793. He took up a large tract on both sides of the Trout River and built a log house, where the first white child in town was born and the first town meeting held.
In 1795, this pioneer was joined by Hon. Samuel Barnard, Reuben Clapp and James Upham, and soon after by Stephen and Jona- than Gates, Seth, John and Jack- ton Goodspeed, Jonah and Zebulon Thomas and others.
The first town meeting, held at the house of Joshua Clapp, Au- gust 12, 1802, chose the following officers: Jonathan James, moder- ator; Samuel Barnard, town clerk; James Upham, Elijah Larned and Stephen Gates, selectmen; Joshua Clapp, town treasurer; Trajan Richmond, James Upham, Jackton Goodspeed, listers; Trajan Rich- mond, constable.
The warning for the annual town meeting for March 13, 1809, contained the following article :
Sixth-To inquire for what pur- pose a military force is stationed among us in time of peace, and by what authority armed men are al-
MONTGOMERY CENTER VILLAGE.
"To him who, in the love of Nature, holds Communion with her visible forms."
223
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
lowed to parade the streets in the night time, to break open our houses, barns, etc., without consent of the owners, and without legal warrant ?
A spirited and able resolution of protest was reported by a commit- tee.
At the town meeting held De- cember 6, 1811, the town "Voted, that the one per cent. school .tax may be paid in good merchantable wheat or Indian corn, at the mar- ket price, which shall be regulated by the selectmen in case of dis- pute."
The town, subsequently to 1820, provided for an alteration of the Hazens Road, which was then the main thoroughfare of travel used by the people of northeastern Ver- mont in transporting their produce to Montreal.
The past dozen years have wit- nessed great improvements in the villages of Montgomery and Mont- gomery Center, especially the lat- ter. Modern residences have been erected and many former ones have been painted and remodelled with verandas; front yard fences have been removed, the shade trees have grown, and the Center is to- day one of the prettiest of Ver- mont's rural villages.
The butter tub interests are the most extensive in New England. Hall & Blair have recently estab- lished a veneer mill at Montgom- ery that will be an important in- dustrial factor.
The school buildings are modern and well equipped and the schools, prosperous.
HALL, CHARLES TAYLOR, son of Samuel S. and Martha M. (Taylor) Hall, was born in Montreal, Quebec, February 23, 1862. He was edu- cated in the public schools of Wal-
tham, Massachusetts, and the high school at Montreal. His father, a former manufacturer of wooden ware, a skillful and inventive me- chanie and patentee of the machine now used for turning lasts, is still a hale and active man at the age of 76.
In December, 1888, Mr. Hall came to Montgomery Center and became the junior partner with Hon. Asa B. Nelson of Derby Line, in the ownership of the extensive spruce butter tub factory, formerly owned by W. H. Stiles & Co. He has since been the manager of this great and prosperous enterprise and has devoted to it that rare com- bination of energy, inventive genius and business sagacity that, in spite of two disastrous fires and other difficulties, has placed it in the front rank as the largest manufactory of spruce wood butter packages in the United States. The company owns 8,000 acres of timber lands, cuts and manufactures 2,500,000 feet of lumber annually and sells more than a million and a half of butter tubs and packages. The tub staves are loaded upon cars which are run into a room, where they are com- pletely seasoned and kiln dried in 48 hours, without handling until they reach the lathes, a device em- ployed only in this factory. More than one hundred men are em- ployed in and about the factory, mostly permanent residents. They are paid every Wednesday and the company has never had a strike. In November, 1904, the company was incorporated as the Nelson & Hall Co., with a capital stock of $100,- 000, at a premium of 20 per cent. Charles Taylor Hall is president and business manager ; Colonel Charles E. Nelson of Derby Line, son of the late Hon. Asa B. Nel-
224
SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
son, is vice-president and treas- urer and Pliny White Hall, brother of Charles T., who has been connected with the business for eight years, is superintendent.
The company has furnished the two villages with a system of elec-
Ann (Fogg) Foss of Franklin. Their two children, Mildred J. and Charles Maurice Hall, are, respect- ively, 13 and five years of age.
PARKER, HON. CARLOS S., son of Charles S. and Eliza (Towne) Parker (see page 87), was born in
CHARLES TAYLOR HALL.
tric lights and the Center with a sanitary water system.
In politics a stanch Republican, Mr. Hall has never sought nor held public office. He is a member of Lafayette Commandery of St. Al- bans and of Cairo Mystic Shrine.
Charles T. Hall married, in 1886, Etta L., daughter of H. P. and
Elmore, April 18, 1850. His father, Hon. Charles S. Parker, was a prosperous farmer and prom- inent citizen, many years a sheriff, and also an assistant judge of La- moille County. Carlos was the eld- est son of a family of two daugh- ters and three sons, of whom four are living: Candace married Rev-
225
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
erend D. B. Mckenzie of Jones- ville, New York; Ellen is deceased ; Hon. Henry C. remained on the pa- ternal farm and Natt S. is a mer- chant at Montgomery.
Carlos S. Parker completed his education at People's Academy, Morrisville, and at Montpelier Sem- inary. In 1872, at the age of 22, he came to Montgomery and en- gaged in general merchandise, and later bought his present store, where he has since remained in trade, with the exception of one year, when he traveled abroad for his health. Possessing industry, thrift and good judgment, Mr. Parker has been successful finan- cially. He has taken a very influ- ential part in the business and pub- lic affairs of Montgomery, where he was for nearly twenty years postmaster, and he is now serving his third term as selectman. He was a member of the Legislature in 1898, and in 1904 was a senator from Franklin County.
C. S. Parker married Eliza, daughter of Samuel and Susan (Goodspeed) Head of Montgom- ery. Their home has been blessed with four children: Caleb C., de- ceased ; Howard H., who is foreman and clerk at the store; Mabel E. and Richard M. Parker.
PARKER, NATT S., youngest son of Charles S. and Eliza (Towne) Parker, was born at El- more, March 8, 1862. His educa- tion was completed at Goddard Seminary, Barre. In 1882 he com- menced clerking in his brother's store at Montgomery, and contin- ued until 1896, when he became a partner. In 1898 he was appointed postmaster at Montgomery, and has acceptably filled that position until the present time.
Natt S. Parker is a genial and A-16
popular salesman, and this general store, with its varied and extensive stock, is the business headquarters of the village of Montgomery.
Mr. Parker is actively interested in public and educational improve- ments, and has served several terms as school director. His recently erected village residence is a model in location, design and finish.
Mr. Parker married, in 1889, Clara, daughter of L. P. and Car- rie (Janes) Martin of Montgomery. Their beautiful home is brightened
CARLOS S. PARKER.
by the presence of four children : Dorothy E., a student at Montpe- lier Seminary ; Lucy C. P., Charles S. and Robert C. Parker.
BROWN, DOCTOR EDMUND TOWLE, son of Josiah and Sarah E. (Towle) Brown, was born at Bridgewater, New Hampshire, July 18, 1871. Doctor Brown is descended from a long line of sound and patriotic ancestry. He is a member of the Vermont So- ciety of Sons of the American Rev- olution. His grandfather and
226
SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
namesake, Edmund Brown, was widely and favorably known all over New England as a scientific and skillful veterinary surgeon, and served in that capacity in the Civil War, although of advanced age. His father served in the Twenty-first New York Battery of
studies at New Hampton Literary Institution. After studying one year with Doctor A. R. Garey of Ashland he entered the medical de- partment of the University of Ver- mont, from which he graduated in 1897. He chose the thriving town of Montgomery as his field of ef-
EDMUND TOWLE BROWN, M. D.
Light Artillery, and was dis- charged at the close of the war.
Edmund T. Brown from early boyhood has lived "the strenuous life," and his success has been won by personal effort. He attended the public and high schools of his native village, Ashland, New Hampshire, and continued his
fort and settled here soon after his graduation.
Of an active, sympathetic tem- perament and cordial and pleasing address, studious and diligent in his profession and public spirited as a citizen, Doctor Brown has made a host of friends and built up a large and lucrative practice.
227
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
For several years Doctor Brown has been health officer of the town. He is a member of the Vermont State Medical Society, an ex-presi- dent of the Franklin County Soci- ety and a member of the Amer- ican Medical Association. Doctor Brown is eminently social and is a Knight Templar of Lafayette Commandery of St. Albans and a prominent member of the subor- dinate bodies of Free Masonry. He is also a member of Cairo Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is ac- tively interested in the cause of education and has been chairman of the board of school directors.
Doctor Brown married, Septem- ber 5, 1899, Mary, daughter of William Hardacre of Winooski. Their beautiful home on Main Street is enriched by a valuable medical and private library and cheered by the presence of a daugh- ter, Mildred Brown, born April 28, 1902.
MARCY, HOMER HOPKINS, son of Horace and Emma L. (Hopkins) Marcy, was born in Montgomery, September 4, 1865. Russell Marcy, his grandfather, was born in 1800, came to Montgomery at 17 years of age, married Nancy Fairbanks and settled on East Hill, where he cleared a farm and reared a family of six sons and one daughter. Three of the sons, Henry, Horace and David, and the daughter, El- len (Mrs. Edwin Tarbel), settled in this town as farmers. Heman Hop- kins, maternal grandfather of Ho- mer H. Marcy, was a leading farmer and highly esteemed citizen of Montgomery.
Horace Marcy was born in 1832 and in 1864 purchased an 80-acre farm in the south part of the town, which he increased by subsequent purchases until it contained 500
acres, including a large tract of valuable timber land. In 1864 the farm supported three cows and a pair of steers. It is now one of the best farms in town and supports 50 head of cattle, including a dairy of 40 cows and the farm team. The maple sugar industry is represented by a sugar place of 2,200 trees, the largest in town, well equipped with a Leader evaporator.
The product is rendered into standard maple syrup, which is put up in gallon cans and largely sold to special customers. Horace Marcy retired from his farm in 1896 and erected a residence in Montgomery Center, where he re- sided until his death in 1902, at the age of 68, a most exemplary and worthy citizen. He is survived by his widow and three sons. Guy F. Marcy is the well-known creamery proprietor of East Berkshire and Benjamin D. is his foreman in the creamery and grocery business at Richford.
Homer H. Marcy, the eldest son, remained as his father's assistant on the paternal farm, which he purchased in 1902 and where he still resides. He married, in 1887, Hattie E., daughter of Albert and Lucinda Barnes of Montgomery. Homer H. Marcy is an energetic and progressive farmer, a worthy representative of an early and hon- ored family and is highly esteemed as a man and citizen.
WRIGHT, WILLIAM J., son of George W. and Mary J. (Williams) Wright, was born at Montgomery, January 14, 1874. His grand- father, Joseph Wright, a miller at Enosburg, furnished flour for the Plattsburg volunteers in the War of 1812.
George W. Wright, at twenty years of age, came to Montgomery
228
SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
nearly sixty years ago, settled on East Hill and carved out a farm from the primeval wilderness. Here he reared his two sons, Will- iam and Eugene, and remained un- til 1890, when he removed to Mont- gomery Center.
The father of Mary (Williams)
three years in the general store of Ezra T. Seaver of North Troy. In September, 1897, he opened his grocery and general store at Mont- gomery Center, where he keeps a well-selected stock adapted to the needs of the community. Mr. Wright is a good type of the rising
WILLIAM J. WRIGHT.
Wright, came from Wales and as a lad of twelve years worked his way from Philadelphia to Ohio.
William J. Wright attended Brigham Academy and later Ver- mont Academy at Saxtons River. After clerking two years in his na- tive village, he was employed
young business man of Vermont. Possessing agreeable manners and an accommodating disposition, he is highly esteemed and is a hustling and successful salesman. He han- dles flour, feed and phosphate and at the East Berkshire depot has a building for storing agricultural
229
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
implements and machinery, his leader being the Walter A. Wood machines. In politics, an active Republican, he was appointed post- master in 1897, and the next year was elected town treasurer, still holding both positions, the latter by unanimous elections. Broad gauge in his social affinities, he is an esteemed member of Masonic Union Lodge, No. 16, of North Troy and a R. A. M. of Lafayette Chapter, No. 4, of Enosburg. He is also a member of Enosburg Lodge, No. 63, I. O. O. F., and of Camp Green Mountain, I. O. F., - in which body he has passed all of the chairs.
MARTIN, CHARLES L., was born in Montgomery, February 18, 1861; educated in the common
CHARLES L. MARTIN.
schools, St. Johnsbury Academy, and graduated from Eastman's Business College, February 18, 1880. He has been superintendent of schools six years, selectman three
years, school director four years, justice of the peace two years and has been town clerk for six years. In 1902 and again in 1904 he rep- resented Montgomery in the Gen- eral Assembly. In politics Mr. Martin is a sturdy Republican.
THE MARTIN HOUSE, GUY N. ROWLEY, PROPRIETOR.
ROWLEY, HORACE O., son of A. A. and Minerva (Castle) Row- ley, was born in Bakersfield, April 29, 1847. His early life was passed upon his father's farm at West Enosburg. After two years' experience in the West, he returned to Vermont and 30 years ago pur- chased the hotel at Montgomery Center of C. C. Martin. During his long experience as the village landlord, Mr. Rowley has formed a wide and interesting acquaintance with the business and public men of northern Vermont. An active, public-spirited man, of excellent common sense, he has served the town in various capacities; was constable 12 years and is now one of the selectmen. The Martin House under his management has become a popular social and business cen- ter, and is one of the local land- marks of the village.
The Martin House is headquar- ters in this section for fishermen, as the "spotted beauties" are still
230
SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
abundant in the Trout River and its mountain brooks. For 15 years Mr. Rowley ran the stage line to East Berkshire, and he has always conducted a livery stable and a small farm in connection with the hotel. The house is provided with electric lights and is tidy and home- like.
II. O. Rowley married Margaret Parker, and three children have been born to them: Guy N., Grace A., Mrs. L. C. Bent of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and Pauline Marga- ret, six years of age.
Guy N. Rowley was born, Sep- tember 18, 1877. His education was completed at St. Johnsbury Acad- emy and Cushing Academy, Ash- burnham, Massachusetts. He went to Philadelphia and was engaged in the installation of electric plants one year, when he was called home by his father's illness. He has conducted the Martin House dur- ing the past year. Guy N. Rowley married in April, 1905, Belle, daughter of Charles L. Martin, at present town clerk and representa- tive of Montgomery.
CAMPBELL, FRED R., son of Lovell R. and Emma J. (Rowley) Campbell, was born in Montgom- ery, May 27, 1877. During his youth and boyhood he shared the labors and recreations of the farm and attended the district schools. IIe completed his schooling at Brigham Academy, Bakersfield, from which he graduated in 1897.
Choosing the legal profession as the field of his future efforts, he entered the office of Kelton & Mau- rice and continued his studies until he was admitted to the bar in 1902. During the period of his legal study he successfully taught a dozen terms of school, including
several terms as principal of the schools at Montgomery Center. He opened an office at that village in November, 1902, and has continued in practice until the present time, with an increasing clientage.
In the spring of 1903 he was appointed assistant town clerk and still occupies that position. He was elected a school director and served as superintendent the same year and is now serving his second term as school director. He has
FRED R. CAMPBELL.
taken an active part in local af- fairs, especially in the improve- ment of the schools and school buildings and equipments, which are now in excellent condition. For three years he was chairman of the board of listers of his native town.
Mr. Campbell married, in Au- gust, 1903, Annie O. Keefe of St. Johnsbury, a former teacher of this village.
231
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
SHELDON.
Population, Census of 1900, 1,341.
The town of Sheldon was granted by Governor Benning Wentworth to Samuel Hungerford and 64 others, August 18, 1763. The town was originally called Hungerford, but on November 8, 1792, it was changed to Sheldon.
In 1782 Major Sam Sheldon first visited the town. There were three of the Sheldons, Major Sam, George and Elisha, Jr., all sons of Colonel Elisha. Early in 1790 George Sheldon and two others
dred men were employed at one time. The year 1803 saw the erec- tion of a carding mill and the establishing of a post office, Doc- tor Hildreth, the first physician to locate in the town, being appointed postmaster. The first freemen's meeting was held in 1793 at the house of Jedediah Tuttle and Major Samuel B. Sheldon was cho- sen to represent the town; he was also the first town clerk.
Being near the frontier, Sheldon has borne a conspicuous part in all the various wars and raids since the pioneer days, furnishing a
LOOKING DOWN THE MISSISQUOI RIVER FROM SHELDON.
came with several negro servants and formed the first settlement of the town.
The organization of the town took place in 1791, at the house of Elisha Sheldon, Jr., and Colonel Elisha Sheldon. Elisha Sheldon and James Hawley are recorded as selectmen. During the next dec- ade the population rapidly in- creased.
In 1792 Major Sheldon built the first sawmill in town. In 1797 a gristmill was built and in 1799 Israel Keith built a furnace and forge, in which as many as a hun-
goodly number of her brave sons whenever the nation has been threatened by enemies from within or without our borders.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.