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 22
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 22
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 22
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four generations for more than a century.
Joseph Ballard has served his town repeatedly as lister and se- lectman, and is a leader in the pro- gressive movements of the times.
WOOD, HORACE R., son of Ro- dolphus and Lovisa (Warner)
HORACE R. WOOD.
of this celebrated family, and breeders will do well to examine his stock. The farm has been in- creased by purchases to 360 acres, of which 90 are in mowing and 40 in annual tillage. Mr. Ballard and his sons find enjoyment and profit in the care of their well- bred and well-kept flocks and herds on the old homestead, the home of
Wood, was born in Georgia, Sep- tember 30, 1865.
Ebenezer Wood, the pioneer, and great-grandfather of Horace R., came from Pelham, Massachu- setts, to Georgia, about 1795, with his wife, Sarah Williams, and his family. He took up a lot of land on Georgia Plain, which has been the family home until the present
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time, for three generations of his descendants. Asaph was the youngest son of his family of eight children, all of whom lived to ma- turity, but only Asaph and Sardis of the brothers, settled in town. Asaph married Lucy Witters, suc- ceeded to the home farm, where he resided his entire life, and reared a family of seven children. Ro- dolphus, his son, was the fourth of the family of seven children, only one of whom, Mrs. Matilda Hib- bard, is now living.
Rodolphus, at 25 years of age, went to California, in 1852, one of a party of 20 from this town, who went by the isthmus route. He had an eventful experience, en- gaged in mining, and later in bringing in supplies with ox teams, and was financially successful. At his father's death, in 1856, he came home and bought the old home- stead and cared for his aged mother until her death, in 1887, at the age of 87. In 1860, he married Lovisa, daughter of William K. Warner, a well-known merchant of West Georgia. Seven children were born to them: Jennie, who died at the age of 18; Mary wife of O. A. Stanley; Horace R., Fanny (Mrs. F. W. Bliss), Luna (Mrs. F. E. Wilcox), Lucy and Alson W.
Rodolphus Wood was a man of great energy and a successful farmer, and by successive pur- chases increased the original farm to 300 acres. In 1897 he built the present excellent farmhouse. For many years a large flock of sheep was kept and Rodolphus Wood was also much interested in horse breeding. In recent years a good dairy of 25 cows, and the usual number of young stock, together with a flock of 50 Shropshire sheep
and the farm team, are supported on the farm.
Rodolphus Wood died, December 29, 1901, at the age of 75.
Horace R. Wood was schooled in the public and select schools of Georgia. He has always been a student of affairs, as well as of books, and is a capable, intelligent citizen and successful farmer. He has served as a school director, and in 1900 was elected representative from Georgia.
He resides on the home place with his mother, and has recently bought the Hotchkiss farm, adjoin- ing, of 90 acres.
He is a member of Sencal Lodge, No. 40, A. F. & A. M., of Milton, and also a charter member of Ban- ner Grange of Georgia; also Chit- tenden Chapter, No. 59, O. E. S., Milton.
WOOD, OSCAR BRADFORD, son of Norman E. and Harriett A. (Hub- bard) Wood, was born in Georgia, April 1, 1874. He is a lineal de- scendant of Ebenezer Wood, the pioneer of the family in Georgia. Norman E., son of Asaph Wood, was born before 1822 in Georgia, and was a life-long resident of that town, and died in 1899. On his mother's side Oscar B. Wood is a lineal descendant of Solomon Bliss, an early pioneer of the town and a descendant from the early English stock of Massachusetts. The Hub- bards were an early family in the town of Swanton.
Oscar B. Wood was educated in the schools of his native town, af- terwards at the St. Albans Acad- emy and the University of Ver- mont, graduating from the latter institution in the class of 1900. By his father's death the care of the farm devolved upon him and he
E
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
continued in that capacity, caring for his mother until her death in 1904, and still resides there.
The home farm of 250 acres lies midway between Georgia Center
OSCAR B. WOOD.
and Georgia Plain, is in a high state of cultivation and contains an excellent sugar orchard of 800 maples. During the past three years Mr. Wood has conducted the Green Mountain Cheese Factory, located on his farm.
At present he is a registered law student in the office of V. A. Bul- lard of Burlington and he is man- aging his business in such a way as to be able to devote his entire atten- tion to his legal studies. In 1902 he was elected to the Legislature from Georgia, being one of the youngest members of that body. He has taken a deep interest in the cause of education and has served as director, superintendent and principal of the village school.
In 1904 Mr. Wood married Ber-
tha May, youngest daughter of Daniel and Frances Isham, of Stowe. They have an infant son, Francis Isham Wood.
WOOD, BURT HENRY, son of Seth Rice and Eliza (Caldwell) Wood, was born in Georgia, July 10, 1869. His grandfather, Ebe- nezer, was an early settler of the town.
Seth Rice Wood was born in Mil- ton, but soon after his marriage moved to the farm in Georgia, where he resided until 1883, when the family went to Michigan where Mr. Wood died in a few months. Burt. H. was the second son of a family of five children, and was only 14 years of age at his father's death.
From that time he "paddled his own canoe" in life. He returned
MILL OF BURT H. WOOD.
to Georgia with his mother's famn- ily and was employed in the St. Albans creamery three years, and later several years at Belleview Farm milk route. He then, with
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
his mother, took charge of a farm at Georgia Plains owned by Susan Means, and cared for an elderly couple until their death. His mother now owns and resides on the farm, which he still carries on. He married, October 29, 1896, Mary C., daughter of Hon. C. A. Hotchkiss of Georgia Plains. They have six interesting children : Gladys, Flor- ence, Bertha, Emogene, George and Cordelia. Mrs. Wood was a grad- uate of Johnson Normal School, a popular teacher and a descendant of an early and prominent family.
In March, 1902, Mr. Wood bought the Gordon sawmill, grist- mill and store at Georgia Plains. His business is the most important factor of the town, his mills being the only ones in active operation. He usually manufactures from a quarter to a half million feet of lumber annually, including quite a quantity of shingles.
Mr. Wood has recently installed a modern steel grinder in his gristmill that has a capacity of a bushel per minute. He is about putting in a stock of feed, which, with the grocery, will be a great local convenience.
Burt H. Wood is a school di- rector of Georgia, an active and energetic character, and emphati- cally a self-made man.
HIGHGATE. Population, Census of 1900, 1,980.
Highgate was granted by Gov- ernor Wentworth of New Hamp- shire, August 17, 1763. One pro- vision of the charter was that the town should be occupied and set- tled within a specified time, the penalty being a forfeiture of the charter, but in fact it was not set- tled for more than twenty years
after the charter was granted. As the authority of the grantor ter- minated before the expiration of the time limit, there was no power to which the town could revert. The General Assembly of Vermont, on the 26th of October, 1781, granted to Major Theodore Wood- bridge and company, and Mr. Jo- seph Jones and company, to the number of 65, a township six miles square in some unoccupied lands within the state. Theodore Wood- bridge was a major in the Conti- nental service, a citizen of Rhode Island, and Jones was a member of the Congress from Virginia. The charter to Woodbridge of this town, named Woodbridge, was for- feited for non-payment of taxes. On account of his services as sur- veyor-general of the state, Ira Al- len became a creditor of the state to the amount of $15,000, for the collection and enforcement of which he brought suit and ob- tained judgment. This not being paid in some instances, the lands were sold and bid in by Allen. In 1792 Caleb Henderson sold nearly the whole town of Highgate for taxes for the sum of £93, to Ira Al- len, and still later Sheriff Noah Chittenden sold the town for £9, the deeds of both sales being re- corded in 1803.
The present outlines of the town do not nearly conform with the limitations of either charter, or of the Allen titles.
The pioneers of the town were Joseph Reycard, who settled near the Canadian line, John Hilliker on the Missisquoi, north of Swan- ton ; Jeremiah Brewer and Thomas Butterfield, on the west side of the Rock River. The above settlers came during the years 1785 and 1786.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
In 1787 John Saxe built the first gristmill in the northeast part of the town, which has since borne the name of Saxe's Mills. In 1791 the first death occurred, Cath- erine, the wife of John Saxe. That year a school was established in a house near Saxe's mill, and was taught by Simeon Foster.
In 1797 Andrew Potter built the first sawmill at the falls, and soon after, a gristmill.
In 1801 Matthew Godfrew and Peter Saxe built the first store and tavern, and the next year the first frame houses were built by Elijah Rood, Newcomb and Conrad; Barr. Doctor Joseph B. Cutler, the first physician, settled in 1806, and re- mained in town until his death in 1861. The first tannery was erected by Jonathan Loudon in 1811.
In 1791 the population of High- gate numbered 103, and the town was duly organized by the election of town officers. Thus the organ- ization of the town and the admis- sion of the state to the Union were contemporaneous.
John Waggoner was elected moderator; Johnathan Butterfield, town clerk; Isaac Asseltine and Manuel Teachout, constables ; John Waggoner, Michael Lapman and John Hilliker, selectmen. The first representative, John Knicker- bocker, was elected in 1792.
During the prevalence of the em- bargo act, the people of Highgate suffered much privation from the discontinuance of their trade with their special customers in Canada. Many of them came from Canada, and believing the law to be unjust, they naturally resorted to a con- tinuance of trade by smuggling goods across the line. Very few were arrested, but in 1808, three
men of Highgate, William Noakes, Slocum Clark and Truman Mudg- ett, were caught with the smug- gling vessel, Black Snake, and in- dicted. Yet when the war actu- ally commenced, Highgate was loyal, and sent Captain Saxe and 11 men to the defense of Platts- burg.
During the so-called Papinean Rebellion a motley force of about two hundred men and boys passed through the town en route to Can- ada. Their raid speedily termin- ated in confusion and defeat. Two companies of militia from Highgate were called into service for several weeks during the spring of 1839, to insure neutral- ity on the border.
During the Civil War Highgate is credited with having furnished 222 men, 12 of whom were killed in battle, 22 died of wounds and disease contracted in the service, and 27 were discharged for disa- bility.
TROMBLEY, JEREMIAH M., son of Thomas J. and Olive (Dashner) Trombley, was born in Highgate, January 21, 1874. His father was a life-long resident of this town. Jeremiah M. Trombley was the youngest son of a family of 17 children, 10 of whom are living; the others died in childhood. A brother and sister are living in Highgate, Tuffield L. Trombley, a merchant and postmaster at lower village, and Emeline, wife of Charles M. Tatro.
Jeremiah M. Trombley attended the public schools and six months at a commercial college, but after he was 12 years old paid his own way. IIe had a varied and prac- tical mercantile training. He worked in a woolen mill three years at Springfield, then four years for
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C. R. Lyon, and some four years for Burdick & Holmes of Highgate. Later he ran the gristmill one year and was in trade in Highgate in company with C. M. Tatro, trav- eled for the Mead Manufacturing Company of Burlington one year and traded at the Lantman store at East Highgate. Meanwhile he accumulated a fund of useful ex- perience, which made good when he exchanged his store goods for C. E. Britch's farm and took stock in
JEREMIAH M. TROMBLEY.
the Highgate Foundry Company. This business was established in 1857 and incorporated in 1897 with a capital of $15,000; Jeremiah M. Trombley, president and manager ; H. W. Baxter, secretary and treas- urer. The company manufactures stoves and ranges and job castings of all kinds. They employ twenty- five or thirty men, including team- sters, and are doing a flourishing business, with five months' orders
on hand. Mr. Trombley's energy and good judgment have won pub- lic confidence.
He was elected selectman in 1904 and the ensuing year was elected overseer of the poor, also poor house director, offices which he has since creditably held. He is a member of C. O. F.
He married, in 1894, Lena M. Derosia. They have three chil- dren living: Ruth Winifred, Chliele T. and Keith H. Trombley.
PHELPS, EDWIN JAMES, son of Elkanah and Emily (Chappell) Phelps, was born in Stanbridge, Quebec, September 23, 1829. He came to Highgate in 1841 and was educated in the public schools. He learned the tanner's trade of Dar- win Hyde and successfully engaged in the tanning business during all of his active life, the last in Ver- mont to continue the early method of using hemlock bark and cold liquors. Mr. Phelps was the first to engage largely in the manufac- ture of wool boots for the general trade, continuing that feature for nearly a score of years.
He was an expert in his specialty and an excellent type of the skill- ful, industrious mechanic of his time, at once a capitalist and a laborer. With the exception of two years spent in Burlington he was continuously a resident in East Highgate until his lamented death, April 11, 1906.
For more than thirty years Mr. Phelps was actively interested in the municipal affairs of the town and village, repeatedly served as selectman and was justice of the peace many years until the time of his death. A Republican in poli- tics, he was elected to the Legis- lature from Highgate in 1888 and was a useful member of that body.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
By steady industry, good judgment and sterling integrity he became successful financially and won the confidence and esteem of his asso- ciates. He was many years a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity.
Mr. Phelps married in Novem- ber, 1858, Miss Adeline Barnes of
Mr. and Mrs. Phelps were benev- olent and adopted two children, George Phelps, a nephew, and Ber- tha Barnes, a niece of Mrs. Phelps.
HERRICK, ELIHU E., son of Daniel and Melinda Crossett (Brown) Herrick, was born in Highgate, November 12, 1845.
EDWIN J. PHELPS.
Kemptville, Province of Ontario. Four children were born to them : Beulah, wife of W. H. Cruikshank, of Essex, New York; Mrs. Fannie E. Crowell of East Highgate; Wil- lie (deceased in infancy ), and Leon M., a chemist in the employ of the American Dyewood Company at Philadelphia.
Daniel Herrick was a farmer and business man, and for a time owned and conducted a sawmill and gristmill in Canada. Elihu was the only son by a second mar- riage, and the only daughter is Victoria, widow of the late J. H. Stimetz.
Elihu's boyhood was spent in
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Canada. After accumulating a modest sum, in 1880 he came to Highgate and bought the old Her- rick farm on which he was born, located about three miles from each village. The farm, contain- ing 267 acres of natural grass and grain land, then kept 16 cows and the team. Mr. Herrick possessed a clear mind, resolute will and vigor- ous body, and in a score of years more than doubled the farm pro- ductions. He installed a circular
ELIHU E. HERRICK.
silo of 300 tons' capacity, built or rebuilt all of the barns, repaired the house, plowed and reseeded the land, and increased his dairy to 45 good grade Jersey cows. His busi- ness activities overleaped the farm, for he bought and sold farm produce extensively, and with J. B. Sanderson started and con- ducted Maplewood Creamery, the first in this town. He sold the farm in 1902, moved to Highgate Center, and devotes his entire at-
tention to trade in country produce, hay, straw and potatoes a specialty.
Elihu E. Herrick married, in 1868, Martha, daughter of Alvin Hoskins of Highgate. They have one daughter, Mattie Malinda, wife of George W. Bates, a con- tractor at Springfield. Mr. Her- rick is a resolute and thorough business man, with excellent exec- utive ability, and is successful financially. He is a member of Highgate Lodge, No. 69, I. O. O. F. He has served as constable and col- lector, also as road commissioner, and repeatedly as selectman. In politics, a Republican, he repre- sented Highgate in 1904 and suc- ceeded in securing an appropria- tion for the town's permanent roads, which he economically ad- ministered.
RIXFORD, HON. OSCAR S., son of Luther and Sarah Haskins Rix- ford, was born at Winchester, New Hampshire, March 2, 1828. His grandfather, William Rixford, was an early pioneer of that town.
Luther Rixford came to High- gate in 1837 and engaged in the manufacture of scythes, later tak- ing in as partners his sons, Luther P. and Oscar S. Another son, Bradford, a graduate of U. V. M., was a lawyer and later in the pen- sion bureau at Washington.
Oscar S. Rixford, after complet- ing his education at St. Albans and Bakersfield academies, returned to East Highgate and at his majority became a partner in the scythe fac- tory, then employing ten or twelve men. Some six years later, Mr. Rixford became sole proprietor and conducted a constantly increasing business, in 1880 adding the manu- facture of axes. In 1868 he in- stalled a large scythe factory at Bedford, Province of Quebec, and
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
six years later added the feature of axe manufacture. In 1882 this business was incorporated as the O. S. Rixford Manufacturing Co., and the business was continued un -. til 1888.
The business at East Highgate
The business was incorporated in 1900 as the Rixford Manufacturing Co., with a capital of $80,000; Os- car S. Rixford, president and man- ager; Oscar H. Rixford, vice-pres- ident and clerk. The payroll of this important business carries the
OSCAR S. RIXFORD.
has been conducted with steadily increasing output until the present time, and the Rixford scythes and axes have a high and well-deserved standing as standard implements in the general markets of the coun- try. The annual output is about three thousand dozen scythes and four thousand dozen axes.
names of 45 men, and is the indus- trial life-blood of East Highgate.
O. S. Rixford has entered heart- ily into local improvements, is an extensive fruit farmer, with the largest orchard of Fameuse apple trees in the world. In politics, a stanch Republican; on account of the demands of his business he has
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
refused to accept town office, but represented Highgate in the Legis- lature in 1862 and 1863, and was a senator from Franklin County in 1876. He is a Universalist in reli- gious belief, and a Mason of many years' standing.
O. S. Rixford married, in 1858, Mary, niece of Reverend Henry P.
Mary E., Mrs. Norman Knight of Ansonia, Connecticut, and Susan K., who remains with her parents.
Mr. Rixford for nearly three score years has been a prominent figure in the business life of this section, and is highly esteemed as an energetic, benevolent and liberal minded citizen.
CHARLES C. SHELDON.
Cutting of Troy. Oscar H. Rix- ford was born in 1860, educated at Goddard Seminary, Barre, and is associated with his father in busi- ness. He married Elisabeth Leach of Fairfield, and they have one son, Oscar A. The other children of O. S. and Mary C. Rixford are Henry C., who died in infancy ;
SHELDON, CHARLES C., son of Deacon John and Honor Hitchcock (Adams) Sheldon, was born at Sheldon, November 10, 1845.
Deacon Sheldon was born in Pittsford, and came to Sheldon in 1825, was twice married and reared a large family, of which Charles was the youngest son by the last
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
marriage. He received a thorough practical education at Franklin Academy and at Eastman's Busi- ness College, and remained on the paternal farm until the death of Deacon Sheldon in 1872, at the age of 72. He then bought the farm, paid off the other heirs and con- tinued farming until 1880, when he sold and moved his family to East Highgate. After making a tour of inspection in the West, Mr. Sheldon returned to East High- gate and formed a partnership with the late Edward J. Phelps in the business of tanning sheep pelts and making wool boots, then a new and successful enterprise. Mr. Sheldon is a ready talker and a clean-cut business man, with un- usual courage and initiative,-in fact, a natural pioneer. He dis- covered the superior keeping qual- ities of the western pelts and bought extensively at Kansas City, Omaha, Chicago and elsewhere, and with Mr. Phelps developed a business of more than twelve thou- sand per annum. In 1886 he dis- posed of his interest in the tan- nery and bought the fine hill farm of his father-in-law, Edgar R. Frost, one of the earliest and most famous breeders of thoroughbred Jerseys in Vermont.
Frost Hill stock farm is pleas- antly located three fourths of a mile from the railroad station and one and a fourth miles from East Highgate; originally 200 acres, now increased to 300; carries a splendid herd of 50 thoroughbred Jerseys and six horses.
Mr. Sheldon is at once an ex- tensive and intensive farmer. He installed two large silos, bought improved farm machinery, rebuilt, remodelled and doubled the capac- ity of the barns, and in 1902
erected an elegant and commodious residence. By use of the silos, thorough culture and judicious ro- tation of crops, he has more than doubled the farm productions. The farm contains a large sugar place and a fine orchard.
Mr. Sheldon is chairman of the Republican town committee and a frequent and active delegate to county, district and state conven- tions. He has served several terms as school director and select- man, and in 1896 represented Highgate in the Legislature.
He married, in 1871, Florence E., daughter of Edgar R. and Al- zina (Fillmore) Frost. Their six children have been educated at Brigham Academy. Leonard J. is a printer in Boston, Daniel F. is a dentist in Franklin, Jennie F. mar- ried V. H. Nye of Highgate, Charles Edgar is with his father. William P. died at 20 years of age and Ernest Hitchcock is at the home farm.
ENOSBURG
Population, Census of 1900, 2,054.
The town of Enosburg was granted March 12, 1780, and was chartered on May 15 of that year by Governor Chittenden to Roger Enos (for whom the town was named) and his 59 associates. The first proprietors' meeting was held September 8, 1795, at the house of Joseph Baker in Bakersfield. At this meeting Jedediah Hyde, Ste- phen House, Samuel D. Sheldon, Levi House, Amos Fassett, Joseph Baker and Martin D. Follett were chosen a committee to allot the town.
The town was organized March 19, 1798, at the house of Samuel Little in Enosburg, and the follow- ing officers were chosen: Jonas
JAY PEAK FROM ENOSBURG FALLS.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
Brigham, moderator; Isaac B. Far- rer, town clerk; Charles Follett, Samuel Little and Martin Dun- ning, selectmen.
The first business of this board was the following :
"This may certify that we do approve of Mr. Lewis Sweatland entertaining and retailing liquors by small quantity, as an innkeeper at his house in Enosburgh, for one year from date."
This was certainly local option and home rule, and doubtless worked quite as well as our pres- ent complicated and much broken law.
The first freemen's meeting was held September 3, 1799, and chose William Barber to represent the town in the General Assembly.
At a town meeting held March 7, 1804, "to see if the town will raise money to compensate minis- ters of the gospel," it was "voted not to raise money to pay preach- ers. "
Enosburg, like other Vermont towns in the early days, showed marked military zeal, and her sons have ever proven their right and title to high place for loyalty to not only their town but their be- loved Green Mountain state and the nation. For the War of 1812 a company of 23 was raised, with Martin D. Follett as captain. In 1801 the town voted to raise a tax of $50 "to fill a magazine with powder and lead." In the Civil War Enosburg did her full share and 22 of her sons gave their lives either on battlefields, in prisons or hospitals "that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom."
Enosburg gave to the state Hor- ace Eaton, a strong, sturdy char- acter of great worth. He served as
state superintendent of schools, lieutenant-governor and governor of the state.
The first school house to be erected in Enosburg was built of logs and was covered with bark and had a bark floor. Betsey Lit- tle was hired to teach the school.
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