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 23
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 23
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 23
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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
In 1812 Joseph Wright started a gristmill. Wright inaugurated a practice in his business which would be highly appreciated in this later day, but which has long since been discontinued : he used to measure every grist in his half bushel, stop the mill between each grist if bolted; after stopping the mill, he would turn the bolt by hand with a crank and clean it all out, thus giving each man his own grist and all of it. Mr. Wright was a very religious man and stren- uously practised what he preached.
The Congregational Society was organized October 11, 1811. In 1820 the society built its "meeting house," which was the second Con- gregational Church to be built in this country. The meeting house was remodelled in 1849.
The Methodists commenced to preach in Enosburg as early as 1812. In 1813 a class of about a dozen was formed. In 1839 a meeting house was built at West Enosburg, and a few years later a Union house was built at the Falls. The Protestant Episcopal Church was organized May 6, 1822, and the Baptists organized a church at the Falls in 1830. Prior to this, in 1810, a Baptist Church was organ- ized at East Enosburg and a French Baptist Church was or- ganized in 1858. In 1863 Catholic services were first held in town and, December 10, 1865, a chapel was dedicated to the Almighty by
6. L. marsh
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the Right Reverend L. de Goes- briand, bishop of Burlington.
The recent history of this hust- ling town is best told in the sketches of her leading citizens which follow.
MARSH, GENERAL CARMI L. Many of the incidents in the career of the subject of this sketch are fit to "point a moral and adorn a tale," and appeal to the best in- stincts and sympathies of our com- mon humanity.
Carmi L., son of Lathrop and Lucy (Chadwick) Marsh, was born at Franklin, August 4, 1842.
Lathrop Marsh was a farmer, a worthy type of the substantial ante bellum Vermont farmer.
Carmi L. Marsh was reared amid the wholesome environments of rural life and his educational ad- vantages were limited to the com- mon schools. At 20 years of age he resigned the comforts and en- joyments of home and enlisted in Company K, Thirteenth Vermont Regiment, Colonel F. V. Randall, and was soon promoted to the sec- ond lieutenancy of his company.
In December, 1862, he was taken sick with pneumonia when in camp near Fairfax Court House, entered the hospital January 1, 1863, and later was marched to Wolf Run Shoals, where his condition be- came critical. His comrades tele- graphed his parents, who at once came to the front and found him in a hospital tent, hovering between life and death. Realizing that his recovery depended upon excellent nursing under more favorable con- ditions, his parents at last secured quarters in the home of a widow lady, Mrs. Wilcoxon. Though sym- pathizing warmly with the South- ern cause, with the genuine and proverbial hospitality of a true Vir-
ginian, for five weeks she opened her home to the Northern soldier boy and freely placed at his dis- posal every comfort and kindness which she possessed. At last a vigorous constitution and youth triumphed over disease and, March 18, young Marsh became strong enough to start on his homeward journey, where he arrived a living skeleton, weighing 75 pounds. He was soon afterwards discharged for physical disability, but grad- ually recuperated his health and strength.
Two years after his return from the South and settlement on the ancestral farm, Mr. Marsh married Delia E. Pelton of Highgate. They spent 14 happy, prosperous years upon the farm, and two children were born to them : Lucy, now wife of F. W. Draper, a prosperous farmer and banker, and Lathrop L., both resident at Enosburg.
In 1879 General Marsh formed a co-partnership with Dr. B. J. Kendall in the patent medicine business at Enosburg Falls, the principal article being the well- known Kendall spavin cure. Soon afterwards they took in Hon. Olin Merrill as a partner, and within two years Hon. Moses P. Perley. The business increased by leaps and bounds and four years after the original partnership was formed a stock company was or- ganized.
Later, Doctor Kendall's quarter interest in the company was pur- chased by the other members for $100,000. This business is the life blood of the prosperity of Enos- burg Falls, and is one of the most reputable and widely known estab- lishments of its kind in New Eng- land. General Marsh has been and is its president, and is recognized
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as a far sighted and able financier and a business man of absolute in- tegrity.
Thirty-five years after his almost miraculous recovery, he resolved to seek out his benefactress and ex- press in a substantial way his grat- itude. After many inquiries he found her, 80 years of age, her property gone, living in penury at Manassas Junction, Virginia. The joy of that reunion was mutual and heartfelt. General Marsh show- ered upon her the bounties of his wealth and cheered her heart by placing her in pleasant and com- fortable circumstances, and every year has visited her in her South- ern home. "Cast thy bread upon the waters and after many days it shall return."'
Public honors have worthily come to the subject of this sketch. In 1878 he represented the town of Franklin in the Legislature and in 1886 was a senator from Franklin County. He held the office of judge-advocate general of Vermont under Governors Barstow and Pin- gree, from 1882 to 1886. He has kept the ancestral farm and main- tained his interest in agriculture. He owns and conducts a large grist- mill and has probably the largest grain and feed business in this sec- tion. In all of his undertakings he exemplifies the qualities of sound judgment and steady perse- verance which finally win success. A well-preserved and active man at 64, he carries large responsibil- ities with a firm grasp and an easy confidence that eliminates the waste of nervous strain and worry.
Genial and unpretending in man- ner, he has a wide circle of ac- quaintances and every acquaint- ance is a friend. General Marsh has been peculiarly fortunate in his
domestic relations and intensely enjoys and appreciates his home and kindred.
Broad gauge in his social and in- tellectual affinities, he takes an ac- tive interest in the public move- ments of the time and is intensely loyal to his adopted town. He is a member of Lincoln Lodge, F. & A. M., of Enosburg. He is also a member of Marsh Post, No. 80, of Franklin, and vice-president of the First Army Corps Association of the Civil War.
JENNE, JOHN G., a son of Na- thaniel and Huldah (Folsom) Jenne, was born in Berkshire, July 14, 1833. He received a substan- tial education in the schools of his native town. Having early deter- mined on agriculture as an occu- pation, he farmed in Berkshire un- til 1867, when he located in Enos- burg Falls and opened a stove store. This soon grew to a general hardware business and by the ap- plication of Mr. Jenne's well- known business principles of ab- solute integrity, no misrepresenta- tion and an absolute "square deal" to all, soon built up one of the largest and best general hardware trades in northern Vermont. Mr. Jenne continued in trade until 1890, when he retired from active mercantile trade and since that time has been enjoying a well-de- served rest and giving his attention to the care of his real estate and doing a considerable fire insurance and pension business.
In 1868 Mr. Jenne was elected as one of the justices of Enosburg, and since that time has been the principal trial justice of the town, his decisions being generally characterized by a soundness of mind and a broadness of thought that have won much praise. For
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six years he was town liquor agent under the prohibitory law, and his administration of this difficult of- fice was highly satisfactory to the best element of his town. Mr. Jenne has served Enosburg as lister, three years as selectman,
21, 1859, a noted physician and surgeon, who has won high honors in not only his chosen profession, but in military affairs and the ser- vice of his country, having passed from the rank of lieutenant to brigadier-general; Cortiz E., born
JOHN G. JENNE.
and represented the town in the Legislature in 1878-'79.
October 9, 1854, Mr. Jenne was united in marriage to Charlotte T. Woodworth of Berkshire, who bore him seven children: Axah I., born March 14, 1856, deceased; Ella A., born August 15, 1857, de- ceased; James N., born December A-20
January 3, 1863, deceased; Charles S., born August 31, 1865, de- ceased; Minnie C., born May 14. 1868, married Lothrop L., son of General Carmi L. Marsh, June 2. 1897, and George H., born Octo- ber 31, 1872, deceased. Mrs. Jenne died November 8, 1872, and April 8, 1874, he married for his
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
second wife, Mary D. Kimball of Enosburg. She died March 24, 1893.
HUTCHINSON, DOCTOR WILL- IAM ROBERT, a son of John and Eliza (Mitchell) Hutchinson, was born at North Hero, December 16, 1824. He received his early edu-
uated in 1848. He first located at Vergennes, but in a few months moved to Enosburg Center, where for more than a quarter of a cen- tury he successfully practiced his chosen profession. In September, 1875 he moved to Enosburg Falls, and turned over his large practice
WILLIAM R. HUTCHINSON, M. D.
cation in the district school and academy in the town of Monkton, and for some years was a successful school teacher. In 1845 he began the study of medicine with Doctor George E. Stowe of Monkton ; later he attended the Vermont Academy of Medicine at Castleton and grad-
to his son, Doctor William W. Hutchinson. His practice grew until it was very extensive. For more than fifty years Doctor Hutchinson always held himself in readiness to respond to every call without regard to distance or the conditon of the weather. His edu-
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cation and training for his great life-work was broad and thorough and he entered into its study and practice with a determination to acquire and equip himself in the best possible manner, to both de- serve and win success. And his great ability, knowledge and pains-
townsmen to serve them in public capacity. For 20 years he was town clerk of Enosburg, five years postmaster, six years town super- intendent of schools, represented the town in the General Assembly in 1864-'65, for years was a justice of the peace and health officer. In
WILLIAM W. HUTCHINSON, M. D.
taking care won for him a lasting place in the medical history of his county and state.
Notwithstanding the great amount of professional labor that
Doctor Hutchinson was called upon to do, he ever found time to respond to the frequent call of his
1869 he was chosen to represent Franklin County in the state Sen- ate. In every public office he served with fidelity and care, discharging the duties he was called upon to perform with ability and to the sat- isfaction of his people. He was for several years the vice-president
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
of the Richford Savings Bank and Trust Company.
Doctor William R. Hutchinson was a member of the county, state and national medical associations, and was in 1877 and 1892 a dele- gate from Vermont to the national body. For several years he was
Doctor William W. Hutchinson, son of Doctor William R. and Ce- linda C. (Smith) Hutchinson, was born at Enosburg, February 15, 1850; he was educated in the pub- lic schools, at the academy at Enos- burg Center, Montpelier Seminary and graduated from the medical
FREDERICK S. HUTCHINSON, M. D.
assistant surgeon in connection with the military organizations of Ver- mont, having ben appointed by Governor Frederick Holbrook.
April 26, 1849, Doctor Hutchin- son was married to Celinda C. Smith of Monkton. Two sons, Doctor William Watson Hutchin- son and Doctor Frederick S., were born to them.
department, University of Ver- mont, in the class of 1874. He lo- cated at Enosburg Center and the following year succeeded to his father's practice, when he removed to Enosburg Falls in 1895. At this time he succeeded his father as town clerk and has held this place continuously to the present time, making more than fifty years that
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this office has been held by father and son. Doctor Hutchinson re- mained at Enosburg Center until 1896, when he located at the "Falls." He is a member of both the Franklin County and state medical societies, and besides serv- ing as town clerk, he has filled the office of town treasurer the past four years, justice of the peace 32 years, school director, and in 1882 represented Enosburg in the Legis- lature, serving on the committee on insane.
October 28, 1874, Doctor Hutch- inson was united in marriage to Mary E. Stone. To them one child was born : William S., a civil engi- neer, now in the employ of the Cen- tral Vermont Railroad. Mrs. Hutchinson died June 12, 1905.
Doctor Frederick S. Hutchinson, son of Doctor William R. and Ce- linda C. (Smith) Hutchinson, was born in Enosburg March 27, 1861; received his education in the public schools of his native town, gradu- ated from Montpelier Seminary in the class of 1877, when 16 years of age, and from the medical depart- ment of the University of Vermont in the class of 1882, when 21 years of age. He immediately located in his native town and has won an en- viable practice as both physician and surgeon. As a physician he is broad gauge, careful and success- ful; as a surgeon, he has displayed exceptional skill in performing difficult operations with a delicacy of touch and steadiness of nerve which has won for him a flattering reputation.
WOODWORTH, HON. ARTHUR WELLINGTON, a son of William S. and Patience S. (Stevens) Wood- worth, was born in Berkshire, May 7, 1823.
Among the strong and in many
ways remarkable men of Vermont, is Hon. Arthur W. Woodworth, now in his eighty-fourth year, strong in both mind and body, keen, alert and active as most men of 50. Mr. Woodworth inherited a splendid physique and while he has always been an indefatigable worker, he has always taken proper care of the body. He received his education in the district schools of his early day and under the guid- ance of his father learned the car- penter trade and continued to fol- low that occupation until 1844. He then entered the employ of Judge Aldis and Lawrence Brainard of St. Albans as a farm hand, and his training and natural taste for pru- dence and care enabled him, upon his return to Enosburg, to purchase a farm, which for more than half a century received his careful at- tention.
When the Central Vermont Rail- road was built as far as Enosburg, he became one of the directors of the road and furnished a very large amount of ties and wood to that corporation. He became a joint owner and manager in the lumber manufacturing company at Samp- sonville and continued until 1900, when he retired, and is devoting his time largely to buying and selling farms, timber lands, and banking. He has 1,400 acres of wild land and a sawmill in Westfield, owns 500 acres in Sheldon and several farms, including one carrying 31 cows, in Richford. He controls a splendid creamery at Enosburg Falls, and April 1, 1905, organized the First National Bank of Enos- burg, of which institution he is president and one of the directors, and although a young institution, under his energetic, yet conserva- tive management this bank is fast
ARTHUR W. WOODWORTH.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
winning a firm hold upon the confi- dence and business of Enosburg Falls and vicinity.
In politics, Mr. Woodworth is a sturdy Republican of the old school; above tricks and the cheap intrigues that are altogether too often practiced in public life today.
November 15, 1848, Mr. Wood- worth was united in marriage to Adaline T., a daughter of Alpheus and Jane (French) Ladd of Enos- burg. To them was born one daughter, Linnie R. (Mrs. Walter V. Phelps), who died October 26, 1905.
WALTER V. PHELPS.
He cast his first presidential vote for Henry Clay and has always taken a deep interest in public mat- ters. He represented Enosburg in the General Assembly of 1858 and again in 1859, and in 1880 served Franklin County as one of her senators.
PHELPS, WALTER V., was born in Stanbridge, Quebec, February 26, 1860, a son of John W. and Harriet S. (Taylor) Phelps. He was educated in the public schools of his native town and at Stan- bridge Academy. He worked on the home farm until 1879, when
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
he went to Boston and entered the commission house of A. and O. W. Mead & Co., remaining with them about twelve years. He located at Enosburg Falls in 1891, and for two years followed farming; then he established a feed store, which has met with a marked degree of success. He has dealt considerably in real estate and owns two splen- did farms.
In 1901, in company with Hon. Arthur W. Woodworth, he built and organized the Enosburg Falls Creamery, which has had a sub- stantial and continual growth.
Upon the organization of the First National Bank of Enosburg Falls, Mr. Phelps was elected one of the board of directors. He has held various town and village of- fices and in 1898 was elected to rep- resent Enosburg in the General Assembly of Vermont, being the first Democrat to represent the town in more than fifty years, which was a substantial public en- dorsement for Mr. Phelps' well- known integrity and high public ideals. In the Legislature he was appointed to the agricultural com- mittee and was soon recognized as a working member of not only his committee but of the House. He received the nomination for state treasurer on the Democrat and in- dependent ticket in 1906.
He was united in marriage, May 20, 1889, to Linnie R., only daugh- ter of Hon. Arthur W. and Adeline T. (Ladd) Woodworth, of Enos- burg. Mrs. Phelps died October 26, 1905.
McFEETERS, EMMET*, a lead- ing member of the Franklin County bar, son of William and Ann (Todd) McFeeters, was born in Sheldon, April 22, 1855. His early
education was obtained in the dis- trict schools of Sheldon and the Franklin and Bakersfield acade- mies.
James McFeeters, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, came from the north part of Ireland to America in 1827, and located at Highgate, where he continued to reside until his death, February 2, 1869.
Emmet McFeeters very early de- termined on a professional career, and the degree of success obtained amply demonstrates the soundness of this early determination. After completing his academic education he entered the law office of C. G. Austin at Highgate and remained two years; he then entered the Ann Arbor, (Michigan) law school. February 25, 1880, he was admit- ted to practice in the Supreme Court of Michigan and the follow- ing September, having returned to Vermont he was admitted to the Franklin County bar. November 1881, he located at Enosburg Falls, where he has continued in his chosen profession, meeting with a marked degree of success. A fighter, and "a trier," wide awake, aggressive, yet accommodating, ap- proachable, genial and big-hearted, are the chief characteristics of this well-known and much-esteemed advocate. He served Franklin County as state's attorney from December, 1896, to December, 1898; represented Enosburg in the General Assembly of Vermont in 1900, and served on the committee of rules and was a member of the judiciary committee. In 1902 he received the very unusual distinc- tion of being re-elected to the Gen- eral Assembly and served as chairman of the judiciary commit-
* Sketch by William H. Jeffrey.
EMMET MCFEETERS.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
tee and second member of the com- mittee on state and court expenses. On both of these most important committees he was an earnest and indefatigable worker, and it has often been stated that at no session of the General Assembly was there more important measures to be con- sidered by these two committees
as a school committee of the high and graded schools, and is the at- torney for the First National Bank of Enosburg Falls.
In May, 1882, Mr. McFeeters was united in marriage to Lucy M. Pel- ton. To them has been born one son, William R., who graduated from Dartmouth College in the
RICHARD SMITH.
than the session of 1902. At this session he introduced the bill to abolish capital punishment and very ably defended the same. The bill passed the House and was de- feated in the Senate by a majority of only two votes.
Mr. McFeeters served the village of Enosburg Falls for three years
class of 1905, at the age of 20 years. and is now a law student at Har- vard Law School.
SMITH, HON. RICHARD, was born in Montgomery, June 17, 1841, a son of Richard and Eliza- beth (Boutelle) Smith.
Richard Smith1, the great grand- father of the subject of this
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
sketch, resided in Connecticut, and was a soldier in the American Revolution, having served in the Third Regiment from his native state. Richard2, his son, who re- sided in Lyme, Connecticut, set- tled at Woodstock, Vermont, about the year 1880, and later located at Montgomery, where Richard Smith3, father of the subject of our sketch, was reared and married to Elizabeth Boutelle.
Hon. Richard Smith4, was or- phaned while yet a mere child, his father dying when he was only three years of age and his mother 10 years later. He attended the schools of Montgomery until the death of his mother, in 1854, when he went to Enosburg and continued going to school until he was 17 years of age. The next four years he worked as a farm hand and July 21, 1862, he entered the Union Army in Company F, Tenth Ver- mont Volunteer Infantry and served two and a half years, being mustered out February 5, 1865. The principal engagements in which Judge Smith took part were Wilderness, Spottsylvania and Cold Harbor. It was in the last named engagement, June 3, 1864, that he received a serious wound осса- sioned by a rifle ball passing through the left foot and lodging in the right ankle.
Upon returning home he located at Richford and entered the drug business, and continued in that line of trade for 18 years, meeting with a very flattering degree of success. December 31, 1883, he located at West Enosburg, where he still re- sides, and engaged in farming.
May 9, 1866, Mr. Smith was united in mariage to Jeannettie, a daughter of Charles S. and Abigail (Boutelle) McAllister. To them
three children have been born : Abby B., born February 6, 1868, married Chester B. Ovitt; Richard F.5, born September 19, 1872, married Louisa Crossly, and has one son, Richard6; Fannie E., born April 6, 1879.
Judge Smith has held the various town offices and represented Rich- ford in the General Assembly of 1882. At the September election, 1902, he was chosen one of the as- sistant judges for Franklin County and re-elected in 1904.
He is a past commander of Pixley Post, G. A. R., and has served as adjutant of the post for many years.
Judge Smith has been one of the trustees of the Richford Savings Bank and Trust Company for the past 20 years ; for two years he was its vice-president and is now its president. He is a member of the Methodist Church and is superin- tendent of the Sunday school and one of the stewards of the church.
ASELTINE, AZRO M., a son of Alanson M. and Esther D. (Traver) Aseltine, was born in Morgan, March 7, 1869. He was educated in the public schools of Westfield, Lowell, and at Meriden, New Hampshire, completing his educa- tion at the age of 17 years; he then entered the employ of George C. Gilman, a dry goods merchant at Newport, remaining for three years and then located at Barre, where he was employed in a boot and shoe store for a year. His
brother, Albert A. Aseltine, was at this time in general trade at Lowell and Mr. Aseltine entered his em- ploy, remaining until his brother bought of W. E. Tuck the Archam- bault estate at Enosburg Falls, then he continued in the new store for a year. Accepting a position
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
as a traveling salesman for B. F. Moore & Co., he continued with them for three years. His broad and general experience, coupled with an energetic, observing and yet conservative disposition, natu- rally brought Mr. Aseltine to make a careful survey of the field of in- surance, both fire and life. In this field he has displayed marked abil- ity and conducts the only general insurance agency in town. From
AZRO M. ASELTINE.
childhood he has been a member of the Methodist Church; he is affili- ated with the Odd Fellows and is one of the village trustees.
September 6, 1892, he married Anna B., daughter of James W. and Maria (Graves) Beatty. They have one child living : Kenneth M., born May 19, 1898.
SPICER, FRED W., a son of Charles and Nancy E. (Rich) Spicer, was born in Enosburg, Sep-
tember 29, 1860. Charles Spicer was a volunteer in the Civil War, and served for three years with Company K of the Sixth Vermont Volunteers. He married Nancy E., a daughter of Ichabod Rich of Plainfield.
Fred W. Spicer received his ed- ucation in the district schools of Enosburg, and at 17 years of age commenced teaching school. After teaching for two years in the schools of Enosburg and Montgom- ery, he took Greeley's advice and "went West," and spent six years in Kansas and Texas. The year spent in Kansas was on a large sheep ranch. Then Mr. Spicer went to Texas and for a year was engaged in growing cotton "on shares," the next four being de- voted to theatrical business.
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