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 29
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 29
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 29
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William J. Towle has followed the occupation of father and grandfather, occupying the ances- tral farm, and has succeeded in get- ting together a good estate. Like most others of his generation, his education was confined to the com- mon schools of the town.
March 5, 1857, he was married to Caroline M., daughter of the late Lathrop Marsh, a prominent citi- zen of the town. Three children were born to them: Reuben M., Julia L. and Carmi L. The only daughter, a most estimable and well-beloved young lady, died at the early age of 19 years. The youngest son, Carmi L., married Ellen Gertrude, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Whitney of Ba- kersfield, December 19, 1895. They have one daughter, Ruth Marian, born January 26, 1900.
Reuben M., the oldest son, mar- ried Miss Helen Sandiland, late of London, England, November 26, 1905. At present they are all liv- ing together and father and sons are mutually interested in farming and other occupations.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
December 20, 1904, the well-be- loved wife of Mr. Towle, after a long and painful illness, passed peacefully on to the better land, leaving a great vacancy in the fam- ily and community, where she had so long lived, for she was a woman held in high esteem wherever
is still holding responsible official relations. He has also acceptably filled various town offices and in 1896 was elected representative to the state Legislature. During his life he has had much to do in the settling of estates and in caring for the property rights of others.
WILLIAM J. TOWLE.
known. She died on her sixty- sixth birthday.
Mr. Towle early became identi- fied with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has long been a member and in which he has and
He has always been a Republican in politics. In church, neighbor- hood and town affairs he has ever been an interested and liberal ad- viser and friend, and thus may his record continue.
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BERKSHIRE.
Population, Census of 1900, 1,326.
The town of Berkshire was granted by the state in 1780, and while it was chartered to contain six miles square, its northern boundary extends nearly six and a half miles, and its southern bound- ary about seven miles.
In 1789 the town was surveyed by Judge David Fay of Benning- ton.
man, became the first settled min- ister in Berkshire, in 1807, al- though several ministers had preached in town prior to the coming of Mr. Ware. The Episco- pal Church was dedicated in 1823 and the same year Rev. Phineas Bailey, a Congregationalist, began his labors in town.
In the wars of the nation the sons of Berkshire have ever borne a loyal and conspicuous part.
Someone has truly said that his-
' CONTENTMENT." A Typical Franklin County Scene.
The first permanent settlement was made by Job L. Barber, who came with his wife and child in 1792. Within a year two other families joined Barber in settling the town. In 1793 Captain Phin- eas Heath and Captain David Nut- ting, both Revolutionary army offi- cers, located in town.
The formal and legal organiza- tion of the town took place in 1795, and was represented annually in the General Assembly of the state.
Rev. Mr. Ware, a Baptist clergy-
tory is substantially that of the leading men of the locality in ques- tion. Granting this to be true, Berkshire has a proud record in the lives and character of her sons. The families of Royce, Jewett, Ru- blee, Sampson, Chaffer, Stone and Foss, form a galaxy of names un- equalled by any other town.
FOSS, HON. GEORGE EDMUND, was born in Berkshire, July 2, 1863. He is the youngest son of George E. and Marcia (Noble) Foss. When three years of age he moved with
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his parents to St. Albans and lived there until the spring of 1888. he attended the St. Albans High School, graduating in the class of 1880. In the fall of 1881 he en- tered Harvard, where he spent four years, graduating in June, 1885.
Following his graduation he studied law for two years with his uncle, Hon. Guy C. Noble, and For- mer Governor E. C. Smith, then the law firm of Noble & Smith, at St. Albans. In the fall of 1887 he entered the Columbia Law School, and also the School of Po- litical Science, where he studied a few months until compelled to leave on account of illness. In the spring of 1888 he went to Chicago to live. In the fall he entered the Union College of Law and grad- uated in the following summer, re- ceiving the first prize for oratory, and honorable mention for legal thesis.
In March, 1889, he was admitted to the bar and at once began to practice his profession. He first attracted public attention by a speech made in April of that year at the celebration of Grant's birth- day.
The Chicago Journal, comment- ing editorially upon his speech, said that in one night Mr. Foss rose "from comparative obscurity into instantly recognized eminence as a platform orator." Later, the same paper, referring again to his speech, said that the "speech of Mr. Foss electrified his hearers by its eloquence and power. It was a revelation to those present of the capacities possessed by a young man of this city, and was essen- tially the event of the evening's cel- ebration." He was soon offered the nomination for state senator, but declined it. He had never been a candidate for public office.
The latter part of July, 1904, he was surprised one afternoon in his office by a committee of prominent men and party leaders, who offered him the nomination for Congress in the Seventh Congressional Dis- trict of Illinois, although he had lived in that district but 10 months at the time. At the congressional convention which followed he re- ceived the unanimous nomination.
The Chicago Inter Ocean, in its issue of October 31, 1894, says, "with advantages of youthful en- ergy and enthusiasm, he combines those of a brilliant scholar, a nat- ural orator, and an able lawyer.
With a wealth of natural and acquired gifts, Mr. Foss stands at the gateway of a very distin- guished career."
After five years at the bar, when he was 31 years of age, Mr. Foss was elected to Congress. He was re-elected in 1896, when he led the fight for Mckinley in Illinois, his district being the first to instruct its delegates for him for president. The great issue of that fight was the people against the bosses, and Mr. Foss led the people. He was re-elected in 1898, 1900, 1902, 1904, and again in 1906.
Mr. Foss' career in Congress has meant much to the country at large, for he has labored indefati- gably for the upbuilding and im- provement of the American navy. In 1898 he passed the famous Per- sonnel Bill, reorganizing the per- sonnel of the navy, and in the same year visited the navies of England and Europe and made a study of foreign navies.
During his stay in Europe Mr. Foss met the president of France, visited the emperor of Germany upon his private yacht; met the ministers of marine in various countries, was entertained by ad-
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mirals, rear-admirals, vice-admirals and, in short, was shown the cour- tesy due a worthy representative of our great nation, thus having every opportunity of studying the navies of the world. In the Medi- terranean Admiral Dewey was sta- tioned at the head of the Adriatic Squadron, and he spent two or three days with him.
Having thus accomplished some- thing for the personnel of the navy, Mr. Foss directed his atten- tion to improving the material.
In the spring of 1900 President Mckinley offered him the assistant secretaryship of the navy, which he declined. In 1900, in December, he was made chairman of the com- mittee on naval affairs, a position which he has held ever since.
It may not be out of place to quote here from the speech deliv- ered by Mr. Foss when he defended the naval appropriation bill on the floor of the House, as he states in a concise way why the United States should become stronger as a naval power. Mr. Foss said: "I would like to say a few words upon the general question, What are we building the navy for ? In the first place we are building a navy for peace; not to provoke war, but to conserve international concord. That nation which is best fitted to fight is the least likely to enter upon fight.
"The international peace confer- ence held at The Hague adopted a resolution that 'The peace confer- ence is of the opinion that the gov- ernments, taking into consideration the propositions made in this con- ference, should make a study of the possibility of and agreement con- cerning the limitation of armed forces on land and sea, and of na- val budgets.'
"The German emperor was not far from right when he said, 'The best peace conference is a strong and efficient navy.' And so we are building the navy for peace, we are building the navy also to maintain our foreign policy. We are build- ing the navy to maintain the Mon- roe Doctrine. We are building the navy for commerce. For a hun- dred years this country has lived largely within itself, and all our thought and purpose has been de- voted toward the building of our resources, but I say to you that the watchword of the coming century will be 'commerce.'
"We are building the navy for commerce, for the maintenance of our foreign policy, and then we are building our navy for civilization. This country embarked in the war with Spain for the purpose of free- ing the suffering Cubans from the tyranny of Spanish rule.
"Under the rules of war, to fight our enemy where she was most vul- nerable was one of the first princi- ples of successful warfare; and so, forced by the canons of interna- tional law to leave the harbor of Hong Kong, the fleet of Dewey made for the harbor of Manila and then in the memorable engage- ment with the Spanish fleet won the day, and the Spanish sover- eignty of the Philippines passed by the rules of war over to ourselves. This was later ratified by the treaty of peace.
"Whether it would have been better for Dewey to have sailed away and left these islands and these peoples to the jarring of do- mestic tribes, to become eventually the spoils of other nations, it is now too late to discuss. What their future may be I do not know. But that I leave to destiny and the
GEORGE EDMUND Foss.
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future to reveal. This I know, that our duty is clear : our duty is to civilize those people, and toward that end, there will be 10,000 min- istering angels. The American schoolteacher with her spelling- book may enlighten the mind; the American missionary with his Bi- ble may soften the heart; the American tourist and the Ameri- can traveller may teach them the rules of living and the laws of trade; but I say to you that in the immediate years, while these people are barbarous, as they are today, and half civilized-when they rec- ognize no virtue that is not accom- panied by force-that the Ameri- can battleship, fashioned by Amer- ican hands, filled by American sea- men, answering to every call and command, with an American flag above it that never waved over any people but to bless and save; I say that the American battleship, that never bore a commission of duty but what it carried a message of hope, will do more to civilize these people than the 10,000 sweeter and gentler influences which mold the minds of more civilized people. It will teach them that liberty is not license, but that all true liberty is liberty under law, respect for or- der and reverence for justice."
Upon Mr. Foss' return from Europe a great many of his friends came to him and were anxious he should be a candidate for governor of Illinois this year, but he refused to entertain the idea. He believes that his mission for the present, at least, is where he now is, in Con- gress furthering the interests of the American navy, and he thinks this will be his proper place for a few years at least-believing, as he does, that there is no more impor- tant work that any man can do
than to build up a strong and splendid navy for our own coun- try, which will do much to forward the interests of trade and commerce on the high seas, and at the same time establish the American name the world over.
The friends of Mr. Foss predict for him a brilliant future. His high character, magnetic personal- ity and strong will, make him a natural leader of men, while his education and experience qualify him to be entrusted with large responsibilities.
He has frequently been men- tioned for United States senator. He has been the orator on many great occasions in Illinois and was orator at great Home Week in St. Albans a few years ago.
The congressman has been the legislative builder of the American navy. When he entered Congress there was but one first-class battle- ship in commission; now our navy ranks third.
He has carried through the House bills amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, the last one being $102,000,000. No man in the country today is so closely identi- fied with the building up of the American navy as he.
FOSS, EUGENE NOBLE, is not only one of the most successful but at present is one of the most con- spicuous of the many Vermonters abroad. Within the past four years he has achieved even interna- tional note as a recognized leader of the powerful movement for reci- procity. or closer trade relations with foreign countries. His politi- cal activity within the Republican party and his fearless criticisms of the fiscal policy of his party, or some of its leaders, have made him a national figure, while his ad-
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
dresses have attracted attention not only in this country but in the commercial centres of Europe.
Mr. Foss was born on a farm in West Berkshire, Franklin County, September 24, 1858. His father, George Edmund Foss, and his mother, Marcia Cordelia, daughter of Sylvester Campbell and Nancy (Chaplin) Noble of Franklin, have just celebrated their golden wed- ding at their pleasant home in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. His first paternal ancestor in America was Edward Bangs (1592-1678), who came to Plymouth in 1623 on the Anne, the third ship to arrive at the colony. Edward's descend- ant in the fourth generation, James Bangs, was a soldier in the Ameri- can Revolution, and Heman, son of James, was a colonel of militia in the War of 1812.
In the business life of New Eng- land Mr. Foss is best known as treasurer and general manager of the B. F. Sturtevant Company, manufacturers of heating and ven- tilating apparatus, although this enterprise, large as it is, represents only a fraction of his business in- terests. Mr. Foss entered the em- ploy of B. F. Sturtevant in 1882, after two years in the University of Vermont. Since the death of Mr. Sturtevant, about sixteen years ago, the business has been wholly in the control of Mr. Foss, and he has developed it until now the product of the company goes all over the world. In 1904 the works were removed from Jamaica Plain to Hyde Park, Massachusetts, where buildings costing more than a million dollars, occupying floor space of some twelve acres and hav- ing a capacity of 2,500 hands were erected. Mr. Foss is president and chief owner also of the Becker- A-25
Brainard Milling Machine Com- pany of Hyde Park, one of the largest concerns of its class in the world. Of a third strictly indus- trial concern, the Mead-Morrison Manufacturing Company, makers of coal hoisting apparatus, Mr. Foss also is the head.
Mr. Foss is one of the largest in- vestors in the country in steam and street railway properties. He holds directorships in some fourteen cor- porations, besides those already named, including the Adams Trust Company, American Loan and Trust Company, First National Bank, Massachusetts Electric Com- panies, all of Boston; Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, Manhat- tan Railway Company, Mexican Central Railway Company, Amer- ican Pneumatic Service Company. Chicago Junction Railway and Union Stock Yards Company, United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Company, Greene Con- solidated Copper Company and others. He is heavily interested as a stockholder in many other trans- portation companies.
The affiliations of Mr. Foss in educational, religious and charita- ble lines are of equal importance. These include trusteeships in the Newton Theological Institution. Colby College, Hebron Academy. Vermont Academy, Moody School at Northfield, Robert B. Brigham Hospital for Incurables, Boston Y. M. C. A. : and there might also be mentioned his membership in the Boston Merchants' Association. Boston Chamber of Commerce. New England Shoe and Leather Association, Vermont Association, Sigma Phi, New Algonquin, Mas- sachusetts, Boston Art, Exchange and other clubs.
Mr. Foss has conducted with in-
EUGENE N. Foss,
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
creasing zeal his campaign for reci- procity and tariff revision since his memorable candidacy for Congress in 1902, when he broke in upon Massachusetts politics with his ringing cry for "free iron, free coal, free hides and reciprocity with Canada." He was again a candidate for Congress in 1904, in the spring of which year he also went into the state convention as a candidate for delegate-at-large to the Republican National Conven- tion. His political campaigns al- ways have been conducted with a view to awakening interest in the issue he represents rather than be- cause of any personal desire for office. It is known to his friends that his political activity will con- tinue, regardless of personal conse- quences to himself, until definite action is taken by his party along the lines of tariff reduction.
Hon. George Edmund Foss of Chicago, younger brother of Eu- gene N., is serving his sixth term as a representative in Congress of the Tenth Illinois District.
Since coming to Boston Mr. Foss has made his home in Jamaica Plain, where he has a spacious res- idence; and he also has a beautiful summer place at Cohasset.
COMBS. HON. BYRON H., son of Reuben and Harriet (Farrar) Combs, was born at South Rich- ford. January 17, 1853. Reared upon his father's farm, he formed a strong, solid physique and hab- its of industry and economy. He completed his education at the schools of South Richford and Enosburg at the age of 18, and continued to remain on the pa- ternal farm until he was 27 years of age. He then began in a small way to deal in livestock, and has continued progressively and suc-
cessfully in that line until the present time, having become the most extensive drover and farm manager in this section.
He left South Richford in 1884, and settled at East Berkshire, where he has acquired large farm- ing and business interests. For many years he bought horses in Canada and the West and shipped to Hartford, Connecticut, but re- cently his sales have been made at East Berkshire and vicinity.
Possessing a prompt and accurate judgment of real and personal property, unusual energy, rare ex- ecutive ability, and withal a trans- parent honesty and reliability that has won the unreserved confidence of his associates, Mr. Combs has be- come a potent factor in the business affairs of his section. He owns six farms, embracing nearly seven- teen hundred acres, milks 230 cows at his various dairies, taps 11,000 maples in his sugar places, and con- ducts an annual business of $200 .- 000 in livestock. He is manager of the Maple Hill Creamery, which handles the product of 1,000 cows, and which, during the best of the season, ships more than two hun- dred quarts of sweet cream daily to Boston.
B. H. Combs was married, Jan- uary 1, 1877, to Addie Chamberlain of Stowe. Mrs. Combs died, De- cember 20, 1886, leaving two chil- dren : Bionly F., born July 11. 1879, and Addie R., born July 4, 1886. Mr. Combs married again in March, 1898.
Notwithstanding the extent and urgency of his varied enterprises. Mr. Combs has obeyed the call of public duty and of his constituents, whom he has served as selectman. as overseer of the poor, and as rep- resentative of Berkshire in the
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General Assembly of 1898. In 1902, he was a senator from Frank- lin County, and served on the com- mittees of agriculture, railroads and the grand list, where he won a large measure of the esteem and
was educated at the Enosburg Falls Academy and settled in Berk- shire where he has been a success- ful farmer. Mr. Ladd is a man of high ideals, good taste and sound judgment. He has served Berk-
BYRON H. COMBS.
confidence of his colleagues, by his courtesy, fairness and excellent judgment.
LADD, N. PHILO. Among the progressive men of Berkshire who by industry and energy have won an enviable place, we find N. Philo Ladd, who was born at Farnham, Quebec, January 14, 1860. He
shire four years as a lister, two years as selectman and in 1904 rep- resented the town in the General Assembly, serving on the commit- tee on grand list. He has always taken a lively interest in agricul- ture and is an active member of the Grange.
December 30, 1880, he married
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Flora Noyes, a lady of rare cul- ture and intellect. The Ladds have a charming home just out of Richford over the Berkshire line, where hospitality and refinement are notable features.
POND, HERBERT A., son of Ad-
early pioneer, was a soldier and pensioner of the Revolution, and is buried in Berkshire, having died at the remarkable age of 95 years.
His son, Perkins Pond, settled in Berkshire, where Addison P. Pond was born, in April, 1831. The lat-
N. PHILO LADD.
dison P. and Sarah H. (Allen) Pond, was born at East Berkshire, November 29, 1858. Mr. Pond is a worthy representative of an early and highly esteemed family, long- time resident in Berkshire. His great-grandfather, Hezekiah Pond, came from Massachusetts as an
ter was a substantial citizen, and represented Berkshire in the Legis- lature in 1882. After the death of his first wife, formerly Sarah H. Allen, he married Fannie James of Montgomery, and four of their children are living.
Having completed his academic
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education at Montpelier Seminary, at the age of 19, Herbert A. Pond returned to his native town and opened a general store at his pres- ent place at East Berkshire. Pos- sessing an active, optimistic tem- perament and unusual enterprise,
native town, which he has accepta- bly served as a lister and for six years as chairman of the board of school directors. He was a mem- ber of the General Assembly in 1902, and served on the general committee.
HERBERT A. POND.
Mr. Pond has expanded and diver- sified his business. He owns and manages four farms, comprising more than a thousand acres, being one of the largest agriculturists in the county.
He is actively interested in the material and moral welfare of his
Mr. Pond was married, Novem- ber 30, 1883, to Martha H., daugh- ter of Andrew J. Richardson of Montgomery, and they are the par- ents of two children : Richard H., born September 18, 1884, who as- sists his father in business, and Sa- rah H., born October 9, 1889.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
RICHFORD.
Population, Census of 1900, 2,421.
The town of Richford contains 36 square miles, and is situated on the Canadian border in the ex- treme northeastern part of Frank- lin County.
Jonathan Wells, Esq., and 60 associates received the grant from the governor, council and Legisla- ture of Vermont of this tract of unoccupied land, which was incor- porated as the town of Richford, with the usual conditions and res- ervations.
The earliest settlers of the town were not grantees. In the spring of 1795, Hugh Miller, his wife, eight children, and three sons-in- law, Theophilus Hastings, Robert Kenedy and Benjamin Barnet, started from Brandon, wended their way through the wilderness, and settled about a mile and a half from the falls. Mrs. Miller was a woman of unusual energy and character, and often called to visit the sick and afflicted, and the Mil- ler house was the center for gather- ings of the pioneers. Soon the Mil- lers were joined by others, the Pow- ells from Massachusetts, the Royces from Tinmouth, and the Carpen- ters from Rutland.
The first town meeting was called by Stephen Royce of Berk- shire, in a warning dated March 30, 1799, to be held at the house of Jonathan Janes. Stephen Royce was elected moderator; Chester Wells, town clerk; Jonathan Janes, treasurer ; Jonathan Janes, Daniel Janes and Robert Kenedy, select- men ; Theophilus Hastings, consta- ble. The grand list of 1799 was as follows :
16 polls, $20 each .. $320.00
25 acres of improved land . 61.25
One horse ... 3.00
Other property
800.00
Jeremiah and Daniel Wads- worth, Timothy Seymour and oth- ers, landowners, resident at Hart- ford, Connecticut, conferred on Jonathan Janes power of attorney to vote, draw lots, divide and par- tition all lands owned by them in Richford, and he was for a time the agent of a majority of the non- resident landowners. A tax of $6.00 was assessed on each propri- etor's right, for paying the ex- penses attending the management of suits, etc., before the Circuit Court, and John Powell was ap- pointed collector to collect this tax. There was great inequality in the size of the lots, and omissions and irregularity in the records, and consequent dissatisfaction. To remedy these difficulties, agreeable to call, 57 proprietors met at the house of Jonathan Janes, June 21, 1801, and "voted that all of the former doings of the said propri- etors, if any have been done, and also of the surveys, be considered void and of no effect, and all of the land be considered as common and undivided, until a division shall be made by voting to settlers the lots on which they live, or by drawing for their lots as the law directs."
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