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 35
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 35
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 35
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
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mount all other barriers to a Na- tion's progress."
Senator Hill's speeches aroused public sentiment wherever he ap- peared, and the enlargement of the Erie, Oswego and Champlain ca- nals is due to him as much as to any other man.
In 1905 Senator and Mrs. Henry
libraries, and attended the Italian, French and British parliaments in session. Mr. Hill made a study of European waterways and con- ferred with Doctor Jug Sympher of Berlin, the greatest living au- thority on "Waterways," in rela- tion to the German Canal and River improvement systems.
HENRY W. HILL.
W. Hill made a European trip and traveled in Italy, Switzerland, Aus- tria, Germany, Belgium, France and the British Isles. In these countries they visited the cathe- drals, the art galleries and mu- seums, royal palaces, historic cas- tles, renowned Universities and
Mr. Hill has done some literary work, which includes a paper enti- tled "The Development of Consti- tutional Law in the State of New York," the Introduction and Notes to one of the Odes of Horace, con- tained in the Bibliophile edition of the works of that poet, and an ar-
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ticle on "Waterways" in the Ency- clopedia Americana and several literary and historical addresses. He is Vice-President of the Buf- falo Historical Society, one of the managers of the State Normal School at Buffalo, a member of the Bibliophile Society of Boston and
the three delegates to represent the New York Bar Association at the American Bar Association, held at St. Paul.
He retains his old home on Isle La Motte, but resides at No. 471 Linwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York, where he has a pleasant
WILBUR F. HILL.
of the University Club of Buffalo, and of other professional, political and fraternal organizations, such as the Knights of Pythias, the Buf- falo Consistory, S. P. R. S. 32°, and Lake Erie Commandery of Knights Templar.
In 1906 he was appointed by President Joseph H. Choate one of
house and a valuable library, con- taining rare works of some of the world's greatest authors. He is one of the successful Vermonters, who has accomplished results worthy of permanent record.
HILL, WILBUR FISK, son of Dyer and Martha (Hall) Hill, was born in Isle La Motte, February 15,
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GRAND ISLE COUNTY.
1843. He is descended from the early pioneers on both the paternal and maternal lines. Dyer Hill was a lifelong resident of the town on the same farm where he was born at the stone house, near the Isle La Motte bridge, and died in Jan- uary, 1906, at the age of 87. Dyer and Martha (Hall) Hill reared a family of five children, all of whom are living : Charlotte, wife of Ran- som Hall, Wilbur F., Hon. Henry W. of Buffalo, New York, Alice B., wife of Merritt Rockwell of Al- burgh, and Julian P. Hill, M. D., of Buffalo, New York.
Wilbur F. Hill received only the training of the common and select schools, but being of a practical and deserving mind has become well informed on general topics. He was the eldest son, and in youth and in early boyhood assisted his father in the many cares and labors of the farm, then conducted en- tirely without machinery. .
He married, at the age of 19 Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Joshua Perry Tucker of Brooklyn, New York. Seven children were born of this marriage. Mrs. Hill died in 1883. Three children are living: Frank W., who is lo- cated as a machinist in Massachu- setts, Maud Lillian, wife of John Doolin of Isle La Motte, and Ed- ward W., now assistant lighthouse keeper at Navesink Station, New Jersey.
Mr. Hill married (second), in 1885, Estelle Witherill, grand- daughter of Reverend William Wait, formerly a noted minister. The fruit of this union is a son and a daughter, Clyde E. and Gladys M., both residing with their pa- rents.
Since his first marriage he has been engaged in farming for the
past 26 years on his present farm of 100 acres, which is one of the best and most productive in the county. The labor is practically all done by modern machinery. Besides keeping a good stock, Mr. Hill sells annually about one hun- dred tons of hay. He has set out a large and productive orchard. He has recently erected on a sightly point near the lighthouse one of the best and most modern farmhouses in this section.
In 1857 a stone tower was built and a modern lighthouse in 1880. Mr. Hill was appointed lighthouse keeper in 1871 and has since held that responsible position. This has the reputation of being the best kept station in the district.
Mr. Hill is a stanch Republican, but has never sought nor accepted town office. His is a most vigorous and energetic personality. He is a man of prodigious industry and energy and has achieved a hand- some competence. Mr. and Mrs. Hill are members of the Methodist Church and are esteemed citizens.
FLEURY, HON. EDGAR S., son of Peter and Christina (Scott) Fleury, was born where he now resides, at Isle La Motte, October 3, 1857. His father, who was of French descent, was born in Can- ada in 1813, and as a child came to Isle La Motte with his parents, where he became an important fac- tor in business, reared a family of nine children, who lived to ma- turity, and died at the age of 65.
The Scott family is an early and prominent one in Isle La Motte. Henry Scott, great-grandfather of Edgar S. Fleury, was a soldier of the Revolution. Peter Fleury set- tled upon the paternal farm of his wife, a fine homestead of 300 acres, which has since been the family
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home. His eldest son, Henry J., is a deputy collector at Newport News, Virginia; Albert A. is a railway conductor in Mexico; Ed- win S. is in the oil business at Min- neapolis.
Edgar S. Fleury was educated
and the marble quarry devolved upon him before he had attained his majority, but he proved equal to the responsibility. He set out a large orchard, which is now bear- ing from eight to twelve hundred barrels of apples annually, with a
EDGAR S. FLEURY.
in the common and select schools of his native town and at Lacolle Academy, Quebec. He was the youngest son and remained on the home farm, and by his father's death the care of the large farm
constantly increasing output. He is breeding and rearing fine colts of the Morgan and Hambletonian lines and has a flock of 100 Shrop- shire and grade sheep, probably the largest flock in the county, and
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meanwhile successfully conducts his quarry with a force varying from five to thirty-five employees.
Possessing a splendid physique, bluff and genial manners, a prac- tical judgment at once decisive and accurate, and unusual executive ability, Mr. Fleury, since attaining his majority, has been in the con- stant service of his townsmen in many responsible positions. He was for several terms chairman of the board of school directors, and for nearly a decade was chairman of the board of selectmen. He has had charge of the post-office at Isle La Motte since 1891 and is at the present time postmaster. He was a
member of the Legislature in 1888, and again in 1890, serving on important committees. In 1898 he was the senator from Grand Isle County, and is now serving his second term as asso- ciate judge.
Edgar S. Fleury married, in 1880, Cora, daughter of Captain William Montgomery, of the lake service. They have a family of five sons: William is his father's assistant in business; Peter is a clerk of the Equitable Life Insur- ance Company at Chicago; Edgar S. is manager of a schooner ; Theo- dore E. and Scott M. reside with their parents. All have been or are students at the Burlington High School
Judge Fleury is a member of the Society of Sons of the American Revolution. For nine successive years he was worshipful master of Isle La Motte Lodge, No. 81, F. & A. M., and is a past high priest of Hill Chapter, No. 14, a Knight Templar and a member of Mount Sinai Temple of the Mystic Shrine. In the best sense he is a type of the progressive, energetic Ver- monter of today.
FORD, FRANK H., was born in Ingraham, New York, April 18, 1859. He received his education in the public schools of Chazy, New York. He located at Isle La Motte and took up farming and veterin- ary work, and in both has won that degree of success which always re- wards industry and persistence.
FRANK H. FORD.
He has repeatedly been called to serve his townsmen in the various public offices, and so well has he discharged his duties that in 1904 he was elected to represent this his- toric old town in the General As- sembly, and served on the commit- tee on highways, bridges and fer- ries.
KING, HON. JAMES S., was born in Chateauguay, New York, No- vember, 1870. Doctor King grad- uated from the medical depart- ment of the University of Vermont and in 1893 located at Isle La Motte, where he has had a highly successful practice. Doctor King has always taken a keen interest in public matters and has ever
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been ready to aid any measure or movement that was for the better- ment of the Island County. He has frequently been called to pub- lic office and has served Isle La Motte as selectman, school director, town clerk, health officer and dep- uty sheriff. In 1898, he repre- sented his town in the General As- sembly and in 1906 received the unusual distinction of having the
JAMES S. KING, M. D.
nomination of all three parties in their county convention for the of- fice of senator. Doctor King was elected without opposition at the Freeman's meeting in September. In the Senate he served the com- mittee on manufactures, on print- ing, and was chairman of the com- mittee on insane. He also was a member of the joint standing com- mittee on immigration and indus- trial matters and chairman joint standing committee on public health. In all these important
places he won from his colleagues and the public the high compli- ment of being a working member of the Senate.
GRAND ISLE.
Population, Census of 1900, 851.
No one who has visited this fa- vored spot during the glorious days of early autumn and revelled in the magnificent panorama of mountain and lake spread out on either hand and seen the tidy farm- houses surrounded by luxurious or- chards, with boughs bending to the ground with luscious fruit, and in- haled the balmy air, fragrant with the odor of clover blossoms and the evergreen leaves of the cedars lin- ing the shores of this wonderful and historic lake, can ever forget the rapt enjoyment and elation in- spired by the scene, nor question the fitness of the name, Grand Isle.
No wonder the old family names are borne here by their descendants of the fourth and fifth generations. The wonder is that any natives should ever have left the island, hoping to find a lovelier view or more prolific soil. But for a time the islands were somewhat isolated from the busy marts of trade, and some have sought cheaper lands or a nearer market for economic rea- sons. Since the advent of the Rut- land Railroad, the island towns have enjoyed speedy transportation and better markets.
Grand Isle, the northern town of the southern island, is surrounded on all sides by Lake Champlain, except on the south, where it is bounded by South Hero, of which it was originally a part. As is re- lated in the sketch of South Hero, it was a part of a grant of 25,002 acres to Ethan Allen and 359 oth-
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GRAND ISLE COUNTY.
ers, all supposed to be Revolution- ary soldiers. The surface of the town is level or gently rolling, with occasional elevations of sufficient height to unroll the lovely pano- rama of mountain and lake, or- chard, farmhouse and forest.
It is believed that the first set- tlers were Colonel Ebenezer Allen, Lambertine Allen and Alexander Gordon, who came during the year 1783. During the two succeeding years the following persons became residents, most of them accom- panied by their families: Cyril Reed, William Hyde, Jonathan Griffith, Uzziel Clark, William Campbell, Jacob Vantyne, Abra- ham Vantyne, John Minckler, Will- iam. Hazen, Barnabas Minckler, John Sawyer, Reuben Clapp, John Gibson and Ephraim Sawyer, Jr. Other settlers were added from year to year, so that in 1791 the town had a population of 337, nearly one half of the present num- ber. But it must be remembered in this comparison that the propor- tion of children was much larger than at present.
The first surveys were made in 1783, and proprietors' meetings were occasionally held. John Knickerbocker was the first clerk and undoubtedly this meeting was held outside the town. Colonel Ebenezer Allen was elected clerk in 1784. The first deed on record was from William Williams to Cap- tain Jedediah Hyde, a lot of land for £12, dated January 18, 1783.
After several fruitless efforts to divide the town, the object was ac- complished in 1798. The first town meeting was warned by Reu- ben Clapp, justice of the peace, and held at the dwelling of Isaac Atkins, March 1, 1799. Reuben Clapp was chosen moderator ;
James Brown, town clerk and treasurer ; John Thomas, first con- stable; Abel Bristol, Thomas Coop- er, Sr., and Reuben Clapp, select- men; Thomas Cooper, Sr., James Tobias and William Hazen, listers ; James Tobias, Reuben Clapp and Jedediah Hyde, Jr., were ap- pointed commissioners to settle the claims of South Hero, which were subsequently paid. It was also voted at this meeting to raise a tax of one per cent. on the grand list of the town, said tax to be payable in wheat at 5s. 6d. per bushel, and corn at 3s. per bushel, for the sup- port of the poor and other inciden- tal expenses. The first justice of the peace was Alexander Gordon, elected in 1786. The first repre- sentative was Reverend Asa Lyon, in 1810, the first freemen's meeting being held in that year, with 31 votes cast.
The first sawmill was erected by Enoch Allen in 1822, also a grist- mill, built the previous year, which ceased running in 1831. The first tanner and currier was Lambertine Allen, and the first blacksmith was Samuel Davenport. The first high- way built north and south through the town was surveyed in 1790. Nearly all of the first settlers lo- cated on the shores of the lake.
The first physician was Jacob Roebuck. The first tavern was kept by Alexander Gordon at Gor- don's Ferry. The first post-office was established in 1810, with Ephraim Beardsley first postmas- ter.
Early settlers were Ezra Kin- ney of Stonington, Connecticut, Ephraim Hatch, William Cham- berlain, who came in 1786, Daniel Samson from Norwich, Connecti- cut, the same year, also William Samson soon after, and Willard
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Gordon in 1788. Timothy and Stephen Pearl, Werson Macomber, a member of the Friends' Quakers, who came in 1789, and Daniel Hoag the same year, both from Dutchess County, New York, also Warren Corbin. James Tobias came from the same place in 1791, -Joseph Adams from Pawlet in 1792; Andrew Ladd from Norwich, Connecticut, and settled where H. W. Ladd now lives; Dorastus Cen- ter came from Sunderland in 1794.
The Congregational Church of
STEPHEN P. GORDON.
South Hero and Grand Isle was organized in 1795, the original membership consisting of seven persons. Reverend Asa Lyon was the first pastor and preached 45 years ; Reverend Orville G.
Wheeler became pastor in 1840 and preached for half a century. This record is doubtless unprecedented in the history of the state. The present brick church was dedicated in September, 1854. The Metho- dist Episcopal Church was organ-
ized by its first pastor, Reverend William Anson, in July, 1802, and the church edifice erected 20 years later. St. John's Episcopal Church was organized by Reverend Charles Fay of Chicago.
Grand Isle Corners contains the Congregationalist and the Metho- dist churches, a school building, Harrington's store, the post-office, the telephone exchange and about a dozen residences.
The area of Grand Isle is 10,234 acres and nearly all of the land is susceptible of profitable cultiva- tion. In a single year more than $75,000 have been realized by the sale of apples by the people of the two towns of this island, with a population not exceeding seventeen hundred. The corn crop is of stal- wart growth and usually ripens, and grain, clover, alfalfa and all crops of the temperate zone flourish abundantly and find a ready mar- ket.
GORDON, STEPHEN PEARL, son of Samuel and Eunice C. (Pearl) Gordon, was born January 23, 1832.
Alexander Gordon, a member of Clan Gordon, came from Scotland and settled in Salem, Massachu- setts, in 1635. Alexander and his brother Samuel, sons of David Gor- don of Craig, were the first Amer- ican ancestors of the Gordons. Al- exander Gordon, a namesake of the former, was the first settler of Grand Isle, in August, 1783, and his brother, Willard, came in 1788. His son, Samuel, settled on the east shore and was a lifelong farmer. He was a well educated man for his time, in early life taught school, was many years justice of the peace, also town representative, and died in 1893 at the age of 93. Five of his seven children still sur-
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GRAND ISLE COUNTY.
vive, all living in Grand Isle : Clar- issa E. (Mrs. Darrow), Stephen P., Marietta H., who resides on the paternal farm, Cordelia (Mrs. Uf- ford), and Wyman, who lives on the original Alexander Gordon farm.
Stephen P. Gordon attended only one term at Bakersfield Academy after leaving the common schools, but he has always been a student and is widely and well informed. He remained on the paternal farm until 1855, when he married Jus- tina Griffith and bought a part of his present farm, where he has since resided. Mr. Gordon has in- creased the farm from 65 to 150 acres, built or rebuilt the excellent farm buildings, laid miles of drain tile and set out about twelve hun- dred fruit trees, mianly Baldwins, Greenings and Spies. He began grafting apple trees at 12 years of age, has made a lifelong study of fruit culture and is a recognized authority and a contributor of special articles to the agricultural press, which have attracted wide attention. His orchard produces from five to twelve hundred bar- rels annually and is the largest in town.
He has conducted a private ex- periment station, the results of which have been a public benefit in fruit culture. He was the first president of the Vermont State Horticultural Society and is a member of Grand Isle Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. Nearly thirty years ago he was a pioneer experimenter with alfalfa with fa- vorable results. For many years, in common with most farmers on the island, Mr. Gordon kept a large flock of merino sheep, and at pres- ent has a flock of 75 Shropshires, also a dairy of 10 cows and young
stock. Mr. Gordon is a connecting link of the past with the present generation, a genial and courteous gentleman, an excellent type of the elderly Vermont farmer.
Liberal in his religious and po- litical opinions, he cast his first presidential vote for John C. Fre- mont and has always been a stead- fast Republican. During the war time he was influential as a select- man in raising the town's quota of soldiers and has since acceptably filled that office and most of the other town offices. He represented Grand Isle in the General Assem- bly in 1868 and '69.
Mrs. Gordon died in 1902 and the only daughter, Ida C., three years later. The editor is indebted to Mr. Gordon for many interest- ing facts relating to the history of the island.
GORDON, EDWARD, son of Nor- man and Electa (Wilcox) Gordon, was born at Grand Isle, June 1, 1840. His great-grandfather, Al- exander Gordon, a sturdy Scotch- man, settled in Grand Isle in Au- gust, 1783. Willard Gordon, his son, came from North Salem; New Hampshire, in 1788, and ultimately located on a farm in the southern part of Grand Isle. He reared a family of six sons and one daugh- ter, all of whom married and had families. Norman, his fourth son, married Electa Wilcox, and five of their eight children lived to ma- turity. Daniel died in Iowa; Julia, (deceased), was Mrs. Calvin Mc- Bride of South Hero; Edward, Seth, reside at Chazy, New York; Jane is the wife of D. I. Center of Grand Isle.
Edward Gordon was educated in the public schools of Grand Isle and at Plattsburg Academy. His youth and early manhood were
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
passed upon the paternal farmn. In 1865 he married Frances Loveland of Lewis County, New York, and purchased a farm, and in 1870 bought the fine farm on the lake shore, where he has since resided.
Mrs. Gordon died in 1899, leav- ing two daughters : Jennie, wife of
back lot of 100 acres. He con- ducts a Jersey dairy of about forty cows and a fine flock of sixty or more Shropshire sheep. He usu- ally raises 25 acres of ensilage corn and has made a success of raising alfalfa on tile-drained land. The farm produces from 200 to 600
EDWARD GORDON.
Doctor Styles of South Hero, and Ada, wife of A. J. Ladd, who reside with Mr. Gordon. He is one of the most extensive, enterprising and successful farmers in the state. He has laid miles of drain tile on his home farm of 220 acres, has built the large modern barns and re- built the house and added a
bushels of standard apples annu- ally.
Mr. Gordon has filled a wide and varied sphere of usefulness in his town, and is universally esteemed for his benevolence and public spirit, and respected for his energy and ability. He has held most of the town offices and in 1898, as a Re-
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GRAND ISLE COUNTY.
publican, represented the town in the General Assembly and served on the committee on agriculture. For many years he has been a mem- ber of the State Dairymen's Asso- ciation. For 17 years he has been business manager of the Grand Isle Cooperative Creamery, a most re- sponsible position, which he has dis- charged with rare ability and suc- cess, the annual sales averaging now $50,000 per annum.
Edward Gordon first settled on the east shore, sold, and bought on the west shore of Grand Isle.
Seth Gordon settled in Beekman- town, New York, sold, and bought a large farm in Chazy, New York, where he now lives. Jane married D. I. Center and lives on the home farm, Gordon Landing.
BRANCH, DOCTOR GEORGE HAR- VEY, son of Walter C. and Eunice (Monroe) Branch, was born at Potsdam, St. Lawrence County, New York, February 27, 1870. His father was a farmer, a native of Panton.
George H. Branch completed his academic education at the Potsdam Normal School. Meanwhile, and later, he taught school three years, thereby gaining a valuable practi- cal experience, at the same time se- curing the means to complete his education. He read medicine with Doctor C. A. Barnett of Potsdam and graduated from the medical department of the University of Iowa in March, 1896. The same year he settled in Grand Isle, where he has since remained in the active and successful practice of his pro- fession in the two islands.
Doctor Branch is a member of the Chittenden County Clinical Society of the Vermont State Med- ical Society, and of the American Medical Association. He is the
medical examiner for all life insur- ance societies doing business here ; for eight years has been health of- ficer of Grand Isle, and is also dis- trict surgeon for the Rutland Rail- road.
Doctor Branch has entered with characteristic energy and enthu- siasm into various public activities. He has recently bought the Allen farm, a half mile from Grand Isle station. He is captain of the Grand Isle baseball nine, chairman of the Republican county commit-
GEORGE H. BRANCH, M.D.
tee, and an active member of the town committee. For several years he has been first town auditor. He is an esteemed member and senior deacon of Isle of Patmos Lodge, No. 17, F. & A. M., of South Hero.
Doctor Branch married, in 1902, Mattie B., daughter of Hon. F. J. Hazen of North Hero, and their pleasant home is cheered by the
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presence of three children: Kath- erine S., George Walter and Ber- tha Hazen.
Doctor Branch has a genial, so- cial temperament, and has won a host of friends.
ALLEN, HENRY CLAY, son of Samuel and Nancy " (Barnes) Al- len, was born at Grand Isle April 20, 1838. He is the oldest repre- sentative of an early and at one time very active and numerous family on Grand Isle. His ances- tors came from Deerfield, Massa-
HENRY C. ALLEN.
chusetts, and it is believed are col- lateral branches of the same fam- ily as Ethan and Ira Allen.
Henry C. Allen, like many of the Allens, possesses a stalwart frame, capable of great bodily en- ergy and endurance, although now nearly threescore and ten. Sam- uel Allen, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was an early settler at Grand Isle and cleared up the farm now owned by Doctor Branch, and there reared his fam-
ily of seven children. Samuel, his eldest son, and Elnathan, his youngest, remained and spent their lives on the paternal farm. Samuel reared there a family of 11 chil- dren, of whom Henry C. was the youngest. Five members yet sur- vive, but only two, Henry C. and Jeremiah, reside on the island.
Henry C. Allen married, March 4, 1861, Charlotte Hayes of Platts- burg, New York, and for several years remained upon his father's farm, where all of his children but one were born, but later removed to his present farm, near Grand Isle station. His wife died sud- denly in 1867, leaving three small children : Etta May (Mrs. George Stratton), Edmund Clayton and Grant.
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