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 7
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 7
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 7
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He married Ellen McIntyre in 1869, who died in 1884, leaving one son, Charles Francis Blair, a grad- uate of the University of Vermont and Harvard Law School, now in the law office of Lewis & Lewis of Buffalo, New York. He married, in 1886, Elizabeth McIntyre Foote of St. Albans.
Mr. Blair is serving his second term as selectman and is chairman of the board. He became a mem- ber of Lamoille Lodge No. 6, A. F. & A. M., of Fairfax, nearly forty
years ago, was two years worthy master and is a member of Tucker Chapter of Morrisville. Mr. Blair has a wide personal acquaintance in this section, and a host of friends.
HENDEE, HON. GEORGE W. By permission we quote the following from the "Men of Vermont":
George Whitman, son of Jehial P. and Rebecca (Ferrin) Hendee, was born in Stowe, November 30, 1832. He was educated in the public schools and at the People's Academy at Morrisville. His par- ents were poor and all of his edu- cational advantages were obtained by his own strenuous and unaided exertions. At the age of 20 he commenced the study of law in the office of W. G. Ferrin of Johnson. He was admitted to the Lamoille County bar in 1855. It was an era of frequent justice and jury trials. The industry, pleasing address and clear insight of the young advocate were soon rewarded with an ample and constantly increasing practice. A large proportion of the more im- portant cases were soon committed to his charge, but nearly all of his recent practice has been in the state courts. During the last 45 years the discharge of important political duties and the management of great business enterprises, have at times withdrawn the attention of Governor Hendee from his profes- sional labors. He was one of the pioneers in the construction of the Portland & Ogdensburg Railroad, and gave his entire time to it for a period of seven years, and is now the only director who has given the original road continuous service since the organization of the cor- poration. He was for three years president of the Montreal, Port- land & Boston Railroad of Canada.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
Ilis connection with banking inter- ests has been varied and extensive. He is a director and president of the Union Savings Bank and Trust Company of Morrisville. He was receiver of the National Bank of Poultney and of the Vermont Na- tional Bank of St. Albans, and was national bank examiner from 1879 to 1885. Governor Hendee is,
House of Representatives for Mor- ristown two sessions, 1861-'62, state's attorney for Lamoille County in 1858-'59, deputy pro- vost marshal during the war, sen- ator for Lamoille County in 1866, '67 and '68, and lieutenant-gov- ernor in 1869.
Sworn in as governor by Judge Steele on the death of Governor
GEORGE W. HENDEE.
and always has been, a Republican. When he was 21 years old he was elected superintendent of schools, and during the nearly half century since that time, there has been no year in which he has not been called by the public to discharge some official trust. He has many times acted by order of court as auditor, trustee and special master. He was a member of the Vermont
Peter T. Washburn, he served the remainder of the term. He was a member of the forty-third, for- ty-fourth and forty-fifth Con- gresses and there served on the committee on private land claims, and on the District of Columbia. He was largely instrumental in drafting and securing the pas- sage of the law which made an entire change of the form of
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LAMOILLE COUNTY.
government of the district, under which it has since existed and which has placed it on an entirely sound financial basis. During his long public career Governor Hen- dee has served his town in many and varied capacities, and the grateful appreciation in which his services, both public and private, are held, is well known.
He has served three terms as president of the board of village trustees. He was six years presi- dent and treasurer of the Morris- ville Foundry Company. He was 20 years president of the Lamoille Valley Fair Ground Company. Some 40 years ago he formed a law partnership with Hon. Henry C. Fisk, which still exists. He has been active in securing village de- velopment by buying and improv- ing land and selling the same for building lots at reasonable rates, and by the erection of fine build- ings. During the past 25 years he has sought relaxation in agricul- tural pursuits. He has been largely interested in the breeding and development of first-class light carriage horses of the Morgan type and blood. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He married, in 1855, Melissa, daughter of Stephen and Caroline (Johnson) Redding. Their only child was Lillian Frances, now. deceased. ITis wife died in 1861, and he mar- ried, in 1863, Viola L., daughter of Loren Bundy, now deceased. Governor Hendee married Mary L. Watts of Stowe for his third wife, January 10, 1906. She is a daugh- ter of Hon. Chandler Watts of Stowe. Governor Hendee carries the weight of advancing years with erect form and elastic step.
NILES, ALBERT A., son of Sal- mon and Anna (Cooke) Niles, was
born in Morristown, May 28, 1845. In 1862, at the age of 17, he re- sponded with boyish enthusiasm to his country's call, and enlisted as a private in Company H, Ninth Vermont Regiment. He shared the various fortunes of that regi- ment, was surrendered at Har- per's Ferry by General Miles, was soon paroled and sent to guard Confederate prisoners for three months at Chicago, and then ex- changed. Later the regiment was attached to the Eighteenth and the Twenty-Fourth Corps, and served in Virginia and North Carolina. When young Niles was discharged with the regiment, in June, 1865, he had won his way by merit from the ranks to first lieutenant. He was an invalid for two years after his return from the service. He graduated from People's Academy in 1869 and began the study of law with Powers & Gleed. In the fall of 1869 he entered the Law School at Ann Arbor, Michigan, was ad- mitted to the bar in May, 1870. For nearly five years he occupied the office of Governor Hendee while the latter was in Congress. In 1872 he was elected state's at- torney of Lamoille County. In 1880 he was elected county commis- sioner, and received two successive biennial terms. He has repre- sented fire insurance, and has given special and successful attention to collections and securing pensions.
Mr. Niles has been trial justice since 1891, was town grand juror and president of the village corpo- ration. He was secretary of the Lamoille Valley Fair Ground Com- pany 28 years, and for nearly thirty has been secretary and collector of the board of trustees of People's Academy, and has held other cleri- cal positions. He served as village
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
president, trustee and clerk of the board. During 17 years he was steward of the Methodist Episco- pal Church and is a member of the board at the present time, and for a dozen years superintendent
promptness and integrity is like an open book.
Mr. Niles married Clara M. Bradley of Johnson in 1872. Mrs. Niles has been both secretary and president of the Woman's Relief
ALBERT A. NILES.
of Sunday School, and has been its secretary for the past ten years and is at the present time. He has served as town clerk and treasurer since 1900 and also village clerk and treasurer.
His record for accuracy and
Corps, Department of Vermont, and also an aide on both the de- partment and national staffs and an active worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their children are : Lula A. and Ila May, young ladies of musical tastes and accom-
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LAMOILLE COUNTY.
plishments, and Logan Albert, born May 30, 1889. Esquire Niles has found health, profit and recreation in the conduct of a farm of 50 acres near the village. For nine years he was commander of J. M. Warner Post, G. A. R. He has been as- sistant adjutant and judge ad-
Mr. Niles has been constantly identified with varied local inter- ests and his career has been marked by industry, usefulness and con- scientious fidelity to every trust.
BILLINGS, JAMES JACKSON, son of Count De Estang and Almina M. (Royce) Billings, was born in
JAMES J. BILLINGS.
vocate of the Department of Ver- mont, also senior vice-commander, and served on the staff of General Palmer in 1892 and General Law- ler in 1894, national commanders. A Mason of more than thirty-five years' standing, he is P. H. P. of Tucker Chapter.
Warren, November 6, 1845. The family is of ancient and noble lin- eage and dates in direct line to the reign of King Henry III of Eng- land. Sir Thomas Billings, knight, was law adviser to Edward IV, and in 1468 was lord chief justice of the king's bench. Four broth-
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
ers, Roger, William, Nathaniel and Richard, came to this country at, or nearly at, the same time.
Richard, the first American an- cestor of James J. Billings, was a citizen of Hartford, Connecticut, as early as 1640. Joseph Billings, great-great-grandfather of the sub-
Warren with his father, Rufus Billings, and engaged in the lum- ber business there and at Fayston many years.
James J. Billings spent his boy- hood and early manhood in the town of Fayston, and his early training was obtained in the "little
ERNEST J. BILLINGS.
ject of this sketch, and his son, Joseph, with others, were original grantees of the town of Swanton, receiving their charter of Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. Count De Estang, the seventh generation from Rich- ard, in early childhood came to
red schoolhouse" and in his father's sawmill.
He married, in 1870, Jeanette, daughter of William Wyman Mc- Koy, a successful merchant of Chi- cago, who died at Denver in 1864. In 1875 Mr. Billings moved to Mid- dlesex, where he was engaged in
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LAMOILLE COUNTY.
the lumber business seven years, locating in Morrisville in 1882. He manufactured a million and a quarter or more feet of lumber an- nually. In 1901 he moved his steam mill to Belvidere, where
In March, 1903, James J. Bill- ings bought a tract of land on the Stowe Forks road, three and a half miles from Stowe village, and there erected a sawmill plant which, under the management of
HAROLD W. BILLINGS.
2,000,000 feet per annum is manu- factured.
His eldest son, Ernest J. Bill- ings, a graduate of the Methodist Episcopal Seminary, successfully conducted this extensive business for five years until his untimely death at the mill in March.
his son Harold William, turns out 1,000,000 feet of logs annually, largely spruce, which is manufac- tured into clapboards. Mr. Bill- ings, starting from humble begin- nings, by hard work, good judg- ment and excellent executive abil- ity, has developed a lumber busi-
A-7
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
ness in magnitude second to no other in this section if not in the state. A gentleman of genial and unassuming manners and do- mestic tastes, in the full meridian of his mental and physical powers at 60, he devolved upon his capable sons the active management of this business, in which they are his partners.
Ernest J. Billings married Fran- cena May Jackman of Nashua, New Hampshire, and four children
Three generations of this family have been engaged in the lumber business and the name of Billings has become a synonym for the qualities of energy, perseverance and stanch integrity.
RANDALL, CARROLL F., is best known as the genial proprietor of "The Randall," the attractive and deservedly popular hotel of Morris- ville. He was born in Eden in 1856, only son of Doctor David and Marcia (Adams) Randall.
Moretive Vermont
"THE RANDALL."
came to cheer their home: Sumner L., Raymond McKoy, Florence F. and Reginald J.
Harold W. married Edna L. Cutting of Morrisville. They have two children. Florence Lovina, the only daughter, a graduate of the People's Academy, and a for- mer successful teacher, is the wife of Charles McFarland, a merchant at Johnson. Mrs. Jeanette McKoy Billings is a lady of cultivated social and mental attainments.
CARROLL F. RANDALL.
Doctor Randall was for 40 years an esteemed physician of the village of Hyde Park, where he was also proprietor of the American House. Carroll's literary education was obtained at the Lamoille Central Academy, Hyde Park, and Peo- ple's Academy at Morrisville. He read law with Brigham & Water- man, was admitted to the bar, and represented Hyde Park in the Leg- islature of 1882, being the young- est member. He opened "The Ran-
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LAMOILLE COUNTY.
dall" at Morrisville in April, 1892. It is a modern, three-story structure, situated in the business center of this thriving village, its lofty tower commanding a delight- ful urban and rural scenic picture, bounded by a magnificent amphi- theatre of verdure clad hills.
Morrisville, the great central station of Northern Vermont, is within hailing distance of Mount Mansfield, Moss Glen Falls, Lake Elmore and other objective points. The hotel is elegant and modern in every appointment. The office floor is of variegated marble, the ceiling of ornamental steel sheath- ing and the public rooms are fin- ished in ornamental woods and handsomely furnished. The rooms are pleasant and well lighted, with facilities for the entertainment of about seventy-five guests. The house is provided with cold, pure spring water, electric lights, steam heat, baths and electric bells, with a first-class tonsorium and livery connected. The dining room has a seating capacity of 75 persons. The bill of fare is ex- cellent, varied and abundant, and the service in every department en- tirely satisfactory. Guests are made to feel perfectly at home and the commercial and general patron- age is extensive. C. F. Randall possesses the essential gifts of the successful landlord. A genial and courteous gentleman and man of affairs, intelligent on matters of local and general interest, he is well fitted by education and expe- rience to successfully administer this popular hostelry.
LAMBERTON, DAVID HILLIARD, editor of the several newspapers published by the Messenger-Senti- nel Company of Morrisville, is a native of New Hampshire and was
born at Cornish, in that state, April 20, 1861. His ancestry is Scotch- Irish and the family name first appears prominently in the person of William de Lamberton, bishop of St. Andrews, who was closely associated with William Wallace and other Scottish chieftains against the aggressions of the first and second Edwards of England, and who later had important part in the securing of the throne of Scotland for Robert Bruce, A. D. 1306.
The family estates were in Ayr- shire and about the middle of the seventeenth century, like many other Scotch families of strong Covenanter adherence during the efforts of Charles I to root out Presbyterianism in Scotland, the Lambertons of Ayrshire migrated to Ulster County in the north of Ireland, then the resort for the op- pressed of that faith. Within a half century of this removal repre- sentatives of the family appeared in America to settle here in two branches, one in the Wyoming Val- ley of Pennsylvania and the other in New Haven and other towns in Connecticut as far north as "Old Windsor." An early representa- tive of the latter branch was that Captain George Lamberton, master of the ill-fated phantom ship re- corded in Mather's "Magnalia Christi," and which was made the subject of a poem by Longfellow.
The subject of this sketch comes of the Connecticut branch of the family and his great-grandfather was one of that numerous body of pioneers, which at the close of the Revolution emigrated northward to settle the middle and upper reaches of the Connecticut Valley and be- stow the names of their home towns on new ones both sides of the
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
river. This pioneer ancestor first settled at a point in the town of Hartland near the mouth of the Ottaquechee River, but afterwards made permanent residence in Plainfield, New Hampshire, just opposite to Hartland. He was a cooper by trade, but the most of his descendants have been farmers.
David Hilliard Lamberton, son of Joseph L. and Helen (Smith) Lamberton, was born on a farm and his youth was spent in farm
DAVID HILLARD LAMBERTON.
employment with such educational advantages as the district schools afforded. At the age of fifteen he was thrown upon his own resources and chose to educate himself as far as possible for some profession. By working at farming during the spring and summer months and by attending a high school or an acad- emy as opportunity afforded, he fitted himself for college by a final year at Stevens High School, Clare- mont, New Hampshire. At that
time an opportunity to teach was taken advantage of, with the result that he continued in that line of work for nearly sixteen years, hold- ing positions in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, ranging from grammar-school mas- tership in the beginning to profes- sional superintendence under the district system of the last named state. During 10 years of this period he occupied one position, that of principal of Washington Academy at Wickford, Rhode Island.
While engaged in educational work Mr. Lamberton became a con- tributor on both professional and miscellaneous subjects to some of the leading journals and acquired a taste for newspaper work that was ultimately provided for in his present connection. To the Mes- senger-Sentinel business in Morris- ville he succeeded Mr. L. P. Thayer, June 1, 1902, first as lessee of the business and later as managing partner. Last year the business was incorporated, Mr. Lamberton being principal stockholder and president of the corporation. Eight papers are published by the com -. pany, local to as many different towns, with a large circulation in Lamoille County and adjacent ter- ritory and editorially they rank among the strongest weekly period- icals in the state.
Mr. Lamberton is identified with all progressive movements in Mor- risville and in Lamoille County and is president of the Morrisville board of trade, a large and aggres- sive organization of business men. He is a Blue Lodge Mason and served as master of his lodge, Washington, No. 5, of Wickford, Rhode Island, in its centennial year, 1898.
CHARLES H. A. STAFFORD.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
Mr. Lamberton was married in January, 1883, to Miss Florence B. Davis of Bradford, New Hamp- shire, who died in September, 1890. To the union three children were born : John Vinton, a student at the University of Vermont; Ruth George, deceased; and Lam- bert, recently named by Congress- man Foster of the First District as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy.
STAFFORD, CHARLES H. A., a son of John A. and Lucia M. (Rob- inson) Stafford, was born at De- catur, Michigan, November. 6, 1859, came to Vermont when but a child, locating at Stowe, where he received his education in the public schools and from the age of 14 to 22 years was employed in a drug store; for a year he was in the meat business at Stowe and from 1886 to 1900 was engaged in the tannery business at Stowe and Morrisville, since which time he has conducted an extensive business in real estate and loans.
Mr. Stafford located in Morris- ville in 1889. For several years he was chairman of the village trustees and is now a member of the board of water and light com- missioners and its treasurer. He has served as town auditor and in 1902 was chosen to represent Mor- ristown in the General Assembly of Vermont, serving as chairman of the committee on corporations.
May 2, 1882, Mr. Stafford was united in marriage to Grace E., a daughter of Charles R. and M. Jane Churchill of Stowe. To them three children have been born : Roy C., November 29, 1888; Guy C., April 22, 1890, and Eloise, July 12, 1896.
Mr. Stafford is affiliated with
Union Lodge, No. 2, F. & A. M., of Middlebury.
ELMORE.
Population, Census of 1900, 550.
The town of Elmore was granted to Samuel Elmore and 64 others, November 7, 1880, but the charter was not formally issued until the following August.
The settlement of the town was commenced in July, 1790, by Mar- tin and Jesse Elmore, James and Seth Olmstead, Aaron Keeler and others, mostly from Sharon and Norwalk, Connecticut. The census of 1791 reported 12 persons in town. At the first town meeting, held July 23, 1792, Joseph Leach was chosen town clerk and con- stable; Joe Gibbs, Joseph Leach and James Olmstead, selectmen.
Martin Elmore, for whom the town was named, was its first rep- resentative, several times re- elected, and first justice of the peace. The latter office he held 18 consecutive years, and was also town clerk 41 years, from 1797 to 1838. Jonathan Bridge, who came to Elmore in 1810, was a justice 29 years and also an associate judge of the county court. Seth Olm- stead, one of the pioneers of 1790, built and kept the first hotel in town. George W. Bailey located in town from Berlin in 1821. Mr. Bailey held most of the town of- fices, including that of representa- tive, two terms, was sheriff and twice elected to the state Senate. Obel Camp, who came from Orange in 1801, was a prominent towns- man, three times representative, postmaster 17 years, justice of the peace 15 years, and town clerk 26 years. Elmore contains some sec-
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LAMOILLE COUNTY.
tions of excellent farm lands in the vicinity of Elmore Lake and at the foot of the mountain slopes, but much of the surface, especially in the western part, is mountainous and broken and unfit for farming. A considerable lumber business has been carried on in town since the advent of the Portland & Ogdens- burg Railroad in 1870, although the town is not on the line of the railroad.
During the early 80s there were seven sawmills, but at present the principal lumber business is lo- cated at Elmore and East Elmore.
Elmore, a post village pleasantly located in the northern part of the town, contains a church, store, ho- tel, the lumber mills of the Stowe Lumber Company and about a dozen dwellings.
During the late Civil War El- more furnished 64 soldiers, includ- ing two commissioned officers, Major Luman M. Grout of the Eighth Vermont Infantry, and Captain U. A. Woodbury.
PARKER, HON. HENRY C., was born in Elmore, March 7, 1854, a son of Hon. Charles S. and Eliza A. (Town) Parker.
Hon. Charles S. Parker was one of the substantial men of Ver- mont; served as sheriff of Lamoille County, was assistant judge of the county, representative of Elmore in the General Assembly, and held nearly every town office in Elmore.
Henry C. Parker was educated in the public schools, Montpelier Seminary and at Eastman's Busi- ness College; taught school several winters at Elmore and after com- pleting his education he entered the employ of his brother, Hon. Carlos S. Parker, at Montgomery ; here he clerked for a while, and
taught the Montgomery village school.
In 1879 Mr. Parker bought a stock of goods and located at Enos- burg; here he remained for 10 years; during this time he served as postmaster.
In 1889, owing to the advanced years of his parents, he returned to Elmore and located on the old Parker homestead, which came into the family nearly seventy years ago. This place is one of the finest in Lamoille County and maintains one of the finest dairies in this locality. Hon. Charles S. Parker was a noted breeder and was gen- erally regarded as the pioneer breeder of Jersey stock in Lamoille County. The Parker homestead contains 450 acres and carries 60 head of cattle, six horses and has 500 sugar trees.
Henry C. Parker is a consistent and uncompromising Republican in politics. He has served as lister, selectman, school director, justice, superintendent of schools and trus- tee of public money. In 1876 he represented Elmore in the Legisla- ture of the state and in 1904 was chosen assistant judge of the La- moille County Court, a position that he fills with becoming dignity, sound judgment and good sense.
He married, May 1, 1883, Stella, a daughter of the late Charles An- derson of Enosburg. He was an engineer during the war and was shot on his engine while making his run near Memphis, Tennessee, by the guerillas, prior to the birth of his daughter, Stella. Three chil- dren have been born to Judge and Mrs. Parker : Ruth, born April 28, 1884; Ben, born June 4, 1893, and Hugh Henry, born in May, 1899.
The grandfather of Judge Par-
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
ker, Henry C., was born in New Hampshire, December 12, 1796; moved to Barre with his parents when young. Henry, Sr., mar- ried Mary Batchelder of Plainfield, November 5, 1819, and in 1830 re- moved to Elmore.
Hon. Charles S., father of Henry
Jane W. (Allen) Bacon. At 20 years of age Mr. Bacon completed his education, after attending the public schools of Williamstown, Elmore and the People's Academy of Morrisville; he then worked out for a while and assisted in the building of a house in Elmore.
HENRY C. PARKER.
C., the subject of this sketch, was born in Barre, November 2, 1820; educated in the public schools and academies and October 17, 1842, married Eliza A. Town.
BACON, OLIVER D., was born in Washington, Orange County, Octo- ber 9, 1842, a son of Vine N. and
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