The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 102

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Montpelier, Vt. : Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press
Number of Pages: 1064

USA > Vermont > Washington County > Montpelier > The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier. > Part 102

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).

WILLIAM KEYES, ESQ.,

born in Putney, 1766, removed to North- field in 1799, located on East Hill, and bought his farm of his brother, Abel Keyes ; in 1804, sold, and bought near where the Center hotel stands ; his nearest neighbor, Stanton Richardson, west of the river nearly half a mile. He sold at the Center about 1810, and his farm was soon after sold for building lots. In 1816, he bought the farm next south of the Stanton Rich- ardson place, and for several years carried on brick-making. His daughter, Mrs. Lucy Knapp, now living in Northfield, relates that in 1818 there was a great deal of sick- ness. Dr. Porter's bill for medical services in her father's family that year was large enough to pay for all the brick used in building his house. Mr. Keyes was one of the earliest Methodists, active in organiz-

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ing their church in this town, and for more than 50 years a class-leader therein. He married Betsey Nichols, of Putney ; chil- dren : Polly, Jacob, William, Lucy, Sewall, Eliza, Abel, Sally, Emeline. Mr. Keyes died Dec. 1849.

CAPTAIN ABEL KEYES,

born in Putney, Sept. 11, 1773. In the summer of 1790, while prospecting for a new home, came to Northfield, and in view of its water-power, believing it would be- come a great manufacturing town, decided to locate here. The next spring he bought of Judge Paine the mills and 100 acres on East Hill, there being the first settlement in town. He lived there about 5 years, improved the mills, and then sold the farm to his brother William, and the mill prop- erty to Judge Paine. In 1804, his daugh- ter, Mrs, A. P. Egerton, relates her father made a journey to Putney, on horseback, taking her with him on the same horse, she being 8 years old, it being to induce some of his friends to come to Northfield to live. In 1807, Captain Keyes purchased of David Denny, a saw-mill and few acres of land in what is now called South North- field. The saw-mill he enlarged and im- proved, built a grist-mill, potash, and sev- eral dwelling-houses, and in 3 years, main- ly through his influence and labors, " Slab City," as it was long called, had become a lively village. His wife's brother, Joseph Smlth, Jr., had a store there, the first store in Northfield. In 1810, Captain Keyes sold his mills to C. W. Houghton, of Montpelier, and in 1812, the rest of his property in that village, and removed to the Factory, where Judge Paine had just begun to build a village. He remained there one year, living in the " Old Abbey," a house that stood where George C. Ran- dall's house now is, and afterwards built for Judge Paine the two houses that now stand near the bridge. In 1814, he pur- chased several lots of land where the Cen- ter village now is. The next year, with- his son, Joseph, he built several dwelling- houses, a machine-shop, and a potash ; in 1818, the Center Village Hotel, which they kept about 5 years ; in 1819, the church known as the old yellow meeting-house.

In 1824, they sold all their property at the Center, and bought that Capt. Keyes had formerly owned at Slab City; rebuilt the mills ; lived there 3 years ; sold, moved to the Falls, now Gouldsville, and on the site where Gould's factory now stands built a saw and grist-mill. Capt. Keyes lived there till 1838, his son Joseph having sold out there some years previously. He then bought a saw-mill up the river, a grist-mill and a dwelling-house ; lived there till 1839, and move ! to Illinois, and one year after to Lake Mills, Wis., where he died in 1848, aged 75. There are now standing in this town about 40 buildings erected by Capt. Abel Keyes and his son Joseph. The Captain was one of the most enterprising men of the town during all his stay in it. He held various offices, was lister in 1798, Captain of a military com- pany, justice of the peace many years, se- lectman and representative. He possessed . robust health, ceaseless activity, could do everything but persevere and wait. He could prepare his land, plant and hoe, but could not wait for the corn to ripen. The framing, raising and enclosing a building were just to his taste; he could plan for and direct a multitude of men, but the quiet work of finishing the structure must be left to more patient workers, and be- came a proverb, " Capt. Abel always moves just before harvest." Industrious and honest, his success in life was limited only by his habit of leaving to others the pleas- ant task of reaping the reward of his labors. He married Mrs. Esther Nichols, in 1793. They had two children, Joseph and Abigail P., and Mrs. Keyes had a daughter by her first husband.

CAPT. JOSEPH KEYES,

born in 1795 ; married Zeruah Eggleston in 1816, who had 2 children, Simon and Cynthia. He married a second wife, Olive Williams ; children : Abel, Catha- rine W., Elisha W., Oliver A., Emily O. Mr. Keyes died at Menasha, Wis., Sept. 17, 1874. He followed his trade as mill- wright in Wisconsin, after his removal with his father to that state, and was very successful.

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a machine shop at the Center viilage, on the east side of the common, run by steam, the first motive power by steam in Northfield, and a great curiosity at that day. On its sides were painted the words " Machine Shop." The Wisconsin Jour- nal says of Mr. Keyes :

As the crisis which came upon the coun- try in 1837 was approaching, finding it difficult to proceed with his extensive business, he made disposition of it in the spring of 1836, and little left but his head and hands, backed up by most indomitable courage, energy, and a powerful constitu- tion, he struck out to seek his fortune in a new country, and landed in Milwaukee June, 1836. Wisconsin at that time was an inviting field for men of his type. It needed intelligent, enterprising, hard work- ing men to develop its immense resources. He being one of that class, found a cordial welcome to the territory by the few bold spirits who had preceded him, and an am- ple scope of country in which to operate. In 1837, he and his family removed to Lake Mills, being the first white settlers in that town. He proceeded to the erection of a grist and saw-mill, that proved of vast advantage to the settlement, and very soon laid out the village of Lake Mills, being its original founder. Here, he erected the first school-house in the town, and em- ployed the first teacher, a Miss Catlin of Cottage Grove, in this county, all with his individual means-an act, of itself, which is a proud monument to his name and fame, and proves his life has not been a failure.

For over 50 years he was a prominent Mason. He loved the order, and was one of its most honored and respected members. The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Keyes was celebrated in 1871, surrounded by children, grand-children, and great-grand-children ; children : Abel Keyes, now of Menasha, Hon. E. W. Keyes, postmaster of Madison, Oliver Keyes, now of Hudson, and Mrs. H. D. Fisher, of Menasha. Mrs. Olive Williams, relict of Capt Joseph Keyes, departed this life at Menasha, Feb. 18, 1878, in her 78th year. In all positions in life she was hon- ored for her many virtues.

HON. ELISHA W. KEYES,

son of Joseph, born in Northfield, Jan. 23, 1828, left Northfield with his father's fam- ily, May 1837, for Milwaukee, Wis., thence to Lake Mills. In early life he was first in his classes at school, and in sports and games ; following in the wake of his father

and grandfather, he led the van. He was admitted to the Bar in Madison at 23, and soon acquired an extensive and lucrative practice ; was District Attorney of Dane County in 1858, '59 ; in 1861, was appoint- ed postmaster of the city of Madison, which office he still holds (1878) ; was mayor of Madison in 1865 and '66 ; in 1867, Chairman of the Republican State Central Committee ; for 10 years he conducted the affairs of the republican party of the State with such strength and power of organiza- tion as to earn for him the now widely- known title of " The Bismarck " of Western politics. In 1872 and '76, was a delegate to and Chairman of the Wisconsin Dele- gation in the National Republican Con- ventions ; now as " Boss Keyes, of Wis- consin," he is familiarly known in every state in the Union. In 1877, he declined a re-election as Chairman of the State Re- publican Committee, and resumed an active practice of law. He is one of the Regents of the State University of Wisconsin.

Mr. Keyes is of a stout, compact build, has a strong constitution and good health. He is esteemed a good hater, a firm friend, and one whom men at large instinctively recognize as a leader. He has been twice married ; children : five.

ALVAH HENRY, son of Hiram, born in Alstead, N. H., 1799, was killed in North- field June 28, 1831, by the fall of a tree.

EDMOND SHIPMAN and wife Betsey, (Nichols) had 13 children. He was a blacksmith by trade, and worked at the Centre village.

REV. HOSEA CLARK,

a preacher of the Methodist church en- joyed the reputation of being a devoted man ; was elected a justice of the peace, and had a way of administering the law in a forcible manner, sometimes to the dis- comfiture of the legal profession ; and was not afraid of expressing his opinion on any subject that came before him for con- sideration. He married Mrs. John Rich- ardson ; they had two children, Lucia Ann and Stephen Alonzo ; born in Northfield.

ELIJAH BURNHAM, ESQ.,

born in Brookfield 1795, came to North- field, in 1819. He married Maria Simons,

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of Williamstown ; had 13 children. After two previous settlements they kept tavern at the Falls village, where John Fisk for- merly did, and finally settled near the Depot village. Mr. Burnham was a prom- inent man in the early days; was select- man Io years, justice of the peace, lister, and held other offices. He was a skillful vete- rinarian, and frequently sent for in differ- ent parts of the town to relieve the animal creation of their ailments. He died here March, 1873. Mrs. Burnham lives with a daughter in Williamstown, at the age of 84 (1878) ; children : Laura, Mary, Aaron M., Marshall D., Philanda, Philura, So- phronia, Dennison S., Joshua J., Emily, Ellen, George M.

JOEL BROWN,

born in Old Deerfield, Mass., 1799, came with his father to Williamstown, and when the Indians returned from the burning of Royalton, was with others taken captive and carried to Montreal, and lodged in jail, but through one Zadock Steel and others, they liberated themselves, and picked their way back to their homes. [See History of Randolph, vol. II of this work, page 978.] When quite a lad Joel was fre- quently sent to Royalton to mill, by marked trees, and heard the howling of wolves.

Mr. Brown at 21 came to Northfield, and cut the first tree in what is now the Center village, very near the old machine shop, where he subsequently lived. But few buildings were then erected on Dog river. Stanton Richardson's log-house, where the late John H. Richardson lived, was the only one accessible, and here Mr. Brown boarded, crossing the river on a tree that had fallen over it. Mr. Brown built a shanty very near the old town- house, to shelter himself in rainy days. It was his intention of making a permanent home at the Center, but his intended being in poor health, and her friends objecting to her coming into this new country, caused him to return to Brookfield, and he did not return until 1828, when he located on the road from the Center to Roxbury. He did teaming to Burlington, bringing back flour and other staple goods, which he disposed of. He married Ist, Anna.

Edson, of Brookfield, in 1801, and they had one daughter, Rebecca. He married 2d, Dorcas Nichols, and they had 8 chil- dren ; Daniel, Anna, Isaac W., Susan, Eliza, Ruth, Joel, Jr., D. Amanda. Mrs. Brown died in 1863 ; Mr. Brown in 1869.

ISAAC W. BROWN

bought out his father in the hotel business at the Center in 1837, and for a number of years carried it on, a wide-awake, obliging landlord ; in 1855, moved to the Depot village, built some eight buildings there, among them the first Odd Fellows Hall, on Central street; was selectman, lister, constable, deputy and high sheriff, serving in some capacity as an officer for 34 years ; was a director in the Wells River Railroad in 1872, and an agent for the Central Ver- mont Railroad. He married Sylva Elvira Partridge in 1835, who died in 1863 ; chil- dren : Jane and George W. He married Janette Taylor, who died in 1865 ; moved to Montpelier in 1866 ; married Mrs. Carrie W. Camp in 1868, who died in 1873. He moved to Boston, and married Mrs. Sarah A. Warren for his fourth wife, in 1874, and died in Northfield, Aug. 10, 1875.

Dr. CLIFTON CLAGGETT, born in Merri- mack, N. H., 1808, came to Northfield in 1832, and located in the Center village to practice. He married Catherine, daugh- ter of Harry Emerson, and has two sons, Charles C., William C. ; born in Northfield.

HARRY EMERSON, born in Norwich, 1781, came to Northfield in 1821, when . about 40 years of age, and located in the Center village. He was a hatter by trade ; married Dorcas Demmon, and had 9 children.

ALBIJENCE AINSWORTH, a merchant in the Center village, in the store on the cor- ner adjoining the brick dwelling of Col. Oliver Averill. He built the brick house in that village where Elijah Winch lives. His father kept the well-known " Ains- worth Tavern," on the hill road to Cleave- land village. Mr. Ainsworth married Emily, daughter of Rev. Mr. Lyman of Brookfield ; children : Mary J., Annette.

STANTON RICHARDSON,

born in Haddam, Conn., 1755; came to Northfield about 1785 ; was a prominent

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man ; held a number of town offices, being the first selectman chosen, and finally set- tled on the farm near the Depot village, where his descendant, John H. Richard- ardson, lived and died. He married Anna Doubleday ; children : Nathaniel, Sarah, Samuel, Ezra T., John, Anna, Sarah, Sylvanus, Horace, Prudence, Chauncey, all but two born in Northfield.

The wife of Stanton Richardson made once a journey to Westminster, on horse- back, with a small child in her arms, car- rying her eatables in a pair of saddle-bags.

Mr. Richardson having caught a bear with a pair of cubs, tamed the young ones, and they became interesting acquisitions, making themselves at times familiar without invitation. The family lived in a log-house with an old-fashioned chimney, inside of which you could sit, and, looking up, see stars in the evening. One night, when Mrs. Richardson had retired with Ezra T., an in- fant, one of the young bruins crawled upon the roof, came down the chimney, worked his way into the bed, nestling down between Mrs. Richardson and her babe. The child remonstrated, when the mother, seeing the kind of company she had, took the bear by the nape of his neck, and tumbled him on to the floor.

One thanksgiving day Mrs. Richardson invited all the people in Williamstown and Northfield to be present. They came, and had for dinner boiled victuals, roast pig, beans, and baked Indian pudding, and a jolly good time. For extension tables, they took the doors off their wooden hinges, and used them.

Mr. Richardson presented the town land for the first burying ground, near the Center, on " Richardson meadow," now owned by Mr. Gallup.

JOHN, son of Stanton, lived and died on the farm of his father, near the Depot vil- lage. He was a prominent farmer, and raised 7 children : Sarah S., George M., John Harris, Marshall H., George S., Mary J., Daniel W., all born in Northfield. Mr. Richardson died in 1834. His first son was drowned in Dog river, opposite the house, when about 3 years old, and the father afterwards took the precaution to

build a yard-fence to keep his little ones in ; but even this did not prevent another son, George S., from meeting with as sad a fate ; he was drowned in a wash-tub; pulling himself up by it, lost his balance and fell in.

NATHANIEL, son of Stanton, was a mill- wright ; held offices in town; went to Canada to live ; returned ; built the two- story brick house beyond the Center vil- lage, where Israel Avery now resides ; also a house and saw-mill about half way to Roxbury ; married Nabby Bosworth, of Berlin ; children : Nathaniel B., Abigail, Caroline M., Sarah Ann, Melissa, Alonzo, Adelia. Mr. R. died at 76; his wife at 86 years.

SAMUEL RICHARDSON,

born in Haddam, Conn., 1742, a shoe- maker, was another early settler. " Uncle Sam Richardson " was a great story-teller, hammering out soles for the understand- ings of his customers, he would indulge in stories, not always careful to see how they would come out ; and he was a devout man, also.

It is related, Judge Paine had loaned his trusty old horse to a woman who worked for him, to go to the South village to do a little trading, the Judge requesting her to stop at Mr. Richardson's and do an errand ; on her return asked her why she was gone so long? She said, when she arrived she heard the old gentleman praying, and waited till he got through. The Judge said, "Well, what did the old horse say about it?" Her reply came quick, " Your horse did not say anything about it, Judge, for he had never heard one before."

Samuel Richardson and wife Clarissa had two children : Hannah and Jonathan. Jonathan was the owner of the dog that Thompson in his Gazetteer refers to-that the river was named after. While out hunting, the dog attacked a large moose, and was drowned, in what is known as the moose hole in the river. It was in the spring the moose broke through the ice, and dog and moose both went under.

Jonathan was a noted hunter, and killed Io wolves in one day.

Samuel Richardson married for his sec-

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ond wife Jerusha Royce : children : Stan- ton, Lemuel B., Clarissa, Prudence, Aræl, Amisa, Martha, Jerusha. Mr. Richardson lived to 90 years, his wife to 85.

JOHN HILDRETH BUCK, ESQ.,

son of John L. Buck [Simon Smith was the first lawyer in Northfield, but only re- mained for a few months and left. The second was John L. Buck, for whose bi- ography see Reading, volume to follow.] was born in Northfield, and grew to his majority among the Green Mountains. He graduated from the University of Vermont in the class of 1850, and returned to North- field, where he remained in the office of his father until February, 1851, when he removed to Lockport, N. Y., his present home. Feb. 1854, he was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. Aug. 1854, he married Harriet M. Fletcher, daughter of Hon. Paris Fletcher, of Bridport. In 1874, he was elected mayor of his adopted city, and served one term, declining a renomination.

DR. BENJAMIN PORTER,

born in Old Volentown, Conn., 1788, lived with his father, a Congregational clergy- man, and settled in Plainfield, N. H., until he was 12 years of age. He attended the academy at Meriden, studied for the med- ical profession, graduating at Dartmouth. This town was his first settlement as a physician. On his first visit, passing by where the Episcopal church now stands, he saw Judge Paine and John Green sow- ing wheat on newly-cleared land, and in- quired of the Judge if this town would be be a good place for a physician to locate. The reply was it would, if a man had a strong constitution, and was willing to work hard for poor pay.

The Doctor settled on the East Hill in 1816, boarding 3 years with Captain Jesse Averill, and moved to the "Post farm," where he remained 4 years, and went to the Center village; built the two-story brick house where he lived and died. He married Sophia Fullerton ; children : Eliz- abeth, Edward, Edwin, Benjamin F.

The Doctor had quite a practice, being the first physician in town after Nathaniel

Robinson and Jeptha White ; was good in fevers ; he died Feb. 21, 1876.

Dr. EDWIN PORTER is the only prac- ticing physician here, born in Northfield ; a graduate of the Vermont University in 1850. He studied medicine with his father, was a private student of Prof. Peaslee, of Dartmouth ; attended three courses of lec- tures, and graduated in the Medical De- partment in 1853; in 1854, combined the drug business with his practice, with Geo. Tucker one year ; has carried on the busi- ness alone since. He married Carrie S. daughter of Hon. Heman Carpenter, in 1867.

ROSWELL DEWEY, P. M. 6 years, has been surveyor, constable, justice of the peace, and an excellent teacher of sacred music 30 years.

DR. JEPTHA WHITE

lived on a farm near the Center village. He married Orra Starkweather, and had two children : George J. and John A. S., to the latter of whom credit is due for re- membering in his will the old cemetery at the Center village, whereby it has been beautified and improved by a nice granite wall in front. He was a prominent mer- chant, and had great influence with his party.

DR. WILLIAM J. SAWIN, .

son of Levi S., studied medicine with Dr. Claggett, and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1854, and began the practice of his profession in Watertown, Wis., the same year; March, 1861, removed to Chicopee Falls, Mass. ; the following June, enlisted as a private soldier ; in September, transferred to 3d Vt. Reg. as hospital stew- ard ; served as physician in the 3d, 4th and 5th Vt. Reg. Oct. '61 to June, '62 ; pro. to surgeon in 2d Vt. brigade in 1862, and to surgeon-in-chief of brigade in 1862; was discharged with the 10th Massachu- setts regiment at the expiration of his term of service in 1864, and returned to Chic- opee Falls. On the evening of Dec. 3, 1875, in the Asylum of Springfield Com- mandery of Knight Templars, while in the act of clothing himself in the regalia of his office, preparatory to being installed as Eminent Commander of that body, and in

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the presence of a large number of his brethren, William J. Sawin, an honored Past Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, was stricken down by apoplexy and died instantly.

JOHN P. DAVIS, from Barnard, born 1819, has been in the mercantile business at the Center village since 1850.

Rev. SAMUEL WHITTEN, an early set- tler, at one time owned all the land at the Center village, before it was cleared. He

was a farmer and Baptist preacher. He had nine children, Samuel, Woodbury, Joseph, Mercy, Rebecca, Clarissa, Caroline and Julia. He moved to Malone, N. Y., where he died.

DAVID M. LANE,

born in Hampton, N. H., Mar. 29, 1793, came here from Strafford in 1820. He was a surveyor, and the country being new, and property changing, his services were greatly needed. The writer has fre- quently heard him mentioned as a very promising man ; but he was cut down at the early age of 37. He built the first brick building in town, the old school- house at the Center, making the brick himself, burning the lime, and doing most of the carpenter work with his own hands. He bought 100 acres of timber land, and was a very industrious man, beloved by the community, and left a wife and 4 daughters.

JOSHUA LANE, brother of David M., born in Chichester, N. H., Nov. 1798, moved here from Strafford in 1821, one of the most enterprising citizens of that day. His first move in building was on the Patterson farm, used lately for slate pur- poses. He bought and erected dwellings in a number of places, living in the winter in a house he built at the Center. Among his largest purchases, with his brother David, was the farm on the mountain, and it is thought, he cleared with his help around him some 300 acres of timber land. He finally settled in West Berlin. " Lanes- ville " was named after him. He was an enthusiastic Mason, and was buried with its honors. He died at 79, and left one son, Moses Lane.

"Josiah and Moses, brothers of David and Joshua, also settled in this town.

MOSES LANE, C. E., son of Joshua, graduated at the University of Vermont in 1845. By Gov. Paine was appointed assistant engineer, Aug. 1845, for the lo- cation and construction of the Vermont Central Railroad ; was employed as a civil engineer on this and other railroads in New England till 1849; was Principal of an academy in Springfield, N. Y., 3 years ; was engaged a short time as resident en- gineer on the construction of the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad at Albany ; 1856, was appointed to the position of principal assistant engineer for the con- struction of the Brooklyn water-works, and has been constantly employed the past 22 years as a hydraulic engineer : was 13 years on the water-works of Brooklyn, 6 as prin- cipal assistant, and 7 as chief engineer ; had charge of the construction of the Milwaukee water-works as chief engineer, where he was employed 7 years, and has been connected with other important pub- lic works as chief or consulting engineer. He married the daughter of the late Dr. Varney Ingalls, of Erie County, N. Y., in 1851 ; has 4 children, and now resides in Milwaukee, Wis.

HON. ALVIN BRALEY.

[See History of Hartford and Roxbury for early history.] After he came to North- field, was bank director, justice of the peace, village trustee, and interested in manufactures, and in 1868, was made Pres- ident of the National Bank, which office he filled until his death. His demise was a loss to our town, for he was not only able but willing to assist in the establishment of such institutions as promised to build up the place.

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The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 102

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Montpelier, Vt. : Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press Number of Pages: 1064

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Montpelier, Vt. : Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press
Number of Pages: 1064