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 103
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FISK BROTHERS,
Benjamin, John, Nathaniel and David, all stalwart men, of whom it may be said, "and there were giants," came from Wil- liamstown.
BENJAMIN was a storekeeper in the South village about 1816 ; married Hannah Herrick; they had 7 children ; Delphine, Philander, Caroline, Dennison, Sophia, Rosina, John D.
JOHN, born in Williamstown, 1783, kept tavern in the Falls village about 1825, quite
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a noted place for trainings. He married Betsey Martin, and they had 13 children : Olive, Betsey, Siloma, John, Lydia M., Melinda, Eunice, Azro J., Sarah, Lucinda, Maria L., Mary, Hannah.
NATHANIEL came in 1819, and died in 1861, age 87. He raised 8 children.
DAVID married Sarah Reed; they had 7 children : Sarah Ann, David R., Harvey R., Ann Eliza, George M., Fanny C,, Van Loren M. Mr. Fisk died in 1864; Mrs. Fisk in 1865.
GEORGE M. FISK, son of David, born in Wolcott, June 7, 1830. He studied law with Hon. Heman Carpenter ; was admit- ted to the Bar of Washington County in 1854; the Supreme Court in 1856; the United States Court in 1874; in 1854, went to Prof. John W. Fowler's law school in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. In 1863, repre- sented the town in the Legislature ; was a delegate to the National Democratic Con- vention in St. Louis, in 1876. In 1864, he built the two factories in the Depot vil- lage now run by Mr. Howarth, and put in the machinery now in use, had a large in- terest in the lumber business at Granville, Vt., sold the Union Slate Quarry, and other quarries of slate in town, is now [1878] President of the Northfield Savings Bank. He married Jane E., daughter of James Nichols, in 1856.
DANIEL WORTHINGTON,
born in 1775. He came from Williams- town, and located on the Garfield place in 1818. Afterwards he went to the Falls village, and bought the saw-mill of Free- dom Edson and built a house, when there were but one or two log-houses on the east. side of the river. Under-brush and huck- leberry bushes covered the land now spread over with buildings. He married Polly Fisk, born in 1780, and raised II children : Huldah, Elijah, Sophia, Lyman, Mary, Rhoda, Daniel, David, Theodore S., Elias, Francis. Mrs. W. died in 1851, and he in 1866.
COL. CHARLES H. JOYCE,
the present Member of Congress from the First District of Vermont, came to North- field in 1850, and commenced reading law at the Center, with John L. Buck, Esq.,
read with him one year, then with F. V. Randall, Esq., at Northfield Falls, one year, and then with F. F. Merrill, Esq., at Montpelier, one year, when he was ad- mitted to the Bar of Washington County, at the September term, 1852. - In 1853, Mr. Joyce entered into co-partnership in the practice of law at Northfield with C. N. Carpenter, Esq., and subsequently with F. V. Randall. In 1853, he was ap- pointed State Librarian. In Dec. 1855, he opened a law office in Northfield. In 1856, he was elected State's Attorney, and was re-elected to the same office in 1857.
As soon as Mr. Joyce was elected State's Attorney, his practice of law began to in- crease, and in Mar. 1861, he had a fine dock- et, and did a good business. When Presi- dent Lincoln issued his call for 75,000 men, he was at Montpelier attending court. He immediately returned home to North- field, and with the aid of some others, raised a company of men which tried to get into the Ist Regiment, commanded by Gen. Phelps. He did not succeed in this, but Gov. Fairbanks tendered him the po- sition of Major in the 2d Regiment, which he accepted, and on the 7th of June, 1862, was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel of his regiment. He remained in the service until Jan. 1863, when he was compelled to resign his position, on account of poor health.
After returning from the army, and par- tially recovering his health, he located in Rutland, resuming the practice of law in company with C. C. Dewey, Esq. The partnership continued until the spring of 1866, when it was dissolved, and he car- ried on business on his own account. In 1869, he was elected to the House of Rep- resentatives from Rutland, and again in 1870-71. The last 2 years he was elected Speaker, which office he conducted in a manner that pleased all parties, and made him decidedly popular.
Mr. Joyce took a lively interest in the campaign of 1868, stumping his own State, and making many speeches both in New York and New Hampshire. In 1874, he was nominated as the successor of Hon. C. W. Willard, and elected to the Forty-
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fourth Congress, and re-elected in 1876, he preached I year ; from there he went to '78. In the campaign of 1876, he made speeches in Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut and Indiana, for Hayes and Wheeler.
Speeches of Mr. Joyce .- In the Forty- fourth Congress the first eulogy on the death of Henry Wilson : speech on the cur- rency, in favor of honest money; a speech on the presentation of the statue of Ethan Allen, to be placed in Memorial Hall in the National Capital; a speech on the Cen- tennial Exposition to be held at Philadel- phia in 1876; a speech in confirmation of certain land claims in the Territory of New Mexico; a speech on the counting of the electoral vote of Louisiana, and one on counting the electoral vote of Vermont.
In the Forty-fifth Congress, speeches .- One on the contested election case of Patterson against Belford, from Colorado; one in the contested election case of Acklen against Darrell, of Louisiana; a speech on the " Resumption act, and the remonetiz- ation of silver:" a speech on a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States, relating to the election of President and Vice-President, and also re- lating to the Civil Service of the govern- ment; a speech on the Mexican Pension Bill, against restoring to the pension-roll the names of those which had been stricken off for participation in the rebellion, and a speech on the Tariff.
In addition, the Colonel has delivered speeches and orations on nearly every Fourth of July and on nearly every " Dec- oration Day" since the war. His mag- netic, forcible way of stating his arguments makes him popular with the masses, and we predict for him a still more brilliant future.
Mr. Joyce married Rowena M. Randall, and they have had three children : Inez R., Grace R. and Charlie R.
REV. JOHN GREGORY,
born in Norwalk, Conn., Nov. 18, 1810; went to New York State when quite young, and served an apprenticeship of seven years at fancy painting, in the city of Al- bany. When 21 years of age, he com- menced studying for the ministry in the Universalist denomination. He was or- dained in Salisbury, Herkimer county, N. Y., where he made his first settlement in 1832. After two years' labor in this town he removed to Burlington, Vt., where
Woburn, Mass., and preached 2 years, and after a year's labor in Vermont, went to Charleston, S. C., where he edited the Southern Evangelist, and supplied the pul- pit of the Universalist church in that city I year. From Charleston, the climate not agreeing with him, he returned to Ver- mont, and preached in Montpelier, Berlin, Williamstown and Northfield I year, when he received a call to settle in Quincy, Mass., where he remained 3 years.
In 1842 Mr. Gregory was elected repre- sentative to the general court from Quincy, and from there went to Fall River, Mass., where he preached 2 years, and then came back to Vermont, and preached 3 years in Williston. In 1850, he came to Northfield and settled on a farm on the West Hill, thinking with St Paul it was no disgrace for a minister to labor with his hands, and engaged in stock raising. For 25 years, he was connected with the Vermont State Agricultural Society ; claims to have been one of the originators of that society ; was director of it during that time, and presi- dent of it 2 years, and some years had as great a variety of choice animals at the Fair as any other man. He was promi- nent in the raising of Morgan horses, French Merino sheep, Hereford, Devon, Ayrshire and Shorthorn Durham cattle, paying $400 for one French Merino sheep that was raised in the vicinity of Paris, all of which were brought to Northfield to improve the stock of farmers. He assisted in establishing the very successful "Dog River Valley " Association, and served as president of it three years, having during that time fairs that were not excelled by any in the State.
For the last quarter of a century he has preached as opportunity presented in the "region round about" Northfield. In 1850, he was representative to the Legisla- ture from Northfield ; in 1856, was elected senator from Washington county, and re- elected in 1857. He received the appoint- ment of assistant assessor in the revenue department under Abraham Lincoln ; was re-appointed by Andrew Johnson, and continued in the service 103 years.
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Mr. Gregory desires to put on record his fidelity to the two great reforms that have agitated the country during the last 40 years, " Human Freedom" and " Temper- ance." Nov. 8, 1844, the following vote was passed and published in the Boston Trumpet : " UNIVERSALISTS ON SLAVE- RY." At the recent annual meeting of the Old Colony Association at New Bedford, Mass., the following resolution, offered by the Rev. John Gregory, of Fall River, was adopted :
Resolved, That as Slavery has been voted by this body to be " in everlasting hostility to the true spirit of Jesus Christ," we here pledge ourselves to discountenance this evil in all possible ways and forms; and will agitate the question in our several societies, and endeavor to diffuse abroad an honest moral sentiment on the subject.
While in the Senate Mr. Gregory deliv- ered a speech on " Suffering Kansas," that was instrumental in a vote being passed directing the governor to appropriate $20,000 for the relief of the people in Kan- sas, should he ascertain they were in a suffering condition. He has delivered a large number of addresses in Massachusetts and Vermont on those reforms, and always without compensation.
Mr. Gregory resides in Northfield (Depot Village), on Main street, in the only brick house in that part of the town, it being the third house built on that street. (1878).
Rev. JOHN GREGORY died suddenly of apoplexy at his residence in Northfield, Sept. 25, 1881.
ORVIS DARWIN EDGERTON,
born in Potsdam, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., Aug. 15, 1821, was the second child of a family of 7 children. His father, James Harvey Edgerton, was among the early settlers of that county, from Brook- field, in this State. The minority of Mr. Edgerton was passed going to a district school, working on a farm, and at mechan- ical business, teaching school, etc., with a few terms at the St. Lawrence academy.
In the spring of 1843, he went to Ohio, which was then considered " far West." For 3 years from the spring of 1846, was with F. & T. R. Taylor, building a fork- factory at Brasher Falls, N. Y., putting in
the machinery, and making and selling forks and hoes, and Jan. 1849 was married to Roxana Sophia Taylor, daughter of the senior member of the firm. The next spring he purchased a stock of drugs, medicines, groceries, dry goods, etc., and. engaged in business with others, and in outside operations of butter, cattle, horses, etc. ; in 1856 sold out to his partners, and for 10 years kept an office as justice of the peace, and business connected with the office ; held several town offices ; was post- master during President Fillmore's admin- istration, and was 4 years justice of the sessions, or assistant judge for the county ; in 1856 he sold his interest in Brasher, and removed to Northfield ; formed a part- nership with his brother, C. A. Edgerton, in the mercantile business, and has since resided here ; has been village and town treasurer, 2 years one of the selectmen ; 4 years one of the trustees of the savings bank, and as a business man has been suc- cessful. He is in religion, a Congrega- tionalist. He has one son, Charles Darwin Edgerton, a graduate of Dartmouth, class of 1878.
CHARLES A. EDGERTON, ESQ.,
born in Potsdam, N. Y., son of James H. Edgerton, came to Northfield in the Spring of 1847, and worked at the mechanical business several years. In 1855, the Union Store Division, No. 678, was organ- ized, and he was appointed agent, and managed it until it closed in 1857. In the Spring of 1858, he commenced mercantile business in Union Block, with L. H. King, the firm, Edgerton & King, doing a good business in a general way until the sum- mer of 1860, when they dissolved, Mr. King taking a store In the new block east of the Universalist Church, and Mr. Ed- gerton keeping the store in Union Block until 1866, when he formed a partnership with his brother, O. D. Edgerton, who moved to Northfield from Brasher Falls, N. Y., the firm being known as Edgerton Brothers, who continue to do business at the present time.
Mr. Edgerton was town clerk 1865-75; several years treasurer of the Vt. Mfg. Co., treasurer and superintendent till the com-
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pany's shops were burned, Dec., 1876, and has been a director of the Northfield National Bank since Jan. 13, 1874, and Vice President since Jan. 9, 1877, and has been a director in the graded and high school since its present organization, 1873.
He married Harriet A. Newcomb, of Waitsfield, and has 2 children.
HALSEY R. BROWN,
born in Burke, taught school winters from the age of 15 to 21, when he went to Be- loit, Wis. for 1 year ; returned to Burke, and engaged in merchandise 11 years ; then farmed 2 seasons ; was representative 1866- 7, receiving all the votes cast but one : filled a number of offices in town; came to Northfield in 1868; was with Rufus Young 3 years in the Paine Block, in the grocery and dry goods business, after, went into company with Andrew Denny, now carrying on an extensive business of store-keeping, tannery, milling, and in the lumber trade, one of our most prosperous firms in Northfield. He has been 8 years a steward in the Methodist Church here, and since the demise of Joseph Gould, superintendent of the Sunday School. Be- fore leaving Burke, he was without excep- tion selected to conduct funerals, and is employed frequently in the same business in Northfield.
LESTER MARTYN,
now living at the Depot village, [1878] retains his recollection of the early history of Northfield to a good degree. He taught school when a young man, was of indus- trious habits, and well liked as a citizen and neighbor. He remembers hearing the report of the big guns at Plattsburgh, Sept. 11, 1814. News came that yolun- teers were wanted, as the British were out in great force, and a number of men from Northfield, like Cincinnatus of old, left their business at home and hastened to Burlington, where they were to cross the Lake, but before they arrived information was received the battle had gone in favor of the Americans, and they returned to their homes rejoicing.
He married Mrs. Mary Flint, of Wil- liamstown ; they had one child, Emma O., and one adopted son, James R., who gave
his life for his country. He was born il Williamstown in 1840, enlisted in 1861 in Company J., 5th Vt. Vols., and was mor- tally wounded in the battle of the wilder- ness. He came home to Northfield, lived near 7 months, and died in 1864.
DEA. NATHANIEL JONES,
from Claremont, N. H., built the two-story house on Water street now owned by John Willey. He was a justice of the peace, man of good abilities. He raised 7 chil- dren : Roys, George, Elisha, Henry, Cyn- thia, Nathaniel, Orena.
JAMES N. JOHNSON, ESQ., born in Northfield, Sept. 4, 1833; devel- oped scholarly tastes when quite young, and a fondness for politics and public speaking. His advantages for an educa- tion were limited to a few terms of district school, and about a year at Northfield Academy, in 1851-52. He taught school with good success a few years, studied law with F. V. Randall, at Northfield ; was admitted to the bar of Washington county in 1854; went to Chicago in 1856, and engaged in the law and collection business with Cornell & Jameson, till into 1860 ; returned to Northfield ; has since resided here, practicing his profession.
HON. PHILANDER D. BRADFORD was born in Randolph, Apr. 11, 1811. His father, John Bradford, was a native of Kingston, Mass., born Dec. 26, 1765. In early life he removed to Alstead, N. H., where he married Miss Lucy Brooks, Jan. 9, 1799. Subsequently he came to Ran- dolph, where he resided until his death, Nov. 19. 1814. Four years later, upon the death of Mrs. Lucy Brooks Bradford, Philander D., the youngest of 6 children, went to Alstead, N. H., to live with rela- tives of his mother, but at 15 returned to Randolph, and entered the Orange County Grammar School, where he received his education preparatory to the study of the medical profession. At 20 he commenced the study of medicine with his brother, Dr. Austin Bradford ; in 1833, graduated at the Woodstock Medical School, then a branch of Middlebury College, and in 1850, received the degree of A. M. from the University of Vermont. He practiced his
VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
profession in Braintree, Randolph and Bethel, until 1854, when he removed to Northfield, where he has since resided, with a good practice.
In 1853 and 1854, Dr. Bradford was elected to the State Legislature by the Free-soil party of Randolph, and was a prominent member of that party when in its infancy. And when others forsook their free principles and joined those who elected Robinson and Kidder, Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, Dr. Bradford remained true to his convictions, and la- bored zealously for the cause of human freedom. In 1854, he was elected com- missioner of insane, and re-elected in 1855. In 1857, he was elected Professor of physiology and pathology in Castleton Medical College, and continued with the same until its suspension in 1862. In Dec., 1862, he was commissioned by Governor Holbrook, Surgeon of the 5th Regt. Vt. vols., but was compelled by ill-health to re- sign his commission in March following. In 1862, '63 he was elected a member of the Vermont Senate, also President of the Vermont Medical Society in '63. In 1860, he was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Vermont, and in 1861, was at the head of the Grand Divis- ion of the Sons of Temperance of Vermont. He was elected trustee, also Professor of Physiology, in Norwich University in 1867 ; and was a member of the Right Worthy Grand Lodge of the United States, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, in 1875-76. He early threw the weight of his influence into the scale of Temperance-is a worthy "Good Templar," and foremost in every- thing that promises blessings on our race. He is a capital presiding officer, and by his good humor and happy adaptation to circumstances, makes even a crowded as- sembly orderly and attentive. Dr. Brad- ford was married to Miss Susan H. Edson, daughter of John Edson, M. D., of Ran- dolph, in 1835, by whom he had one daughter, Miss Ellen E., now the wife of George W. Soper, Esq., of Northfield, who is postal agent over the Central Ver- mont railroad.
Mrs. Susan H. Bradford died Oct. 15,
1865, and in May, 1867, the Doctor mar- ried Mrs. O. W. Moore, widow of the late Hiram Moore, Esq., of Sharon.
HON. JASPER H. ORCUTT,
seventh son of Samuel M. and Mary B. Orcutt, born in Roxbury ; moved to North- field, March, 1849, and from 1848 to '58 was most of the time in the employ of the Vt. Cen. R. R., constructing buildings and in other mechanical work.
In 1858 he entered the mercantile busi- ness with Freeman Page. In 1864, bought out Mr. Page, and carried on the business about a year alone ; then was in trade with A. E. Denny 4 years ; they built the store where Denney & Brown are in business ; in 1870, sold out with Mr. Denney and bought an interest in the Paine Factory property ; from that time has been en- gaged in manufacturing slate, lumber and strawboard, is now interested in the Adams Slate and Tile company ; clerk and super- intendent. Mr. Orcutt was village trustee several years, deputy sheriff six years, con- stable and collector of taxes 2 years, high sheriff of Washington county 2 years ; representative 2 years, county senator 3 years ; has been selectman, auditor, justice of the peace, enrolling officer during the rebellion, is one of the trustees of the Northfield savings bank, postmaster from 1869 to -; and was chairman of the building committee of the Graded School Academy. He has been twice married, and has two children. His mother is liv- ing in Northfield, with her sons, and is the oldest inhabitant, being in her 96th year. (1878.)
HON. HEMAN CARPENTER,
born in Middlesex, July 10, 1811, was fitted for college at the Washington County Grammar School at Montpelier, studied law with the Hon. Wm. Upham, and was admitted to the bar at the November Term of the Washington County Court, 1836, and came to the "Factory Village," Northfield, the first of December following, and com- menced the practice of law. He was ad- mitted to the Supreme Court of Vermont two years after, and to the District Court of the United States in 1842; was State Librarian 4 years, from 1832 till '37, and
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removed the State Library from the "old State House" to the new, numbering and cataloguing all the books therein. He was superintendent of schools, and devot- ed from 10 to 25 days in examining teach- ers and visiting schools each year, giving his services to the town, and held other minor offices. He was elected to the legislature for 1847-48, and introduced the " Homestead Bill" for the first time, and pursued that measure until it was en- acted into a law. He was made judge of probate for 1849-50; appointed on Gov. Eaton's staff in 1847, with the rank of colonel ; was selectman for 1852-53: ap- pointed receiver of the South Royalton Bank in 1857; was State's attorney for Washington County for 1865-66 ; was trus- tee for the United States deposit money for 1851-52, and elected to the State Sen- ate for 1870-72.
He procured the charter for the " North- field Academy" in 1846, raised the sub- scription for building it, paying more than any other man except Gov. Paine, was secretary, treasurer and trustee of the in- stitution, was one of the executive com- mittee from its organization down to Apr. 18, 1868, when he resigned all of said offices, having completed the education of his children at said school ; was a promi- nent man in his denomination, president of Goddard Seminary from 1868 to '76, when, by reason of poor health, he resign- ed that office, having paid liberally and generously for its establishment, and on resigning the office of president, received from the trustees a very complimentary resolution.
He was foremost in establishing the graded school in Northfield, gave liberally towards Norwich University, and educated his children in a manner creditable to him- self and advantageous to them. In 1860, the University of Vermont conferred upon him the honorary degree of Master of Arts.
He became a voter in 1832, and identi- fied himself with the "National Republi- can " party, and has remained faithful to its principles ever since. He has attended 45 State Conventions of his party, 40 of
which he attended in 39 successive years. He was a delegate from Vermont to the Republican Convention at Philadelphia in 1856, which nominated John C. Fremont. He attended the two National Conventions which nominated Gen. Grant. He was the marshal for Washington County at the " Log Cabin " Convention at Burlington in 1840, and president of the State Conven- tion at Rutland in 1870 which nominated Gen. P. T. Washburn for Governor. Being a positive man, he was never in doubt as to his support of men or measures.
He also taught school in the Center Vil- lage in the winters of 1833, '34, being hired by Mr. Dryer by reason of ability to govern a turbulent school that had been very disorderly for a few winters, and the scholars were brought into good subjec- tion and discipline by him, so that for many years the school felt the influence of his teaching and government.
Mr. Carpenter is a firm believer in the final restoration of all human intelligence to holiness and happiness in God's own good time. He has been a delegate, vice president and president of the Universalist State Convention for many years, and in 1877 it passed the following resolution :
Resolved, That the thanks of this Con- vention be tendered to the Hon. Heman Carpenter for the able and efficient manner in which he has executed the office of pres- ident of this Convention for several years past, and for the urbanity and good spirit he has manifested toward all the members of that Convention.
When Mr. Carpenter came to North- field there were but 14 houses in the " Fac- tory Village." He has borne his part manfully in all the positions he has filled by the suffrages of his fellow citizens, bear- ing always his share of the burdens.
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