The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 111

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 111

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In 1865, at a stockholders' meeting, it was voted to organize the Northfield Na- tional Bank, under the laws of the United States. H. C. Ely was appointed assist- ant cashier in Nov. 1864.

1878, Jan. 8, at the annual meeting, Geo. Nichols, John Lamson, Charles A. Edgerton. J. C. Gallup and J. C. Cady

were elected direc- tors, and George Nichols, president ; since then, F. L. Ely, cashier, having deceased, Chas. A. Edgerton, Jr., was appointed in his place.

The NORTHFIELD SAVINGS BANK was incorporated in 1867. By close at- tention to its inter- ests, and an eco- nomical administra- tion of its affairs, in 11 years it vies in importance and stability with older CONY. institutions in our State. Officers for 1877-78 : George M. Fsk, president : George H. Crane, vice president ; Jas. C. B. Thayer, trea. ; Carlos D. Williams, secretary ; board of directors, Orvis D). Edgerton, Jasper H. Orcutt, Andrew E. Denny, John P. Davis, Edwin K. Jones. Amount of deposits, $151,861.17.

[From Mr. Gregory's account in 1878. For sketch of Mr. G., see page 622.]

Banks-completed by Joseph K. Edgerton.

NORTHFIELD BANK was organized in 1852, under the general banking law of the State, but did not go into business until after it had, in 1853, received a char- ter from the Legislature. Its first presi- dent was Calvin Ainsworth ; second, Perley Belknap ; third, Alvin Braley ; fourth, Geo. Nichols. The first cashier was H. M. Bates ; second, John B. Hutchinson ; third, Arthur Ropes ; fourth, Henry G. Ely, Fred L. Ely ; fifth, Charles A. Edgerton, Jr.

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GOOD TEMPLARS.

GOULDSVILLE LODGE, NO. 166 .- The pioneer Lodge of the town, formed Dec. 20, 1871, with 13 charter members, the number just sufficient to obtain a charter. July 31, 1872, the Lodge had a member- ship of 100. Oct. 11, 1872, notice of the death of Charles Grant,-the first death of a member. Mar. 18, 1873, E. N. Chandler was instantly killed by an engine ; also died the same month, Sherman Gold, a charter member, a life-long temperance man ; and the same spring, Myra Bowen, a worthy member, died ; Jan. 1876, Joseph Gould, an esteemed charter member ; December, Ella Simons and Mrs. Harriet Thrasher, sisters.

The highest number of members at any one time has been 139; the lowest since the first quarter 68 ; and the present mem- bership is 74, in good standing, doing a good work. The Lodge is free from debt, and money in the treasury. As an auxili- ary of the Lodge, there is a Juvenile Tem- ple, of over 40 members, mostly children between the ages of 5 and 16, doing a good work for temperance, and in connection with the Lodge, may be considered one of the permanent institutions of the place.

List of Past Worthy Good Templars .- H. H. Perkins, George Carter, A. F. An- drews, Charles F. Beard, H. S. Thrasher, D. R. Fisk, Charles McIntosh, H. L. Rich, E. F. Sisco, H. P. Flint, D. R. Fisk, A. Rich, S. F. Gibbs, Charles Benedict.

MOUNTAIN GEM LODGE, Independent Order of Good Templars, organized Mar. 20, 1873, at South Northfield, the second Lodge of Good Templars in the town ; has numbered among its members the best citizens of that part of the town, and has always exerted a good, general moral in- fluence with temperance sentiments. It started with 28 charter members ; officers : W. W. Holden, worthy chief templar ; Dora L. Holden, worthy vice templar ; E. K. Jones, worthy secretary ; Harriet E. Jones, worthy assistant secretary ; Geo. H. Denny, worthy financial secretary ; Martin Cobleigh, worthy treasurer ; Wm. Slade, worthy chaplain; Frank S. Mead, past

worthy chief templar ; F. A. Jones, worthy marshal; Olive A. Howe, worthy deputy marshal ; Matilda J. Howe, worthy right hand supporter ; Delia Mead, worthy left hand supporter ; Elra M. Slade, worthy guard ; O. A. Slade, worthy sentinel.

The Worthy Chief Templars since the organization of the Lodge: W. W. Holden, Thomas Slade, E. K. Jones, Martin Cobleigh, E. Kimball, Allen Slade, Herman T. J. Howe, Dan. Derby, Frank 'W. Gold, Fred A. Jones, Jeff. E. House, Albert Steele, Elra M. Slade, S. P. Or- cutt and F. E. Steele.

Worthy Vice Templars, Dora L. Holden, Elva M. Steele, Harriet E. Jones, Carrie Cobleigh, Celia Gold, Nellie Kimball, Emma A. Wright, Aurora M. Edson, Clara Cobleigh, Anna Fuller, Etta Briggs, Susie Jones, Abbie Kimball, Anna Jones and Roxana Orcutt.

The Lodge deputies have been : Thos. Slade, W. W. Holden, S. P. Orcutt and Dan. Derby.

The following have been delegates to the Grand Lodge : W. W. Holden, E. K. Jones, S. P .. Orcutt, Thomas Slade and Dan. Derby.

The Lodge now numbers about 50 mem- bers. It is numerically the smallest Lodge of the town, but it has always numbered among its members more of the eligible inhabitants of its jurisdiction than either of the other Lodges; and, although its field of labor has not been as hard as the others, yet it has done a good work.

SONS OF TEMPERANCE. Central Divis- ion, No. 80, instituted Feb. 16, 1858, had its day of working good in Northfield in the cause of temperance. The best minds in this town were its warmest supporters, But, like other benevolent associations for the suppression of vice, it declined, and gave way to more preferable organiza- tions, but its existence was a blessing tc many, and it deserves honorable mention in our temperance record. It died out.

CARSWELL TEMPLE OF HONOR, was in stituted Dec. 28, 1868; the expense o running it seemed too high for those il moderate circumstances.

C B Ch De W tion the Ov for a for ini Starti prising resenti stepped the lodg it had a banner State, w

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Yourstruly

NORTHFIELD LODGE, NO. 175, Inde- pendent Order of Good Templars, was or- ganized in the village of Northfield, at Concert Hall, Apr. 3, 1873, by Col. John B. Mead, of Randolph, Grand Worthy Chief Templar, assisted by Rev. E. Folsom, Deputy Grand Worthy Chief Templar for Washington County, and by large delega- tions from the Lodges at Gouldsville and the South Village.

Over 100 names were on the application for a charter, and 80 presented themselves for initiation on the evening of institution. Starting with so large a membership, com- prising many of our best citizens and rep- resenting all branches of industry, it stepped at once into the front ranks among the lodges of the State, and in Jan. 1875, it had a membership of 201, making it the banner lodge of the County and of the State, which position it has since held.

The largest membership was in Aug. 1877, when it numbered 290 members in good standing. At the occasion of its fifth anni- versary the report shows that there had been in- itiated into the lodge over 500 members. One-half that number have severed their connection with the lodge by removals, with- drawals, etc., leaving the present number 250. In Jan. 1875, this lodge, as- sisted by the cotemporary lodges of the town, enter- tained the Grand Lodge of the State, and in January, 1879, will again have the same pleasure. The offi- cers at the organization of the lodge were: Frank Plumley, worthy chieftem- plar ; Altha Dutton, worthy vice templar ; Ladoit Der- by, worthy secretary ; Mrs. L. W. Avery, worthy fi- nancial secretary ; L. W. Avery, worthy treasurer ; J. F. Davis, worthy chap- lain ; S. B. Spaulding, worthy marshal ; Hattie Clifford, worthy deputy marshal ; Lizzie Knapp, worthy guard ; H. W. Davis, worthy sentinel; Mrs. L. L. Plumley, worthy right hand supporter ; Clara Max- ham, worthy left hand supporter; A. R. Savage, lodge deputy.

Succeeding Worthy Chief Templars .- Rev. R. A. Greene, Frank Plumley, J. F. Davis, O. D. Edgerton, Dr. P. D. Brad- ford, L. W. Avery, W. H. H. Claflin, Dr. W. H. Bryant, C. M. Johnston and F. R. Bates.

Representatives to Grand Lodge-1874, A. R. Savage, Frank Plumley ; 1875, W. H. H. Claflin, Ella Dutton ; 1876, O. D. Edgerton, Mrs. L. W. Avery, Washington Coburn; 1877, J. F. Davis, C. M. John- ston, Mrs. Carrie Smith ; 1878, Rev. A. B. Truax, Dr. W. H. Bryant, Mrs. W. H. H. Claflin.

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Members of the Lodge honored by the Grand Lodge-1874, F. Plumley, alternate delegate to right worthy grand lodge ; 1874, A. R. Savage, district deputy for Washington County ; 1875 and since, F. Plumley, grand worthy secretary, by an- nual elections ; Mrs. F. Plumley, assistant grand secretary two years; 1876, O. D. Edgerton, member finance committee 3 years ; 1876, Mrs. L. W. Avery, delegate to right worthy grand lodge; 1877, C. M. Johnston, assistant grand secretary ; 1877, O. D. Edgerton, delegate to right worthy grand lodge ; 1877, J. F. Davis and Dr. P. D. Bradford, state deputies ; 1878, O. D. Edgerton, state deputy ; 1878, Rev. A. B. Truax, grand worthy chaplain ; 1878, Frank Plumley, chairman; and O. D. Edgerton, served upon special mission committee.

Without giving this lodge more credit than is its due, it may justly be said it has done and is doing a good work in the tem- perance reformation of the town. The lodge and its members very properly feel a just pride in the position it has taken in the councils of the Grand Lodge, where its influence is by no means inconsiderable.

THE DEGREE TEMPLE, Independent Order of Good Templars .- In 1873, the Degree members of Gouldsville, Mountain Gem, Roxbury, Brookfield and Northfield Lodges organized Union Degree Temple, No. 12, with the following officers : A. R. Savage, degree templar ; Helen Flint, de- gree vice templar ; L. N. Miller, degree secretary ; Mrs. L. W. Avery, degree financial secretary ; J. F. Davis, degree treasurer ; A. W. Edson, degree chaplain ; H. A. Vose, degree Marshal ; Mary Don- ovan, degree guard ; C. Simonds, degree sentinel ; Mrs. L. N. Miller, degree assist- ant secretary ; Clara Havens, degree dep- uty marshal ; Mrs. L. W. Avery, degree right hand supporter ; Mrs. I. G. Foster, degree left hand supporter.

For a time the meetings were held al- ternately with the five lodges joined in its institution, but after a while, owing to the inconvenience of traveling, its meet- ings were permanently established at Good Templars' Hall with Northfield Lodge. On

account of the same reasons for the change of place of meetings, most of the members of the other lodges withdrew, and the Temple is now confined largely to North- field Lodge. There have been about 150 members in all, of which there now re- mains about 60. The Temple is inter- mediate between the subordinate and Grand Lodges, and when well sustained and worked, it is quite as enjoyable as any- thing in Good Templary.

NORTHFIELD JUVENILE TEMPLE, NO. I. -Not least among our valuable institu- tions, and means of doing good, is North- field Juvenile Temple, No. I. Some of our people, realizing the benefit of a thorough temperance education for our children, met Apr. 3, 1875, in Good Tem- plar's Hall, with Miss Lucy Bradshaw, of Montpelier, then State Superintendent of Juvenile Temple, who organized the first Temple in the State, with 53 members, 15 honorary and 38 children. Rev. R. A. Greene was chosen Superintendent, and held that office nearly 2 years, as long as he remained in town, when Mrs. L. E. Pope was appointed, and served 5 months, until she resigned. Mrs. C. M. Persons was appointed, and has held the office the last year, and is doing a noble work. Their pledge is: "I do most solemnly promise that I will never, so long as I live make, buy, sell, or use as a beverage, any spirituous or malt liquors, wine, beer or cider. I also promise to abstain from the use of tobacco in any form. I also prom- ise that I will never take the name of God in vain, or use profane or wicked words. I also promise to do all I can to honor this pledge by a good example, and that I will obey the laws of the Juvenile Templars.

This Temple has increased in numbers and usefulness, and now has more than 150 members, working zealously for Tem- perance .- J. Gregory, 1878.

1875-80, F. Plumley, G. W. Sec. of Gr. Lodge of Vt., delegate from Gr. Lodge to R. W. Gr. Lodge, New York, 1880, and Topeka, Kan., 1881. 1882, Dr. N. W. Gilbert, W. C. T. of Northfield Lodge, and A. F. Andrews, of Gouldsville Lodge. Mt. Gem lodge is dead .- F. Plumley.

S th ta or Ge 1 tion crus cont unifo sion. TH substa all the ages o some

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GEN. ALONZO JACKMAN, LL. D.

GEOLOGY.

[A paper on the Geology of this town, by Professor Jackman, late of the Norwich University, from John Gregory's History of Northfield-the portrait to accompany it in this work being contributed by Mr. Atkins of the Argus.]

REMARK .- In accordance with the char- acter of this book as a history of North- field, the following article is presented in historical form. It, therefore, enters into the bearings of the subject through the successive periods of remote years, and at the same time whatever is introduced per- tains to Northfield. For the chronological order, reference will be made to Dana's Geology.

From a long series of critical observa- tions upon the stratified rocks of the earth's crust, and a close study concerning their contained fossils, geologists have pretty uniformly come to the following conclu- sion, viz. :

That there was a time when no living substance existed upon the globe ; when all the earth was under water ; and, during ages of this chaos, the oceanic currents at some places wore away the earth's crust,

and the resulting detritus, mixed with volcanic discharges, was spread out at other places upon the ocean bed, thereby forming immense stratified deposits to unknown depths. This duration of time is called the Azoic Period, toward the close of which the dry land began to appear, as " mere islets in the great conti- nental sea." (Dana, p. 77.) After this there was a time when life, in its simplest forms, began in the great deep. And during the progress of ages the ocean became filled with animal life, as radiates, mollusks, articulates, and vertebrates, and, in the same manner as above stated, vast stratified deposits, including fos- sils, accumulated to the depth of some seven miles. (Dana, p. 144.) Further, the earth rose gradually above the water, the dry land became covered with vegetation, and animal life everywhere abounded. This portion of time is called the Paleozoic Period. After this there was a Mesozoic Period, whose deposits are some 2 miles deep. (Dana, p. 198.) And after this there was a Conozoic Period, whose de- posits are some 13 miles deep. (Dana, p. 244.) And then came the Age of Man, which is now in progress.

During the time pertaining to each of the above grand periods, the earth was many times convulsed, when its crust in some places was raised to mountain masses, and at other places depressed to sea- basins, thus, in a manner, separating those grand periods into several sub-divisions ; but the grand divisions, at their closing epochs, were more emphatically marked, as if disturbed by special upheavals of such magnitude that at each time nearly all an- imal life upon the globe became extinct, then the following period received a new order of beings upon a higher scale of life. In this manner the earth progressed, up- ward to the Age of Man, and onward to the condition in which we behold it. (Dana.)

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At the times and places of these terres- trial disturbances, mentioned above, the volcanic heat became so intense as to metamorphose those stratified deposits : the sand into granite, the clay into roofing slate, and the coral-reefs and shell-banks into marble, etc. (Dana, p. 312.) Further, when these deposits were being broken up by upheavals, the oceanic currents, charged with gravel-drift, ground off their ragged edges, and moved the detritus to other places of deposit. Thus, the conti- nents, from period to period, rose grad- ually above the water. And now we see the earth with its stratified, out-cropping rocks, well water-worn, even to the top of our highest mountains.

Large portions of the earth's surface are observed to be covered with unstratified deposits, which are confusedly mingled with gravel and boulders ; and, sometimes, these deposits are in hillocks of small wa- ter-worn stones ; as may be seen in Depot village, in the vicinity of School street. Also, on the tops of our highest mountain- peaks, we often see large granite boulders, and other rocks, which must have come from great distances ; and, apparently, at a time not very remote in the past. Now the " Glacier theory" fails to account, con- sistently, for all these appearances ; for, were there, west of the Green Mountains, a glacier, or ice-flow, from the North, it would naturally pass through the Hudson Valley opening ; but, to suppose that this glacier would turn eastward, climb the western front of the Green Mountains, and, as the "drift marks" indicate, cross Vermont the rough way over hills and val- leys, in nearly a horizontal path, is to sup- pose what involves a dynamical absurdity. If, now, we try the theory that there was a flood like the one described in Genesis (Chap. vii), all appearances at once wheel into a consistent line of argument and are compatible with a complete solution of the mysterious problem ; for such a flood would in the polar regions raise from their ancient beds large masses of ice, which had re- ceived from mountain ravines gravel and boulders, by means of thaws and glaciers. Also, from the frozen tops of mountains,

the ancient masses of accumulated ice would'float, thereby tearing off their rocky scalps. These icebergs, moved by wind and current, would drift toward the equa- tor, and on the thawing passage drop their rocky freight upon the submerged land. Further, icebergs, drawing a greater depth of water, would lodge on submerged mountain ridges, and there remain until sufficiently reduced to be pushed over by the elements, thereby making, in their rocky tops, the " drift marks;" which are distinctly seen on the heights about Northfield. As our admitted flood should subside, hillocks of water-worn stones would be formed by the thawing of strand- ed icebergs. Also, sandy terraces, similar to those near the Methodist camp-ground, the fair-ground, and the cemetery, would be formed. (Such terraces have hitherto been placed by geologists in a "Cham- plain Period.") In fact, to account for the appearances every where seen upon the earth's surface, it seemingly requires what is identically the "flood." But whence came the water to make such a flood ? It came in from the ocean, when "all the fountains of the great deep were broken up,2' as a consequent result of the ocean bed being upheaved and the dry land de- pressed. Thus the whole earth became again submerged, as it was in the Azoic Period. Further, the subsidence of the flood was caused by the same agency, in returning the continents and ocean beds- possibly in part-to their former conditions. And all this is in complete accordance with admitted principles in the science of Ge- ology.

The "mere islets" of the Azoic Period in the ancient ages of the world, were the first dry land, (Dana, p 77), but the next land which rose out of the sea was the Green Mountains, (Dana, p 92), which is, therefore, about the oldest dry land upon the globe. When the Green Mountains began to show themselves above the water, the Paleozoic formation had in its struct- ure only the Potsdam and Trenton de- posits, (Dana, p 80, 91), which now rest on the mountain. As ages advanced the mountains gradually rose out of the ocean

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to completion, thereby bringing to the sur- face, in the order of their formation, the successive Paleozoic strata, thus causing an increase of dry land. Hence, from the mountain top eastward, these successive strata have an eastern dip, a western out- crop, and a strike generally parallel to the Green Mountain range. These several outcrops, in the order of their formations, have those of the upper formations consid- erably to the east of those belonging to the lower formations. Further, in the process of their rising, the Green Moun- tains were so irregularly pushed up that their stratified structure received many cross-breaks and contortions. The ocean currents then scooped out these cross- breaks and wore off their rough projections, thus grinding down Vermont into a grand system of high mountains and deep val- leys. In this condition the Green Moun- tains finally came up out of the sea, and now present themselves as a kind of High Backbone Ridge, with large vertebral knobs, and long rib-like spurs, extending eastward to the Connecticut valley, and between these spurs flow the vein-like streams, as Black river, Quechee river, White river, etc.

To get a better idea of the stratified formations in the Green Mountain struc- ture, conceive an explorer to walk from the mountain top eastward through North- field, and to observe the rocks he passes. This person would first walk on the upper surface of some Paleozoic formation, down its dipping slope into Mad River valley, near Waitsfield. Here he would meet the high, out-cropping front of the next form- ation above, which he would climb and having arrived at its top, where it is called " Bald Mountain," he would find himself 2636 feet above tide-water ; but, on Waits- field Mountain, at the highest point in the road between Waitsfield and Northfield, he would stand 2135 feet above tide-water, and upon a slaty formation of hard green- ish stone highly charged with quartz. He. would next, on the upper surface of this formation, pass down its dipping slope into Dog River valley at Northfield, where he would find himself 728 feet above tide-

water, and 638 feet above the surface of Lake Champlain. The hill north-west of Elmwood Cemetery, 1359 feet, and that just south of South village, 1900 feet above tide-water. Also, he would notice a stra- tum of light-greenish, talcose slate-rock, well charged with quartz grit, and locally called "jenkstone." It splits freely into desirable thicknesses, breaks handsomely into rectangular forms, and is doubtless a good building stone. For proof see Mr. Jenks' dwelling-house. Next in order he would notice a stratum of lightish-gray mi- caceous sandstone, locally called " whet- stone ledge," from which whetstones, hones, and the like, are manufactured by Wood & Son, and they are said to be good. Proceeding onward, he would meet the high, out-cropping front of the famous slate formation, from which the noted roofing slate are taken by Adams & Co. Having climbed this high front-called Paine mountain-and standing on its top, he would find himself 2435 feet above tide- water, or 1707 feet above the depot, and he would also get a magnificent view with a clear sweep around the whole circum- ference of the distant horizon. Thence, proceeding onward upon the upper surface of this formation, he would pass down its dipping slope into Berlin Pond valley, where he would meet the out-cropping front of a dark slaty limestone formation. Thence, proceeding over this elevation, he would descend into Williamstown val- ley, and so on he could travel up and down to the Connecticut valley, and to the sea.

At first sight this traveler would think that the rocky stratification over which he passed stood nearly perpendicular to the horizon ; but, on closer inspection, he would discover that what he took for strat- ification was the slaty cleavage of the rock, which is always nearly perpendicular to the bed of stratification. (Dana, p. 36.)

Now the town of Northfield is on an eastern spur of the Green Mountains, and at the centre of the State : for, by actual estimation, from maps and various sur- veys, the center of the town and the center of the State are both found to be upon the same town lot. (Lot No. 9 in range 5.

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See town map.) The town being thus on the Green Mountains, Northfield farmers cultivate about the oldest land in the world where terrestrial life first began. In fact,

"The dust we tread upon was once alive."-Byron.

Dog river runs through the eastern part of the town in a direction a little east of north, taking in on both sides quite re- spectable tributaries, which drain the sev- eral minor valleys of the towu. Thus, by the river, its tributaries, and their great number of feeding springs, the town is well watered. Instead of the surface soil rising abruptly from the banks of the river and brooks, these streams are skirted by handsome narrow meadows and terraced flats, from whose outer limits the ground rises into the highlands in such manner that nearly all the surface, even to the tops of the highest hills, is susceptible of cultivation. There is very little waste land in Northfield. On the river the soil is generally light and sandy, but back from the river, on the upland, the soil is dark, strong and good, suitable for all the crops generally raised in the State. The native timber growth of the town consists of fir, spruce, hemlock, maple, birch, ash, elm, and the like.

BUSINESS IN NORTHFIELD-1882.

BY JOSEPH K. EGERTON.

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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 111

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