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 122
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CONSTABLES AND COLLECTORS OF TAXES.
Jeduthan Huntington, 1796; David Cram, 1797, '98, 1817 to 20; Isaac Lewis, 1799 ; Perus Huntington, 1800; Benjamin Huntington, 1801 ; David McClure, 1802 ; Chester Morris, 1803 to 1808; Roswell Walter, 1808; Rhodolphus Willard, 1809; Darius Houghton, 1810; Ezra Child, 18II; John B. Crandall, 1812; Charles Bancroft, 1813; Joel Hildreth, 1814, '15 ; Charles Sampson, 1816; John Paine, 1820; Henry Boyce, 1821 to 1830; Allen Spalding, 2830, '33; Erastus Spaulding, 1831, '32 ; Amos Wardner, 1834 to 1837; Henry S. Boyce, 1838 to 1841; Dexter Sampson, 1841, '42 ; Elijah Winch, 1843; E. B. Pride, 1844, '45 ; Samuel Ruggles, 1846 to 1850, '55; Ebenz. Ainsworth, 1861 ; S. P. Orcutt, 1852, '53 '59; Daniel D. Hackett, 1855; Orin W. Orcutt, 1856, '76, '78; Benjamin Edwards, 1857, '58; W. J. Simonds, 1860, '62, '63; Langdon R. Nichols, 1861; H. G. Ellis, 1864 to 1870; Charles Spalding, 1870, '71 ; Sam- uel M. Hildreth, 1872 ; Zed. S. Stanton, 1873, '74, '75, '77 ; Azro J. Boyce, 1879, '80, '81.
LISTERS.
David Cram, 1796, 1806; Thomas Hunt- ington, 1796, '98; Jedediah Huntington,
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Samuel Richardson, 1797; Isaac Lewis, 1797, '98 ; John Stafford, 1798, '99, 1808 ; Chester Batchelder, 1799: Perus Hunting- ton, 1799, 1802 ; Uriah Richardson, 1800, 1807, '12. '17; Joseph Adams, Darius Spaulding, 1800 ; David McClure, Benja- min Huntington, Daniel Freeman, 1801 ; David Nutting, Joseph Converse, 1802 ; Samuel Smith, 1803, '5; Clark Stone, Charles Fitts, 1803 ; Joel Hildreth, 1804, '5, '6 ; Charles Stone, 1804 ; Zeb. Butler, 1804; Jonathan F. Ruggles, 1805, '9, '10, '16, '17, '22, '24, '27, '30; Samuel Robin- son, 1806, '21, '22, '24, '27 ; Samuel M. Orcutt, 1807, '12, '17, '18, '19, '34, '38 ; Robert Cram, 1807, '8; Lorin Green, 1808 ; Charles Bancroft, 1809; Ephraim Morris, 1809 : Salmon Cross, 1810 ; James Bancroft, 1810, 'II, '12; Gilbert R. Spaulding. 1811, '15 ; Anson Adams, 1812 ; Enos Youngs, Bezalel Spaulding, 1813,'15 ; Darius Hatch, 1813, '14, '15 ; John Paine, 1814, '19, '20, '26, '30; Thomas Davis, 1814; Billa Woodward, 1815, '20, '23, '28; Ira Hunter, 1818; Henry Boyce, 1818, '23 ; Amos Wardner, 1819; Charles Samson, 1822, '23, '30, '32, '33, '36, '37, '38,, '47, '48, '51 ; Nathan Morse, 1826, '27, '28, '32, '36, '37, '42, '43; James Burnham, 1825, '26, '29; Elijah Ellis, 1827 ; Silas C. Briggs, 1828 ; Daniel Flint, Shubael Wales, 1829; Erastus Spalding, Henry S. Boyce, 1831, '55, '56; Silas Hall, 1830; Isaiah Shaw, 1832, '37, '42 '43; David Withington, William Ruggles, 1833: John Walbridge, 1834; Stillman Ruggles, 1834, '36, '40, '54; Alvin Braley, 1838, '43, '44, '46, '48, '59, '61 ; Benj. Edwards, Jr., 1838, '49, '50, '53, '54, '59; Samuel M. Hildreth, 1839, '40, '41, '51, '71 ; Eleazar Woodward, Consider Hyland, IS39; Wm. Woodward, 1840; Philip Cram, 1841, '48, '49; Benoni Webster, 1841, '47 ; Samuel Edwards, Jr., 1841, '57, '60 ; Allen Spaulding, 1842, '46, '47, '60 ; Luther Ainsworth, 1844 ; Thomas R. Shaw, 1844, '45, '46, '49; Hibbard A. Perry, 1850; Wm. W. Woodward, 1850; Ed- mond Pope, 1851, '52, '56, '65 ; Elijah Winch, 1845, '57, '62, '63; Stephen Pierce, 1845 ; Asaph Silsbury, 1851 ; Alvin L. Brigham, 1852; Stillman Ruggles,
1853; Wilson I. Simonds, 1854, '66, '81 ; Seth M. Bailey, 1855; E, P. Burnham, 1855, '56. '61, '62 ; Clark Wiley, 1858 ; R. S. Glidden, Dexter Samson, 1858; Wm. B. Orcutt, 1859, '64, '65; Joseph B. Ed- wards, 1859; Alphonso Ladd, 1862 ; Phi- lander Wiley, 1862, '63, '72, '73; Azro A. Simonds, J863 ; Buel Gold, 1865, '67, '74, '75 ; A. A. Smith, 1864, '65; C. B. Williams, Cyrus Howard, 1866 ; Samuel G. Stanton, 1867; Jason W. Powers, 1868 ; Ralph W. Rood, Aaron Webster, 1868 ; Charles Spaulding, 1869, 70; Billings Spalding, 1869; Isaac A. Flint, 1869; Clark Wiley, 1870, 71 ; Storrs S. Clough, 1870, 71; Frank T. Snow, 1872; Arza Boyce, 1872, '78, '81 ; J. E. D. Hildreth, 1873, '74; David B. Adams, 1873; David H. Stanton, 1873, '75; J. P. Warner, 1875; Horace A Thayer, 1876; Zed. S. Stanton, 1876, '77; Henry M. Spalding, 1876; Charles Adams, D. L. Nichols, 1877, '78; Clark Flint, 1879, '80, 'SI; E. C. Bowman, J. E. D. Colby, 1879; Geo. W. Williams, James Steel, 1880.
TITHINGMEN, 1805-'40.
Silas Spalding, Job Orcutt, Chester Batch- elder, Caleb Stowe, Waterman Spalding, David G. Nutting, Enos Young. Roswell Adams, Elijah Ellis, Jas. Y. Wolf, John Baldwin, Wm. Gold, Jacob Wardner, Sam'l. Richardson, Willard Smith, John M. Spal- ding, Asahel Blake, Darius Houghton, Uri- ah Richardson, Sam'l. Wright, Benoni Web- ster, Jacob Loomis, Silas Braley, Nathan Morse, Adin Smith, H. M. Nichols, Eleazer Woodward, Benjamin Edwards, Stillman Ruggles, Alvin L. Brigham, Daniel Flint, James Pike, Samuel Ford, Alva Richard- son, Cyrus Flint, Nathan Emerson.
TOWN AGENTS.
John B. Crandall, 1815, 1816; Henry Boyce, 1817 ; Charles Samson, 1829 ; Amos Wardner, 1833; Nathan Morse, 1834 ; Silas Braley, 1842, '44 ; Allen Spalding, 1841, '47, '49, '54, '60, '61 ; Alvin Braley, 1844, '46, '48, '50, '51, '52, '53, '55, '56, '59, '62, '63 ; Edmond Pope, 1864; Dexter Samson, 1867, '68; James P. Warner, 1872; Samuel G. Stanton, 1875; Wil- liam B. Orcutt, 1869, '76; Erastus N.
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Spalding, '77, '71, '70, '58, '57 ; Samuel G. Stanton, '78, '65 ; S. S. Clough, '79, '73, '74 ; Orrin W. Orcutt, '80, '81.
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS.
Joseph Silsbury, 1851, '52, '48 ; Aaron Webster, '50, '52 ; Stephen Pierce, '46, '47, '49 ; Allen W. Jenny, '55 ; Hira G. Ellis, '56; Samuel G. Stanton, '57; F. V. Randall, '58, '57 ; Aaron Webster, '58 ; O. Richard- son, '59 ; Austin A. Smith, '60, '61 ; Jas. F. Button, '48; Buel Gold, '62; H. G. Ellis, '63 ; Aldin Ladd, '64, '65; S. G. Stanton, '66, '67, '70, '71, '72; Wm. L. White, '68, '67; Andrew Stanton, '73 : D. L. Nichols, '74, '75, '76, '78 ; Zed S. Stanton, '77, '79, .'80, '81.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
Charles Samson, 1850, '51, '52, '53, '54, '38, '40, '44, '45, '47, '27, '31, '33, 49 ,4, 1, 39, 20, 28, 25, 26, 24, 22, 23, 48, 33, 34, 30, 55, 46, 21 ; Byer Edwards, 1850, 51, 52, 53, 54, 58, 61, 62, 40, 43, 44, 45, 47, 41, 46, 49, 48 ; Philip Cram, 1850, 51, 48, 49, 46; Buel Gold, 1850, 51, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 74, 75 ; Elijah Winch, 1850, 51, 52, 53, 57, 58, 62, 44 ; Stephen Pierce, 1851, 52, 44, 45, 47, 49, 48, -46; Hiram Wal- bridge, 1852, 53, 54, 55, 69, 70, 74, 75 ; Asaph Silsbnry, 1852, 53, 49 ; Alvin Braley, 1853, 54, 44, 45, 47, 49, 46; Stillman Ruggles, 1854, 55, 44, 47, 49, 48, 37, 35, 46; Wm. B. Orcutt, 1855, 56; Calvin Murray; 1855, 56; E. P. Burnham, 1855, 56, 59, 60, 61, 63; A. B. Hutchinson, 1855, 56; Edmond Pope, 1856, 61, 62, 63; Sewell Hutchinson, 1856, 57; I. M. Hildreth, 1842, 43, 44, 45, 47, 57, 49, 48 ; W. I. Simonds, 1857, 58 ; Solomon Ferry, 1857, 58 ; Sylvester Moffit, 1857, 58; O. W. Orcutt, 1859, 60, 61 ; Samuel P. Wales, 1859, 60; Austin A. Smith, 1859, 60, 61 ; Cyrus Howard, 1859, 60, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68; Horace M. Nichols, 1861, 62, 63, 64 65, 66, 40, 43, 44, 45, 47, 41, 46, 48, 39, 49 ; Clark Wiley, 1860, 61 ; James Steele, 1862, 63, 64; Samuel G. Stanton, 1862, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68 ; Dexter Samson, 1862, 63; Jehial Allen, 1839, 40, 41, 42 ; E. Brackett, 1840, 41, 42; Wm. Ruggles, 1838, 40, 47, 39, 49, 48 ; Wm. W. Wood-
ward, 1838, 45, 47, 49, 48, 35; E. B. Pride, 1840, 47 ; Robert Cram, 1838, 43, 45, 47, 39, 23, 25, 24, 26, 22 ; John Cross, 1838, 39, 41, 35, 49; H. S. Boyce, 1838, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 41, 49, 39, 46, 48 ; Al- len Spalding, 1842, 43, 44, 45, 47, 41, 49, 40, 48, 35 ; Darius Hatch, 1838, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 49, 41, 48, 46; Samuel M. Orcutt, 1822, 39, 38, 40, 44, 27, 28, 31, 33, 34, 41, 49, 32, 35, 36, 24, 26, 46, 20, 22, 30, 33, 34, 35, 23, 25, 26, 28, 21 ; Luther Ainsworth, 1842, 43, 45, 47, 49, 48, 46; Samuel Ruggles, 1840, 44, 49 ; Jared Hildreth. 1838, 42 ; A. P. Walcott, 1842, 43; Jared Keith, 1841, 42, 43, 44; Thomas R. Shaw, 1848, 42, 49; Isaiah Shaw, 1834, 41, 42, 43, 20, 30, 28, 24, 25, 23, 22 ; Jonathan F. Ruggles, 1827, 31, 33, 34, 13, 28, 16, 20, 30, 35, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21; Daniel Loomis, 1849; Henry Smith, 1833, 34; James Cram, 1849; Amos Wardner, 1834, 35 ; Daniel Kings- bury, 1827 ; Uriah Richardson, 1817, 20, 27, 26, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 18, 19, 21 ; Nathan Morse, 1831, 33, 28, 30; H. G. Ellis, 1863, 64; W. S. Roys, 1863, 64; Ralph W. Rood, 1866, 67, 68 ; Emery P. Cram, 1866; Asahmel Flint, 1866, 67, 68, 72, 73, 80, 81 ; Oramel Richardson, 1868 ; Salmon Williams, 1868, 72, 73, 78, 79, 74, 75 ; Erastus N. Spalding, 1870 ; Storrs S. Clough, 1870, 74, 75 ; Charles Spalding, 1870; John F. Roys, 1870; Charles I. Holden, 1870; Gideon Edwards, 1870 ; J. F. Pearsons, 1871 ; Jothan Ellis, 1876, 77, 74, 75 ; Azro A. Simonds, 1871 ; A. J. Averill, 1873; Orza Boyce, 1873; C. L. Ellis, 1873, 76, 77 ; James Burnham, 1831, 32 ; Aaron Webster, 1876, 77 ; Luther G. Tracy, 1876, 77 ; Hira G. Ellis, 1876, 77, 78, 79; C. H. Eaton, 1878, 79; E. E. Bowman, 1878, 79 ; George B. Hall, 1878, 79, 80, 81 ; Alphonso Ladd, 1880, 81 ; A. L. Nichols, 1880, 81 ; L. F. Wiley, 1880, 81 ; Darius Spalding, 1804, 5, 14, 15, 16, 13, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19 ; James Pike, 1839 ; Samuel Robertson, 1820, 9, 10, 16; Be- noni Webster, 1846, 48, 49; Zeb. Butler, 1803, 4; Roswell Adams, 1803, 4; Rho- dolphus Willard, 1810, 11, 12, 13; John Freeman, 1795.
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TOWN REPRESENTATIVES.
Rhodolphus Willard, 1809, '10, '11, '12 ; Darius Spalding, 1813, '15, '16; Jonathan F, Ruggles, 1817; Charles Samson, 1818, '19, '20, '21, '24, '25, '28. '37, '38, '39, '41 ; Robert Cram, 1822, '23; Isaiah Shaw, 1826, '27, '31, '32, '33, '40 ; Nathan Morse, 1829, '34, '35, '36; Allen Spalding, 1842, '43, '52, '53; Thomas R. Shaw, 1846; Benjamin Edwards, Jr., 1847; Dexter Samson, 1849, '50; Henry S. Boyce, 1851 ; Elijah Winch, 1854; Alvin Braley, 1855, '56; Edward Pope, 1857; F. V. Randall, 1858; Wm. B. Orcutt, 1859, '60 ; Seth M. Bailey, 1861 ; Chester Clark, 1862 ; Seth M. Bailey, 1863; Edmond Pope, 1864, '65 ; Austin A. Smith, 1866; Samuel G. Stanton, 1867, '68, '69; Erastus N. Spalding, 1870, '71 ; 1872, no elections ; Enos K. Young, 1874, '75 ; A. N. Tilden, 1876, '77; Wm. B. Orcutt, 1878-'81.
ASSISTANT JUDGES OF COUNTY COURT.
Charles Samson, 1842, '43; Nathan Morse, Alvin Braley, 1858, '59. Wm. B. Orcutt, 1874, '75;
Sheriff,-O. W. Orcutt, 1865, '66.
DELEGATES TO CONSTITUTIONL CONVEN- TIONS.
Darius Spaulding, 1814; Jonathan P. Ruggles, 1822 ; Nathan Morse, 1828, '35 ; Henry S. Boyce, 1842 ; Thomas R. Shaw, 1849; Samuel U. Hildreth, 1870.
POSTMASTERS.
First postmaster, John M. Spaulding, from 1826 to '49; O. W. Orcutt, 1849 to '53 ; Billings Spaulding and A. N. Tilden, 1861 to '63 ; Julius Spaulding, 1865 to '66; Orin W. Orcutt, 1866 to the present time.
EAST ROXBURY .- Shubael Wales, 1830 to '42; Stillman Ruggles, 1841 to '43; Samuel Ruggles, 1843 to '52 ; Jacob Ward- ner, in 1852, and present incumbent.
Merchants :- Among others beside what I have previously named, I remember Woodward, Thresher, A. N. Tilden, Ed. Ferris, J. Riford, Mansfield, I. Brigham, E. P. Burnham, A. N. Tilden & Son, the two last firms at present doing good busi- ness. Asa Taylor was the first to keep store in town.
E. N. Spaulding's steam-mill burned down in November, since I wrote up the
manufacturing business, and another one was well under way here when I came from Roxbury. Stephen Butterfield has been station agent and telegraph operator nearly the whole time since the railroad came to Roxbury. E. N. Spalding is a promi- nent business man, dealing heavily in lumber. Will Spalding, his son, is now " dispatcher " in an office in Boston.
THANKS are especially due O. W. Orcutt, Aaron Webster and Zed Stanton, Esq. I have received considerable information from three grand-daughters of Samuel Rich- ardson-Mrs. York, Mrs. Woodard and Mrs. Youngs ; also from O. Richardson, a former resident of this town. Many have no doubt felt interested who have devoted no time, therefore much will be left out, inevitably, which cannot fail of being a source of regret to their posterity ; for, however this may seem to us of to-day, to whom much of this history is familiar, future generations will peruse it with the greatest interest, and every incident of the hardships, privations and heroism of the pioneers, related at many firesides by our children's children. S. B. M.
ROXBURY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
The day chosen for the Celebration fell on Tuesday, fair and fine as one could wish. The procession of citizens and visitors formed at the town-house, and led by Northfield Cornet Band, drum corps, mil- itia, old folks' temperance organization, grange and civilians, marched to a charm- ing little grove near the depot, where a stand had been erected for music and speakers, tables laid for an old-fashioned dinner in a little vale just below, tended by young ladies, picturesque in short waists, enormous puffed sleeves and narrow gored skirts, guiltless of trimmings. Among the visitors who were assigned seats of honor upon the stand were Philip Cram, the first child born in Roxbury, from Brookfield ; Mrs. Orcutt, widow of Sam- uel Orcutt, and mother of those residing in Roxbury and Northfield of that name, the oldest person present, being 94 years of age. There were 39 persons over 70, 30 of them being over 80.
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HISTORICAL ADDRESS, (BY Z. S. STANTON, ESQ.)
Delivered at Roxbury, Aug. 22, 1876, Maj. Allen Spaulding, president of the oc- casion ; a. large concourse of citizens and visitors present ; from which we ex- tract the portions pertaining strictly to the history of the town not already covered by the papers of Mrs. Mansfield, given :
" Many of the early settlers of this town- ship were veterans of the Revolution. Doubtless the tract of land now known as the town of Roxbury was never the per- manent home of the Indians. Yet it may be inferred from the geographical position of this portion of our State, that the Indians, in their predatory excursions against the colonial settlements of New England, passed through here. The Iro- quois, Cossuck and St. Francis tribes fre- quented this portion of our State at various times while on their hunting excursions, and doubtless the smoke of their camp- fires wended up from this little valley many times. In the fall of 1780, the town of Royalton was pillaged and burned by a band of Indians from Canada, who on their return passed through the west part of Brookfield, and probably the east part of this town. Arrow-heads and other relics have been found here at various times, which prove conclusively that the red man was here at a time previous to any white man's emigration to this township. Nov. 6, 1780, this township was granted, and it was chartered by the Governor, Council and General Assembly of the State, Aug. 5, 1781, to Benjamin Emmons and 64 others, nearly all of whom were residents of Windsor County. I think two of these persons afterwards resided in this town. Among the names of those to whom this township was chartered, I find those of Thomas Chittenden, Paul Spooner, and others prominent in the early history of Vermont. Besides the land chartered to those men, there was chartered one right for the use of a seminary or college, one for the use of a county grammar school, one for the purpose of the settlement of a minister of the gospel, one for the support of the social worship of God, and one for the support of an English school or schools in this town. The proprietors of this township held their first meeting at the house of Benjamin Burtch, an innholder in Hartford, County of Windsor, Nov. 20, 1783 ; Hon. Paul Spooner, moderator, and Briant Brown, clerk. A committee, . consisting of Briant Brown, Esq., Capt. Samuel Robinson and Samuel M. Orcutt were at one time associated in mercantile John Strong, Elisha Gallup, Abel Lyman and Asa Taylor were chosen to examine | business, and occupied the room now usec
this township, and to lay out 100 acres to each proprietor as a first division, with the allowance of five per cent. for highways. They were also instructed to procure a surveyor, chainmen and provisions. They held an adjourned meeting Dec. 25 the same year, and voted to lay a tax of IO s. lawful money, on each proprietor's right or share of land, for the purpose of paying the expenses of surveying. This tax was to be paid in money, wheat, beef or pork, at cash price. They chose Capt. John Strong collector, and Major Joel Mathews, treasurer. They also voted a tax of 2 s. lawful money, on each proprietor's right or share of land in this township, for the pur- pose of defraying charges that had arisen in procuring the charter. It is impossible to ascertain just how many meetings were held by the proprietors of this township, or when the survey was made. I think, however, that the survey was not made at this time, and possibly not until several years later. There was a proprietors' meeting held at the house of Asa Edgerton, in Randolph, Aug. 6, 1788 ; Major Elijah Paine, moderator, and Deacon David Bates, clerk. A vote similar to the one taken at Hartford, with the addition of an- other division, was passed. It is possible that the survey of the township was made previous to this time, but I have no author- ity for saying so. Each proprietor had one lot in each division. On the 21st day of May, 1789, the first settlement was made in this township.
Mr. Huntington, the first settler, was an elderly man, and was accompanied by several children, some of whom had ar- rived at maturity at that time. Three of his sons, Jedediah, Thomas and Jonathan were quite prominent in town affairs when the town was organized. I am not able to say who the next settlers of this township were, but soon after Huntington and Rich- ardson came here, Mr. Isaac Lewis settled in this township, and Messrs. David, Robert and Jonathan Cram located on the farms now owned and occupied by Messrs. Chatterton, Bowman and Clough. [See previous account of.]
Jacob Wardner came to this town in 1801, and built a log house on the farm now owned by H. A. Thayer. The next year he moved his family to this place. He was a German, and was born on board a vessel while his parents were emigrating to this country, and he used to boast that he 'never was born on the face of God's earth.'
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by J. F. Pearson as a harness shop. This was the second store kept in town. They did a good business, and to use my in- formant's own words, 'There was not so many Bostons then as now; then the Granger did not trouble the merchant, and the potato bug did not bother the Granger; then the merchants drew their molasses without the help of patent gates, and sold new rum without a license.'
Elijah Ellis lived where Mrs. Brackett now does. He built the house at this place, and it was the first house built in town that was arranged for the use of stoves, I am informed. He had no fire- place or ' stack of chimneys,' as they were called, and people thought it a great de- parture from the old ways. Ellis also built the first clover-mill in town. [See Mrs. Mansfield's record.]
About this time Moses Woodard lived where Peter Gilbert now does, whose son was the noted manufacturer of the frames of saddles. There was a tavern kept here for some time, and the place was known as the center of the town. Below Wood- ward's, on the road leading to where the village now is, lived James Bancroft, who was for many years town clerk, and has left upon the town records some splendid specimens of penmanship, that might well serve for copies for many at this day. There were in 1810 but three houses where the village now is-the house of Mr. Bur- roughs, near where Mrs. Martell lives, and two others, near where Charles Leonard now resides. At this time, 1810, there was a considerable portion of the town settled.
After the return of our volunteers from Plattsburgh, with the exception of town meetings and trainings, the town was com- paratively quiet. These trainings were held at various places, sometimes at Billa Woodard's and Capt. Orcutt's, on the east hill, and often near the tavern of John M. Spaulding. Mr. Spaulding kept this tav- ern, and was also proprietor of a saw-mill and grist-mill at this place. Then one day n each week was set apart for the grind- ng of salt. Coarse salt was the only kind of that commodity that could be obtained, ind as the thrifty housewives then, as now, ook great pride in making good butter, hey had of necessity to grind their salt at he grist-mill. Mr. Spaulding built the hotel in the village in 1830. He was an energetic business man, and accumulated handsome property for those honest days. For many years the town meetings were veld at dwellings in various parts of the own. I find by consulting the town rec- rds that these meetings were held at the louses of the following-named gentlemen,
in the order that they occur: Jedediah Huntington, Samuel Richardson, Chris- topher Huntington, Lemuel Smith, Ichabod Munsel, Billa Woodard, Samuel M. Orcutt and Luther Ainsworth. After this they were held at the village, in the meeting- house and hotel hall, until the town-house was built, in 1854.
The verd antique marble was discovered in Roxbury, 1833, by a gentlemen named McCain.
No State in the Union has a better rec- ord in connection with the war of the re- bellion than Vermont-and no town in the State has a better one than Roxbury. With a population of 1060, Roxbury gave the Union army 95 brave soldiers, 8 of whom re-enlisted. Co. H, 6th Vt. Regt,, under command of Capt. D. B. Davenport, was recruited in this town in the fall of 1861. Besides this company there were residents of this town in many other regiments. Twenty-six of these died in the service of their country. .
Besides these, there were of those who enlisted from other places, but who were residents of this town, two that died-Homer Pearson in a rebel pris- on, at Salisbury, N. C., and Samuel Shep- herd, who was a member of a Massachu- setts regiment, in the service. In all, 29 men of this town fell in the defense of hu- man liberty. I wish that this town might imitate the action of other towns, and erect a monument to the memory of these martyrs.
So far as manufacturing is concerned; Roxbury has done but little, and doubtless the wealth that is obtained here must come through the hard hand of the farmer. Mr. Shubal Wales, who kept tavern at East Roxbury many years ago, was also propri- etor of clothing works at that place, but it was not a very extensive concern.
The people here have to a considerable extent, been dependent upon itinerant preachers. After Mr. Huntington remov- ed to Canada, the settlers at East Roxbury secured the services of Elder Seaver, of Williamstown, and meetings were held in the school house. Elder Hovey also held meetings there, and soon after a Calvinist Baptist church was formed. There has been, I think, a church organization there ever since. Their present church, the First Christian, was organized in Feb., 1863. Rev. Henry Howard is now their pastor. The union house of worship was built in this village in 1839. Previous to this, the meetings were held in school houses, and sometimes in barns. Considerable excite- ment was occasioned at the time the first minister in town was ordained. In those days, there were many lay preachers, and
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one of these, a man named Culver, was privately ordained and laid claim to this lot, together with all the improvements that had been made upon it. The select- men of the town objected to this, but Cul- ver would not yield, and then they endeav- vored to have a preacher named Smith, better known as "Happy John," ordained. He declined, and Ophir Shipman was next appealed to. He consented, and was the first regularly ordained minister in Rox- bury. He held the value of the land with- out improvements. The result of this strife was the destroying of the Baptist church at this place.
My fellow townsmen, in conclusion, let me say that I would that this task of chronicling a history of our town might have been performed by abler hands than mine. With the short time alloted me I could, of course, give nothing but a rough sketch of those incidents brought most vividly to my notice. I trust they are in the main correct. My thanks are due those who have so kindly furnished me with material, and I hope the day is not far distant when a fuller and more com- plete history may be written. If you de- rive half the pleasure in listening to this that I have in learning of those pioneers in our town, I shall be satisfied. I think we are too apt in this fast age not to look back to the lives and deeds of those who have gone before. Said Edmund Burke, " A people who do not look back to their ancestors will not look forward to their posterity," and still there are many to-day if called upon to give the maiden name of their grandmother would be una- ble to do so. To know more of those whose places we now fill, to learn of their virtues, to know wherein they erred, is our right and duty. In our little mountain town, away up among the Green Moun- tains, we have no great history to write of, no mighty deeds of valiant men to chroni- cle, no biography of some brilliant person who has gone from here and startled the world with his genius, for no native of · Roxbury has been, to my knowledge, a member of Congress or of the State Prison either, but simply a story of hardy men and brave women seeking and making their homes among these hills. There are times when, perhaps, we may wish for a more genial clime and a more fertile soil, but none of us after living here a series of years will fail to love these hills, for it is our home. When we consider the changes that have been wrought in our State and nation during the past century, we know that our little town has kept pace with the rest. How different the scene of to-day and the one Samuel Richardson gazed on when
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