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 142
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2 D
Dec 12 62
Mustered out July 15, 65.
Nichols, Don P.
4 D
Aug 17 61
Deserted April 19, 62.
Pierce, Ezekiel
13 ]
Aug 19 62
Mustered out July 21, 63.
Powers, David
2 D
Dec 12 63
Mustered out May 13, 65.
Richard, Eli
13 H
July 19 62
Musician ; died Feb 26, 63.
Richard, Henry
2 D
Dec 12 63
Corp. ; mustered out July 5, 65.
Stowe, Theodore
13 H
Aug 19 62
Sergt. ; Mustered out July 21. 67.
Trow, Loren D.
3 H
June 1 61
Mustered out at Montp'r. Inv. Corps. do Dec 31, 64.
Tucker, Harvey D.
II A
Aug 7 62
Trow, Geo. C.
2 H
Sept 18 61
Vaughn, Isaac C.
2 Bat.
Nov 19 61
Corp. ; discharged Oct 26, 62.
Voodry, Geo. B.
2 F
May 20 61
do Mustered out Jan 29, 64.
Voodry, Henry C.
3 K
Feb 8 62
Voodry, Josephus
3 G
June 1 61
Vaughn, Alvin P.
9 I
June 18 62
Wells, Irvin N.
USMC June 22 63
Wheeler, Wm. C.
II I
May 27 63
do April 13, 64. Prisoner and died at Florence, S. C.
Witham, Thomas
2 K
Dec 19 67
Mustered out Jan 24, 65. do
Wells, Wm. R.
II I
Aug 1 62
do do
White, Geo. A.
2 H
Aug 20 61
Killed at Frederick'gh May 12, 64.
Weeks, Chas. E.
6 H
July II 63
Mustered out June 26, 65. do
Wheeler, John Q.
C Cav.
Oct
7 61
Nov 18, 64.
Witham, Moses
9 I
June 18 62
Deserted June 15, 63.
Whitney, Curtis B.
II I
Aug 30 64
Mustered out June 25, 65.
gle
Way, Jacob
8 A
Aug 26 64
Deserted Oct 8, 64.
Witham, Aaron
9 I
May 28 62
Mustered out June 13, 65.
W
PAID COMMUTATION .- Geo. C. Bemis, Augustus A. Bliss, Edwin Bruce, Roland B. Bruce, Alonzo A. Clark, Samuel Daniels, John A. Goodell, Ira G. Jewell, Stephen Leavitt, Martin Lyford, Corliss G. Osgood, Benjamin F. Rideout, Willard Strague, True A. Town, Vergil B. Webster, Sidney O. Wells, George White, Augustus O. Wilber.
1
This town not only furnished more men than required to fill its quota without any public meetings to stimulate enlistments, and without paying any of the large bounties which most of the towns in the State were compelled to, but furnished several men for Hardwick, Cabot Marshfield, Calais, East Montpelier, Elmore and a few other towns. We claim for Wood. bury an excellent and honorable war record. I think it will be found that there were more men went to the war from here than any town in the State with the same number of in habitants. I have not recorded any more on this list which we are not entitled to, and none but what at the time of their enlistment were residents of our town.
By the request of Hon. F. C. Putnam, I have given this list.
O. D. T.
JOSHUA M. DANA,
was born Dec. 12, 1805, at West Lebanon, N. H. ; he was the grandson of William Dana, one of the first settlers of Lebanon, and son of Wm. Dana, Jr. He lived at Lebanon till he was about 12 years old ; then his father moved to Montpelier, where
he lived a few years, and after moved to Calais. He spent most of the time in Montpelier and Calais, for several years About 1856, he bought land in Woodbury and began clearing it ; built a house, barn etc. In September, 1858, he was married to Miss C. C. Bennett, daughter of Mr
Mustered out June 22, 64. do
do 25, 65.
Died Nov 27, 64. do Oct 25, 62.
Mack, Orson M.
8 F
Mar 1 5 64
Mustered out June 28, 65.
Prisoner. Died soon after exchanged. Discharged Feb 20, 63. Lost Limb.
Thomas, Wm. W.
II I
Nov 23 63
Discharged Feb 1 5, 64. Mustered out Sept 10, 64.
do Killed Oct 19, 64, at Cedar Creek Discharged Sept 20, 62. Ist Sergt., Ist Lieut. ; Resig'd May 2,65 Discharged Sept 2, 63.
Willey, Ransom A.
II I
July 25 62
,
Mustered out Sept 13, 64. Killed in Wilderness May 5, 64. Died at Brattleboro Jan 13, 64.
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Nicholas Bennett of East Montpelier, and went to Woodbury for a permanent home, where he resided until his death, July 3, 1878.
His widow and son, Charles H. Dana, are still living on the farm he cleared for their home. He was an honest man, a good citizen, and beloved by his friends.
His remains were interred in the "Cutler burying ground," at East Montpelier.
H. M. D.
[ He was a somewhat extensive contribu- tor for the Montpelier papers. In the Watchman I find papers on farming, in the Argus and Patriot, " Early Incidents in the history of Lebanon," (N. H.)- " An Indian Scare," etc.,-so traditionally good and well told, we regret the history of both Calais and Woodbury had not been written up while he was alive to have assisted. Woodbury is 15 miles from Montpelier ; Mr. Dana would come out a-foot to his sister's here, and return again on foot to the last year of his life. On one of these visits, Thanksgiving, 1876, his sister, Miss Hannah M. Dana, who lives in the first cottage under the cliff, Elm Street, gave him a gold pen he was to use in writing to her, and he writes : " Jan. first, eighteen hundred seventy-six." We glean from to keep a picture, of this old | tle, Wm. Trundenborough, Ephraim Cut- and quaint Washington County writer's Woodbury home, as drawn by himself.]
( When he got home.)
The boy had been good And fed all the stock, Had brought In all the wood, And wound up the clock.
Three cows that are good. Three helfers the same-
Three steers to draw wood. And four calves that are tame ;
Two sheep we can boast, Two leaders, with others behind; To bake, boll, or roast, Or for wool they 'r the kind.
And then Charley's hens The corn they devour; Makes them look like fat CochIns- Fit to eat any hour !
Threescore and ten! Only think of my age, In the tramps I have been I shall no more engage.
JOSHUA M. DANA.
WORCESTER.
BY CHARLES C. ABBOTT.
This town in the N. W. of Washington Co., lat. 44° 24', long. 4º 25', is bounded N. and W. by Elmore and Stowe, in Lamoille Co., S. by Middlesex, and E. by Calais. Who were the first white men that visited the town is unknown. The French and Indians passing from Canada to the older settlements on the Connecticut river, are said to have had their trail through this town, but have left no record of their names or of the place where.
The town, with its present name and limits, was chartered June 8, 1763, by Gov. Wentworth of N. H., to grantees : Joshua Mason, Thomas Burgee, Robert Burgee, John Davidson, Robert David- son, Samuel Halstead, Joshua Halstead, Wm. Davidson, Benjamin Betts, Samuel Betts, Abraham Betts, Ichabod Betts, John Betts, Grant Striker, Henry Dickin- son, Anthony Baker, Joshua Hutchins, Samuel Dodge, Job Bacon, Wm. Gibbons, Wm. Pusey, James Gibbons, Wm. Ash- bridge, David Bacon, Manning Bull, Thomas Shroves, Joseph De Camp, Lam- bert De Camp, John Hand, Robert Stan- bury, Joshua Underhill, Samuel De Camp, John Nefus, Josiah Stanbury, Moses Lit- ler, John De Camp, Ebenezer Cutler, Jo- seph Young, David Cutler, David DeCamp, Daniel Marsh, Isaac Burger, Jacob Noe, Isaac Noe, Jr., John Turner, George Woods, John Gifford, Benjamin Ogden, Crowley Barrow, Thomas Young, Wm. Mitchel, Charles Wiggins, John Hofnall, John Cockle, Henry Franklin, Hon. James Nevin, Nathaniel Barrell, Esq., Joseph Newmarsh, Esq., Col. Samuel Barr, and Maj. Joseph Blanchard. The charter was for 6 miles square, to be divided into 69 rights, or lots of 4 divisions each. The Ist division 1 acre, the 2d div. 3 acres, the 3d div. 38 acres, the 4th 7 acres. The I acre lots were laid out in the center of the town and are comprised in the farm now owned by Wm. H. Kellogg; the 7 acre lots, around this one, mostly on the west; the 38 acre lots on the west side of the town, adjoining Stowe. The
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Governor's right in the S. W. corner, and the 300 acre lots comprised the rest of the town. There is now no record of any meeting of the original grantees to be found, nor any conveyances from them ; and there was much litigation in regard to land titles in the early history of the town. Much of the land is now held under titles from " tax collectors," having been sold for taxes.
The surface of the town is very uneven, and the western part is intersected by the eastern range of the Green Mountains. There are four principal peaks in this town, from which are extensive and very fine views of the surrounding country and villages, especially from Mount Hunger, in the S. W. part of the township, the summit of which is rocky and almost en- tirely devoid of vegetation, and permits an unobstructed prospect in all directions. [For its history, see Middlesex, 229-231.]
The meadows on the North Branch, and on the larger brooks, are fertile and easy of cultivation. The uplands are well adapted to stock raising and dairy pur- poses, to which a large share of the farm- ers give their attention.
The town is watered by the North Branch, a mill stream from Elmore, flow- ing southerly through the length of the town, emptying into the Winooski in Montpelier. There are also large brooks, some of which serve for mill purposes ; the largest, Minister brook, was named from its mouth being in the lot granted to the first settled minister. But one natural pond is in the town limits, Worcester pond, near the eastern line and " Eagle Ledge" road. It contains some 8 acres, and has furnished many pickerel and trout to the settlers. The streams all furnished at an early day an abundance of trout, and are still the yearly resort of the disciples of " Izaak Walton " from neighboring towns, who eagerly explore every stream where a " speckled beauty " is supposed to lurk. A deep pool, that is worn in the rock by action of a waterfall, in a rocky ravine just above the house of Thomas Reed, has long been a favorite resort for trying to ensnare some of the large trout which
make the pool their home. Now and the one is captured, but generally the war fish is not lured from its lurking place, an the fisher, sometimes spending hours i his labor, leaves the spot with his baske as light as when he came; but perhar thinking himself repaid for his visit by view of the wild and beautiful scenery ( the place.
Gold has been found in some localities more especially in the bed of Ministe brook. A few years since a stock con pany was formed under a State charte called the Minister Brook Mining Con pany, and the bed of the brook and land bordering on it were leased. Other con panies have at intervals " prospected" th brook since, with just what results is no generally known.
FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
The first settlers of the town were Joh Ridlon and George Martin, who came fro Kennebec, Me., in 1797, and commence a settlement on the I-acre lot, laid out i the center of the town on " Hampshij hill." They erected a house of split bas wood logs, and cleared some Io or ] acres. It is said they soon left, and th 3 farm where they first commenced was no permanently settled until several year after. They must have come back agai soon and settled on the Branch, when L. M. Hutchinson now lives, as both tr; dition and the land records indicate the lived there in 1803, and made the fir permanent settlement there.
Ridlon was elected to the Constitution: Convention in 1814, and perhaps died i this town. It is not certain what becam of Martin. The oldest inhabitants hav no knowledge of him. We find in 1801 John Ridlon conveyed a portion of th land to Ansel Bates, by whom it was afte: ward conveyed to Cyrus Brigham, wh lived on it many years. The records sho Martin in connection with Ridlon, an Benjamin Saunders held an interest in th place, as a quit-claim deed from John Fay of Burlington, to Samuel B. Stone, wh lived here in 1805, dated Feb. 7, 1802 specifies, "Mr. Stone is to indemnify sai
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Fay against all claim which said Ridley, Geo. Martin and Benjamin Saunders may have in the land by reason of a former cleed of the same." Ridlon's name is on the record, as also Ridler and Ridley. It must be that the first land records were lost or burned with the town records, as these deeds referred to are not found on the record now in the town clerk's office. There must have been several families in town in 1800, as " Deming's Catalogue " gives 25 inhabitants that year.
Matthias Ridlon, son of John, owned a lot of land soon after this in the eastern part of the town, where Elias Bascom afterward settled. He probably did not live on it, but with his father; in 1812, they lived where Henry E. Hunt now lives. Matthias enlisted in the war of 1812, and died at home soon after he came from the army ; Guy, son of Carpus Clark, also enlisted in that war and died in the army.
The town was in 1797 an evergreen forest, interspersed with hard timber on the lower lands. But openings soon ap- peared, as other settlers followed close after Ridlon and Martin.
The town was organized Mar. 3, 1803. Duncan Young with his family, himself, wife, 2 daughters, 2 sons, Daniel and John, came from Calais in 1802, and settled on right No. 13, where S. M. Seaver now lives, but stayed only two or three years, and removed to Montpelier. His oldest son, David, was a resident of this town in after years, and was the father of J. M. and P. D. Young, who yet live here, and Mrs. Martin C. Brown. From 1802 to '12, we find from the land records, resi- dents : Henry Goodale. James Green from Waterbury, Carpus Clark, Elisha B. Green, (who built the first saw-mill on the present site of H. T. Clark's mill,) Daniel Colby, Uriah Stone, and Amasa Brown.
to 1803; from them and tradition we have gathered this period of our history.
The first deed on record is from Joseph and William Hutchins to John Shurtleff, all of Montpelier, in the County of Cale- donia, June 4, 1803, claiming the right of John Turner (original proprietor,) which embraced the 300-acre lot No. 14, on the branch, adjoining Middlesex line. A few years after the same was sold tor taxes, and Cyrus Brigham bought the part where L. M. Hutchinson now lives. At the date ot the first deed, Worcester was in Chit- tenden Co .; at the time of the tax sale in Jefferson Co. ; the firstdeed on record to a resident, is from Ebenr. Rice of Montpel- ier, to John Young, July 8, 1803, convey- ing a part of the land now the farm of S. M. Seaver. In 1805, a large number of rights were sold for a tax by the Legislature to build roads and bridges, and 25 rights unredeemed, were conveyed by the collec- tor, Charles Bulkley, to the highest bidder, to be sold in the same way in 1809, and 1812. The land records the first 10 years are largely made up of these " tax sales." In 1813, public notice was given of a land tax by Carpus Clark, ist constable ; in 1811, his name is on the record as justice of the peace, and of Carpus Clark, John Ridlon and Elisha Green, as commission- ers to lay out a road tax, and in 1812 Carpus Clark and Daniel Colby were select- men, appears from record of a lease of the minister land by them to Elisha B. Green for $5 annual rent till a minister should be settled. (See lists of town officers.) These with the town clerks are all the officers we can trace to 1821.
Most of the settlers, without much means, who came because land was cheap, till they could make a clearing and raise a crop, had to make " many a shift " for the bare necessaries of life. Some left, and but few came in to take their places. How- ever, those who remained paved somewhat the way for those who should come after, and kept up their courage with hopes of better times till 1812 to 16, when they had to encounter several cold summers, frosts cutting off their crops and discouraging
John Young, son of Duncan, was the first town clerk ; James Green, representa- tive in 1808 ; other town officers unknown, as the town records before 1816 (when it lost its organization,) were deposited for safe keeping at Burlington, where they were burned. The land records go back | the bravest hearts, till the summer of 1816
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came, so cold as some who were chil- dren then, say, " as to freeze their steer's horns off." There were frosts every month through that summer. That season, utterly discouraged, most of the inhabitants left the town. No town meeting was held, and Worcester lost its organization.
In 1818, there was but one family, that of Amasa Brown, Esq., left in town. It was a standing jest for some years, that Mr. Brown threw his family on the town at this time, for their support. Wild game was plenty, deer abundant, bears frequent- ly seen ; the latter have strayed this way in later years; they have been "wary bears," it is not known that more than two or three were ever killed here. Three moose were shot here in the early days ; one, where the Methodist meeting-house stands, by Micah Hatch of Middlesex, which was sent to Boston Museum, where its skin probably remains to this day. Another was killed on the old Templeton farm, and one on the Thomas Reed farm.
A once large, deserted beaver settlement was seen a few years ago, on the meadow now covered by the mill-pond of Moses P. Wheeler.
On the first road, from Middlesex Center over "Hampshire Hill" to Elmore, and known then as the smugglers' road, was the clearing on the one acre lots, and the first - basswood log-house, used by the smugglers of those days as a rendezvous for their cat- tle and horses. In 1812, there was no other road through the town, and but a pathway had been marked and cut from Montpelier, penetrating the southern part of the town near the branch ; comfortable roads were reserved for later times, and milling done at Montpelier, or in some of the older settlements south of us. The town contained neither store or tavern during its first organization.
Mr. Brown having, perhaps, more means than his neighbors, remained in town, himself and wife and 4 sons and 7 daugh- ters. His sons were Milton, Amasa, Jr., Cyrus and Martin Chittenden, the last re- ceiving his name from having been born on the same day that Martin Chittenden was elected governor, Oct. 21, 1813. His
birth, also, is the first recorded in tow and he is still living here.
Milton Brown was - the first constał under the second organization, a justice the peace many years, town representati 7 years, a councillor in 1835, and superi tendent of the Vermont State Prison years.
In 1850, he removed to Montpelie was admitted to the Washington Coun Bar, and died July 3, 1852. Amasa, t second son, studied theology at Newto Mass., Theo. Sem., and is a Baptist mi ister, residing at Newton, N. H. Cyru the other son, is a lawyer and resides this town, being the only member of t bar ever residing here.
One of the daughters married Oliv Watson, May 29, 1817, the first record marriage in town. Judge Edwin C. Watso of Hartford, and Dr. Oliver L. Watson, West Topsham, are their sons, born Worcester. Mr. Watson and wife ce ebrated their golden wedding.
Between 1818 and 1820, Wm. Arbuckl Thayer Townsend, Job Hill and Jes Flint came into the town. Mr. Arbuck lived in a small log house on Ama: Brown's land. Mr. Townsend settled c the hill on the " Closson " farm, whe Wm. Bruce, Jr., now lives ; Job Hill, the place where Leonard Hamblet live In the fall of 1820, Allen Vail prepared place for his family ; also Thomas Ree Jr., from Londonderry. Mr. Reed move his family to Middlesex early in 1820, Mr. Benjamin Baldwin's, Mrs. Reed father, who lived near Christopher ( Putnam's present residence. Mr. B. ha at this time built a saw-mill where Pu nam's mill now is, the second in towi Reckoning from the time Mr. Reed con menced work on his farm, his was th third or fourth family here.
One or two others must have come th same year, but I have not learned wh they were. Mr. Vail had 2 sons and daughters. He settled where H. A. Har cock now lives, but soon on the next lc north, and built a saw-mill where M Putnam's " Worcester " mill stands. Mi Reed built on the farm on which himse
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and wife still live, it being nearly 58 years since. They must be by far the most per- manent residents of the town. During the next 3 years the population increased quite fast, and some commenced building frame-houses. The lumber for the first ones was sawed at the mill of Mr. Bald- win, in Middlesex, by which it seems the first mill built where Clark's mill now is must have fallen into disuse, but mills were soon put in operation here. At the close of 1821, there were three frame- houses-Thayer Townsend's, the first on the hill near Calais line, where he first set- tled, Dodge Hayward's, on the Dea. Poor place, where Cyrus Brown now lives, and Thomas Reed's, where he still resides.
Others who came to town from 1820 to '23 or '24, were David Poor, Capt. Artemas Richardson and wife, Franklin Johnson. Oramel L. Smith, Cyrus Crocker, J. P. B. Ladd, Jonas and Nathan Abbott, Eben- ezer S. Kellogg and wife, Joel H. Tem- pleton and family, Eleazer Hutchinson and family, from Norwich ; Dea. Matthias Folsom and wife and David Folsom and Amos Rice and wife, from Dover, Vt .; Leonard Hamblet, from Dracut, Mass .. found mentioned in the town records, with others whose names we have not learned. All named were prominent citizens and have died in town, except Jonas Abbott, who is still living, and Mr. Kellogg, who died the present year (1871), in Hanover, N. H.
We have now come to where we have the town records far . guide. March 14. 1821, a call for a meeting of the legal voters was made by Joseph Wing, justice of the peace of Montpelier ; held at the dwelling-house of Amasa Brown, March 28, 1821, AHen Vail moderator, and Amasa Brown town clerk ; who was sworn to the Faithful discharge of the duties of said of- ice in the presence of the meeting by Joseph Wing, Esq. Allen Vail, Amasa Brown, Job Hill, were chosen selectmen ; Allen Vail, treasurer : Milton Brown, first constable and collector of taxes ; Allen Vail, Amasa Brown, Jesse Flint, listers ; [ob Hill, grand juror ; Jesse Flint, high- vay surveyor ; Abraham V. Smith, Wm.
Arbuckle, Jesse Flint, fence viewers ; Amasa Brown, pound keeper.
Voted, that Mr. Brown's barn be con- sidered as the Pound ; made choice of Job Hill, sealer of weights and measures ; Hezekiah Mills, hay ward : Oliver Watson, committee to settle with the treasurer ; Abraham V. Smith, school trustee.
We cannot forbear pausing to wonder if Mr. Watson found the duties of his office very burdensome ? As there was no over- seer of the poor chosen at that meeting, Apr. 20, another meeting was held, at which it was
l'oted, to raise S mills on the dollar on the list to defray the necessary expenses of the town ; and to form the town into one school district ; and raise one cent on the dollar of the list for the support of schools for the year ensuing ; and to have a highway tax assessed on the list, to be made the year ensuing, and that 9 hours be considered as a day's work.
Worcester was ahead of the ten-hour law.
There are those still living in town who attended the first school, in the winter of 1821 and 22, Allen I .. Vail, Cyrus and Martin C. Brown, Mrs. Olive Brown Johnson, and perhaps one or two others, who remember that school in the old log- house on the Hutchinson farm, near Mr. Phineas A. Kemp's present residence. Job Hill was the teacher, and the school was much larger in proportion to the num- ber of families than are the present schools. The next school was taught by Betsey Cutler, in a log dwelling-house near where S. M. Seaver now lives. The first school- house was built about this time, of logs, near the late Samuel Andrews' house.
From 1823, the increase of population was more rapid than it had been the two or three years preceding. The openings in the forest became more numerous ; the fields of grass, grain and potatoes more widely extended ; the cattle and sheep in- creased, and the first comers could begin to realize some of the hopes which had sus- tained them through years of privation.
In 1823, a road was surveyed and worked up the Branch through the town, so as to be passable. Its survey was by Jesse Elmon and Danforth Stiles, a committee authorized by the Legislature of 1822, the
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first road recorded in town. Others soon began to branch off. Up Minister brook, up the brook towards Calais, on to the hills where the settlers had built their dwellings, on Hampshire hill; and new dwellings were built, and from what can be learned of the older citizens, it would seem that the social nature of the early inhabi- tants was better cultivated and developed than it is at the present day. Neighborly. visits were prized in proportion to the dif- ficulties in making them. People seemed more dependent on each other for those necessaries to make life pleasant. Meet- ings also were better attended, and gener- ally much more highly prized than now ; and much of the restraints of social inter- course, under which the people of this day labor, was then unknown. All were poor ; and all were ready and willing to help each other.
From the second organization of the town until 1835, town meetings were held at Amasa Brown's (afterwards at Milton Brown's) house, except two in 1823, which were held, by vote of the town, in Mr. Brown's shop. At a meeting called for the purpose, held Mar. 26, 1834, it was
Voted, that town meetings in future be held at the Plaistered School-house, nigh Milton Brown's in said Worcester.
The next and subsequent meetings were held at that place. (Dis. No. 2,) until 1841 ; a vote being taken in March, 1840, to hold them hereafter in the school-house in district No. I. That house was at the "corner," and stood on the spot where Ferris Leonard's house was lately burned. The old school-house now stands nearly opposite the present town clerk's office, and is used for a blacksmith shop. When the first meeting-house was built, a hall was built in the basement, which the town bought for a town hall ; and Jan. 26, 1846, it was
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