The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 145

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 145

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

901

WORCESTER.

who lived there. This death is thought to be the first in town. It is quite likely he was buried on the high knoll west of Mr. Hutchinson's house, as were some others, there being some graves to be seen there, when Mr. Abel Whitney lived there.

A son of S. P. Alexander, of 6 years, was drowned Sept. 1849, on the farm of S. M. Seaver. His father being at work over the river, his boy set out to go in search of him, and when missed by the family, search was made, and he was found in the river.

George C. Hancock, son of Crismon Hancock, was drowned in the " Branch," July 31, 1857, aged 14.

Charles Hall, a son of Samuel Hall, was drowned in "Minister Brook," July, 186-, by the washing away of a bridge on which he was standing, caused by a sudden rise of the water during a thunder-storm.

Moses Rood, 3d, son of Moses Rood, Jr., formerly of Barre, Jan. 27, 1829, had his thigh fractured by the fall of a tree. Feb. 2, mortification ensued, rendering amputation necessary, under which he died.

Asel Bradstreet, a child of 2 years of J. P. B. Ladd, was scalded by the over- turning of a kettle of hot water upon him, and lived three weeks after the accident.

Jedediah P. B. Ladd, the father, re- ceived his death-blow by falling from a bridge near his residence. He was crowd- ed off by an ox-team he was driving over the bridge while repairing it, and fell 22 feet, striking upon a solid rock. His thigh was badly fractured, and he sus- tained internal injuries of so serious a nature, though assistance was at once rendered and medical aid procured, and it was hoped he might recover, after linger- ing in great pain until the third day, sur- rounded by his weeping family, death closed his mortal career. Mr. Ladd came to Worcester about 1823, with Jonas Ab- bott, from Thetford. He married Eliza Baldwin, daughter of Benjamin Baldwin, and a sister of Mrs. Thomas Reed. Mr. Ladd was a brother of Mrs. O. L. Smith, and first settled on the hill near Jesse Flint's, and where Willis P. Gould now

lives, making the first clearing there about 1825. He removed to the eastern part of the town, and commenced anew again on the place where Ira W. Brown now lives ; from there, removed in 1833 to the place first settled by Allen Vail, Esq., where he resided at the time of his death. The wife of the writer of this is a daughter of Mr. Ladd. He died Sept. 19, 1844, at 42 years of age.

Sept. 19, 1833, Elisha Hutchinson, son of Eleazer, a citizen of Worcester, was killed in Montpelier by a stone thrown from a blast on the site of the State House ; age 33 years.

James, son of Thomas Reed, a boy of 14, was killed June 30, 1844, while peel- - ing hemlock bark with his father and brother on the farm. A tree which had been peeled started to slide down the hill, and caught the boy between itself and an- other log, crushing out his life on the spot.

Lewis Wright died Oct. 14, 1868, aged 63. He fell in a barn on which he was at work, on the S. M. Seaver place. He was an upright Christian man, much respected by all who knew him.

Joel H. Templeton was thrown from his wagon when near his home, and received injuries from which he died in about a week, Sept. 18, 1852, aged 62. He came to Worcester from East Montpelier in 1825, and was a prominent man in town affairs for many years. He was the father of Horatio Templeton, Esq., his widow, Mrs. Abigail Templeton, still residing in town, upwards of 80 years of age (1871).

Isaac Spofford, while wrestling, had a bone fractured in his neck, which caused paralysis below the point of fracture, and resulted in his death. He lived 30 days after the accident, unable to move himself, and died Aug. 25, 1851, aged 30 years.

Jan. 21, 1876, Joel O. Durfey, son of Rev. Milo Durfey, while drawing logs and rolling them on the bank of the river near Edmund Utton's, was caught under a log and crushed to death.

At an early day, a man and his wife named Culver, traveling through the town, stopped on Clapp hill to feed their horses. The man went to the back side of the

902

VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

wagon for some grain, the horses becom- ing frightened, ran violently down the hill, and the woman was thrown out and her neck broken.

Levi Worthen, son of Tristram Worthen, one of the first settlers in the north part of the town, went to York State hunting deer. One day he was out with a companion in the forest, and in their wanderings became separated. His companion saw him through the bushes, and, mistaking him for a deer, fired, and Mr. Worthen was killed. His body was brought to Worcester for burial.

1865, a child of B. F. Johnson was scalded by sitting down in a pail of hot water.

Oct. 14, 1868, Lewis Wright, while at work on a barn for Mr. D. H. Massey, fell some 8 or 10 feet to the ground, striking on his head, and causing his death in four or five days, aged 63 years.

Alonzo Jones, Jr., accidentally shot himself while out hunting, and died Oct. 25, 1854, a day or two after the accident, aged 16 years.

MURDERS.

About 1862 or '63, a young married woman named Loomis was murdered on the Eagle Ledge road, her body being found in the woods a little way from the house of her husband's brother. Circumstances led to the arrest of this man, Austin Loomis, and also of Royal Carr, a neigh- bor. After a long and tedious trial, Mr. Loomis was acquitted, and Mr. Carr con- victed of manslaughter, and was sentenced to the state prison for 10 years. After serving about 9 years, he was released, having gained one year by good conduct in the prison. In December of the pres- ent year (1878) Carr was again arrested for the murder of a half-breed Indian, Wm. W. Murcommock, in the edge of Calais, with whom he was hunting, and is now lodged in jail at Montpelier awaiting his trial for that offence. [Since executed at Windsor, Apr. 29, 1881.]

Apr. 24, 1867, Patrick Fitzgibbons, a resident of this town, was stabbed and in- stantly killed in Montpelier by some un- known person.

SUICIDES.

The following persons, citizens of this town, have committed suicide by hanging : Ophir Leonard, Mar. 1841, aged 68 years ; David Foster, Dec. 1849, aged 69; Mark P. Ladd, Aug. 1867, aged 50 (died in Richmond) ; Russell Coller, Dec. 1866, aged 40 (in Calais) ; Samuel Kelley, Apr. 1871, aged 78; M. Newell Kent, Oct. 1876, aged 37.

OLD PEOPLE.

Mr. Howe Wheeler and his wife Ama moved into this town from Calais, and died here ; he, Feb. 18, 1870, aged 92 years, I month, 19 days ; she, Mar. 3, 1870, aged 91 years, 7 months, 10 days. They had been married over 70 years. The oldest person now living in town is Mrs. Esther Hamblet, widow of Jonathan Hamblet, and mother of Leonard and Edward M., who now live in this town. She came with her husband from Dracut, Mass., about 1823, and has lived here since that time. [Has since died, aged 96 years and 3 days.] Of those in this town 80 years of age and over at the time of their death, were :

Caleb Barnum, 80 yrs, died Mar. 1, 1843. Lemuel Blanchard, 92, Sept. 3, 1855. Mehitable Spear, 83, Aug. 9, 1846. Jonathan Hamblet, 86, March 3, 1859. Allen Vail, 80, May 22, 1860.

Peter Seaver, 81, June 23, 1860. Aaron Kemp, 80, Oct. 2, 1864. Martha Rice, 87, Aug. 12, 1865. Gload Dugar, 90, Oct. 16, 1865. Norah Butler, 80, Dec. 12, 1867. Howe Wheeler, 92, Feb. 18, 1870. Ama Wheeler, 91, March 3, 1870. Oliver Watson, 84, Sept. 1870. Thomas McCurdy, 81, May 18, 1870. Lydia Richardson, 92, June, 1871. Daniel Abbott, 82, March 27, 1872. Stephen Harrington, 80, Sept. 7, 1873. Philip Hardy, 87, Jan. 30, 1874. John Brigham, 82, June 29, 1875. George Gould, 85, July, 1876. Silas Fifield, 87, Dec. 14, 1876.

Oct. 7, 1868, the wife of Martin Costello gave birth to three children, two boys and a girl. All lived until Apr. 18, 1869, when the girl died.

903

WORCESTER.

CENSUS .- 1800, 25 ; 1810, 41 ; 1820, 44 ; 1830, 432 ; 1840, 587 ; 1850, 702; 1860, 685 ; 1870, 775.

BEARS

have been seen in town even within a few years, yet it is not known that more than two or three were ever killed. Since the writer moved here (in 1849) there have been several "bear hunts," but bruin has always come out ahead of the hunters. Some stories of them have been handed down. John M. Young, now living here, a nephew of the hero of the story, relates : John Young, the first town clerk, while living in this town, where Mr. Seaver now lives, who had a nice pig in a log-pen near his house, one day, working in his clear- ing near, heard an outcry from his pig- pen, and hastening to see what was up, found a large bear within after his porker. Not choosing to lose his winter meat, he charged the intruder with a heavy lever, with which he had been at work, when the bear put himself on his haunches in the most approved attitude of self defence, and when Mr. Young, a very muscular, powerful man, delivered a blow aimed at his head, by a dexterous swing of his paw, caught the weapon, and hurled it some distance away; and then thinking "dis- cretion is the better part of valor," beat a hasty retreat to the woods, and Mr. Young saved his pig.

On the present premises of Henry E. Hunt, in the early day, when neighbors were few and the man away from home, a bear came one time to survey the place. The first the family knew of his presence, he placed his fore-paws on the window sill and thrust his nose in to see what was inside. The woman and children were badly frightened, but bruin, after leisurely surveying the room, withdrew, doing no other damage.

Mr. N. S. Morley, who settled on Hamp- shire Hill in 1829 or 30, watched with his neighbors several nights for a large bear that visited his cornfield, and at last shot him

Mr. Jacob Baldwin, in the account of his visit on Minister Brook in June, 1822, said : "The Haywards (John and Dodge)

had begun there and chopped a piece the year before and built a log shanty. When they burned their chopping, they also burned their house. When I was there, their pork barrel and sugar barrel stood in the small brook which runs by the place. They had put up some posts, laid on some poles and covered it with bark, and had a fire against a log to cook by. They had a straw bed on a bedstead, and three of us slept on the bed. John slept on the soft side of a spruce board on the ground be- fore the fire. One night a bear came along, and one of the dogs put after him ; the other did not dare leave the shanty, but barked so we could not sleep. The old hound was out most all night after the bear."

CHURCHES.

Who preached the first sermon in town is not now known. Rev. James Hobart and Rev. Chester Wright, of Montpelier, held meetings here at an early date. Mr. Hobart told the later inhabitants that he preached the funeral sermon of the Martin boy who was drowned soon after the town was settled.

THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

was formed in 1824. The original mem- bers were : Ebenezer S. Kellogg and wife Roxana, Wm. T. Hutchinson, Mary Hutch- inson, Jonas Abbott, Allen Vail, David Poor and wife Abigail, Artemas Richard- son and wife Eliza S., Amos Rice and wife Martha.

-The church was organized by Rev. Jas. Hobart, and he was by a vote of the church chosen moderator, holding that place for several years afterwards. The first meet- ing after organizing was Feb. 29, 1824, when Artemas Richardson and Eliza Rich- ardson were baptized by Mr. Hobart. From this time Rev. Mr. Hobart, and Rev. Chester Wright, of Montpelier, preached for the church occasionally, as also did Rev. Geo. Freeman, Rev. Mr. Stewart, Rev. Mr. Thompson, Rev. Mr. Wheelock, whose names we find on the records to 1839, and when there was no minister, some one of the brothers would read a sermon.

Additions were made to the church from

904

VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

time to time, Jan. 8, 1832, 30 uniting with it. The articles of faith and covenant were revised in 1831, and again in 1848. Rev. John Foster was settled as first pastor Nov. 13, 1839. Ordaining council, Rev. A. Hazen, Berlin ; Rev. P. Taylor, Waits- field ; Rev. B. W. Smith, Ist church, Mont- pelier ; Rev. S. Kellogg, 2d church, Mont- pelier ; Rev. J. F. Stone, Waterbury ; Rev. S. Delano, Sec. Vt. D. M. Society ; A Hazen, moderator; J. F. Stone, scribe. While the settlement of Mr. Foster was negotiated, the subject of temperance arose, and the church came near being divided. Mr. Foster refused to be settled unless the church would declare in favor of temper- ance, and a council was called Oct. 31, 1839, to organize a temperance church. The council met Nov. 6, and investigating the matter, gave the church some good advice, recommending it to declare itself a strict temperance church, and deciding the petition asking to be organized again that way, ought not to be granted. The church adopted the recommendation, and Mr. Foster was ordained.

He was required to quit-claim to the town for the use of schools the lot of land set to the first settled minister, which had long before this been leased by the town, and was improved land. A large minority of the church, still dissatisfied in regard to the temperance matter, kept agitating it, and trouble ensued. Mr. Foster sent in his resignation as pastor, and a council met March 18, 1840, which voted unan- imously, " That unless by 9 o'clock to- morrow morning a number of the church sufficient to sustain the pastor shall be found prepared to take such ground in re- lation to those subjects upon which the church is divided, as shall in the judgment of the council render it practicable for the pastor to continue his labors in this place with the prospect of usefulness and com- fort, the following shall be the result :" This was, that the pastoral relation should be dissolved. The church voted to meet, and did meet; next morning, 21 of the male members united in an agreement " to stand by the pastor," and declared their adhesion to the principles upon the subject

of temperance expressed in the recom- mendation of the council of Nov. 6, 1839, two before having voted to rescind the temperance resolution. Since that time the church has been a temperance church. Mr. Foster withdrew his resignation, and continued pastor until from ill health he resigned ; dismissed by a council, July 6, 1841. Until 1844, the church was without a regular minister, but continued to hold " reading " meetings.

In 1844, Rev. Carey Russell came from Hartford, and preached here, except one year, until 1852, and a meeting-house was built, the location of which again divided the church, and a large number left its communion ; were cut off, and a bitter feel- ing was engendered, which did not wholly subside for years. Council after council was called to settle difficulties and advise on the location of the house.

The records of this period are largely made up of the doings of these councils. The church voted, June 28, 1844, " to build a house of worship," and a subscrip- tion was started. July 6, “ voted to locate the house on the west side of the road near the burying-ground." The meetings were held at this time in the school-house in district No. 2, just north of the present 'Methodist meeting-house. From this time there appears to have been continual strife, until at length the matter was for a time compromised by the Methodists, by the erection of a union house at the "Corner," March 25, 1846, when the church " voted to hold their meetings in the meeting- house so much of the time as the Congre- gationalists own in said house, not to ex- ceed one-half of the time."

Those members living in the northerly part of the town, however, feeling their interests were not properly regarded, soon asked for a council, the recommendation of which was, " That the church secure a house to be controlled exclusively by them- selves, which led to their buying out other parties in the union house. Still those in the north part of the town were no better off, and several withdrew from the meet- ings, and united with others in forming a Methodist church. Some years later, mu-

905

WORCESTER.

tual confessions were made, they were re- stored to the church, and took letters to the Methodist church, thus establishing ec- clesiastical relations between the churches.

After buying the meeting-house, the church and society were heavily in debt, and Feb. 28, 1848, they " voted that Rev. C. Russell should visit other churches and solicit aid in paying for the church," which he did, and procured $291.97, and the house was paid for, and the church have since occupied it as a place of public wor- ship.

Rev. C. M. Winch commenced preach- ing for the church Mar. 3, 1853, and was ordained pastor June 28, and dismissed Sept. 26, 1861, since which the ministers have been : Rev. J. F. Stone, part of one year ; Rev. David Perry, 40 years ; Rev. A. F. Shattuck, I year; Rev. Mason Moore, I year ; Rev. Wm. Schofield, third pastor, from June 1873 to May 1876; ordained Feb. 24, 1874; dismissed May 2, 1876; Rev. R. D. Metcalf, 1} year; and since Jan. 1878, Rev. P. H. Carpenter, who united by letter from the Methodist church in this town. Jan. 21, 1879, a council convened, and Rev. Mr. Carpenter was installed pastor of the church, he being the fourth pastor. Besides these stated ministers, students from theological sem- inaries have supplied this church under the Vermont Domestic Missionary Society, which has always helped sustain preach- ing here. The society have had two bells in their meeting-house, both procured by subscription. The first, through Dea. C. C. Closson, cost $125 ; broken, about 1865 ; the present one from the foundry of Jones & Co., Troy, N. Y. ; weight, 646 lbs. ; cost, $287.00. Hon. T. Fairbanks, of St. Johns- bury, and Capt. A. Richardson's family, of Brooklyn, N. Y., contributed to procure with some in Montpelier.

Original members, 12; admitted by profession since - , 145 ; by letter, 61 ; whole No. 218; dismissed by letter, 97 ; died, 52 ; excommunicated, 28; dropped, 3 ; restored on confession, 12 ; present no. 50; non-residents, 22; Dec. 1878, resi- dent members, 28.

NOTICES OF DEACONS AND ORIGINAL MEM- BERS.

Deacons .- Ebenezer S. Kellogg, chosen Feb. 28, 1824; Allen Vail, David Poor, Mar. 9, 1826; David Poor, Nathan Adams, Jonas Abbott, Oct. 7, 1835; Charles C. Closson, July 5, 1851 ; Samuel Andrews, April 23, 1871; Ebenezer R. Kellogg, Sept. 6, 1872.

EBENEZER S. KELLOGG

came from Brookfield in the spring of 1822, and bought the place of Amos Merriam, on Hampshire hill, now occupied by Mr. Law- rence. He sold here and bought on Min- ister brook, where he cleared up a farm and raised a large family of children, some of which are yet living in town.

About 1859, he sold his second farm and removed to the village, and kept a hotel for awhile. He lived in Worcester until 1868, when he went to Hanover, N. H., to live with his youngest son, Ebenezer R. Kellogg, where he died in 1872. Mrs. Roxana Reed Kellogg, his widow, still lives there with her son.

DEA. ALLEN VAIL,

says his obituary, " died in Worcester, May 22, 1860, aged 81 years. He was born in Lynn, Conn., 1779 ; moved with his father to Pomfret, Vt., in 1782, where he lived much respected till 1821, when he came to Worcester with a large family. There were only five families in town when he came here, and up to this time there had been no religious meetings on the Sabbath here, or district school. He immediately conferred with some two or three others, and they commenced meetings on the Sabbath, in the barn of Amasa Brown, in the spring of 1822, by singing, prayer, and reading of sermons, and the people all turned out to meetings in the winter, com- ing in with their families on ox teams. In early childhood, the deacon had a faithful and pious mother, and in 1807, was led to seek his soul's salvation. As an officer in the church, he never refused to bear his own burdens nor the burdens of the church. No matter the weather or his business, he was always ready to serve the church bus- iness or devotion. He was repeatedly sent by the citizens of the town, also, as their

II4

906

VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

representative to the Legislature. He re- mained a model member of this church up to May 30, 1847, when he removed his re- lation to the church in Montpelier, of which he was an honored member at his death."

He lived in Montpelier from 1847 until just previous to his death, he came back to Worcester to the residence of his eldest son, Allen, where he died.

ALLEN L. VAIL, his eldest son, has been representative of his town, also a constable 26 consecutive years; and one of his daughters married Dr. Skinner, the first physician here, and now lives in Michigan.

DAVID POOR

and his wife Abigail, came from Berlin and settled in this town in 1822, first occupying the same farm on which he lived for many years afterward. His land comprised the greater part of the territory on which the village now stands, and which he sold in small parcels as were wanted for building lots. He was one of the first deacons of the Congregational church, and, except a few years when he returned to Berlin to live, 1832 till the spring of 1835, continued in the office until his death in 1863, age 65. Dea. Poor was a man of firm religious principles, honest in his dealings with his neighbors, and gave liberally of his sub- stance for the support of his church and charitable purposes. Dea. Poor had two wives ; he married second, Miss Clara Car- . penter, who died in 1865.

DEA. JONAS ABBOTT,

born in Henniker, N. H., Feb. 11, 1802, removed with his father to Thetford, Vt., in 1803 ; lived there until of age, and be- came interested in religion under the preaching of Rev. Asa Burton, D. D., pastor there. He came to Worcester with J. P. B. Ladd early in 1823, and settled on the Minister brook about one mile from the " Corner." He resided on his farm until 1844, when he moved to the "Cor- ner," kept a small store, and did shoe- making many years. In his later years he was more engaged in mercantile business, in which he failed. Jan. 16, 1826, he married Minerva E. Vail, daughter of

Allen Vail, Esq., who is yet living. Dea. Abbott died Apr. 5, 1875, aged 73.

DEA. NATHAN ADAMS

came here in 1824, from Alstead, N. H .; bought his land of E. S. Kellogg, and was one of the first permanent settlers on Hampshire Hill. He removed from town, near 1844, to the " West."

DEA. CHARLES C. CLOSSON,

born in Thetford, Oct. 15, 1799, when a young man went to Northfield and cleared a farm, and acquired a considerable prop- erty. In March, 1848, he moved here on to the Closson farm, living there until 1867, and was one of the largest paying members of the church for many years. He was one of a family of 13 children, 12 of whom lived to have families of their own, and all but one, members of Con- gregational churches, that one being a deacon of a Baptist church: One sister, wife of Daniel Abbott, and the writer's mother, lived in this town many years, and died here.

Dea. Closson had three wives ; his first, a Miss Davis, of Fairlee; the second, Marcia Gurley, of Berlin ; the third, Mrs. Harriet Dunham, of Northfield, who still survives him. In 1867, he removed to a place he bought of E. C. Watson, near Clark's mill ; lived there some 4 years, and then where S. M. Seaver now lives, where he died Mar. 10, 1872, aged 72.

DEA. SAMUEL ANDREWS,

born in New Hampshire about 1797, mar- ried Jane Blanchard in 1818, and resided in New Boston, N. H., till he came here. He first lived on the brook between A. P. Slayton's mill and Wm. P. Moore's pres- ent residence about 3 years, when he bought Rufus Reed's place near the village, and went to blacksmithing, and was many years the only blacksmith in town ; but for the last 20 years of his life, labored when able on his small farm. He was post- master and town clerk several years ; also a justice of the peace. Conscientious in all his dealings, firm in what he believed to be right, constant in all his duties both to the public and to the church, of which he was a member from 1832 to his death,

jus et

907

WORCESTER.

Oct. 8, 1878, at 81 years. He and his wife lived together upwards of 60 years.

DEA. EBENEZER R. KELLOGG,

born in this town Dec. 31, 1830, son of E. S. Kellogg, now resides at Hanover, N. H.

WILLIAM T. HUTCHINSON

came with his father from Norwich about 1822 or '23, and settled on the farm where Phineas A. Kemp now lives. He removed to the West about 1846. Artemas Rich- ardson and wife, Eliza S., came from Leo- minster, Mass., and made a settlement on Hampshire Hill, on the Farris Leonard farm, in 1821. Mr. R. came the year be- fore and located his land, and chopped a few acres, returning to Massachusetts to spend the winter. He was born Feb. 1790 ; was a combmaker by trade, and worked at that business many years. When quite young, he was chosen captain in the militia, and was ever known in this town as "Captain " Richardson. He was one of the first abolitionists in the community, and never swerved for office ; thus was not so often on the winning side in political matters as some of his neighbors of the dominant parties, but lived to see his principles adopted by the nation. He was a genial companion, and loved to tell a good story, although it was not always of his own triumph. Mrs. Richardson car- ried on the knitting and crocheting busi- ness several years, making a large amount of work for the women and children in this and neighboring towns. She has been one of the most active and consistent members of the church. She and Mrs. Kellogg are the only survivors of the orig- inal members. Mr. Richardson died here in 1865, aged 75. Mrs. R. lives with her children in Brooklyn, N. Y.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 145

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