The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 18

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 18

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TOWN TREASURERS.

At the first town meeting in 1788, no treasurer was elected. Major Lyman Hitch- cock, the first elected, Mar. 9, 1789, held the office to Mar. 1792 ; then Lt. Thomas Lyford from 1782 to '94 ; Thomas Osgood, 1794 to '95, '97 to 1821, '22 to '39-42 years ; Jacob Garland, 1795 to '97 ; Josepla Fisher, 1821 to '22; Marcus O. Fisher

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from 1839 to '41 ; Thomas Osgood, Jr., from 1841 to '48, and 1850 to '58; Henry Russell, from 1848 to '50; Allen Perry, from 1858 to '72, from '73 to '74 ; John A. Farrington, from 1872 to '73 ; Milton Fisher from 1874 to the present, 1881.

REPRESENTATIVES.

In this department of town officers the record does not commence until 1795. From tradition we learn Lieut. Thomas Lyford was town representative in 1791, but for some reason did not attend the Legislature. Sept. 1792, James Morse, Esq., was elected, and after his election, his wife spun the flax and made the cloth from which he had a pair of new " trousers" to wear to the Legislature, which met at Rutland, Oct. II. The day before he was to start, he killed a lamb, and his wife cooked " lunching" to last him through his journey. With his new trousers on, and his pack on his shoulders, he made his way by marked trees a large portion of the way to Rutland and back on foot. The session lasted 26 days. It is said he was an inveterate smoker, and that some wag drew his picture on the fence with his pipe in his mouth and pack on his back, and over it in large letters, " Going to Rut- land !" It being put on with red chalk, remained on the fence for a number of years.

Sept. 1795, the inhabitants were notified to bring in their votes at the school-house on the Hazen road, for representative, and also for governor, lieut. governor, treasurer and councillors.

Samuel Warner was elected representa- tive, and Thomas Chittenden had 18 votes for governor ; Isaac Tichenor had 5 ; Paul Brigham had 16 votes for lieut. governor ; Samuel Mattocks had 12 votes for treas- urer. Political feeling had begun to spring up in town ; 5 persons had allied them- selves with the Federal party. The Leg- islature this year met at Windsor, with a session of 20 days. Samuel Warner was representative in 1796, '97 ; Horace Beards- ley, 1798-1800; Joseph Fisher, 1799-1801 -'5-'9-'II-'12-'14; John W. Dana, 1804- '7-'18-'19-'20-'36; Perley Scott, 1806;

John Damon, 1808, '13; David Haines, 1815-'16-'17; Enoch Hoyt, 1821 ; Jere- miah Babcock, 1822-'23-'24-'25-'26-'27- -'28-'29; Anthony Perry, 1829-'30-'31 ; Nathan Wheeler, 1832-'33-'34; Oliver A. Warner, 1835-'36; Jeremiah Atkins, 1837 -'38 ; Robert Lance, 1839-'40 ; Alpha Web- ster, 1841-'42 ; Salem Goodenough, 1844 ; Allen Perry, 1846-'47; Thomas Lyford, 1848-'49; Daniel Gould, 1850-'51 ; John McLean, 1853-'54; Matthew P. Wallace, 1855-'56; Benjamin F. Scott, 1857-'58; Roswell Farr, 1859-'60; Quinton Cook, 1861-'62 ; Edwin Fisher, 1863-'64 ; Valorus W. Hale, 1866-'68; George W. Paine, 1869; Theron H. Lance, 1870-'72 ; Na- thaniel K. Abbott, 1874 ; George M. Web- ster, 1876; True A. Town, 1878; George Gould, 1880.

OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.

The first overseer of the poor elected was Daniel Smith, in 1822; in 1824, " Voted not to elect an overseer of the poor." There is no record of any other election till 1831, when John Damon was elected to s'd office. It appears from the records that from that time the selectmen of the town had the charge of the poor until 1838, when Oliver A. Warner was elected, and held I year. Then Ebenezer Smith was overseer from 1839 to '40 ; Jer- emiah Atkins, 1840 to '41 ; Caleb Fisher, '41 to '42 ; Marcus O. Fisher, '42 to '43 ; Erasmus L. Burnap, '43 to '44; Jacob Way, '44 to '45 ; Benjamin F. Scott, '45 to '49 ; selectmen, '49 to '50 ; Milton Fisher, '50 to '56, '60 to '61, '64 to '65 ; Jewett Wal- bridge, '56 to '58; George Rogers, '58 to '60; Nathaniel Coburn, '61 to '64; Cor- nelius Smith, '65 to '66; Anson Coburn, '66 to '67 ; Israel Smith, '67 to '69; Ros- well Laird, '69 to '70; George H. Paige. '70 to '72; Thomas Lyford, '72 to '73: Charles M. Fisher, '73 to '82. Twenty-one persons have served the town as over seers of the poor, and no duty devolves or a civilized and Christian community s‹ sacred and imperative as the proper car and support of those who cannot take car of themselves.

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The common course of this town until 1849 was to dispose of the town's poor to those who would agree to keep them for the least money, and by this means they too often fell into the hands of unfit per- sons, as those who took them intended to make a profit out of it. Awakened to a sense of the impropriety, not to say the in- humanity, of such a course, the town in 1848 voted to elect a committee to pur- chase a poor-farm and stock for it, and to use so much of the surplus fund as was necessary for such a purchase ; Joseph Lance, Jacob Way, Joseph Hoyt, were the committee. At the next March meeting the committee reported they had pur- chased the present town farm for $1310, stock, tools, etc., for $637.89. In 1855 a commodious house was built. The town has since been generally fortunate in its agents to take charge of the farm. It is now managed by John Thomas and wife, who spare no pains for the comfort of the inmates. As a general thing the town has been very fortunate, too, as to its number of paupers ; perhaps as much so as any town in the State. We have at present 6 boarders at town farm; 3 at the Insane Asylum at Brattleboro, and 2 paupers away from the farm.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

JAMES MORSE, the first justice in the town, received his appointment in 1792; Lyman Hitchcock was the next; in 1795, Thomas Osgood ; in 1796, Samuel Warner ; and from this time the number increased, each representative thinking he must ap- point a good share of his constituents until 1823, when a resolution was passed by the town setting forth that so large a number tended to lessen the dignity attached to the office, and as a consequence, none of them would fit themselves for the position as they should. Therefore, they requested the Legislature not to appoint more than 4 justices for the town, and that 6 was enough for any town. For a few years this request was complied with, but grad- ually we began to return to the old custom, and in 1840, 13 justices were appointed by the representative, viz. : Leonard Orcutt, Marcus O. Fisher, Anthony Perry, John

Damon, Thomas Osgood, Jr., Alpha Web- ster, Wm. Hoit, John R. Putnam, Roswell Farr, Jas. M. Harris, Jerry Atkins, O. A. Warner, Joseph Preston, and the number some years would go much higher than this, even as high as 25. It run in this way until 1850, when the number was fixed by law at 7 for this town, when Thomas Osgood, Alpha Webster, M. P. Wallace, J. R. Putnam, M. O. Fisher, Wm. E. Waldo, John A. Adams, were elected. This same board were continued in office while they lived, as a general thing. When there was a vacancy, a younger man was elected to fill the place. M. P. Wallace is the only one living of the first board elected by the people. The present board, 1881, are M. P. Wallace, T. H. Lance, J. M. Fisher, N. K. Abbott, R. B. Bruce, G. W. Paine, Bemis Pike.

COUNTY OFFICERS.

Assistant Judges of Caledonia County Court .- Hon. John W. Dana ; Hon. Mar- cus O. Fisher, 1836 to '39,

High Sheriff .- Jos. Preston, 1844, '45. State Senators .- Hon. John McLean, 1849, '50 ; Hon. George H. Page, 1852 to '55 ; Hon. E. D. Putnam, 1858, '59; Hon. M. P. Wallace, 1864.

State's Attorney .- J. P. Lamson, Esq., 1866 to '68.

County Commissioner .- J. M. Fisher, 1875 to '77.

POPULATION BY CENSUS .- 1791, 122; 1800, 349 ; 1810, 886; 1820, 1032; 1830, 1304; 1840, 1440 ; 1850, 1356; 1860, 1315; 1870, 1279.

3 suicides in town ; 4 persons drowned ; no murder.

A man by the name of Doloff broke into Dana's store, stole a gun, a bar of iron and all the rum he could drink ; got so drunk he could not get away ; he was sent to prison and died there.

CABOT'S BEAR STORY.

[From a sketch of the olden time so choicely written we would be better pleased had we room to give the whole .- ED.]

Two humble log-cabins in the heart of the great wilderness was the beginning of the town of Cabot; for miles in every

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direction there were no signs of civiliza- tion ; but there on West Hill, where David Lyford and his neighbor Blanchard had built their rude dwellings. Mr. Blanchard's family was himself, his wife and 2 children, David Lyford's, himself and his wife Ju- dith. The Lyford and Blanchard cabins stood not more than 30 rods apart, facing each other, on opposite sides of a swamp, through which a narrow foot-path led from one to the other. At the end of each cabin, partly in the rear, was also a barn, built of logs.

It was the third birth-day of this settle- ment ; each had cleared away several acres from around his buildings, and earned suf- ficient for the subsistence of his family. Both had been fortunate and had suffered no losses but some slight damage to their crops of corn by the bears. The men often saw them in the woods, and it was no uncommon experience for the two to go out hunting in company, and return in an hour with a dead bear slung between them, and fresh bear-tracks would be seen every morning at some seasons of the year about the house and barn. But our men were inured to peril and toil by early train- ing ; and their wives were not a whit infe- rior to them.

One drizzly day in August, just after David Lyford and his wife had finished their dinner of hasty-pudding and milk, Mrs. Lyford laid her wooden spoon back into the squash-shell bowl, and said :

" What are you going to do this after- noon, David ?"

" I was thinking of going to work in the burnt piece."

" It's too wet for that; why not break the flax? I will hatchel it, and then I can go on with my spinning.

" Well, perhaps that is best. These old clothes are almost gone, and I must have some new ones ;" and David rose from the table and went out.

His wife cleared away the dishes, and was soon ready. It was last year's flax ; had been "rotted" during the winter and spring, gathered up, tied in bundles and laid away in the barn till David could find time to break it.

David went to the barn to " unlumber " his flax-break. The sun came out ; so he carried the " break " to the corner of the house, and brought a bundle of flax from the barn.

The " break" was a sort of wooden mal- let, on a long wooden frame, or " horse." The long, thin, parallel handles of the mallet were pivoted into the end of the frame, and when the machine was at rest, these blade-like " handles " lay lapped be- tween other blades, which were set edge upward firmly along the top of the frame, When the machine was at work, the two sets of wooden blades played upon each other with every lift and fall of the mallet, very much like the opposite edges of a pair of very large and very dull shears. Every stalk of flax that was caught be- tween, had its back effectually broken, and was rendered very limp and soft.

Taking a wisp of flax in his left hand, the farmer thrust it into the break, and with his right, brought down the mallet with heavy thumps. By the time his wife had brought the hatchel from neighbor Blanchard's, David had quite a pile of broken flax. David fastened the hatchel on a stump, within a few feet of where he was at work, and Judith, seizing a quantity of broken flax, laid it over the end of an upright board, and with a long wooden knife or swingle, beat the fibers, to clear away the greater part of the bark and " sliver," and the swingling finished, she began to hatchel the flax. Holding a hand- ful firmly by one end, raising and striking the other end down on the long, glittering teeth of the hatchel, drawing the flax towards her, to comb out the rest of the woody particles, leaving only the soft, yellow-tinted flax ready for the spinning- wheel.

I can fancy just how the worthy couple looked, in their old-time habiliments, as they stood there bare-headed, in front of their cottage of logs-he plying the break with steady stroke; she striking the flax down, and drawing it through the long teeth of the hatchel, preparing the raw linen for the wheel and loom. Hour after hour they continued their work, as cheer-

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fully as if theirs was the happiest lot in the world. Suddenly David spoke out, "Hark ! what is that ? "

" I did not hear anything ; what did you think you heard? "

" I thought I heard a bear right here in the swamp," said he, pointing down the path that lead to Blanchard's.

" I guess not," replied his wife, after they had listened a minute or two and heard nothing. "I don't think a bear would come so near in the daytime." " Well, perhaps I was mistaken," replied David; and the two went on with their work.

More than half the afternoon was gone when they finished the flax. Mrs. Lyford carried it into the house and laid it away until she could spin it, and leaving the plank-door of the house wide open went out where David was. " While you are putting the breaks away," she said, " I will carry the hatchel home;" and started across the swamp, singing as she went.

Mrs. Lyrord was a strong, and very ac- tive woman, and always in good spirits. As soon as she returned the hatchel she turned back through the swamp home. . The swamp was really a bit of forest; large trees and the bushes on either side of the narrow foot-path were very thick. About half way home, passing a short bend in the path, she found herself within arm's length of a cub-bear, weighing per- haps 15 or 20 pounds. At the same mo- ment, through the bushes, she caught a glimpse of the old bear and another cub not 3 rods distant.

Most women would have run, but the sight of a bear, or even two bears, more or less, had no such effect upon Jndith Lyford. Not in the least intimidated, and obeying a kind of defiant impulse, she snatched up the cub by the hind legs and un. The cub squealed, and began to cratch and bite so vigorously, she swung im into her stout tow apron ; but without topping, gathered both arms around him, nd kept on at her utmost speed. She eard the old bear crashing through the ushes behind her, and knew unless she ropped the cub, she would have to run

a desperate race, but had no intention of giving up her game. The same impulse that had impelled her to seize the cub, im- pelled her to keep it ; and keep it she did. With almost superhuman speed she dashed along the path, conscious the furious beast behind was gaining on her every leap. She reached the house, darting through the open doorway, flung the cub from her arms, swung the plank door to, and drop- ped the leverwood bar into its socket, none too soon. Scarcely was the bar in place, when the enraged mother-bear threw her great weight against the door outside. But the door had been made for such an emergency, and stood as a rock against all the brute's efforts.

The cub, as soon as his captor dropped him, darted into a corner of the room, where he kept up his cries, rendering the old bear more frantic every moment.

David had just put away his flax-break, and was coming out of the barn, when his wife approached the house, running her singular race. I imagine his astonishment as he caught a glimpse of her darting in at the door, with a fully-grown bear not a rod behind her.

Dropping the pitch-fork in his hand, he ran to the window behind the house. Quick though he was, Judith was there be- fore him, ready to pass the gun, always loaded for instant use. A moment later David was at the front corner of the house. The bear was so frantic to break through the door and reach her cub, she did not see David ; one well-directed shot laid her dead. The whole affair was over in scarcely five minutes between Judith's capture of the cub and David's shot that killed its dam at the door.

The cub in the house soon shared the same fate, and David went to the swamp to find the other, but that had taken alarm and escaped.

Mrs. Lyford lived many years afterward in the same neighborhood, long enough not only to see the wilderness disappear, but to raise a large family of children, to whom she often related her droll but dan- gerous adventure. The above particulars

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were furnished me by one of her sons, who still lives in St. Johnsbury.

David Lyford lived where Daniel Kim- ball now lives, and Blanchard where Caleb Noyes lives ; the swamp spoken of is the low land between the two places. Mrs. Lyford was the mother of the late Mrs. Stephen Hoyt.

TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES.

The first temperance society was organ- ized in 1826, through the efforts of Rev. Henry Jones. It was rather conservative in its regulations and requirements of its members. Perhaps whisky having been used so long as a common beverage, it was thought best not to break off too short on the start ; not to stop too sudden, as the reaction might be hurtful.

It was not a total abstinence society, but simply required of its members to keep an account of the number of times they drank during the month, and report at the next monthly meeting. This society kept up its organization 5 years.

In 1831 a total abstinence society was organized. No records of this society are to be found.

In 1842, Feb. 16, a society was formed at Lower Cabot, of which a record was kept: Benj. F. Scott, president ; James M. Harris, vice president ; John McLean, secretary ; M. P. Wallace, Eben Smith, Jr., A. T. Gibson, committee. The pledge was iron clad, guarded at every point, and it took a wide scope, and persons signed the pledge from every part of the town. Meetings were held in nearly every school- house in town, and the records show 'they were very interesting ; membership, 196; and yet, after a few months it appears to have lost somewhat of its salt; towards the last record the secretary closes up with the doleful exclamation, " Meeting thinly attended. Alas, poor Yorick ! alas! Are the people all drunk? "

Since this there have been different ten- perance organizations in town, but at present the work is principally looked after by the Good Templars, of which we have a full history, written by one of the members.

THE GOOD TEMPLARS' LODGE

was organized in Cabot, Aug. 1864, with Rev. S. F. Drew, pastor of the Congrega- tional church, as its presiding officer, and 19 charter members ; first officers : S. F. Drew, W. C. T .; Mrs. Edwin Fisher, W. V. T .; Wm. Atkins, W. S .; Miss Lucy Ray, W. A. S .; Wm. Gould ; W. F. S .; Mrs. O. L. Hoyt, W. A. M .; Moses Haines, W. C .; Miss Olive Stone, W. I. G .; R. A. Gunn, W. O. G .; Miss Abbie Hoyt, W. R. H. S .; Miss Levina Gould, W. L. H. S .; O. L. Hoyt, P. W. C. T .; William Atkins, L. D. The other first members were F. G. Hoyt, Allen Walbridge, N. J. Mason and George Dow. The first 3 meetings were held at the vil- lage hall; the next 6 with Mrs. Roxana Hoyt, at the Lower village ; then the Ma- sonic hall was rented 2 years, and after, the hall of Mr. John Brown for 5 years, which is still used.

In 1866, the Lodge chamber was hand- somely fitted up, and furnished with a good organ, and everything spoke a deep interest in the temperance work. Among those who early interested themselves in this work were the families of Rev. S. F. Drew, Wm. Atkins, Dea. Hoyt, Cornelius Smith, Rev. Alson Scott, Edwin Fisher, B. W. Marsh, O. L. Hoyt, Geo. Gould, Chester Walker, Wm. Abbott, J. W. Far- rington and wife, Dr. L. S, Wiswall, Henry and Isaac Hills, Dea. Edward Haines, Luke and Ira Fisher, Wm. Fletcher, Rev. P. N. Granger, Mrs. Allen Perry, Mrs. Enoch Putnam, Mrs. Swan, many of the members of the families of Horace Haines, Dea. N. K. Abbott, Daniel Gould. Frederick . McDuffee, etc., besides many other families and individuals in town and in the surrounding towns, and specia mention should be made of the untiring zeal of Wm. Gould, who went out fron us ; entered the " legal profession "; nov resides in California ; for his name not onl stands high among the members of th " bar," but he has done, and is yet doing a good work in the temperance reform i that State. His wife is also Right Worth Grand Vice Templar of the world.

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Only 27 deaths have occurred during these 17 years, strengthening the old adage, " cold water brings health as well as wealth."

At the decease of Ira Fisher, he left the Lodge $400, the interest of which was to be used by them as long as they held their charter ; but should they at any time sur- render this, the fund should go to the Congregational church of this place, of which he was a constant attendant.

The old members went, and new ones came in to take their places. None of the charter members are left now, '81, but the Lodge exists, and has never failed to hold its meetings regularly every week. The present officers are : Rev. R. Sanderson, W. C. T .; Mrs. Hiram Wells, W. V. T .; Miss Sadie Willie, W. S .; Miss Mattie Haines, W. A. S .; Murtin Wells, W. F. S. ; Miss Minnie Haines, W. T .; Hermon Rogers, W. M .; Miss Belle Paquin, W. D. M .; Henry Hills, W. C .; Miss Etta Gerry, W. I. G .; Wavie Town, W. O.G. Mrs. Henry Hills, W. R. H. S. ; Mrs. Wm. Buchanan, W. L. H. S .; Mrs. P. Gurney, P. W. C. T .; Henry Hills, L. D. We know much good is being done by this or- ganization throughout the world, and we believe our Lodge has done its part in the great work.

NATHANIEL WEBSTER.

Quite a lengthy and very interesting genealogical local record of this venerable pioneer and family has been received from Hon. Charles C. Webster of Redwing, Minn., his grandson, and a former resi- dent of this town, which we regret we have not space to publish ; but will make some extract from it. Mention has been made of Mr. W. in the former part of these papers.

He was born 1753, in Old Chester, N. H. Served several years in the Revolu- tionary army and was a pensioner at the time of his death. He was married to Mehitable Smith of Holderness, N. H. At the close of the war, they removed to Newbury, Vt., where they resided a few years, and in 1784, came to the Plain, where his father had purchased quite a

tract of land, and began as before stated. In March, he made preparation for his 50- mile journey into the wilderness. It took but a short time-his effects were few ; his vehicle for travel a hand-sled ; they had 5 children, upon the back-end of this sled ; he extemporized a cover and beneath it he placed two of his children too young to travel on foot. Abel, a lad 9 years of age, had to assist his father in propelling the sled, which he did with a pointed stick, pushing behind, while Lydia, a little girl, traveled along with her mother on foot, who carried her youngest child, an infant, in her arms. In this way did the young father and his wife pursue their way to the distant forest settlement. They arrived safely and found shelter under the roof of Benjamin Webster, at first, who had set- tled here a year previous. Nathaniel com- menced clearing and got his cabin ready in the fall. In due course of time, 7 chil- dren were added to their household, mak- ing 12 in all. Alpha, (the father of Charles C.,) was the youngest, who was a long time a resident of this town, and removed to Minneapolis, Minn., in 1868, to reside near his children who had settled there. He died September, 1874, aged 75 years. Mrs. Vance, who formerly lived in this town, but now in Boston, aged 90 years, is the only surviving child of this large family. Nathaniel Webster always lived on the same farm where he com- menced in town. He died in 1836, aged 83. His wife survived him many years, retaining her faculties to a wonderful de- gree. She died about 1858, aged 99 years, and from her the year before her death, the writer of this history got many items which have been of great benefit in com- piling the history of the town.

LIEUT. FIFIELD LYFORD

was born in Exeter, N. H., 1763. At the age of 13 he entered the army of the Rev- olution as a servant to his father, Lieut. Thomas Lyford, and served with him one year at Ticonderoga. He left his father and went to West Point, and served as one of the life-guard of Gen. Arnold till he proved a traitor to his country, and after

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that he remained in the army till the close of the Revolution. While with Arnold, he saw him beat a sick soldier over the head and shoulders with his cane with such severity as to break it. Arnold then threw the pieces into the ditch. Lyford secured the head of the cane, and used it on his own staff as long as he lived. The cane is now in the possession of his daughter, Celinda Lyford, at Lower Cabot. He served as a lieutenant in the war of 1812 ; was honor- ably discharged, and received a pension during his life. He married and came to this town in 1788, and settled on the farm where Wm. Barr now lives, and built there the first framed barn in town; he died in this town, at the residence of his son-in-law, T. E. Wilson, April 18, 1846, aged 79 years.

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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 18

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