The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 33

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 33

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The township was purchased of the Indians by Capt. Isaac Marsh of Stock- bridge, Mass., in honor of whom it is named, for £140 lawful money, and the deed was signed by 18 Indians, thus : .

O Joseph Shawguthguat, O Hendrick Aupanmat, O Jehosuhim Alokaim, O Peter Pohijhionurpjsut, + Joseph Luonahant, + John Pophmin, + Solomon Quargaria- hont, + Uhndrw Warmaeruph, + Vendru Waumurmn, + Hudrink Ihchumhwmh, + Moses Laupumnsapeat, + Thomas Wind, + John Thonhpol, + David Neson- ukausdahawauk, + Cornelius Janmauch, + David Nesonuhkeah Grum, + Abraham Maummumthickhur, + Isaac Unamprey.

This deed was given July 29, 1789, and witnessed by David Pixley and John Sar- geant, missionary.

These Indians, it is supposed, when they secured the grant of this land, in- tended to remove here, and make it their hunting-ground, but finding white settle- ments were beginning to cluster around it, they disposed of it as best they could, and sought the unbroken forests of New York and called the new home there, in honor of the old one in Massachusetts.

Capt. Marsh had married, for his second wife, a young widow by the name of Pit- kin, of East Hartford, Conn., and four of her sons, and two of his own daughters were among the pioneers of his new township .. Caleb Pitkin one of these sons, came from East Hartford as a surveyor, with a com-

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pany under Gen. Whitelaw, in the spring of 1790. They spent the summer survey- ing in this wilderness, returning to Con- necticut in the autumn. They spent the next season here also. Caleb was cook for the company, and it was asserted he " could cook as well as a woman." In the springs of 1792, '93, he, together with his brother, Martin Pitkin, and Gideon Spen- cer, came here, and labored clearing land, preparatory for a settlement, returning to East Hartford in the autumn, each year. The winter following Caleb, having mar- ried Hannah, daughter of Capt. Marsh, and Gideon Spencer, having previously married Polly, another of his daughters, together with Aaron Elmer, also a married man, removed to this town. They came as far as Montpelier with teams ; and from there, the snow more than 4 feet deep in Feb., they came with handsleds. Caleb Pitkin settled on the farm where his son, Jas. Pitkin, now dead, resided. Gideon Spencer, where his grandson Stephen Spencer lives, and Aaron Elmer where John Harris Eaton resides. All their pro- visions and furniture they brought from Connecticut over roads which would now be deemed impassable. In the summer they were joined by Ebenezer Dodge and family.

John Preston Davis, son of Ebenezer Dodge, was born Sept. 7th, of this year, and was the first child born in town. James, son of Caleb Pitkin, was born in Jan., 1795, and was the second child born, and the first girl born in town, was Betsey, daughter of Gideon Spencer, now wife of Dea. Dan Storrs. During this first season no one of these settlers owned a team, and all the grain for their families was car- ried to Montpelier to be ground, and brought home upon their backs, they leav- ing the bran to lighten their loads.

March 1, 1795, Joshua, Stephen, and Nathaniel Pitkin, and Solomon Gilman moved into town. Joshua Pitkin settled near the centre of the town where William Haskins now resides. Stephen Pitkin on the farm below, where Bowman Martin lives, Nathaniel Pitkin, who was cousin to the other settlers of the name, on the road

from Abram Wood's to the saw-mill in the south part of the town, and Solomon Gil- man where his grandson Loomis Gilman now resides. /

Settlers continued to come in. Stephen Rich was an early pioneer, commencing his settlement where his grandson, Samuel D. Hollister, now lives.

Nathaniel Dodge, another, who came at a day so early, that he moved all his goods into town on a hand-sled, was an upright, Christian man, accumulating a good prop- erty and bringing up a large family, only two of whom remain in town.

Martin Pitkin removed here previous to the organization of the town. Simeon Dwinell was also one of the early settlers, and one of the best of citizens ; afterwards four of his brothers, men of worth, Mar- tin, Squier, Zenas, and Aaron Bullock ; the right kind of men; John Pike, whose 5 sons all tilled the soil and made their homes here ; Daniel Bemis with his large family ; Caleb Putnam, the first blacksmith in town, who made all the nails used in the early days ; cut nails such as are now used, being quite unknown. Mr. Putnam was not only a good, ingenious blacksmith, but also a good, useful citizen. After some years, he removed to Woodbury, where he died.

So rapid was the tide of immigration, that, at the organization of the town, 61 men took the freemen's oath. Shall I say of these men, that they were industrious, energetic, persevering? None but such men would think of making comfortable, permanent homes in a forest? The farms they cultivated, the school, and dwelling- houses they erected, the thrift which soon became apparent on every hand, all tell what kind of men were the pioneers of Marshfield.

Joshua and Stephen Pitkin for a few of the first years worked in company, after- wards they mutually agreed to dissolve partnership, and amicably divided their possessions. They built the first framed barn in town. It was raised July 4, 1796. This barn in their settlement became the property of Joshua Pitkin. Stephen Rich raised a barn June 20, 1797. Caleb and

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Stephen Pitkin had each a barn raised June 26, 1797. June 28, 1798, William Holmes raised a barn; also Ebenezer Dodge raised a barn July 6, '98. Capt. Stephen Rich raised his house June 14, 1800. This was the first framed-house in town. Stephen Pitkin, it is supposed, built the next framed-house, two-story. Joshua Pitkin raised a two-story house, Sept. 24, 1803. Nathaniel Pitkin raised a house June 20, 1804, and Timothy Cole raised a house June 24, 1804.

THE FIRST RELIGIOUS MEETING in town of which we find any record, was Sunday, Aug. 20, 1797, at Nathaniel Dodge's. The 25th of Sept. after, Mr. Gilbert preached at Joshua Pitkin's. He was a missionary from Connecticut ; and Oct. 20, '97, a meeting at Nathaniel Dodge's, no preacher mentioned, and it is probable a sermon was read, as this was often the case in after years. From this time meetings were occasionally held in town ; very many it seems at Capt. Rich's ; for many years and also frequently, at Nathaniel Dodge's ; sometimes at Joshua Pitkin's. Among the ministers who occa- sionally preached here in the early days, were Elder Wheeler, of Montpelier, Bap- tist, Revs. Kinnee of Plainfield, Hobart of Berlin, Lyman, of Brookfield, Wright of Montpelier, Congregationalists.

How did our settlers live? in every de- partment of labor, almost nothing to do with? For making of maple sugar, the first five-pail kettle owned in town, Caleb Pitkin brought from Montpelier on his back, and sap-troughs had to be made, and the sugar-house was two huge logs with the kettle hung between, the smoke and ashes inclined to blow towards you ; the sap had to be gathered by hand, and where was the man who owned a sap-holder ? And when sugar was made, where was it to be stored? James Pitkin told the writer, he could remember how his father provided for this emergency. In June, he pealed birch- bark, soaked it, and sewed it with a strong wax-end, and thus made a large box, less the bottom, but he sat this on a smooth piece of bark, with a sap-trough inder to catch the molasses, and he recol-

lects many times eating biscuit and butter very near that sap-trough. The box, he thought, would hold 200 pounds. He also tells me the first cow his father owned, he drove from Newbury through the wilder- ness by marked trees, 34 miles. He did not say how the cow lived the first winter, but the second they raised a very large crop of wheat, and the cow was fed through winter, on wheat in the stook. She was very sleek, and yielded a large quantity of milk.

The children must be educated. In 1799, a meeting of the settlers was called, and they concluded to build a log-school house, covered with bark. It stood just above where the road turns off to go to Dan- iel Dodge's. Miss Nancy Caldwell taught the first school ; was afterwards married to Rowland Edwards of Montpelier.

Capt. Marsh came from Connecticut to visit his children and their families three times, and once, Jan. 7, 1797, his wife came with him. No small undertaking for a lady past middle age, with such roads. These visits were seasons of great interest to their children, and no less so to them- selves. They were made happy by seeing the prosperity of the settlement, and the thrift which was apparent among their children. Mrs. Marsh died the next sum- mer. Capt. Marsh lived some years longer, and married the third wife.

When Capt. Marsh and his wife returned home, Joshua Pitkin went in company with them as far as Walpole, N. H .; was four days going, and four returning. They went the first day to Williamstown, the next to Pomfret, the next to Cavendish, and the next to Walpole. Joshua Pitkin has also a record of his going to Judge Lynde's of Williamstown, to get a writ made out, hiring a horse of Mr. Hamett of Montpelier, for the trip, for which he paid 4s. It is not known what he paid for making out the writ. It ought to have been done cheap, as he went 20 miles to get it. He mentions a visit of Dr. Lamb of Mont-, pelier, to his wife, for which he paid 6s; and has a record of wages paid Henry Wal- bridge and two other joiners, at work on his new house, $2.25 a day for the three. And

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we are informed, it was considered no more immoral then to buy a barrel of rum, or 10 or 15 gallons of brandy, than it was to make other purchases for family use. The mystery is, how any one kept sober ; how any one knew whether other people were sober.

For a few of the first years the farmers here went to Montpelier or Calais for blacksmithing, till Caleb Putnam moved into town.

Mr. John Knox was the first person who died in town. The date of his death is not known. Aug. 22, 1797, a child of Mr. Robert Waugh was drowned in a well.

Joshua Pitkin was appointed first justice of peace Aug. 23, 1799.

FIRST RECORD OF MARSHFIELD.

On application of a number of credible freeholders of the town of Marshfield, County of Caledonia, and State of Ver- mont, that said town may be organized, according to law, I hereby warn a meeting of all the Freeholders and other inhab- itants of said town, qualified to vote in Town-meeting, to appear at the dwelling- house of Joshua Pitkin, in said town, on the tenth day of March next, at ten o'clock forenoon on said day. Ist, To choose a moderator to govern said meeting. 2d, To choose all officers that the law requires for organized towns to have.

JOSHUA PITKIN, Justice Peace. Marshfield, Feb. 24th, 1800.

March 10th, 1800.

This day a Town-meeting agreeable to the above Notification was held, and Ist Chose Stephen Rich, Moderator; 2ond, Chose Stephen Rich, Town Clerk ; Joshua Pitkin, Clerk pro tem. ; 3rd, Stephen Rich, Ist Selectman ; 4th, Stephen Pitkin, 20nd Selectman ; 5th, Samuel Paterson, 3rd Se- lectman ; 6th, Caleb Pitkin, Town Treas- urer ; 7th, Stephen Rich, Nathaniel Pitkin, and Robert Waugh, Listers ; Gideon Spen- cer, Constable and Collector ; Samuel Wil- son, Grand juryman ; 8th, Aaron Elmer, Ebenezer Dodge, Jun., Joseph Wells, Sur- veyors of roads ; 9th, David Benjamin, Ebenezer Wells, Nathaniel Pitkin, Fence Viewers; 10th, Robert Waugh, Pound Keeper; 11th, Giles Skinner, Sealer of Leather; 12th, Caleb Pitkin, Sealer of Weights and Measures; 13th, Giles Skin- ner, Tythingman; 14th, Ebenezer Dodge and Aaron Elmer, Hay wards ; 15th, Joshua Pitkin. Caleb Pitkin and Joseph Page, auditors of accounts of Selectmen. 16th, All the above names chosen into the

several Offices have taken solemn oath for the faithful discharge of their trust. This meeting adjourned untill the 24th day of this month, by order of the Selectmen.

Monday, Mar. 24, 1800, town meeting according to adjournment. After taking the freeman's oath, it was voted to ratify the proceedings of the annual meeting, Stephen Pitkin, Esq., chosen moderator pro tem. "Chose Stephen Pitkin and Samuel Paterson, Jurymen to attend the Supreme Court ; Samuel Paterson, Joseph P. Page, Aaron Elmer, Elisha Benjamin, Jr., Nathaniel Pitkin, Ebenezer Dodge, Jr., and Robert Waugh, Petit Jurymen."

" Voted to assess a tax of 2 cents on the dollar on all polls and ratable property for the purpose of defraying town charges ; to raise four days' work a year, from each voter for the year ensuing, to mend the highways ; that the tax shall be worked out in June, and that the Selectmen shall credit the same on the bills."

Names of the men who took the free- man's oath at said meeting :

Stephen Rich, Stephen Pitkin, Samuel Paterson, Caleb Pitkin, Aaron Elmer, Eb- enezer Dodge, Ebenezer Dodge, Jr., Elisha Benjamin, Jr., David Benjamin, Samuel Wilson, Hart Roberts, Joshua Pitkin, Elisha Benjamin, John Goodale, Hugh Wilson, Matthew Jack, Joel Knox, Tim- othy Cowles, Stephen Cowles, Amon Per- sons, James English, Edmund Harwood, Abraham Goodale, Solomon Spencer, George Gleason, Martin Pitkin, Gideon Spencer, Joseph P. Page, Uriah Simons, Nathaniel Pitkin, Joseph Wells, Giles Skinner, Robert Waugh, Solomon Gil- man, Ebenezer Wells, Selah Wells, John Waugh, Stephen Olmsted, John Cutler, Samuel Wilson, Jr., Robert Dodge, Chas. Cate, Samuel Pratt, Cyrril Garnsey, Caleb Putnam, Simeon Dwinell, Daniel Holmes, Daniel Damon, Calvin Elmer, Job Taylor, Ichabod Shurtleff, John Pike, Guy Benja- min, Asa Spencer, Josiah Hollister, An- drew Jack, William Jones, Avara Gilman, Wm. W. Powers, Nathan Jones, Chester Clark, Stephen Rich, town clerk.

It was voted at town meeting Jan. 7, 1800, Joshua Pitkin, Esq., mod. ; Stephen

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Rich, district clerk, to support the school on the grand list ; Robert Waugh and Na- thaniel Pitkin, school com. ; Aaron Elmer, collector. Voted, that no one shall have a right to take any child into his family to attend school, unless he take one for a year, and that the selectmen shall act in conjunction with the committee in exam- ining the school teacher, and to raise $34 to support schooling.

At town meeting, Mar. 25, 1801, Caleb Pitkin, mod., voted to divide the district ; set up the old school-house at vendue, to be sold to the highest bidder ; sold the house for 2} bushels of wheat, on 6 months' credit, to Aaron Elmer; 12 squares of glass, to Solomon Gilman, for I bush. of wheat ; 75 nails, to Nathaniel Dodge, for I peck of wheat ; boards, to Robert Waugh, for gs. 6d., to be paid in wheat ; table, to Joshua Pitkin, for 2 bush. 2 qts. of wheat ; chair, to Joshua Pitkin, for 3 pecks, 4 qts. of wheat. The selectmen organized the inhabitants on the river road into a school district, beginning at Hart Roberts' on the north, Capt. Skinner's at the south, Nathaniel Pitkin's on the west, and Sam- uel Wilson's and Joseph Wells' on the east. Stephen Rich, Samuel Paterson, Caleb Pitkin, were selectmen.

So the old school-house was sold, a little, square, log-building, covered with bark ; a big stone chimney, with an open- ing above for the smoke to go out and the rain to come in, and the grand old forest for play-ground, and did it not ring with the merry shouts of childhood? They needed no gymnasium then. Were there not the trees to climb, the birds' nests and squirrels to hunt, and partridges and wood- hucks to look after? The children did tot sing in school in those days. They ad to sit straight, keep their eyes on the ook, and their toes on the crack. They ardly dared breathe in school-time, there as such an awe of ferule and rod. The hildren did not sing in school, but the ird's song they heard through the open indow, and when the noon-time came, e children joined the chorus, and the old oods rang again.

It seems the inhabitants not included in

the river district, were all in one other dis- trict. Afterwards districts were divided and arranged, as the inhabitants increased, according to their needs. But it was not until about 1812, that a school-house was built on the river near Joshua Pitkin's. Schools were kept in a portion of a dwell- ing-house, and sometimes in Caleb Pit- kin's old house. In the mill district, now the village, the first school-house was built in 1821. The first school in this district was taught by Miss Comfort Gage, in the summer of 1820, in Capt. Martin Pitkin's barn, on the place where the writer re- sides. There was a school a number of years in the Dwinell district, before the convenience of a school-house was en- joyed. Four winters this school was kept in Simeon Dwinell's kitchen. This to some housekeepers might have seemed an inconvenience, as the house was small, and Mrs. Dwinell had 8 children of her own. But she doubtless got along nicely, washing days and all. The children must be educated ; in those days troops of little ones were not so much in the way.

In 1805, a committee was appointed by the town to act in concert with the select- men in purchasing a piece of ground for the burial of the dead, and the grave-yard near J. H. Eaton's was bought of Na- thaniel Dodge.

Mar. 1797, Thomas McLoud, of Mont- pelier, and Sally Dodge, of Marshfield, were united in marriage by Joseph Wing, Esq., of Montpelier, the first marriage in town. Joshua Pitkin, Esq., was the first justice of peace, and Dec. 10, 1801, he married Ebenezer Wells to Susannah Spen- cer, the first marriage by a citizen of the town.

Feb. 1, 1803, a town meeting was called to see if the town would form themselves into a Congregational society, and also to see if they would agree to settle a minis- ter. The vote stood 17 in favor and 70 against.

· Bears, wolves and deer were very num- erous in the early days of Marshfield. The wolves made night hideous by their howl- ings, and it was no uncommon thing to kill a bear or deer. Joshua Pitkin, in his

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journal, speaks of killing 8 deer at differ- ent times, and one bear story belonging to our region has in it sufficient of the tragic to warrant insertion here.

One season early in September the bears began to make depredations in the corn, on the Skinner farm, now Wm. Martin's. Solomon Gilman, one of the early settlers, who was a great sportsman, promised to watch for the bear, and put an end to his suppers of green corn ; he took his stand at night in the field, waiting the arrival of the depredator. The bear came on, and was soon helping himself, when with true aim, the hunter fired. The bear gave one great spring, and came directly on, or over him. He felt his time had come. The blood was flowing! He caught the lacerated intestines in his hands, replaced them as he could in that moment of des- peration, wrapped the long skirt of his overcoat about his body, holding it firmly with both hands ; had just strength enough left to shout for help, and to run a short distance. Help soon came. They assisted him to a place of safety, and folding back his overcoat, a double handful of bruin's entrails fell to the ground ! Mr. G. lived long to be the terror of the denizens of the forest, but it was years before he heard the last of being killed by a bear.

At another time, Mr. Gilman was pur- suing a bear through some woods where Mr. Ira Stone was chopping. Seeing the bear rapidly approaching, Mr. Stone sprang- upon a large rock. The bear came up. Mr. Stone attempted to strike him with his axe, but one blow of the bear's paw sent the axe to the ground. They now clinched. Mr. Stone attempted to grasp the bear's tongue, but instead, the bear crushed two of his fingers. They rolled to the ground, the bear uppermost. Just now Mr. Gilman came near, and taking aim, shot the bear through the head. The crushed fingers was all the serious injury Mr. Stone received.

The settlers made quite a business of selling ashes, and afterwards, a larger one of making salts for sale. The beautiful elms, of which there were many on the river banks and in other places, were cut

down, piled and burned for this purpose, and a great deal of other valuable timber. Salts sold well, so the day and the long night were often spent in boiling salts, and more than one woman has lent a hand at this work.

There are only two ponds which lie wholly in this town-Nigger Head, of cir- cular form, and about half a mile in width, and Nob Hill ponds. Long pond lies partly in Marshfield and partly in Groton. Mud pond has within a few years dried up. Our county map shows other ponds in our eastern portion, but by actual survey it is found that neither of these are our side of the line. Our township is somewhat hilly, but in only one case are we entitled to the name of mountain.

NIGGER HEAD

mountain, in the north-easterly part of the town, is a steep precipice, 500 feet high, in one place 300 feet perpendicular. It is an imposing sight, so bold, precipitous and grand-nature enthroned in one of her wildest phases. On its dizzy heights we have a remarkably fine view of the sur- rounding regions, and of the bright waters of the beautiful pond below, and nowhere can one get a better view of the fearfu precipice, than in a little boat on the waters at its base.

Winooski river passes through this towi from north to south, more than half of the town lying on the east. It receives man' tributaries in its course. Lye brook, th outlet of Pigeon pond in Harris' Gore, is : considerable stream, and falls into th river a little south of the center of th town.

A part of the south portion of Marshfiel is more easily convened at Plainfield vi lage, which really extends a little into ou town than at our own village. As a cor sequence our people in that vicinity atten church at Plainfield, while a portion of th: people in Eastern Cabot, on Molly's broc and vicinity, attend church at Marshfield

On the east side of the river a larg quantity of good timber remains uncu and there are also on this side of the riv very large quarries of granite, beautiful clear, and of superior quality, and shou

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the time come when a railroad shall pass up through this portion of our town, the value of these forests and quarries will be estimated very differently from what they are now. As far as farms are cultivated on this side of the river, they are pretty good.

About the year 1825, quite a settlement was made on this side, some 23 miles east of where the town-house now stands. So many families moved in, that a log school- house was built, and at one time there was a school of 30 scholars ; but the land prov- ing better for pasturage than tillage, after a few years the settlement was deserted. These large pastures are now owned by wealthy farmers.

The town is in every part well-watered. The east part is noted especially for its pure, soft, cold springs. There is also hardly a farm in town but what has one or more good sugar orchards, and the amount of sugar made here any year is large. Through the kindness of E. S. Pitkin, Esq., I have the following statistics of the manufacture of maple sugar here in the spring of 1868, which is above the average : Sugar orchards, 108 ; sugar made in 1868, 140,350 pounds, or more than 70 tons ; 18 orchards made each 2,000 and upwards ; 40 made less than 2,000 and more than 1,000 pounds.

WATER PRIVILEGES.

Molly's brook, from the easterly part of Cabot, unites with the Winooski soon after entering this town. On this brook, just above the junction, are Molly's Falls, which are worthy the notice of the trav- ler. They can be seen to advantage from he stage-road, a mile above the village. The water falls in the distance of 30 rods, 80 feet. Were we writing fiction, it would o, perhaps, to follow the figures of Thomp- on in his valuable " Gazeteer of Vermont," taking these falls 500 feet ; but we, who, the clear mornings of summer can hear le roaring of the water, will have it just . it is, 180 feet. There is an amount of ater-power here not often equalled. It ould be difficult to estimate how much achinery might be kept in motion by the iter which is precipitated over these

falls. Then, on the river below, are a number of excellent mill-sites, and in ad- dition to all these, Nigger Head brook, from where it leaves Nigger Head pond to its entrance into the Winooski, has a suc- cession of falls, making good locations for mills ; all the better, as the stream is never materially affected by drought.

Among our early settlers a good deal of attention was paid to orcharding. On the hill farms there are good orchards and fine fruit, both grafted and native. On the river, apple-trees have never done as well.

Aug. 22, 1811, there was a very great rise of water, and Joshua Pitkin lost grass sufficient for 15 tons of hay, by the over . flowing of his meadows, as his journal tells. In Sept. 1828, there was a great flood, and Stephen Pitkin, Jr's. clover mill, a mile above the village, was carried off; also many bridges. July 27, 1830, a great rise of water carried off nearly all the bridges on the river, and greatly injured the uncut grass on the meadows, and Aug. 1, 1809, there was a great hail-storm, injuring gar- dens and corn very much. The evening of July 5, 1841, there was a terrific hail- storm through a portion of the town. Veg- etation was much injured, and very much glass broken. Aug. 20, 1869, there was a very sudden rise of water, buildings were injured, some small ones carried off, and bridges and other property destroyed.

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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 33

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