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 37
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ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN.
Copy of a record in the town clerk's of- fice in Middlesex :
To Seth Putnam, Esq .:-
Sir-We, the Inhabitants of the town of Middlesex, petition your honor to grant a Warrant for the purpose of calling a town-meeting in said town of Middlesex on Monday, the 29 of March instant, at ten of the clock in the morning, for the purpose of Organization of said Town.
EDMOND HOLDEN, LEVI PUTNAM, SAMUEL HARRIS, ISAAC PUTNAM.
Chittenden, March 15th, 1790.
In pursuance of the foregoing Petition, By the authority of the state of Vermont, you are hereby directed to warn all the free- Holders and other inhabitants of the town of Middlesex to meet at the dwelling-house of Seth Putnam, Esq., in said Middlesex, on Monday, the 29th day of March Instant, at ten of the clock in the morning. Firstly to choose a moderator to govern said meeting.
2dly, to choose a town Clerk, Select- men, Town treasurer, and all other Town officers according to Law, and of your do- ings herein make due return according to Law.
Given under my hand at said Middlesex. this 15th day of March, A. D., 1790.
To Levi Putnam, freeholder of the Town of Middlesex. SETH PUTNAM, Justice of the Peace.
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Served the within Warrant by notifying the inhabitants by setting up a true copy at my dwelling house in Middlesex.
March 16th, 1790.
LEVI PUTNAM, Freeholder.
Mar. 29, 1790, According to within war- rant being met, made choice of Levi Put- nam, Modera'r ; Seth Putnam, Town Clerk ; Thomas Mead, Levi Putnam and Seth Putnam, selectmen ; Edmond Holden, con- stable and collector of taxes; Lovewell Warren, Town Treasurer ; Jonas Harring- ton, Surveyor. Attest,
SETH PUTNAM, T. C. Recorded May 7th, 1790.
I find by the records in the town clerk's office that the honorable Seth Putnam was chosen to represent the town of Middlesex on the first day of September, 1807, and that the number of votes cast for repre- sentative was 30. The general reader will at first think it strange, to say the least, that the town had no representative till 17 years after its organization ; but may re- member Vermont was not admitted into the Union until Feb. 1791.
SAMUEL MANN, one of the first settlers of the town, bought two lots of land 3 miles N. E. of Middlesex village. I bought the same lots Oct. 19, 1820, at which time I commenced an acquaintance with the in- habitants of Middlesex. I came into the town with my family Mar. 16, 1821. The venerable Thomas Mead was then very far advanced in years, and had a great number of children and grand-children. His son Thomas, and grand-son Thomas, lived in his house, and also Jacob Morris, who married his daughter, making in all four families. Mr. Thomas Mead 'was a church-going man and was much respected. There was no meeting-house in town until several years after I came, except a small house of one story, which was built by a very upright and benevolent man, .
SAMUEL HASKINS,
who built it at his own expense to present to the Methodist church, which was then n a prosperous state here. He owned a saw-mill and grist-mill, and an oil-mill. While he was grinding large cakes of oil- neal, one of the stones, 6 feet or more in liameter, broke away from the axle-tree or
oil-trough, and broke both of his legs. The stone which remained attached to the axle-tree rolled around swiftly against the other, crushing them nearly off, until the sufferer was released by a neighbor, who took away the stone and conveyed him to his house. Two physicians were soon in attendance ; both limbs were taken off, but the good man's sufferings soon ceased, and he passed away calmly. I was stand- ing by to behold the solemn sight, and could truly say :
"How still and peaceful is the grave When life's vain tumult all is passed ;
The appointed house by Heaven's decree Receives us all at last."
After the death of this generous man, the house was changed from a meeting- house to a dwelling-house, and thus re- mains. It stands near the S. E. corner of the town cemetery, owned and occupied by a grand-daughter of the deceased and her husband.
LOVEWELL WARREN,
one of the first settlers, was town treasurer in 1790. He was much esteemed by his neighbors. Leander Warren, a son of Lovewell, represented the town several times, and was much esteemed by his townsmen. Rufus Warren, a son of Le- ander, has also represented the town.
HON. SETH PUTNAM
had 3 sons. Holden, the oldest, repre- sented the town several times. Roswell, the second, was an estimable citizen, much esteemed, and the reverend George Put- nam was a minister of the Gospel, much esteemed. Hon. Seth Putnam made the town a present by deeding to the town a small lot of land for a cemetery, where his remains and the remains of a part of his family are buried. Their graves are en- closed by an iron fence. Almost all the first settlers of Middlesex were living here when I came. I think the number of men was about 210 who were heads of families, and they have all passed away from earth.
WILLIAM HOLDEN,
one of the first settlers, bought a lot of haft, and threw him backward against the land about 13 miles from the village, the
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farm now owned by William B. McElroy. Mr. Holden had 5 sons, Horace, William, Xerxes, Moses and Philander. Horace Holden, chosen town clerk in March, 1820, held the office 32 years. At the end of 32 years, his son, William H. Holden, was chosen, and held the office 19 years. C. B. Holden, a son of Horace, held the office from March, 1873, to the time of his death, July 25, 1878, and James H. Holden ap- pointed July 27, 1878, by the selectmen ; held the office until September 3, 1878. Horace, William, Xerxes, Moses and C. B. Holden represented the town several times each, and have all passed away, and William H. Holden has also passed away.
JOSEPH CHAPIN
was born Oct. 28, 1758. His son, Joseph Chapin, Jr., was born June 25, in Weathers- field, Vt., in 1792. Joseph Chapin, Sr., settled in Middlesex when the town was quite new ; his son, Joseph Chapin, Jr., was a farmer, and by industry and good economy, acquired a very handsome prop- erty for his children, and left a good name. His wife passed away many years before his departure. She was sister to Horace Holden. Joseph Chapin, Sr., lived to the age of 96 years, and was esteemed by all who knew him.
Joseph Chapin, Jr., had 2 sons. Hink- ley, the oldest, was killed instantly. He was a brakeman on the cars, and received the fatal blow when passing through or under a bridge. William Chapin, his son, still survives and has held many important offices in town.
The Chapin family own lots in our beau- tiful cemetery, and the remains of their loved ones are deposited there. One of Joseph Chapin, Jr's., daughters, with her husband, Otis Leland, are living in sight of our beautiful cemetery, where they often visit the graves of their departed friends- their son, their parents and grand-parents, and brother who was killed on the cars.
JEREMIAH LELAND,
one of the first settlers, removed from Charlestown, N. H. He died soon after I came to Middlesex, respected by all who knew him ; left 3 sons, Rufus, James and
Jeremiah, all of whom have long since passed away, esteemed by all, and their remains are deposited in our cemetery, with the remains of all their partners in life. James, son of Jeremiah, was never married. Jeremiah, Jr., has left 4 sons, all . now living, two of whom have represented the town, and Rufus has left two sons, who are now living, worthy men, much esteemed.
EBENEZER PUTNAM,
a brother of Col. Seth Putnam, was a man about 50 years of age when I came to live in Middlesex, in 1821. He was a very pleasant, social man, and worked with me to score timber for a barn. His son, Rus- sel, hewed the timber. Soon after, Russel was taken sick. I visited him several times. His sufferings were very great be- fore he passed away. He left several daughters and one son, whose name was Holden, who was a sheriff of good repute, and enlisted in the last war, and lost his life in the defence of his country.
JACOB PUTNAM,
another brother of Col. Seth Putnam, set- tled on a branch of Onion river in Middle- sex, about 5 miles above Montpelier vil- lage. I became acquainted with him soon after I came to the town. He was a man of good understanding. I was associated with him and Nathaniel Carpenter in mak- ing an appraisal of all the real estate in Middlesex soon after I came. He died many years since. His son, C. C. Put- nam, and C. C. Putnam, Jr., are persever- ing men and good citizens.
ISAAC PUTNAM, another brother of Seth Putnam, lived in Montpelier, and passed away to the spirit life, leaving a good name and a respectable posterity.
NATHANIEL CARPENTER
was one of the first settlers ; voted for town representative in September, 1807; was town clerk in all 9 years, and a justice o the peace, I think, 30 years, or more. He died in the winter of 1837. In 1821, wher I came to live here, he lived one mile from our village and 5 miles from Montpelie; village. He had 4 sons by a second mar
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riage ; two or more by a previous marriage ; his four last sons were, N. M. Carpenter, Don P. Carpenter, and Heman and Al- bert. Don P. Carpenter has been one of the side judges of Washington Coun- ty Court, and Heman, judge of Wash- ington County Probate Court, and N. M. Carpenter is a respectable and successful farmer. I know less of Albert, as he set- tled in a distant state.
CAPT. ROBERT MCELROY,
one of the first settlers, lived 2 miles from Middlesex village. His family were an aged mother, who emigrated from Scotland, his wife, 4 sons and 3 daughters. Ira, the oldest son, died single ; Harry, the second son, had 3 sons, Clesson R. and H. L. Mc- Elroy, and Wm. B. McElroy. Lewis had 2 sons and Jeremiah 2 sons, in all, 7 grandsons. Capt. Robert McElroy and wife, mother and 4 sons, have passed away. Harry McElroy's third son, Wm. B. McElroy, was chosen town clerk, Sept. 3, 1878.
It will be observed by this that Capt. Robert McElroy has left a good record. In addition to the above I think it is my duty to state that Harry McElroy's eldest son, Clesson R. McElroy, was a lieutenant in the army and a valiant officer, held in high esteem by both officers and soldiers, and Harry McElroy's second son, H. L. McElroy, has been superintendent of com- mon schools in Middlesex for several years, and as such highly esteemed.
JESSE JOHNSON
was one of the first settlers, and voted for representative in 1807. He was far ad- vanced in life in 1820. His son, Jesse Johnson, Jr., was a man in the prime of life, and lived about 50 years after 1820, and was for many years associated with Moses Holden, his son-in-law, in trade. They were esteemed by all who knew hem, were good economists, and accumu- ated a large property, and have passed way. They have left no son to perpetuate heir names.
EPHRAIM WILLEY
as one of the first settlers, and had 2 ons, Hubbard and Benjamin, who were in
the prime of life in 1820. They have all passed away ; but have left a great number of children and grand-children to perpet- uate their memory, all of whom are re- spectable citizens, even as their fathers and grandfathers before them were.
RUFUS CHAMBERLIN, ESQ.,
one of the first settlers, was in 1821 a man far advanced in life, and had then living 5 sons and 3 daughters. His oldest son, Clesson, died in Massachusetts. Oliver A. Chamberlin, the second son, and A. L. Chamberlin, the fourth, are still liv- ing. Rufus Chamberlin, Esq., and wife, 2 daughters and 3 sons, have passed from this life, but not without leaving children and grandchildren to perpetuate their memory, though most of the grandchildren have passed away. I will name a few: Wm. H. Holden, C. B. Holden, Martha Holden ; children of Horace Holden and his wife, Mary Chamberlin, and Mary, also a daughter of Oliver A. Chamberlin. Our town clerk is a son of Harry McElroy and his wife, Mary Ann, dau. of Rufus Cham- berlin, both of whom have passed away.
MERCHANTS AND STORES, 1879.
We have three stores in Middlesex vil- lage, one owned and occupied by Benja- min Barrett and James H. Holden, one by J. Q. Hobart, and one by N. King Her- rick, all doing a good business without danger of failing. Our merchants are as reliable as those of Montpelier, and I choose to patronize them.
We have at this date, Jan. 1879, no physician in town. Nearly all of the peo- ple of Middlesex employ the physicians who live in Montpelier village.
MEETING-HOUSES AND CHURCHES.
We have three meeting-houses, all good ; one good brick one in the village, near the passenger depot, one built of wood in the center of the town, and another of wood in the small village denominated Shady Rill. They are all kept well painted and in good repair. The one in Middlesex village is now occupied by the Methodists one-half of the time, and seldom at any other time, and it is about the same as to the house in the center of the town. The meeting-
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house in Shady Rill was built about 30 years ago, by the Freewill Baptists, and it is occupied by those who built it, and their posterity. There was a Congregational church in this town when the brick meeting- house was built, but there is not now. I think it passed away about 1845. The Methodist church has about 36 members at this time. The Freewill Baptist church, I think, is about the same as to numbers.
The Methodist denomination own a good and well-finished parsonage house and out-buildings, all well arranged, near the brick meeting-house in Middlesex.
MICAH HATCH
was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was an early settler of Middlesex. He bought two or more good lots of land, 4 miles north of Montpelier village. He had 2 sons, Micah and David ; David had 2 sons, Zenas and Gardner. Zenas was drafted and lost his life in defence of his country. A daughter of Micah Hatch was the mother of the Hon. Zenas Upham, one of the side judges of Orange County Court in 1878.
SOLOMON LEWIS
was an early settler of Middlesex, and set- tled on the North branch of Onion river, 6 miles north of Montpelier village. Wil- liam Lewis, a son of Solomon, owned and occupied the farm for many years, and said farm is now owned by Lathrop Lewis, a son of the late William Lewis. I could say much in commendation of Mr. Sol- omon Lewis and his son William, and of his grandson, Lathrop, all of whom have been good citizens.
EZRA CUSHMAN
was one of the early settlers, a respectable merchant, and associated as such with Theophilus Cushman, his nephew, in trade in Middlesex village in the early settlement of the town, was a man in whom the people all had the utmost confidence. He mar- ried a daughter of Hon. Seth Putnam. Their son, the Rev. Lewis Cushman, a Methodist minister much esteemed, has been engaged in the ministry more than 30 years, previous to 1879.
CAPT. ZERAH HILLS
was one of the early settlers of this town. He had 3 sons, Lorenzo, Justin and Zerah. Zerah built the house above described, and had it very nearly completed when the Rebel war commenced, and he' enlisted in defence of our country, and died in its de- fence June 25, 1863, lamented by all who knew him.
COL. HUTCHINS
was one of the early settlers of Middlesex. He had two sons, Timothy and Solomon. Solomon married a sister of ex-Governor Paul Dillingham. Solomon Hutchins kept a public house in Middlesex village when the town was quite new. I think the house was the first public house kept in Middlesex. Solomon Hutchins and his immediate family have long since passed away, but leaving a respectable posterity of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
March, 1879.
MIDDLESEX CONCLUDED.
BY VOLNEY V. VAUGIIN, ESQ.
The township, situated on the north side of the Winooski river, 30 miles from the mouth of the river at Burlington, lat. 44°, 20', long. 4°, 2', is bounded N. by Worcester, E. by East Montpelier and Montpelier, S. by Berlin and Moretown, from which it is separated by the Winooski, and W. by Waterbury.
The N. H. charter, by Wentworth, was granted " by command of His Excellency, King George III., in the third year of his reign," and provides :
The township of Middlesex, lying on the east side of French or Onion river, so called, shall be six miles square and no more, containing 23,040 acres.
The first meeting for the choice of town officers shall be held on the 26th day of July next, to be notified and presided over by Capt. Isaac Woodruff, and that the an- nual meeting forever hereafter for the choice of officers for said town shall be on the second Tuesday of March, annnally.
The town was to be divided into 71 equal shares ; each one of the 65 propri- etors to whom it was granted to hold one share, and 6 shares as usual in the N. H. charters for the Governor's right, the ben-
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efit of the Gospel and schools. The Gov- ernor's land was a tract of 500 acres in the S. W. corner of the town.
The council of New York established the county of Gloucester in 1770, which included this town, and the first record of a proprietors' meeting found in our town records commences :
A meeting of the proprietors of the Township of Middlesex, on Onion River, in the Province of New York, holden at the dwelling-house of Samuel Canfield, Esq., in New Milford, Conn., on Tuesday, ye tenth day of May, 1770.
At this meeting Partridge Thatcher, of New Milford, was chosen moderator, and Samuel Averill, of Kent, clerk.
It was voted to "lay out said township and lot one division of 100 acres to each right," and Samuel Averill was chosen agent to agree with a surveyor and chain- bearers to do the business. It was voted to lay a tax of $3 per right, to pay the ex- pense of surveying, and Partridge Thatcher and Samuel Averill laid out the Ist division as above voted.
The proprietors held a meeting at Kent, Apr. 13, 1773, Samuel Averill, Jr., clerk. Voted $2.50 per right instead of the $3.00 voted before to pay the expense of the surveys.
Oct. 14, 1774, Samuel Averill, Jr., col- lector, sold 8 lots of land at public auc- tion, to satisfy unpaid taxes voted as above. Partridge Thatcher and Samuel Averill, Jr., bid off 4 lots each, at £1 2s., N. Y. money, per lot.
The first deed of Middlesex lands re- corded is from Samuel Averill, Jr., to Samuel Averill of 5 full rights, dated Kent, Litchfield Co., Dec. 30, 1774, and ac- knowledged before Wm. Cogswell, justice of the peace.
The first proprietors' meeting held in Vermont was at Sunderland, Oct. 13, 1783, Isaac Hitchcock, proprietors' clerk, and the 2d and 3d division of lands were made, and surveys recorded Feb. 9, 1786.
The first proprietors' meeting held in Middlesex was at the house of Lovell War- ren, Aug. 14, 1787. Choice was made of Seth Putnam, proprietors' clerk, and ad- ourned until Nov. 5, same year, and at
this adjourned meeting it was claimed that all former surveys or pretended surveys had been made inaccurately, that some of the lots had been laid out within the limits of Montpelier, that proprietors could not find their lots, etc., and it was " Resolved to hold null and void all former surveys or pretended surveys."
It was voted to lay out the Ist, 2d and 4th divisions in 69 lots each, of 104 acres in a lot, the 4 acres being allowed for high- ways. Where the village now stands, 30 acres were reserved for a mill privilege, and 104 acres of the pine lands just east- erly of the mill site for the first mill- builder, if he built a mill within 12 months. This reservation was the 3d, called the white-pine division, which was laid out in about I-acre lots, and divided among the proprietors the same as the other divisions. The Ist, 2d and 3d divisions were allotted in 1787 and '88, and surveys recorded in September, 1788. Allotted by Gen. Parley Davis, surveyor; Isaac Putnam, hind- chainman ; Jacob Putnam, fore-chainman. The 4th division was allotted by Gen. Davis in 1798.
This allotting, if accurately surveyed, would cover 22,162 acres, which would leave 878 acres undivided land, of which each proprietor would own an equal share. This land, which is north-easterly of the Governor's right, has been taken up or "pitched " from time to time, until it is all claimed on titles of original rights.
By an act of the legislature, approved Oct. 30, 1850, so much of the town as is contained in lots numbering 50, 55, 56, 57, 58, 63 and 64, and so much of the undi- vided land as lies westerly of a line com- mencing at the most south-easterly corner of lot number 64, and running south 36° west and parallel with the original line be- tween Waterbury and Middlesex to the Governor's right, so called ; thence on the line of the Governor's right to the original town line, was annexed to the town of Waterbury, which leaves about 22,000 acres as the present area of Middlesex.
The change in the town line was made to benefit a few families who lived in the west part of the town who could more con-
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veniently attend meetings and go to market in Waterbury than in Middlesex, on ac- count of living the west side of a high range of hills or mountains, that form a natural boundary, and so separate the two towns that only one carriage-road directly connects them. The change brings the town line as now established very near the summit of this range of mountains.
Near the S. E. corner of the town com- mences a less elevation of land, which ex- tends in a northerly direction a little east of the centre of the town, which unites with the higher range about 4 miles from the south line, and gives the south part of the town a slope southerly towards the Winooski, and the northern and eastern part a slope easterly towards the North Branch of the Winooski, which flows through the N. E. corner of the town.
The surface of the township is somewhat uneven, but the soil is generally very fer- tile and productive. There are many ex- cellent farms on the hills, and some fine intervales along the river and branch, and although the meadows are not very ex- tensive, they are enough so to form a num- ber of very good and valuable farms.
The land is naturally covered with maple, birch, beech, ash, elm, butternut, red-oak, iron-wood, pine, spruce, hemlock, fir and other smaller trees and bushes such as are common in this part of the State.
The N. W. corner of the town contains about 1200 acres of nearly unbroken forest, covering the mountain and lying along its base, which only needs steam-power in the immediate vicinity, backed by good me- chanical enterprise and skill, to make it valuable property.
This town will compare favorably with the other towns in the County for farming and lumbering.
NATURAL CURIOSITIES.
Nature has given our territory fully an average share of the singular and odd, and of the grand and sublime.
Among the oddities is a rocking stone on the farm of William Chapin, near the Centre. This stone, weighing many tons, is so evenly balanced on a high ledge that
it can be rocked forward and back with ease. On the mountain west of the late C. B. Holden farm is a high cliff of rocks, from which many heavy pieces of rock have become detached and fallen to the ravine below. These are so placed that they form some curious caverns on a small scale, which are noted hedge-hog habitations. One of these rocks, sheltered by the over- hanging cliff from which it fell, which is some 6 feet long, 4 feet wide, and from I to 2 feet thick, lies on another rock in such a manner that it projects over nearly half its length, and is so nicely balanced that a man can teeter it up and down with one finger.
A few years ago there stood by the road- side on the farm now owned by Daniel Pembrook, an iron-wood or remon tree, which about 2 feet from the ground di- vided into two trunks, each about 6 inches in diameter. They grew smooth and nearly straight, and from 1 to 2 feet apart for some 10 feet, where they again united in one solid trunk, which was about 10 inches in diameter ; this continued about 3 feet, where it again divided. The two trunks above were similar to the two be- low for about 10 feet ; there it united once more, and above threw out branches and had a "top" similar to other trees of its kind. This tree was cut down by some one who had an eye keener for the useful than for the ornamental.
The only road that directly connects this town with Waterbury, about 12 miles from the river, passes through a notch be- tween masses of ragged ledges which for many rods rise almost perpendicular on either side to the height of 100 feet or more, with just fair room for a good car- riage-road and a small stream of water be- tween.
The channel called the Narrows, worn through the rocks by the Winooski be- tween this town and Moretown, is quite a curiosity. Of this grand work of time Moretown may justly claim a share, but as this town is the most benefited by it, Mid dlesex history would be incomplete with out a description. The channel is abou 80 rods in length, some 30 feet in depth
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and averaging about 60 feet wide. Where the bridge leading from Middlesex village across to Moretown spans the channel, the width at the top of the cut is less than the depth. Below this bridge for many rods the rocks rise very nearly perpendicular for some 30 feet, appearing like a wall. Above the bridge for many rods they rise on either side to near the same elevation, but not quite so steep, leaving the chasm only a few feet wide at the bottom, and the river runs very rapidly through the channel. At the upper end of the Narrows is a dam and the mills described elsewhere. Just below the bridge, and in direct line with the course of the river above, is a high pinna- cle of rocks. When the river is low it runs the north side of this, and when the water is high it flows on both sides, or sur- rounds it.
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