The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 38

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 38

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By a survey made by the late Hon. Wm. Howes a few years ago, it was ascertained that the fall in the river from below the dam at Montpelier village to the top of the water in the pond at Middlesex was only 5 feet II inches.

There are many things that indicate that at some distant day these ledges formed a barrier that obstructed the water of the river, and raised it many feet higher than the meadows along the river above this place, forming a large pond or lake, that flowed not only these meadows but a part of Montpelier, including the greater part of the village, and a portion of the towns of Barre, Berlin and Moretown. About 2 miles above the Narrows the ledge, near where the carriage-road now is, some 50 feet above the present bed of the river, bears unmistakable evidence of the wash- ing of the waters of the river or lake.

While gazing on this wondrous work Of nature's law, divinely fair, We feel how great the work of time, How weak and frail we mortals are.

We feel the feeling grow of awe, While looking on this rolling tide, And think these were the works of God, In which mankind could take no pride.

Along the mountain side in the N. W. art of the town are many rills and brooks, hat come rushing down steep declivities nd leaping from high precipices, forming

many beautiful cascades and miniature cat- aracts, which if as great as they are lofty would be supremely grand. Here, too, are found high overhanging cliffs and deep ravines, and all the sublimity common to the mountains of the Verd Mont State.

But when we stand upon the summit of the highest peak, 3,558 feet above Lake Champlain, and cast our eye at a glance over more than 10,000 sq. miles of the surrounding country, looking down over the homes of tens of thousands of our steady villagers and sturdy yeomanry, view- ing the well-cultivated plains and forest- covered hills, and beholding the distant mountain scenery, the winding streams and ever-varied landscape, here we find magnificence and grandeur combined.

It might be said sublime and fair,

And lofty are our verdant hills,

And crystal streams from fountains flow That turn with ease the swiftest mills.

Our plains, how grand, how marked with care, While each proclaims the work of God ;

And man, with thanks and willing hands, Improves the rich and fertile sod.

For the following very good description of our mountains I am indebted to Wm. Chapin :

MOUNTAINS OF MIDDLESEX.

BY WM. CHAPIN, ESQ.

Near the South-west corner of Middle- sex there rises abruptly from the south bank of the Winooski river a range of clearly-defined mountains, that extends about 20 miles, being nearly on the line between Middlesex and Waterbury, and extending between Worcester and Stowe, a little to the east of the line between those towns, and ending near Elmore pond, in the Lamoille valley. These mountains are called "The Hogbacks " in some of the earlier geographical works of Vermont, but that name now applies only to the south end of the range near the Winooski.

The most conspicuous points in Middle- sex are locally known as " Burned Mount- ain," "White Rock," or " Castle Rock," and " Mt. Hunger." This Mt. Hunger is nearly on the line between Middlesex and Worcester, and a little east of the corners of the four towns, Middlesex, Worcester, Stowe and Waterbury. Its height is 3648 feet above the sea.

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As the topmost stone of this mountain, which is the highest point in the range, is doubtless in the town of Worcester, that town may perhaps fairly claim the honor of having within its limits one of the pleas- antest places of public resort to be found in New England.

The name of Mt. Hunger was given by a party of hunters who went out from Mid- dlesex Centre on a winter's day, some 60 years ago, to hunt for deer on this mount- ain. Lost in the vast woods, they had to stay out all night, with nothing to eat save one partridge, and that without salt or sauce. When they got home the next day, half starved and wholly tired out, they said they had been on Mount Hunger . Not an inviting name, certainly, but very appropriate to the occasion.

The only comfortable way and road to the summit at the present time is in and through Middlesex. From the earliest settlement of the town this has been a favorite resort for all who have had suffi- cient hardihood of muscle and wind to make the first ascent. But the way was rough, tangled and steep. A better way was needed, and in due time was made. The Mt. Hunger road was commenced in October, 1877, and completed June I, 1878. It was on its first survey 2 miles and 16 rods in length, extending from the public highway in Middlesex to the sum- mit of the mountain. The first 500 rods was made a good, safe and comfortable carriage road. The last half mile is very steep, and only a foot-path could be made, but the path is so well provided with stairs and other conveniences that children 6 years of age have gone up safely, and men of 86 years have gone up without difficulty. [The late Hon. Daniel Baldwin, of Mont- pelier, twice after 86 years of age.] Many teams of one to 6 horses drawing carriages from two to 20 persons, have gone up and down this road in the summers of 1878, '79 and '80, without an accident or mishap to any one.

of hard labor. Thousands of trees had to be dug up by the roots-giant birches that clung to the ground for dear life, well- rooted spruce, and tough beeches and maple ; thousands of knolls and hills had to be graded or removed, and hardest of. all, thousands of rocks and ledges to be blasted, dug out, or got around in some way.

Hundreds of feet of bridging had to be built across the many little brooks and rills that come down the mountain sides. The longest bridge is in Middlesex, near the Worcester line, and is 137 feet long. At the upper end of the carriage-road is a level plateau that has been well cleared of the undergrowth and made smooth, and here a barn has been built to accommodate travelers with teams. The grade of the road is necessarily somewhat steep, but as it is a continual rise from the foot to sum- mit, no very sharp or steep pitches are to be found in the whole length of it.

This road was built by Theron Bailey, Esq., of Montpelier, proprietor of the " Pavilion," and is owned and occupied by him as a toll road, the various land-owners on the route having deeded him the right of way, and some 25 acres of land for building and standing ground at the top,

The construction of this road was under the superintendence of Wm. Chapin, Esq., of Middlesex Centre, and was completed. with the exception of stairs and bridges. in 60 working days, and with a gang o less than 20 men.

Whether this road will be kept up in re pair or not, remains to be seen. The mount ain top is one of the pleasantest places o earth, and will be visited so long as people inhabit the country ; standing in an isolated position, it commands a view of the whol country ; to the east, to the White Mount ains, west, to the Adirondacks, north, t the Canadian Provinces, and south, to th Massachusetts line ; a score of villages many lakes and ponds, and, best of al thousands of New England farms an homes.

To build such a road, through a dense forest of spruce, birch and maple woods, Among those who visited here in th olden time was the late Daniel P. Thom] was no small undertaking, requiring some courage, much capital and a vast amount son, of Montpelier, who climbed up, fc

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lowing the town line for a guide, about 1833, and no doubt much of the sublime mountain scenery so beautifully described in " May Martin," " The Green Mountain Boys," and other Vermont stories, was studied from nature here.

The tops of all of these mountains were covered with timber at the settlement of the town ; now some 10 acres are burned down to the bare rock on the top of Mt. Hunger, about the same area on " White Rock," and on Burned Mountain the fire has cleared some 30 to 40 acres. The spaces thus opened afford the finest out- look upon the surrounding country.

"Now on the ridges, bare and bleak, Cool 'round my temples sighs the gale. Ye winds! that wander o'er the Peak, Ye mountain spirits! hail! Angels of health! to man below Ye bring celestial airs; Bear back to Him, from whom ye blow, Our praises and prayers."

Middlesex Centre, 1880. W. C.

WATER-POWER, MILLS AND FRESHETS.

The town is abundantly watered by springs, brooks and rivers. There are but very few houses in town that are not sup- plied with a stream of clear, pure, soft water, running from some never-failing spring.

Numerous brooks rise among the mount- ains and on the hills, and flow across the town. One called Big brook rises N. W. of the Centre, flows a southerly course to near the centre of the town, then flows south-westerly to the Winooski, emptying just above the village.

On this stream, about half a mile from its nouth, has been a saw-mill the greater part of the time for upwards of 60 years, und at different times there have been mills t three other places on the stream, one being near the Centre. The best of these hills, built by Solomon Hutchins about 20 ears ago, was destroyed by fire soon after was completed. The other mills have otted down, been damaged by freshets ad never repaired, or been taken down, id at present there is no mill on the ream ; but there is a repair shop, owned Myron Long, in place of the mill first ·scribed.

Along the mountains northerly of the height of land near the Centre, rise many brooks, which, flowing south-easterly and uniting, form a quite large stream, which empties into North Branch about 5 miles from Montpelier village.

The two largest of these brooks unite at Shady Rill, about one mile from the Branch, and here in the year 1824, Jedu- than Haskins and Ira McElroy built a saw- mill on the right bank of the stream, which stood about 4 years, and was washed away by a freshet. It was rebuilt soon after by Haskins on the other side of the stream. This mill stood until about 1850, when it was washed away and never rebuilt. On the east stream of the two that unite at Shady Rill, about ¿ mile above that place. a saw-mill was built some years ago. In 1869, or '70, this mill was bought by Isaac W. Brown, of Montpelier, who put in a clapboard mill, which was run by John Hornbrook until 1872.

In 1872, W. H. Billings came from Waits- field and bought the mill. He ran the old mill 2 years, and his brother, J. J. Billings, went in company with him. The fall of 1875, they built a new mill, 34 by 60 feet, and put in a small engine to run part, of the machinery. In this mill they did a good business, which was increasing each year until the mill was burned, May 8, I880. At that time they had several thousand logs in the mill-yard, and they immediately commenced clearing out the debris of tlie burned mill, and laying the foundation for a large new mill, 48 feet by 96. They put in a 75 horse-power engine, and commenced cutting out boards and timber July 17, and in the course of the summer they nearly finished the mill and put in all the machinery necessary for cut- ting, planing and matching boards, and sawing and dressing clapboards. It is now, Jan. 1881, one of the best mills in the State, and capable of turning out 10 car-loads of dressed lumber per month. There is another mill, on another stream, about half a mile west of this mill, now owned by Geo. W. Willey.

In 1815, Esquire Bradstreet Baldwin came from Londonderry, and built a mill

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where Putnam's mills now stand, on North Branch, about 52 miles from Montpelier, since which there has been a mill there.

We are favored by the following de- scription of these mills through the kind- ness of C. C. Putnam, Esq :

" The north branch of the Winooski, which empties into the main stream at Montpelier, flows through the N. E. corner of Middlesex, about 3 miles, on which is situated one of the best mill privileges in the State, with a fall of 32 ft., on which was erected a mill in 1815, by Bradstreet Baldwin, son of Benjamin Baldwin, of Londonderry, Vt. The mill built by Brad- street Baldwin, on the above-mentioned privilege, was owned and occupied by sev- eral parties untll purchased by C. C. Put- nam and Jacob Putnam, about 1845. At that time the capacity of the mill was about 100,000 ft. per annum. . The old mill was situated on the west side of the stream at the top of the fall. In 1854, was erected a large double gang-mill on the east side of the stream below the fall to take advan- tage of the 32-feet fall, together with a grist-mill and machinery for dressing lum- ber. The latter was consumed by fire in 1862. The same year was erected by C. C. Putnam on the same site, the mill now standing, with two large circular saws. Since then have been added to the mill, planers, matchers, edging-saw, butting- machine and band-saw for cutting out chair stock, the capacity of the mill being 2,000,- 000 ft. dressed lumber per year. The past year, C. C. Putnam & Son, the present owners, have shipped 150 car-loads of dressed lumber to New Hampshire, Mas- sachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, valued from $25,000 to $30,000. The most of this lumber is cut on their land in Worcester, and floated down the stream. In connection with their lumber business they have a supply store, containing all necessaries for their workmen and public generally, doing a business of from $15,000 to $20,000 per year."

Henry Perkins came to town somewhere about 1800, and built the first grist and saw-mill at the Narrows, where the village stands. He lived in the Widow Aaron

Ladd house, one of the two first houses in the village. Soon after, Samuel Haskins built an oil-mill, and Thomas Stowell built a clothing-works mill.

In those early days, when news were conveyed on horseback as the swiftest means ; when freighting between here and Boston was mostly done with oxen ; before Arkwright had invented the spinning Jenny, or carding-machines were known; when the women did all the carding and spin- ning by hand ; when farmers had to go a great way to mill, and carry their grist on horseback, or on their shoulders ; when the meat mostly used was that of wild game, and salt to season it sometimes $3.58 per bu. ; when 8 children were called an av- erage family, and 12 or 13 not uncommon, and boys and girls were not afraid of work ; when the " goode housewyfe " found ample time to spin yarn from wool, flax and tow, and weave cloth to clothe all in her goodly family, works were then in vogue and built for coloring, fulling, pressing and dressing cloth. In May, 1818, a freshet swept away the clothing-works, but they were soon built up again.

At the time of this freshet Luther Has- kins was moving from the farm which he sold to Stephen Herrick in 1820, and which Mr. Herrick still owns and occupies. He got his cattle as far as the river, and could get them no farther on account of high water. Nathaniel Daniels and John Cooms undertook to go from the village in a boat to take care of the cattle. They had pro- ceeded some 20 rods up the river, when the current upset the boat. Cooms swam ashore, and seeing Daniels struggling ir the water, was about to swim in to rescue him, when some one who considered the undertaking too dangerous, held Coom: back, and Daniels was drowned.

Nov. 1821, all the mills were destroyed by fire. They were soon rebuilt, with : good woolen factory in place of the clothing works, which was built by Amplius Blake of Chelsea, who employed Artemas Wilde to superintend it.

In Sept. 1828, was another freshet which swept away the factory, grist-mil oil-mill and saw-mill. Much to the cred

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of the owners, they went to work with true Yankee courage immediately, and rebuilt the mills in a stronger and more secure manner, and had them all in operation within 2 years. They were not secure enough, however, to withstand the exten- sive freshet of July, 1830, during which the water in the Winooski probably was the highest ever known since the State was settled, being at its greatest height July 27 or 28, so high it flowed through the vil- lage, and a dam was built across the upper end of the street, to turn the current of the river back towards the Narrows. All the mills were raised by the water from their foundations, and sailed off together like a fleet, taking the bridge below with them, until they struck the high pinnacle of rocks a few rods below the bridge, when, with a deafening crash, they smashed, and ap- parently disappeared in the rolling flood.

The weather in the summer of 1830 was cold and wet up to July 15. From the 15th to the 24th it was mostly clear and exces- sively warm. During the day of the 15th, the thermometer rose in the shade to 94°, the 16th it rose to 92°, the 17th to 923°, the 18th to 92°, the 19th to 90°, the 20th to 91°, and the 21st to 94°.

The rain commenced in the afternoon of Saturday, the 24th, and continued till the Thursday following; and is believed to be the greatest fall of water in the length of time ever known in Vermont, the fall at Burlington being more than 7 inches, 3.85 in. of which fell the 26th in 16 hours.

After this freshet, Jeduthan and Luther Haskins built here an oil-mill, which was bought by Enos Stiles in 1835, and suc- essfully operated by him for 33 years. He old to Y. Dutton, who now owns it. There vere »many oil-mills in the State at an arly day, but they had all been abandoned xcept two, when Mr. Stiles sold his mill. Ir. Dutton kept the mill in operation for time after he owned it, and is supposed be the last one in the State to give up taking oil from flax-seed. The Messrs. askins also built a grist-mill, which was terward owned for many years by Geo. Barnard Langdon, of Montpelier, who ld to L. D. Ainsworth. He has at great

expense fortified it against freshets, and made it a first-class, modern flouring and grist-mill, where he does a good business. He also owns a planing-mill near the grist- mill, and a saw-mill on the opposite side of the river in Moretown, which accommo- dates many who reside in Middlesex, and has recently bought the old oil-mill of Dutton.

In Oct. 1869, there was a freshet that did considerable damage. No buildings were carried off, but the highways were badly washed, and many bridges carried away. In the town report the following March I find, in addition to a highway tax of 50 cents on a dollar of the grand list, about $3,000 in orders drawn for extra work and expense on highways and bridges, The river was so high that Mr. Ainsworth's saw-mill teetered up and down on the water, and would have been swept away had it not been securely chained to the trees and ledges.

OF THE MINERALOGY

here but little is yet known. Rock crystal is quite common, and some very fine spec- imens of crystal quartz have been picked up. The largest, most transparent and most perfect specimens have been found in the north western part of the town, along the foot of the mountain. The crystal quartz found here is mostly nearly white. Some of the specimens are traversed in va- rious directions with hair-like crystals of a reddish, yellowish or brown color, and similar to those found elsewhere along the gold formation, so called, that extends through this part of the State. Many stones are also found of which iron enters largely into the formation ; and it is claimed that gold has been found in small quanti- ties in the eastern part of the town, but no very valuable mines have yet been discov- ered here.

MAGNETIC VARIATION.

From an examination of the lines run when the town was alloted in 1788, it ap- pears that the westerly variation of the mag- netic needle is now very nearly 4°, so that lines in this town that were run N. 36° E. in 1787, now. in 1881 run N. 40° E.

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ANIMALS.

The first settlers found in the forest of this town, the black bear, raccoon, wol- verine, weasel, mink, pine martin (im- properly called sable), skunk, American otter, wolf, red fox, black or silver fox, cross fox, lynx, bay lynx or wild cat, star- nosed mole, shrew mole, Say's bat, beaver, musk rat, meadow mouse, jumping mouse, white bellied or tree mouse, woodchuck, the gray, black, red, striped, and flying squirrel, hedge-hog, rabbit, moose, and common deer.

In 1831, a very large moose left the mountain near the notch road, and wan- dered towards the village of Middlesex. He crossed the Winooski near the eddy just below the narrows, and went across the meadows on the farms now owned by Joseph Newhall and Joseph Knapp in Moretown, passing through a field of wheat on the latter farm. He then crossed Mad river near its mouth, and started in the di- rection of the large tract of woods near Camel's Hump mountain. This is sup- posed to be the last wild moose that ever visited Middlesex.

COUNTY MEMBERSHIP.

Middlesex has had the honor to belong to Gloucester County, established by the N. Y. Council, Mar. 16, 1770 ; Unity, es- tablished Mar. 17, 1778 ; name changed to Cumberland, Mar. 21, 1778 ; to Benning- ton, being set to this County by change of county line Feb. 1, 1779: to Addison Co., formed Oct. 18, 1785 ; to Jefferson County, incorporated Nov. 1, 1810; to Washington Co., the name of Jefferson being changed to Washington in 1814.

Middlesex can boast of being the first town settled in Washington County, as the county is now organized ; but it was not the first town chartered, Duxbury, Moretown and Waterbury having been chartered one day first, June 7, 1763.

The altitude at Middlesex village was given by D. P. Thompson at 520 feet above the level of the ocean, probably meaning the elevation of the railroad at that place. He did not claim minute ac- curacy, but as his estimate was deduced

from data of surveys for canals and rail- roads, it is probably a very near approxi- mation.

CARRYING THEIR VISITORS HOME.

Somewhere between 1825 and 1830, a carpenter and joiner, named Downer, came · with his family from Canada to build the house where Elijah Whitney now lives, for Jacob Putnam, and moved his family into a house about 2 miles easterly from Wor- cester Corner, and owned by Wm. Ar- buckle. Downer, for some reason, went to Canada in the winter, and left his wife and four or five children in Worcester, and during his absence they were aided by the town. Danforth W. Stiles then lived where he had made the first beginning, on what is now known as the Nichols' place, above Putnam's Mills, and the Downer family came there and to Jacob Putnam's on a visit. When they were ready to return home, they procured a team, and a boy started to drive them home and take the team back, but they were met near the line by Worcester men, who turned their team around, and told them to drive back into Middlesex, and they returned to Stiles'. Stephen Herrick was overseer of the poor in Middlesex, and Stiles immediately no- tified him of the affair, and he started with his team to carry the family back. Hc took the woman and children, and accom- panied by Stiles, they proceeded to withir about a mile and a half of the house, which distance was through a thick woods, when they were stopped by two men who were felling trees across the road so lively tha after considerable effort to cut their wa: through, they returned with the family t Middlesex, leaving the family at Esquir Baldwin's.

Herrick went home, arriving there abou dark, and rode about that part of the tow to inform the men of his defeat and pro cure assistance, and was soon on the roa to Worcester again, accompanied by Elija Holden, with a span of horses and doub! sleigh to carry the family, and by Horac Holden, Moses Holden, Xerxes Holder Asa Chapin, Torry Hill, Josiah Holde Abram Gale, John Bryant, George Sawye Jeremiah Leland, Sanford White, Lewis M

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Elroy and others, in all 22 men, with 9 teams and plenty of axes, bars and levers, with which to clear the track, and they were joined by Stiles when they reached his place, making 23 men. When they reach- ed the woods they were again stopped, this time by 16 Worcester men with axes, who commenced to fell trees into the road, as fully resolved to prevent any further tax

to support the Downers, as the Boston " tea party " were to avoid paying the three cent tax on tea. The Middlesex men commenced clearing the road, and pro- ceeded some distance in that way, but the 16 men kept the trees so thick in the road ahead, that Herrick ordered his men to leave the road, and cut a new road through the woods around the fallen trees. In this way they succeeded better, and when the trees became too numerous ahead, they dodged again, and brushed out a road around them, Holden following close be- hind with the family. As soon as it was certain that they would succeed, Herrick proceeded alone to the house, to protect that from being destroyed, and to have a fire when the woman and children should get there.

Very soon after he reached the house, William Hutchinson entered with a fire- brand, and was about to set fire to the house, when Herrick seized him, threw him to the floor, and seating himself on Hutchinson, held him fast. . Torry Hill soon entered, with a gruff " whose here?" Herrick answered, "I am here, and here is this little Bill Hutchinson, who bothered ne yesterday by felling trees into. the road." 'Let me have him," said Torry. Herrick released him, when he sprang for the fire, letermined to carry out his purpose, but Corry seized him by the collar, and snap- ing him to the door, gave him a kick that made him say, " I'll go!" " Yes, you will o, and that d-d quick, too," said Hill, iving him another kick, that sent him any feet from the house.

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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 38

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