The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 40

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 40

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Their work was brought to a close by a party of young men from Middlesex, among whom was Enos Stiles, who gives the fol- lowing account of their expedition, he be- ing the only one of the party now alive :

Dec. II, 1826, between 8 and 9 o'clock in the evening, Ira McElroy, Calvin Farrar, Amos L. Rice, Archy McElroy, Jerry Mc- Elroy, Alexander M. Allen and Enos Stiles started from Middlesex village for Camel's Hump, with a view to discover what they could of the work or object of the money- diggers there, and were accompanied by Nathaniel Carpenter, then a justice of the peace, who went to act as an official if any arrests should be made. As they started, it so happened Danforth Stiles, from the east part of Middlesex, one Hink- son and one Reed were on their way to the mountain, and fell in with them. There was no temperance law then to forbid, no Good Templars to interfere, and acting upon the principle that which contained the most heat and stimulus was the best beverage for a long journey in a winter's night, they took two gallons of new rum for drink with them, and what provisions

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needed beside. Leaving their teams at Ridley's tavern, now Ridley's Station, they took their provision and drink, and pro- ceeded on foot to the mountain, about 6 miles distant. Esq. Carpenter stopped at the last house at the foot of the mountain to await for business, if needed, and the other seven of the party kept on up the steep mountain, through some two or three miles of thick forest.

When about half way up, after crossing a spruce ridge and coming into hard wood where it was lighter, they called the roll, and found one man missing. Three men were detailed to go back and find him, which they did some one-third mile back, lying in the snow fast asleep, having ap- parently fallen asleep and dropped out of line unnoticed by the rest of the party. Nothing more of note occurred until they arrived in the early break of day at the headquarters of the money-diggers, where they found Rodney Clogston, of Middle- sex, the leader of the band, one Shackford, Eastman, and Friezell, up, dressed, with a good fire burning before the shanty.

After looking over the premises a little, four of the party went up to the top, and were there at sunrise playing a game of cards. The south wind was blowing warm, and they suffered no inconvenience from cold. It had been warm for a number of days, and the snow was not very deep at that time. After taking breakfast, well- washed down, the Middlesex party com- menced a thorough search for goods, coin- ing implements, treasures or excavations, which continued till about I o'clock P. M., and resulted in finding nothing except a little digging done inside of the shanty in the ledge that formed one of its sides, about what might have been done by two men with powder, good drills and a sledge in one day.

Giving up searching, the party came to- gether at the camp and had a social time, until some were feeling pretty well, when one man said he did not want to trouble the camp for anything, and offered to pur- chase one cent's worth of meat, which was dealt out to him.

Then some of the boys, being possessed

of evil spirits as well as good, commenced to break spruce twigs and put them on the fire for the fun of seeing them burn; this made a division, and two opposing parties were formed. Two of the men from the east part of the town sided with the dig- < gers, and one remained silent and neutral, which made six against seven, when the invaders commenced piling on larger brush, and soon had the shanty in a rousing blaze. The diggers defended their property smartly by words, and declared that their things should all burn and the boys would be compelled to pay for them ; but no fighting was done, and before the fire reached any of their things they made a rush and saved their trumpery, and let the shanty burn. The brush was so dry, the blaze shot into the air some fifty feet, making a splendid sight, but the diggers' lodge was reduced to ashes. In less than two hours after, the money-diggers were all on the march for home, thus ending the digging for Captain Kidd's treasures on Camel's Hump.

THE COLDEST NIGHT HERE

in the month of July since the year 1816, was probably in 1829. Enos Stiles relates that he worked at haying for Elijah Holden on the farm where Gardner Sawyer now resides, in 1829, and that he and two other men who were mowing on the 10th of July threw down their whetstones on a swath of hay, one above another, and that when he took up the upper stone on the morning of the 11th, the stones were frozen together so that he raised the threc together when he lifted the top one. But he says the frost did not seriously injure the growing crops. .

FIRES.

The only fire in town supposed to be in cendiary was that burning the store, tavern house and barns standing where B. Bar rett's store and tavern now stand, and owned in 1835 by a man named Mann In May, that year, the buildings, with 3 0 4 horses and one ox, were burned, and Simeon Edson, who kept tavern where J Q. Hobart now lives, was arrested o charge of setting the fire. At a justic trial the jury found him guilty, and he wa

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lodged in jail to await County Court trial. After being in jail for some time, he got bail, and never appeared at trial, and as there was lack of good proof, his bonds were never called for.

THE SAP-FEEDER,

so generally used by maple sugar-makers to run the sap into the pans or evaporators as fast as it evaporates, was invented by the late Moses Holden, Esq., who for many years owned and carried on the sugar-place about 2 miles from his home in the village ; was a part of the Scott farm. He was a large, strong man, a great worker, and seldom had any help in sugar- ing, and often felt the need of having his sap boiling safely when he was away. Hearing a description of a floating con- trivance for regulating the amount of water running into the flume of a certain mill, gave him an idea about regulating the sap running into his sap-pans, and he went to Montpelier and told one of the tinmen there what he wanted made. The tinman would have nothing to do with it for fear of ridicule in case of a failure ; but going to another tin- shop, the tinman made the feeder accord- ing to directions, and only asked for a chance to make more if it proved a suc- cess. Mr. Holden took his invention home, elevated his sap-holder, put on his feeder, and started a fire. It worked well during the day, and when he left at night, e filled his holder with sap and his arch vith wood, and when he returned in the norning, found his holder nearly empty ind everything right. He never applied or a patent, but used this first feeder as ong as he sugared, and it is still used by Vm. Scott, who bought the sugar-place.

Moses Holden died in May, 1878, at an 1vanced age. He had always been a res- lent of the town, had represented it in le Legislature twice, and had filled many fices of trust and responsibility. Many ories are told of his physical strength, le of them being to the effect that he has en known to cut and split 8 cords of three- ot wood in one day. He could lift up a 1 barrel of cider, hold it, and drink from e bung-hole.

BURYING GROUNDS.

At an early date, Hon. Seth Putnam deeded his one-acre lot in the white pine division, which is in the village, on the east side of the street opposite the railroad depot, to the town for a burying ground. The yard is well fenced, and kept in as good condition as the scanty room will ad- mit. I have not learned who was the first person buried there, and the number can- not be very accurately determined, but the cemetery is nearly all occupied.

The following names, taken mostly from the headstones there, show that there sleep some of the brave veterans who fought to establish our nation, and some of the dar- ing pioneers who cleared the dense forest from our fertile fields :

Lyman Tolman, aged 95, Cyrus Hill, 94, Ebenezer Woodbury- Revolutionary sol- diers ; Hon. Seth Putnam, fourth settler in town, 93; Capt. Holden Putnam, Captain at Plattsburgh, 86; Jesse Johnson, Sen'r, 86; Luther Haskins, 84; Mary Petty Has- kins, wife of Luther, 81 ; . Sally, wife of Dr: Joseph Lewis, 83; Polly Goldthwait, 79; Elihu Atherton, 79; Moses Holden, 78; Aaron Ladd, 78; Jesse Johnson, Jr., 77.

As the ripened autumn leaves surely and successively drop from the forest trees and are borne to the silent earth, so are we, in sure succession, dropping from the stage of life, and being borne to the silent cities of the departed. And as the inhab- itants of these cities will soon outnumber those living in our villages and along our valleys and hill sides, it seems just and appropriate proper mention should be made of them ; and I think much credit is due the inhabitants of this town and near vicinity for the improving and adorning of their cemeteries. The ground now called

THE MIDDLESEX CENTRE CEMETERY,

is now one of the most neatly arranged country cemeteries to be found ; situated in a sightly, pleasant place, on the east side of the first made and most direct road from the village to the Centre, about 2 miles from the river, on the top of the first of three elevations of rolling ground found in coming from the village on this

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road. Along the roadside and within the gate near the entering avenue, is a grove of handsome maples in rows, casting their shade upon the turf and over the pretty, white school house upon the left. The grounds within the cemetery are neatly arranged in 6 rows of lots, with 3 carriage avenues running the length of the ground and cross avenues. Each lot is raised above the avenues, with walk left between each 2 lots, and flowers, blooming shrubs and roses, break the mat of thick green grass and add their beauty to the sacred plots. A substantial wall and close-trimmed cedar hedge inclosing all.

But it is more the tasteful arrangement of the whole that makes the place seem beautiful for every one, than any profuse adornment. The stranger, too, pauses to admire the lovely scenery around as well, and the mourners feel a spirit of thankful- ness that their dear friends are resting in so fair a place.

There are some 200 graves here now, with many monuments. Jan. 1, 1812 Na- than Benton, one of the first settlers, deeded 2 acres of land here to Joseph Chapin, Josiah Holden and 16 others : the land tc be used for a neighborhood bury- ing ground. In the spring of 1822 there were 5 graves in this ground, but it was in an open field, and had not been exactly located. That year the neighbors met and appointed Stephen Herrick to meas- ure and stake out the ground, and a fence was built around it.

But little was done to improve it more until about 1856, when through the influ- ence and under the supervision of Horace Holden, the friends of the deceased buried there, and others who felt interested, be- gan to kill the weeds and brakes that had become abundant, and improvements were continued from time to time till 1858, when everything was completed nearly as at pres- ent. In 1866, an association was formed called " The Middlesex Centre Cemetery Association," to which Aaron Ladd, Asa Chapin, and 21 others, owners of lots, deeded their right and title. Under the Association each one of those who deeded and each one who took an active part in

the work of improving the ground were en- titled to a family lot.

SOME OF THE OLDEST

buried here are : Elizabeth McElroy, came from Scotland to U. S. in 1740, died in 1823, aged 99; Joseph Chapin, Sen'r, 96 ;; Susanna Chase, 89 ; Jeremiah Leland, 78 ; Elizabeth, wife of Jeremiah Leland, 88 ; Samuel Daniels, 87 ; Lucretia, wife of Sam- uel Daniels, 78 ; Polly McElroy, 84 ; San- ford White, 80; Maj. John Poor, 79, and Eliza M., his wife, 73-both buried in one grave ; Joseph Chapin, Jr., 78 ; Horace Holden, 74; Marian Leland, 92; Abram Gale, 78, and Mary, his wife, 92; Marga- ret Mead, 79; Benjamin Willey, 72 ; Mary Wilson, 73; Hosea Minott, 74; Knight Nichols, 81, and Mercy, his wife, 92 ; Geo. H. Lewis, 71.

THE NORTH BRANCH CEMETERY.

On North Branch, about I mile below Putnam's Mills, is another cemetery, of which Mr. Putnam furnishes the following description :

" About 1810, Jno. Davis was buried or land then occupied by him, known as the Scudder lot, nearly in front of his house, on the opposite side of the road. After that time the place was used for a burying ground, and § of an acre was enclosed with a log-fence. At that time a man by the name of Flanders lived where Cheste: Taylor now lives; Levi Lewis and wife Polly, lived where G. M. Whitney nov does. Jno. Davis and wife, Nancy, wer the first who lived on the Stiles place James Pittsly and wife, Esther, commencer on the place known as the Bohonnor place, on the east side of the stream, nov occupied by Jacob Putnam. After this Wm. Lewis purchased the Scudder lot and the inhabitants erected a board fence aroun the burying lot. Oct. 8, 1863, an assc ciation was formed called the North Branc. Cemetery Association. The trustees pui chased 1} acres, together with the ol ground of Lathrop Lewis, son of Wm Lewis, for $150, and built a good, substar tial fence around it, erected a hearse-hous and purchased a hearse. The locatio being on the main road, and the soil dr

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and sandy, makes it the most desirable cemetery in the town."

Some of the oldest buried in North Branch Cemetery were: Clarissa Gould, aged 66 ; Ruth Minott, 66 ; Daniel Russell, 68; his wife, Temperance, 81 ; Reuben Russell, 78 ; his wife, Susannah, 69; John Gallison, 83 ; his wife, Phebe, 85; Allen Gallison, 68 ; Enoch Kelton, 64; his wife, Huldah, 72 ; Josiah Wright, 76; his wife, Betsy, 84 ; Nathaniel Wentworth, 71 ; Eliz- abeth, relict of Moses Wentworth, 87 ; Wil- liam Lewis, 88; his wife, Hannah, 67; Jacob Putnam, 73 ; his wife, Polly W., 57 ; Betsy Thayer, 67; Isaac Batchelder, 61 ; his wife, Mary, 68; David Herrick, 86; his wife, Mary, 85 ; Stephen C. Jacobs, 76 : Andrew Tracy, 75 ; his wife, Levina, 84 ; Ebenezer Cummings, 94; Abel H. Cole- man, 75 ; David Gray, 82 ; David Hatch, 63 ; his wife, Sarah, 57; John McDermid, nearly 77; his wife, Adelia, nearly 72 ; Louiza Lane, 72; Margaret Smith, 81 ; Thomas Culver, 71 ; his wife, Anna, 73; Zeley Keyes, 76; Micah Hatch, 83 ; his wife, Mary, 69; Ephraim Hall, 68; Tim- othy Worth, 84; Solomon Lewis, 89; his wife, Susannah, 70; his second wife, Lu- cinda, 68; Elizabeth Church, 60; Sabra Burrell, 85 ; Wm. R. Kinson, 56; Hannah Kinson, 73 ; Eunice Edgerly, 64.

MRS. LYDIA KING, widow of Elder Na- thaniel King, died at the house of her son- in-law, Stephen Herrick, at the age of 91 years, and was buried in Northfield.

REMARKABLE CASE OF PETRIFACTION.

In March, 1846, James Vaughn (the writer's father,) and family, which in- cluded his father, Daniel Vaughn, moved from Pomfret, this state, on to a farm in the N. W. part of Middlesex.

" Uncle Daniel," as he was universally called in Windsor County, was a man about 5 feet, 10 inches in height, broad shouldered, stout built, and weighing some more than 200 lbs. He was noted for his remarkable strength, his strong, heavy voice, his sociality, his song-singing and story-telling, and was a notedly robust nan, the solidity of muscle increasing as ige advanced to such an extent as to

make it necessary for him to use a cane or crutches for the last 15 years of his life.

He died of dropsy June 3, 1846, aged 78 years, and by his request was buried in a place selected by himself in a sightly spot near the house where he died. The following March the eldest daughter of James Vaughn, aged 16, died of consump- tion, and was buried in a grave near her grandfather. In Feb. 1855 their remains were taken up to be removed to the family burying-lot in Woodstock cemetery. The remains of the young lady were found in the usual condition of those buried that length of time.

The uncommon heft of Mr. Vaughn's coffin led to an examination of the re- mains, when it was found that the body had become petrified. Every part, ex- cepting the nose, was in perfect form, nearly its natural color, but a little more of a yellowish tinge, hard like stone, and it weighed 550 lbs. The petrified body was viewed by Mr. Vaughn's family and many of the neighbors in Middlesex, and was also seen by many at Woodstock. A somewhat minute examination by physi- cians and scientific men revealed the fact that the fingers, toes and the outer part of the body were very hard and brittle, but that the length of time had not been suffi- cient to so fully change the inner portions of the most fleshly parts of the body and limbs. But it was generally believed by those who made examination that a few years more of time would have made the work of petrifaction complete, and chan- ged the entire body to a mineral forma- tion, that would perhaps endure for ages.

A biographical sketch of him we have not given, as it properly belongs in Pom- fret history, of which town he was an early settler.

SUDDEN AND ACCIDENTAL DEATHS.

Luther Haskins, aged about 80, died in a chair in Barrett & Holden's store. He sat leaning slightly back, and was first noticed to be dead by Will Herrick, who happened to go into the store.

Nancy Hornbrook, aged 16, daughter of Wm. Hornbrook, dropped dead at a party at Alfred Warren's, about the year 1856.

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When the railroad was being built, Lo- vina Cameron, aged about 13, dau. of Ira Cameron, of this town, was visiting in Berlin. She and a cousin and another girl were walking over the railroad bridge near Montpelier Junction, stepping from one stringer to another, all having hold of hands, when one made a misstep, and Miss Cameron and her cousin fell through into the river and were drowned.

U. W. Goodell, nephew of L. D. Ains- worth, was struck on the forehead by a stick thrown by a circular saw while work- ing in Mr. Ainsworth's saw-mill, and lived but a few hours.

Chester Newton, while working in the same mill, helping to saw logs, was twitch- ed upon the large circular saw, by the saw catching a board he was moving, and so hor- ribly mangled that he lived but a short time.

Alvaro, son of Frederick Richardson, brakeman on the cars, aged 26 years, was killed by his head striking the timbers overhead in the dry-bridge' at Waterbury, in 1879. Hinkley Chapin, aged 22, was killed at the same place, and in the same way, in 1851.

In 1872, Louis Amel's house, on east hill, caught fire from smoking meat in the wood-shed, and Mr. Amel was overcome by the flames while removing property, and burned with the house. Age, 51 yrs.

Nathaniel Daniels was drowned in 1818 ; see account of freshets. George, a son of Hiram Williams, was drowned in the river below the Narrows, while bathing, aged about 16. Frank, son of Osgood Evans, was in a boat above the Narrows, one pad- dle broke, and he went over the falls and was drowned. His body was found in the eddy below the Narrows. The only son of Asa Chapin, was drowned in a spring while drawing water for use in the house, and a little son of Samuel Mann was drowned in a spring on the Stephen Her- rick farm.

James Daniels, aged about 78, living at Lawrence Fitzgerald's, was found dead in bed in the morning.

There have been 10 cases of suicide in the last 60 years by Middlesex people, 7 of which were committed in town.

STEPHEN HERRICK.

BY THE EDITOR.

We do not usually give sketches of the living, but the senior writer of this town history being so aged a man, and it being somewhat remarkable in his case that of 210 men living in the town when he set- tled here, who had families, that he has been the last survivor of them all for eight and a half years past, it seems a moderate autobiographic record in such circum- stances is admissible.

Mr. Herrick is of English and Scotch descent, son of Stephen, senior ; born in Randolph, Vt., Feb. 19, 1795. In the fall of 1820, he came to Middlesex, and se- lected his location, bought in October, but returned to Randolph, taught school that winter after in Brookfield, and returned to Middlesex in April, 1821. He bought his farm of Reuben Mann, son of Samuel, who was one of the first settlers, and where Mr. H. has continued to reside for the past 61 years. He married Lydia, dau. of Rev. Nathaniel King; their children : Eliza- mar. Ist, Chester Pierce of N. H., 2d, Samuel Warren of Middlesex, 3d, Adin Miles of Worcester, has three children living: Nathaniel King, the only son, who m. Jane Foster, 3 children, 2 living- King Herrick, as he is always called, is a merchant at Middlesex village ; Emily R., who died at 22 ; Harriet, who m. Abram S. Adams, had 5 children, and is deceased ; Laura Jane, who m. John McDermid, had 2 daughters, buried one; Nancy Jane, who m. Arthur McDermid, bro. to John, 3 chil- dren, her husband dying, m. 2d, Freder- erick A. Richardson; Lydia Ann, who mar. Heman Taplin, no children; and youngest, Alma R., born In 1842, married V. V. Vaughn, Mar. 8, 1865,-children, Mabel, died at 10 years, Wilmar Herrick, Ida Alma, and Frank Waldo.

Mr. Herrick has been a man of great physical strength and vigorous mind. The following will evince what his mental ability has been :

When the Vt. Central R. R. was being built, Abram B. Barker and Thomas

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Haight contracted to build 2 miles of it below Middlesex village. They carried on work for about a year and failed. Ste- phen Herrick took a contract to finish the work ; carried it on about 13 months, and in consequence of short estimates also failed-but for which he immediately com- menced a suit against the R. R. Co., and afterwards was retained for and commen- ced a suit in favor of Barker and Haight as agent for their creditors. After carry- ing on these suits for 8 years he got a de- cree against the R. R. Co. in his own case for about $9000; the Barker & Haight suit he prosecuted for 20 years be · fore getting a final decree.

In these suits he took all his testimony himself, examined his witnesses himself in court, and wrote out his own pleas. In a word he was his own lawyer. It is said he once appeared in Supreme court with his case written out, filling 300 pages, that Gov. Paine, the president of the road, said that that book would be the death of him. Mr. Herrick tells the story now well, and adds that it was. When Gov. Paine was summoned, he told the officer he had rather meet the devil than that Stephen Herrick in the court.

He has also successfully, as town agent, managed many suits for the town, includ- ing the noted Wythe pauper suit with Moretown, the Beckwith suit in regard to settling the 3 ministerial lots, and the East Hill road suit, and has managed many grand jury suits, in all of which he acted is his own counsel and made his own leas.

The Saturday before the death of the late Ion. Daniel Baldwin, these two old men et upon the street at Montpelier village. aid Mr. Baldwin, “We two old men, le two oldest inhabitants of our respective ighboring towns, should have a visit to- :ther." Mr. Herrick assented, and asked here it should be. "It must be at my use," replied Mr. Baldwin, "and next turday, one week from to-day." The lowing Wednesday Mr. Baldwin died. . Herrick seems remarkably hale and arty yet.

REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS.

No official list of Revolutionary soldiers who have resided in Middlesex can be ob- tained, but the following-named men are said to have been Revolutionary pension- ers who have lived in town : Estes Hatch, - Sloan, Jas. Hobart, Cyrus Hill, Micah Hatch, David Phelps, Col. Joseph Hutch- ins, Joseph Chapin, Sr., Lyman Tolman.

Seth Putnam was one of the first three settlers in Washington County, having moved into Middlesex in 1785. He was a cousin to the noted Israel Putnam, and as a subaltern in Col. Warner's celebrated regiment of Green Mountain Boys, partic- ipated in their battles and marches in the old Revolution. He related many of his adventures of the first settlement, and among them one of a remarkable march which he made through the wilderness in a snow-storm, from Rutland, where he had been in attendance as a member of the legislature during the month of November. The only traveled road to his home was then around by Burlington.

SOLDIERS BURIED IN TOWN IN THE WAR OF 1861.

S. F. Jones, Jacob Jones and Zenas Hatch,-in North Branch Cemetery.

Chester Newton,-in the Cemetery at the Center.

Nathaniel Jones,-in the village Ceme- tery.

Mrs. Esther Shontell, of this town, sent seven sons into the army in this war : Wil- liam, who measured 6 feet 8 inches in height; Benjamin, 6 feet 4 inches ; Fred- erick, 6 feet 3 inches ; Leander, 5 feet 9 inches; Lewis, 6 feet 1 inch; Joseph, 6 feet 7 inches ; Augustus, 6 feet. Two of the brothers were killed; and the mother draws a pension for one of them. Anoth- er left a widow, and two are pensioned on account of wounds.

O, the strong Middlesex boys Were mad for the war ! And the name of each hero To the ages afar Shall leave a track like a comet- Each shine as a star.

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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 40

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