The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 59

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 59

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About 1850, Dr. T. C. TAPLIN practiced homœopathy, and adhered to high dilu- tions, too.

Then followed Dr. G. N. BRIGHAM, homœopathist, who did not always give .infinitesimals, and moved to Michigan in 1875.

Dr. B. O. TYLER, I think, moved from Worcester to this place and became en- gaged mostly in selling drugs. He died May 20, 1878, at an advanced age.

Dr. W. H. H. RICHARDSON moved here about 1858, from E. Montpelier, and prac- ticed successfully till 1867, when he moved to Winona, Minn., to continue practice, and engaged, somewhat, in real estate speculations, but in a few years died suddenly of apoplexy in the prime of life.

Since the days of Lamb, Spalding, and Dewey, up to the dates of those at present here, two or three other physicians have practiced here, for a short time, viz :- Dr. G. H. LOOMIS, Dr. W. AZEL HOLMES, Dr. F. A. McDOWELL, Dr. M. M. MARSH, and Dr. J. H. JACKSON. Dr. H. L. RICH- ARDSON practiced here in 1866, and Dr. MULLIGAN about 1858 or '59; the latter of whom died here soon after beginning practice.

Chandler, came here in 1860, but went south as surgeon during the war, and final- ly settled in practice here in the fall of I865.

Dr. S. PUTNAM, now the oldest physi- cian in town, came here in the spring of 1865, and desiring to establish himself hon- orably, and crowd no one, purchased the residence and "good will" of the late Dr. Chas. Clark, the latter of which purchases he was not fortunate enough to retain, if indeed, he ever received it at all.

The same year, 1865, Dr. J. E. MACOM- BER, a native of East Montpelier, moved to this place from Worcester.

In 1866, Dr. D. G. KEMP succeeded Dr. W. H. H. Richardson in practice.

Dr. J. B. WOODWARD came, I think, from Kansas to this place, about 1870, having formerly practiced in Waterbury, this county. He engaged at first in the drug trade but soon came into practice, which he pursued with avidity until the fall of 1879, when in consequence of a slight wound of the finger, received during a surgical operation, cellulites and septicæ- mia supervened, sadly terminating in death.

About 1876, Dr. H. G. BRIGHAM, hom- œopathist, succeeded his father G. N. Brigham in practice.

The Eclectic School of Medicine, so called, (Thompsonians formerly) have been represented here since about 1864 by Dr. J. M. TEMPLETON, and latterly also, by Dr. H. E. TEMPLETON.

For more than thirty years Madame LUCY A. COOKE has been consulted here as a clairvoyant physician, her patrons coming from all parts of the country.

In the spring of 1880, Dr. W. D. REID, from Canada West, opened an office here, and about the same time Dr. GEO. E. MA- LOY began practice in Montpelier.

Oct. 29, 1881.

RESIDENT DENTISTS.

O. P. Forbush, for some years here ; Richard Newton, partner with Forbush ; Alfred Clark ; H. T. Whitney ; G. E. Hunt

Of the physicians at present in practice here, Dr. C. M. CHANDLER, son of C. B. opened an office here Oct., 1879.

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Lorenzo Dow.

The morning of life is gone, The evening shades appear;

LORENZO DOW, IN THIS COUNTY.

Chief among the early missionaries in Washington County and in Montpelier, was LORENZO Dow, a Methodist preach- er ; not a conference preacher, exactly, but one whose circuit extended all over Vermont, the Canadas, the South, Ire- land, Scotland, and wherever he chose to go ; who came and went as the "wind that bloweth wherever it listeth." A true, genuine methodist though; he never preached any other doctrine. The pio- neer of methodism in Washington County ; but a man who must be his own leader, who could never restrain himself to circuit rules. He had joined the Methodist con- ference in his youth, had been appointed to a circuit ; it could not hold him ; remon- strated with, reappointed, shot off on a fervent tangent. Conference dropped him, could not keep a man it could neither rule

or guide. Every minister seemed against him-Cal- vinistic divine, regular Methodist circuit preach- er as well,-decried by all, he prevailed. He thick- ened his appointments, the multitude hung on the words from his lips, his oddities attracted, his ec- centricities were his great charm. He was called "Crazy Dow," which name seemed to please him very well. From his home in Connecticut, he had his yearly line of preaching places all up through into Canada. On his annual visit to Vermont, he al- ways visited this County. We hear of him before he enters at Danville ; when entered, in Cabot, Calais, Plainfield, Barre and al- ways at Montpelier. At the close of a first visit to Montpelier, as narrated to me a few years since, by an old gentleman, now dead, who was present, and his devoted admirer, Dow said at parting with his audience "One year from this day, I will again preach here." The people after he left laughed at his giving out an appointment so far ahead and at his supposing that he would keep it. The year came round, no one remembered it, but, lo! in a year to the day and hour, Dow appeared to fulfil his engagement ; his first salutation to the crowd, gathering around him, "Crazy Dow is with you once again !" He preached as I never heard any one but him ; for three hours he held his large audience so still you could have heard a pin drop on the floor, said our narrator, and at the end of his sermon, gave out another appointment for a year from the day. People rather looked for him the next year. As he left in the morn- ing and kept to the hour as well as day before, he was expected in the morning

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Siggy Dow.

We are journeying to that land From whence there's no return.

late, that his companion could not travel as fast as he could, and declined an invitation to dinner, al- .though neither he or his companion had dined that day. It was getting late for his meeting ; he would not take any refreshments till after he had preached a long sermon, nor suffer his wife to. Dow mounted the platform, and seating himself in the chair, sat for some moments silently, gazing intently at his au- dience, and then suddenly arising upon his feet, at a signal from him, Peggy, who was seated with the audience, arose to her feet -clad in her long cloak and hat, stood gravely waiting. Said Dow, "This woman with me is Peggy Dow. I have brought her with me that she may teach the women subservience to their husbands." To Peg- gy, "Stand still !" Peggy stood very still. “Be

again, and not appearing some said he would not come, others that he would be here before night, and others that because a crazy man had taken the freak to keep an appointment once, there was no reason to look for him to do so again. His appear- ance in the afternoon put an end to the growing anxiety. On he came, about mid-afternoon, accompanied by Peggy. He was not married when he came before, or did not bring his wife with him. They both were dressed in plain, homespun, woolen garments, a long cloak of plain woolen cloth reaching to their feet, wooden shoes on their feet, and both wore large brimmed chip hats, just alike, and each carried a staff or walking-stick. They journeyed upon horseback, but dismounted without the village, and walked up the street to the place for the meeting, follow- ed by the crowd. Dow excused his being |pelier, as well as elsewhere. It was this,

seated ! " Peggy sat down. Dow com- menced his sermon, preaching with his cloak and hat on. Dow always wore his hat when he preached, and as he never shaved, had a very long beard, that added to his conspicuous and distinguished ap- pearance. Peggy, a simple and amiable woman, was a good help to Dow. She greatly delighted in class and prayer- meetings, and was a very good singer. "PeggyDow's Hymn Book"-See Gilman's Bibliotheca, p. 315,-was printed at Mont- pelier. Here it was probably first used in the meetings of those early days. Long after Peggy's death, the hymn book was used by Dow. A gentleman in Montpelier has one now that was given to him or to his wife by Dow. The State Historical Library has a copy. Lorenzo Dow had opposition, however, to meet at Mont-

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perhaps, made Montpelier a favorite preach- ing place. Opposition gave an attraction to a place. He counted upon it to succeed. It was ladder and platform to him. That churches or clergy combined against him, but added to his popularity. One year some good church ladies of this village, loving quiet and orderly ways, took the matter in hand, and in the school-house where the meetings were held put in a quilt. A party of ladies were at work when Dow arrived. Not a word he said to the ladies' blockade. A moment he stood in the open door, in his uncouth long garment and unshorn awfulness, look- ing majestically upon the equally silent and suddenly abashed ladies, when, turn- ing from the door, springing upon a wood- pile in the yard, he commenced preaching. Long before he ended, a crowd packed the yard around him, and every woman in the school-house was seen at the windows and at the door. It had been utterly impossi- ble for them to restrain their curiosity, and listening, had become so magnetized by the marvelous man, they took out the unfinished quilt, and surrendered the school-house for the evening. Dow said when he saw the ladies there, he made up his mind he should be present at the shak- ing of that quilt, and he was.

Again he preached on the wood-pile at the door of the old Court House, closed against him, and drew out, it is said, all the audience of a " four days' meeting," that had been got up just as he was com- ing, but five. Hearing Dow's voice with- out, at first one man stole out, then an- other and another. In vain the minister paused in the midst of his sermon to look reproof, and continued his discourse. An- other left, now a whole seat at once. The minister finished his sermon, but at the end only five persons were left in the house-himself, the two other ministers seated beside him, and the two deacons.

He kept the people awake while with them, and in his absence they heard of him : now in Georgia, among the planta- tions South, having splendid success. He was to preach under a large tree. A man could sit among the branches perfectly

concealed by the thick foliage. The eve- ning before, Dow came to the spot with a negro, a good trumpet blower. Standing under the tree, Dow thus instructed him : He should come before any one in the morning, and hide in the tree overhead, and remain breathlessly still till Dow in his preaching should call out the third time "Gabriel !" and then blow his trumpet. The morning opened, to a vast dark as- sembly. Lorenzo preached on the " Judg- ment Day,"-a tremendous sermon,-and when he had wrought the crowd up to its highest pitch,-pausing, listening,-cried out again, still more loud and terrific-

"But you don't believe it! If I were to tell you that Gabriel-will sound his trum- pet-before we leave this spot-you would not believe me! The earth may open be- neath your feet, and you tumble into hell, before you will believe ! This trumpet may sound this very day!" The audience be- came strangely excited. " Gabriel may sound his trumpet at any time now." Gaz- ing intently up-"Methinks I see him ! Methinks I hear his trumpet now! Ga- briel will-" A quick trumpet peal over- head ; a startled negro crowd, eyes rolling in their sockets; a blast more loud,- groanings, falling upon their knees, black terror developed,-shriller and shriller the invisible trumpet ; confusion, flight, clutch- ings to each other, some praying, others fainting. With the loudest blast, the ne- gro, trumpet in hand, leaped in his excite- ment from the tree into the sprawling crowd, mistaken for Gabriel. Dow took advantage of the confusion to leave. He afterwards called it a trial of the power of of imagination.

Finding on the fresh leaves of our early history the tracks of this eccentric Dow " everywhere," we had thought to trace out some account of his labors here and else- where from his published journal, but learning that a first nephew of his was still living, we will do better, and introduce to you, with his faithful and graphic memorial paper, Mr. LEWIS J. BRIDGMAN, of New York, a son of Vermont, Biographist of his famous uncle, Lorenzo. Dow.

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LEWIS JOSEPH BRIDGMAN.

Lewis Joseph Bridgman!

The following sketch of the Life and Times of the celebrated LORENZO Dow, and his first wife, PEGGY Dow, is compiled from some of their own writings, but principally is original matter, known to no one outside of the LEWIS JOSEPH BRIDGMAN.

author,

NOTE TO THE READER .- Having been requested to write a brief sketch of the life · of the eccentric Lorenzo Dow, for publi- cation in the history of Vermont, I comply with the pressing request, yet at this busy season of commercial business, I can scarcely find the time to do justice to so distinguished a character as the subject of this brief memoir. I know of whom I write. His eccentricities of character may have sometimes made him the subject of ridicule and jest, still he possessed talents of a very high order, that on many occa- sions in forensic discourses have discom- fitted his opponents, and drawn from them the warmest congratulations. He possess- ed in a remarkable degree the idiosyncra- sies of the Dow race ; but all his oddities

possessed a point often bordering on the satirical. Like his father before him, he was gifted with a great amount of " handy change," as he used to denominate wit. His memory was also remarkable, border- ing on the marvelous. The memory of Lorenzo being as strong as it is reported, was nevertheless eclipsed by his father, Humphrey Bean Dow, which was so re- tentive, that by hearing any one verse read in any part of the Bible, he would readily repeat the next ; as incredible as this may appear, he was often put to the test in the presence of the family, when I have been an interested spectator, and I never re- member of any omission.

I recollect well when I was a boy, Uncle Lorenzo came to visit his sister, (my

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mother,) while we were living in Hard- wick, Vt. One day at dinner we had a new pitcher, made to commemorate some of the events of the war of 1812-14 with Great Britain. Upon one side of the pitcher was a spread eagle in gilt, with a wreath running around the eagle of chain- work, and in each link of the chain, there being 21 links, were the names of our gen- erals who fought during the war. Gen. Brown's name stood at the top. Uncle took up the pitcher, and told the number of battles Gen. Brown had fought, the num- ber of men he had in each action, the killed, wounded and missing ; those who fought against him, the number of men killed and taken prisoners; so with each general until he had gone through with the entire number. Then turning the pitcher around to the reverse side, there was a picture of a gilt ship under full sail, with the names of the commodores or post captains who took part in the same war, Commodore Rogers' name standing at the top. Uncle gave also the number of naval battles, when and where fought, the number of ships he commanded in each, number of men, how many lost, and how many pris- oners he took, and the minute history and details of each commander. The time taken in relating the battles was some two hours and a half.

LORENZO DOW

was born of Puritan parents, in Coven- try, Tolland Co., Ct., October 18th, 1777. His parents were born in the same town, from English ancestors. Ulysses, the oldest of the family, studied medicine, but finally devoted his time to teaching in an academy in New London, Ct. He taught the classics, astronomy, surveying, and navigation. He taught the latter to many of the post captains in our young navy. The next in the family was Ethelinda Dow, my mother, who subsequently married Joseph Bridgman, then living in Coventry. Subsequently my parents moved to Hard- wick, Vt., where my brother, . Rev. Au- gustus Leroy, and Christiania and the writer of this article were born. The next daughter in my grandfather's family was Orrilana, who while visiting my mother in

Hardwick, became acquainted with Mr. Fish, and married him there. The next daughter, Merya, married the son of Gov. Huntington, of Connecticut, and settled first in Georgia. The next was Lorenzo, and the youngest was Tabitha, who, while on a visit to her sisters in Hard- wick, became acquainted with Capt. Sam- uel French, of that town, and married him. These three sisters marrying in that town, were among the first families to settle in that new country, and their de- scendants have filled offices of trust and profit in various departments of govern- ment and state. The only son of the author of this sketch is pastor of a large and flourishing church in Albany, N. Y., and is the youngest man who ever had the title of Doctor of Divinity conferred on him this country.

In younger life, Lorenzo was possessed of a very weak and tender constitution which prevented him from joining in those athletic sports which have a tendency to bring health and strength to the young. His mind at a very early age became re- ligiously impressed with the thoughts of God and the works of Creation ; and the questions he would ask his parents, showed characteristics far beyond his years. A little later, while laboring, in more mature years, under that harrassing disease the asthma, he showed a resignation that was surprising in one so young. He tells us in his autobiography that at the age of 12 years, his hopes of worldly pleasure was greatly blasted by a sudden illness occa- · sioned by overheating himself with hard labor, and drinking cold water while in that state, that in subsequent years, would al- most take his breath, from the most excru- ciating pains. About this time his mind became greatly exercised on the subject of his salvation. One night he dreamed that he saw the prophet Nathan in a large as- sembly of people, prophesying many things. I got an opportunity, (he says) to ask him how long I should live? The prophet answered, until you are two and twenty. This dream was so imprinted up- on his mind, that it caused many serious and painful hours at intervals.

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When about 13 years and upward, he tells us he was much impressed by the death of John Wesley (1791.) He dreamed that he saw Wesley, who asked him if he ev- er prayed, he said no, and soon after he met Wesley a second time, who asked him the same question again, and he answered no, when Wesley said you must, and disap- peared. In the same dream, Wesley came once more, and asked the same question, he told him that he had prayed, then said Wesley, "be faithful until death." This dream so impressed him, that he broke off from his old companions and began a course of secret prayer which lasted through life. Subsequently his feelings were so aroused by the doctrine of unconditional reprobation and particular election, he be- came nearly deranged.

About this time the Methodists came in- to Coventry and began preaching, and he went to hear them. On one occasion, the preacher took for his text "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there ? "

[Here follows a page of a sermon on hell and its pungent effect on a mind la- boring under "election,"-we omit. We do not give sermons and the statements seem sufficient .- ED.]

It nearly drove him to commit suicide. The idea that filled his mind was that there was no mercy for him. He at last threw himself on the ground, and cried to the Lord, "I submit; I yield! If there be mercy in heaven for me, let me know it ; and if not, let me go down to hell, and know the worst of my· case. As these words flowed from my heart," he writes, "I saw the Mediator step in, as it were, be- tween justice and my soul, and these words applied to my soul with great power, 'Son, thy sins, which are many, are forgiven thee ; thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.'"

From this time on his happiness was complete. Many trials and doubts and conflicting emotions possessed him ; still his firm confidence in the God of hosts carried him triumphantly through all his after tribulations.

In the "exemplified experience," at this time, his brother-in-law, Mr. Fish, was so interested that he became a seeker of Christ. Lorenzo often said his greatest desire to live was to obtain a higher degree of holiness here, that he might be happier hereafter. He was a ·believer to a certain extent in dreams ; he had many, some of which were exact forerunners of what soon after came to pass. A remarkable one occurred as follows : he dreamed he was in a strange house. "As I sat by the fire, a messenger came in and said, 'there are three ministers come from England, and in a few minutes will pass by this way.' I followed him out, and he disap- peared. I ran over a woodpile, and jumped upon a log, to have a fair view of them. Presently three men came over a hill from the west towards me; the foremost dis- mounted ; the other two, one of whom was on a white horse, the other on a reddish one, both with the three horses disap- peared. I said to the first, 'Who are you?' He replied, 'John Wesley,' and walked towards the east. He turned round and looked me in the face, and said 'God has called you to preach the gospel. You have been a long time between hope and fear, but there is a dispensation of the gospel committed to you. Woe unto you if you preach not the gospel.'"

His mind having been previously drawn towards a preacher's life, this singular dream decided the contest, and he entered the ministry. He was placed upon a cir- cuit extending into New Hampshire, then a wilderness. Wherever he preached souls were converted. His circuit was enlarged into the State of Vermont. As he became more known, invitations flowed in upon him from all parts.

His health was very often broken down on account of the disease brought upon him while a boy, and resulted in the asth- ma to that extent that he either sat up whole nights or slept on the floor.

He never took a collection for preach- ing, but sometimes received gifts from in- dividuals. His preaching took hold upon the careless, the blasphemer, and all in a

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remarkable manner. Revivals succeeded revivals all over the territory where he preached.

In the town of Brandon, Vt., a rich mer- chant with his niece came some distance to hear him preach, but when they saw how plain the young man looked, their first thought was to go home, but conclud- ed to stay and see the thing out, as they had taken so much pains to get there. After the sermon their consciences ap- peared to be touched, and they were con- strained to cry for mercy. In that place 25 others came out and joined the church. The people said, " Lorenzo has done some good, by turning the mind of the blasphe- mer, from collecting his debts, to religion, and so we are kept out of jail."

His great success was in visiting from house to house, and in making personal appeals to individuals. On many occa- sions he made appointments for preaching 6 months and even 18 months ahead, and always fulfilled them to the minute, even if he had to ride a horse to death to reach the place in time, as it has been the case more than once.

" You have got this man's axe !" And so he had, and went and brought it and gave it to him.

Not to weary the reader, I will give but one more incident here, (of which scores could be authenticated,) to show the re- markable success with which his efforts were blessed. In one of his meetings again in Vt., (Wallingford,) Dow was intro- duced to a man by the name of Solomon Moon, who cavilled at every thing of a re- ligious aspect. Having delivered some re- ligious counsel, with the solemn request that he should seriously reflect upon it, Dow left him to his own reflections. A few days after, in another part of the cir- cuit, some 40 miles from his home, Solo- mon Moon stood up in the lovefeast, and declared how he was caught in a promise, and to ease his mind was necessitated to fulfil it, and within three days found the reality of what he had doubted ; and be- sought others not to be afraid of promising to serve God. Said he-" I bless the day that ever I saw the face of Brother Dow." It was curiosity, as he testified, which first induced him to come out to hear the man who was called Crazy Dow. In this love- feast the cry began again, and continued within two hours of the setting sun.

About this time he felt it his duty to visit Ireland, and without money or any of the necessaries for a voyage across the At- lantic. Money and all necessary conve- niences were furnished from friends, many sending gifts of whom he had never heard before. Providence in a very special man- ner on this, and other similar occasions, bountifully supplied his wants.

In Vermont, in passing through a dense woods one day to fill an appointment, he saw two men chopping wood. He mount- ed on a large stump, and said "Crazy Dow will preach from this stump 6 months from to day, at 2 o'clock, P. M." Six months from that time an immense audi- ence was assembled, and Dow in going to the place saw a man in great distress look- ing for something. Dow enquired what the matter was. The man replied that he was poor, and that some one had stolen his axe, and that he felt the loss very While in Ireland the Lord blessed his preaching to hundreds of souls. He crossed the ocean 14 times, and traveled extensive- ly through Ireland, England, Scotland, and even to the Continent. On one of his visits to Dublin, he caught the small pox the natural way, and was so far gone with it that it became necessary to sew sheets around him to keep the skin from falling off. For many days his case was pronounced hopeless, but the same merci- ful Providence that watched over him at much. Lorenzo told him if he would go to the meeting he would find his axe. Be- fore getting to the place of service, Dow picked up a stone and put it in his pocket. After the delivery of a powerful sermon, Dow said-" There is a man here who has had his axe stolen, and the thief is here in this audience, and I am going to throw this stone right to his head,"-drawing back his hand as though in the act of throwing the stone. One man ducked his head. Dow went up to him and said- | all times brought him through safely.

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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 59

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