The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 77

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 77

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

O, could Columbia's deepest groan, Re-animate his slumb'ring clay, No longer would affilction's moan Pervade a realm so lately gay.

But prayers, nor tears, nor virtuous deeds could save, Nor magic arts can raise him from the grave.

Then cease to mourn the great inan's fate, Let Heaven's superior will be done ; And future heroes imitate

The matchless deeds of Washington; Who once our troops to splendid vict'ry led, Established peace, but now, alas, is dead.

Mr. Goss was a contributor to the Poets and Poetry of Vermont, revised edition.

During the years of the rebellion, his heart was with his country. It was a habit with him to visit the old "Watch- man " office, ever to him an endeared spot, twice a day to get the latest war news. " On one of his last visits, he submitted a patriotic poem," says the editor, " which was to have been published, but he took it back to make some changes in it, doubt- less, forgot it ; we now regret its loss." We think, perhaps, we have found the poem. The following, contributed by his daughter, was among his last, if not his last, poetical efforts :

FUGITIVE'S DIRECTORY-Impromptu.

BY SAMUEL GOSS.

Old Gov. Wise is all in a foanı

Because his black cattle to Northern States roanı,

And bids us poor Yankees to send them all back, Without e'en a bloodhound to scent ont thelr track. But humanity says, no, let them rest here a wlille, And their fears of re-capture in slumbers beguile. But when they resolve to quit the straw as their bei, Just stuff thelr old pockets with dried beef and bread, And bid them go forward alone, in the night,

With the star In the north as thelr gulde and their light,

To degree 45 near the line of the State, And the beautiful plain of Canada East,

Where prudence suggests a permanent stand,

Quite removed from the lash of the slave-driver's hand. And here let them rest, and effectually prove,

The obvious fact-a pleasant remove.

Samuel Goss was one of the first per- sons with whom the Editor of the Gazetteer became acquainted in Montpelier. We have of him a special remembrance, and for him-as he was then in his fine, ripe old age-a special reverence. The few last years of his life he suffered much, it is recorded of him, from the infirmities of age, and prayed for patience to wait his change, and went gladly to his rest. He was buried with Masonic honors, from the residence of his son-in-law, Hon. O. H. Smith, in Green Mount Cemetery, in the spot selected by himself, almost side by side with his ancient colleague and pupil, Farley and Walton.

For 60 years he had been a worthy and prominent citizen of the place. " His life has extended over three generations of men," said the Rev. Dr. Lord in his funeral discourse, "and he was ever one of the first in all excellent enterprises and institutions, and one of the last to withdraw his hand. He began life for himself in Peacham, about the close of the last century. He established in that place a paper which he published and edited, doing all the work with his own hands for several years. He was a nervous and vig- orous prose writer, and often enriched his columns with poetic effusions of no mean merit. When he removed to this town, it was in its infancy. He brought with him his press and his paper, and the developed energies of a confident, earnest, self- reliant Christian man. He conducted his paper, as its early copies will show, with a marked ability. He held a sharp and trenchant pen, never forgetful of Christian principles and Christian charity, however, but the faithful index of a clear, acute, active and intense perception.

Long after he was 70 years of age, he was wont to labor with his hands through the whole day, and in the evening give him- self to some Christian work, or while away time with his book or his pen. But how- ever much he was interested in all public affairs, I think he most of all delighted in the welfare and upholding of the church. He was one of the seventeen who organ- ized and constituted the first Congregational

H to

relig ger bra idly Suf of

living and B Sau to M this store He seve nect W 25 €

not es in th game pour Of greg S Cat TO C Sam Fre San and

churc clerk, hand unles often

471

MONTPELIER.

church in this town. He was the first clerk, and its records were kept by his hand and attested by his name. No name, unless it be the pastor's, appears there so often as his. There was no trying duty of his profession he ever sought to avoid, and no fitting and beneficent work he did not eagerly perform. A teacher in the Sabbath-school for 35 years, his name was always fragrant in it like ointment poured forth."

Of the 17 original members of the Con- gregational church, he was the last sur- vivor but one.

Samuel Goss was the son of John and Catherine (Conant) Goss, the second of Io children, the eldest being John, Jr. Samuel Goss married, June, 1803, Mary French, born Oct. 1784; children : Wm. A., Benjamin F., Mary, Mary W., Eliza, Samuel P., Lydia French, Lucy A., John, and Samuel French. Mrs. Goss died Oct. 27, 1861. Of the children, only two are living, Mrs. O. H. Smith, of Montpelier, and Samuel F. Goss, of Chicago.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Goss, son of Samuel, born in Peacham, 1806, brought to Montpelier in 1808, was brought up in this town, and prepared for business in the store of Roger Hubbard, (now deceased.) He went from here to Northfield, and was several years in successful business con- nection with Gov. Paine; from thence to Waterbury, Brandon and Vergennes, where as elsewhere, he was an energetic man of business, and zealous in benevolent and religious enterprises. He died in Ver- gennes in 1878. His disease, of the brain, had the peculiarity to bring out viv- idly, almost to the exclusion of his bodily sufferings, his early boyhood, the lessons of his parents and the Sabbath-school. Hour after hour, he would repeat from the Scriptures and hymns of youth, at the same time recognizing every attention. He was exceedingly courteous and grateful to his attendants during his long 5 months' illness, withal as vivacious and cheerful as in his most fortunate days. It was sad to see mind and body slowly, but surely wasting away, but comforting to see he recognized no sorrow, He was buried in

the family lot in Montpelier Green Mount Cemetery.

Mrs. LUCY A. (Goss) COBB, the young- est daughter of Samuel Goss, died in Kal- amazoo, Mich., 1879, of whom the local paper speaks as a most estimable woman.

HON. ORAMEL HOPKINS SMITH

was born in Thetford, Oct. 1798, came to Montpelier about 1830 ; studied law in the office of Judge Prentiss, admitted to the Bar in 1825, and remained in Judge Pren- tiss' office 2 years after. In his earlier professional years, he repeatedly served as assistant clerk in the House of Repre- sentatives ; was State's attorney 3 years, ending in 1844; justice of the peace 25 successive years ; 40 years a constant at- tendant upon the services of the Congre- gational church in this village, and during a quarter of a century led its choir. Of his professional ability, the fact that his name appears in the court records for 25 years preceding 1860, as counsel in nearly all the cases of those days, is conclusive proof.

July, 1860, at White River Junction, arising at midnight in the hotel, without a light, to take a train north, he stumbled against a piece of furniture and fell, strik- ing a wardrobe on the back of his neck. Every physical power from his neck down- wards was instantly paralyzed, but his vocal organs and every faculty of the mind re- mained in active play. To Dr. Dixi Crosby's remark that he had about one chance in one hundred for recovery, he promptly replied, " I'll take that chance !" In the course of a year, his will power and wonderful vitality so far triumphed, he re- sumed practice in his office as a counsellor, though his right side remained perma- nently paralyzed, and for 18 years longer, under difficulties that would have appalled a less resolute man, plied his profession with energy and industry. Late at night. the light shining from his office window, on the second floor of the building at the corner of Main and State streets, frequently told of the old painstaking faithfulness triumphing over his infirmities.

He was one of the organizers of the

472

VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

Montpelier Gaslight Company, and an officer in it several years ; his was the sec- ond house in Montpelier piped for burning gas. He also in its early days devoted much time to the affairs of the Vermont Central R. R., losing, like many others of the early friends of that road, many thou- sand dollars. For several of his last years, from age and infirmities, he was not able to attend to business, and died at his home at the "Riverside," in 1881, in his 83d year. He was the oldest surviving mem- ber of the Washington County Bar except Hon. Paul Dillingham, of Waterbury.

He married, in 1830, Mary Warner, daughter of Samuel Goss. They had 4 children : Chas. F., who was graduated at Dartmouth in 1854; studied law in his father's office ; removed to Michigan, and died at the age of 31 ; another son, who died in infancy ; and two daughters, both married and live in Montpelier-Ellen J., wife of C. J. Gleason, and Lucy A., wife of Chas. A. Reed.

The widow of Mr. Smith still resides at the " Riverside," Nov. 1881.

Mr. Smith was also an honored member of Aurora Lodge, No. 22, F. & A. M. The following is from the record book of the Lodge :

IN MEMORIAM.

Bro. Dramel Dopkins Smith,

Born in Thetford, Vt., Oct. 16, 1798; Died at Montpelier, Vt., January 23d, 1881 ; Aged 82 yrs., 3 mos. and 4 days.

Affiliated with Aurora Lodge, No. 22, F. & A. M. Dec. 12, 1853.

Past Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Vt. Treasurer of Aurora Lodge, No. 22, From December 4, 1854, to December, 1857.

" Awaiting the sound of the gavel in the East."

[From Obituary in the Vermont Watchman.] COL. THOMAS REED

was born at Hamstead, N. H., Mar. 29, 1793. He was a son of Capt. Thomas Reed, and came with his father to Montpe- lier in 1804, where he resided until his de- cease. He was by profession a lawyer, and at his decease the oldest attorney in the court in this County ; though for many

years prior to the first stroke of his disease -some five years prior to his death, and from which he never rallied-he had not been an active practitioner at the bar. For the last 20 years, his active labor was mainly as a farmer, a pursuit in which he took much delight, and which he thor- oughly understood, as indeed, he under- stood everything which he undertook to do. During the last 5 years he was an invalid, and for 3 years was with- drawn from all business, the slow progress of his disease undermining a naturally vig- orous constitution until April 18, 1864, when another shock of paralysis rendered him unconscious, and he remained in that state until he quietly passed away on the 19th.

For more than 40 years he was one of the leading citizens of our town.

His early life was, in many respects, a severe struggle with adverse circumstances. He held himself not at all obliged to for- tune or the favor of any one, for the success he achieved, and he became austere, almost combative in his manner. He despised all shams. Humbugs stood no chance under the severe scrutiny of his eye and the arrows of his searching interrogation. His sagacity was seldom at fault. Few of his ventures failed of returning with profit. He exacted of others what he was always ready to yield to them, equal and exact justice. No deserving charity, no worthy enterprise ever sought his aid in vain. Many hearts have been warmed by unob- trusive gifts from his hand, for which he would not patiently listen to thanks.

He had a capacious intellect. His mind was as stalwart and vigorous as his body, and he never allowed either to become en- ervated by idleness. His reading was va- ried and thorough. There were few sub- jects with which the general scholar is fa- miliar that he had not searched. He never forgot anything of value to him, whether he had found it in books, or in observa- tion, which with him was never superficial, but always critical and complete. He be- lieved what was worth knowing at all was worth knowing well. His learning was ac- curate and full, his opinions well matured,

The appear and was Hon. I added, Col. R of the from mi writer fic in pomerí the olc a very against out of bank of aleto by Line as evid pruden IK good se can't good ci

strong cial sa pris, bis co and fe Wel Reed, grant who sẵ

advan

lot of He est and

streng

deliber

473

MONTPELIER.

deliberate and precise. We have regarded Mr. Reed as mentally one of the strongest men in the State, and if he had early had the advantages of a complete education, and had given his great force of character and strength of will to intellectual pursuits, he would undoubtedly have reached the first rank among the intellects of Vermont, if not of New England.

He was one of the strongest, most hon- est and most worthy citizens of Montpe- lier. He belonged to a generation which is now nearly gone, the men whose energy, strong will, business activity, commer- cial sagacity, integrity and generous enter- prise, have made our town what it is. Of his cotemporaries, many have gone before, and few remained to attend at his funeral. Well will it be for us all, if we, like Mr. Reed, do our work well, and leave a fra- grant memory to be cherished by those who shall one day take our places.

Addition by E. P. Walton.

The foregoing just tribute to Col. Reed, appeared in the Green Mountain Freeman, and was doubtless from the pen of the late Hon. Daniel P. Thompson. It should be added, that as a banker for many years Col. Reed was at the head of the financiers of the State, an acknowledged authority, from which there was no appeal ; and as a writer on political questions, he was caus- tic in controversy, sure of his facts, and powerful in argument. On the record of the old bank of Montpelier will be found a very able and conclusive argument against the free banking act, which grew out of the party clamor of "Smilie and bank reform"; but the following extracts of a letter to Stephen Foster, Esq., of Der- by Line, written Dec. 6, 1855, are given as evidence of Col. Reed's wisdom and prudence as a banker :

" Keep in mind always that if you have good security for all your loans your bank can't fail, nor the stockholders fail to get good dividends.

" When a man comes by other banks to yours for a loan, you may know that he has borrowed as much as he is entitled to from his capital or that he is discredited at home.

" Keep in mind the fact that many men are made great and rich by distance, and you may be sure that if any go by other banks to do business at yours, that they go there because they are obliged to, and not from love.

" If a man asks you for a loan whom you don't know to be responsible, the only safe way is to consider him good for noth- ing and take security accordingly. Chari- table presumption and banking presump- tion in regard to men are entirely differ- ent : the charitable presumption in regard to a man that you don't personally know about, is always that he is good and rich ; but the banking presumption is that he is good for nothing-and the cashier who does not act by this rule will first or last, if not constantly, be a loser by his error.

" Have no dealings with a stranger in buying drafts or checks of him unless he can refer you to some responsible man in the neighborhood as to his character.

" Never take a draft of anybody without its being first accepted, unless it is other- wise secured than by the drawer's name- and never do so if you know the drawer to be good, for how do you know he will ac- cept? Many buyers of produce, wool, &c., will often present such drafts, and if the cashier takes them, he has no security but the drawer, and he is often a stranger. Many banks have lost by such careless- ness.

" In fine, pay out no money but on se- curity of more than one name-and never regard as security an endorser or under- signer who is connected with the principal as partner, or one who must fail if the prin- cipal does.

" Banks, being allowed to take only six per cent, can't afford to lose anything, and therefore it is expected by their customers that perfect security will be required-and if any one objects to this, there is a double reason why you should require it of him. Many men, who are known to be good, think they should not be asked to give se- curity for what they want to borrow-but such can have no difficulty to find se- curity, and they should be required to find it, otherwise you will find it difficult to get

che

en- 12-

ever ther

474

VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

security of those who are more doubtful, and be subject to the charge of partiality. Security, Security, Security, that is the main thing-and mind always to have the security taken before you let the money go. It is scarcely ever got afterwards."

Mr. Reed was commissioned Colonel of Vermont militia Aug. 11, 1825, by Gov. Van Ness ; and honorably discharged June 27, 1827, by Gov. Butler.

The late Daniel Baldwin, shortly before his death, said to the writer of this note, that he regarded Col. Reed as being, intel- lectually, the strongest man that Montpelier has had. Mr. Reed was certainly pre-em- inent in his chosen role as banker, but not superior to many others in other profes- sions. It is doubtless true, however, that if he had adhered to the profession of the law, and limited himself as counsellor in the supreme court and cases in chancery, he would have reached a very high rank. The severity of his manner and speech un- fitted him for a jury trial. He always won by honest force, if he did win, and not by suavity or trickery.

CAPT. ISAAC RICKER.

[From information furnished by the family.]

ISAAC RICKER was born in Dover, N. H., Christmas day, 1784. Here his early years were passed, and from Dover he enlisted in the old N. E. 4th Reg. Infantry, U. S. A., in 1811, and was in the service all through " the last war with Great Britain," as the old soldiers of 1812, I have noticed, in speaking of it, almost invariably style the war of 1812, '14, with England. He was under Col. Boyd, and the regiment was called the best in the United States at that time. He was also under Harrison when he took command at Cincinnati. Boyd's regiment was with Gen. Harrison when he won his brightest laurels. Capt. Ricker was there, and led his company in to the battle of Tippecanoe.

His weight being 200 at this time, tall and massive, he was an imposing looking and bold officer.

The Indians surprised them, as is well known, that night. He was in Hull's army when he surrendered at Detroit his brave

soldiers to the English, and he, like all the rest of Hull's infamously sacrificed men, suffered more in his imprisonment, follow- ing thereupon, than has ever been written. He was 7 years in the United States ser- vice, and never got scratch, wound or pen- sion, though his widow, a second wife, has had one for about 2 years past. After the war he was, for about 2 years, a recruiting officer of the U. S. A.

He came to Montpelier in 1817, and set- tled on the site where is now the residence, store and shop of his son, Rufus Ricker, merchant tailor, State street, just opposite the post-office. He was deputy sheriff of the County and constable some years. Capt. Ricker was a staunch Democrat. " He fought too many years for the whole country to be anything else," says his son.

We were told by an old native citizen of this County, at Burlington, the other day -Mr. Leonard Johonnott-that Captain Ricker and Senator Upham were particular friends ; that he always worked enthusi- astically and efficiently in any election for Upham. "Why," said his old Barre neighbor, " any history of Montpelier vil- lage of 50 years ago, without Capt. Isaac Ricker, would be no history at all." He cared little for town offices, or political honors for himself, but was all alive and energetic for his friends. And yet says one who knew him best in Montpelier, " he was a man who did not usually talk much ; he had been under military tactics too long ; but a prompt man when he did take hold, and acted with so much integrity as a sheriff, and so kindly, he was uncom- monly respected and trusted by those he took into custody."

Captain Ricker married, first, Nancy Dame, of Rochester, N. H. She had 7 children, of whom Rufus R. Ricker, Fran- cis Derancis Ricker and Mrs. Priscilla Holmes, widow of Edwin C. Holmes, are now living here. Another son, George P. Ricker, was for many years engaged in busi- ness in town, and died from accident, in August, 1851. His first wife dying, he married, about 1828, Loramie W. Hart, of Burlington, who survived him, and still lives in Montpelier. She had two children :

set ker,

ars.

day ain Mar tor

and tics

ler,

pity

be F. of

en:

. he

đồng

their

trad

read

Polit

far

neve

peat

cam

rebus

sele

his

resid

Oct.

Aaron Bancroft

End

Bost

Sam

Mass

TAS

she

Fras

475

MONTPELIER.

Harrison Hart Wright, now living in San Francisco, a '49er, one of the pioneers of that State, born in Montpelier ; and a son of 12 years, who died of typhus. Capt. Ricker died July 16, 1837, and is buried in Green Mount Cemetery.

THOMAS NEEDHAM

was born in Salem, Mass., Nov. 1785 ; re- moved to Mount Vernon, N. H., in 1812, where he married, that year, Eleanor Dodge, and they came to Montpelier in 1819, where they resided the remainder of their days. Mr. Needham was a cooper by trade, which vocation he followed through life. He was a man of brain, a great reader, and kept himself thoroughly ac- quainted with the affairs of the country. Politically, he was a Democrat, an ardent worker and earnest supporter of his party, which was in a majority in town in his day. For 25 years he wielded an influence in town, either at town or State elections, far greater than any other man. He never, however, aspired for office. Re- peatedly, he was asked by his party to ac- cept of their nomination of him as their candidate for town representative, which was equivalent to an election, but always refused to accept of it. Of town offices, he was for several years a justice of peace, selectman, and overseer of the poor ; the poor being bounteously cared for under his management. He also held the office of first jail commissioner many years. In all of the offices held by him, he was faith- ful to their trust. He died June 12, 1872, in his 87th year, leaving 2 sons, Algernon Sydney, for many years a sea captain, now residing in Montpelier, and Daniel, resid- ing in Barre. His wife, Eleanor D., died Oct. 9, 1880, in her 93d year. C. B.

THE OLD VILLAGE SEXTON.

[From obituary by Hon. Joseph Poland and Col. H. D. Hopkins.]

AARON BANCROFT was born in Wood End, now within the present limits of Boston, Mass., Feb. 2, 1784. He was one of a family of 12 children, and a son of Samuel Bancroft, who was a brother of the Rev. Dr. Aaron Bancroft, of Worcester, Mass., father of George Bancroft, the his-

torian ; being a direct descendant of Thos. Bancroft, a Puritan, who landed in Boston in 1632.

Aaron, the subject of our sketch, was married in 1804, to Anna Foster, of Wood End, and removed to Montpelier in 1813. He began work at his mechanical trade, that of a shoemaker, which he followed uninterruptedly until he was 84 years of age, when, by an accidental fall, he re- ceived injuries which disabled him from further service. In 1813, the year he came to town, the old Elm Street Cemetery was opened, and he was soon after made its sexton, the duties of which office he faith- fully performed for nearly 50 years, until July, 1857, when the new cemetery, Green Mount, was occupied, having been dedi- cated the previous year. What a tale of mortality could the old sexton tell :

" Nigh to a grave that was newly made, Leaned a Sexton old on his earth-worn spade; His work was done, and he paused to wait The funeral train through the open gate. A relle or by-gone days was he, And his locks were white as the foamy sea; And these words came from his lips so thin,

'I gather them In, I gather them in.'

"I gather them In for man and boy; Year after year of grief and joy; I've builded the houses that lie around In every nook of this burial ground; Mother and daughter, father and son, Come to my solitude, one by one,- But come they stranger, or come they kin,- I gather them In, I gather them in.

" Many are with me, but still I'm alone, I'm king of the dead-and I make my throne On a monument slab of marble cold, And my sceptre of rule is the spade I hold. Come they from cottage, or come they from hall, Mankind are my subjects-all, all, all! Let them loiter in pleasure, or toilfully spin- I gather them in, I gather them in.

"I gather them in-and their final rest Is here, down here, in the earth's dark breast!' And the Sexton ceased, for the funeral train Wound mutely o'er that solemn plain ; And I said to my heart, When time is told, A mightier voice than that Sexton's old Will sound o'er the last trump's dreadful din-

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 77

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