The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 78

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 78

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'I gather them in, I gather them in!'"

In 1819, when the old brick church was erected, he was made its sexton, in which capacity he officiated for two score of years. In "form and feature " he was the exact representation of his office, gray, bowed, kind, slow-spoken and courteous. In his earlier day, he possessed great phys- ical strength and muscle even up to the

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age of 50 ; he repeatedly bore off the palm in wrestling matches and foot-races. He was also endowed with a remarkable mem- ory, which he retained to the last. To him we are indebted for the record of the vital statistics of the town, making a list of about a thousand deaths, which he kept for 40 years, until 1857, since which time the State law has required the registration of all deaths by the district clerk.

In 1804, Mr. Bancroft and his wife united with the Congregational church, of which they remained faithful members till their death. Mrs. Bancroft died in Oct. 1865, aged 82 ; and Mr. Bancroft, Mar. 26, 1872, aged 88 years. That he was a sincere Christian, no one ever doubted who knew him, for his daily life gave uniform testi- mony to the genuineness of his profession. His Bible was his daily food, even upon his dying bed, and he found great comfort in the songs of Zion, which he always dearly loved, until the summons came. Artless and as trustful as a child, faithful to all his trusts, cheerful under the worst trials, a peacemaker everywhere, pure in heart and exemplary in life, Aaron Bancroft may well be said to have lived and died an honest man.

He reared a family of 5 sons and 3 daughters : Aaron, Sarah, Henry, Mary,Ed- ward C., Daniel Foster, Eliza and Charles E ; two more died in infancy. All now are deceased but two, Daniel Foster, now re- siding in New York city, and Mrs. Mary Rogers, in Cabot. The sons all learned various mechanical trades, which they fol- lowed through life, all being superior work- men at their several trades.

CAPT. LEMUEL BROOKS,

born in Connecticut in 1767, married Rhoda Barber, of Simsbury, Ct., and came to Montpelier in January, 1798. He was present and cast his vote in the first town meeting held in Montpelier. He first set- tled in the part now called East Montpelier, where he lived for 40 years, when he re- moved to Montpelier village, where he died in 1846, during the session of the Legislature here, aged 79 years, and was buried in the old Elm Street Cemetery.

He is remembered by his descendants as a large man, almost of heroic size, a kind old gentleman, fond of a joke and of his grandchildren. £ He and his wife lived happily together 48 years. They had no sons, but a family of 5 daughters, four of whom married : Mary, A. Sidney Wing, of Montpelier ; Rhoda, General Humphrey ; Amanda, another Mr. Humphrey ; Fanny, Loomis Palmer.

MRS. RHODA BROOKS.

Rhoda Barber, born in Simsbury, Ct., Nov. 17, 1798, immediately after her mar- riage with Lemuel Brooks, Jan. 1798, came to Montpelier. There were but two framed houses at that time, and the frame of an- other, in the old town of Montpelier, com- prising the present Montpelier and East Montpelier. The frame was that of the Cadwell house, still standing at the head of State street, that became and continued for many years to be the most spacious and ele- gant private dwelling in town, and the quar- ters of successive governors of the State. When Mrs. Brooks first saw the frame, it was surrounded by the stumps and trunks of trees that had been cut down to open 2 site for the building. Mrs. Brooks wen to the farm of her husband, now in Eas Montpelier, where they remained till thei removal to this village in 1838. After the death of Mr. Brooks, she resided with he son-in-law, Loomis Palmer, until her death Dec. 21, 1873, aged 85 years.

Mrs. Brooks was large and elegant i: person, of perhaps the finest English typ of beauty ; dignified in her manners, genia in her temper, and of great intelligence Mr. Thompson was largely indebted to he for material for his history of Montpelier.

A lady of a well-ordered life, whos Christian faith was illustrated by hospita ity and charity ; whose end was more tha beautiful. Awaking without sickness c the morning of the anniversary of her hu band's birth, she calmly told her daught that she was going, and entered at on upon the way from earth to Heaven.

THOMAS BROOKS,

brother of Lemuel, settled in Montpeli not far from the time that his brother di

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Children of Thomas and Roxa Brooks : Delorma, Lemuel, Keyes, Mary, Melanc- thon, Sarah, Lorenzo, Joseph, Harriet, Thomas, Roxa.

JONATHAN SHEPARD.

One after another the now thinly scattered band of our first settlers are all fast passing away. Of the earliest pioneer settlers of Montpelier, Jonathan Shepard went to his long rest July 26, 1863. He was born in Haverhill, Mass., June 31, 1772, and at the age of 21, came to Montpelier, where, for the first .two or three years, he was in the employment of the first settler, Col. Jacob Davis, being constantly engaged with others of the Colonel's band of hardy laborers in clearing up the lands now con- stituting the site of our flourishing village. After a few years, he married a Miss Bur- dick, of Waitsfield, who died of spotted fever in 1810, and a few years subsequently, he married the widow of Wm. Hutchins, many years since deceased. His first "pitch" was on the lands afterwards known as the Silloway farm, near Henry Nutt's. Soon selling this, however, he purchased the well-known valuable farm lying around the mouth of Dog river, which he held till a few years ago, when it passed into the hands of his son, George C. Shepard, Esq. While carrying on this farm, he became the occupant of the Hutchins', or Farmers' inn, which, to the very general acceptance of the public, he kept for nearly 30 years.

Mr. Shepard was never known as an office-holder ; for, though often offered them, he uniformly declined all offices. He was a man of much decision of char- acter-of great energy, of fine business ca- pacities, and from the first has been among our most active and enterprising citizens, and by these qualities, he accumulated a very handsome property; and what is better, he was an honest man, ever re- garding his word as sacred .- Obit.

HON. JOSEPH HOWES AND WIFE.

Joseph Howes, born in Lebanon, Conn., March 28, 1783, died in Montpelier, April 26, 1863. He was descended from one of the early puritans who settled in Plymouth

County, Mass. Judge Howes came to Montpelier with his wife in 1808, both re- mained there during their lives, and both were among the members of the First Con- gregational churcli, now commonly known as Bethany church, at its organization in 1810, of which they were ever faithful and highly-honored members. Judge Howes was intelligent, decided and immovable in his religious and political opinions. Be- ginning as a Jeffersonian Republican, he, with the most of that party in Vermont, supported John Quincy Adams for presi- dent in 1824, and after Gen. Jackson's election in 1828, adhered successively to the National Republican, Whig, and the modern Republican parties. He was pat- riotic, served nearly two years on the frontier as adjutant in the war of 1812-'15, and served so well that a commission in the regular army was offered him, which he declined on account of the pressing needs of his young family. In Sept. 1814, however, he started for Plattsburgh as second lieutenant in the volunteer Mont- pelier company, a roll of which, in his hand-writing, has been found among his papers. He represented Montpelier in the Legislature of 1813, and while holding that office, left for military service on the frontier ; was also a Judge of Washington County Court, 1819 to 1827 ; and served several years as surveyor of public build- ings, his duty being to provide for sweep- ing, heating and lighting the State House, and furnish stationery for both Houses. His bill for these services in the session of 37 days in 1825 was $68.71, $3 of which only was for his personal service-less than $2 per day for all, which is less than the daily pay now of a page. He was also long engaged in the most responsible town offices,-moderator, selectman, overseer, and magistrate. He was thoroughly con- scientious in the discharge of all his public and private duties-severely just as against himself, and severely censorious of all wrong ; but he was also generous to those who had wronged him.

PATTYWILDER, daughter of Abel Wilder, of Norwich, and grand-daughter of Lieut. Gov. Elisha Payne, of Lebanon, N. H.,

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was born in 1786, married Judge Howes in 1808, and died January 20, 1871. While her husband was of a severe type, she was gentle, mild, charitable, and these mingled qualities made a household of obedient and affectionate children, of whom there were nine, to wit: William, born April 21, 1809, went to Prescott, Wis., about 30 years ago, became mayor of the town, and was judge of probate for his district sev- eral years, and until his death ; Almira, widow of Lieut. Gov. David M. Camp, of Derby ; Joseph Wilder, born Nov. 5, 1812, was a merchant and sheriff of this county in 1849: [for more, see ante, pages 394- 396.] George, born Nov. 14, 1814, was a merchant, cashier of the Bank of Mont- pelier from 1841 to 1858, and State treas- urer 1847 to '53 ; Sarah Sophia, born July 27, 1817, married E. P. Walton, Jr., June 6, 1836, and died Sept. 3, 1880; Solon, born Aug. 6, 1819, died in early manhood ; Martha is widow of Rev. Calvin Pease, Professor and President in the University of Vermont, and at his death pastor of a Presbyterian church in Rochester, N. Y .; Henry, born March 7th, 1826, died in childhood ; and last, Henry, born Apr. 30, 1829, was for some years a cashier, and since 1865 has been employed in the Na- tional Treasury and Interior Departments.

Judge Howes was a blacksmith, and I have a very fine engraving of the interior of a blacksmith's shop, which I have al- ways called my wife's coat of arms. EP. W.

DR. JULIUS YEMANS DEWEY.

[Extracts from an obituary b Dr. Sumner Putnam.]

Julius Yemans Dewey was born in Berlin, Aug. 22, 1801 ; his father, Simeon Dewey, being among the first to settle in that town, coming from Hanover, N. H., nearly 100 years ago. Julius was one of a family of 8 children, and very active when a lad, not only working upon the farm, but traveling about the country, both on foot and on horseback, as an assistant drover. But in his nineteenth summer, one-half day's work, which consisted in loading and pitching 17 loads of hay, de- termined his choice of a profession, from the fact that for a long time afterward he

was sick with pain and inflammation in the hepatic region, from which, however, he finally recovered, and outlived all the members of his father's family. Having acquired a good preliminary education at the Wash. Co. Gram. School, he studied medicine with Dr. Lamb., a celebrated practitioner in those days, resident at Montpelier, and in 1823, received his de- gree from the medical department of the Vermont University, and commenced prac- tice at Montpelier. In consequence of his activity, intelligence and skill, he soon ac- quired a large professional business, and June 9, 1825, married Miss Mary Perrin, daughter of Zachariah Perrin, of Berlin. The fruit of this union was 18 years of happy domestic life and 4 children : Chas. and Edward Dewey, of Montpelier, Geo. Dewey, of the U. S. Navy, and Mrs. Dr. Geo. P. Greeley, of Nashua, N. H. Fur- thermore, these years were crowned with professional and financial success, but all too soon, the faithful wife and mother was called from her earthly home, and the circle thus painfully broken, remained severed about 2 years, when it became restored by a second marriage with Mrs. Susan L. Tarbox, of Randolph, an estimable lady, who brought with her an excellent daugh- ter, now the wife of his oldest son, which arrangement proved very happy in all re- spects.

Though brought up in a family the heads of which were rigidly Puritan, Dr. Dewey chose the Protestant Episcopal church, in which he was long a faithful office-bearer, a liberal supporter and an influential ad- viser, especially against the modern fash- ions which find no countenance except in the Roman churches. In politics, he was ardent and intelligent, and to him, per- haps, quite as much as any other one, is to be ascribed the defeat of the anti-masonic Gov. Palmer in 1835, and the subsequent success of the Whig and Republican par- ties in Vermont; yet he was never an office-seeker, but acted simply upon his convictions of what was best for the State and the nation.

In 1850, Dr. Dewey, with others, or-

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ganized the National Life Insurance Com- pany of Montpelier, and soon became its president and chief manager, and so re- mained until his death. Under his auspi- cious management, in 27 years, the com- pany has acquired a large number of policy-holders, presenting a record of suc- cess unequalled, and worthy the confidence and patronage of those who desire at death to doubly ensure, if possible, a legacy to their families. Indeed, amid the financial ruin and distress prevalent, this noble monument of his provident care and in- dustry affords relief to many a worthy debtor, and stands against the invasion of want as a bulwark to many a widowed and orphaned home.

In 1854, being deprived by death of a second wife, at 53 years of age, apparently in the prime of life, and by nature strongly inclined to make the best of life and its blessings, especially the endearments and comforts of home, he fortunately married Mrs. Susan E. Lilley, of Worcester, Mass., a beautiful and excellent woman, who also brought with her a beautiful daughter, now the wife of his second son, and for the last 20 years made his home a paradise, until his final departure shrouds it in mourning, (1876.)

During his last years, his relations as husband, parent and grand-parent were eminently happy. I have heard him re- mark that few men had been so unfortunate as himself in the loss of excellent wives, and that no man could have been more fortunate in replacing them. He was very strongly attached to home and its endear- ments-his wife, children and grand- children, and they always received from him the kindest attention, care and pro- vision ; and, in return, he received from them, and carried with him at his depart- ure, their utmost love, confidence and re- spect.

Dr. Dewey was eminently a strong, self- made man,-a person who thought care- fully, intelligently and broadly ; conse- quently, every enterprise to which he put his hands, proved a success. Education, the church, all forms of public welfare-

town, state and national, as the found- ation and defense of home, social order, progress and wealth, were near and dear to his heart, and always received his cor- dial support. During a long and active life, his ability and integrity reached and maintained the highest standard. Socially, he was friendly, open and cheerful.

On the 20th of May, 1876, he partook of a hearty dinner, over-exercised, and be- came much excited in discussion. Imme- diately, symptoms of disturbed digestion began, and a bad night followed, the pulse soon falling to 28 or 30 per minute. This state continued until the morning of the 29th, at 3 : 30 o'clock, when, in full con- sciousness, in the 76th year of his age, the heart instantly ceased to beat, the counte- nance flushed, soon became full and dusky, efforts at respiration ceased almost imme- diately, consciousness was gone, and the paleness of death settled over the features.

"Soul, thought, will, Ideation- All, so quickly severed From their loved abode- O, who may or e'er can, The mystery of life, Of death, illume, unvell, To the mourning circle Left behind ?"

MEDICAL MEN OF MONTPELIER.

BV DR. SUMNER PUTNAM.

FREDERICK W. ADAMS

was born'in Pawlet, in 1786, and his lit- erary remains show him to have been ed- ucated. He studied medicine with Dr. Oliver Harmon, of Pawlet, attended med- ical lectures at Dartmouth College, and began practice in Fairfield before he grad- uated. Remaining there some time, he moved to Cambridge, and from Cambridge to Barton in 1814, and in 1822, returned to Dartmouth, and received his diploma. He continued to practice in Barton and vicinity till 1836, where he acquired great reputation as a physician and surgeon, being called at times a distance of 50 miles to perform capital operations. He was also the first, or one of the first, to call attention to the American hellebore or veratrum viride in practice. In the winter of 1835 and 1836, he attended medical lec- tures at Philadelphia, with a view of set-

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tling in Montpelier, which he did in 1836, his name and reputation soon following, if it had not already preceded him.

Located at Montpelier, he was at first shunned by many on account of his re- puted skepticism ; but being a large, gen- tlemanly appearing man, of dignified pres- ence, destined to excite attention and command respect or fear anywhere, he soon became a leading practitioner in the town and surrounding country.

Dr. Adams was a man of literary taste, and having long been esteemed an infidel or atheist, he, in 1843, at the request of friends, published a book entitled " The- ological Criticism," which entitles him to rank with Paine and Ingersoll in their esti- mate of the Bible, the church and the clergy. But only as respects these points did his skeptical philosophy seem to touch his heart, as the following may tend to show : When he first came here, a lead- ing church felt it a duty to circulate papers asking its members to sign their names promising not to employ him profession- ally. After a time, the same men, one a deacon, who circulated the first paper, came to him with a subscription paper to help repair the church, to which appeal he replied, " God forbid that he should so misapply his money. He much preferred to give it to the poor and needy whom he knew."

All of those formerly acquainted with him here, with whom I have conversed, declare the Doctor to have been a very benevolent, generous, honorable, kind- hearted man. Says one, "He lived more practical Christianity daily, than any other man in town." When a poor man asked him for his bill, he would say, "How much money have you?" " O, not much !" would be the reply. "How many children have you?" "Four or five," as the case might be. "Well, then, you will want all the money you have, and more too ; here, take this," handing out five dollars, per- haps. Also, every now and then he would buy a web of calico, cotton cloth, or what- ever he thought might be needed, and slyly hand it in at the back door of the poor. On the other hand, of the usurious

rich, he would take a good bill, but no more than professional, saying to himself, if I get the money, I shall give some of it to the needy, and that they will not do if they keep it. A lady, whose family phy- sician he had been, said, " do not have it go into his biography that he was an in- fidel, for he was not. See the lines he composed on the death of my daughter," handing me the long-preserved lines, full of beautiful sentiment :

O, God! forgive us the distrust Deep agony hath wrought,

Of dispensation doubtless just, With hidden mercies fraught.

But when an idol is removed, Although from earth to Heaven, Our hearts rebel, that one so loved Should have been lent, not given.

O, hard, and harder yet to bear The cross we now sustain; While memory will not forbear To ambrotype our pain.

We own that we should be resigned, And put in God our trust; Yet human selfishness is blind, Nor sees that God is just.

Hence, we should solemnly invoke The Faith too seldom giv'n, That sees this mercy in the stroke, A soul transferred to Heaven.

It is said that heand Dr. Shelton, Rector of the Episcopal church in this place at that time, were on particularly good terms, often joking and bantering each other- Shelton often inviting Dr. A. to attend church, while he would as often contempt- uously decline to so misspend his time. But Dr. S. having prepared a sermon for him, continued to invite him to church, and at last he came, when the usher seated him well up in front. Dr. S. now took from the drawer his long-prepared sermon, on the text, " The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God," and delivered from his pulpit a powerful discourse, which Dr. A. seemed to take pretty much to himself. meanwhile, sitting uneasily in his seat, and sweating profusely. The old Doctor hạc a good mind to be mad, but then he con- cluded to blow it off.

Dr. Adams was a musician, and also made violins, which are said to have chal lenged the admiration of Ole Bull. Old Bull called on him when here, and he and the Doctor had some music.

Summer Putnam.

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He was twice married, and a daughter of his now resides in Barton. He died Dec. 17, 1858, of pneumonia, aged 72, with a clear intellect, and when asked if he died as he had lived, answered, " If there is a Christian's God, I am not afraid to trust myself in his hands."

Abridged from memoir in Transactions of the Vermont Medical Society. DR. C. B. CHANDLER

was born Apr. 24, 1796, at Chester. Dur- ing his minority, he resided at the home of his father upon the farm, and acquired at the common school and Chester Academy sufficient education to become a successful teacher.

He read medicine with Dr. Bowen, at- tended lectures at Woodstock, and after, at Brown University, R. I. ; where he grad- uated, and commenced practice in Tun- bridge in 1823. About the same time, he married Miss Nancy Atherton, of Balti- more, by whom he had two sons, who are now alive, and one of whom succeeded him in business in this town, and is now in full practice. In 1837, his first wife died. After this he married Miss Amanda Chapman, of Tunbridge, who died in 1841, His third marriage was to Mrs. F. A. C. Harvey, of Cabot, who survived him.

Having practiced his profession suc- cessfully 33 years in Tunbridge, he came to Montpelier, and bought out Dr. Orrin Smith, and soon acquired a good practice, showing himself, in the 10 years which he resided here, to be a careful, judicious physician, a good surgeon, a friendly, gen- erous, and strictly honorable man. With- out sickness, warning or premonition, he died instantly, Jan. 8, 1867, in his 7Ist year, while unharnessing his horse after a long ride ; it was supposed of apoplexy, as several of the family had died from that cause.

The high estimation in which he was held in every respect may be inferred from the following extract from a daily paper published in Montpelier at the time of his death. "He removed," says the editor of the Freeman, "to Montpelier in 1856, where for his high reputation as a skillful surgeon and physician, and his excellences

as a citizen, ever ready and zealous in every good work, he was highly esteemed. Though far advanced in years. he seemed to be physically and intellectually vigorous, and to the last was actively engaged in his profession. His death is, therefore, a se- vere loss to his family, to the medical pro- fession, and to the community. They find consolation in the remembrance that his life had been one of great usefulness, founded upon his firm conviction of the genuineness of practical Christianity. Ir- reproachable in all his relations in life, invaluable as a friend, of most excellent example as a citizen, and performing with scrupulous fidelity and with untiring labor every prompting of the warmest and kind- est heart, he was in all his life the truest type of the upright, benevolent, beneficent man. Others have left us more noted, perhaps, for talents and high position be- fore the public, but never one more missed and mourned than is, and long will be, this worthy, active, and intelligent Chris- tian physician.

Ever humane and self-sacrificing, he as cheerfully bestowed his professional aid on the poor, when he never asked or expected pay, as on the wealthy and influential ; and it has been this noble trait, in addi- tion to his fine social qualities, his entire sincerity and sterling worth as a man, which has so widely endeared him to all classes of people in this region of country. He once told a friend that he wanted no higher fame, and no better reward, than to hrave it thought and said at his death, that he sincerely endeavored to do all the good he could, and to be a kind and honest man.

DR. C. M. RUBLEE.

Chauncey Moore Rublee, son of Luman and Mrs. Luman (Burbank) Rublee, was born at Montpelier, Nov. 25, 1823. At fourteen, he left the Academy in this place, and became a clerk in the drug store of E. H. Prentiss, and, after 2 years' service, began the study of medicine with Dr. Charles Clark ; attended medical lectures, and graduated at Woodstock, after three years' study. In Dec. 1848, he sailed for

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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 78

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