USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > Williston > The Williston story > Part 4
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In the 1700's Thomas Chittenden was perhaps the wealthiest citizen of the town possessing four horses and four cows. A list attached to the 1829 grand list shows that by 1829 Williston was the home of 756 cows and 322 horses.11 The sheep craze had be- gun to sweep Vermont by 1829 and the Williston listers listed
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4,400 sheep.12 By 1850, the census count on sheep had risen to 5,551.13 Williston even contained an early version of the "chamber-of-commerce" type exaggeration when speaking of their town. One citizen wrote an article contained in Zadok Thomp- son's Vermont in which he extols the merits of the town and makes the statement that in 1842 there were 13,035 sheep in Williston.14 This is strange in view of the fact that the United States Bureau of the Census lists only 5,551 sheep in 1850.15 The same type of discrepancy shows in the counting of the swine. The home-town counting shows 1,465 swine in Williston in 1842.16 The federal county lists only 445 in 1850.17
The figures of the federal census in 1850 give us a picture of the status of agriculture in Williston during its peak period.18 Fifteen thousand four hundred and six acres were under cultivation at this time - with a total value of $445,615. The Vermont sheep-craze was losing some of its drive but in Williston 5,551 sheep still produced 18,959 pounds of wool in the year prior to 1850. The total value of livestock - $77,339 - included 955 cows, 161 oxen, 5,551 sheep, 445 swine. Grain was also a major product as the farmers attempted to feed their stock without the availability of nearby grain stores. In the year ending June 1, 1850, farmers had grown 2,395 bushels of wheat; 1,096 bushels of rye; 18,322 bushels of corn ; 19,806 bushels of oats ; 3,265 tons of hay. Nor did they forget the staples of living : 29,353 bushels of potatoes ; 129,060 pounds of cheese; 79,450 pounds of butter ; and orchard produce valued at $3,514. Although this was before Vermont became famous for its maple products, in that year Williston farmers produced 5,060 pounds of maple syrup and sugar.
The second half of the nineteenth century saw the decline of diversified farming and the rise of specialization. Gradually the number of sheep began to decline and dairy farming took their place. With the increase in the number of dairy farms came the process of making cheese. The manufacture of cheese was to be the first extensive combination of agriculture and industry in the
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village of Williston. One example will serve to show how this was done with typical Yankee ingenuity.
At the top of Oak Hill, Hiram Wallston, in 1870, built a large cheese factory to take care of the large volume of milk produced in the town.19 Lewis Talcott was the manager of this enterprise which utilized milk from his own herd and the herds of his neighbors. Evidently Mr. Talcott was a good supervisor for during the next ten to fifteen years the operation on Oak Hill grew to tremendous proportions for its day. In 1885 and 1886, the Oak Hill creamery produced 150,000 pounds of cheese and 16,000 pounds of butter each year.20 This operation would have been extensive when seen from any chronological perspective -- it was particularly so when viewed during the nineteenth century. Remembering that Mr. Talcott was able to utilize the milk from his own herd and herds of his neighbors, we gain an idea of the relative size of the operation when we view the herd belonging to Mr. Talcott. His herd numbered approximately 300 cows, all of which were milked by hand.21 In addition to the creamery, Mr. Talcott operated a store and post office atop Oak Hill.
The figures of the production of the Oak Hill creamery in 1885-86 give an indication of the trend of farming in this period. In the years just mentioned, the production of butter lagged behind that of cheese. However, inventions were making it increasingly more profitable to use the milk production for manufacture of butter. Thus, economic growth caused the decline of the Oak Hill cheese factory. However, growth and development cannot be halted, for the manufacture of butter as the chief farm product was also doomed. The growth of the metropolitan areas decreed that the milk production of such outlying areas as Vermont be utilized to meet the urban demands. Thus the milk product which had moved from cheese production to butter production has in turn become utilized for consumption by urban markets, in the form of liquids and other milk products.
As the last half of the nineteenth century saw the rise of dairy farming, it also saw the beginnings of the poultry industry
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in Williston. As the Oak Hill factory exemplified the dairy industry, the plant at North Williston was the bright light of the poultry industry in the town of Williston. The Oak Hill factory could not be viewed apart from the activities of Mr. Lewis Talcott, nor can the poultry industry in North Williston be viewed apart from the activities of Mr. Smith Wright.
In 1876 a storehouse was built in North Williston adjacent to the Vermont Central Railroad.22 Though we have no record of the development of the process of "cold storage" we know that this storehouse and plant were among the first to be built anywhere in the United States.
". .. furnishing storage space for more than five hundred tons. The mechanical arrangement of these freezers is most ingenious and well calculated to effect the desired purpose. The temperature is susceptible of perfect regu- lation, and poultry and other meats can be frozen almost instantaneously and preserved indefinitely."23
Evidently the presence of these refrigerator units in Williston was widely advertised for they were used to store poultry for "others in Boston, New York, and other large cities, who desire to store meats, poultry, etc., through the warm season."24 In 1883, after only seven years of operation, Mr. Wright was the talk of the area when he managed to make one sale of $45,000, being the largest single sale of poultry ever made in this country to that date.25
No doubt such a business added considerably to the economic prosperity of Williston. However, an early writer became so enthusiastic as to attempt a prophecy concerning the storage business - a prophecy which for some reason did never ma- terialize: ". .. it is impossible to estimate the proportion which it is likely in time to assume."26 Less than seventy-five years later, North Williston was devoid of all industry - being only an area of homes and farms.
Other industries operated throughout the town's early history though none with the success of the Oak Hill cheese factory or the North Williston poultry cold storage plant. The most numer- ous of these activities were those relating to the use of native
STORE IN NORTH WILLISTON IN LATE 1800's.
ROSCOE PRINT, Essex Jet.
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OLD MILL IN NORTH WILLISTON, 1800's. BUILT OF BRICK MADE IN A NEARBY BRICK YARD.
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timber. As early as 1850 the census records show that Willis- tonians were beginning to use timber commercially. The 1850 census lists three sawmills with a $6,000 capital investment. During the preceding year they cut 11,000 logs with a value of $5,300. In these three operations eleven men were employed with a total monthly wage of $286.27
North Williston, as it developed in the third quarter of the nineteenth century, was a natural place for the location of such industries. At one time there were located in North Williston a "butter-tub" factory, a steam saw-mill and a regular saw-mill, most of them owned and operated by Hiram Fay.28 One of the mills was a particularly large one, manufacturing about 850,000 board feet of lumber per year.29 Down the Winooski River, the Brownells utilized the water power to operate another saw-mill.30
The only other industrial timber-user operating in the nine- teenth century Williston was a small one-man operation for the manufacture of potash. Though Vermont itself enjoyed a period of relative prosperity in connection with the manufacture and shipping of potash, there is no evidence that Williston had any other operation for this purpose other than the one operated by John Washburn.31
The local industries that attempted to unite the agricultural economy with the industrial desire for "ready" cash came in many forms. For example, the attempt of the citizens of Williston to industrialize the grain crop fell into two distinct categories. On the one hand, a relatively small number of men utilized the grain through the building and operation of grist mills, of which there were many. The one in North Williston seemed to be the largest one of the time. It was part of the operation originally owned by Hiram Fay, and later by the North Williston Mill Company, who rebuilt after a fire in 1871.32 The other manner in which the local citizens were able to use an excess of their grain crop was in the distilling of "spirits." There was an almost unbelievable number of distilleries in Williston during the mid-1800's, especially when the number and capacity of each is correlated with the number
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and capacity of the population for consumption. The estimates range from ten to thirty in number.
After the failure of potash to provide a dependable cash crop, John Washburn tried his hand at distilling - which proved quite profitable, at least more so than potash.33 George Patten operated a still in the vicinity of North Williston, which evidently needed such a business to help its growing pains.34 The barter economy still persisted for "most of the merchants being interested in them [the grain growers] and taking grain in payment of debts."35
The industries mentioned above have been dependent, directly or indirectly, upon local farm products or local natural resources. However, during the latter part of the nineteenth century, another type of industry was popular in Williston that was not dependent upon the farm industry for its prosperity. This type of industry involved the use of machinery on a large scale. These were usually called "machine shops" and their owner-operators were designated as "mechaniks."
One such industry was listed in the 1850 Industrial Census as a "furnace builder."36 With a total investment of $2,100 the owner (unnamed in the census) employed four men with a total monthly wage of $100. During any given year of operation, the furnace builder utilized forty tons of pig iron and 6,000 bushels of coal. The source of the pig iron is unknown, though obviously it was delivered over the Vermont Central Railroad.
R. R. Fay, E. F. Whitcomb and A. M. Ford, in North Willis- ton, operated a machine shop in the 1860's and 1870's for the manufacture of chair stock.37 Mr. T. L. Frary also maintained a plant in North Williston during the 1870's for the manufacture of spools, bobbins, etc. 38 Also located in North Williston during this period was a blacksmith shop, owned and operated by a Mr. Cole.39 Mr. Cole invested $12,000 in his shop and employed four men. Again, we find seven tons of pig iron being utilized along with 2,200 bushels of coal.40
A mill for the manufacture of clothing was owned by "Caleb B. Smith and Sons" in the vicinity of Kirby Corners on Route 2, in the western part of Williston. 41 In the area of Muddy Brook
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a carding mill was operated by the Miller family.42 Perhaps this was an early example of "integrated industry" though we cannot document any connection between the clothing and carding mills.
Tanneries were also outstanding enough, in early Williston, to merit recognition. There were several tanneries, one operating near the center of the village. This village tannery was located on Allen Brook by David Talcott, Jr., in the early 1800's.43 David, Jr., not wanting to farm, moved into the village from his father's home and built the first "frame" house in the village. This house still is standing (on the south side of Route 2, the second dwelling unit east of the Oak Hill Road) and is owned by Miss Sylvia Warren. Another tannery was operated in later years by Luther Loomis who lived in the village. 44 Meanwhile, the Bradley brothers were also in the tanning business - in addition to the operation of their still.45
At present (1961) Williston can boast of only one enterprise which could be labeled industry or manufacturing - The Alling Enterprises, manufacturers of wire products, principally cuphooks.
"There Was A Tavern in the Town"
Due to its presence on the old "Winooski Turnpike," Williston contained many taverns. At this early date the word tavern meant something entirely different than its meaning in the twentieth century. "Tavern" implied a place where travelers might find lodging, food, and sometimes entertainment. The tavern, second to the church, was the social hub of the community. The first known existing tavern in Williston was in the home of Deacon David Talcott on Oak Hill.2 His friend and contempo- rary, Thomas Chittenden, also operated in his home a tavern for the few travelers that passed his farm on the Winooski.2 Mr. Pennoyer, one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace at Missiskoui Bay, states in a letter to a friend the dire effects he feels tavern- keeping may have had on Governor Chittenden.
"A few days before he [Chittenden] died, he was fined One Hundred and Eighty Dollars for selling Liquors by small measure without Licence. This is no more laughable than true, whether the Fine killed him or not, I can't say."3
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At what is presently the junction of Route 2 and 116A, there were located two taverns.4 One was operated by Isaac French and the other by Calvin Morse. The Morse tavern was on the southwest corner of the intersection. In the middle of the village stands a large yellow house, owned and occupied by Mrs. Dayton Webster. Tradition states that about 1800 a family with one son occupied the house immediately west of the one occupied by Mrs. Webster.5 The only son felt the call of the large city and was determined to move to Burlington. His parents, anxious to forestall such a move, built him a tavern to operate right in Willis- ton village. Such, tradition states, was the origin of the Webster home.
The height of the tavern building was reached with the con- struction of Eagle Hall on the present site of the Federated Church in Williston village. It was considered to be one of the best hotels in the country and stages tried their best to spend a stop-over at Eagle Hall. Originally managed by Benjamin Going, Eagle Hall eventually passed into the ownership of David French.6 The year 1850 saw the end of the period of taverns in Williston, for in that year Eagle Hall burned.7 Another factor, preventing the building of many more taverns, was the ability of the railroad to draw traffic from the Winooski Turnpike which had formerly supplied most of the business for the main taverns in Williston.
Transportation
Tradition states that the first public thoroughfare in Williston was the Indian trail leading from the Onion River up French Hill, through the present village, to Winooski Falls and Lake Champlain. Evidently the Red Men had chosen well for this narrow trail was later to become, through modern technology, the "Winooski Turnpike." Used for many years as a stage route from Montpelier to Burlington, the road was paved and taken
SECTION TAKEN OVER
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INTO STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM IN 1935
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MAP OF WILLISTON, VERMONT. SCALE 1" TO ONE MILE. PREPARED BY FLOYD PUTNAM FOR USE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
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WILLISTON ACADEMY BUILDING. DESTROYED BY FIRE, 1950.
WILLISTON CENTRAL SCHOOL, 1951. BEFORE PRESENT ADDITIONS.
AIR VIEW OF WILLISTON VILLAGE, 1957.
VERMONT NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY, 1958.
THOMAS CHITTENDEN MONUMENT.
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over by the State of Vermont in 1929.1 Subsequently it was designated as U. S. Route 2.
Taking their clue from the Indian trails, the earliest settlers were very practical in their construction of the first roads. If, perchance, utility and beauty coincided, they were pleased. But in case of a choice, utility always won. This is most easily seen as we retravel the old, and now un-used roads. As the network of roads tied one commercial area to another, the roads served a very distinct function. However, whenever such an area declined, the roads lost their unique function and gradually fell into disrepair. This is especially noted in Williston in the case of roads which were formerly highly traveled, for they connected prosperous business establishments. As the prosperous establishments be- came less prosperous, the well-traveled roads became less-traveled.
Many of the early roads "laid-out" in Williston are no longer in use. Some are covered with dense undergrowth and trees; others were long ago washed out by heavy rains, and still others are passable only on foot or horseback due to broken culverts and destroyed bridges. However, it is important that such "un-used" roads be included in this discussion: first, a knowledge of their location is essential for understanding of the early economic ventures of the town, for often the progress of a business was determined by the availability of transportation; second, they are important if one is to understand the present physical appearance of the village and how it evolved; third, they are often a key to determining the wealth and social status of early settlers.2 The more prominent the family, usually more accessible it would be by the town roads.
The economic basis of the early roads is most easily seen in the presence of old and un-used roads in and around North Williston. Though it would be a mistake to call these the earliest roads in town, they nevertheless illustrate the point being made. The first of these roads is still to be seen as one rides north on the North Williston Road, passing directly in front of Dr. Oscar Peterson's home, over the brow of "Depot Hill" into North Williston.3 It is easy to see why this road would have been more
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accessible, especially in the winter months, to the horse drawn sleds of milk, meat and cheese, than would be the present route which passes through a heavily wooded ravine.
Social status as reflected in a road is seen in the old abandoned road which runs from the home of Thomas Chittenden along the river to the present site of North Williston and the farm of Marvin Chapman.4 The position of the Chittendens enabled the family to have a road such as this although there were no other homes along the route.
The rugged individuality and character of the Chittendens accounted for another of these un-used roads. Anxious to pre- serve the family closeness, Thomas Chittenden carved a road from the wilderness west of his home (presently owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. William Riggs) through the woods to the home of his son Giles, located on what is presently designated as "Stove Pipe Corner Road.5 (Giles Chittenden's home was the house presently owned by the James McCulloughs and known as the "Wright Farm.") One can well imagine the years in which this faint and rutted path was well-traveled. Politicians looking for the influential Chittendens, travel-weary guests looking for lodging and fellowship, lean and gaunt itinerant preachers - all were familiar travelers here where now only the large homes, the well- traveled ruts, and the majestic scenery remain.
But let us go back for a moment to North Williston, throbbing with its economic arteries. Also from the woods surrounding "depot hill" a road ran to the farm of Henry and Arad Root, now owned by Carl Urie.6 The financial status of the Roots is reflect- ed in the fact that still another road led from their farm down to the Onion River; arriving at the river on the land of M. Fay, now designated as the Terrier Farm.
Leaving Route 2, near the Carmelite Monastery, one turns south past the home of Arthur LaFrance and finds another road that has been left to stand the test of time.8 Fenced off, covered with brush and trees, culverts broken, this road is passable only on foot or horseback. However, if one would travel south on this road over the ridge of Oak Hill he would eventually arrive
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at the farm originally given to Sylvester Bradley as his share in the original charter grant. Presently owned by Arthur and Belle (Bradley) Senna, this farm has been owned by the descendants of Sylvester Bradley for nine generations
Riding, or walking, past the Senna farm, one gradually ascends Oak Hill to the site of the former Oak Hill creamery. At one time a creamery, then a cheese factory, it was important that transportation be easily available to this spot for the various participating farmers. To serve the eastern part of the town a road ran from the creamery site east across the southern end of Mud Pond to connect with the road known as "East Road."9 This road, crossing the Mud Pond area, is still easily seen and traveled. However, when it no longer served a unique purpose, it was abandoned as were the many others.
Perhaps the one road no longer used that would still serve a real need today is the road that began on the farm of Al Pillsbury, at the foot of Brownell Mountain on Route 116A.10 This road was the connecting link between the Sucker Hollow Road and the Hinesburg Road on the western side of Brownell Mountain. It was gradually abandoned due to the high main- tenance cost and the fact that it was strictly a road of convenience and not one of economic necessity. Traveling east on this road past the present home of Mr. and Mrs. James Pillsbury, the travel- er arrives at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fritz Hamm. Formerly the road continued eastward, connecting with the Oak Hill Road to Lake Iroquois. However, it is now no longer passable and is un-used. Arriving at the junction of this road and Oak Hill, we see that the road continued eastward to connect with the East Road in the vicinity of the present home of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Brown.
During the twenty year period, 1790-1810, the population of Chittenden County more than quadrupled. In the census of 1791, Williston had 471 inhabitants, Charlotte being the only town in the county more populous.11 By 1800, the number of persons residing here had risen to 836 and in 1810 the census records a population of 1, 185.12 Never again in her history has Williston experienced such a rapid rate of growth.
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But with such prosperity and growth came the inevitable problem of growing pains. With such an influx of people Chit- enden County began to concern itself with the matter of "rapid" transportation. The town of Williston found itself, due to its desirable geographical location, involved in many of the early schemes for internal improvements in the county.
Generally speaking, one of the first duties of the proprietors in a Vermont township was to "lay out" and survey such roads within their grants as the "necessities of the future inhabitants would require."13 Since no definite records exist, we can only surmise the location of these primary roads in the early develop- ment of the town. Probably the roads now known as Route 2, Route 116A, Oak Hill Road, and the North Williston Road were the principal thoroughfares in town.
On March 9, 1787, the General Assembly of the State of Vermont provided the means for the changing or altering of roads.
". . . upon application of any person interested, showing the necessity of laying out a new highway from town to town, or from place to place, or of altering old highways, the selectmen of the town in which the construction or alteration was wanted shall immediately proceed to effect the required improvement."14
There is no indication that any such requests were filed in the town. However, the need of better transportation facilities became more urgent with the turn of the nineteenth century. On November 9, 1802, Thaddeus Tuttle, Daniel Hurlbut, and Parley Davis were appointed to "look out," lay out and survey a public highway for a permanent post or stage-road from the court-house in Burling- ton, "in the most direct and convenient course," to the bridge over the main branch of the Onion River in the town of Montpelier.15 There is every reason to believe that this was the forerunner of the famed Winooski Turnpike. If so, then this road became Williston's first major contact with the city that was to become at a later date the state's most heavily populated.
On November 7, 1805, The Winooski Turnpike Company - Daniel Hurlbut, Thaddeus Tuttle, Solomon Miller, John Johnson,
VILLAGE STREET SCENE, 1920, LOOKING WESTWARD. PRESENTLY ROUTE 2.
OLD AND NEW BRIDGES ACROSS THE WINOOSKI RIVER IN NORTH WILLISTON.
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