USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > Williston > The Williston story > Part 5
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Martin Chittenden, Jacob Spafford, Charles Bulkeley, David Wing, and their associates - was incorporated by the Vermont General Assembly.16 Their charter stated that they were to construct and keep in repair a turnpike from the Burlington Court House to pass "on or near the Winooski or Onion River, to the north end of Elijah Paine's turnpike, in Montpelier."17
The Winooski Turnpike, as it passed through Williston, was not less than eighteen feet wide at any point. Probably there were only two exits in the town of Williston as the charter allowed gates "not exceeding one gate for each eleven miles."18 It is permissible to assume that one such entrance-exist was located on the town's western boundary in the vicinity of Muddy Brook, due to the presence of the old Shunpike in that area. Though the usual provision was inserted that
". .. no toll shall be demanded at any turnpike gate of any person being a citizen of this State, and living within eight miles of such gate; but such personnel shall at all times pass free with his horse, carriage or team; also at any great distance, when going to or from public worship or on military duty, or to or from any grist or saw-mill," there were still some who objected to the payment of the toll.19 Their dissatisfaction reached a peak with their work to construct the Shunpike, a road from the southern portion of the Brownell Road, across Muddy Brook and back again into the Winooski Turnpike at the top of Muddy Brook hill.20
One year later, November 6, 1806, the General Assembly again favored the town of Williston with a charter.21 On that day an act was passed granting to Daniel Hurlbut of Burlington and his associates the exclusive privilege of building a toll-bridge over the Onion River, between Williston and Essex, at or near Hubbell's Falls. As far as can be determined, this bridge crossed the river where the present Green Mountain Power Station now stands. For thirty-five years Daniel Hurlbut and his associates had the privilege of collecting tolls at this crossing.22
For many years the Turnpike, the Shunpike and the town roads provided the inhabitants of Williston with passable trans- portation facilities. However, even then the winter snows and
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the spring rains played havoc with the roads. At certain seasons they became practically impassable. Yet, the early settlers were ingenious men and several prominent men looked forward to solving the weather problem in transportation by converting the dirt roads to plank roads.
In 1850, plank roads seemed to furnish the best solution to their problem. Thus, on November 9, 1850, the Williston Plank Road Company was chartered, with a capital stock of $20,000.23 The commissioners were Harry Bradley, Carlos Baxter, Joseph D. Allen, Harry Miller, James W. Hurlburt, David A. Murray and David French.24 The road was to lead from the village of Williston to the village of Burlington. Probably the idea was either to follow the general path of the existing Winooski Turn- pike or to incorporate the Turnpike into their plank road.
Almost simultaneously on the 11th day of the same month, the Williston and Jericho Plank Road Company was incorporated with a capital stock of $10,000.25 Its purpose was the construction of a plank road from the Winooski Turnpike at Eagle Hall in Williston, by the nearest route, to the "four corners" in Jericho. David French, David A. Murray, Roswell B. Fay, Truman Galusha, and John H. Tower were appointed commissioners to receive subscriptions.26
However, these schemes never materialized. They were doomed before they started. Their death knell was sounded by a railroad whistle as the iron rails were laid down the Winooski River Valley. With the promise of cheap rail transportation, the construction of plank roads was no longer of importance. Only their charters remain to show man's ingenuity in his battle to conquer the elements of early Vermont.
On October 31, 1843, the General Assembly provided for a railroad that would pass through Chittenden County.27 Con- struction difficulties delayed completion until 1849, when the first cars passed over the tracks. With the railroad came the final burst of expansion that Williston was to know until the past two decades. Prior to 1850, there had been only one village within the town of Williston. With the coming of the Vermont
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Central Railroad Company, the village of North Williston sprang into existence. Within a few short years North Williston saw the erection of saw-mills, a grist mill, a tub-factory, a store, and many homes. However, with the subsequent coming of the automobile, rail transportation lost some of its importance and North Williston began its decline as a center of commerce. The railroad station, the gristmill, the saw-mills, the creamery and the cold-storage plant have all been torn down or burned and only a farming and residential community remains.
Again in the early 1900's a railroad was begun from Burling- ton to Hinesburg, to run through South Burlington and Williston. This line was to pass through the Brownell farm now owned by John Heins. For unexplained reasons the road was abandoned when the rails reached the cut in the mountain at St. George and was never completed.28
In addition to the used and un-used roads which we have previously mentioned, there is reason to believe several other roads existed in 19th century Williston, which are no longer in use. These roads are grouped together here due to the fact that although the roads cannot be documented, investigation provides faint traces which still exist of the roads in question. From a brick yard which existed near the home on Route 2, presently owned by Mr. and Mrs. Seth Johnson, a road ran north to connect with the road designated as Stove Pipe Corner Road which we mention- ed previously. Another road in the "Bear-town" section of Williston traveled south east past the present home of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Degree, to connect with the present hard-surface road which leads from Richmond to Lake Iroquois. Another road ran west from "Fay's Corners" in Richmond (prior to 1794 a part of Williston) to connect with the East Road in Williston.
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"The Cursed Rebellion"
The western part of the State of Vermont has long been noted as the spawning grounds for many social and political re- forms. Thus it is probable that Williston early felt the first pangs of the stirring "anti-slavery" sentiment in Vermont. Doubt- less the activities of the American Colonization Society - which proposed to eliminate the black-white racial problem by shipping all slaves back to Africa - reached Williston though we have no documented evidence that such happened. The Colonization Society soon had its day and met its match in the person of William Lloyd Garrison. Garrison once wrote that "abolitionism was indigenous to the soil of Vermont" and thus took a stand for complete emancipation on American soil.1 Yet, the standards of Garrison were too radical, even to the Vermonter who had never bowed yet to anyone.
In opposition to Garrison, yet still anti-slavery, many Ver- monters looked for still a third way in which to express their opposition to slavery. The result was the formation of a third, or Liberty Party, which counted William Henry French a ranking member. The position of the Liberty Party in regard to slavery was explicit.
we carefully avoid all alliance with either of the political parties of the day; but in the exercise of the political franchise, will support the candidate without re- gard to party distinction, who will promote the cause of immediate emancipation."2
As noted in the section on political history, William Henry French was deeply involved in the life of the Liberty Party - even standing as a candidate for Congress against the famed George Perkins Marsh.
William Henry French's preoccupation with the cause of anti-slavery was the cause of Williston's next connection with abolitionist activities which can be documented. The Under- ground Railroad had a most elaborate system throughout the State of Vermont - due chiefly to the fact that this was a com- paratively easy route to Canada. There existed both a "western
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trunk line" and an "eastern trunk line."3 The importance of Williston in this matter of daily, and nightly, intrigue is seen when we realize that the agent here was in a position to receive slaves from both the western and eastern routes through Vermont.
Often slaves were transported to Williston from North Ferrisburg - the underground railroad station there being main- tained in the home of Rowland Robinson.4 Other times William P. Briggs and E. A. Stanbury, agents in Richmond, passed the slaves the five miles to Williston.5 Undoubtedly the Williston agents of the underground railroad, William Henry French and Amson Byington, were kept extremely busy in the two decades preceding the "cursed rebellion." However, it is not known ex- actly how many ex-slaves actually did pass through on their way to freedom in Canada. It is ironic to see that where French's interest in politics led to the Underground Railroad, Amson Byington's interest in the underground railroad led to excom- munication from the Congregational Church of Christ in Willis- ton.
On May 30, 1844, the church body passed several resolutions. ". . . [the church] will not receive to our communion table
and to our pulpits, ministers and members of churches who are living in or justifying slavery."6
On the basis of this resolution, Mr. Amson Byington made the following charge, or accusation to the church of which he was a member.
"Complaint that Brothers Truman Chittenden and Harry Miller had in voting for J. K. Polk and Henry Clay, in the last presidential election participated in the sin of slave- holding in a manner not only inconsistent with all anti- slavery profession, anti-slavery prayers and prayers for righteous rulers, but also with the Divine Law 'thou shall Love Thy neighbor as thyself.' "7
Truman Chittenden denied that he had voted in such a manner. Henry Miller chose to defend himself and his action in the election. Byington continued his relentless pursuit of the matter until a crisis arose in 1846.
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On September 8, 1846, the church body in turn made their own complaint against Mr. Byington.
". .. for refusing to give anything for the institution of Religion in our church and society and more than all in making use of such means for his refusing to give as is very injurious to us as a church; 2nd, giving his aid and countenance to those whose aim it is to destroy; 3rd, for using his influence and giving his advice against any who are disposed to join our church and publickly and in repeat- ed instances saying he must advice against it [joining the church]."8
The matter of conscience had become almost an obsession with Byington for the next month, October, 1846, he made a similar complaint against those voting for George Perkins Marsh, can- didate for Congress.9
Until he had made the complaint against those who voted for Marsh, Byington had a fairly good case for his conscience. However, with the Marsh petition he lost stature somewhat. Marsh was running for Congress against William Henry French of Williston. French just happened to be a close associate of Byington through their work on the Underground Railroad. Such collaboration caused some doubt to be cast on the fact that Byington's petition to the church was purely a matter of conscience. The interplay of accusations lasted until March 22, 1849, when Byington was excommunicated.10 Whether Byington was right or wrong for his positions, the fact is evident that the church at this time was more concerned with conformity than with con- science.
The closer the 1860's came, the more impassioned became the anti-slavery sentiment in Williston. On Sunday, June 25, 1853, Mr. H. P. Cutting, occupied the pulpit in a local church to express his sentiments concerning the slavery question - sentiments which were quite lengthy, being twenty-two pages set in small type by a Burlington printer.
". .. we must fight now or be slaves ; and if we will not, we ought to be slaves. If there is anything in us deserving the name of manhood, any love of justice and our fellow
WILLISTON FEDERATED CHURCH, EARLY 1900's.
The DOROTHY ALLING MEMORIAL LIBRARY
DOROTHY PARKER ALLING MEMORIAL LIBRARY.
FIRE STATION
THOMAS CHITTENDEN MEMORIAL TOWN HALL AND FIRE STATION. ORIGINALLY BUILT BY METHODIST SOCIETY.
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men, let us take our stand on the side of freedom, and work actively, perpetually for it, if it costs life, limb, rep- utation, or whatever earthly comfort we may hold dear. It is time we did something to wipe away the disgrace of being a slaveholding, slave-catching, kidnapping nation."11
Though the sentiments of French and Byington were far from being universal in Williston, the fever of patriotism envelop- ed the town as Williston sought to help "put down that cursed rebellion."12 Vermont sent many brave soldiers to do battle in the Civil War but there was no great rush when the first call for volunteers came. Even war had to be made attractive, or so thought the town fathers.
Article Four in the warning for town meeting, Saturday, May 18, 1861, read :
" ... to see if the town will raise money in any way for the benefit of Volunteers or those who may be drafted from
the Town to serve in defense of the Federal Government."13 Evidently the people in Williston still had hopes for an early end to the fighting, for they dismissed the warning without even voting on it. Nevertheless, the history of Civil War bounties is clearly recorded in the town records.
By 1862, the lack of soldiers had driven the bounty to twenty- seven dollars per man.14 However, the twenty-seven dollars was to be refunded if the federal government also offered a bounty for enlistment.15 In October, 1863, a call was issued for 300,000 men.
Williston perhaps felt a moral obligation to bear her part of the burden for the matter of raising the bounty per man was discussed. Possibly the wave of patriotism in 1863, after the call, swept away their reasoning power. On November 25, 1863, a town meeting article proposed a bounty of $100.16 In the heat of impassioned discussion this was amended to read $200; then a super-patriot amended the amendment to read $300 per man. This was too much, even for patriotic Willistonians, for all three were then defeated.17 According to the governor's papers, Willis- ton's portion of the 300,000 men was twenty-two. A bounty of $300 was to be paid per man - but only if all twenty-two positions were filled.18
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By 1865 the fervor was waivering. In Town Meeting that year a Dr. Sprague moved that we "leave business in hands of selectmen to procure men . . . for the army, but get them as cheap as they can and procure them at any rate."19 This might imply that the citizens were beginning to feel the drain on the economy, to some extent.
Depleted of its reserves of manpower, and poor from paying bounties, Williston's town meeting warning in 1866 carried the following article :
" ... to see if the Town will vote to raise money to defray expense of erecting a monument to the memory of our noble soldiers who have given their lives in their country's service."20
The article was defeated in 1866, but Hiram Phelps, J. S. Cilley, and Edmund Whitney were appointed to pursue the matter.21 As a result of their efforts, an identical article passed in 1867.22 However, as of this writing the "said monument" has not been erected.
A list of the men from Williston who served during the period of the "cursed rebellion" can be found in the History of the Town of Williston, published by the Historical Committee in 1913.
Concerned Citizens
Throughout its history, the inhabitants of Williston have concerned themselves with meeting the needs of their community. In order to meet these needs of its citizens, the same citizens had to be well-informed. On March 6, 1807, a move was made toward that end.
" ... to erect a sign post in front of the meeting house to be considered as the publick sign post after the first of June next [e.g. June, 1807]."1
One can imagine the varied notices that must have been erected
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on that board. Here were posted the warnings for the annual town meeting. Here were posted election warnings, for concerned citizens must participate in national government even in far-off Vermont. Here citizens were informed that particular stray animals were redeemable at the town "pound" if the owner was willing to reimburse the town selectmen for their expense in re- taining the animals.
As the citizens worked to establish their settlements in what was once the "Republic" of Vermont, they began to be affected by the changes in the nineteenth century. Rapid transportation and better communication facilities enabled Willistonians to keep a much closer contact with the nation than in the previous century. Consequently they became better informed. The "publick sign post" ceased to be the only place in which information of a public nature was made known. The nineteenth century was a time in which people everywhere were becoming more conscious of the society around them - and Williston was no exception. The citizens quickly made the social concern of the nation their own.
A highlight of this type of concern among the citizens was the much publicized battle with "Demon Rum." Convinced that the evil of strong drink was a social concern that called for action, the Willistonians wanted to present a united front. Thus in the early 1840's, "Tent No. 1, Green Mountain Tribe of Rechabites, Williston, Vermont," came into existence.2 The oath assumed by many Willistonians shows the purposes of the Rechabites.
"I hereby declare that as long as I remain a member of the TRIBE of RECHABITES, I will abstain from all intoxi- cating liquors and will not offer them to others, except in religious ordinances, or when prescribed by a medical prac- tioner. I will not engage in the traffic of them, and in all suitable ways will discountenance the use, manufacture and sale of them, and, to the utmost of my power, will endeavor to spread the principles of abstinence from all intoxicating drinks."3
It is interesting to speculate what type of "religious ordinances" would specify the use of intoxicating liquors, especially in the Williston of the 1840's. Aside from the two minor allowances
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mentioned, liquor meant only one thing to the Rechabites - a battle to the end.
"Our war in particular, is with that reeling and bloated monster that makes the fireside desolate, disregards the orphans tears and ruins the man of usefulness and promise."4
John Gregory, addressing a Williston audience in February, 1847, would have us believe that nearly everyone in Williston was en- gaged in the battle with "Demon Rum" or else had relatives that were alcoholic.
"I have never known of a cause that met with such universal approbation as ours . .. Everyone speaks well of it; even the man or the woman who abominates secret societies, are loud in their praises of this, because they can see the beneficial effects in the redemption of their husbands, sons and brothers from Alcohol's tyrannic reign."5
Yet the citizens were concerned not only with championing the various causes that made their way into Vermont. Their concern had other outlets; a chief outlet was the care of the town's needy and destitute. Finally this concern resulted in action. On February 7, 1859, representatives from the towns of Shelburne. Essex, and Williston met to sign an agreement for the joint-support of a "Union Poor Farm."
". .. the several towns uniting for this purpose shall raise a sum of money sufficient to purchase a Farm and Buildings and appurtances, thereto belonging for the support of the Poor, according to the Grand List, of the several Towns so uniting, by four Yearly installments payable on or before the 1st day of April of each year ; commencing April 1st, 1859, for the purchase of the Farm and Stock and other necessary Articles as aforesaid."6
The land purchased for this purpose was located in the north- west corner of the town of Williston, near Hubbell's Falls on the Winooski River. By 1863, some citizens that were less concerned thought that the farm should be discontinued.7 When put to a vote, the farm was provided with a constitution which enabled it to operate for eight more years.8 Eventually the towns of Richmond and Jericho entered the agreement for joint support
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of the Poor Farm. For many years the annual reports appeared in the minutes of Town Meeting, together with the names of those receiving help at the Farm.
However, the Union Poor Farm evidently had a few ad- ministrative problems in its attempt to become completely efficient. for there remained a few gaps in the concern for the needy that the Poor Farm program did not fulfill. This is seen in the in- structions given to the Overseer of the Poor. March 6, 1877, "to take care of the tramps in town."9 As late as 1930's. this once again was a problem and the Overseer was instructed to "use the French Hill School House for tramps."10
Just as the concern of the inhabitants provided each other with food and shelter. they also provided each other with a type of justice. The town meeting of 1867 voted "to pay $500 for detection and conviction of the murderer of Mrs. Sally Griswold."11
The concern of its citizens for the town's welfare is evident throughout its history. It is seen in the institutions and actions just mentioned. It is seen in the concern of the citizenry over the slave-holding question. It is seen in the drive for more and better educational facilities. Always foremost in the minds of the citizens have been the questions of "self-improvement" and "town-improvement." Though individual citizens might differ over definitions of these terms, the desire was still present. In the twentieth century the desire for improvement became even more evident than it had been earlier.
The desire for "self-improvement" was always a strong desire as has been indicated by the interest in the state of the town school system. Assuming that the ability to read. and the amount and kind of reading. are indicative of the effectiveness of a school system. we can understand the importance of libraries in the town's history. The first extensive libraries which can be docu- mented were in the possession of the local churches in 1860.12 The Methodist Church possessed 600 volumes; the Congrega- tionalist. 400 volumes : the Universalist Church. 125 volumes. By the end of the next decade one person in the village possessed
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a private library of 300 volumes.13 There is no clue as to the identity of this owner.
With the vacating of the Congregationalist Church and the demise of the Universalist congregation, the respective libraries were evidently dissolved. Neither is there any further mention of the large private library. Thus the need for a public institution arose. The 1918 minutes of town meeting record that a sum of fifty dollars was appropriated for the purchase of books for the public library.14 By 1921 the appropriation for such a public collection had reached $100 and so remained for each succeeding year.15 This was in addition to paying the rental for space in which to house the books. In the late 1920's the public library was moved from the town hall to the store owned by Mr. C. D. Warren. There it remained until 1959. In addition to her duties as postmistress. Miss Sylvia Warren also acted as town librarian.
On December 17. 1959, Frank W. Alling presented to the selectmen. "for consideration. a Deed of Gift." covering a new library building - the Dorothy Parker Alling Memorial Library.16
"This handsome. dignified brick building, modern in all its appointments. yet blending perfectly with the architecture of the surrounding public buildings - old and new - is a monument to Mr. Alling's generosity and painstaking attention to detail. as well as a symbol of the dreams of his wife for a first rate library in Williston. proudly supported and wisely used by all its citizens. young and old."17
This new library. located on the north side of Route 2 in the center of the village, at present houses 3.200 books - with shelf space for subsequent additions.
The first quarter of the twentieth century also brought a concern for the physical health of the town. In 1921 medical inspections were begun in the local school system.18 It was pro- posed. in 1926, that the town secure a building (some type of living establishment) in order to lease the same to a medical doctor. However. this attempt to lure a medical practitioner into settling in the town of Williston was defeated by the voters.19 Having failed to secure a recognized medical practitioner for the town, the voters were content by 1938, to compromise on their wishes;
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