USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > Williston > The Williston story > Part 6
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in this year they voted to give partial financial support (a sum of $200 annually ) to a district nurse.20 Securing and retaining a medical practitioner has always presented a problem to the town. At present three medical doctors reside in the town. although only one maintains a local office.
Irregardless of the absence of the medical doctor, the town health officer remained on duty. A main portion of his job was the prevention of health hazards. We read that he delivered an ultimatum to one resident that he "must dispose of the filthy swill and garbage on the farm by 10 a. m. on June 12, 1942.""1 If the individual citizens had problems with sanitation. so did the town. In 1942 the selectmen received a letter from the Department of Public Health. State of Vermont: ". . the poorly constructed privy [in the town hall] is classed as a nuisance and a health hazard." ?? The urbanization of our society and its accompanying demands also reached Williston in the second half of the twentieth century. At town meeting. 1952. the moderator "appointed a Town Dump Committee to locate a suitable site for a town dump."23
Concerned about self-improvement and health-protection, the citizens were also desirous of providing the conveniences of modern living. As early as 1918, there was a proposal to erect street lights in the village; the proposal was defeated.24 This proposal was periodically presented and defeated until finally seven cents were placed on the grand list for that purpose.25 Even more important than lighting was the need to provide the growing town with a municipal water system. The first report for the establishment of such a system was negative in tone.26 Im- mediately following World War II. Williston shared in the nation- wide "move to the suburbs." Such an influx of population again made the desirability of a public water system a topic of discussion. With the hope that an out-of-town firm might invest capital in such a venture, the 1951 town meeting voted to exempt any water system from taxes for a period of five years.27 However, this move also produced no results and at the date of this writing there
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seems to be no immediate prospect for such a system to serve the town and its citizens.
The lack of a public water system has had a direct effect upon another issue which has been presented to the voters periodically the desirability of adequate fire protection. A fire, during Williston's early history, was almost without exception a total loss for the property owner. By the 1930's the town had worked an agreement with neighboring towns to provide fire fighting aid.28 This arrangement continued until 1949, when a proposal was made for the establishment of a volunteer fire department. The proposal was defeated but in 1950 the voters agreed to accept the services of a volunteer fire department.29 The old town hall was to be used as a fire station and the selectmen were to meet the expenses incurred. History repeated itself in the move to build a new fire station. A proposal for the erection of the building "to cost not more than $3,000," was defeated in 1957 but passed at the meeting of 1958.30 The plans were drawn by Mr. Philip Rogers and the new fire station erected in the summer of 1958, by volunteer labor of the members of the department.31 Presently there is fire protection coverage for the entire town by the volunteer department under the direction of Howard Lunderville, Chief.
The citizens of Williston were able to anticipate, somewhat, the post-war mobility of the population and the post-war influx to the suburbs as indicated by the appointment in 1943 of a town planning committee.32 Though the committee received no ex- plicit instructions, we can see by an item in the minutes of the 1949 town meeting that most of their concern was directed toward securing a town water supply.33 The planning committee was concerned for the welfare of the town and its citizens but also with the wider geographical area. In 1954, under the guidance of the committee, Williston voted to participate financially in the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation - in an attempt to secure location of industry in the area.34 The committee had originally been designated as a planning committee, but in 1957 they assumed another function - that of zoning for the town.
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Also in that year they explicitly stated their purpose : "to preserve farming, attract industry, foster commerce, protect homes and provide for orderly growth."35 After much basic work had been done by members of the commission, Northeast Planning As- sociates of Burlington were engaged to prepare a comprehensive town plan; federal funds were applied for and approved; the contract was let on October 6, 1959.36
Williston is also the home of the "A" and "B" Batteries of the Second Howitzer Battalion of the Vermont National Guard. The citizens, in 1955, agreed to "deed to the State of Vermont three acres of land if Williston is chosen as the site for the armory."37 By the following year the agreement with the state had been reached and the voters conveyed "all lands used as site and grounds for village school and the old Town Hall lot, and if required by the State, the artesian well on said land."38 The building was erected in 1958.
In their concern for improvement and protection of life and property, the citizens of Williston did not forget to provide for the pleasure and recreation of the populace. Article twenty-five at the town meeting 1958 hoped to achieve such.
"Will the town vote a tax ... to cover its share . .. to provide safe, orderly and healthful swimming and recrea- tional conditions for the inhabitants of the towns of Hines- burg, Richmond, Williston, and St. George at the north end of Lake Iroquois ?"39
Williston agreed, as did the other three towns, and provided three cents on the grand list for this purpose. David Yandell, representing Williston on a joint committee of the four towns, helped establish this program which spent $1,683.69 in providing this service to the concerned citizens of Williston.40 Robert Alberts became Williston's representative on the joint-committee at the 1960 town meeting.
Miscellaneous Facts . .
The Munson Clock.1 In a house at 11 . North Winooski Avenue in Burlington, Vermont, stands an engineering marvel that is a tribute to Yankee ingenuity and the wonder that was early Williston.
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More than 100 years ago, in 1859, Russell Munson began to fashion crude instruments in the barn behind his home. With no help other than that given by his farmer neighbors, this Williston farmer was able to design and produce enough instruments to build a clock. This in itself would have been no mean feat in the year 1859 -- but, when the clock is viewed, one begins to feel that no matter what the year of its construction, the clock would be quite "striking" anywhere or anytime.
Standing eight feet high, this wonderful instrument tells minutes, hours, days of the week, days of the months, months of the year and years of the Christian era. Having worked on the project eight years, completing it in 1867, Mr. Munson is said to have kept emphasizing the fact that he was no professional, only "just a Vermont farmer." Instead of conventionally striking the hour, the clock contains a musical cylinder that plays a different tune each day, playing on the hour. With Sunday comes the "Old Hundred Psalm Tune"; Monday, "Old Folks At Home"; Tuesday, "Swiss Waltz"; Wednesday, "Star Spangled Banner"; Thursday, "Hail Columbia"; Friday, "Yankee Doodle"; Saturday, "Home Sweet Home." As it runs nine days without winding, a warning bell is set to strike six hours before it runs down.
Perhaps more wonderful still, in the pendulum, which weighs forty pounds, is another small time piece that derives its motive power from the swinging pendulum and never has to be wound as long as the big clock runs. This marvel of early engineering was built in Williston in the home built by Russell Munson and his father, Caleb. This was done when Russell returned from the War of 1812, where he served as a captain in the infantry. The house is presently occupied by the great grandsons of Mr. Russell Munson - Chester and Clifton Kirby.
As the clock stands in the home of Mr. Russell Munson, it is today in working order. However, during recent years it is not kept wound and running, as the heavy traffic seems to disturb the delicate mechanism. We are indebted to Mr. Chester Kirby for the material included in this sketch about a wonderful old clock.
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Thomas Chittenden Monument.2 On November 14, 1894, the General Assembly of the State of Vermont, approved an act "to appropriate the sum of three thousand dollars to erect, in the town of Williston, Vermont, County of Chittenden, a suitable monument, at or near the grave of Thomas Chittenden, the first governor of Vermont." A board of commissioners was appointed : John L. Barstow, Chairman; C. W. Brownell, Secretary; T. E. Wales; A. C. Robinson; and Henry Root. Henry Root, a one- time resident of Williston who had followed the gleam of gold to California, donated the land at the south west corner of the Old West Cemetery.
This land was purchased from George and Emma Bombard by Mr. Root on September 17, 1894, for $550 and deeded through the court to "John L. Barstow and others." C. D. Warren recorded the transactions in the town records. The consideration made to Mr. Root was the sum of ten dollars. A small house was removed, the lot graded and the bids received. Barr and Gordon of Barre. Vermont, erected the monument for $2,942 - to be paid by the State of Vermont.
The dedication was held on August 19. 1896 and was attended by the largest group of people ever assembled in Williston. The monument is of Barre granite - the base weighing more than ten tons.
On the carved scroll, representing the first constitution, of Vermont, words tell the result of the efforts of men like Chitten- den : "Out of storm and manifold perils, rose an enduring state, the home of Freedom and unity."
150th Anniversary Celebration.3 In the summer of 1913, the inhabitants of Williston and many visitors gathered to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the granting of the town charter, June 6, 1763.
Under the direction of a pageant director, local talent was used to produce a pageantry of local history. Slowly the procession gathered near the Federated Church and proceeded toward the farm of Horatio Johnson. There, north of the present Carmelite Monastery, a natural stage in the grove was the scene of history
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"come-alive." Led by Sherman's Band of Burlington, a magnifi- cent array of Indians, pioneers, floats, and dubious-looking histor- ical characters moved toward the grove on Johnson's farm. As the pageant began, approximately 2,000 people gathered in the "deep woods" to participate in the Williston story. Presently they saw "The Coming of the White Man", as he proceeded in "Conquering the Wilderness." The "Granting of the Charter" was followed by "Indian Troubles" and "Governor Chittenden" retiring to Arlington - or at least to the edge of the grove of trees. Eventually, as twelve years were compressed into a few minutes, the settlers returned after the Revolution and there was once again fun at "Ye Olde Singing School" and at "Country Dances." Ending with a brilliant display of fire-works, the celebration was a fitting climax of one hundred fifty years of work and growth.
Sesqui-centenial.4 On the evening of August 11, 1941, Willis- ton celebrated her sesqui-centenial. Governor and Mrs. Wills were guests of the town for the day. In the evening there was a pageant produced and directed by Mrs. Frank Alling. Evidently the celebration pageant was a success for we see that Mr. and Mrs. Wright Clark "made Governor and Mrs. Thomas Chittenden come alive."
President Monroe Visits.5 On his tour of Vermont in 1817, "the president reached Burlington in the evening of July 24. A great number of citizens from Burlington and the adjacent towns assembled at Williston to meet him. He was received at that place by the committee and then conducted to Burlington. A large detachment of calvary commanded by Major Brinsmaid volunteer- ed their services and escorted the President into town. The con- course of citizens was great. On his arrival in Williston he was greeted with three cheers. On leaving Williston the president was taken up by the escort and conducted through a double row of citizens, mounted on horseback, who countermarched and formed a procession. .. . "
The Indians Attack.6 In the year 1776 the American colonies had begun to feel the first faint strength of their unity, and flex
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their collective muscles. However, far to the north the remnants of an American army were in full retreat from Canada. Accord- ingly, many of the settlers in Williston felt obliged to move south, into the vicinity of Arlington, Vermont. However, the courageous few -- called by some the stubborn few - chose to stay in Willis- ton. As soon as the settlement was sufficiently unprotected, the Indians looked with disfavor on this small settlement along their "Onion Highway." Conscious only of the settlers' color and not their political leanings. the Indians attacked the farm of John Chamberlin and killed a hired man and one child. The Chamber- lin farm was on the section of land known as the "interval land" along the Winooski River between the present settlements of Richmond and Williston. Evidently the fort, or block house, opposite the Chittenden farm was of little aid once the Indians had made up their minds to reclaim the wilderness.
Cemeteries. At one of the earliest of town meetings, 1790. Solomon Miller. Lemuel Winslow and David Talcott were appoint- ed to "agree with some person on a burying place and to see it cleared."7 There is no indication that these instructions were carried out, for the next mention of such in the records is on March 6. 1832. On this day Calvin Morse gave 162 rods of land for a burying place if the town would "clear the stumps. . . off the land. .. and fence same with a good substantial cedar post and board fence and keep same in good repair."8 This was done and eventually became the Morse Cemetery located on the west side of Route 2A, north of the intersection known as Taft Corners.
The West Cemetery is located one-tenth of a mile east of the Federated Church. Here are to be found the graves of many of the oldest settlers, including those of Thomas and Martin Chittenden. This is also the site of the Chittenden Monument.
East Cemetery, in addition to lot endowments, has had a few substantial gifts in the past. Henry Root gave land; the Wright brothers provided money to drill a well and furnish the cemetery with running water. Mrs. Arthur Page established a large trust fund, the income from which would be used for this cemetery
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only. This is presently the most frequently used of the towns' cemeteries.
In the woods east of the farm on Route 116A now owned by Dr. and Mrs. A. W. Stultz, is a small burying-ground known as the Downer Cemetery. Unfortunately this has not been fenced nor cared for in any manner. The stones have fallen victim to the hooves of passing cattle and many lie buried under many seasons of autumn leaves. However, a few stones remain to be seen by the person hardy enough to make the trip.
The 1927 Flood. After a very heavy forty-eight hour rain, Thursday, November 3, the Winooski River began to rise very rapidly and by nightfall was doing so at the rate of two feet per hour. By the evening of the second day the water had risen to the second floor of most houses on the interval lands east of French Hill in Williston. Boats from Lake Iroquois were launched half- way down French Hill and all families were safely evacuated. Thomas Chittenden's "valley of paradise" was only ruin and devastation after the water abated. Meadows were covered with mud and sand, portions of buildings, dead animals and various kinds of drift wood. Shortly thereafter a snow-storm added to the difficulty of cleaning and repairing. However by February 8th, 1928, the Central Vermont Railroad was able to resume operations through the town of Williston.
". . . And Folklore"9
"I know not what the truth may be, I tell the tale as 'twas told to me."
The Indian Lookout. In Williston, as in most places they trod, the Indians left something of an air of romance. Even today one can almost see the Indian braves as they stood atop "Indian Lookout" and sighted down the Onion River Valley, try- ing to determine friend or foe. The point so named is located on the Wright-Mccullough farm and commands a magnificent
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sweep of the Winooski valley to Richmond, Waterbury and to the hills of Huntington and Jericho and Underhill.
Stove Pipe Corner. This name is applied to the first and only four corners found as one rides north from the village to North Williston. It was so named for the stove pipes that stuck from the windows and roofs of the houses in the vicinity. One explanation is that the settlers did not have money enough to erect chimneys, thus the workable substitute. Probably at one time the community around Stove Pipe Corner was considered a little eccentric, for one family had the foresight to build their cabin around a large tree stump which they used for a table.
John Charles Hill. This hill, located south of Route 2 on the farm of Ward and Lester Johnson, is the highest point above sea level in Williston township. The hill was once owned by and named for one John Charles. Charles was reputed to be a German immigrant to the United States. Before the days of radio, the United States Government constructed a wooden tower on the hill's crest. Atop this tower men relayed messages to Fort Ethan Allen in Cochester with the aid of large mirrors. The tower has long since disappeared but a metal marker, with an inscription, is fastened to the rock where the tower was once located.
The Bear Hunt. As Sylvester Bradley stepped into his door- yard one morning in 1839, he was, needless to say, surprised to see a large brown bear amble into the clearing. Evidently the local grapevine was in operation as early as 1839, for quickly the news spread and a large number of men appeared - all armed for pursuit. Wounded, but not dead, the bear continued on his way until a bullet from the rifle of Roswell Talcott pierced his brain. and brought him down. A board was placed across a double wagon and the bear stood erect, even in death. Overjoyed at the sureness of his aim, Roswell Talcott "rode" the bear while in one hand he also carried a flag. After that three stops were made with the wagon. The first was to collect the bounty money. The second was at a local tavern to quench the thirst accumulated from such hard work. And the third was at the University of Vermont
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where the bear was presented to the University. There he still proudly resides - in the attic of the Fleming Museum.
Character and Characters. Eighty-five years ago there were four doctors in town. In 1875, Dr. Albert L. Bingham came to Williston from his native town of Fletcher, when he was only twenty-two years of age. He had just graduated from U. V. M. and had a hard struggle to get started. In time he succeeded in building up a large practice and was much loved and respected by rich and poor alike. He married Jennie Welch, great grand- daughter of Gov. Chittenden and had his office in the house now owned by Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Bradish. Many stories are told of his ready wit and his love of a good joke.
A carpenter, who was working for him, repairing what is now the "Carriage House" remarked that he would like to buy five or six of the speckled hens that were around the yard and in the barn. "Buy?" said the doctor, "I would be glad to be rid of them - close the barn door and put them in a bag and take them home." Late in the day, as the carpenter was about to finish his work, he noticed the hens all going to the next house and into the parsonage hen house. They belonged to the minister.
At one time liquor could be purchased only by a doctor's pre- scription at a drug store. A man who could not read came one day and wanted a prescription for liquor. The doctor wrote it for him, and he drove to a Richmond drug store and gave it to the druggist. The doctor had written: "Don't ever sell this man any liquor ; he makes bad use of it."
Another man lost the sight of his eye by accident and after the eye had been removed and the socket healed, the doctor had a box of glass eyes of various colors shipped to him that the good eye might be matched. The man who brought the box from the railroad station was very curious and down on Depot Hill, opened the box. All of those staring eyes frightened him so that he could not close the box and he delivered it open. It must have been a terrifying sight.
John Whitcomb was a farmer who lived at North Williston. One of his hired men was a Frenchman from the Essex Plains.
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He was a good worker but could not read nor write. Mr. Whit- comb had his grain sacks marked "J. W." in large letters but they kept disappearing and he could not think what became of them. One morning the hired man came to work with a patch on the seat of his pants with letters "J. W."
It was the custom at that time to kill a beef in late fall for winter use. Mr. Whitcomb dressed a fat cow and left it over- night in the barn to cool. The next morning a quarter was miss- ing. He never mentioned it to anyone, as beef was only three or four cents per pound at that time. While working the next summer with Mr. Whitcomb the hired man with the patched pants remarked that it was too bad that some one took the beef. "Yes," said Mr. W. "Now I know who took it. I never mentioned it to anyone."
During the World War I, many beans were raised in town, as they brought a high price. A farmer hired one of the men from town to help thrash beans. He went to work every morning with a "three deck" dinner pail and after dinner he would fill his pail with beans to take home. This went on for some days until one day someone hit the pail and tipped it over. "That spilled the beans."
Two families in Sucker Hollow quarreled and were enemies for years. One farmer at the top of the hill had the misfortune to have one of his cows die. He loaded her on a stone boat the next day and with his team drew her down near the brook in the pasture. The neighbor was much pleased that he should have bad luck. The farmer hearing how pleased the neighbor was went down and took the cow back in the dark and then drew it back the next day. He repeated this for several days. "Good," said his enemy. "I hope he loses them all."
A uniformed officer on horse back stopped at the home of Gov. Chittenden, and seeing a man working about the place said : "Fellow, hold my horse while I talk with the governor." He must have been surprised when he was told that the man holding his horse was the governor.
Nathan Allen was town liquor agent at one time and sold
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alcohol and whiskey from the barrel at his house. A man from the "Hill" took two pint bottles, filled one with water and went to the agent. Giving the agent the empty bottle, told him he wanted a pint of alcohol. Mr. Allen filled the bottle from a barrel and handed it to him. "Can't pay you till Saturday night," the man said. "No credit for liquor," said Mr. Allen. "Give it back and next time bring the money." The man handed him the bottle of water and Mr. Allen turned it into the barrel, and the man went home with his liquor. No loss to the town.
The Borden Company took over and operated the old creamery and cheese factory at Talcott or Oak Hill many years ago and used it as a receiving station. The milk from nearby town farmers was received, weighed, and sent to Richmond to be condensed and canned. Milk was paid for by weight instead of test for butter fat. One farmer, when late in milking in the morning, would put a piece of ice in the milk pail, milk on the ice, cooling the milk to the required temperature, and then turn it into the can.
For some time there had been a suspicion that another farmer, who was delivering an unusual amount of milk from the number of cows on the farm, was using the brook near the barn to help out. One morning when he delivered his milk at the station and dumped it into the strainer, several minnows were seen swimming around in the strainer.
Summer of 1816. "Seed time and harvest have never fail- ed. . .. " except once in 1816, we might add. Williston was near her peak in both population and economic power in 1816 when the entire state was visited by what sometimes is legally termed "an act of God." There were frosts every month in the year ; leaves were frozen and dropped from the trees; snow accumulated during the summer and the crops failed. Williston, and almost all towns, suffered severely but somehow managed to survive. The next year was normal; and, although there has been some unusual weather since then, some late and early frosts, since 1816 "seed- time and harvest have never failed."
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