USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > Jericho > The history of Jericho, Vermont > Part 25
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and White Rivers and to the middle waters of the Winooski, then down that river while Mr. Barney says they came by Rutland, Vergennes, Williston, etc. The editor is unable to explain this difference of opinion unless possibly there might have been two migrations. The other differences, principally in dates occur in the genealogy of all families unless care is exercised to write or print the record. So it has seemed best to print these differences and to leave the matter to the reader to draw his own conclusions.
Hannah Brown's will is also given below:
HANNAH BROWN'S WILL.
August the 20 1787 Jericho on onion River in the Name of god Amen
As we are all mortal and my Self far gon in years i think it my duty to settle my affaires my ReSon firm my Body in good health my mind calm and quiet To prevent truble after my Death first i bequeath my soul to god that gave it my Body to be buired in a christian manner then to Settle worldly affaires to my well beloved Son and Daughter Nathanael Brown philanice calevan as they have had their portion and are gon and i expect nothing i give each of them five shilling and to my well beloved Sons Timothy Brown Charles Johnson Brown and Joseph Brown i do give one hundred and fifty acres of Land to them and their heirs forever in consideration they provide all things needful in sickness and health and take care of us Joseph and Hannah Brown During our naturul Life with a Decent burial after our Death the fifty to timothy is apart of fifty eight the Last to be Divided betwixt Charles and Joseph is the Last Sixty two which we now Live on this is my Last will and testament as witness my hand
Hannah Brown
Sarah Çastle Darius Post Darius Post Jiur
The following incidents have been related to me by the descendants of the Browns. It appears that Joseph Brown, Jr., in the War of 1812 was in the vicinity of Plattsburg, when he was commandeered to haul military supplies for the army and probably went as far as Sacketts Harbor. In obedience to these
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commands he was absent from home for over two months, being unable to inform his family of the reason of his enforced absence. For these services, however, Mrs. Brown drew a small pension from the government.
Joseph Brown, Jr., it is said with equally good authority was accustomed to team to Troy, N. Y., taking down produce and re- turning empty. Upon one of the return trips he drew back a bell which was placed in the Unitarian Church in Burlington, Vt., presumably the bell now in use.
Joseph Brown, Jr., was very fond of hunting and once pur- sued a bear which took to flight by way of the creek. Mr. Brown's dogs led in the chase and encountered the bear in the thick under- brush where a lively fight ensued. The bear almost killed one dog, but was himself killed by Mr. Brown after a severe struggle. Mr. Brown at another time was hunting on Mt. Mansfield and had secured a fine deer when night came on and he was compelled to break thru the crust and scoop out the snow with his snow shoe, thus making a temporary shelter. He placed the venison in the hole and together with the dogs, himself covered with a blanket only, he spent the night,-his sleep, however, was fre- quently disturbed by the yawls of a panther, who was attracted to the spot by the dogs and venison, but did them no harm.
During the Battle of Plattsburg, Sept. 11, 1814, a quarterly meeting was being held in what is now a barn owned by Mr. A. Bishop. The children remembered this meeting and how the cannon could be heard distinctly. The women were weeping, for many of the men of the settlement and Underhill had gone as soldiers. Some of the children took a small stone and put in a pile for each boom of the cannon they heard, and when the battle was over they counted the stones to determine the number of shots fired.
Other stories of their exploits in hunting might be given,- for instance, Mr. Joseph Brown and his two dogs had chased a deer far upon the side of Mt. Mansfield, and when secured it had to be carefully watched thru the night against the attacks of wolves and catamounts and the next day drawn home on a large sled. On another trip when they were arranging their camp for the night one of the dogs appeared with his mouth filled with hedgehog quills. These, of course, Mr. Brown had to stop and
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extract, a not unusual procedure, and he had hardly finished when the other dog came in a similar predicament.
Our own grandfathers were the little children of those far off days. How interested they must have been as they gathered about their aged grandsire, while the huge logs in the old fire- place glowed out heat and comfort to the household, to listen to his thrilling narratives of the hardships and adventures of these early settlers. And so for the moment, the writer has turned aside from the fact and theory to the incidental, in the hope that a little touch of the human might thus be given to the matter in hand,-i. e. the preservation in permanent record of the deeds of our ancestors.
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HISTORY OF JERICHO, VERMONT.
PART EIGHTH.
TREATING OF MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS.
Collected and Edited by C. H. Hayden.
CHAPTER I.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE FLOOD OF 1914.
By C. H. Hayden.
The eastern side of Jericho reaches back upon Mt. Mansfield and the mountains adjacent. These, because of the height, often- times seem to delay the clouds and storms until their moisture has been precipitated or a current of air has swept them else- where; and it happens not infrequently that two or even three storm clouds from different directions become merged around the mountain peaks whose cooling atmosphere greatly hastens precipitation, thus producing what is familiarly known as cloud- burst. These are the forerunners of floods always resulting in damage.
The worst within the memory of our oldest inhabitants, and probably in the history of the town, occurred July 8, 1914, be- tween 6 and 7 o'clock P. M., when three clouds, one from the south, another from the west, and still another from the north- west came together over the eastern portion of the town, where- upon the downfall of rain was exceedingly copious. In one place 8 inches fell in an hour and a half, in another place 12 inches in the same length of time, and concerning the accuracy of these measurements there can be no question.
The resulting flood was most disastrous as will be seen from the following excerpts taken from the Jericho Reporter:
"A violent storm accompanied by the most terrific thunder and lightning known here for many years, passed over the town
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of Jericho on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 8th, between four and six o'clock.
"All the farm lands near the banks of the river have suffered damage, not only crops of hay, corn and potatoes, so washed and filled with sand and debris as to be worthless, but acres of soil carried downstream, and the surface covered with rocks, gravel, fallen trees torn up by the roots, and other debris. Of nine bridges across the stream seven were washed away.
"The roadway approaching the bridges was cleaned out to the depth of the river bottom and in several instances for several hundred feet in length. Over two miles of the road-bed of the highway which runs alongside of the river were washed away, in some instances to a depth of five or more feet.
"The resulting damage to the town in the loss of bridges and highways is variously estimated at from eight to ten thousand dollars.
"The destruction of the crops and damage to the lands of the farmers will also run well into the thousands of dollars. Acres of grass just ready for cutting now lie flattened to the earth and covered with a deposit of gravel, sand and mud. Fields of grain, corn, and potatoes were either washed away or lie buried with the silt.
"The sorry and pathetic sight of it all is the condition in which the meadow of the Prouty place now owned by N. P. Gravell is left. This is a small farm of twelve acres lying alongside the river upon which was a nice apple orchard and fine growing crops. Practically nothing is left of the place ex- cepting the land upon which the house and barn are standing and about a half acre of land at the upper corner, and now where there was a fine garden and crops is a broad expanse of river bottom of stones and boulders. Everything including the soil to a depth of from three to five or more feet having been carried down the stream. When the water had risen so as to cover the doorstep of the house the family decided it were better to leave, and narrowly made their escape by crossing the road to the top of the stone wall along which they walked for some distance to a place of safety. Mr. Gravell, a hard working man, and well along in years, purchased the place for a home about two years
7
THE FLOOD, JULY 8th, 1914. RUINS OF ROAD AND MEADOW. THE GRAVELL PLACE. W. J. COTEY MEADOW ON LEE RIVER, RUINED BY FLOOD. HOME OF N. P. GRAVELL. NEARLY A COMPLETE RUIN FROM THIS FLOOD.
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ago and had done much in improving surrounding conditions. His plight is a sorry one.
"Two bridges on Mill Brook in the southern part of the town were carried away by the high water. One near the Hanley farm in Nashville and one near the home of H. E. Bates in the Winooski Valley. Mr. Bates' dam and a shop also went out and were carried under the iron bridge below and into the Winooski River. The bridge near the farm of W. C. Field was loosened from the foundation and partly turned over. No other special damage was done by this river.
"It is believed that not since the great flood which was about sixty-five years ago, on or about the year 1849, has there been so much damage done to the town. It is remembered by Geo. Cunningham that on that occasion the rain poured for three hours, or from six to nine P. M. and the lightning seemed like one almost continuous blinding flash. The damage at that time was mostly on Mill Brook, the bridges were all taken off, the channel widened so that in West Bolton, and on the Leary farm in Jericho, large tracts of fertile meadow and pasture were so covered with stones and gravel, that they have never been fully recovered to fertility."
The accompanying cuts will indicate to the reader the havoc wrought about Mr. Gravell's place and represent fairly the damage done by the flood in the six mile sweep to the Brown's River.
CHAPTER II.
JERICHO TOWN LIBRARY.
By Mrs. Jennie W. Hart.
In the year 1899, according to a statute law of the State, any town not having a free public library, might receive one hundred dollars' worth of books from the State, providing it complied with certain conditions, viz .: Elect in town meeting a board of five library trustees, who should make application to the State Free
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Library Commission for the books, the town binding itself to appropriate annually a specified sum, according to its grand list towards the maintenance of the library, also provide a suitable place for keeping the books, and appoint a librarian. A few people of the town being eager that the town should avail itself of this provision of the State, caused the following article to be inserted in the warning for the March meeting of 1899, viz .: "To see if the town will elect a board of library trustees and in- struct them to make application to the State Board of Library Commissioners as provided by statute." The matter was presented in the meeting by L. F. Wilbur, who for the further encourage- ment of the town to act in the matter, offered to add twenty five dollars, to the twenty five which would be the annual appropria- tion required from the town, thus starting the library with one hundred and fifty dollars' worth of books. The town accepted the gift from Mr. Wilbur, voted the appropriation required, and elected the following board of trustees, viz. : Rev. Chas. E. Hay- ward, Mrs. Mary C. McGibbon, Anson Field, Mrs. Jennie W. Hart, and L. F. Wilbur. Mrs. Hart was appointed librarian. The term of office for the first trustee named on the board was one year, and of the last, five years, one going out of office each year, and another being elected in his place, or he might be elected as his own successor. Mr. Wilbur, Mrs. McGibbon now Mrs. Hale, and Mrs. Hart have been in office continuously, until the present year, when Mr. Wilbur declined reappointment, and Mrs. Hart has acted continuously as librarian.
The following is a clipping from the Burlington Free Press dated Sept. 9, 1899: "In spite of the rain, quite a goodly num- ber of our townspeople were assembled in the school building hall, at Jericho, the evening of Sept. 1st, the occasion of the formal announcement, that the new Free Public Library is now open for the benefit of all the citizens of the town who wish to avail themselves of it."
The occasion was marked by appropriate exercises, the main address of the evening given by Rev. Earl Wilbur.
At the opening of the library, and each time purchases were made, the books were divided into three equal divisions, each village in town receiving a third of the whole number of books, and in each village, some benevolently disposed lady was found
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who was willing to assume the care of the distribution of the books.
In 1910, after consulting and receiving the approval of the trustees, the books were all withdrawn from circulation, inven- toried, repaired and catalogued by the librarian and assistants, using the card system of cataloguing and the Dewey method of classification. Since that year, the main part of the library, num- bering now about 1,500 volumes, and the cabinet containing the card catalogue has been left at the Center, the other villages selecting from time to time as many volumes as they desired and returning them at their convenience. This work has been mainly done by Mr. Wilbur, who has served the library interest faith- fully in this matter.
Since the year 1909, or for the last five years, packages of books have been sent out by the librarian to all the school districts in town, outside the villages, at the beginning of each term of school, which are in the care and under the supervision of the teachers, and returned to the library at the end of the term.
Great care has been exercised in the selection of books purchased for the library, which includes, besides the best fic- tion obtainable, biography, history, description and travel, science, books on birds, animals, flowers, and other nature and out-of- doors books, not forgetting stories about bears and Indians, of which the boys are so fond, child study, poetry, a few good re- ligious books and choice essays on various subjects.
Evidences are not lacking that the books are appreciated by the townspeople, and increasingly so, and doubtless there are not a few who would subscribe to the sentiment expressed by Rev. Earl Wilbur, in his address at the opening exercises of the library, viz .: that he considered "the opening of a free library, after the organization of the first church, and the building of the first schoolhouse, the most important event of the town."
The housing of the library has been a matter which has taxed somewhat the resources of its friends, who are looking hopefully forward to the possession of a suitable building at some indefinite time in the future.
In 1906 the library received a gift of $100.00 from the estate of M. C. Skinner of Northfield, Minnesota, who visited the town
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the summer before, and thus testified his interest in his father's native place.
Other lesser gifts have been received, both of money and books, including three or four hundred books from a private library association in town, at the start, twenty-five dollars from the Ladies' Aid Society of the First Congregational Church, some money from sales and entertainments, and for the last three years, the town has doubled the annual appropriation, making it $50.00.
The library could use to excellent advantage more money with which to buy books, as, during the school year, there are as many distributing centres as there are school districts, also a building, if the library continues to grow as it has, will soon be a prime necessity.
CHAPTER III.
GRAND ARMY AND RELIEF CORPS.
The accompanying cut shows the G. A. R. Hall situated in Jericho, but near the Underhill line, together with a group of Grand Army men. The cost of this building and its fittings has exceeded $3,000.00, yet it was paid in full and quite promptly, due to the energy and enterprise manifested by members of the Post and the Corps. The building also affords the community a hall for various public gatherings, entertainments, etc., a neces- sity in village life. Decoration Day exercises have been a yearly occurrence since its dedication and even before. The attendance upon these occasions has always been large and enthusiastic, often phenomenal, exceeding all other days and occasions of the entire year. The following write-ups of the Post and the Corps are given in full :
THE POST.
Written by Mrs. Hattie L. Palmer.
L. H. Bostwick Post, No. 69, was organized in Underhill, December 12th, 1883, with 43 charter members, who were re- cruited from Underhill, Jericho, and adjoining towns. Three
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of this number were transferred from Post 10 in Cambridge. The Post was named for Captain Lucius H. Bostwick, who was b. in Jericho, Sept. 24, 1837, the only son of Julius Hoyt Bost- wick, and Christia Chadwick Bostwick. He enlisted as Lieu- tenant in Co. F, 13th Regiment Vt. Volunteers, Sept. 10th, 1862, and was promoted to Captain in March following. After a few months of faithful service he was stricken with disease, and died in Washington. His body was. brought to Vermont, and laid to rest among the green hills which he loved. A fine picture of him was presented to the Post by his sister, Mrs. Mary C. Walton, who also gave a generous sum towards the hall building. The Post is honored in bearing and thus keeping in remembrance the name of such a true man, and honored soldier. The first meet- ing of the Post was held in the upper room of the Old Academy where they organized with the following officers : L. F. Terrill, Commander; J. J. Monahan, Senior-Vice; W. W. Wheeler, Junior-Vice; A. C. Humphrey, Adjutant; A. W. Terrill, Quar- termaster ; A. F. Burdick, Surgeon; F. D. Gilson, Chaplain; W. H. Hilton, Officer of the Day; William Burroughs, Officer of the Guard.
Memorial Day and Memorial Sunday services were estab- lished, and so much interest was manifested in their observance that the towns of Underhill and Jericho each appropriated twenty- five dollars yearly to assist the Post in thus honoring the memory of their comrades who have fallen.
Post meetings were held in the Academy nearly six years, but the desire for a hall of their own was growing, and at a meet- ing in March, 1889, the advisability of building was discussed and a committee appointed to devise ways and means. This com- mittee consisted of J. J. Monahan, A. C. Humphrey, Victor Lovely, S. A. Hale, and T. S. Whipple. In April this committee called on citizens of that town to ascertain how much outside help could be obtained, and met with a generous response in addi- tion to the amount subscribed by the comrades. The funds were entirely inadequate to the work planned, but the comrades had faith, and were willing to work, and these qualities helped them to win out. In May, 1889, an association was formed having for its object, "To acquire, hold, manage and dispose of property in the towns of Jericho and Underhill for the benefit of L. H.
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Bostwick Post, No. 69, and also in their discretion for the benefit of L. H. Bostwick Corps, No 19, and the association known as George A. Custer Camp, No. 7, Sons of Veterans; also to make and carry into effect such by-laws, rules and regulations as thought proper for the management of the association."
At the May meeting a building committee was appointed consisting of Comrades Morehouse, Burroughs, and Woodruff. Comrade Morehouse was made treasurer and he presented to the Post the land on which the hall was erected, an addition to the land being purchased later. The comrades worked with great energy furnishing both labor and money, and soon the foundation was laid. The building was ready for dedication, Sept. 11th. There were suitable addresses and music, and a fine dinner was served to a large and enthusiastic crowd. There have been many and expensive alterations in the hall in the years since its erection, but to the comrades it has been a home all these years. There have been over one hundred names on the Post records since its organization and the following comrades have served as Commander for one or more terms : L. F. Terrill, A. C. Humph- rey, George Laselle, S. A. Hale, H. H. Paine, Cyrus. Prior, T. S. Whipple, J. J. Monahan, W. M. Burroughs, S. M. Palmer, Robert White, D. L. Terrill and A. F. Burdick.
A beautiful book for personal war sketches was presented to the Post and the Relief Corps, by Thomas W. Thorp and T. S. Whipple, and was accepted for the Post by Comrade A. C. Humphrey at a largely attended camp-fire in the hall.
Comrade Humphrey paid an eloquent tribute to the bravery of the members of the Post, as well as all soldiers who had borne an honorable part in the service, which made our country once more a united nation, with the Old Flag triumphant. The Post believed that it was not good for man to be alone, and they early took to themselves a helpmeet in the organization of the Wo- man's Relief Corps, and these two organizations have worked in harmony to promote fraternity, charity, and loyalty to which they are mutually pledged.
Twelve of the charter members are living but only six of the number are left here to sustain meetings. The faithful few who have borne the burden for so many years, are: Amos C. Humphrey, Commander; Dr. A. F. Burdick, Wm. Burroughs,
MEMBERS OF L. H. BOSTWICK POST, G. A. R.
e
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George Laselle, S. M. Palmer, and Robert White. With in- creasing feebleness and decreasing numbers it was thought best to place their hall property in the hands of the Relief Corps. For report of this transfer see Relief Corps history.
Number of comrades in the Post 1915 is 17.
State Officers-J. J. Monahan served one year as Judge Advocate.
L. F. Terrill represented the State at the National Encamp- ment at San Francisco.
Names of the soldiers in the picture on another page.
The first row, seated upon the ground or first step, beginning at the left of the picture.
Robert White, M. D. Mead, T. S. Whipple, Robert Bixby, Thomas Preston, William Woodruff, Samuel A. Hale, Simeon M. Palmer, James Carroll, Loyal Remington, P. S. Bullock.
Second row seated upon steps : Mathew Tierney, A. C. Humphrey, Rev. Edwin Wheelock, Rev. S. S. Brigham, also Captain ; Lewis Tatro, George W. Tubbs, Horace Ellsworth, An- drew McGee, Henry Chase, Calvin Putnam, Visiting Comrade, Barney Mattimore, Newell Clark, John Cummings.
Third row standing: L. F. Terrill, A. W. Edwards, Visit- ing Comrade, Marcus Hoskins, Dr. A. F. Burdick, J. M. Car- penter, John Jackson, Bliss Atchinson, Victor Plant, George W. Batchelder, G. C. Bicknell, Fred A. Fuller, George Laselle, Ho- bart Goodwin, Eugene Wells, H. H. Paine, J. J. Monahan.
CORPS' HISTORY.
By Mrs. Hattie L. Palmer.
L. H. Bostwick Relief Corps, No. 19, was organized as an auxiliary to the Post March 15th, 1886, with twenty-one charter members. Its first officers were Susie A. Terrill, President ; Mary C. Burdick, Senior Vice-President; Helen S. Humphrey, Junior-Vice; Hattie L. Palmer, Secretary; Maria C. Laselle, Treasurer ; Helen Wright, Chaplain; Lucy J. Prior, Conductor ; Amanda McDaniels, Guard.
The Corps began their work with energy and enthusiasm and by way of entertainments and suppers rendered much assist-
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ance to the Post. The Post was presented with a beautiful silk flag, costing sixty-five dollars; the presentation being made by Mrs. Hattie L. Palmer, in the park on Memorial Day.
In the Autumn of 1889, the Corps held a Fair which was a wonderful success. After the payment of all bills, the sum of three hundred dollars was paid on the hall. Within two years after this payment, the sum of one hundred dollars was paid at one time and later eighty dollars. The Corps have turned over to the Post seven hundred and forty dollars besides purchasing an organ at eighty dollars, and a piano at three hundred dollars and paying for same for use of the hall. They have furnished their rooms with dining tables, table linen, crockery and silver- ware sufficient to seat seventy-five people at once. They also paid for blinds for the entire hall. During all these years of service they have responded to many outside calls for aid. Several boxes have been sent to the Soldiers' Home, and the calls from Department and National Officers have met with as gener- ous response as finances and home needs would allow.
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