USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Middletown > The history of Middletown, Vermont, in three discourses, delivered before the citizens of that town, February 7 and 21, and March 30, 1867 > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11
Abagail, their oldest child, married Thomas Davidson, who died young, leaving his widow two sons, Gideon M. and Clement. Gid- eon M. Davidson removed to Saratoga Springs in 1817, where he still resides, and is a man of wealth and influence. Clement Dav- ison was for many years a jeweller in New York, but now resides in Connecticut. Abagail, their mother, died at Saratoga in 1813, at the age of seventy-eight.
Samuel Lewis Miner, the oldest son, removed to, Castleton in early life. He died in 1817, at the age of fifty. Ile left three children, Roxena, then Mrs. Doctor Kellogg, Cyrena, since the widow of a Mr. Armstrong, and Lewis. Mrs. Kellogg died in Georgia in 1851. Lewis died in Castleton in 1852. Mrs. Arm- strong still lives in Castleton,
Captain Joel Miner was the third child. He was a man of raro mental capacity, and, for his time, did an extensive business. IIo was not a lawyer by profession, yet he had quite an extensive law business. He was a prominent and leading man in this town until his death. He would have been a leading man in any place. Captain Miner died suddenly at Montpelier, while attending a ses- sion of the Legislature, in the fall of 1813, at the age of forty- four. He left several children, two of whom became distinguished clergymen. Ovid, his eldest, first became a printer, under the late William Fay. He established the " Vermont Statesman," at Castleton, in 1820, which he published a few years, and then pub- lished a paper at Middlebury for awhile. He entered the minis- try in 1833, and has since been in that avocation. He is now
1
26
HISTORY OF MIDDLETOWN.
preaching at Illion, New York. He is a man of decided ability, and very earnest and zealous.
The other son of Captain Miner, who became a clergyman, was the lamented Lamson Miner. He graduated at Middlebury, in 1833, the first in his class. After he had fitted himself for the ministry, he settled in Cornwall. He died in 1841, at the age of thirty-three, leaving a widow and infant daughter. His widow is now Mrs. Leavitt, of Middlebury. Few men in the state, of his age, have held a higher position in the ministry than Lamson Miner.
The fourth child of Gideon Miner, Sr., was Gideon Miner, Jr., so long known in this town as Deacon Miner. He was born in Woodbury, Connecticut, and was eight years old the day his fathers family arrived at Rutland, and of course was eleven years old when the family removed to Middletown. He married Rachel Davison in December, 1793, and by her had eleven children. One died in infancy, two others died young, the remaining cight all lived to be married and have children.
Deacon Miner was in many respects a remarkable man. Few men possessed a more retentive memory -- he could always give chapter and verse. He, too, though not a lawyer, was for many years frequently engaged as counsel in justice trials in this town and vicinity, and was usually opposed, in those trials, to his long and intimate friend, General Jonas Clark. He was very fond of music, and constantly led the choir for over sixty years, even up to the third Sabbath preceding his death. He was a deacon of the congregational church in Middletown for nearly forty years ; moved to Ohio in 1834; was immediately elected an elder of the Presbyterian church, and served in that capacity about twenty years. Ile was seldom absent from meeting, as many of us can testify. He was the acknowledged leader in the congregational church and society here for many years prior to his removal to Ohio, and seldom has there been a man more competent for the position which he held. Few men, and we may include clergy- men, were more familiar with the bible than he was, or more capa- ble of explaining and enforcing its doctrines. Deacon Miner died at the residence of his son, Doctor Erwin L. Miner, in Ohio, with
1 .
27
HISTORY OF MIDDLETOWN.
whom he had resided, in 1854, at the age of eighty-four. Doctor Miner was the oldest of his eight children before mentioned. IIe studied medicine with Docter Ezra Clark, whose daughter he married, and removed to the state of Ohio soon after, where he still resides, a man of wealth and influence.
Ahiman Lewis Miner, the next child of Deacon Miner now liv- ing, well known in this part of the state as A. L. Miner, now resides in Manchester, and is the only representative of the name in Vermont, except his own children, and one or two children of Lewis Miner, of Castleton. He worked on his father's farm until he was of age, then fitted for the sophomore class in college, at Castleton. He did not enter college, but studied law in the office of Mallary & Warner, in Poultney, and one year with Royce & Ilodges, iu Rutland, and was admitted to the bar in 1832, and commenced practice at Wallingford. He removed from there to Manchester in 1835, where he has since resided, He has been twice married, and has had eight children. Ilis eldest son, Henry E., died December, 1863. He was a young man of much prom- ise, and was his father's partner in law business.
A. L. Miner has been eight years probate register and three years probate judge of his district ; two years clerk of the Ver- mont House of Representatives, nine years a member of the House or Senate, five years State's Attorney in Bennington County, and two years a member of Congress from this district. Mr. Miner has done, for many years, and is now doing an extensive business in his profession. Ile is an excellent citizen, a social, kind and truc-hearted man; much esteemed by all who know him, and especially by the people of his native town. Between him and them there is a strong and enduring attachment.
The other two survivors of Deacon Miner's children are Chloe and Malvina. Chloe is a widow, and resides in the state of Ohio. Malvina married a clergyman, and lives in Missouri.
Of Deacon Miner's children not living, there were two. daugh- ters. One married Hiram Mahurin, and removed to Onandaga County, New York. She has been dead but a short time. The other married A. W. Hubbard; moved to the state of Ohio, and died in 1858.
1
28
HISTORY OF MIDDLETOWN.
Of the sons, Orlin H. moved to the state of Ohio in 1834, and died in 1836, aged thirty-six. He left four children ; the oldest, Orlin II., Jr., now resides in Springfield. Illinois, and is State Auditor. Ile was an intimate friend of President Lincoln, and stands high as a public man in that state.
Thomas Davison Miner, the last named of the eight children of Deacon Miner, died in the state of Ohio, in 1856. at the age of forty-eight, leaving a large family. With the four children of Deacon Miner, now living, he has over thirty grand children, and over fifty great grand children, living.
Next to the deacon, of Gideon Miner, Sr.'s, children, was Ase- nath, who married Alexander Murray. They moved to Albany, New York, where he died young. Lamson, the next, died in 1806.
The youngest child of Gideon Miner, Sr., Elizabeth, was born in Woodbury, in the fall of 1778, and was but a little over three years old when her father removed to Middletown. She married the late Moses Copeland, and had four children - Imcius, Martin, Betsey and Edwin. Lucius and Edwin have remained in Middle- town, and for the last twenty or twenty-five years have been among the prominent and leading citizens here. Lucius has resided near the centre of the town, and by his superior financial capaci.y has made himself useful to the town, to the congrega- tional society of which he was a member, and to the citizens indi- vidually. He has at heart the interests of the town, and the interests of its institutions. Martin Copeland became a lawyer, and went to Bristol, Vermont. After a practice of several years at that place, he died there January 11th, 1861, at the age of forty-seven. Betsey married Deacon Julius Spaulding, and died in Poultney in 1865. Moses Copeland, their father, died May 3d, 1858, at the age of eighty-eight; and his widow, Elizabeth, the youngest and last survivor of Gideon Miner, Sr.'s, children, died in Poultney at the residence of Deacon Spaulding, her son-in-law, in the fall of 1860.
It is, perhaps, here proper to say, that the traits of character which distinguished the Miner family, are found in nearly all their descendants. The children of the females, who take other names,
1
29
HISTORY OF MIDDLETOWN.
are Miners, and nearly all are marked by energy, a retentive inemory, fluency of speech, are easy to learn, and perhaps without an exception, both the dead and living, have sustained good moral characters, and been useful citizens.
Caleb Smith, whose name appears on the roll of 1785, we think must have been here as early as 1783, and perhaps earlier. IIe settled on the place now owned by Elijah Ross, Esq., known as the " Allen Vail farm." He built the house now standing there, which is one of the oldest houses in town. Ile was very efficient in establishing the Baptist Church, and was its first moderator, and the first deacon -- the latter ofice he held until his death. He was also the first town treasurer.
Deacon Smith was an exemplary man, faithful and reliable, and of great service in laying the foundation of the Baptist Church here. Ile died February 10th, 1808, at the age of fifty-nine. JIe left one son, Jedediah Smith, who removed to Western New York since 1835, and one daughter, who married Roswell Tillie of Tinmonth. She died some years ago; she was the mother of Ezra 'T. Tillie, now living in Pawlet, and Erwin E. Tillie, 'now of Danby.
Gamaliel Waldo first settled in Pownal in this state, and was there during the Revolutionary War. After the taking of Ticon- deroga by the Green Mountain Boys under Allen, and before that post was evacuated by the Americans in 1777, Mr. Waldo was employed to carry provisions to the garrison at Ticonderoga, a duty more perilous probably than the battle field. He used oxen in carrying his provisions, and on one occasion, he put his oxen into a boat on the Vermont side of the lake, to take them across to the fort, but on the way, they jumped overboard into the lake, and swam back to the Vermont shore ; they were afterwards rescued and saved.
Mr. Waldo came to this place as early as 1782. He found his way from Pawlet by marked trees, and so did the other settlers of his time. He settled on the place now owned by Mr. Hurlbert, cleared up that farm and lived there until his death, which occurred in 1829. Mr. Waldo was a resolute, fearless man, but a good neighbor, and a faithful member of the Baptist Church, and one of
30
HISTORY OF MIDDLETOWN.
its founders. Mr. Waldo married the mother of Asa Gardner, who was then a widow with five children, one son and four daugh- ters ; one of those daughters married the Rev. Sylvanus Haynes, the first settled minister in town. Mr. Waldo also had by her five children, one son and four daughters, and one of those daughters was the wife of Stephen Keyes.
Asa Gardner was ten years old when the family removed here. He was a hard-working, industrious man ; he lived to be nearly cighty years old. He died in Middletown in 1849. Three of his sons, Charles, Almer and Daniel R., still reside here, are already among the oldest inhabitants, and among the best examples in the town of industry, economy and thrift.
Asher Blunt and Nathan Walton came here about the same time Mr. Waldo did, and settled north of him, on the road leading to Ira over the hills. 'Mr. Blunt was one of the substantial men here for some years, but removed to Northern New York quite early, and but little is now known of him or his family. Mr. Walton was a very good man, raised a large family, and died in 1829. He was out of health for some years before he died, which dimin- ished, somewhat, his usefulness as a citizen.
Edmund Bigelow, the moderator of the meeting at which the town was organized, and the first Justice of the Peace, settled at the place where John P. Taylor now lives, a locality which will ever be held in remembrance by the writer, as a large portion of his life was spent there. Mr. Bigelow seems to have been the acting magistrate in town for fifteen years or more subsequent to the time of his first election, and to have been a competent man for his position. The year of his death we are unable to ascertain. He left a family of considerable ability. The late Dr. Bigelow of Bennington, was a son of his. Dr. Bigelow was some years since a Senator in the Vermont Legislature from Bennington County. He married Dorinda Brewster, who survives him. She is the only survivor of Deacon Orson Brewster's family.
Joseph Rockwell, the first town clerk, settled where E. Prindlo now lives, between the village and the Allen Vail farm. Ile was a competent town clerk, as the early records will show. He was among the first members of the Congregational Church, said to
1
31
HISTORY OF MIDDLETOWN.
have been a quiet, candid and sensible man, though not as active and energetic as many others. The late Solomon Rockwell was his son. There are none of his descendants living here, but some are living in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., who, we are informed are worthy citizens.
John and Samuel Sunderlin settled north of the village. Samuel, I think, on the place recently owned by Mrs. Germond, not far from Mr. Harvey Leffingwell. John Sunderlin was made a Lieu- tenant under Capt. Spaulding, when the militia were organized. Ile was a man of real worth and had a very respectable family. Mrs. Leffingwell, widow of Dyer Leffingwell, also the widow of Ohel Brewster were his daughters. The most of us remember her as an excellent woman. She has been dead but a few years.
Daniel Sunderlin, a son of John, married Nancy Stoddard. Erwin and Edwin Sunderlin, who succeeded Merritt and Horace Clark as merchants here, were sons of his.
John Sunderlin died about the year 1826, on the farm now owned by the estate of Whitney Merrill, and occupied by William Dayton. Samuel Sunderlin, after residing here a few years, removed to Shoreham, where he lived and died at an advanced age. He had a family of several children. John was born in Middletown in 1784. He spent the greater portion of his life in Shoreham, but returned to Middletown to live with his daughter, Mrs. Deacon Haynes, some few years before his decease. He died March 11th, 1862, at the age of seventy-eight. The Rev. Byron Sunderlin, a distinguished clergyman at Washington, D. C., is a grandson of Samuel Sunderlin.
Increase Rudd settled upon the farm now occupied by Mrs. Aden H. Green, known as the " Bigelow farm." He had a large family, and his descendants were numerous, but long since have removed from here, with the exception of Mr. Eli Rudd, who is the only one left.
Gideon Buel, Jonathan and David Griswold all settled on the road, or what is now the road, leading from " Miner's Mills " to the Haskins' place, where Deacon Haynes now lives. They were all soldiers of the revolution. Mr. Buel and David Griswold each drew a pension while they lived.
32
HISTORY OF MIDDLETOWN.
Mr. Buel had several children. Roswell, who represented the town two years, has recently died; Mrs. Marcus Stoddard, and another son who removed west in early life.
Roswell Buel, Jr., a grandson of Gideon Buel, is his only repre- sentative left in Vermont. He is a lawyer ; was admitted to Kut- land County Bar in 1845, but has not been much in practice for some years. Roswell Buel, Sr., had three sons. Ezekiel, the second, is a physician ; has had a good practice in his profession in New Philadelphia, Ohio, for the last twenty years and over. He was a surgeon of one of the Ohio regiments through the war of 1861. Ile has acquired a good property, and is respected. The third son, Napoleon B., was one of the volunteers from Mid- dletown in the late war, and was killed in one of the battles before Petersburg.
Jonathan Griswold removed from the place where he first set- tled, which has recently been known as the Cole farm, formerly the Roger farm, to a place above where Reuben Mehurin now lives. From the early records we should regard him as having faithfully performed his duty in the new settlement. He died much younger than his brother David. Of his family we have been able to learn but little. He had a son, Jonathan, who met his death under circumstances sad and painful. Ile was accident- ally killed on a " training day," in June, 1816. He was then an officer in the company of militia. The accident occurred in the latter part of the day, after the company had been discharged. A company had collected in the ball room of the present hotel for a dance. The members of the militia company, without form or order, were saluting them by discharging their muskets, heavily loaded with powder, in front of the hotel, and during these exer- cises Griswold received the contents of a musket discharged within a few feet of his head, which killed him instantly. The affair cast a gloom over the people of Middletown, and for a long time the foolish practice of firing on training days was almost wholly abandoned ; and so long as the militia trainings were con- tinned, the fathers and mothers, as their sons started on the morn- ing of the first Tuesday of June "to go to training," as a matter
1
--
ยท
33
HISTORY OF MIDDLETOWN.
---
of caution, would rehearse to them the fate of "poor Jonathan Griswold."
David Griswold lived to December 10th, 1842, and was ninety- three years old when he died. His children all removed from this town many years ago, except his son David. He married Emily Paul, a daughter of Stephen Paul, and sister of Doctor Eliakim Paul. David, Jr., died some eight years ago. He left five children, one son and four daughters. The son, Stephen Angelo, enlisted in the 7th Vermont regiment, and lost his life in Florida. His mother and younger sisters reside on the old home- stead.
Jonathan Frisbie was a brother of William Frisbie, and settled where Jehiel Parks now lives. He was a man of less energy, and not as excitable as his brother. He had several children, most of whom died young. He died before his brother, and it is not known that any of his descendants are now living.
Benj. Coy went to Tinmouth before the revolutionary war, but left after that commenced, and when he returned, after the close of the war, settled in this town, where his grandson, Charles P. Coy, now resides. IIc was an industrious man, frugal, honest, and successfully made his way to comfort and independence. Mr. Coy had a large family of children. Three of them, Ebenezer Coy, Mrs. Charles Gardner, and another daughter, are still living. Mrs. Gardner still resides in this town. Martin H. and Charles P. Coy, the sons of Reuben Coy, who was a son of Benjamin, now resides here, and are of that class of men with whom may be safely trusted the interests of the town. Men of intelligence, integrity and good moral principles-if we may so say, a middling class, upon whom, I have often thought, is our great reliance in this country.
Francis Perkins was a soldier in the revolution, and served nearly through the entire time. Ile was from New London, Conn. Hle first located himself where John Lewis now lives, but afterwards, about 1786, removed below there where Mr. Charles Gardner now lives, and there resided until his death. Mr. Por- Kins first cleared up a spot, and put up a log house, and covered it with bark and hemlock boughs, and for a door he hung up a 3
1
1
34
HISTORY OF MIDDLETOWN.
blanket, There was then no sawed timber to be had. Miner's saw mill had not been completed. He then had a wife and one child. He subsisted the first summer, in great part, upon greens and leaks, and commenced boiling green pumpkins to eat as soon as they had grown to any size. It was then very difficult for him or any of the settlers to procure grain. Morgan, Azor Perry and some few had so much of a start that they had raised their own grain, but not much to spare. Once or twice during this summer, Mr. Perkins carried some potash to Manchester, and pur- chased with that what he could bring home on his back. On one occasion he went down to Azor Perry's and worked for him a day, and received in payment a half bushel of grain. This he took upon his back, carried to Mr. Miner's grist mill, which had just got into operation, had it ground, and carried it home, making about nine miles travel, besides his days work, on that day. On his arrival home, be found his cabin deserted; his wife and child had gone, he knew not where. What to do he did not know ; but as it was late in the evening, and very dark, be concluded he might content himself as best he could until morning, and then find his wife and child if he could. In the morning, as soon as it was light, Benj. Coy appeared at his cabin and informed him that his wife and child had staid with him (Coy) over night. Perkins went directly home with Coy, and found his wife and child there safe and unharmed. His wife then gave him the following, as the cause of her leaving the night before : Soon after dark their pig came running through the doorway under the blanket into the cabin closely pursued by a large bear, but the bear, from some cause (probably from the sight of fire), did not enter, but with his head under the blanket surveyed the apartment for a moment, and then left. She was very much frightened, took her child in her arms, started on a run for Mr. Coy's, the pig following -- prob- ably the most hazardous thing she could have done - but was not molested by the bear on her way there. Mr. Perkins, after his return with his wife, rolled up some logs before the door, went to Pawlet, got some boards, brought them home on his back, made a door, and said that ever after that he felt secure from the intru- sion of bears.
1
.
35
1770101 HISTORY OF MIDDLETOWN.
Francis Perkins was an upright man, mild in his deportment, firm and inflexible in his principles, and was never known to devi- ate from what he regarded as honorable, just and right. In this respect he was like nearly all of the first settlers of the town, nor was he unlike them in the hardships, deprivations and dangers which he had to encounter after coming into this then forest. IIis experience is, perhaps, a little more striking, in that respect, than can be now related of many of them. Yet take away the bear story, and there is but little difference in what he had to endure, and that endured by most of the others who came here prior and during the year 1783. Nor was he alone beset with wild beasts. Many of the settlers had their hogs, sheep and calves killed by bears and wolves, and sometimes taken out of their yards, where they invariably kept their stock in the night time for some years after the settlement was commenced.
Mr. Perkins drew a pension of ninety-six dollars a year, and acquired a comfortable property. He died December 26th, 1844, at the age of eighty-six years. IIe has no descendants, to our knowledge, in Vermont.
Jonathan Haynes was, probably, the last man who came here before that roll was made. He came carly in March, 1785. His son, Hezekiah, who lived in this town almost eighty years after- wards, was then five years old, and from him we have had an intelligible and, doubtless, true account of his father's history, also much of the early history of the town.
Jonathan Haynes was born in Massachusetts. His father had emigrated from England. The family are able to trace their ancestry back several generations to Jonathan Haynes, who was born in England in 1616. Jonathan Haynes, the subject of this sketch, removed from Haverhill, Mass., to Bennington, Vt., before the revolutionary war. His name appears on the roll of Captain Samuel Robinson's company, which is still preserved. That com- pany was in the battle of Bennington. Mr. Haynes was severely wounded the first day of that battle. He received his wound at a time when the Americans were falling back to take a moro alvantageous position. A musket ball struck him under the left shoulder blade, passed through his body, and came out at his right
1
1
36
HISTORY OF MIDDLETOWN.
breast, and passed through his right arm near the wrist, which was at the time extended, in the act of ramming down the cart- . ridge in his gun. This occurred about two o'clock in the after- noon. Not long afterwards, those who were sent out to pick up the wounded, came to Mr. Haynes and offered their assistance ; but he told them he could live but a short time, that they had bet- ter look after those who could be saved. They left him; but as they came around about ten o'clock in the evening of the same day, to pick up the dead, they found Haynes still alive, and brought him in. Incredible as it may appear, he lived. It was not for him then to die, but to live, and to assist in laying the foundation of the institutions in this town, the benefit of which you and I have so long enjoyed.
Mr. Haynes, as we have seen, removed to this town in the early part of March, 1785. He put up a log house a few rods a little south of east of where the school house, in the south dis- trict, now stands, and on the opposite side of the road from the school house. The snow was then about four feet deep, but he shovelled it away, and in a short space of time had a cabin that he put his family into. He did not long remain here, but moved from thence up the hill about half a mile, to what has since and is now known as the Haynes' farm ; that farm has been owned in the family ever since. Mr. Haynes was never well and strong after his wound at Bennington, yet he was able to do a good deal of work, accumulated quite a property, frequently held town offices, was a member of the baptist church, was chosen one of its dea- cons, but did not accept on account of his physical weakness. He died in Middletown May 13th, 1813, at the age of fifty-nine ; almost thirty-six years after his terrible wound at Bennington. His widow died October 14th, 1841, and was eighty-four years old. Often, in the latter part of her life, we have heard her relate her trials at Bennington-how she was frightened when she saw that a battle must be fought ; how she took her children on a horse and fled to Pownal to get out of danger. And then the first tidings she had was that her husband was slain, and when she returned and ascertained his real condition, supposed his wound was mortal; but she took care of him, and at the same time took
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.