USA > Vermont > Orleans County > The history of Orleans county, Vermont. Civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military > Part 11
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LEMUEL STURTEVANT,
with his wife, Priscilla (Thompson) and 10 children moved into this town in March 1799.
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He was a native of Middleborough, Mass. He was married and lived in Halifax, Mass. till 1780, when he removed to Lyme, N. H. where he resided till he removed to Barton. He deceased Nov, 15, 1839, aged 83 years. His widow deceased July 4, 1864, aged 84. They left 5 sons at their decease. all of whom still survive. Mr. Sturtevant first came into the town in May, 1798, with his two oldest sons and Joseph Skinner, a hired man, and on the 28th of May, he purchased, of Gen. Wm. Chamberlain, land of which he cleared a part, put up a dwelling and made preparations to move the following spring. Mr. and Mrs. Sturtevant were both professors of religion before they came into the town.
SCHOOLS.
At an early day the inhabitants manifested a praiseworthy effort to school their children.
1801 .- In the Summer, Mr. James May, Dr. Jonathan Allyn and Stephen Dexter em- ployed Mariam Darling of Wheelock to teach in their families, she teaching that Summer three months, one month in each family, the oldest child in each going with her and board- ing in the other families, each family furnish- ing two scholars, but the youngest being of too tender age to leave the mother's care, so the school always consisted of 4 scholars all told. Of the parents, 4 have deceased, Dr. Allyn and wife, and Mr. Dexter and wife; and of the scholars, the poineers of all our schools, 4 are not, viz. Sarah A. Allyn and C. S. Allyn, Wm. A. Dexter and Amelia May and two survive-Mr. Thomas O. May and Sarah A. Dexter, now Mrs. Merriam.
1802 .- This Summer, Mrs. Lee wife of Dr. Elihu Lee, taught. For the want of a better place it was kept in Mrs. May's bed-room. The winter of 1803-4, Mr. Silas Albee, taught in Mr. David Abbott's house and although Mr. A's family consisted of 6 or 7 persons and their house of only 2 rooms.
In the Summer of 1803, Miss Abagail Cham- berlain, afterwards the wife of Col. Ellis Cobb, taught in the barn-floor on the Barton place.
Dr. Lee taught in one of the rooms of Mr. Jonathan Robinson's house.
These were schools kept in the rude log or block-houses of the early settlers, these usual- ly consisted of but two rooms and was ill adapted to a school, having to be used by the family at the same time.
MILLS.
In the Summer of 1796, Gen. Barton built the first saw-mill in the town. It was erected on lot No. - at the foot of the meadow. The dam crossed the river at the High Side on both sides just above the bridge and flowed the meadow for more than half a mile above.
The writer removed into town in April, 1801, at which time there resided in the town the following families : Samuel Sturtevant, John Baird, Asa Kimball, James Salisbury, Oliver Blodget, James May, - Fisher, Welcome Brown, Stephen Dexter, Samuel Nichols, Samnel Lord, Solomon Wadhams, David Abbott, James Beard, David Blodget, Joseph Green, Joel Benton, John Brown, Samuel Thatcher, Amos Chamberlain, David Pilsbury, Jonathan Allyn, Jona. Robinson.
RELIGIOUS.
For a number of years after the settlement of the town, there was no church or religious organization in the town. About 1805, Messrs. Peck and Rutter, clergymen of the Methodist Episcopal church, labored in the ministry in this town, and a small class or church was formed, but its numbers were small and it soon became extinct or very much reduced.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
A Congregational church, of 7 or more members, was organized in Barton, Aug. 27, 1807, by the Rev. Elijah Lyman, of Brook- field, and the Rev. Walter Chapin, of Wood- stock ; but no attempt to sustain religious institutions was made, and in a few years the church became extinct.
The present church was organized Sept. 24, 1817, by the Rev. Samuel Goddard, of Con- cord, and the Rev. Luther Leland, of Derby, and consisted of 17 members. Mr. Leland was its first minister, and he preached the gospel with much acceptance and success. Additions took place at every communion season, and within a year the membership was doubled. Oliver Blodgett was chosen deacon Jan. 26, 1819. Through the agency, and mainly by the liberality of Ellis Cobb, a house of worship was built, which was dedicated Sept. 6, 1820. Mr. Leland preach -. ed the dedication sermon, from Gen. xxviii. 17. A council was held Oct. 1823, to ordain deacons for this church, and others in the vicinity ; and Oliver Blodgett, of Barton, Loring Frost of Coventry, and Zadoc Bloss, of Irasburgh, were ordained deacons of their
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respective churches. The Rev. Noah Em- erson preached the sermon, and the Rev. William A. Chapin, of Craftsbury, offered the ordaining prayer.
The first pastor was the Rev. Thomas Simpson, who was settled in the Fall of 1823. His ministry at first was diligent and success- ful, but at length he became negligent, and failed to meet the reasonable expectations of the people. He also fell into difficulties with members of the church, and after a pastorate of 5 years was dismissed. The Rev. Otis F. Curtis supplied the pulpit half the time for a few months in 1831, and a powerful revival took place; but, before the close of his en- gagement, he became a Methodist, which had a disastrous effect upon the church. Some fell into despondency, some into indifference, and some into open sin. The labors of the Rev. Bowman Brown, who preached half the time during the year 1833, were well direct- ed, and were followed by good results. On the second Sabbath in March, 1834, the Rev. Ora Pearson commenced supplying the pul- pit, and continued for a year and some months. In January, 1835, a protracted meeting was held, as the result of which the church was much quickened, and some mem- bers were added. For the two or three suc- ceeding years there was almost an entire des- titution of preaching.
In the Fall of 1839, this church united with the Glover church in a call to the Rev. Ora Pearson, and at the beginning of the next year he was installed pastor of the two churches. In 1842, another house of wor- ship was built, and again mainly through the liberality of Ellis Cobb. It was dedi- cated Dec. 29, 1842, the Rev. Richard C. Hand, of Danville, preaching the sermon. The loca- tion of this house occasioned a good deal of dissatisfaction, the injurious consequences of which continued for many years. After a pastorate of nearly 5 years Mr. Pearson was dismissed. His successor was the Rev. Levi H. Stone, who commenced supplying the pulpit on the first Sabbath in July, 1845, and preached on alternate Sabbaths for 4 years and 2 months.
The Rev. Clark E. Ferrin began to supply the pulpit in the latter part of 1850, and so acceptable was his ministry that he was call- ed to the pastorate, with a salary of $ 450, and in December, 1851, was ordained. His health failing, he requested a dismissal in
1853; but, at the instance of the church, con- tinued to retain the nominal relation of pas- tor, in hope that his health might be restored. The Rev. David Root supplied the pulpit 3 months in the Summer of 1854. Mr. Ferrin, having renewed his request, was dismissed in December, 1854. During his ministry 32 per- sons were added to the church. The Rev. Edward Cleveland was acting pastor during the first half of 1856; after which there was only occasional preaching till September, 1857, when the Rev. William D. Flagg began to supply the pulpit, and continued for a year. The Rev. John H. Beckwith was act- ing pastor for the year 1859, and the Rev. Henry A. Hazen for 1860. In the latter part of 1861, the Rev. Benjamin W. Pond began to supply the pulpit, was soon called to the pastorate, and, early in 1862, was or- dained. His pastorate continued about 3 years. On the first Sabbath in August, 1865, the Rev. William A. Robinson began to sup- ply the pulpit, and in the following January he was ordained pastor. Under his pastorate an unusual degree of external prosperity has been enjoyed. The congregation increased in numbers so that it was found necessary to enlarge the house of worship. A parsonage was also built (in 1867), and the salary of the pastor was advanced from $ 700 to $ 900 and the use of the parsonage.
PASTORS.
The Rev. Thomas Simpson was a native of Deerfield, N. H., and received his education for the ministry at the Maine Charity School, now Bangor Theological Seminary, where he was graduated in 1820, a member of the first graduating class. His first settlement was in Vershire, Vt., where he was ordained, Dec. 10, 1823. The Rev. Baxter Perry, of Lyme, N. H. preached the sermon. He was dis- missed June 8, 1824, and was installed in Barton, Oct. 26, 1825. The Rev. Jacob N. Loomis, of Hardwick, preached the sermon. He was dismissed Sept. 23, 1830, left Barton under censure of the Orleans Association, and was not again settled in the ministry. He removed first to Deerfield, N. H., then to Canada, and finally to Lowell, Mass.
The Rev. Ora Pearson was born in Chit- tenden, Vt., Oct. 6, 1797, and was graduated at Middlebury in 1820, and at Andover in 1824. He preached in various places in New York for a year or more, and then com- menced preaching at Kingston, N. H., where
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he was ordained, Mar. 7, 1827. The Rev. Ira Ingraham of Bradford, Mass., preached the sermon. In connection with his ministry in Kingston, a powerful revival occurred in 1831-2, which brought more than 60 persons into the church. He was dismissed Jan. 9, 1834, but continued to supply the pulpit till the following March. He then commenced preaching in Barton, and there continued a year and some months, after which he labor- ed several years in Canada East, as a mis- sionary of the New Hampshire Missionary Society. He was installed Jan. 1, 1840, pas- tor of the churches in Barton and Glover. The Rev. James Robertson, of Sherbrook, C. E., preached the sermon. He was dis- missed Nov. 19, 1844, and was a colporteur of the American Tract Society for 5 or 6 years, when the loss of his sight compelled him to retire from active life. He died at Peacham, July 5, 1858.
He was distinguished for amiability, hu- mility, conscientiousness, fervency and power in prayer, and accurate knowledge of the Scriptures. So familiar was he with the lan- guage of the Bible, that when he had become entirely blind, he was in the habit of reciting whole chapters in connection with his pulpit services, and so exactly that his hearers sup- posed that he was reading from the printed page. His last sickness was long and severe, but he gave such striking proofs of the real- ity and strength of his faith, and of the love of Christ to his people in their hours of trial, that perhaps the best work of his life was done on his death-bed. His hope strength- ened and his joys brightened as the end drew near, and he acchieved a signal victory over death
His only publication was "An Address to Professing Heads of Families, on the Subject of Family Worship," a pamphlet of 12 pages, prepared and published in 1831, by request of the Piscataqua Conference.
About a year after his dismissal he resumed preaching, and was installed in Hinesburgh, Feb. 6, 1856. The Rev. N. G. Clark, D. D., of Burlington, preached the sermon. He was the representative of Hinesburgh in 1858 and 1859. His publications are two funeral sermons and a thanksgiving sermon.
He married Nov. 6, 1850, Sophronia B. Boynton, of Holland.
The Rev. Benjamin Wisner Pond, son of the Rev. Dr. Enoch and Julia A. (Maltby) Pond, was born in Bangor, Me., Mar. 26, 1836. He was graduated at Bowdoin College in 1857, and at Bangor Theological Seminary in 1861, and was ordained in Barton Jan. 28, 1862. The Rev. Enoch Pond, D. D., preached the sermon, and it was published in the National Preacher. He was dismissed Oct. 5, 1864, and for about 2 years employed at Washington, D. C., and in the South, in labors for the education of the freedmen. In April 1867, he received a call to Charlemont, Mass., and was there installed pastor, May 21, 1867. The Rev. John Todd, D. D., of Pittsfield, preached the sermon.
The Rev. William Albert Robinson, a son of the Rev. Septimius and Semantha ( Wash- burn) Robinson, and a descendant, in the seventh generation, from John Robinson, the pastor at Leyden, was born in Morristown, Feb. 24, 1840. He was graduated at Middle- bury College in 1862; taught the academy at Coventry 2 years ; and then entered Ban- gor Theological Seminary, where he was grad- uated in 1865. He was licensed by the Pe- nobscot Association at Bangor, July 12, 1864, and was ordained in Barton, Jan. 11, 1866. The Rev. Lyman Bartlett, of Morristown, preached the sermon. He has been superin- tendent of schools in Barton 2 years, 1867-8.
He married, Sept. 1, 1862, Lucy C. Swift, by whom he has two children.
NATIVE MINISTERS.
The Rev. John Kimball, son of John H. and Harriet (Chamberlain) Kimball, was born Oct. 10, 1831, and was graduated at Dart- mouth in 1856, and at Union Theological Seminary in 1859. Soon after graduation he went to California as a missionary of tho American Home Missionary Society, and preached a year in Grass Valley, and a year . and a half in San Francisco. In October, e 1861, he was ordained to the ministry at., Sacramento. The Rev. George Mooar preach-,
The Rev. Clark Ela Ferrin, son of Micah and Lucinda (Conant) Ferrin, was born in Holland, July 20, 1818. He fitted for college at Brownington and Derby Academies, and was graduated at the University of Vermont in 1845; after which he taught in Georgia 2 years, and then entered Andover Theological Seminary, where he was graduated in 1850. He was ordained in Barton Dec. 10, 1851. The Rev. O. T. Lanphear preached the ser- mon. He was dismissed Dec. 19, 1854. 1 ed the sermon. In the Spring of 1863, her
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returned to New England, and entered into the service of the Christian Commission, in which he remained during the war, and then engaged in labors for the freedmen.
He married, Jan. 18, 1864, Annie M. Esk- ridge, daughter of the Rev. Vernon Eskridge, of Portsmouth, Va.
The Rev. Roger M. Sargent, son of Stephen and Frances (Noyes) Sargent, was born Sept. 7, 1824, and in early youth moved to Lowell, Mass., with all the family. He fitted for college at Lowell High School, and was grad- uated at Dartmouth in 1846, and at Ando- ver in 1849. He preached for a while at Newbury, Mass., and at Farmington, N. H., and was ordained pastor of the Congrega- tional Church in Gilmanton Center, Apr. 27, 1852. The Rev. N. Bouton, D. D., of Con- cord, preached the sermon. He was dis- missed, Jan. 31, 1860,-his term of service having continued 8 years. He was installed in Farmington, March 27, 1860. The Rev. Alvan Tobey, D. D., of Durham, preached the sermon.
He married, June 5, 1850, Elizabeth G. Spaulding, a native of Nashua, N. H.
LINES 'ADDRESSED TO A GENTLEMAN MADE BLIND BY SICKNESS .*
This earth is beautiful, and thou Once knew how bright and fair. But oh ! 'tis turned to darkness now, Thy joy to pain and care.
And vernal showers and winter storms, Are all alike to thee, When gathering wrath the sky deforms, Or heaven beams cloudlessly.
And when the dreary night is past, And comes the glorious dawn, To thee the darkness still must last, To thee there is no morn.
But murmur not : the voice of Him, Who all things doeth well, Has said, His light shall not be dim, But in thy bosom dwell.
The radiance of the brightest sun, Cannot compare with this, For when thy race on earth is run, 'Twill guide to endless bliss.
This lite is only as a dream, A vision of the night, And yet to earthly hopes we seem To think there is no blight.
A few short years, and all is o'er, We pass from earth away, The righteous wake to sleep no more, Awake to endless day.
*The Rev. Ora Pierson, who had been the congrega- tional pastor at Barton for some years, who was for many years blind,-See Church History. See also Ac- count of Thomas Scott Pierson, vol. i. pp. 370, 371 .- Ed.
When all the shining orbs on high Are sunk in lasting night, Far-far beyond the azure sky, They'll dwell on thrones of light.
Thy earthly pangs will be forgot When heaven becomes thine own,
My friend : then mayest thou murmur not This will for all atone.
TO MY WEEPING WILLOW.
Why not blooming and gay, Thou sweet little tree ?
Thou art fading away, While the warm breath of May, Gives life to all nature but thee.
Ah why dost thou weep ? Why wither and die ? Nought from death can we keep, But peaceful tlie sleep, Where virtue and loveliness lie.
The lilac's gay bloom And the rose bud so fair
The air shall perfume, Shall smile o'er thy tomb, Nor deign in my sorrow to share
So the loveliest fade, And the fairest decay, In death's withering shade, How many are laid, How many from earth pass away.
And the young heart shall mourn, And the aged shall weep, Because from that bourn, We expect no return. So long and sad is that sleep.
LOVE'S ANNIVERSARY.
What little offering shall I give, My best belov'd to thee? This little token please receive, "Fis all thou'llt claim from me
For I am thine, and thou art mine In sickness and in health; When pleasures blossom or decline In poverty and wealth.
Three years have fled since we became The husband and the wife ; Oh may our pleasures never wane, Till they recede with life.
May blighted love nor hope be ours; Where'er thro' life we roam, May youth's bright sunshine and its flowers Remind us still of home.
Oh, love has made us happier far Than wealth or honor could, And may it be our polar star, Thro' evil days and good.
TO THE SKY.
How brightly blue thy arch extends O'er smiling earth and roaring sea, And more true joy thy calmness lends Than all earth's revelry to me.
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VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
BROWNINGTON.
BY S. R. HALL, LL. D.
This town was granted by the Legislature of Vermont, Feb. 22d, 1782. It was char- tered to Timothy and Daniel Brown and as- sociates, Oct. 2d, 1780. It contains only 19,- 845 acres, while other towns usually contain 23,400. This deficiency was made up by the grant of a gore of land that is now united to the town of Morgan.
The original proprietors early disposed of their interest to the State of Connecticut. Mr. Elijah Strong, Elisha Strong and Amos Porter, purchased the township and made preparations to commence settlement. It is supposed that they assumed responsibilities beyond their means, and after suffering loss, re-sold to that State. Mr. Elijah Strong be- came agent for the State, and with his brother, Mr. Porter, and others, commenced settlements in the town. The shape of the town is oblong. The length is much greater than the width. The soil is of good quality. It is watered principally by Willoughby river, and a branch which heads near the Clyde river in Charleston. It is affirmed by early inhabitants of that town, that a part of the waters of Clyde river passed into this stream, during freshets.
The first settlement was commenced on the farm now occupied by Rev. S. R. Hall and son, by Dea. Peter Clark. Other settlements were commenced at or near the same time, in 1796 and 1797. James Porter on the farm now owned by Israel C. Smith, Esq., S. Smith, Jr., on land now owned by Israel Parker, E. Cleveland, H. Kellam, George Smith, Valen- tine Going, and Samuel Smith, senior, com- menced settlement on the farm now owned by W. C. Thrasher, and Amos Porter on the farm of J. & W. Twombly. Soon after the settlements were commenced in the west part of the town, Mr. Erastus Spencer, Mr. Elijah Spencer and Mr. Joel Priest, commenced set- tlements in the east part, near the west line of Westmore, on lands now owned by Mr. Cleveland and others. This settlement was commenced probably in 1799. Settlements were commenced by Elijah and Asabel Strong, in 1798 or 9, on North Hill, upon the farms now owned by Stephen Burroughs and Chester Gilbert. Ebenezer Gridley, George Drew, Daniel Knox, Ebenezer Crouch, John Merriam and Luke Gilbert were in town
when it was organized. But whether all had commenced settlements is not now known. O. Weber settled on the farm now owned by Margaret Nichols. Luke Gilbert came with Elijah Strong and labored for him a year, and then settled on the farm now owned by Mr. S. R. Jenkins, and formerly owned by his son, J. Gilbert. Mr. Kingsbury com- menced on the farm now owned by Dea. A. P. Buxton. The town was organized March 28th, 1799, by a town meeting, at the house of Maj. Samuel Smith. He was chosen Mod- erator; Elijah Strong, town clerk; E. Strong, Amos Porter and S. Smith, Jr., selectmen. Peter Clark, Jonathan and Justus Smith, Luke Gilbert and Obadiah Wilcox, were appointed to other offices. It is probable that these were all the voters then in town. In September of the same year, at freeman's meeting, Eben Gridley, George Drew, Daniel Knox, Ebenezer Crouch, Eleazer Kingsbury and John Merriam, took the freeman's oaths. At this meeting 20 votes were cast for Gov- ernor, and Elijah Strong was chosen repre- sentative.
Among those who were appointed to town offices at March meeting, 1800, are found the following names: Benjamin Newhall, Luther Smith, Elijah Spencer and Carlos Cowles. At freeman's meeting that year, Michael Megnatta, Obed Dort, Solomon Humphrey and Jonathan Smith were present. It is probable that the preceding names comprise the entire list of the voters that were in the town at the close of the century.
A road, following the lot lines, was made from the settlements on North Hill, com- mencing in the south field of A. O. Joslyn, and extending to Westmore line, on the farm of Erastus Spencer, for the accommodation of the settlers in the east part of the town. This early road passed over ground not now occupied as a highway. That settlement was commenced on a tract of hard-wood land, then regarded as excellent. But, after a few years, most of the 19 families that had settled there, removed either to the west part of the town, or to other places. Erastus Spencer, whose widow is still living, at the age of 96, was the last to vacate the improvements he had commenced. The great distance from mills, schools and meetings, was doubtless the primary reason that so many left the farms on which they had commenced improvements.
Mr. Erastus Spencer removed to the farm
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now occupied by his son, Dea. William Spen- cer, and Mr. Priest to that now occupied by his grand-son, Stephen S. Priest. Mr. Elijah Spencer removed to Claremont, N. H., after remaining in town 9 years. At the Free- man's meeting, September, 1801, 28 votes were cast for Governor. Carlos Cowles, Elijah Spencer and John Merriam were the selectmen. In 1802 the same selectmen were chosen, and in addition to these, "Elijah Strong. Eben Gridley was treasurer. Wm. Baxter, Stephen Smith, Jonathan Fullsome, Michael Blye and Zenas Field, were ap- pointed to other offices. A burying ground was laid out for the west part of the town, and another for the east part. A common or parade ground, also, was laid out. The town voted that these should be plowed and sown with wheat, at the expense and for the bene- fit of the town.
At the Freeman's meeting in September, 1802, only 18 votes were cast for State offi- cers, 10 less than the previous year. No rea- son for this small vote is furnished by the records of that meeting. Whether several voters had left town, or there was less inter- est felt in the election, is left to conjecture.
Dea. Luke Spencer, son of Erastus Spencer, was the first person born in town. He was born in 1800. He resides at St. Johnsbury. The first death that occured was a Mrs. Por- ter, in 1799. Her grave is near the house of Mr. John Twombly.
It is probable, however, that the small-pox either was in town or was feared, for a town- meeting was called in October, among other things to see if "the town will vote to au- thorize the selectmen to erect or procure a house for inoculation for the small-pox." A vote to this effect was passed. In Decem- ber of that year, only eleven votes were cast for a representative to congress.
At the March meeting in 1803, the addi- tional name of Abner Hammond appears among those put in office. At the Freeman's meeting in September, 19 votes were cast for State officers. In March, 1804, George Nye and George Perkins were appointed select- men with Luke Gilbert, Elijah Spencer and Samuel Smith, the two former being new names. The names, also, of Julius Johnson, Silas Brigham and Alpheus Smith, appear for the first time. 16 votes only for State officers were cast at Freeman's meeting in September of that year. David Putnam and Zenas
Field were among the town officers of 1805. 22 votes were cast for State officers, in Sep- tember of that year. At the March meeting in 1806, appear the new names of Daniel Flint, Lewis Priest and John Dwyer. In September 23 votes were cast for State officers. Lemuel Nye and Samuel M. Cowdrey are the only new names that appear on the records of the town meeting, 1807. 26 votes were cast for State officers, at the freeman's meet- ing of that year.
Up to this period 38 different persons had been appointed to offices in the town. Some of these were, doubtless, young men without families. It would hardly appear, however, that the number of inhabitants had increased from 1801, when 28 votes were cast for State officers. Most of the names given appear more than once, and several of them nearly every year for many years in succession. Those of Judge Strong, Major Smith, Luke Gilbert, Eben Gridley, Peter Clark, William Baxter, Erastus and Elijah Spencer, and Joel Priest, appear every year, thus indicating that they were prominent men in the early history of the town. Several others appear as frequently, after their first settlement. Mr. G. Nye and Mr. Brigham, Benj. Newhall and others. As it is probable the first set- tlements were commenced in 1797, ten years had now elapsed from the settlement of the town. In 1816, when the town was 19 years old, 45 votes were cast for State officers, but in 1817 only 36, and in 1818, 20 was the highest number recorded for any one candi- date. It can hardly be supposed, however, that the population had diminished in two years, according to the diminution of votes. The frost and snow in June, 1816, anxiously alarmed many. 5 votes only were cast for Governor in 1817. In 1819 only 26 votes were given, and in 1820 only 28 votes, so that it would seem probable that the popula- tion was less than in 1816, when the Gov- ernor had received 45 votes from the town. How far the population had been reduced by the war of 1812, and the cold seasons of 1816 and 1817, we cannot now decide. It was doubtless considerable.
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