USA > Vermont > Orleans County > The history of Orleans county, Vermont. Civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military > Part 13
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The first public house in town was opened by Major Samuel Smith, in the year 1799, on the place now owned by C. N. Thrasher. Major Smith was grandfather of Asa K. and I. C. Smith, now of this town.
Silas Brigham was the first person who carried on the business of tanning, and James Silsby the first blacksmith and ax-maker. Abram Day had the first furnace for small castings, on a site near where Mr. Eaton's® mill once stood. Samuel Ward had the first pottery, on the farm now owned by Mr. Townsend.
The first store-goods were brought into town by Levi Bigelow, who was not, how- ever, a resident of this place. He employed Ichabod Smith, late of Stanstead, Canada, as a clerk to sell his goods.
Judge Strong opened a tavern, and kept it many years, at the place now occupied by Chester Gilbert, Esq. Mr. Amherst Stewart kept a public house on the site of the present. inn kept by Mr. Wheeler.
Of those who have been born and moved up here, there are, perhaps, no names of great literary eminence to note. It is rather a singular fact, that, with the good literary and scientific advantages of the County Grammar Priest, senior, was nearly 100 when he died. School, established here, which has aided Mrs. Twombly was 96 years at the time of her death.
in raising up numbers to considerable emi- nence in other towns, who have gone through college,-the youth of this town, with very few exceptions, seem to have been satisfied with "going through the academy."
Mr. Priest was advanced in years when he came into town. He had been a soldier in the Revolutionary war ; was one of the party who proceeded from Lake Champlain to The natives of this town are widely scat- tered, and are filling stations both of useful- ness and responsibility. None of them have attained the high eminence of some in the adjoining town of Coventry-the Ides and. Redfields; but some are, no doubt, on the way to eminence. Indian Village. They put almost the whole village to death. After the sack of that vil- lage the soldiers divided into various parties, intending to proceed to the foot of the Fif- teen-mile Falls of the Connecticut, where sup- plies were to be sent to them. But the party with supplies became frightened and left; and Several physicians and lawyers have had their origin here, whose history is not yet to be written. the soldiers suffered severely in consequence. Mr. Priest was with a party who passed through Barton. After the war, he returned MORALS. to the wilderness through which he had so There have been few crimes committed in long before passed, and lived. to reap the this town, requiring the execution of severe
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penalties. From the first, perhaps, the repu- tation of the inhabitants for morals would not suffer in comparison with any other town in the County or State. The people, having to a large extent been devoted to the quiet and peaceable pursuits of agriculture, have beer content to offer the prayer of one of old, "Give me neither poverty nor riches; but feed me with food convenient for me." Many good men have gone out from us, whom the people of other places have delighted to honor, and who are among the leading business men and men of influence in several adjoining towns.
LUKE GILBERT, ESQ.,
.
whose name was among the first settlers of Brownington, died Nov. 6th, 1855. He was born in Brookfield, Mass., and came to the town in 1797, when 18 years of age. "He pitched his tent where the earth was his bed, and the canopy of heaven his covering, re- mote from civilization, with the savages of the forest and wild beasts for his neighbors ; there being but two families in town. After passing through the trials and hardships which are common to the first settlers, he reared a numerous family, and lived to see all but one arrive at adult age. In 1831 he ex- perienced the christian religion, which was his comfort in the decline of life. Although for more than 30 years his health was poor, yet he was never confined to the house by sickness but two days, till he had a shock of paralysis, Oct. 28th, a few days before his death. He was confided in by his townsmen, and filled the office of justice of the peace longer than any other had done at the time of his decease."-Obituary Notice.
HUMPHREY NICHOLS
died Oct. 25th, 1839, aged 85 years. He was born in Amesbury, Mass., where he lived till the commencement of the Revolutionary war. He entered the service of his country at 21 years of age, and continued in the service 7 years. He was in Bunker Hill battle. He suffered the extreme heat and fatigue in the field at Monmouth. He was at the surrender of Burgoyne, and shared in many other im- portant battles.
Grandsire Nichols was a man of strong memory, and seemed to recollect all the minute incidents of his life. He was long inissed by those who were deeply interested in his stories of the Revolution. He was a member of the Calvinistic Baptist church of
Coventry, and maintained the character of a consistent christian for more than 30 years. Having fought gloriously for his country's independence, and received his reward there- for, he has now gone to receive the reward of those who fight the good fight and keep the faith."-Obituary Notice.
MRS. MARGARET NICHOLS,
widow of Humphrey Nichols, was born Nov. 5th, 1763, at Lime, Ct., and died in the 93d year of her age, at Brownington. Her father, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, was taken prisoner and exposed to small-pox, of which both he and her mother died. She found a home with an uncle at Canaan. Here she was married to Humphrey Nichols, a soldier of the Revolution, and soon after removed to Tunbridge, Vt., and they were among the first settlers of that town. They removed from thence to Orange, and from thence to Brownington in 1808. For more than 25 years they had endured all the trials and hardships of pioneer life, before coming to this town. Mr. Nichols deceased in 1829. She survived him 18 years, during the last 10 of which was a great sufferer from heart disease, and confined to her bed. During that long period, she retained her intellectual faculties in a remarkable degree. She made a profession of religion when young, and for nearly 60 years had maintained a creditable standing in the Calvinist Baptist church. She was sustained in all her trials and hard- ships by the rich consolation of religion. As long as her health permitted she attended meeting, and enjoyed the Christian sympathy of the Congregational church in this town.
During her long confinement she enjoyed the benefit of a pension from the Government, and the most unwearied and watchful care of a daughter, who was with her by day and night, ministering to her many wants. In her greatest sufferings her religious character was always developed. She departed in peace, leaving an example of the consolations of a good hope in the Lord Jesus.
MRS. LUCY (STIMSON) SPENCER was born at Winchendon, Mass., Oct. 3, 1773. Though too young too remember the Declara- tion of Independence, she can distinctly re- member many of the incidents of the Revolu- tionary war, and has lived through the whole life of the nation. No one can sit by her side without a feeling of awe, at being in the presence of one who has lived so long, and
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been familiar with events, so fraught with interest to the Nation and to the world.
Born when the country was subject to the king of Great Britian, and when a few mil- lions only were dwellers within the territory of the United States, she has witnessed the stupendous events which has astonished the world and while the nation has grown in numbers power and influence, to be one of the mighty powers of the world.
She was married to Mr. Erastus Spencer at Weathersfield Vt. July 1, 1797, and with her husband and infant daughter made a home in Brownington, Jan. 30, 1800, being the fourth family that made a permanent settlement in the town. Mr. Spencer, a brother, and Mr. Paul Priest, commenced settlements in the extreme easterly part of the town, while the families, which preceded them, had located in the western part, 6 or 7 miles distant.
The great distance from schools, religious meetings and neighbors, soon induced most of the families, who settled in that part of the town to give up the improvements they had commenced, and to remove to more favorable
locations. Mr and Mrs Spencer, at length followed the example of others, though they remained till 19 families had removed from that part of the town. They removed to the farm now occupied by their son Dea. Wm. Spencer. In March, 1800, Mrs. Spencer gave birth to a son, now Dea. Luke Spencer,* of St. Johnsbury.
The Congregational Church was formed Mar. 4, 1809. The church held a meeting March 4, 1859, to commemorate the close of its half cen- ury, when both mother and son were present at the communion season, of that occasion.
Mrs. Spencer bore her full share of the pri- vations and sufferings of pioneer life, but was sustained by the consolations of trust in Christ and has continued a pattern of christian pa- tience and exemplary faith.
Though afflicted by the sudden death of her husband, more than a score of years since she has manifested cheerful submission to the events of divine providence and ready to say at all times, "I know that my Redeemer liveth."
Her health and faculties are remarkably good, for one who has lived so near a century.
She is the oldest person in town and long has merited the appellation of a "Mother in Israel." She died Jan. 1870.
*Amos Porter Spencer, son of Elijah Spencer, was born five months later.
HIRAM BAXTER,
brother of William, came into town soon after the town was organized and settled on the lot of land now owned by S. R. Hall and son, known as the "Hiram lot".
Amos Huntoon, son of Amos and Mary Huntoon, died of the spotted fever, soon after ® the singular attack of Maj. Smith's family, May 25, aged 15.
The first militia officers chosen in town were Hiram Baxter, Captain; Samuel Smith, Lieutenant; Silas Brigham, Ensign. This company was organized Oct. 1807.
A child of Col. Gross, fell backwards into a tub of hot water and lived only one or two days.
The old burying ground, near the parade ground on North Hill, was laid out in 1804.
A Mr. Newhall, father of Benjamin New- hall, was the first person buried in it. Obed Dort was buried in it July 1804.
The first death in town was that of Mrs. Porter. Her grave is near the house of Mr. John Twombly.
A VENERABLE LADY,
whose intellect is but little clouded by the flight of fourscore and fifteen years, Mrs. Tam- son (Hill) Twombly, now residing with her son, John Twombly, of Brownington, was born in Newburyport, Mass., Aug. 2, 1771. Among the events of her early life which she remembers distinctly, was the visit of Gener- al Washington to Portsmouth, N. H., and the thronging of the people far and near to see him : among others a litlte girl, when she cast her eyes on him, exclaimed with surprise, " Why you are nothing but a man !" by which the great man was affected so as to shed tears. She recalls another event of that visit. A countryman in his great anxiety to see the " deliverer of his country," drove a poor old horse with a harness made entirely of ropes and wood, and without any leather. At this unique display General Washington heartily laughed.
At an early period, but she does not recol- lect the year, her father removed to Kittery, N. H. In 1796, she was married to Mr. Jacob Twombly, and in 1801, removed to Sheffield, where settlements were being made by the few who were not afraid of the forest, and who were willing to endure the incon- veniences of pioneer life. The trials to which these early settlers were subjected, when many of the roads were mere bridle- paths through the forests-and mills were distant, and all the conveniences to which they had been accustomed were only hoped for in the distant future-can be but dimly apprehended by any who now live within the sound of the whistle of the locomotive, and who can read the news from Boston and New
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York on the evening of the day on which it is published in those cities.
What changes and improvements have been witnessed by our venerable friend. She was born under British rule ; has seen the country emerge from slavery of foreign domination, to liberty and independence; has witnessed · an increase of population from less than three millions, to more than thirty millions ; has seen the territory controled by the United States more than doubled ; and all the won- ders of steamboat and railroad travel inaugu- rated.
Mrs. Twombly has had 8 children, 66 grand- children, and 56 great grand-children, of whom 6 of her own children, and more than 100 of the others are now living.
She removed with her husband to Brown- ington, to the farm on which she now lives, in 1830. The town was thinly settled, but the inconvenience of pioneer life, had been mate- rially lessened. Here most of her children settled and she has been permitted to dwell in the midst of her own people. She made a profession of religion, more than 50 years ago, and has been permitted to see many of her descendants following her example, and seek- ing first the things of the kingdom of heaven. Though her hearing and sight have in a measure failed, she is yet cheerful and await- ing the time of her departure with Christian patience. Her husband died in 1852, since which time she has remained a widow, expe- riencing the fulfilment of the divine promise to those that trust in the Lord. The bible is precious to her and prayer her daily delight, having the joyful assurance that prayer will soon " be changed to praise." Venerable wo- man! may thy end be peace; and in God's own time angels conduct thy departing spirit to the bosom of Jesus. S. R. H.
[The preceding account of Mrs. Twombly, was written and printed in the Independent Standard, in March 1866, nearly 2 years be- fore her death. She died Jan. 24, 1868, at the age of 97 years. She died as she had long lived, enjoying the presence of her Di- vine Redeemer.]
HON. PORTUS BAXTER.
Mr. Baxter, son of Wm. Baxter, whose me- moir is given in preceding pages, was born in Brownington, Dec. 4, 1806.
He received his education at the military school at Norwich. In 1828, he settled in Derby, and was ever after identified with the interests and prosperity of that town.
[We omit a more extensive notice here, as a memoir furnished by Mrs. Baxter may be found in the history of Derby in this volume. Ed.]
THOMAS CARLISLE STEWART.
When good men die it is well to chronicle their virtues for the benefit of the living.
The subject of this sketch was the only child of Amherst Stewart, (or Steward as he used to write his name) and Anna Carlisle, and was born in Coventry, near where Albert Day now lives Oct. 26, 1804, but his father moved into Brownington soon after. With the exception of a short time spent as a clerk in a store at Coventry, and 2 years spent at Shipton, P. Q. his residence was in Browning- ton till his death Sept. 3, 1865. He was married to Emily, daughter of Capt. Silas Brigham, one of the first settlers of Brown- ington, July 3, 1833, by whom he had 5 chil- dren, all now living and engaged in the active duties of life.
During many years he was engaged in mercantile pursuits and at the same time kept a public house. His honesty and integrity were acknowledged by all with whom he transacted business. His early conviction that the furnishing of intoxicating drink to others was morally wrong, led him to exclude it from his bar, before any other did so in the County, though the profits of the sale were large. He took strong ground in favor of total abstinence and would not furnish to others what he knew would only injure them, however profitable the sale might be to him- self. His uprightness and excellent judg- ment induced the citizens of the town to elect him to several responsible offices in their gift. He was appointed a justice of the peace at an early period, and held that office for 30 years. Besides representing the town in the legislature, he was appointed selectman, town clerk and treasurer at different times, and discharged the duties incident to those of- fices with fidelity and acceptance. There be- ing no attorney in town the greater part of the time, he was called upon to make writs, draw agreements and contracts and he did a large amount of such business.
He was interested in the building of the Conn. and Pass. Rivers Railroad from the start, and promoted its extension into Orleans County, with great earnestness and zeal, sub- scribing to its stock at various times an amount equal to a sixth part of his property. He was equally earnest in sustaining the academy, which for a long time was so hon- orable to the town, and so useful to the com- munity. Being naturally very reserved, he was disinclined to talk much among stran- gers, and those unacquainted with him would get the impression that his was an uncongen-
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ial spirit; but among his familiar friends, he was sociable and full of mirth and good feeling. He was remarkable for chasteness in the use of language : no one ever heard from his lips any of those slang phrases so common in the world, much less anything bordering on pro- fanity. He was truly " of sound speech that could not be condemned." In this respect his children and friends and many Christians even will do well to follow his example.
About 1830, he united with the Congrega- tional Church, and though excessively diffi- dent, he established and faithfully sustained family worship : he was then keeping a hotel, a place where bolder professors think they have good excuse for neglecting this duty ; he also gave his influence to sustain the sabbath-school, the prayer-meeting and public worship, He was strongly attached to his pastors and they always relied on him as a firm friend to cooperate with them in efforts to sustain the religious institutions in the town. He was imbued with a deep sense of his accountability as a moral being ; his plans were expressly conditioned on the contingen- cy of life. Those most intimate with him were impressed with the fact that he himself, at least, felt that his life was not in his own hands. This idea was ever present with him, controlling all his thoughts and permeating all his plans. He seemed to say "there is a Providence ruling over all; by His permission I will do this or that. I am in his hands." And he had withal a childlike trust in God His services were especially valuable in the choir. He loved the songs of Zion : that mu- sic ever had peculiar charms for him. He was always at his post, even down to the Sun- day previous to his death, though physically unable. In truth he was a tower of strength in doing that most difficult thing, keeping up a choir in a country church.
During his life, he suffered periodically from disease which resulted in short seasons of de- rangement. An attack of paralysis from which he never recovered, led him to feel that death was near, but did not alarm him, nor destroy his confidence in the hope he had long before cherished. His children have erected an appropriate monument over his grave, to show their high estimate of him as a parent and keep him in lasting remembrance by them and their offspring.
REV. ALEXANDER L. TWILIGHT.
BY REV. C. E. FERRIN.
Time works great changes, "old things pass away, behold all things become new." And yet in some sense this is not quite true. Some old things remain to tell their story of the past. And some old things that pass away first give birth to the new, modify and shape them, so that through their influence, the new becomes what it is. There are old landmarks here and there, which suggest curious and in- structive histories, of the new and things that have passed away.
There is a landmark of this kind in Brown- ington : the old stone house near the village, which has a history though it may never be fully written, and suggests a history of the man who built it, in some respects, one of the most remarkable men that Orleans County has ever had. Rev. Alexander L. Twilight was born in Corinth, Sept. 23, 1795, the oldest but one of five children of Wm. and Mary Twi- light. The father was a farmer of moderate means. He died when Alexander was a child and he was indentured to a farmer in his native town for the remainder of his mi- nority. Of his early life little is known to the writer, except that he had a great love for books, and an insatiable desire to acquire a liberal education. After improving all the opportunities which his apprenticeship en- abled him to secure, he bought the last year of his time of the farmer, and set himself at once to accomplish his long cherished purpose. He became a Christian at the age of 17 and under the impulse of christian duty his desire for an education was stimulated and directed. When his contract with the farmer was satisfied with the small effects of clothing and books which he possessed, in his hand, he made his way on foot to Randolph academy then in charge of Rev. Rufus Nutting, since of Lodi, Mich. Here combining study with labor to procure funds, and much of the time absent from school without any instructor, he fitted for college. He entered at Middlebury and graduated in the class of 1823. While a member of college, he was obliged to spend much of his time away from Middlebury so that, though he was an excellent mathemati- cian, thoroughly read in history, and not des- titute of belle-lettres culture, his knowledge of the languages was less minute and critical than it otherwise would have been. In the
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spring of 1824, he commenced teaching in Peru, N. Y. where he remained 4 years. Here he read theology by himself and was licensed to preach by the Champlain Presbytery, in Plattsburgh, January 1827. In August 1828, he went to Vergennes, Vt. and taught one year, at the same time preaching on the Sab- bath-alternately at Ferrisburgh and Wal- tham. In August 1829, he removed to Brownington to take charge of the Orleans County grammar school. This institution had been chartered by the State. To it had been given, by charter, the rents of the coun- ty grammar school lands, amounting to about $400 annually. It was at that time the only academic school in the county ; and Mr. Twi- light entered upon the charge of it with the purpose to make it his life work, and with the ambition to make it a school of high order, worthy of the patronage of the people of the whole county ; In the beginning of this work, he was well sustained by such men as Wm. Baxter, Geo. C. West, Amherst Stewart, Jas- per Robinson, Ira H. Allen and other men influential in the county. He held this post for 18 years, or till 1847. In the autumn of 1836, as it was known that an effort would be made in the Legislature to divide the grammar school fund, giving a part of it to Craftsbury, Mr. Twilight was chosen to rep- resent Brownington in the Legislature. He labored hard to prevent the division, not alone on grounds of personal interest, but of public policy, and for the highest good of the cause of sound academic education. He be- lieved that one division would open the way for others till the whole sum would be so di- vided as to do little good anywhere, and thus there would be in the County no school, per- manently endowed, of high grade and exten- sive influence, constantly raising the charac- ter and standard of education. He was un- successful and his fears have been more than realized. Not a few friends of education in the County now regret exceedingly the divi- sion of the grammar school fund into little drib- lets, that amount to nothing anywhere ; or at least poorly compensate to the County the failure, to have our academic school of thorough instruction, permanent character and low terms of tuition, to give thorough fit- ting for college, as for business, or teaching. No such school is now sustained in the County, though efforts have frequently been made, and are still made, to raise funds by volunta-
ry subscriptions to endow such a school, and thus supply what the distributions of the County grammar school fund destroyed. Lo- cal jealousies, in this case as in many others, tore down foundations which succeeding gen- erations must labor hard to rebuild. Those who desire a thorough academic instructions must seek it elsewhere and few do so. The consequence is that few thoroughly educated teachers are now found or employed in the county, and the number of young men who are encouraged and enabled to fit for college in our own county, and to thus obtain a lib- eral education, is far less than it was when we had one or at most two academies, sup- ported by the county funds. From 1825 to 1845, Orleans county furnished many students for the colleges at Hanover, Middlebury and Burlington. Since the present system of a select school in almost every town has super- ceded the county grammar school, it has fur- nished very few. How many has she now in college ? Do the catalogues of these colleges for the last year (1867) show a single one from Orleans county ? Mr. Twilight taught in Shipton, P. Q., from 1847 to 1860; from 1850 to 1852 in Hatley, P. Q .; in May 1852 re- turned to Brownington and was principal of the academy again till his health failed in October 1855-in all 21 years. Oct. 28, of this year, he was prostrated by paralysis and remained helpless during the remainder of his life. He lingered in much weakness and suf- fering, affectionately nursed by his devoted wife, who had shared with the most lively sym- pathy all his prosperity and all his adversity, till he was released by death, June 19, 1857, aged nearly 62 years.
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