USA > Vermont > Orleans County > The history of Orleans county, Vermont. Civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military > Part 15
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* In some exceptional cases, the check-list does not show the exact year when a man came to town, on ac- count of his absence from town-meeting.
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Wilder, Robert P. Porter, Stephen E. Sargent, Joseph Willey, Nathaniel Braun, Samuel Hop- kins, John Mastin, Solomon Manchester, Dan- iel Cloud, Hezekiah Cole, Eben S. Allyn, An- drew Spaulding, David Royce, Wm. Sawyer, Harvey Cloud. In 1832, Ira Brackett, John Miles, Wm. Mansur, Benj. Streeter, Reuben Hazen, Jeremiah Magoon, James G. Barnard, Wm. P. Bates, David Moody, Hilton Brackett. In 1833, Isaac F. Freeman, Abram H. Weeks, J. E. Swazey, Moses Norris, Calvin Gray, Brad- ley Farmer, Daniel W. Palmer, Freeman Moul- ton, Norman Harvey, Jonathan Davis, Wilson Buck, Hiram W. Merrill, Sylvester Bates, Royce Hinman, Samuel Porter, John Bishop, David Colby, Elisha Bingham, Jr., Calvin Dunton .- In 1834, J. P. Tyler, Comfort Carpenter, Elijah Robinson, Samuel Hopkins, Benj. F. Robinson, Hiram W. Kathan, Albro Robinson, John San- born, Ira Parker, George W. Wheeler, Silas Gil- key, Earl Barney, Solomon Wolcott, Benj. Ful- ler, Lemuel H Nye, Luther Cole, Paschal P. Allyn. In 1835, Arad Wells, Norman Nye, Asa Lee, Levi Williams, Samuel Brackett, Hor- ace Brooks, Erastus Hill, John Harvey, Osman Hastings, Walter Spaulding, Albert Lawrence, S. Drown, Aaron Drown, J. T. Huntington, J. M. Robinson, Jason Babcock, Jer. Brackett In 1836, John Cole, Benj. Fuller, Jr., Uriah Colby, Roswell Davis, Jacob Richards. In 1837, Na- than Chase, Horace Kathan, Jonathan Briggs. In 1838, John McCurdy, Richard D. Goodwin, Andrew Bean, Mason Barney, G. W. Chase, Timothy Woods, Anson Messer, Quartus Snell, Eben Cloud, Harrison Sawyer, John Sherburne, Sullivan Stevens, Jasper Robinson, Durkee Cole, Aaron Badger, Seneca B. Cooley, Lewis Moffit, Ebenezer Scribner, Jr., O. Brackett, Eliphalet Prescott, James Melvin, Moses Bly, Benj. Ful- ler, J. Bailey, Samuel M. Cobb, Joseph Bur- roughs. In 1839, Elisha W. Parlin, Wm. H. Calkins, Rufus Tripp, Moses Melvin, Edson Lyon, Joseph Locke, Samuel Willard, Volna Raymond, E. G. Smith, N. S. Gilman, Rufus Handy, Loren W. Young, Samuel Worthen, Willard Ross. In 1840, Barney D. Balch, L. W. Clarke, David Locklin, J. S. Pomeroy, Zenas Cole, J. W. H. Monroe, J. A. Philbrick, George W. Pierce, John M. Beebe, Simeon J. Fletcher, Lemuel Wheeler, Asa Cole, Truman Fairchilds, D. Moffit, Earl Cate, A. Pearson.
At the time of the first settlement of West Charleston, the nearest saw-mill, grist-mill and store was in Barton, 12 miles distant. The nearest post-office was in Brownington. The
road was unworked-the trees and under- brush cut away ; but being hemmed in on both sides by thick forests, rains did not soon either evaporate, drain off, or settle into the ground ; so that travel was of necessity almost impossi- ble. The writer has heard Abuer Allyn say, that he has traveled back and forth on horse- back, carrying to and from home the necessa- ries for existence when his horse's legs sank so deep in the mud, that his own feet touched the ground, and that so heavy was the mud as to cause suction strong enough to actually draw the shoe from the horse's foot. He said at one time he alighted, took off his coat, raised his sleeve to his shoulder, thrust in his hand and arm above his elbow, grasped the horse-shoe, drew it up and carried it to be re-set at the nearest blacksmith-shop. He related that at another time there was a heavy rain which beat into his log-house and put out all their fire. As the flint was their only way to strike fire, he often resorted to that ; but unfortunately he had lent his gun to some hunters to be gone for days ; so there was no other alternative than to leave his family in bed to keep from freezing, while he went to his neighbor, Judge Strong's, 4} miles away to borrow fire. He did not like to tell of his calamity, so he asked to borrow the Judge's gun-returned with it, and struck fire, by which time wife and children were glad enough to rise. At one time this family awoke in the night and found their house on fire. They had no modern fire-department, or even neigh- bors to call ; so they managed as best they could. They carried a bed out of doors, put the children snugly into it, tucking up the bed-clothes well, to prevent them from getting out into the deep snow-then they went to work and took the entire roof off from the house ; thus saving the rest of the house and its contents. . Mr. Allyn was then obliged to take his team and go through the deep snows 12 miles to Barton, to draw boards with which to cover his house.
Great must have been the courage and brave- ry of those lone settlers thus to surrender their best days, enduring almost every conceivable hardship and deprivation, not merely for their own pecuniary benefit, but to lay the founda- tion for the future good of this section of our country. Though not properly belonging to Charleston history, yet as I see no mention of it in the history of Brighton, I will relate an incident which may convey to the reader some idea of the hardships and privations endured by the early settlers of this and adjacent towns.
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In 1824, while the writer was at Random (now Brighton) with his father, helping make the survey of the 2d division lots of said town, Mr. Enos Bishop's cow ran away a distance of 20 miles to Connecticut river, from which place he had moved a short time before. Mr. Bishop was obliged to go after her a-foot ; thus travel- ing 40 miles to secure his lost cow. In the ear- ly settlement the inhabitants had to pasture their cows in the woods. They endeavored to make enclosures by laying slash fenees ; but such was the risk of losing cattle, that the peo- ple did not have the ealves weaned until fall. The calves being enclosed near the barn, prompted by hunger, would bring the mothers home by their incessant bleating.
The early settlers in the east part of the town endured like hardships with those of the west. They went to Burke, 14 miles distant, for all their supplies, except milling-crossing a moun- tainous ridge, the rise and fall being several miles. It was called the ten-miles woods ; and when some bold adventurer had dared to make a pitch there, and fall a few acres of trees, it really seemed to shorten the distance-an oasis in the wilderness.
Joseph Diekey was the first to settle on the new County road in East Charleston, on the east side of Echo pond. Ozias Hartwell had made the first purchase of lot No. 64, 2d Div., in 1820, but the same summer sold to said Dick- ey his bill of sale and betterments for a French watch, and Dickey moved there the next win- ter. He also purchased lot No. 63, 2d division, and deeded both lots to his son John Dickey. Alpha Allyn afterwards made a legal purchase of lot No. 64, 2d division, for $15,00, and sold it to John Dickey for the same. This farm has since been owned many years by Solomon Wol- cott, Esq. Dickey was an honest, upright man-the first tailor in town. His son Solon lost his life by the fall of a tree, Jan. 9, 1825, and was buried in the first grave-yard, in East Charleston, on lot No. 38, 2d division. His fa- ther erected a suitable memorial-stone over his grave; but as he had moved out of town be- fore the people laid out a new burial-ground, and exhumed most of their dead, a man from another county purchased the farm, and plowed the grave-yard. About this time the stone with the name of Solon Diekey disappeared. There- fore the exact resting-place of his mortal dust is unknown.
The next to make beginnings in East Charles- ton, was John Foss, on No. 76, and Simeon
Stevens, on No. 75, both lots being in the 1st division.
The latter part of the winter of 1823 Jonas Allen moved his family from Waterford to East Charleston. There being no settlement for the last 10 miles, he with a few others, broke their own roads through the forests to their destina- tion on the banks of the Clyde river, on No. 82, 1st div., near where the long bridge now stands.
His nearest neighbor was Joseph Dickey, 3 miles north-there being at that time no fami- lies on the farms begun by John Foss and Sim- eon Stevens. It was 7 miles from Jonas Allen's to Cole's mills, by direct route ; but in the early settlement of East Charleston there was no road down the river, and the settlers were obliged to go round by Morgan Four Corners, a distance of about 12 miles, to get to Cole's mills in West Charleston, the only grist-mill in town, excepting they went down the river in boats, as they sometimes did ; in which case they could only go to the Great Falls, one mile from the mill-then unload and transport their grain and meal back and forth upon their baeks.
There was no inhabitant up the river nearer than Enos Bishop's, on the shore of Island pond, 7 miles distant, and no road. Jonas Al- len and others were obliged to go to Morgan, the nearest saw-mill, 8 miles distant, to draw their boards for building purposes. In the fall of 1823, through the instrumentality of Abner Allyn a road was made from East to West Charleston, greatly remedying these ineonven- ienees.
In 1824 Jonas Allyn purchased lot No. 33, where the East village now stands, at $1,50 per aere, where he erected a saw-mill. From this time the settlement progressed more rapid- ly. Settlers came in for the benefit of the heavily timbered pine lot, No. 88, for which cach, by paying the owner of the undivided share the sum of $5,00 had a right to draw all the timber lie eliose from the lot. They drew the sawed lumber to Burke and St. Johns· bury, by which means they obtained provisions for their families, and were also enabled to make clearings and other improvements on their land.
In 1826 a county road was laid from Derby to Brighton, past East and West Charleston. Land-tax was laid out on this road in 1827 .- This made a comfortable road from Derby to St. Johnsbury. -
Bears have in the early years of the settlement of this town infested the forests, and often been
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bold enough to appear upon the cleared land for the ostensible purpose of satiating their hunger. Prior to the year 1810, while Capt. Page, son of Gov. Page of Lancaster, N. H., was visiting the family of Abner Allyn, a bear killed a sheep in said Allyn's flock. Capt. Page having had great experience in all that pertained to new settlements, kindly offered his skill in the erec- tion of a log bear-trap ; when he, with Philip Davis and A, Allyn, proceeded at once to the work, and the next night the bear was caught, and on the following morning drawn out of the woods into Allyn's door-yard .- Though they feasted not on bear's-meat, it was a festive occasion-since this was the first bear killed in town, and there seemed a chance of saving their sheep.
One night in 1817 Abner Allyn hearing a noise at his barn like the splitting of boards, arose, went out, and found two places where the boards had been drawn off, and two bears had entered, killing one sheep and frightening the rest, which had done their best to make es- cape. Mr. Allyn by the aid of his dog drove off the bears, gathered the sheep back into the barn, nailed on the boards, and remained senti- nel till morning, to prevent further invasion .- The next night two neighbors with their guns watched with him for sheep-visitors-nothing daunted by their previous night's failure they came, and one of them fell a victim to his cour- age, being slaughtered and nicely dressed fit for seething-pot or gridiron. During the rest of that year the sheep remained unmolested by bears.
Mr. Ebenezer Bean moved his family into town in 1823, into a log-house without door or floor. The fireplace was in the east, the door near the south, and the bed in the west cor- ner of the house. Mrs. Bean had thrown in- side of her door a pile of chips and bark with whichi to make her morning fire ; also for her husband to burn on his return from abroad, to enable him to see his supper, which she had prepared and put into a large iron kettle, and set near the fire to keep warm. To secure it from any depredation of cat or dog, she had placed her water-pail upon it. Having got all things arranged she retired to rest with her in- fant child. Some time after she heard foot- steps, and, supposing it was her husband, was undismayed until she discovered that the path was over the chips, and that it seemed to be some quadruped larger than any dog. About that time a stick of wood upon the fire, well charred, broke in two-the two ends kindled , up so as to give light, by which she discovered
a large, heavy black bear walking majestically about, tracing with its olfactories her savory food. He just placed his huge paw upon the pail of water, upset it, helped himself to all the food in the kettle, lapped his jaws and walked away without making acquaintance with his hostess and darling little one, who might have fallen a prey to his appetite, had he not found the master's supper upon which to feast. Thus God saved the mother and little one in the time of peril.
At another time the wife of Phinehas Allen had an unwelcome visit from a bear ; but she did not turn her back upon him, notwithstand- ing he showed more signs of attention to her hog in his pen than to her. As Mr. Allen was away, she saw the necessity, and was deter- mined to assume his prerogative to rule. So, saying, " the bear shall not have my hog, un- less he has me too," (though the bear had got possession of the pen) she made so much noise that he retreated a little. She mounted the top of the pen. Bruin stood in abeyance during the whole of the night, at a short distance, waiting his chance; but Mrs. A. kept up vigi- lant resistance until the morning light, wlien the unwelcome visitor retreated to the dense forests not far distant.
Lemuel Sturtevant and Stephen Cole built the first grist-mill at West Charleston, in the year 1810. Stephen Cole also built the first framed house at West Charleston in 1811. The first saw-mill at East Charleston was erected by Jonas Allen in 1824, just above the present site of the dwelling-house of L. N. Melvin .- Stephen Cole put a small run of stone in the lower part of this saw-mill in 1827, which ground corn and provender. John Cushman built a good grist-mill here in 1834, where the present one, owned by C. H. Chase, now stands.
The first saw-mill at West Charleston was by Jonas Warren in 1809. The first hotel at West Charleston was erected and kept by Ira Richards in 1822. The first hotel at the east part of the town was built and kept by John Cushman in 1827. The first carding-machine and clothing-works in town were erected at East Charleston in 1831, by Harvey Holbrook, and run by Harvey H. Cloud, both of Water- ford, Vt.
Ira, son of Jonathan Richards, was the first merchant in town in 1822. Lewis C. Bates was the first merchant at the east part of the town in 1831. The first physician in West Charleston was Ezra Cushing in 1822. The
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first physiciean in East Charleston was Cephas G. Adams in 1855. The first lawyer was F. C. Harrington, who was also editor of the North Union-first yearly newspaper printed in town. The first military company was formed in 1822, and Ira Richards (now in Wisconsin) first cap- tain. Timothy Hazeltine, who moved to East Charleston in 1828, was the first blacksmith in town. The first shoemaker in town was Chaun- cey Fuller, who moved from Waterford to West Charleston, in 1824.
The first two marriages in this town were Ebenezer Bartlett and Eunice Cole-Elisha Par- lin and Elizabeth Warren-married Feb. 3, 1815, by Ira Leavens, justice of the peace, of Morgan.
There was no school-house in town before the year 1822, but the children had a few advan- tages from private schools supported by the scholar. The first two schools were kept in Orrin Percival's barn, on lot 12, in the 1st division. The first school-house was erected where the West village now stands, near the present site of the Clyde River Hotel. The first teachers were Sally Hopkins, of Salem, Zilphia Cory, of Derby, Sally Buckman, of Lancaster, N. H., and Eunice Cole, of Charleston. Miss Cory married Lemuel Sturtevant, one of the first set- tlers of this town. Miss Cole married Ebenezer Bartlett, one of the early settlers of Morgan .- She was sister of Ebenezer and Stephen Cole, early settlers of Charleston-all three of whom raised large families who have been enterprising citizens in these towns. Many of them are still living. Miss Buckman married Peleg Hicks, of Burke. She was grand-daughter of the re- markable pioneer, known from his bravery as Gov. Page, who penetrated the forests of Lan- caster, N. H., and Lunenburg, Vt., making the first settlements there ; and who also did much for the success of Guildhall as a new settlement.
Gov. Page being thus connected with Ver- mont history, also grandfather of the wife of Abner Allyn, first settler of Charleston, we beg indulgence in reference to family reminiscences as we have heard them related in our childhood. His father was a pioneer, having been the first settler of Lunenburg, Mass., from which his son, the Governor, named his new settlement, on the Vermont side of the Connecticut river. IIe and his company started from Petersham, Mass., cut their road 50 miles through the forests, made their pitch, and determined upon a settlement there, nothing daunted by savages or wild beasts. The Governor had two sons and 13
daughters. His sons, and all save one of his daughters, (Mehitable, who had married Benj. Melvin, of Winchester, N. H., and whose old- est daughter became the wife of Abner Allyn,) accompanied him into the forests. Though Me- hitable did not become a pioneer to suffer in Coos Co., N. H., her daughter became one in Orleans Co., Vt.
The story has been handed down to grand, and to great-grandchildren, that grandfather Page (called Governor) had the forethought to hire 12 active, smart, young men, to penetrate the forests with himself and family, to fell the trees and do the work of making a new settle- ment. Whether the old gentleman took this job into his own hands in the old Patriarchal style of adding sons to his family, or whether the daughters were privy to the selection, tradi- tion does not tell, but it expressly says the 12 daughters married the twelve young men and settled all around the father.
The writer has listened in early life to many adventurous tales of those settlements, both of wild beasts and Indians.
The wife of Gov. Page, too, has been favora- bly reported. No such twelve daughters ever came upon the stage of life who had not had a mother of sterling qualities. She was reported as a woman of corpulency of body as well as mind; and on this account it was very difficult for her to make the journey at first by a path of spotted trees; and that she had one favored son on whom she principally relied for help- that he walked by her side and held her upon the horse; that on account of her weight a very large, valuable horse was appropriated for her use, and that like most other pioneers they did not survey around hills in laying their roads, but went over rigid precipiees that at the present day are shunned. In ascending, or deseending one of these, the horse lost its foothold, and with its precious burden, was unable to regain standing, but rolled down the hill, broke its neck, or was otherwise so injured as to lose its life .- The faithful son succeeded in rescuing his mother from like fate. Having given a little account of the ancestry of Anna, wife of Abner Allyn, the reader may judge somewhat of her cour- age and perseverance. She was emphatically an industrious woman, possessed of great ener- gy of character both mental and physical .- Whatever her hands found to do she did with her might. With all the inconveniences of front- ier life she had enough to do, and she did it with cheerfulness. She became the mother of eight
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children-five sons and three daughters. Four sons died in early life, the oldest of whom (Al- bro Allyn) was the first child born in town, July 16, 1804 : died at St. Johnsbury, July 30, 1806. The third son, Abner Allyn, Jr., who died March 28, 1810, (second death in town,) was the first person buried on College hill, lot No. 3, the first burial-ground in Charleston .- One son still survives, and is the compiler of these historical events. One daughter (Olive Allyn) was the first female child born in town, June 14, 1806 :- died at Charleston, Aug. 10, 1833. The youngest daughter married and set- tled in Newbury. She departed this life April, 1861, leaving three children. The other daugh- ter was sent abroad to be reared and educated. She commenced teaching in quite early life, but by force of combined circumstances was brought much into the sick-room, and for nearly 12 years was a practical nurse, ministering to the suffer- ing of nearly all classes, and became so famil- iar with different diseases, her patrons urged her to go still farther with her humanitarian views and acts. A medical college was contem- plated for women, and she was urged to become one of its first class. This she declined, not de- siring notoriety. Medical books were loaned her unasked ; some even presented by regular phy- sicians as tokens of their appreciation of her services to their patients. After a considerable reading of initiatory works, and finding a love for them, she entered the New England Female Medical College, and after having nearly com- pleted the required course of study there, she conceived the idea that she should be better pre- pared to meet all the wants, trials and responsi- bilities of the medical profession if she received instruction in common with gentlemen students and graduated with them on the same examina- tion. Therefore she with six other ladies of her class entered a medical college open to both sex- es, and she with three of the others graduated in 1857 at the close of a 4 months' extra term. Sixteen gentlemen took the degree of M. D. with them at the same place and time, since which time she has been in successful practice in Mas- sachusetts, feeling more and more as time ad- vances, that the medical profession is one of woman's highest missions on earth for good to the world.
The mother, Anna Allyn, died at Charleston, Feb. 5, 1849-73 years of age. In speaking first of Abner Allyn's wife and family, the writer has no thought of presenting him last, as least in consequence in his family or commu- nity. On the contrary, the town owes its ori-
gin to his indefatigable labors. He was a well educated man, fitted for business life. A man of strong purposes, not daunted by ordinary discouragements. Though a kind husband and indulgent father, he was emphatically the prop- erty of the public. He had a large heart of benevolence, to make others happy and comfort- able, and to this end was always ready to sac- rifice his own comforts. " The string to the latch of his door was always out." The stranger was sure to find shelter there and a cordial wel- come to share with himself and family the best the house afforded. In the cold seasons, in times of general scarcity, his larder was sometimes scantily filled; yet he was not disheartened un- til he actually broke down with disease, and was obliged to leave his loved home in the forests for a while to recuperate under more favorable circumstances. He was the first town clerk and the first representative of his town to the Legisla- ture of the State in 1807, also in 1808, and then again, after his return, in 1811 and '12. He was in every way in his power a public benefactor ; always a strong friend to education and the poor; always fought against supporting schools on the scholar, or even boarding teachers upon that plan. He regarded children as the poor man's blessing, whose rights to all the privileges and immunities of life were equal to those of the rich, and that they alike were destined to act in life's great drama, the one as likely to succeed as the other in blessing the world by upright, useful lives. He was always concerting plans for public good, even up to his very last sick- ness .- His last work was urging the claims of the projected road from Guildhall to Irasburgh, through Brighton. He was born at Rehoboth, Mass., Aug. 5, 1772 ; was a descendant of Thos. Allyn, who came from Wales, in company with his uncle, to Cape Cod, Mass. The uncle set- tled in New Windsor, Ct. Thomas Allyn settled in Rehoboth, Mass .- married Deborah Cushing, of Hingham, Mass., Dec. 29, 1720, -had 13 children. Their son Abner Allyn, born at Re- hoboth, Mass., Aug. 5, 1731, married Sarah Hedding, Nov. 25, 1756. They had 4 children. viz .: Jacob, born Aug. 25, 1757; Jonathan, born Sept. 25, 1759; Rachel, born May 9, 1764. Abner, the youngest, was well educated at Massachusetts under the charge of Christian parents, with a view to the ministry, but early evincing a tact for business life,- after finishing his studies he accepted an agency for the care and sale of wild lands in Charleston and vicini- ty, and came with his brother (Dr. Jonathan Allyn) to Barton, Vt., prior to 1798. He was
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