USA > Vermont > Orleans County > The history of Orleans county, Vermont. Civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military > Part 24
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 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68
1842. Loring Frost, D. P. Walworth, Oren Alton.
1843. Loring Frost, Oren Alton, Holland Thrasher.
1844 to '46. Holland Thrasher, Ira Boyn- ton, Joseph W. Mitchell.
1847. Holland Thrasher, Isaac Parker, Jno. Armington.
1848. Josiah B. Wheelock, J. W. Mitchell, Ira Boynton.
1849. J. B. Wheelock, J. W. Mitchell, Horace S. Jones.
1850. H. S. Jones, Holland Thrasher, J. W. Mitchell.
1851. J. B. Wheelock, Joseph S. Kidder, Amasa Plastridge.
1852 and '53. Joseph S. Kidder, Amasa Plastridge, Azariah Wright.
1854. Azariah Wright, J. S. Kidder, Lewis Nye.
1855. Lewis Nye, Nath'l W. Gray, Erastus Wright.
1856. Elijah Cleveland, Azariah Wright, Richard W. Peabody.
1857. Richard W. Peabody, Abel W. Fair- brother, Isaac Parker, Jr.
1858. A. W. Fairbrother, Isaac Parker, Jr., Charles Thrasher.
1859. A. W. Fairbrother, Sylvester Cass, Ezra Guild.
1860. S. Cass, E. Guild, J. W. Mitchell.
1861. E. Guild, J. W. Mitchell, Cephas R. Lane.
1862. Ib.
1863. J. W. Mitchell, Loren Soper, Hollis Day.
1864. Loren Soper, Hollis Day, Charles Thrasher.
1865. Loren Soper, Charles Thrasher, Chas. Ide.
1866. Loren Soper, Charles Ide, George W. True.
1867. Ezra Guild, Dan Guild, Charles Ide. 1868 and '69. George W. True, Samuel Burbank, Job Guild.
SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
1846 and '47-Isaac Parker. 1848 and '49 -Asahel R. Gray. 1850-William M. Dick- erman. 1851 to '55-Henry H. Frost. 1856 to '58-D. W. Blanchard. 1859 to 61-A. R. Gray. 1862 and '63-Pliny H. White. 1864 and '66-A. R. Gray. 1867 and '68-D. W. Blanchard. 1869-A. R. Gray.
160
VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
Population according to the United States census : 1800-7; 1810-178; 1820-282; 1830-735; 1840-796; 1850-867; 1860- 914.
A. R. Gray was the first native-born citizen of Coventry who represented the town in the legislature.
EDUCATIONAL.
The educational interests of the town have received a fair share of attention by sustain- ing district and other public schools. In the Fall of 1858 the legislature granted a charter for an Academy, but the trustees did not meet for organization until Dec., 1859, when the following board of officers were elected: President, Hon. E. Cleveland; Secretary, Dr. D. W. Blanchard; Treasurer, Loren Soper ; Executive Committee, Isaac Kimball, Elmore Dailey,J. R. Thrasher. The ensuing Fall the school was commenced and continued with varying degrees of success until the present time. In 1860, Coventry, with a population of 914, furnished all its own teachers and enough for the surrounding towns to make the number 21, all of whom in varying de- grees were successful.
The history of Coventry, in the past, re- lates to only a brief period of time, and re- cords events comparatively unimportant. The foundations have been laid, the super- structure remains to be built. Its true history is in the future ; to be wrought by the heads, and hearts, and hands of its inhabitants, and to be written by some future annalist who shall record more rapid and far greater pro- gress in all that makes a community happy, prosperous and useful.
CASUALTIES.
The inhabitants of Coventry in the last 10 years have been remarkably free from accidents by fire and otherwise. But a few losses have been sustained.
On or about 26 June, 1858, the dwelling- house of Otis Hancock, on the same site where stands the house of Hosea Hancock, was destroyed by fire, with nearly all its contents. The fire occurred in the night, and had made such progress when discovered that Mr. Hancock and family barely escaped with their lives.
About 2} o'clock in the morning of Satur- day, 3 Sept., 1859, the dwelling-house owned by Mr. Jacob Hurd, and occupied by him and Mr. John R. Thrasher, was discovered to be on fire. The flames had made such progress that it was evident the house could not be saved. A large part of the clothing, furniture, &c., was saved, while the house,
shed, and barn, with a large stock of fire- wood, and considerable hay, were wholly consumed. Mr. Thrasher lost about $100 worth of clothing, and Mr. Hurd's loss was about $ 800. There was no insurance. This was one of the earliest houses built in the village.
On Monday morning, 18 May, 1868, a house and barn on South Hill, belonging to Stephen Mason, were consumed by fire. The fire was discovered about 7 o'clock, and had then made such progress that the few people in that neighborhood could do nothing to arrest it. The buildings had been unoccupied for a long time, and were well insured.
During the thunder storm of Monday eve- ning, 15 June, 1868, the dwelling-house of Asa B. Hancock was struck by lightning. The fluid entered the house near the floor, tearing it up to the stove, which it upset, cutting off three of its legs, and scattering blocks upon which it stood about the room ; cut off a lamp chimney and again returned to the floor tearing it into fragments ; thence into the ground in three different veins, two of them running out of the house, one on the south and one on the west side; then branching on in different directions running sometimes under ground, and then following logs and rocks a distance of eight or ten rods to a bog where further trace was lost. Mr. Hancock, but a moment before, was stand- ing where the main current passed out of the house, and thus barely escaped, perhaps, fatal injury.
On the afternoon of Saturday, 27 Aug., 1859, a young man named Hiram Fletcher, was drowned in Bowley's Pond, in the north part of Coventry. He went in to swim, accompanied by a lad younger than himself, and, either from exhaustion, cramp, or some other cause not known, he sank and was drowned in water not more than 6 feet deep. This was the seventh death by accidental drowning that has occurred in Coventry since the settlement of the town (1869.)
MEMORIAL OF THE LIFE AND SERVICES OF REV. PLINY H. WHITE.
BY HENRY CLARK.
From the Memorial Address delivered before the Vermont State Historical Society at its first annual meeting after the death of Mr. White.
Pliny Holton White, son of John and Be- thiah Holton White, was born at Springfield, Vt., Oct. 6, 1822. By his maternal ancestry he was descended from William Holton, who was one of the first settlers of Hartford, Ct., and afterwards of Northampton, Mass.
He was left fatherless and in poverty when but little more than 3 years old.
His early opportunities were limited, and he had very little assistance in procuring an
161
COVENTRY.
education, except what his mother gave him before he was 15 years of age. He had al- ways a predisposition to learning, and a great thirst for knowledge. His early education was received at Limerick, Maine, Academy, where he was a student from his 8th to his 15th year. He spent a few years as a clerk in a store at Walpole, N. H. His leisure hours were devoted to reading and study, which developed those peculiar traits of in- dustry that characterized his future life.
He studied law with that eminent and honored citizen of our commonwealth, Hon. William C. Bradley, at Westminster, Vt. His association with Mr. Bradley, and hav- ing access to his well selected library, gave him rare advantages for the cultivation of his taste for reading in every department of history and literature, and the well known historical tastes of his instructor undoubted- ly gave direction and development to his own natural inclination toward historical inquiry. The relations of intimacy which existed between instructor and pupil, contin- ued during Mr. Bradley's life, and a filial and appreciative tribute was paid by Mr. White to his early patron in an address before the State Historical Society, soon after his death, which was marked by the highest de- gree of appropriateness, simplicity and pathos, in which were given the principal incidents of Mr. Bradley's life, a masterly analysis of his character and intellectual endowments, and a touching and beautiful tribute to his eminent social and domestic virtues.
Johnsbury, he went to Amherst, Mass., where he was connected from August 15, 1857, to May 7, 1858, with the publication of the Hampshire and Franklin Express. Having for a long time pursued privately theological studies, he was licensed to preach. He preached his first sermon at Westminster, Vt., April 18, 1858; and was licensed at Amherst, Mass., May 11, 1858, by the Hampshire East Association. After preaching a few Sabbaths each at Bernardston, Mass., and Putney, Vt., he went to Coventry, Orleans County, and commenced his labors as acting pastor of the Congregational church, August 8, 1858, and was ordained Feb. 15, 1859, Rev. George N. Webber preaching the sermon. He continued its pastor until his death, which occurred April 24, 1869. The church greatly prospered under his ministrations. He had many op- portunities offered for settling with increased salary, of which he declined to avail himself, considering it his duty to remain with that people, as his labors were being blessed to such a degree that he felt elsewhere they might not accomplish the results that were attending his efforts in Coventry. He was called to preach frequently at installations and ordinations, and on special occasions. He spent much time in collecting the statis- tics of his denomination, and in writing for religious papers, magazines and reviews. A few months previous to his death, he pub- lished a history of the Congregational churches in Orleans County. He had also in prepara- tion a history of the Congregational churches in Vermont, which it was his intention to have published at an early day. We are pleased to learn that he left it in such a com- plete state that the work has been intrusted to the General Convention to finish and pub- lish. He had contributed many valuable religious and historical articles to the Congre- gational Quarterly, and the Vermont Chroni- cle and Boston Recorder.
Mr. White was admitted to the Windham County Bar Nov. 24, 1843, it being the first session after his arriving at the age of 21. He practiced his profession in West Wards- boro from April 15, 1844, until March 31, 1848 ; from this latter date until February 1, 1851, in Londonderry, and in Brattleboro from that time until Dec. 25, 1852. While in the practice of the law in Londonderry, he commenced to write for the Brattleboro We have no information upon which to base an opinion in reference to Mr. White's success or qualifications as a lawyer, only that he gave untiring industry to the prepa- ration of his cases, and argued them with great fluency and directness. Eagle. The conducting of a newspaper being more congenial to his tastes, he abandoned the law and became the editor of the Eagle, now the Phoenix, in February, 1851, and con- tinued his connection with that paper until December, 1852. He removed to St. Johns- He had several public positions connected with the General Assembly, in all of which he faithfully and diligently served with great satisfaction. He was second assistant clerk bury in January, 1853, engaging as a clerk and assistant in the manufacturing establish- ment of Messrs. Fairbanks, in whose employ he remained until August, 1857. From St. I of the House of Representatives in 1851,
162
VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
during the clerkship of Chalon F. Davey, and proved himself a ready reader and a valuable clerk in the discharge of all the duties that were assigned him. He was ap- pointed Secretary of Civil and Military Af- fairs under the first administration of Gov. Erastus Fairbanks, in 1852. He represented the town of Coventry in the House of Repre- sentatives in 1862 and '63. At the session of 1862, Mr. White took little part in the debates, only upon a bill relating to marriage, which was subsequently considered by a special committee on domestic relations, con- sisting of A. B. Gardner, Dugald Stewart, Geo. W. Hcndee and Mr. White, who report- ed substantially the existing law upon that subject, as the amendment which ought to be made. He was also one of the committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two houses upon the school laws, and contributed valuable aid in perfecting them as they stand upon the statue book.
During the closing hours of the session, he introduced a joint resolution of thanks of the General Assembly to the Vermont soldiers then in the field, and which met the most hearty and enthusiastic approval of the Leg- islature. He served only upon one standing committee, that of the joint committee upon the library. At the session of 1863, Mr. White took a more active part in the busi- ness, and spoke frequently upon the questions presented for Legislation. He was a mem- ber of the committee on education and on the special committee on the establishment of the State Agricultural College, and was origin- ally one of the trustees named in the bill.
A petition was presented for the repeal of the law, passed the previous year, requiring the publication of the intention of marriage, which had proved obnoxious to the people of the State. It was referred to a special com- mittee, of which he was chairman. He made a report, favoring the repeal, and differing from the other members of the committee, in which he gave his reasons for the repeal. Reports were made by both the majority and minority of the committee, and will be found in full in the Appendix to the House Journal of that session. Although he stood alone in the committee, he ably presented, in a forci- ble speech, his views of the law, and succeed- ed in securing its repeal. He introduced two important bills : "An act to promote the When about 20 years of age, he commenc- efficiency of Teachers' Institutes :" also "Aned writing for the periodical press, and was a
act authorizing towns to erect monuments to the memory of deceased soldiers," both of which met the approval of the Legislature. His influence in favor of progressive legisla- tion on the subject of education, and the ex- pression of his views before the House, secur- ed valuable and efficient additions to our present school laws. In Nov. 1862, he was appointed a member of the Board of Educa- tion, and held the office for successive years until 1868, and prepared the annual reports of the Board. He ranked among the ablest and most earnest friends of education, labor- ing both with voice and pen to enlarge the field of its labors, and perfect our system of common schools. Next to the late Secretary of the Board of Education, J. Sullivan Adams, Vermont owes a debt of gratitude and remembrance to him for his valuable ser- vices which have greatly redounded to the benefit of the State, and those who are to be educated in its schools.
He was chaplain of the Senate in 1864, '65 and '66. He was superintendent of recruiting in Orleans county from 1863 to the close of the war, and rendered efficient service in rais- ing men to crush out the rebellion.
Aside from his public duties, he performed much valuable labor for the State, which is not recorded on the journals, and which will be most highly appreciated by a future gen- eration. He was superintendent of schools in St. Johnsbury in 1857, and in Coventry from 1862 to '64.
He was an untiring and enthusiastic friend and laborer in the cause of temperance, seek- ing every opportunity to promote it. He was appointed Chief Templar of the Indepen- dent Order of Good Templars in Vermont in 1867, and held the position until his death. He devoted all his energies to its welfare, and to extend its usefulness, never sparing his strength or labors in the cold of winter or heat of summer visiting the Lodges, and going here and there delivering public addresses, and gathering together bands of this impor- tant auxiliary to the temperance cause amid the hills and valleys of our State; and the thousands connected with that institution, bless his memory and reverance his name. To Pliny H. White, the friends of temperance in Vermont owe a debt of gratitude which will be long held in remembrance.
163
COVENTRY.
copious contributor to the newspapers and magazines during all the rest of his life. He had been a diligent student in many depart- ments of study, and won for himself an envi- able reputation as a writer. At different times he wrote editorially for the Vermont Journal, People's Journal, Newport Express Caledonian, and Orleans Independent Stan- dard. To the Historical Magazine and Con- gregational Quarterly, he contributed numer- ous historical and biographical articles. For the Vermont Record he furnished some hun- dreds of articles, most of them relating to Vermont history and biography. Among them was a series of biographical notices of the Alumni of Middlebury College, and con- tinued nearly every week for several years ; also a series of biographies of the Presidents of the University of Vermont, and a series of memoirs of the Governors of Vermont. He was the Vermont correspondent of the Con- gregationalist from 1852 to April 22, 1869. He was a regular contributor to the Burling- ton Free Press, Rutland Herald, Barton Stan- dard and Newport Express, and contributed occasionally to many other papers and peri- odicals. Whenever he found anything in his inquiries that was of importance or interest to any particular locality, he at once com- municated it to the nearest local newspaper, evincing a desire to impart information that would be of service to those most interested, which was a valuable and happy peculiarity that enabled him to make friends, and aided him in the pursuit of his inquiries upon par- ticular subjects. He was a valued assistant of the Vermont press, and his contributions were ever welcome, and his death becomes a serious loss, as he placed on record, through the various journals, items and articles of a character that were full of interest to the gen- eral reader, but particularly to every Ver- monter.
We have thus minutely enumerated the public services of Mr. White, that they might be recorded as the evidences of a fertile mind, industrious habits, and mark him as one of Vermont's most industrious and faithful sons.
scraps of history pertaining to Vermont in any form, or to the local nistory of towns or individuals. He was probably better ac- quainted with the personal history and pe- culiar characteristics of more Vermont men than any man now living, and his materials for the biography of individuals were far more exact and voluminous than any other collection in this country, a large portion of which was devoted to Vermonters at home and abroad. He has left sketches of most of the leading men of the State, both clergymen and laymen, all carefully and systematically arranged. His published sketches of Mat- thew Lyon, Jonas Galusha and William C. Bradley fully attest his quallifications as a biographical writer.
His love of history and research early led him to become associated with the Vermont Historical Society, whose objects he fully appreciated, and for its prosperity he assidu- ously labored, and contributed more than any other one individual to its upbuilding and in additions to its valuable collection. During his leisure hours, while at Montpelier, he carefully arranged and catalogued its col- lection, with a loving hand. Associated with such earnest patrons of the Society as Hiland Hall, George F. Houghton, Charles Reed, A. D. Hager and others, his services have been invaluable to this Society and the State. On the retirement of Ex-Governor Hall from the Presidency of the Society, in 1866, Mr. White, with great unanimity, was chosen its President, which position he held to his death. His loss is severe to the Vermont Historical Society, and his death is deeply mourned by all its members, as an energetic head and valued associate.
It is unnecessary for me to dwell on his historical labors, for they are known, read and appreciated, not only by those who have been associated with him in this field of labor, but are appreciated by the people of the State he loved and served so well.
Perhaps in concluding this view of his services, we may use the language of a para- graph in the Barton Standard in announcing his death. It says : "He was a remarkable man both in the extent of his knowledge and the readiness with which he could apply it on all occasions. He was a walking ency- clopædia of historical facts and dates, and it will be a long time before Vermont can fur-
Perhaps the most arduous and useful labors of his life, and those which were congenial to his natural tastes, have been in the field of local history and biography, in which he had few, if any, equals in our whole country- ever on the alert to gather and place in me- thodical order, for use at any moment, all nish his equal in this particular. He was a
164
VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
warm and genial friend, a temperance man of the strictest sect, and, as we believe, a consistent Christian.
Mr. White was a resident member of the New England Historic Genealogic Society, and corresponding member of most of the local and State Historical Societies in the United States. He was a member of the corporation of Middlebury College. The honorary degree of Master of Arts had been conferred upon him by Amherst and Middle- bury Colleges and the University of Vermont.
He married, May 11, 1847, Electa B. D. Gates, of Belchertown, Mass., who survives him, and now resides at Amherst, Mass. He had three children :- 1st, Margaret Elizabeth, born at Londonderry, Vt., Mar. 21, 1849, and who graduated at the Tilden Female Semi- nary in 1868, with the highest honors. 2d, John Alexander, born at Brattleboro, Feb. 15, 1851, and who died at Brattleboro, Aug. 12, 1861. 3d, William Holton, born at St. Johnsbury, Aug. 1, 1855. He inherits many of his father's useful and studious qualities.
Mr. White died at his residence in Coventry, Apr.24, 1869, after an illness of paralysis of the brain, undoubtedly occasioned by overwork, at the age of 46 years, 6 months and 18 days. He was buried at Westminster on Tuesday, the 27th of April in a lot selected by himself for his last resting-place.
From this imperfect and hasty glance at his life and character, we may briefly take a general view of his claims as a remarkable man and useful citizen.
It is obvious that he owed little to advan- tageous circumstances. It was not his name that drew attention to his talents, it was his talents that gave prominence to his name. He forced his own way from obscurity, and by the power of his own genius carved out for himself an honored name. He sprang from the substantial yeomanry of New Eng- land. He attained his eminence and position by the force of his own genius, by patient, laborious, untiring industry. It was the quickness of his observation which enabled him to appropriate to himself whatever was useful. His memory was capacious and re- tentive. Witness the stores of information he had collected. His imagination was live- ly and vigorous. With all these characteris- tics of mind, none of us know how much he might have accomplished had he lived to the ordinary length of life. Owing to his versa-
-
tility of talent, he was ready upon every subject, and could accomodate himself to all occasions. He possessed a fund of chastened humor and harmless satire. We have seen him in a deliberative assembly, when angry feelings were enkindling, by one stroke of humor avert the gathering storm and change the whole current of feeling.
He gained knowledge for practical purpo- ses, and considered knowledge of little value that could not be turned to utility. As a writer and speaker, he adopted no artificial mode of expression ; he simply sought that phraseology, which would convey with clear- est directness, his own ideas. His words were of the old Saxon stock; his sentences were not modeled by Roman measures, but to the more negligent simplicity of native, English syntax. It had been his life's early and late business to address popular assem- blies, and commune with the common mind ; and the habit of constant, hasty popular ad- dresses, with all its simplifying benefits, pro- duced its corresponding defects. It lowered his standard of rhetorical finish. The main excellence of his style consisted in a clear, vernacular, consecutive train of manly thought and methodical arrangement.
Such is a brief sketch of the life of Mr. White ; such, at least he was to the fallible view, and in the hastily expressed phrase of one whose pleasure it was to enjoy his friend- ship and to have been the associate of some of his earthly labors. If personal feelings were likely to color the expression, still the endeavor has been to draw the lineaments from memory, and to speak with the impar- tiality of history.
Vermont had the honor of his birth, the benefit of his labors ; her hills were his home, her history his study, her progress his de- light, her honor his glory, and her soil his grave. May a kind Providence grant to our beloved State another son like PLINY H. WHITE.
CRAFTSBURY.
BY HON. W. J. HASTINGS.
Craftsbury, in Orleans County, is bounded N.by Albany, S. by Greensboro, E.by Wolcott, W.by Eden. It issituated about 25 miles south of Canada line and about 30 north of Mont- pelier, and is about equidistant between Con-
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.