USA > Vermont > Rutland County > The history of Rutland county, Vermont; civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military, pt 1 > Part 53
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"Nothing on this side nothing on t'other ;
Nothing in the house, nor in the stable either."
His wife was Abigail Cutler, sister to Isaac Cutler, Esq. She died in West Haven, June 16, 1820, in her 66th year. He re- moved to Canada before the war of 1812, and died there. They had two sons and one daughter.
Isaac Cutler, Esq., whose name we often meet in the subsequent records of our early history, came hither also from Brookfield, in of land of Mr. Rice, one-half from the east end of Zadock Everest's 2d div., and the other half from the Elisha Hamilton lot No. 5, Mr. Cutler built on this land the house after- ward owned by Jacob Willard, later by Cy- rus Willard. It was opened and kept as a tav- ern by Mr. Cutler for some years, serving as | a popular evening resort for the early settlers
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of the neighborhood. There was a nursery of apple trees by the roadside a little east of the house, in 1797.
The place was sold by him September, 1798, to Philip Allen, of Salem, N. Y. Mr. C. must have come into the village to reside soon afterward, and may have made his home with his brother-in-law, Nathaniel Dickinson, who kept the public house of the village. Mr. Cutler purchased the house and about 10 acres of Dr. Simeon Smith, of West Haven, Feb. 5, 1803. In February, 1810. he appears to have lived in a part of the old house which stood on the common. Here- moved to West Haven in the spring of 1827 where he resided till his death in Nov. 1832, when he was aged 86 years.
He left no family. He was a prominent and influential man in the town, largely connected with its public and business affairs. Being a justice of the peace, he was universally designated as "Squire Cutler."
STEPHEN ROGERS, a tanner and shoemaker, who seems to have been a particular friend of Col. Lyon's, came from Branford, Ct., this year. He was followed soon after by his younger brothers, Ambrose, Beriah and Jared. Stephen started the first tannery under the
CHARLES HAWKINS, sen., came from Smith- field, R. I., in the summer of 1786, buying, in August, of James Hooker, of Poultney, one- patronage of Col. Lyon. He built also a house | half of Asa Joiner's right of land in the town. and shoe-shop. He sold in March, 1801, to Calvin Munger, and went away to the West.
Col. Lyon, who in 1805, was doing a large business in tanning, at Eddyville, Ky., sought He had, several years previously, whis resident i' Smithfield, in January, 1781, pur- chased, in company with his brother-in-law, and obtained him to come to Eddyville whither his wife, whom he had left in Fair Haven, was assisted by the town to go to | James Bowen, of Smithfield. the original him, in August, 1811. She returned from Western New York and died in Elizabeth- town some years after.
He married Hannah, dau. of Dea. Munger, Feb 1789. They had 3 children. Lucy, Ste- phen, who became a Congregational minister, at one time settled in Claremont, N. H., and Lorenzo who resides in Westport, N. Y.
Col. Lyon built the dam on his Upper Falls to bring water to his iron works, in July of this year, 1785, and on October 14th he petitioned the General Assembly of the State, then an independent sovereignty, to lay a duty of two pence per pound on nails, to en- able him to build his works and supply the State. The place was called from this time, | and for many years was known over the whole country about, by the name of " Lyon's works."
1786. GAMALIEL LEONARD came from Pitts- field, Mass., in 1785, to Greenfeld, N. Y., stopping on Hampton Hills, and while resi- dent there, in January, 1786, bought of Heman Barlow 120 acres on Poultney river, in Fair Haven. This land laid along the Falls north of the place where the old Skeene's road crossed.
Moving into town in the spring of 1736, Mr. Leonard built him a house near the Falls, and commenced the erection of the second saw mill in town. The country east of Mr. Leonard was then an almost unbroken forest. A road was cut around the north side of the cedar swamp, and Oliver Cleve- land drove a yoke of cattle on this road through the woods, which was the first team driven through to the saw-mill. In 1788, Mr. Leonard, in company with Elias Ste- vens and Daniel Arnold, of Hampton, built a forge at the west end of the saw-mill. Mr. Arnold sold his share of the forge to James Downey, jr., in December, 1792, and Mr. Stevens sold his to Dr. Simeon Smith, in March, 1802.
Here Mr. Hawkins built and settled, tak- ing the freem'in's oath in the tomu, isoout tember, 1788 of
right in town which belonged to Benjamin or Benoni Cutler, of Plainfield, N. H., and the first division of this right was surveyed to him in May, 1781; from which we infer that he had visited the town and located his land at this early date. He is said to have been a " gentleman" and a " blacksmith" in Rhode Island, and appears to have made a number of purchases and sales of lands in town. He adds to his home-farm by pur chase of Philip Priest, in the spring of 1787 about 25 acres ; and in the fall sells 20 acres to Joel Hamilton, including the house in which Hamilton then lived. He died here Mar. 31, 1810, in his 75th year, and his wid- ow married Michael Merritt. The home- farm was sold by his sons, Charles and Rich- ard, to Dr. James Witherell, in October, 1813.
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David Erwin, afterwards known as " Col- onel," and later as " General" Erwin, came hither from New Jersey, soon after the com- pletion of Col. Lyon's iron works, and prob- ably as early as the year 1786, he being in town and witnessing to the signing of a deed in March, 1737.
He is remembered by the older inhabi- tanis as a man of marked ability, and the efficient superintendent, or foreman, of the slitting-mill. The story is told that when he came to town, then a young man, he first en- gaged at very small wages as "blower and striker" in the shop where Col. Lyon's chief workman was manufacturing axes, pretend- ing not to be skilled in any of the arts of Vulcan, and so was called "Lyon's fool." After a little while, when engaged in "strik- ing" with his " boss," he put in the interrog- atory, " Why not strike there ?- and again, there ?" The "boss" getting impatient of the fool's impudence, as he regarded it, swore out that he might make the axe himself, he appearing to know so much; when Erwin replied that he would do so if he would suffer him to try his hand. He accordingly took the fire and anvil, and in an unusually short space of time turned out his axe, which was declared to be a handsomer, and better axe than any the shop had before produced. The Iveross" threw off his apron, put on his coat
1785cleared the shop, calling on Col. Lyon to Printle up, averring that " the fool" had out- witted him and he would no longer work.
From this time "Captain Erwin," as he was first called, came to be Col. Lyon's fore- most workman. He took the freeman's oath here in September, 1788. In May, 1789, he purchased of John Meacham 3 acres of land, on the bank of Poultney river, and from time to time he added to his land by pur- chase and diminished by sale, till his farm constituted the one where J. W. Esty now resides.
He was one, among others, licensed to s ... liquors at the June training, of 1802.
He is said to have had two sons, Wa .... and Moses, while in town, and afterwar , . , have been himself a member, or to have ns! a son who was a member of the N. Y. s .. . senate. Further than this we learn nothing of him.
ETHAN WHIPPLE, EsQ., was one of the cer comers of this year. Here he took up 1 large tract of land on the rights of John at i Lemuel Paine, an interest in which be bil purchased as early as 1781. He built the house where John Allard now resides, ba: sold the same in 1831, and removed to the west street, buying the house and lo: zor occupied by Charles Clyne, and residing there till his death. He was long a post. nent and influential citizen of the town. [See biography.]
CAPT. ELIJAH TAYLOR come from Brook- field, Mass., this year. He was elected a jury- man in March, 1737. He resided on the wes: street, having some claim on the farm c: Charles Rice, a part of which he sold to John W. Throop, called " Troop," as late as June, 1795.
Capt. Taylor was never married. He w33 a great talker ; and had been in the battle of Bunker Hill; and used often to meet bis neighbors and while away the long winter evenings in social chit-chat and story-telling over the merry cup at Squire Cutler's ins. He removed to Hydeville, then " Castleton Mills," where he died, about 1819.
The town meeting was held, Mar. 13, 1755, at Samuel Stannard s, house.
At another meeting, held at Mr. Stan- nard's, September 5th, it was voted " not :0 divide the town into two societies," ani :o appropriate funds to build bridges in the west part of the town.
In December, at Mr. Stannard's. it w23 voted " that they will hire a minister," as i Thomas Dickson was appointed "to treat with Benson committee how they shall pro- ceed." A tax of two pence on the pound to be laid on the list of 1736 was voted, it is to be inferred, for the support of the ministry.
Col. Erwin was ordered to meet with the regiment under his command for parade, June 9, 1796, his regiment being in the sec- ond division of the second brigade of State militia. He was called " General" Erwin, in 1799, and appears to have left the town 1787. DR. SIMEON SMITH, of Sharon, C :. , came and bought lands extensive'y in the West Haven part of the town. He built 3 saw-mill on Hubbardton river, and com- menced a forge on the Falls, afterwards about 1801 or 1802, and to have gone to northern New York. He leased the slitting- mill. owned by Edward Douse, of Dedham, Mess., of Mr. Douse's attorney, John Brown. in December, 1800, until February, 1802. | owned by Gen. Jonathan Orms. He resided
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ca the school-lot, so-called, which he leased from Eleazer Dudley, in February, 1789. He there built the house which was afterwards occupied by Maj. Tilly Gilbert.
Dr. Smith was previous to the division (in 1:02,) selectman in 1789, '90 and '91, and representative to the General Assembly, in 1789, '92, and '97. He was the delegate of the town to the State Convention at Benning- ton, in January, 1791, which for Vermont, adopted and ratified the Constitution of the United States ; and in 1789 was elected one of the assistant judges of the Rutland county court. In 1792, he was probate judge for the district of Fair Haven. He died Feb. 27, 1794, aged 70 years, bequeathing to the town of West Haven the sum of $ 1,000, then a relatively generous amount, to be kept at interest for the period of 60 years, after which time to be devoted to educational purposes as follows: " to have one good grammar school kept in West Haven, near the village where I now live, the overplus for the benefit of other schools and the support of a gospel minister, well educated and regularly in- structed in the ministry, and if any over, for the support of the poor and needy in the said town of West Haven, under the direc- tion of the civil authority and the selectmen of said town."
Dr. Smith's second wife was Catharine Cutler, sister to Isaac Cutler, Esq. She sur- vived him, inheriting by his will one-half of all his estate, which was estimated at $ 80,000, and afterward married Christopher Minot, Esq., of Boston.
DR. STEPHEN HALL came from Connecticut, where he lost his left hand while cutting corn- stalks for molasses, during the Revolutionary war. He bought a building lot of Capt. Elijah Taylor, in March, 1788, on the corner of the west street and the road leading to Mr. Hawkins.' He was also chosen one of the listers in town in the same month.
He is the first physician who is mentioned as owning land in the town. Selling to Dr. James Witherell, in October, 1791, he re- moved to New Lebanon, N. Y. He resided in Canaan, N. Y., in the spring of 1802.
At the March meeting of this year, held again at Mr. Stannard's, it was voted that " the sign-post be erected on the hill by Col. Lyon's new barn," from which it is inferable that Col. Lyon had then recently built on the Į remises of the old tavern stand. The sign- post stood, a little over 30 years ago, near the S. E corner of the old shed which then
and until as late as 1853 occupied the present site of Mr. Adams' brick store.
Feb. 18, 1787, Michael Merritt, town cler's by order of the citizens of the town, signs a petition to the General Assembly, to bave the county seat of Rutland county at Castle- ton. This petition was joined in by Wells, Benson, Orwell, Poultney Castleton and Hubbardton; but certain persons had inti- mated that Fair Haven and Benson ought not to be considered, whether because these two towns were later organized, or on some other ground, we are not told. The petition coming before the General Assembly, in March, Col. Lyon, who was a member from Fair Haven, moved that it be filed ani postponed to the next session-votes, 25 yeas, and 19 nays.
1788. MAJ. TILLY GILBERT came in the spring from Brookfield, Mass., in company with Gideon Tafft, who had taken up land in the town, and resided here for a short time, but afterward settled in Whitehall. Maj. Gilbert was then quite a young man. He put up at first at the public house kert ty Silas Safford, and was employed by Col. Lyon to teach a school, perhaps in the old school-house on the Green.
He studied medicine with Dr. Hall on the west street, and also taught school in Benson and Orwell. Removing to Benson abot: 1791-2, his connection with the history of our town does not really commence until his return, in about 1800.
At the March meeting, at Mr. Stannar i's, Mar. 13th, five persons were chosen on the board of Selectmen, of which Col. Lyon was chairman. Dan Smith, of the West Haven part of the town, is named as one of the lis- ters, together with Stephen Hall and Gama- liel Leonard.
There was a frost on the 20th of June, so severe as to destroy the wheat and other crops, and many suffered by famine during the winter of 1788-9.
By a warning from Silas Safford, justice of the peace, a proprietor's meeting was het i at Mr. Safford's house, Aug, 23, Col. Lyon being chosen moderator. After chosing Mr. Safford clerk the meeting was adjourn- i to the first Monday in October, but the proveei- ings of the adjourned meeting are not to be found.
There was a citizens' meeting at Mr. Priest's house, September 2d, when it was
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voted "That the selectmen do repair the bridge which crosses the river between this town and Greenfield, and tax the town for the cost, if a tax is not granted by the Gen- eral Assembly for that purpose." It was also voted to memorialize the General Assem- bly for "a tax of two pence on the acre for repairing bridges and highways in this town."
JEHIEL MITCHELL, a carpenter, came from Litchfield, Ct., was here in the summer of this year. He was a brother to Beriah and Ichabod Mitchell, of West Haven, and built "a red shop," opposite Dr. Hall's, on the west street.
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ISAIAH INMAN came from Massachusetts with his family, in the fall, stopping, at first, with his brother in-law, Charles Hawkins, sen. He located east of Dr. Simeon Smith's, and the " country road," nigh the romantic and beautiful lake in the north part of the town, called from him, " Inman Pond." He did not reside long in the town, but removed to Hampton, N. Y., in 1792, and sold his place to Theophilus Woodward, of West Haven.
Thomas Dibble, called " Doctor Dibble;" who came from Nobletown, N. Y., and here married a daughter of Oliver Cleveland, was in town about this time. He dwelt, previous- ly to 1807, south of Wellington Estey's place on the bank of Poultney river. In 1807, he purchased the farm which had been settled by Jeremiah Durand, and resided on the same until 1817.
1789. Dr. James Witherell, who had come to Hampton from Mansfield, Mass., the pre- ceding year, stopping for a time with Sam- uel Beaman, came into town this season. He took the oath of allegiance in September, 1790, and in April, 1791, purchased about 30 acres of Elisha Kilburn, of Hampton, on the border of the river, in the west part of the town. He purchased, in October following, the house in which he was then living, and the acre and a half of land at the corner of the road, of Dr. Stephen Hall, whose place as a physician he seems to have taken. He afterwards purchased of Charles Rice and others a large portion of what now consti tutes Hamilton Wescott's farm. Dr. Wither- ell, known also as "Judge Witherell," was for over twenty years a public and influen- tial citizen of the town, being several times a representative in the State assembly, a judge in the county court, and likewise a
Member of Congress while resident in Faiz Haven.
He removed to Detroit, Mich., about 1810, where he held a responsible public office at one of the United States Judges of the Te !!:- tory, and was long one of the chief men and officers of the State.
In October, Col. Lyon invokes the State by a petition to the General Assembly to sell him 100 acres of land granted to the Society for propagating the gospel in foreign parts, and also for £SOC State scrip, to be pa:l back in two years. The petition was referred to the next General Assembly.
1790. The March meeting was held for the first time "at the school-house in the middle school district."
Beriah Rogers is said to have come into town this year, from Branford, Ct., and to have made his home for a number of years following with his brother, Stephen. In February, 1797, he bought 50 acres on Scotch Hill, which he sold in 1799. In August, 1797, he bought of Pliny Adams, of Hampton, N. Y., a house and 17 } acres of land, where Zenas C. Ellis resides, making several pur- chases subsequently.
On this place he seems to have made his home until he removed to Hampton, about the spring of 1808. In 1802, he commenced a tannery, which he sold, after his removal to Hampton.
Mr. Rogers was a justice of the peace in the town for a number of years.
Charles Boyle and Olney Hawkins took the oath of allegiance at the freeman's meet- ing, in September, this year. Mr. Boyle, with Robert White, of Lansingburgh, N. Y., bought of Col. Lyon, in Jan. 1792, 2 acres of land on the old highway leading from Lyon's works to Castleton, including a small red store standing on the same.
He owned also, the part of the 2d div. on which Mr. Durand resided, and at his de- cease, in 1799, the 2d div. of Nathan Clark, and 85 acres of land, known as the " Handy lot," bought of Col. Lyon, in March, 1793.
William Buell, a gold and silversmith, who came from Arlington, and occupied the place at the foot of the hill where Cyrus C. Whipple resides, and there repaired watches and sold silver ware, must have come into town this year. In April following, 1791, he bought a piece of land of Jeremiah Du- rand, and was assessed in the grand list.
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He was chosen second constable in 1794 ; is said to have been an Englishman, and to have had a son William. He married, for his second wife, Polly Baldwin, of Rutland. Her first child was deaf and dumb. He died in town, and his widow went back to Rut- land.
Nathaniel Dickinson, who built a store near Dr. Witherell's, took the freeman's oath here in 1791. He came from Massachusetts. His wife was a sister to Maj. Tilly Gilbert. In June, 1795, he was keeping Col. Lyon's public house when Col. Lyon sold to David Mack. He kept the same house, or some other, for several years afterward, even as late as 1803.
Mr. Dickinson bought 65 acres on the west street, in 1797; and owned one-half the grist mill; and was constable in 1802. He resided in West Haven_in 1809, where he died in July, 1811-his wife having died in December before.
Abijah Warren, was from Litchfield, Ct., a son-in-law of Dea. Daniel Munger, and was probably here as early as this year and, may have been here at an earlier period. He appears to have first bought a building lot on the road north of Dr. Witherell's toward Mr. Hawkin's, in June, 1796,-adding to it, in April, 1797, 30 acres more, all of which he sold to Olney Hawkins, in July, 1802. He is said to have been a very sanctimonious man, and to liave lived in the grist-mill house after this time, where he had a large family.
Frederick Hill, the town clerk, having re- moved to Rutland a meeting was called, in December 1791 which chose James Witherell town clerk, and voted " to dismiss the com- mittee heretofore chosen to hire preaching."
March 5, 1792, Dr. James Witherell was chosen town clerk, but the records appear to have been kept by John Brown, a young man who came hither from North Providence, R. I., in the spring of 1702, and taught school in the town. He was afterwards town clerk. His records are made with great elegance and beauty of penmanship. Mr. Brown was a brother-in-law of Ethan Whip- ple, Esq., having married his sister, Mary, in Rhode I-land.
He bought first of Col. Lyon, in May, 1.93, 2 acres just south of Mr. Whipple's and built a house where James Campbell now lives. Buying a farm of 65 acres of Charles Rice,
near Dr. Witherell's, on the west street, in March, 1798, he removes there on, and a'lver- tises his other place for sale in the " Fair Haven Telegraph," in December, 1795. In October, 1797, he sells the 65 acres on the west street to Nathaniel Dickinson, and re- moves into the public house in the village, which he seems to have kept a number of years. He removed to St. Albans in March, 1801. He died Mar. 16, 1805, aged, 39 years. His wife died Apr. 11, 1805, aged 39 years
The warning for the March meeting called the people together to choose town officers, and " to see if they will agree to petition the Legislature of this State to divide this town into two, and to see if they can agree on a dividing line." James Witherell and Lem- uel Hyde were appointed agents to petition the Legislature for the division of the town.
At another meeting, held the 22d inst; and for the first time at the meeting-house, it was voted " to hold future town meetings here, and also the freeman's meeting, for the election of the next Member of Congress, and a Member of Convention.
James Witherell, Silas Safford and Philip Priest were chosen a committee to join a committee from West Haven, " to settle the publie accounts which lie in common be- tween the two towns."
On the question that the dividing line be at Mud Brook, the vote stood-yeas 9, nays 48; that it be at Hubbardton river, yeas 9, nays 48 ; that it run, as now, from Poultney river to a line on the hill parallel with the west line of the Brooks' lot, and thence along the Great Ledge to Benson, yeas 43, nays 7. " But as there is a number of per- sons who dissent from the line which the majority think the most commodious, voted that Isaac Cutler, Silas Safford and Ethan Whipple be a committee to confer with the aforesaid dissentients, in choosing a disinter- ested committee to point out a dividing line, which line the inhabitants will petition the Legislature to establish." The meeting was then adjourned to March 27th.
At the adjourned meeting, Cornelius Brownson, Ethan Whipple and Lemuel HIyde were made a new committee to settle the town account with the treasurer, Mr. Merritt, and it was voted to call the west or north part of the town " West Haven."
September 4th the citizens met by adjourn- ment, voted " they still continue deteradsed to divide the town into two, and that the dividing line be established as it was pre-
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viously voted." Col. Lyon, Samuel Stan- nard and Philip Priest were chosen a con- mittee to meet a committee from West Haven to settle the claim of each town to lands granted by the Legislature for the ministry and for schools ; meeting adjourned to Jan. 4th, 1793.
In the meantime Messrs. Witherell and Hyde make their petition on behalf of the town on the 8th of October, the Legislature convening at Rutland. The petition recites that they desire division,
" 1st, Because " the public road goes more than 16 miles from the northwest to the south- east corner, at which extremes the town is inhabited."
" 2nd, Because it is 13 miles from the southwest corner to the east side of the town.
" 3d, Because there is a " Great Ledge," which nearly divides the east from the west part.
" 4th, The west part of the town having better land than the east part, yet a large share of it remaining in a state of uncultiva- tion ; and the east part having natural ac- commodations for water works, and great roads through it, makes it consider its future importance ;- so that each part has its ex- penses while not considering the expenses of the other part, they cannot agree on a center as one town, yet when divided there is not the least difficulty, each being ready to agree on a center for itself.
" 5th, The town being longer than a 6 mile square town, the inhabitants have always expected to be divided, and although at times they might disagree about the place where to divide, yet each extreme has scarce- ly ever failed of wishing to get rid of the other, which has at times created difficulties which we do not wish to mention."
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