USA > Vermont > Rutland County > The history of Rutland county, Vermont; civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military, pt 1 > Part 59
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Beriah Rogers is said to have had Methodist preaching at his house. There probably were others who were favorable to some form of re- ligion, and united with the Arminians of the time, who were then the liberal party as oppos- ed to the Calvinists, by whom the Methodists were, for many years, deemed heretics outside the pale of Christian recognition.
In 1827 Fair Haven formed part of a circuit with Castleton. Meetings were held once in 2 weeks in the school-house, and the Rev. Mr. Hazleton was the preacher. He was succeed- ed by the Rev. Joseph Ayres, by Rev. C. R. Wilkins, and by Rev. Mr. Stewart.
Fair Haven was afterwards connected with East Whitehall, and was supplied for 2 years, about '38, by Rev. Albert Chaplain. Rev. Joel Squires supplied for 2 years, and a Rev. Mr. Cooper was supplying, assisted by Rev. Dr. Jesse T. Peck and others, from the seminary at Poultney, when the subscription was raised to build the church about '42 or '43.
The church was built in '43, and the minis- ters who were sent here by the Troy Confer- ence were the Rev. Mr. Graves, Rev. Matthias Ludlum, Rev. Godfrey Saxe, Rev. J. E. Bow- en, Rev. Thomas Pierson, Rev. John Hasse- lum, Rev. David Osgood, Rev. Mr. Griffith, Rev. H. Ford, Rev. P. H. Smith, Rev. John Thompson, Rev. Hannibal H. Smith, Rev. A. Viele, and Rev. R. Fox. Rev. M. Ludlum has been stationed with the society twice. The first settled ministers were young, unmarried men, and usually remained but one year. The later ones have been settled. most of them, 2 years each. Rev. H. H. Smith was here but one year. Rev. Mr. Fox has been with the so- ciety 3 years.
In '53 the society bought land and erected a parsonage north of their.church-Rev. Mr. Ford being here at the time. In '67, under Mr. Fox's ministry, the church building was greatly en.
larged and improved, and is now the largest in the place.
The society has received many accessions from people who have moved into the town, aud is in a flourishing condition.
WELSH RELIGIOUS MEETINGS.
Occasional religious services and preaching in the Welsh language took place in the town in the summer of 1851-Rev. Evan Griffiths of Utica, and Rev. Thomas R. Jones of Rome, N. Y., visiting the place during that scason. Reg- ular meetings were commenced at the school- house early in the year '53-Rev. Griffith Jones being the pastor. In '57, " The Welsh Protest- ant Society of Fair Haven" erected a brick church on the east side of Main Street-cost about $3,500.
In the spring of '59 Rev. G. Jones was dis- missed, and he removed to Cambria, Wisconsin. Soon after his departure a portion of the society left the church and built a new edifice on the opposite side of the street, and organized a so- ciety called " The Welsh Caly inistic Method- ist." In January, '60, Rev. R. L. Herbert, then of Utica, N. Y., accepted a call from the Fair Haven Welsh Protestant Society, and has con- tinucd the pastor of the society to the present time, (1870.) The society is free from debt- has a membership of 95, an average attendance at its meetings of 170, and of 100 at the sab- bath school. Its services are conducted in the Welsh language, except one service in English on Sunday afternoons.
Of the Welsh Presbyterians, or Calvinistic Methodists, the Rev. Daniel T. Rowland, who came hither from Wisconsin, was pastor about 10 months. Rev. John Joncs, from Wales, preached in Fair Haven and Middle Granville, alternately, about 2 years. Rev. E. W. Brown came hither from Alleghany College, Meadville, Pa., in the fall of '65, and was pastor of the society about 3 years. He was succeeded in '69 by Rev. Robert V. Griffiths from Wales.
ST. LOUIS CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Rev. J. A. Boissonnanlt is now pastor of the church ; supplying, also, the church at Orwell one Sunday in each month. This church was built in the fall of '69-about $400 of the ex- pense being raised from a fair holden at the town hall, and the balance by subscription.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH
Was organized Dec. 14, 1867, with 31 mem- bers, most of whom were from the church at Hydeville ; Alonson Allen and I. N. Churchill deacons.
Meetings were first held in the chapel over
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Mr. Adams' store, and afterward in the town / ble and impulsive as a torpedo, or a witch-quiil. hall. Preaching was supplied for a time by I came very near bocoming involved in an Irish row with him, because I modestly declined pledging him in a " brandy smash," in modern improved parlanee-then called a "brandy. sling," which he had paid as one of the heads of opposite parties in a game of base ball. Revs. L. Howard and O. Cunningham of Rut- land, and H. L. Grose, then of Ballston, N. Y. Rev. P. F. Jones became pastor in June, '68, and was dismissed after 10 months. Rev. D. Spencer became the pastor in September, '69. The corner stone of the new church on the S. side of the common was laid with religious ceremonies on the afternoon of June 2, 1870 -addresses being delivered on the oceasion by Revs. E. R. Sawyer, J. Freeman, W. W. At- water, E. P. Hooker, J. Goadby, and by the pastor, Rev. D. Spencer.
The articles deposited in the corner-stone were : The articles of the Faith of the church ; the constitution and by-laws of the church and society, with the names of the trustees and building committee ; the name of the architect and builder; a list of the names of the sub. seribers towards the erection of this building ; a history of the Sunday-school connected with the church, and-the names of its officers ; his- -tory of the Young Men's Christian Association of Fair Haven, with the names of its officers ; History of Fair Haven, by A. N. Adams; Le- gislative Direetory for 1867 ; Fair Haven Jour- nal, Rutland Herald, New York Tribune, Ex- aminer and Chronicle, Watchman and Reflector ; collection of coins and stamps representing the currency of the country.
LETTER FROM REV. N. S. S. BEAMAN, D. D.
My Dear Sir : I taught a distriet sehool in Fair Haven in the winter of 1804, having a certificate of a freshman's standing in Williams College, intending soon to join Middlebury Col- lege. But my knowledge of your town did not commenee with my school, as my childhood was spent within 3 miles of your village, and I was 17 years old just before I commeneed teaching in that place. The early inhabitants of Fair Haven I knew, as most boys know their near or more remote neighbors-the fami- lies by siglit and by name, and the young folks more intimately.
I have kept no record except that of memo- ry, and, though blessed with a somewhat reten- tive and ready one, I can now give you only what may be reasonably expected from the hasty recollections of a man of 84 years of age.
I knew Col. Matthew Lyon; and when I was quite a small lad I was intimately aequaint- ed with his family, especially with one of his sons, Chittenden,-named, I suppose, from gov- ernor Chittenden. We all familiarly called him " Chit." He was a bright boy, but inflamma-
Of the other children of Col. Lyon I knew less than of "Chit." because we were about of the same age-he being less than one year old- er than myself. The family removed to Ken- tueky, then known as " the new State." I well remember watching the emigrant wagons as they passed through Hampton, making a fine display of their imposing white canvass, pro- elaiming their departure to the great unknown South-west. It was a thing to be talked about and remembered.
Col. Lyon's wife was highly spoken of; and they had one daughter famed for personal beau- ty and many accomplishments. My impression is that she and others died soon after arriving in Kentucky. Col. L. was a member of Con- gress from Vermont, and was re-elected from his new residence. He was a native of the Green Isle of the ocean, and possessed all the qualities of his race. He had talents, but they were rough and unhewed from the quarry, and would have appeared more comely in the eyes of most men, if he had been subjected to the polish of the chisel.
As to Dr. Witherell, I knew him well for many years, as he was my father's family phy- sician. He was a man of fine manly appear- ance, tall and well proportioned. In his pro- fession he was considered among the first in the neighboring towns. He was agreeable in his manners, and inelined to be facetious in his visits to his patients, deeming a pleasant faee one of the best potions he could possibly ad- minister at his first visit. He was a man of considerable reading beyond his profession, and he had, as was said, several philosophical works of the French atheistieal and deistical elass, which were quite popular among certain politi- eians of that day. It has been asserted that Prophet Miller, of Hampton, was in the habit of dipping into these works about the time of Mr. Madison's war with England, and that he was the expounder of Voltair and other infidels before he engaged with Daniel and the other prophets. I record this fiom popular rumor and belief, and not from my own personal knowledge; but cireumstances might be stated to confirm the position. That the future proph- ct was the pupil of the Doetor is well known.
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I have said that Dr. W., while in Fair Haven, was inclined to facetiousness, and I may add to jocoseness or punning, for the purpose of con- founding those who thought but little, or not at all. His associations were sometimes such as to puzzle a philosopher or a fool. I recollect he one morning came into my father's laughing heartily at the wonderment into which he had thrown a simple neighbor by saying to him : "Well, Mr. - , it is muggy, hot, and chilly this morning." In analyzing the adjectives the man remained silent, and the Doctor left him at his task. He sometimes greatly amused and sometimes equally vexed his patients. He was a man of influence in his town, and I believe honored his office in Mieliigan as a United States Judge.
As a teacher of his children I had no other acquaintance with him than may be supposed to exist between a dignified father and a youth- ful pedagogue. I " boarded round," as was the custom. I was more intimate in some other houses. In this family it was dignity in life holding converse with youthful diffidence and reserve. In this connection I might name the family of Maj. Tilly Gilbert, who occupied the mansioni once owned by Col. Matthew Lyon. Some of liis children were in my school; Frank- lin, of your village, and Jarvis, onee in the Presbyterian ministry. I felt a special interest in these lads, because their father had long been a special friend of my father, and he had not a little influence in getting the place for me in the Fair Haven district school. He was the most perfect gentleman, and I believe without reproach in all respeets. In his house I always felt at home. I often go back to those days with great pleasure.
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In this connection, with my school, I may mention the state of things in the town respeet- ing learning and religion. The school-house was just respectable, and hardly that ; but it was far better than the meeting-house or the church. A traveler from another state is said to have asked a citizen " how far it was to the meeting-house," and to have received the following reply: "The Lord has no house in Fair Haven, only an old barn, which he intends to make do for the present winter." The reply was more pertinent than pious.
The school-house and chureb stood very near their present positions, and we, teacher and scholars, passed three months without any marked disturbance; without any signal acts of tyranny on the one hand, or of armed vio- lence on the other.
The names of my scholars I cannot give to any great extent.
Among the patrons of my school I may men- tion Mr. Munger, and Mr. Dodge, a Baptist preacher, who seemed to maintain a kind of in- dependent position in his relations. Two of his children, a son and a daughter, I well rec- ollect. The girl was older than myself, and was the best scholar in the school, and the boy had a spice of his father's eccentricity. The lads made the fires by turns, and there had been some neglect on this subject, and we had suffered for several mornings in consquence. It was young Dodge's turn to make the fire in the morning. The preceding evening I gave striet orders to have the former nuisance abated, if the officer in charge had to sit up all night and burn up the entire woodpile at the door.In the morning the sanctum was warm as the tropics, and little Dodge sat demurely studying his lesson in the corner.
I have spoken of the peculiarities of the eld- er Dodge. One anecdote used to be related in Fair Haven in that day, which may be forgotten now. The messenger of peace worked six days for his daily bread, and dispensed the gospel on the seventh. Ile was employed as a bloomer, [rather nailer, ] in the Fair Haven Iron Works. One day a dispute took place between Elder Dodge and a fellow-laborer, and, after the preacher had invoked all the patience he had to his aid in vain, he threw down his tongs and straightened himself up to his full height, threw off his black coat, and said : " Lie there, divin- ity, till I do this man justice."
I heard the Elder preach once in the school. house, but never in the " Lord's barn," as it was then generally called ; whether excluded by the elements or by church authority I am not able to say. He was a man of talents and wit. His son I met a few years since, in the town of Black Brook. in Essex county, N. Y. He is a respectable Baptist elergyman, and he very pleasantly reminded me of the incident of fire- making in the old school-house in Fair Haven, in 1804-65 years ago.
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Of Mr. Cushman and his ministry I could say much ; but you are no doubt well informed on these more recent events. Mr. Cushman was the much esteemed pastor of my first wife, She resided in West Haven, but was a member of the Fair Haven church. This settled minis- ter accomplished a great and good work in your town.
Troy, N. Y. Oct. 5, 1369.
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THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN FAIR HAVEN. The present church on the Park, a plain brick building, was built by Very Rev. Zephuron Druon, in 1856. The Catholics of this town re- ceived regular visits from the Priests who resid- ed at East and West Rutland, until 1866, when a resident pastor, the Rev. J. C. O'Dwyer was stationed amongst them, who has continued since to live in Fair Haven. The present edi- fice is much too small for the congregation which occupies it. The foundations for a larger church were laid on Washington street in 1868.
In 1870 another church was erected by Rev. Gagnier of East Rutland, for the use of the Canadians of Fair Haven. This building has been completed by Rev. J. A. Boissonnault, who also resides in the village, and is the pres- ent pastor. Annexed to this church there is a parsonage and school-house. The average at- tendance of scholars is 50.
L. DE GOESBRIAND, Bp. of Burlington.
BIOGRGRAPHICAL.
SOLOMON, son of Enoch Cleveland, of Hamp- ton, and cousin of Oliver Cleveland, of Fair Haven, and an intimate friend of Col. Matthew Lyon, was for a time resident in this town. He came from Canaan. Conn., to Hampton, then known as "Greenfield," and thought to be in Vermont, with others of his father's family, in the summer of 1777, before the battle of Hub- bardton, and was one who went, at the call. to meet the English in the battle of Bennington.
He seems to have been in Fair Haven, and taken the Freeman's oath here in July, 1791. In August, 1796, he is said to be a resident of Hampton, when he buys of Col. Lyon one equal half of the saw-mill and grist-mill. on the low- er falls, and 17 1-2 acres of land, and removes into town with his family.
He rebuilt the mills, Jonathan Orms working as his chief mill-wright, and put up a house. He sold his share of the mills and the land, in April, 1798, taking in exchange a farm in East Poultney, to which he removed.
He was married in Canaan, Ct., to Martha Rathbone-they had children, Almeda, Solo- mon, Enoch, Patty, Abigail, Samuel, Lydia and Fassett.
Of these, Samuel, born in 1792, and now re- siding with his daughter, Mrs. James T. Free- man of Hydeville, well remembers many of the incidents of bis boyhood in Fair Haven, and to him the writer is indebted for several interest- ing facts.
Solomon Cleveland, Sen., died in Diana, Lew. is county, N. Y., 1844, aged 89.
ISAAC RACE came from Nobletown, N. Y., to Hampton, in 1779, aad afterwards moved into Fair Haven. He married Sarah, daughter of Oliver Cleveland ; children, Sarah or Sally, m. Joseph Benjamin, Dec. 30, 1804; d. in Hamp- ton, April 10, 1869, aged 93 ; Clarissa, m. Spen- cer Scott ; Rhoda, m. Nathaniel Howard; Eli- jah, Russell ; Peter was shot in the army at Plattsburg, N. Y. ; Catherine, Samuel; Isaac Race died March, 1811.
JEREMIAH DURAND was the first settler on the hill farm now owned by Col. A. Alleu. He came into town in company with Israel Trow. bridge, from Derby, Ct., in the autumn of 1780. He married Hannah, dau. of Israel Trowbridge, Nov. 12, 1772. She died in 1777, leaving one infant child, Hannah, whom he committed to the care and keeping of his wife's sister, Abi- gail Trowbridge, and who afterwards became the wife of Olney Hawkins.
Upon his wife's demise he enlisted in the Revolutionary war, and probably remained in the army until 1780, when he came to Fair Ha- ven. Ilis 2d wife's name was Sarah Andrus. He died in 1798, and his widow was married to Lewis Wilkinson of Benson, June 22, 1806, by Isaac Cutler, Justice of the Peace. His 2d fam- ily were Sarah, Ira, Patty, Amy, Nancy and Rhoda.
COL. MATTHEW LYON. Most prominent among the early settlers of Fair Haven was Matthew Lyon, a native of Ireland, who came to this country a poor boy, at 13 years of age, and was bound out, in Connecticut, on his ar- rival to pay the cost of his passage ; the indent- ure of his apprenticeship being afterwards trans- ferred or sold to a second party for a yoke of steers ; an incident which led to many a home- ly joke, as well as bitter taunt in after times, and furnished Lyon with his favorite oath : "by the bulls that bought me."
From Connecticut Lyon found his way to Ver- mont, then a new country withont organization, lying in dispute between New Hampshire and New York. He had married for his wife a Miss Hosford, by whom he had four children, Anna, James. Pamelia and Laurin. She dying, he married as a second wife the widow Beulah Galusha, a daughter of Col. Thomas Chitten- den, afterwards Governor of Vermont, in whose employment he had been. By her he also had four children, Chittenden, Minerva, Matthew and Noab.
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He is said to have begun his residence in Ar- | to Charles McArthur of Nobel or Nobletown, N. Y,, who had married a daughter of Gov. Chit- tenden, and sister to Col. Lyon's wife. He re- moved to Fair Haven, with his family, in the year 1783, having already established the saw- mill and grist-mill in the town. lington, in company with Col. Chittenden and Capt. John Fassett, Jr., in the autumn after the battle of Bennington, each taking possession of the confiscated houses of tories; but Lyou was in the State at least the year before ; for in the summer of 1776, when about 30 years of age, He first resided near the north end of the bridge which crossed the river just above the grist-mill, subsequently building and residing on the site of the old taveru-stand on the hill, and at a later period, on the site of Mr. Knight's present tavern. He commenced the erection of he held a lieutenant's commission in a compa- ny of soldiers stationed at Jericho, under the command of Capt. Fassett. The company re- fused to serve in view of their extreme and un- supported position, and Lyon was accused of influencing the soldiers to desert, but always the forge and iron works in the summer of '85, denied it, and cast the blame on Fassett and and of the paper-mill not long after, thus making himself the father of the town, and causing it to be called and known far and wide, for many years, as "Lyon's Works." the other officers, Lyon made the report to Gen. Gates at Ticonderoga, and with the other officers, was arrested, tried by court martial, and cashiered for cowardice.
Lyon was afterwards, in July, 1777, restored by Gen. Schuyler, and appointed a paymaster ; and, although the affair damaged his military reputation, causing him to be nicknamed " the knight of the Wooden Sword," in his subse- quent fierce political conflict:, yet as a ci- vilian and political leader, it did not material- ly lesson his influence. He became a captain and a colonel in the State militia, and served the State in its contests with tories and " York- ers."
He was deputy secretary to Gov. Chittenden and his council, and was even before this time, and until 1780, clerk of the court of confisca- tion. which had been set up at Arlington, after the battle of Bennington, by the Council of Safety, and through whose authority Chitten- den, Fassett and Lyon had taken possession of the houses of the leading tories. This court had every thing its own way, and when, a few years afterward, Lyon was called upon to de- liver up the record of its proceedings, he utterly refused to do so.
Lyon was chosen representative from Arling- ton. in 1779, and the succeeding years until '82, in which position he served the State on sever- al important committees.
While in the General Assembly, convened at Manchester, in October, '79, he became one of the original proprietors, or grantees named in the charter for the township of Fair Haven. He must have visited the town himself the fol- lowing year. See p. -.
In November, '82, he bought of Elijah Galu- sha, his step son,. whose name is also among the original proprietors of the town, the right to nearly 400 acres on Scotch Ilill. This he sold in July, 'S3, while still a resident in Arlington,
In 1786, he was one of the assistant judges of the Rutland county court. He was one of the selectmen in 1788, 190 and '91, and appears to have given his attention principally to his own affairs and those of the town, until the ad: mission of the State into the Union, in March, '91. From this time to the close of the centu- tury, he became politically prominent in the canvass of his district as a Republican or Dem- ocratic Representative to Congress, contending in every election as the "representative of the commercial, agricultural and manufacturing in- terests, in preference to any of their law char- acters."
At the first election in August, 1791, Lyon had 597 votes to Israel Smith 513, and Isaac Tichenor 473. On the second trial in Septem- ber, Tichenor withdrew, and Smith was elected by a majority of 391 over Lyon. Another elect- ion took place in January, 1793, but no choice was made-Lyon receiving in Fair Haven and four adjoining towns, 355 of the 376 votes poll- ed. Smith was reelected in March, and again in February, '95, Lyon and Smith being the only candidates, and receiving, the former 1,783, the latter 1,804, a majority of 21 for Smith
In '96 Lyon succeeded in getting the election, and took his seat in Congress in November, '97. Ile began his career in Congress by a long speech against the custom then in vogue of re- plying to the President's Message, and asked to be excused from attendance upon the personal presentation of the reply by members of Con- gress. Ile was excused at the first session ; but when he renewed the motion at the second session it was voted down. In January, '98, Lyon became involved in a personal fray with. Hon. Roger Griswold of Connecticut, on the
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floor of Congress. Griswold interrupted Lyon with an allusion to the wooden sword, which, it had been said, Lyon had received on the oc- casion of his being cashiered at Ticonderoga, and Lyon resented the insult by spitting in his face; whereupon Griswold drew np his fist, and proposed to take his satisfaction on the spot, but was prevented by his colleague, Mr. Dana.
This had occurred while the house was not in orderly session, and Lyon plead that he was unaware of having violated the rules: but a resolution to expel him therefor having been considered in committee, and pressed to a vote, in February. failed of the requisite two-thirds majority. Griswold. however, dissatisfied with the result. took up the matter on the 20th, af- ter the fashion of Preston S. Brooks. in our own time, and the members were obliged to interfere and separate the combatants. A motion to ex- pel them both was lost.
Alluding to the first part of this affray, in an address to his constituents. written on the 14th of February, Lyon says: "Perhaps some will say I did not take the right method with him. We do not always possess the power of judging calmly what is the best mode of resenting an unpardonable insult. Had I borne it patiently I should have been bandied about in all the newspapers on the continent, which are sup- ported by British money and Federal patronage, as a mean poltroon. The district which sent me would have been scandalized."
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