USA > Vermont > Rutland County > The history of Rutland county, Vermont; civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military, pt 1 > Part 60
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Lyon was a violent hater of the Federalist ad- ministration party, and gave utterance to many a stinging diatribe against it ; yet nothing more severe than has been uttered a thonsind times with impunity in later years. But the famous " Alien and Sedition Law," as it was called, by which aliens might be banished and enemies punished. had just gone into effect. July, 1798, and under this law Lyon was accused, indicted and brought to trial at the October term of the U. S. Circuit Court, held at Rutland. The charge against him was that of using " seurril- lous, scandalous, malicious and defamatory lan. guage" concerning the President, founded on these words published in the VERMONT JOURN- AL, at Windsor, on the last of July, but writ. ten in June, fourteen days before the passage of the law :
" But, whenever I shall, on the part of the Executive, see every consideration of public | addressed and feted. weltare swallowed up in a continual grasp for power-in an unbenaded thirst for ridiculous pomp foolish adulation or selfish avarice; when I shall behold men of real mer't daily turned out of office, for no other cause but independ-
ency of spirit; when I shall see men of firm- ness, merit, years, abilities and experience. discarded in their applications for office for fear they possess that independence, and men of meanness preferred. for the ease with which they take up and advocate opinions. the conse- quences of which they know but little of; when I shall see the sacred name of religion employ- ed as a state engine to make mankind hate and persecute each other, I shall not be their hum- ble advocate."
It was also alleged against him, that he had "maliciously" procured the publication of a letter from France which reflected semewhat severely on the government. Lyon plead his own case before the jury, but the charge of the judge was strougly against him, and he expect- ed little mercy from the jury, who returned a verdict for the government. He was sentenced to four months imprisonment, and to pay a fine of $1,000, with the costs of prosecution.
The marshal and his assistants were persons who were particularly nnfriendly and obnoxious to him. He expected to be imprisoned in the jail at Rutland, but the marshal resided at Vergennes, and insisted that he should go to that place, parading through the most populous part of the town, as they passed to the jail.
He was there closely confined, and for some time was not allowed the means of writing to his friends. At length a stove was sent to him by his friends from Fair Haven, and he was made as comfortable as possible for the winter. Gen. Clark and another brother-in-law were ad- mitted to see him.
He stated to the court, on the occasion of his trial, that his property had been estimated by him to be worth $20,000; but he had made over the productive part of it to secure persons who were bound for him, and he did not think he could raise $200 in cash.
In the election which had taken place in Sep- tember, there was no choice; but at the second trial, about the time or soon after his imprison- ment, Lyon was re-elected by 500 majority.
He was only saved from a re-arrest at the expiration of bis term of imprisonment, Febru- ary, '99, by immediately proclaiming himself on his way to Philadelphia as a member of Con- gress. He was escorted in great triumph by a procession of his friends, under the American flag. through many of the towns of the State, stopping at Bennington, where he was formally An effort was made .to expel him from Congress, but without success.
Upon the expiration of his second term in Congress. Lyon removed to Kentucky, where he engaged extensively in business, and agam
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became a member of Congress. He had a con- tract to furnish vessels for the Government, de- livered at New Orleans, during the war of 1812, but failing to get them there in time, suffered loss, and was obliged to make an assignment of his property, his son Chittenden being the assignee, and himself advancing largely to pay his father's obligations.
Lyon petitioned Congress in 1820 for remun- eration for his fine and imprisonment under the Sedition Laws. The committee reported in his favor, but Congress failed to pass the bill until as late as 1833 restitution was made to his heirs.
He obtained an appointment as government agent among the Indians in Arkansas in 1820, and, proceeding thither, was chosen the first delegate to Congress from Arkansas, but died before taking his seat, on Aug. 1, 1822, near Little Rock.
Of his family it is interesting to learn what we can, and the following letter written by his son, Chittenden, while a member of Congress, at Washington, April 5, 1828. and addressed to Hon. James Witherell, gives desirable informa- tion, and will be read by many persons with in- terest :
DEAR SIR : Your esteemed favor of the 17th ult. was received this morning, and letter con- tained therein handed to Col. Watson.
It gives me great pleasure to receive this at- tention from the long and much valued friend of my lamented father, and brings to my mind the scenes of my childhood. I well recollect you and your family, and regret to learn that so many of them have, like my own connection, "gone the way of all flesh." You enquire after my mother. She is no more ; she survived my father about 18 months, worn down with grief and affliction for the misfortune and death of her husband and two children in less than two years ; but, she found consolation and resigna- tion in religion. She had been for the last twelve years of her somewhat eventful life an exemplary member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and died in full hope and faith of sleep- ing in the arms of her God. My eldest half- brother. James Lyon, died in South Carolina about four years since. poor. My eldest half- sister, Am Messenger, and her family, reside in Illinois, near Belleville. Her husband is in comfortable circumstances, and very respecta- ble. Sister Pamelia resides in the same State; her husband, Dr. Geo. Cadwell, died some two years since, leaving seven numarried daughters, and no son, ( his only one having died some years before him,) in moderate circumstances. My half brother. Elijah G. Gainsha, resides ic Kentucky, near me. He married the daughter of Mir. Throop. and is a poor farmer. My chle-t own sister, Minerva, resides in Beavertown, Penn. Her husband. Dr. Catlett, late surgeon in the U. S. Army, died a little more than three
years ago, in moderate circumstances. My sis- ter, Aurelia, died about nine months before my father, leaving two orphan children, Her hus. band, Dr. H. Skinner, died about two years be- fore her, and left a pretty little estate for their children. My brother Matthew lives with'n two miles of my residence, (Eddyville, Ky ,) and is doing very well; in fact getting rich. for he minds the main chance and dabbles but lit- tle in politics, but is a candidate for Elector on the Jackson ticket. My sister Eliza Ann, born in Kentucky, resides also in the State of Illinois. She married a worthy man, but poor, and moved to that State about one year ago. My youngest brother, Giles, also born in Kentucky, and who lived with my mother, died in the 20th year of his age, about five months before my mother.
Of those who went with or followed my rath- er, besides our family, G. D. Cobb, who married Modena Clark, resides at Eddyville ; has a large and respectable family, but is reduced in his cir- cumstances in consequence of losing a valuable farm, which was taken by a prior claim after a long law suit, which he had highly improved. Capt. Throop has been dead many years : i.e died as he lived, poor. His wife. second daugh. ter. and youngest son went to her brother, am- uel Vail, at Baton Rouge, La , and are all dead. His eldest son, Jolin, resides at Eddyville. a vagabond. His daughter Betsey is a wido :. Samuel C. Clark resides with G. D. Cobb: is poor, and has lost one leg, amputated close up to the body ; and last, old General Whitehouse. who you no doubt reco.lect followed my father to Kentucky, and survived both my father and mother, and several of the younger branches of the family, died about eighteen months since. having been a charge on my hands for many years.
In answering your enquiries I have necessa- rily been led into a long, and to you, somewhat uninteresting letter, while a long speech was making upon the Tariff bill which is still under consideration in the House of Representatives.
I have had a severe indisposition since my arrival here, which confined me near a month, but I am now perfectly recovered. I have had the misfortune to lose my wife since I left home. She died on the 4th of February, and has left me a family of five young children, the el jest 10 years, the youngest 3 months and 4 days.
Please present my respecis to your good lady.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
CHITTENDEN LYON.
Hon. James Witherell.
Chittenden Lyon is said to have been a man of excellent capacity. He died in 1842, leaving a son named Matthew S., now a resident of Evansville, Ind., and another. Thompson .A., of the firin of " Roe and Lyon." insurance agents at Louisville, Ky. ; a daughter, who is the wid- ow Mary O'Hlarn, of Eddyville, and another daughter who married W. B. Machen, of Elly- ville, and died in 1852.
Matthew Lyon, Jr., died at Eddyville, in
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1847, and left two sons, Gen. H. B. Lyon, and ; Matthew M. Lyon, together with one daughter, resident all of them at Eddyville. Mention is made of a daughter of Matthew Lyon, Sen., Eliza by name, who married John Roe, and re- moved to northern Illinois.
JAMES LYON has been mentioned as one of the publishers of The Farmer's Library, in 1793, and the publisher of the Scourge of Aristoc- racy. The Furmer's Library appeared to have been started by him at Rutland, in the spring of 1793, and afterwards to have been removed to Fair Haven and merged with the Gazette. As we learn from the letter of his brother, pub- lished above, James Lyon died in South Caroli- na, about 1824. (For James Lyon see page 697)
JOHN LYON was in town and worked in the ! iron works in the year 1808. He owned a share of the forge with Mr. Davey, in 1812, and bought land of Mr. Davey, in or near Cedar Swamp. He died in the village, where Col. Matthew Lyon had resided, February 3, 1813, aged 51 years; and his son Stephen and wife Jemima, sold off the property and removed to Hanover, N. Y., in the autumn of the same year.
SILAS SAFFORD was born in Norwich, Ct., Sept. 11, 1757. He enlisted into the Continent- al army in '78, and was a sergeant. He was taken sick after 9 months, and went home on furlough. When convalescent he hired a Ger- man whom he met in the streets of Norwich to go as his substitute in the army. He married Clarinda Hawley of Arlington, Vt., December, 1780, and came to Fair Haven in '82,-being the first known settler in the present village. He was chosen the first justice of the peace of the town, and held the office 40 years; mueh of the time doing most of the justice business. He died May 12, 1832, aged 74 years. His wife died Aug. 17, '47, aged 82 years. Both are buried in town.
His family were: Olivia, Russell, d., Erwin, Clarinda, Ist ; Clarinda ; 2d, and Lydia, twins; Silas, Jr., educated at Middlebury and Yale Col- leges-taught school here in 1810 or 'll-was first Rector of the Episcopal Church in Middle- bury-died of consumption. in New Jersey, on his way to the Southern States, in December, 1816 : Charlotte, deceased ; Aurilla, d. ; Alon- zo, living in Kalamazoo, Michigan; Harry, d .; Fanny, d. ; Sidney, in Kalamazoo, and Frank, residing in Michigan.
ABEL HAWLEY, who came here with his son Ager and daughter Clarinda Safford, was the grandson of Samuel Hawley, who came from
England to Strafford, Ct., in 1666. His father, Ephraim, had ten sons and two daughters. Of these Abel, Gideon, Jehiel and Josiah settled in Arlington. Abel's children by his first wife were Peter, Mary, James, Ager and Abel-by his second wife, Bethiah, Curtis, Sarah, Esther, Prudence and Clarinda. Mr. Hawley was a familiar friend of Ethan Allen, and it is said the only person who could safely reprove him for profanity. He resided with Mrs. Safford, and died here Oct. 16, 1797, aged 77 years. ITis tomb-stone is yet standing, having been remov- ed with Mr. Safford's to the new graveyard, on the north side of West street.
AGER HAWLEY, son of Abel, came with Silas Safford from Arlington, in the year 1782, and built the first grist-mill in '83. He died here in December, '84. His widow married Derrick Carner of Hampton, and removed to Underhill, Vt., where they both died. (See page -. )
His family were, Isaac, Asa, Silas (b. 1776) learned the tanner's trade in Granville, N. Y., removed to Auburn, and thenee to Rochester, where he started the first pail-and-sash factory, and built the first Presbyterian ehureh, and hir- ed the first minister. He died in Rochester in 1857. Moses and Bethiah.
ETHAN WHIPPLE, SEN., son of Capt. Benja- min Whipple, was born in North Providence, R. I., Feb. 13, 1758. He served in the Contin- ental army in Rhode Island, the summer he was 20 years old. After leaving the army he ap- pears to have worked at carpenter work in Providence, and there married Miss Elizabeth Green, in April, '82. His wife died in Feb., '86, at 22 years of age, leaving one son, Joseph, and he removed to Fair Haven this same year, and in November married Abigail, daughter of Charles Hawkins for his second wife, who died Feb. 12, 1813, in her 49th year ; and he marri- ed widow Lydia Church, Dec. 2, '15. By his three marriages he had 12 children, viz : Jo- seph by his first wife, Betsey, Anna, Sally Myra, Ethan, d., Mary, d .; and by his second wife, Mary, Newton, Caroline. Mr. Whipple died Dee. 18. '36. aged 89 years. He was one of the selectmen in '92, and continued such till '96 ; and was again chosen in 1802, '03 and '05, and town treasurer from 1795 to 1813, and town clerk from 1809 to '13.
LEVI TROWBRIDGE, b. in 1753, in Derby, Ct., m. Hannah Smith, daughter of Capt. Benjamin Smith of New Haven, Ct., Dee, 29, 'S2. Ho removed to Fair Haven sometime between Jau- uary, '84, and June, '86, where he resided until 1810, when he migrated to Washington county,
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Ohio; thence to Ames township, in '20. His wife died there in February, '32, aged 73 years. In June, '36, he removed to Swan Creek, where he died Dec. 14, '43, aged 90 years; being smart and active, and able to walk several miles in a day, until taken down with his last sick- ness, "typhoid pneumonia."
His family were:
1. Sarah, born in Woodbury, Ct. Jan. 15, '84; m. Caleb Wheeler. They came to Fair Haven, whence, after Mr. Wheeler's death, she removed to Athens county, Ohio, and there married Eliphalet Case. He died at Swan Creek, Gallia Co., about 1845 and she went to live with her daughter in Bethel, Michigan, where she died, about '64. Her children were, John Wheeler, now residing at Millersport, Lawrence county, Ohio; David H. Wheeler, a Methodist minister who was a Bible agent in Central America, and was killed there by the natives in '56; Israel Wheeler is a practicing physician in Michigan ; Jerusha Wheeler m. a Mr. Warner-is now a widow residing with a son at Walnut Fork P. O., Jones county, Iowa; Irene Wheeler m. a Mr. Dean-is now a widow in Iowa; Sarah Case m. a Mr. Jones, and removed to Michigan, where she died.
2 David, b. in Fair Haven June 13, '86 ; re- moved to Ohio in December, 1810 ; m. Sophro- nia Howe of Washington county, Ohio, danghi- ter of Peter Howe of Poultney, Vt. March 7, 1813; removed to Swan Creek, Ohio, in June, '36, where he died March 14, '68, in his 82d year. His wife is still living in her 80th year.
Their family, now living, cousists of five sons and four daughters, who write their names "Trobridge," leaving out the w; A. V. Tro- bridge is a druggist and Postmaster at La Grange, Lucas county, Iowa ; C. C. Trobridge is a farmer in Tyrone, Monroe county, Iowa ; F. N. Trobridge is a house carpenter at Red Oak Station, Iowa-was three years in the 24 Iowa cavalry ; R. M. Trobridge studied law at Cincinnati, and has a farm near La Grange, Iowa, where he practices his profession; David S. Trobridge, resident at Swan Creek, Ohio, who was a soldier in the late war, and to whom the writer is indebted for the information here given. With him resides a widowed sister, Mrs. John C. Wilson, whose husband belonged to the 24 Iowa cavalry, and was killed at Farmington, Miss, in the advance on Corinth.
3. Philo, b. in Fair Haven, July 6, 'SS; re- moved to Washington county, Ohio, in Decem- ber, 1810; m. Martha Blake about the year '15, and moved to Swan Creek in '38. From there
he went to Moore's Prairie, Ill., where he died in March, '56, his wife having died before him. Only one son, Israel D. Trobridge, survives, at Chenoa, MeLean county, Ill. He was three years in the war.
4. Jacob, b. in Fair Haven, Dec. 25, 1790. He was the first to migrate to Olio, going there in 1806, with one Carver, a carpenter, and help- ed to build a large flouring-mill at Marietta. Thence he went to Cincinnati, about '12 or '13, and enlisted in the army. He was taken pris- oner at Gen. Hull's surrender of Detroit. He married Miss Sarah Shepard at Cincinnati. She died in '22, and he married Polly Boomer, and took up his residence at Swan Creek, Gallia county, where he died, April 19, '67. He had two sons and two daughters by his first wife, the eldest son being three years in the Indian wars. By his last wife he had four sons and four daughters. Three of his sons, Isaac. Jolin and F. M. Trobridge, reside in Ohio, and one, Lemuel Trobridge, resides at Paris, Ill. They were all in the last war.
5. Chauncey, b. in Fair Haven, March 21, '94. He is said to have removed to Ballstown, N. Y., about 1809, where he married a Miss Catherine Fish, and worked in a paper-mill. He had two daughters; the eldest, Annie E., mar- ried a Mr. Ogden, and resides at Pontiac, Liv- ingston county, Ill. Starting to go to his daughter's, with his wife and younger daughter, he got only as far as Michigan, where Le sick- ened and died, July 27, '69.
6. Archibald, b. in Fair Haven. Nov 30, '96 ; went to Montreal, Canada, where he married a French lady,-afterwards removing to Men- dota, Min., in '58, where he died, Nov. 24, '58. Alfred P. Trobridge, of St. Paul, Min., was one of his sons.
7. Anna, b. in Fair Haven, Dec. 7, '98, re- moved with her father to Ohio, and married Lemuel G. Brown. She lived in McArthur's town, Vinton county, Ohio, and died in the spring of '63. Her husband died a few hours before her, and they were both buried in the same grave. They had a son, Perley, who was captain of company B, 18th Ohio Vols., and a son, Lemuel, who was wounded at the baitie of Chickamauga, and died of his wounds at Chattanooga, in December, '63.
8. Hannah P., b. in Fair Haven, July 6, '02 ; m., Dec. 10, '26, to A. T. Blake, who has a large farm at Swan Creck, Ohio. They have two sons living. Wm. D. Blake, who belonged to the 77th Illinois Infantry, and C. B. Blake,
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who was Lieutenant in the 4th Virginia Vols., and is now a merchant at Crown City, Ohio.
RICHARD BEDDOW, a soldier from Gen. Bur goyne's army, and an early settler in the town, married widow Rebecca Hosford, of Poultney, whose maiden name was Pearce, and who had a son Ichabod Hosford.
GAMALIEL LEONARD, son of Gamaliel Leon- ard, was born in Raynham, Mass., May 31, 1757. He was a descendant of James Leonard, who landed in this country from the west part of England, about 20 years after the landing of the Pilgrims, and who erected the first forge in this country on the banks of the Taunton River.
He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, being nine months at Boston on the first call, and afterwards went to the defence of Ticonde- roga. He worked two years in the Lenox furn- ace, and from Lenox, or Pittsfield, removed in company with oue Fuller to Greenfield, N. Y., now known as Hampton Hills, in '85, residing on what was at one time kown as the Gould farm, for about a year ; making a pitch, mean- time, and erecting a saw-mill on the Fair Haven side of the Poultney river, on land which he bought of Heman Barlow, in January, '86. He removed into town in the spring of '86, and took up his residence where he so long remain- ed and died, near the State Line. In company with Elias Stevens and Daniel Arnold of Hamp- ton, he built a forge below his saw-mill, in 'S8, an l is said to have been interested in a forge in New Haven or Salisbury. He was one of the board of selectmen in 1811. He was married to Anna Witherell, a consin to Dr. James Wither- ell, in Norton, Mass., Feb. 17, '83. He died in Fair Haven. August 7, '27, and was buried in Low Hampton. His wife was born in Norton, Mass, Nov. 27, 1758. She died in Fair Haven, April 23, '30, and was buried in Low Hampton.
Family : Anna, Charles, b. in Fair Haven, June 1. '87, m. Betsey Colburn, a sister of John P. Colburn. Esq. ; and at her decease another sister. He is said to have been engaged with Mr. Colburn for two or three years about 1810, in making scythes. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade. He was one who went out as a soldier in the war of '12 and '14, and is said to have received a bounty of $100 for returning Andrew Race for desertion. He removed to Perry, Genessee county. N. Y .. where he kept a hotel many years, and was in the woolen man- ufacturing business. He died in Portage, N. Y .. Sept. 22, '54. He had three children : John, Catherine and Engene, by his first wife, and one named Betsey by his second.
4. Ira, b. May 24, '89; m. Anna Haskell, in Blandford, Mass. He worked at the carpenter's trade in early life, and also made chairs at his father's place. In 1812 he was in Genessen county, N. Y., where he owned and cultivated some land for a year or two: after which he returned and purchased the old homestead, which he owned until his death, Nov. 2, '65. He represented the town in the Legislature for sev- eral years, and held other town offices. His wife was born in Blandford, Mass., Oct. 20. '95. She died in Fair Haven, May 20, 1856. Their children are David H., now residing in Hamp- ton ; De Witt, the publisher of the Fair Haven Journal ; and Helen A., who married Welcom Manchester, and resides in Low Hampton.
5. Katy ; 6. David H .; 7. Gibert, b. Jan. 20, '95; m. Terzah Ashley, daughter of Leon- ard Ashley of Hampton, N. Y. He is said to have curried on, a small furnace near Mr. Da- vey's works, between 1812 and '20, and the woolen factory in Hampton, in company with Lyman Carpenter afterwards. Failing. in the business crisis of '37, he removed to Egg Har- bor, N. J .. where he died Feb. 23, '49, and his wife six days afterwards.
8. George d .; and 9. Joshua.
TIMOTHY BRAINARD, known as Dea. Brainard, was from East Hartford, Ct., in Angust. '87. He purchased land which Josiah Squiers of Greenfield had improved and been allowed by the proprietors to exempt, and lived on this place until about 1817. His wife Jemima was the first person in town who died of the epi- demic of 1812, Dec. 5, in her 62d year. The Brainards are said to have raised the only seed- corn in town, in the cold summer of 1816. Dea- con Brainard died in Elizabethtown. N. Y.
Children ; Timothy, David, Jemima, Abi- gail, John, Lydia and Charles.
GEN. JONATHAN ORMS. a carpenter and mill- wright, came from Northampton, Mass., about 'SS, stopping a short time in Pittsfield, Vt., on his way. He was engaged for Dr. Simeon Smith in building a forge on the west side of the falls, which he afterwards owned, and on which he built the saw-mill and grist-mill, so long known as "Orms's Mills "
He worked for Solomon Cleveland on Lyon's mills in '96. He married Eunice Hines, at the honse of Mr. Timothy Goodrich, about 1790, and settled in the West Haven part of the town, on the ground where Seth Hunt now re- sides. He afterward resided for a number of years on the south side of the highway. in Fair Haven, and was chosen to fill town offices in
FAIR HAVEN.
1803 and '04. He built the two story dwelling now occupied by Mr. Hunt, in 1804, and remov- ed into it in the fall.
He was General-in-chief of all the militia in Vermont, in the time of the last war with Great Britain, and had his headquarters at Bur- lington.
His wife, Eunice, died in West Haven, March 27, 1824, aged 55 years, and was buried in the cemetery just above and north of his house. He married again to widow Gaines, whose maiden name was Annah Doyle. She died Jan. 14, 1837, in her 67th year. He married for his third wife widow Lura Weston, a dau. of Ebenezer Lyman, and sister of Hiram and Eleazur Lyman. She survives him, and re- sides at the West.
He removed to Castleton Corners in '42, and died there Aug. 8, 1850, aged 86 years. Ile was buried beside his first wife in West Haven.
His family by his first wife were, Pamelia. Allen, Stephen, Alanson, Betsey, Caroline, Dan, Jonathan and Cornelius.
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