USA > Vermont > Rutland County > The history of Rutland county, Vermont; civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military, pt 1 > Part 75
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Warren McClure, the youngest son of Sam- uel Mc Clure, also resides in Middletown, is a mechanic-he served his country 3 years in the war of 1861.
WM. FRISBIE was born in Bethlehem Ct. ; to this place and Harwinton, Conn., all that I have ever known of the name, trace their an cestry. He lived in Stillwater, New York, for a good many years before he came here- all his children were born there. He was in the battle of Saratoga, which was near his then residence. A relative of his was one of the original proprietors of the town of Wells, of whom he purchased his land, and his fam- ily consisting of his wife and 6 children, and his effects he brought here on an ox-sled. The land he bought was what is now known as the " Buxton farm." He first put up a log house in the vicinity of where the brick house now is, and in 1785 or '86, he built a frame-house. William Frisbie, from all we have learned of him, was somewhat eccentric but unlike some of his descendants, he was a very active man ; prompt and positive in the expression of his opinions, and fearlessly uttered whatever came into his mind, who- ever might be present. He was inflexible and unyielding in his principles, and could not endure any wavering on the part of any one else. The old folks have told me that, on one occasion, in a church meeting, he was unusually severe upon some wayward broth- er, when some one present felt it his duty to rebuke bim, and told him that it was his du-
ty to exercise charity towards the offending brother. His reply was that "charity could not go without legs." William Frisbie died Mar. 1, 1813, aged 76. He had 2 sons and 4 daughters ; two of his daughters died before lie did. His oldest son, Wm. jr., was 17 years old when his father came here. He had the reputation of being a good scholar and well educated for the time. He studied medicine with Doctor Ezra Clark, and after he had received his diploma, commenced practice with Doctor Clark in Middletown, but soon went to Pittsford, Vt., where he was in prac- tice, to the best of our information, about 25 years. He removed from Pittsford to Pheips, N. Y., where he lived until his death, about 1837. He had the reputation of being a good physician, had a large practice in Pittsford, and was highly esteemed. Some of his de- scendants are now living in Phelps, others are in the Western States, and all seem to have traits of character similar to those of the older William Frisbie. Zenas Frisbie, the second son of William, jr., was a farmer, lived and died in Middletown, -his age was 76 years-he died Jan. 19, 1851. He had 8 children, 3 are dead ; of the surviving, 2 sons and a daughter are at the far West, one son in Poultney, and a daughter, Mrs. Lucy A Thomas, in Middletown, who is the only one left here of the race.
I cannot any further take up the names on that roll in the order of time when they settled here. Captain JOSEPH SPAULDING, a man ever to be honored by Middletowu, first set- tled on what has been known as the " Micah Vail farm," now owned by C. Clift, but soon afterwards removed to where Deacon A.Spaul- ding now lives, which place has ever since been owned by him and his descendants. It has already appeared Captain Spaulding was the leading spirit " in getting the town estab- lished." and gave the town its name. The town, very properly, made him their first rep- resentative. He waa about 36 years old when he came here, had taught school a good deal in Connecticut, and was in the Revolutionary war from about the time of its commencement until about the time he came to this place. He held some office in his regiment which ranked with lieutenant, and for awhile he performed the duties of adjutant. He taught the first school in the town, and a good many schools after that; he taught in all nearly 40 . winter schools, the last when he was over 75,
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years old. He was the first captain of the militia in town, and held that office at the time of the Shay's rebellion, in 1786, and when the militia of the Country were called on to sustain the courts at Rutland, he started with his company for that place ; but on his arrival at Castleton was permitted to return, as the mob had been dispersed by militia nearer at hand. He was a very candid, ju- dicious man, no appearance of vanity or os- tentation about him, firm in his convictions and decided in his opinions. He had not as much of the go-ahead in him as many others of the early settlers, but was, probably, the best edu ated of any of them, and the most capable for transacting business. Those of my age can recollect him well. The last time I saw him, in my recollection, was on the Sabbath at church, which, I think, was not Many months before his death. During the recess of service, I saw him take up a book and read without the use of spectacles; and on the same occasion myself and others engaged with him in conversation. He was then the same candid, intelligent, Christian man. " His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated." Captain Spaulding died Feb- 25, 1840, at the great age of 96 years.
Deacon ASAHEL SPAULDING and HARLEY SPAULDING now living here, and Deacon JUL- IUS SPAULDING, of Poultney, with their tami- lies, are now the only representatives left in Vermont of several numerous families who sprung from Captain Joseph Spaulding.
JONATHAN BREWSTER settled on the farm now owned by Doctor Ehakim Paul, about 14 mile south of the village. The exact time when he came here cannot now be given ; but from records we have found, we know it was as early as 1782. He was very active, and the acknowledged leader in the formation of the Congregational church, and its first dea- con, until the infirmities of age prevented. He represented the town 4 years. Deacon Jonathan Brewster died Apr. 29, 1820, at the age of 76. On the stone at the head of the grave, we find this quotation: "There re- maineth a rest for the people of God," and, from what we have learned of him, think it appropriately used.
Dea. Brewster had a large family of chil- dren. Orson, Ohel, Oramel and Jonathan, Eu- nice, Lydia and Joanna survived him. Orson was a valuable man. He succeeded his father in the office of deacon, which he held until the | mother, died at Saratoga in 1843, aged 78,
Spring of 1835, when he removed to North- ampton, Mass., where he died a few years since aged abont 80; Ohel died many years ago. He left 2 daughters, one of whom La dead : the other was the widow of the late Orson Clark, now the wife of Doctor Amos Frisbie, formerly of Poultney, now of Findlay, Ohio. Jonathan and Oramel removed to Northern New York, and died there many years ago. The daughters of Deacon Jona- than Brewster were excellent women. Eu- nice marrred Fitch Loomis. She was the mother of Reuben and Fitch Loomis, jr., Mrs. Henry Gray, Mrs. Thaddeus Terrill and Mrs. Johnson. She died about 1851. Lydia mar- ried William Fay, long the proprietor of the " Rutland Herald." She survied her hus- band some years. Joanna married Luther Cleaveland, and lived to be very old. She has been dead but a short time. She died in Pawlet.
GIDEON MINER moved from Woodbury, Ct. to Rutland, in March, 1779, and from Rutland to Middletown in the Spring of 1782. He set- tled about 2 miles east of the village, at the place formerly known as " Miner's Mills," where Merritt Mehurin now lives. He com- menced at once in putting up a grist and saw- mill, which were made ready for use that sea- son. These were the first mills erected within the limits of the town, or at least the first that did any business, and were of great ser- vice to the new settlement. Mr. Miner had been a soldier in the French war, and lost his health there, which he never fully recovered, yet he lived to a great age. His wife whose maiden name was Elizabeth Lewis, was a woman of uncommon ability, held in high es- teem by all who knew her,-a noble type of those pioneer mothers who have stamped so proud a character upon the people of this State. She and her husband, and nearly or quite all of their children, were members of the Congregational church. Mr. Miner died in 1803, and his wife soon after, each being, at death, 80 years old.
Abagail, their oldest child, married Thomas Davidson, who died young, leaving his wid- ow 2 sons, Gideon M. and Clement. Gideon M. Davidson removed to Saratoga Springs in 1817, where he still resides, and is a man of wealth and influence. Clement Davidson was for many years a jeweller in New York, but now resides in Connecticut. Abagail, their
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SAMUEL LEWIS MINER, the oldest son, re- moved to Castleton in early life. He died in 1817, aged 50. He left Roxena, then Mrs. Doctor Kellogg, Cyrena, since the widow of a Mr. Armstrong, and Lewis .- Mrs. Kellogg, died in Georgia in 1851. Lewis died in Castleton in 1852. Mrs. Armstrong still lives in Castleton.
CAPTAIN JOEL MINER, was the third child, a man of rare mental capacity, and, for his time, did an extensive business. He was nota law- yer by profession, yet had quite an extensive law business ; was a prominent and leading man in town until his death, and would have been a leading man in any place. Captain Mi- ner died suddenly at Montpelier, while attend- ing a session of the Legislature, in the Fall of 1813, aged 44. He left several children, two of whom became distinguished clergymen. Ovid, his eldest, first became a printer, under the late William Fay. He established the " Vermont Statesman," at Castleton, in 1826, which he published a few years, and then published a paper at Middlebury for awhile. He entereed the ministry in 1833, and is now preaching at Illion, New York. He is a man of decided ability, and very zealous.
Another son of Captain Miner, who became a clergyman, was the lamented Lamson Mi- ner. He graduated at Middlebury, in 1833, the first in his class. After he had fitted lim- self for the ministry, he settled in Cornwall. He died in 1841, at the age of 33, leaving a widow and infant daughter. His widow is now Mrs. Leavitt, of Middlebury. Few meu in the State, of his age, have held a higher position in the ministry than Lamson Miner.
The fourth child of Gideon Miner, sr., was Gideon Miner, jr., so long known in this town as Deacon Miner. He was born in Woodbury Ct. and was 8 years old the day his father's family arrived at Rutland, and 11 years old when the family removed to Middle- town. He married Rachel Davison, in De- cember, 1793, and by her had 11 children: eiglit of whom lived to be married and have children.
.Deacon Miner was in many respects a re- markable man. Few men possessed a more retentive memory .- He could always give chapter and verse. Ile too, though not a law- yer, was for many years frequently engaged as counsel in justice trials in this town and vicinity, and was usually opposed, in those trials, to his long and intimate friend, Jonas
Clark. He was very fond of music, and con - stantly led the choir for over 60 years, even up to the third Sabbath preceding his death. He was a deacon of the Congregational church in Middletown for nearly 40 years ; moved to Ohio in 1834; was immediately el- ected an elder of the Presbyterian church, and served in that capacity about 20 years. He was seldom absent from meeting, as many of us can testify. He was the acknowledged leader in the Congregational church and soci- ety here for many years prior to his removal to Ohio, and, seldom has there been a man more competent for the position which he held. Few men, and we may include clergy - men, were more familiar with the bible than he was, or more capable of explaining and en- forcing its doctrines. He died at the residence of his son, Doctor Erwin L. Miner, in Ohio, with whom he had resided, in 1854, aged 84. Doctor Miner was the oldest of his 8 children before mentioned. He studied medicine with Doctor Ezra Clark, whose daughter he mar- ried, and removed to the State of Ohio soon after, where he still resides, a man of wealth and influence.
AHIVAN LEWIS Miner, the next child of Deacon Miner now living, well known in this part of the state as A. L. Miner, now resides in Manchester, and is the only representative of the name in Vermont, except his own chil- dren, and one or two children of Lewis Min- er of Castleton. He worked on his father's farm until he was of age, then fitted for the sophomore class in college, at Castleton. He did not enter college, but studied law in the office of Mallary & Warner, in Poultney, and one year with Royce & Hodges, in Rutland, and was admitted to the bar in 1832, and commenced practice at Wallingford. He re- moved from there to Manchester in 1835, where he has since resided. He has been twice married, and has had S children. His eldest son, Henry E, (who furnished the his- tory for Manchester in this work, see Ben- nington Co., under head of Manchester, vol. I. Ed.) died December, 1863. He was a young man of much promise, and was his father's partner in law business.
A. L. MINER has been S years probate reg- ister and 3 years probate judge of his district; 2 years clerk of the Vermont House of Rep- resentatives. 9 years a member of the House or Senate, 5 years State's Attorney in Ben- nington County, and 2 years a member of
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Congress from this district. Mr. Miner has done, for many years, and is now doing an extensive business in his profession. He is an excellent citizen, a social, kind and true- hearted man ; much esteemed by all who know him, and especially by the people of his na- tive town. Between him and them there is a strong and enduring attachment.
The other two survivors of Deacon Miner's children are Chloe and Malvina. Chloe is a widow, and resides in the state of Ohio. Mal- vina married a clergyman, and lives in Missouri.
Of Deacon Miner's children not living, there were 2 daughters. One married Hiram Mahurin, and removed to Onondaga County, New York. She has been dead but a short time. The other married A. W. Hubbard ; moved to the state of Ohio, and died in 1858.
Of the sons, Orlin H. moved to the state of Ohio in 1834, and died in 1836, aged 36. He left 4 children ; the oldest, Orlin H., jr., now resides in Springfield, Illinois, and is State auditor. He was an intimate friend of Pres- ident Lincoln, and stands high as a public man in that State.
THOMAS DAVISON MINER, the last named of the children of Deacon Miner, died in the state of Ohio, in 1856, aged 48, leaving a large family. With the 4 children of Deacon Miner, now living, he has over 30 grand-chil- dren, and over 50 great-grand-children living.
Next to the Deacon, of Gideon Miner's children, was Asenath, who married Alexan- der Murray. They moved to Albany, New York, where she died young. Lamson, the next, died in 1806.
The youngest child of Gideon Miner, Sr .. Elizabeth, was born in Woodbury, in the Fall of 1778, and was but a little over 3 years old when her father removed to Middletown. She married the late Moses Copeland, and had children, Lucius, Martin, Betsey and Edwin. Lucius and Edwin have remained in Middle. town. Lucius has resided near the centre of the town, and by his superior financial capac- ity has made himself useful to the town, to the Congregational society of which he was a member, and to the citizens individually. Ed- win has been for the last 20 or 25 years a leading citizen. Martin Copeland became a lawyer, and went to Bristol, Addison Co. After a practice of several years at that place, he died there Jan. 11, 1861, aged 47. Betsey married Deacon Julius Spaulding, and died
in Poultney in 1865. Moses Copeland, their father, died May 3, 1858, agel 88 ; his widow, Elizabeth, the youngest and last survivor of Gideon Miner, sr.'s, children, died in Poul :- ney at the residence of Deacon Spaulding. her son in-law, in the Fall of 1866.
The traits of character which distinguished the Miner family, are found in nearly all their descendants. The children of the fo- inales, who take other names, are Miners, and nearly all are marked by energy, a retentive memory, fluency of speech, are easy to learn, . and perhaps without an exception, both the dead and living, have sustained good moral characters, and been useful citizens.
CALEB SMITH, we think must have been here as early as 1783, and perhaps earlier. He set- tled on the place now owned by Elijah Ross, Esq., known as the " Allen Vail farin." He built the house now standing there, which is one of the oldest houses in town. He was very efficient in establishing the Baptist Church, and was its first moderator, and the first deacon-the latter office he held until his death. He was also the first town treasurer.
He was an exemplary man, faithful and re- liable, and of great service in laying the foun- dation of the Baptist Church here. He died Feb. 10, 1808, at the age of 59. He left one son, Jedediah Smith, who removed to West- ern New York since 1835, and one daughter, who married Roswell Tillie of Tinmouth. She died some years ago, leaving two sons, Ezra T. and Erwin E.
GAMALIEL WALDO first settled in Pownal, Bennington Co., and was there during the Revolutionary War. After the taking of Ti- conderoga by the Green Mountain Boys under Allen, and before that post was evacuated by the Americans in 1777, Mr. Waldo was em- ployed to carry provisions to the garrison at Ticonderoga, a duty more perilous probably than the battle field. He used oxen in car- rying his provisions and on one occasion, put his oxen into a boat on the Vermont side of the lake, to take thein across to the fort, but on the way, they jumped overboard into the lake, and swam back to the Vermont shore; they were afterwards rescued.
Mr. Waldo came to this place as early as 1732. He found his way from Pawlet by marked trees, and so did the other settlers of his time. He settled on the place now owned by Mr. Hurlburt, clearel up that farm and lived there until his death, in 1329. Mr.
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Waldo was a resolute, fearless man, a good neighbor, a faithful member of the Baptist Church, and one of its founders. He married the mother of Asa Gardner, a widow with one son and four daughters ; one of the daugh- ters married the Rev. Sylvanus Haynes, the first settled minister in town. Mr. Waldo also had by her one son and four daughters, and one of those daughters was the wife of Steph- en Keyes.
ASA GARDNER was 10 years old when the family removed here. He was a hard- work- ing, man and lived to be nearly 80. He died in Middletown in 1849. His sons, Charles, Almer and Daniel R., still reside here, are already among the oldest inhabitants, and among the best examples, in the town, of in- dustry, economy and thrift.
ASHER BLUNT and Nathan Walton came here about the same time Mr. Waldo did, and set- tled north of him, on the road leading to Ira over the hills. Mr. Blunt was one of the substantial men here for some years, but re- moved to Northern New York quite early, and but little is now known of him or his family. Mr. Walton was a very good man, raised a large family, and died in 1829.
EDMUND BIGELOW, the moderator of the meeting at which the town was organized, and the first justice of the peace, settled at the place where John P. Taylor now lives, a locality which will ever be held in remem- brance by the writer, as a large portion of his life was spent there. Mr. Bigelow seems to have been the acting magistrate in town for 15 years or more subsequent to the time of his first election, and to have been a com- petent man for his position. The year of his death we are unable to ascertain. He left a family of considerable ability. The late Dr. B.gelow of Bennington, was a son of his. Dr. Bigelow was some years since a senator in the Vermont Legislature from Bennington Co. He married Dorinda Brewster, who survives him. She is the only survivor of Deacon Orson Brewster's family.
JOSEPH ROCKWELL, the first town clerk, set- tled where E. Prindle now lives, between the village and the Allen Vail farm. He was a competent town clerk, as the early records will show. He was among the first members of the Congregational church, said to have been a quiet, candid and sensible man. The late Solomon Rockwell was his son. There are none of his decendants living here, but | last 20 years and over. He was a surgeon of
some are living in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. JOHN and SAMUEL SUNDERLIN settled north of the village. Samuel, I think, on the place recently owned by Mrs. Germond, not far from Mr. Harvey Leffingwell. John Sunder- lin was made a Lieutenant under Capt. Spaulding, when the militia were organized. He was a man of real worth and had a very respectable family. Mrs. Leffingwell, widow of Dyer Leffingwell, also the widow of Ohel Brewster were his daughters.
DANIEL SUNDERLIN, a son of John, married Nancy Stoddard. Erwin and Edwin Sunder- lin, who succeeded Merritt and Horace Clark as merchants here, were sons of his.
JOHN SUNDERLIN died about 1826, on the farm now owned by the estate of Whitney Merrill, and occupied by William Dayton. Samuel Sunderlin, after residing here a few years, removed to Shorehamn, where he lived and died at an advanced age. He had a fam- ily of several children. John was born in Middletown in 1784. He spent the greater portion of his life in Shoreham, but returned to Middletown, to live with his daughter, Mrs. Deacon Haynes, some few years before his decease. He died March 11, 1862, aged 78. The Rev. Byron Sunderlin, now of Wash- ington, D. C., is a grand-son of Samuel Sun- derlin.
INCREASE RUDD settled upon the farm known as the "Bigelow farm." He had a large family, and his descendants were num . erous, but long since have removed from here, with the exception of Mr. Eli Rudd.
GIDEON BUEL, JONATHAN and DAVID GRIS- WOLD all settled on the road. or what is now the road, leading from " Miner's Mills" to the Haskins place, where Deacon Haynes now lives. They were all soldiers of the Revolution. Mr. Buel and David Gris- wold each drew a pension while he lived.
Mr. Buel had several children. Roswell, who represented the town 2 years, and has recently died; Mrs. Marcus Stoddard, and an- other son who removed West in early life.
ROSWELL BUEL, jr., a grandson of Gideon Buel, is his only representative left in Ver- mont. He is a lawyer; was admitted to Rutland County Bar in 1845, but has not been much in practice for some years. Roswell Buel, sr., had 3 sons. Ezekiel, the second, a physcian ; has had a good practice in his profession in New Philadelphia, Ohio, the
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one of the Ohio regiments through the war of 1861. The third son, Napoleon B., was one of the volunteers from Middletown in the late war, and was killed in one of the battles be- fore Petersburg.
JONATHAN GRISWOLD removed from the place where he first settled, which has recently been known as the Cole farm, formerly the Rog- er farm, to a place above where Reuben Me- hurin now lives. From the early records we should regard him as having faithfully per- formed his duty in the new settlement. He died much younger than his brother David. Of his family we have been able to learn but little. He had a son, Jonathan, who was ac- cidentally killed on a " training day," in June, 1816. He was then an officer in the company of militia. After the company had been dis- charged, a company had collected in the ball- room of the present hotel for a dance. The members of the militia company, without form or order, were saluting them by discharging their muskets, heavily loaded with powder, in front of the hotel, Griswold received the contents of a musket discharged within a few feet of his head, which killed him instantly The affair cast a gloom over the people of Middletown, and for a long time the foolish practice of firing on training days was almost wholly abandoned ; and so long as the militia trainings were continued, the fathers and mothers, as their sons started on the morning of the first Tuesday of June " to go to train- ing," as a matter of caution, would rehearse to them the fate of " poor Jonathan Griswold."
DAVID GRISWOLD lived to Dec. 10, 1842, and was 93 years old. His children all removed from this town many years ago, except Da- vid. He married Emily Paul, a daughter of Stephen Paul, and sister of Doctor Eliakim Paul. David, jr. died some 8 years ago. He left one son and four daughters. The son, Stephen Angelo, enlisted in the 7th Ver- mont regiment, and lost his life in Florida. His mother and younger sisters reside on the old homestead.
JONATHAN FRISBIE, a brother of William, settled where Jehiel Parks now lives. He died before his brother, and it is not known that any of his descendants are now living.
BENJ. COY went to Tinmouth before the Revolutionary war, but left after tha, com- menced, and when he returned, after the close of the war, settled in this town, where his grand-son, Charles P. Coy, now resides. |
He was an industrious man, frugal, hone-t and successfully made his way to comfort an i independence. Mr. Coy had a large family of children. Three of them, Ebenezer. Mrs. Charles Gardner, and another daughter, arg still living Mrs. Gardner still resides in this town. Martin H. and Charles P. the sons of Reuben, who was a son of Benjamin, now re- side here.
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