The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 101

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890, [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Montpelier, Vt., Vermont watchman and state journal press
Number of Pages: 1066

USA > Vermont > Washington County > The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer: > Part 101

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

JOEL SIMONDS

settled on the mountain where Mr. Annis used to live, in 1816, but afterwards moved to a farm in the N. E. corner of the town. He married Lydia Brailey, of Hartford. They had 13 children : Daniel, Polly, Joel, Horace, Albert Clark, Charles, Rufus, Seth, John, Lydia, Harriet, John ; all but two born in Northfield.

Rev. JOEL SIMONDS, his son, resides at the Center village, and still owns the farm where his father lived. He married Olive Pitkin, in 1844.

JAMES and ELETHEN PAUL were early settlers on the Berlin road, near the north corner ; children : Lucy, Mary, Benjamin, Belinda, Daniel J., Hosea, all born here. LEBBEUS BENNETT,

born in Connecticut, 1777, settled on the " Bennett place," a well-to-do farmer ; married Elizabeth Millington ; children : Melinda, Ambrose, Gamaliel, Seymour, Rial, Joseph, Lucinda.

AMOS HOWES,

born in Windham, Conn., 1792, married Melinda, daughter of Lebbeus Bennett. Their children were : Augustus, Harriet, Fanny, Lucinda, Maria M., Elizabeth, Seymour, Adelia L., Edward H., Lebbeus A., all born in Chelsea, and all living now (1878), in Northfield, but two.

ANANIAS TUBBS

came from Gilsum, N. H., to Northfield in 1806, and settled in the Loomis neighbor- hood. He married Hannah Hill. Their children were: Jeremiah, Sally, Patty, Annie, Elizabeth, William, Julia, Polly

and Solomon. He died in 1828, aged 84 ; his wife in 1832, aged 80.

He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War; enlisted under Benedict Arnold, and marched under his command through the wilderness of Maine; was wounded and taken prisoner at Quebec. He had orders after enlisting to march in two days, and a pair of pants must be had. His wife took her shears, cut the wool from two sheep, one white and one black, which she carded together, and with the assistance of a neighbor, spun, wove, and made a pair of pants before she slept, and they were ready at the time they were wanted.

DAVID HEDGES

was born on Long Island, where both his parents died before he was a year old. Most of his early life was spent in Connec- ticut. He was a soldier in the Revolution- tionary War; married Hannah Shaw ; came to Randolph in 1784; one of the first settlers of that town ; came to North- field in 1794, with 12 children ; was the 17th family here ; children : Jeremiah, Daniel, Hannah, Phebe, Matthew, Esther, David, Stephen, Jerusha, Lewis, Richard, and Elijah. He lived at the North Corner. His son Stephen died at 26; the rest of his children all settled in life ; one in Ohio, one in Western New York, and the others in Vermont, several living in this town a while. The three youngest died in North- field. Mr. Hedges died in 1829, aged 94 ; Mrs. Hedges in 1830, aged 81.

RICHARD, son of David, born in Ran- dolph, 1785 ; when a lad went to hunt up cattle, when all was a wilderness in Dog River valley; with no building except Stanton Richardson's log-house. In 1810, he married Rhoda, daughter of Joel Reed, of Williamstown, and settled on the East- Hill, the first farm west of Judge Paine's grist-mill, where he lived 43 years. His first wife died in 1819, leaving two daugh- ters, Louisa M., and Cynthia. Mr. Hedges married for his second wife, Julia, daughter of Ananias Tubbs ; children : Daniel, Gil- bert, Rhoda, Betsey E., Julia, Matthew M., John, Francis A. ; all born in North-

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field. Mr. Hedges died in 1872, age 97. Mrs. Hedges in 1872, age 83.

THOMAS SLADE,

from Alstead, N. H., appears on the rec- ords as an early settler. He was quite a noted schoolmaster. His son Thomas, the miller, who followed in the footsteps of his father, says, " He taught school in Amos Robinson's district 6 or 8 terms, boarding at home," where Herbert Glidden now lives. He also taught school in Chel- sea and Brookfield, and was a surveyor many years in this town. He married Clarissa Burroughs ; children : Howard, Lavinna, Calista, Clarissa, Allen, Thomas, Jr., Anna, William ; all but Howard born in Northfield. Mr. Slade moved to Mont- pelier in 1823, and died in 1829.

PARLEY TYLER

was born in Connecticut in 1779, and soon after coming to Northfield bought of Judge Paine 100 acres, on what was known after- ward as Tyler Hill. He married Betsey Rood, of Brookfield. Their children were Martin P., Matilda, Juliet, Squire, Daniel, Royal, Edward, Jason, Louisa, Jason C., John A. Mr. Tyler died in 1855; Mrs. Tyler in 1849.

Daniel Tyler relates a story of one Bean, the first known thief convicted in North- field: He broke into Judge Paine's fac- tory one Sunday afternoon, and took out 25 rolls of cloth, and hid them ander a hemlock tree-top, 40 rods back of the fac- tory. The next day all hands turned out to look for the stolen goods and the thief. Bean took one roll on his back and made for the East Hill, and went across Mr. Tyler's farm, and left it in the woods, going to the house and asking for break- fast. Mrs. Tyler told him he had better wait until dinner, it being then I I o'clock, but he said that he was out surveying land, and some bread and cheese would answer.

The news soon reached the East Hill a theft had been committed, and search was made, and not far from noon Bean return- ed to Tyler's house, and suspecting that he was the guilty one, Mr. Tyler asked him if he had seen any cattle in his trav- els, when he answered he had not; said

" Daniel : ' Father approached him, get- ting nearer and nearer by slow advances, when he sprung upon him and took him down, when he told me to yank off that roll of cloth upon his back, which I did very easily, as it was tied on with listing, although I was only 9 years of age. Soon Bean gave up, and said he would go where we wanted he should. We fastened him with a rope and led him into the house, when he said, 'Well, mother, I have come back to dinner.' It was but a little while before all the villagers, headed by Judge Paine, Amos Robinson, and John Stark- weather, had arrived, when he had a pre- liminary trial before Esquire Robinson. I can well remember how Starkweather's hands shook when he read the warrant as constable, it being new business to him. This was the first man convicted of steal- ing and sent to the State prison from Northfield.'"

DAVID DENNY,

born in Windsor, Jan. 7, 1774, one of the earliest settlers in Northfield, was a col- lector of taxes, and held a number of town offices. He located on the hill, near the South village, where his grandson David now resides. The numerous family of Dennys in Northfield are his descendants. He married Betsey Spooner; their chil- dren : Paul S., Asenath, Adolphus, Amasa, Sally, Samuel, Harriet, Eliza, Joseph. Mr. Denny died in 1821.

ADOLPHUS DENNY, born in 1796, lived and died at the old homestead of his father. He married Eliza Frizzel, born in 1804; their children were : David, Sarah, Kath- erine, George, Mary, Katherine. Mrs. Denny died in 1864. Mr. Denny married 2d, Mrs. Electa, widow of Col. George K. Cobleigh, and died in 1873.

Dea. SAMUEL DENNY, son of David, was a farmer, and a respected officer of the Congregational church. No man attended public worship with more fidelity than he did, and he raised up a family of industri- ous and respected children, all in good circumstances. He married Prudence Ellis, of Berlin, Sept. 1828; children : Harriet E., Andrew E., Addison W., Le-

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land H., George B., Amasa M., Prudence J. He died in Lowell, Mass., in 1874.

JOSEPH, son of David, was but 10 years old when his father died. At 19 he left home, with just 25 cents to commence life for himself. He labored in Randolph 1 year, went to Berlin, and worked upon a farm 4 years; commenced the tannery business at Berlin Corners, exchanged for the hotel there, and also bought his first farm, which occupation he always followed in connection with his other pursuits ; about 1841, entered into the mercantile business, continued in Berlin till 1847, when he moved his goods to Northfield Center, and continued in business 5 or 6 years, when he sold out, and turned his attention more particularly to farming. He came here and engaged in mercantile business in 1847 ; in 1856 formed a part- nership in tailoring with J. C. B. Thayer, and also with Geo. H. Crane in general merchandise some 3 years, and with his oldest son in 1860, till his removal to Worcester, Mass. ; when he took the next son into business, with the style of C. Denny & Co.

OLIVER COBLEIGH

came here from Westminster in 1796. He married Abiah Doubleday, one of the four sisters who came from that town, and were the foremost women to take up their resi- dence in this wilderness country ; Dinah, Ezekiel Robinson's wife, Anna, Stanton Richardson's wife, and Sally, Eliphus Ship- man's wife, all extraordinary, courageous women. Mr. Cobleigh's children were : Dinah, George K. and Harriet.

GEORGE K., son of Oliver, held a num- ber of town offices ; made a good officer in the militia, and rose to the rank of Colonel. He lived many years at the South village, where he died. He married Electa, daugh- ter of Eben Frizzel. Children : Caroline, George, Martin, Dennison and Charles H.

MARTIN COBLEIGH, son of George, lives at South Northfield, and is engaged in the sash, door and blind business.

JOSEPH SMITH, JR.,

born in Putney, in 1775. In 1807, influenc- ed by his brother-in-law, Capt. Abel Keyes, came to Northfield, bought two lots of

land from David Denny, Esq., built a house near where E. K. Jones' store now stands, in the south village, and opposite his house built a store, 16x25, the first in town, and filled it with goods ; but in 1809, he sold out to C. W. Houghton, of Montpelier, and the next year returned to Putney.

SOLOMON DUNHAM

lived at an early day not far from Judge Paine's grist-mill, on the East Hill ; was a clothier and carried on that business there. He removed to the south village afterwards, and worked at the same trade. He mar- ried Experience Smith ; children : Expe- rience, Mary, Sally, William H. H., Al- bert, all born in Northfield.

Mr. Dunham had three wives; by his third, Harriet, daughter of David Denny, he had two sons : Franklin and George.

HON. NATHAN MORSE,

of the south village, was born in Fitz- william, N. H., and came here from Rox- bury in 1838. He held a number of offices in town; was representative and also assistant judge in the Washington County Court. He married for his first wife Polly, daughter of John Hutchinson, Esq., of Braintree ; children : Nathan, Polly, Betsey, Lucy H. Mrs. Morse died in 1845, and he married Martha Abbott of Williamstown ; they had one son, James. Judge Morse died in 1862. Mrs. Morse died in 1875.

LUCIUS EDSON,

born in Wheatley, Mass., 1798; married Matilda Ainsworth of Brookfield, and came to Northfield in 1822. He and Arba Crane bought out Solomon Dunham, in the cloth-dressing business near Judge Paine's grist-mill, where they worked two falls, and Mr. Edson went to the South village, where he added wool-carding to cloth-dressing. He had 4 children : Mar- shall L., Alice J., E. Annette, Walter A. ; all born in Northfield.

ANSON ADAMS

came from East Roxbury about 1816, and settled in the " Winch neighborhood." A log house was his dwelling-place, without doors or windows, using quilts in their stead. Crockery and other household goods were brought in the arms of the

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family, through snow banks and by marked trees, making life real if not pleasant.

Mr. A. came originally from Connecticut to Vermont ; married Sukey Gold, sister of Deacon William Gold ; children : Adaline, Elvira, Emily, Susan, Avaline M., Harriet S., Charlotte, Ursula, Roswell, Sophronia, Anson, George W., Fanny H., all but two born in Northfield.

SAMUEL L. ADAMS,

born in Brookfield, Oct. 1796, married Harriet Cobleigh, July 1828, and settled in Northfield. He was a believer in the doc- trine of the restitution of all things, a good Mason, and died as he had lived, strong in his faith. His wife died in 1849. Four of his children are now living : John Quincy, Harriet M., Abbie A., Laura W., all born in Northfield.

Mr. Adams died at the home of his oldest daughter, in Revere, Mass., Dec. 1877, aged 81. He was brought to North- field, and buried at the Center cemetery, with Masonic honors, having made his ar- rangements for the last great change, and requesting his old friend, Rev. John Greg- ory, to attend his last service.

JOHN EMERSON,

a blacksmith, lived at an early day on the East Hill, in the Averill neighborhood. He came to Northfield from Norwich, and was a brother of Harry Emerson, the hatter, who carried on that business at the Center village.

ETHAN ALLEN.

We had an Ethan Allen in that early period of the town's history. Not the re- nowned hero of Ticonderoga, but an Ethan Allen who run Judge Paine's grist-mill sev- eral years.

SHERMAN GOLD,

born in 1813, deacon of the Universalist church, for many years carried on the sash, blind and door business at the South vil- lage-a sincere, conscientious man, gen- erally respected. Died in 1873.

JAMES LATHAM, SR.,

born 1750, came here from Chesterfield, N. H., at an early day. He married Su- sannah Brit, born in 1752. Their children were :

neighborhood. He married Polly, daugh- ter of Amos Robinson, Esq., and they had 15 children : Bathany, Leonard, Nancy, Patty R., Hollis, Arvilla, Susanna, Eli, Nancy L., Almon, Loran, Seth W., Mar- shall, Cynthia, Mary A.

EZRA LATHAM, married Polly, daughter of Aquillo Jones ; children : Ezra, Jr., Orrin, Harvey, Daniel.

CAPT. JOHN STARKWEATHER,

born in Norwich, 1790, married Cynthia Nichols, step-daughter of Capt. Abel Keyes, Dec. 1809. Sept. ISII, he took the free- man's oath, and thereafter during his life was almost continually in town and other public offices : lister, grand juryman, mod- erator of town meetings, justice of the peace, deputy sheriff, high sheriff of the county, representative, and captain of a military company 2 years, and several years kept tavern at the Center village. He was a friendly, familiar man, and be- fore 40 years old, children called him " Uncle John." He was quite popular as an officer. He died in 1841.

DEA. REUBEN SMITH,

a beloved member of the Baptist church, came from Tunbridge to Northfield, and settled in the South village in 1826. He married Molly Mudgett ; children : Polly, Apha, William, Tabitha, Reuben, Josiah and Anna.

WILLIAM KEYES, ESQ.,

born in Putney, 1766, removed to North- field in 1799, located on East Hill, and bought his farm of his brother, Abel Keyes ; in 1804, sold, and bought near where the Center hotel stands ; his nearest neighbor, Stanton Richardson, west of the river nearly half a mile. He sold at the Center about 1810, and his farm was soon after sold for building lots. In 1816, he bought the farm next south of the Stanton Rich- ardson place, and for several years carried on brick-making. His daughter, Mrs. Lucy Knapp, now living in Northfield, relates that in 1818 there was a great deal of sick- ness. Dr. Porter's bill for medical services in her father's family that year was large enough to pay for all the brick used in building his house. Mr. Keyes was one of

JAMES LATHAM, JR., settled in the Shaw | the earliest Methodists, active in organiz-

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ing their church in this town, and for more than 50 years a class-leader therein. He married Betsey Nichols, of Putney ; chil- dren : Polly, Jacob, William, Lucy, Sewall, Eliza, Abel, Sally, Emeline. Mr. Keyes died Dec. 1849.

CAPTAIN ABEL KEYES,

born in Putney, Sept. 11, 1773. In the summer of 1790, while prospecting for a new home, came to Northfield, and in view of its water-power, believing it would be- come a great manufacturing town, decided to locate here. The next spring he bought of Judge Paine the mills and 100 acres on East Hill, there being the first settlement in town. He lived there about 5 years, improved the mills, and then sold the farm to his brother William, and the mill prop- erty to Judge Paine. In 1804, his daugh- ter, Mrs, A. P. Egerton, relates her father made a journey to Putney, on horseback, taking her with him on the same horse, she being 8 years old, it being to induce some of his friends to come to Northfield to live. In 1807, Captain Keyes purchased of David Denny, a saw-mill and few acres of land in what is now called South North- field. The saw-mill he enlarged and im- proved, built a grist-mill, potash, and sev- eral dwelling-houses, and in 3 years, main- ly through his influence and labors, " Slab City," as it was long called, had become a lively village. His wife's brother, Joseph Smlth, Jr., had a store there, the first store in Northfield. In 1810, Captain Keyes sold his mills to C. W. Houghton, of Montpelier, and in 1812, the rest of his property in that village, and removed to the Factory, where Judge Paine had just begun to build a village. He remained there one year, living in the " Old Abbey," a house that stood where George C. Ran- dall's house now is, and afterwards built for Judge Paine the two houses that now stand near the bridge. In 1814, he pur- chased several lots of land where the Cen- ter village now is. The next year, with- his son, Joseph, he built several dwelling- houses, a machine-shop, and a potash ; in 1818, the Center Village Hotel, which they kept about 5 years ; in 1819, the church known as the old yellow meeting-house.

In 1824, they sold all their property at the Center, and bought that Capt. Keyes had formerly owned at Slab City; rebuilt the mills ; lived there 3 years ; sold, moved to the Falls, now Gouldsville, and on the site where Gould's factory now stands built a saw and grist-mill. Capt. Keyes lived there till 1838, his son Joseph having sold out there some years previously. He then bought a saw-mill up the river, a grist-mill and a dwelling-house ; lived there till 1839, and move ! to Illinois, and one year after to Lake Mills, Wis., where he died in 1848, aged 75. There are now standing in this town about 40 buildings erected by Capt. Abel Keyes and his son Joseph. The Captain was one of the most enterprising men of the town during all his stay in it. He held various offices, was lister in 1798, Captain of a military com- pany, justice of the peace many years, se- lectman and representative. He possessed robust health, ceaseless activity, could do everything but persevere and wait. He could prepare his land, plant and hoe, but could not wait for the corn to ripen. The framing, raising and enclosing a building were just to his taste; he could plan for and direct a multitude of men, but the quiet work of finishing the structure must be left to more patient workers, and be- came a proverb, " Capt. Abel always moves just before harvest." Industrious and honest, his success in life was limited only by his habit of leaving to others the pleas- ant task of reaping the reward of his labors. He married Mrs. Esther Nichols, in 1793. They had two children, Joseph and Abigail P., and Mrs. Keyes had a daughter by her first husband.

CAPT. JOSEPH KEYES,

born in . 1795 ; married Zeruah Eggleston in 1816, who had 2 children, Simon and Cynthia. He married a second wife, Olive Williams ; children : Abel, Catha- rine W., Elisha W., Oliver A., Emily O. Mr. Keyes died at Menasha, Wis., Sept. 17, 1874. He followed his trade as mill- wright in Wisconsin, after his removal with his father to that state, and was very successful.

Many of our citizens remember he built

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a machine shop at the Center viilage, on the east side of the common, run by steam, the first motive power by steam in Northfield, and a great curiosity at that day. On its sides were painted the words " Machine Shop." The Wisconsin Four- nal says of Mr. Keyes :

As the crisis which came upon the coun- try in 1837 was approaching, finding it difficult to proceed with his extensive business, he made disposition of it in the spring of 1836, and little left but his head and hands, backed up by most indomitable courage, energy, and a powerful constitu- tion, he struck out to seek his fortune in a new country, and landed in Milwaukee June, 1836. Wisconsin at that time was an inviting field for men of his type. It needed intelligent, enterprising, hard work- ing men to develop its immense resources. He being one of that class, found a cordial welcome to the territory by the few bold spirits who had preceded him, and an am- ple scope of country in which to operate. In 1837, he and his family removed to Lake Mills, being the first white settlers in that town. He proceeded to the erection of a grist and saw-mill, that proved of vast advantage to the settlement, and very soon laid out the village of Lake Mills, being its original founder. Here, he erected the first school-house in the town, and em- ployed the first teacher, a Miss Catlin of Cottage Grove, in this county, all with his individual means-an act, of itself, which is a proud monument to his name and fame, and proves his life has not been a failure.

For over 50 years he was a prominent Mason. He loved the order, and was one of its most honored and respected members. The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Keyes was celebrated in 1871, surrounded by children, grand-children, and great-grand-children ; children : Abel Keyes, now of Menasha, Hon. E. W. Keyes, postmaster of Madison, Oliver Keyes, now of Hudson, and Mrs. H. D. Fisher, of Menasha. Mrs. Olive Williams, relict of Capt Joseph Keyes, departed this life at Menasha, Feb. 18, 1878, in her 78th year. In all positions in life she was hon- ored for her many virtues.

HON. ELISHA W. KEYES,

son of Joseph, born in Northfield, Jan. 23, 1828, left Northfield with his father's fam- ily, May 1837, for Milwaukee, Wis., thence to Lake Mills. In early life he was first in his classes at school, and in sports and games ; following in the wake of his father

and grandfather, he led the van. He was admitted to the Bar in Madison at 23, and soon acquired an extensive and lucrative practice ; was District Attorney of Dane County in 1858, '59 ; in 1861, was appoint- ed postmaster of the city of Madison, which office he still holds (1878) ; was mayor of Madison in 1865 and '66 ; in 1867, Chairman of the Republican State Central Committee ; for 10 years he conducted the affairs of the republican party of the State with such strength and power of organiza- tion as to earn for him the now widely- known title of " The Bismarck " of Western politics. In 1872 and '76, was a delegate to and Chairman of the Wisconsin Dele- gation in the National Republican Con- ventions ; now as " Boss Keyes, of Wis- consin," he is familiarly known in every state in the Union. In 1877, he declined a re-election as Chairman of the State Re- publican Committee, and resumed an active practice of law. He is one of the Regents of the State University of Wisconsin.

Mr. Keyes is of a stout, compact build, has a strong constitution and good health. He is esteemed a good hater, a firm friend, and one whom men at large instinctively recognize as a leader. He has been twice married ; children : five.

ALVAH HENRY, son of Hiram, born in Alstead, N. H., 1799, was killed in North- field June 28, 1831, by the fall of a tree.

EDMOND SHIPMAN and wife Betsey, (Nichols) had 13 children. He was a blacksmith by trade, and worked at the Centre village.

REV. HOSEA CLARK,

a preacher of the Methodist church en- joyed the reputation of being a devoted man ; was elected a justice of the peace, and had a way of administering the law in a forcible manner, sometimes to the dis- comfiture of the legal profession ; and was not afraid of expressing his opinion on any subject that came before him for con- sideration. He married Mrs. John Rich- ardson ; they had two children, Lucia Ann and Stephen Alonzo ; born in Northfield.

ELIJAH BURNHAM, ESQ.,

born in Brookfield 1795, came to North- field, in 1819. He married Maria Simons,

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of Williamstown ; had 13 children. After two previous settlements they kept tavern at the Falls village, where John Fisk for- merly did, and finally settled near the Depot village. Mr. Burnham was.a prom- inent man in the early days ; was select- man 10 years, justice of the peace, lister, and held other offices. He was a skillful yete- rinarian, and frequently sent for in differ- ent parts of the town to relieve the animal creation of their ailments. He died here March, 1873. Mrs. Burnham lives with a daughter in Williamstown, at the age of 84 (1878) ; children : Laura, Mary, Aaron M., Marshall D., Philanda, Philura, So- phronia, Dennison S., Joshua J., Emily, Ellen, George M.

JOEL BROWN,

born in Old Deerfield, Mass., 1799, came with his father to Williamstown, and when the Indians returned from the burning of Royalton, was with others taken captive and carried to Montreal, and lodged in jail, but through one Zadock Steel and others, they liberated themselves, and picked their way back to their homes. [See History of Randolph, vol. II of this work, page 978.] When quite a lad Joel was fre- quently sent to Royalton to mill, by marked trees, and heard the howling of wolves.

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The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 101

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890, [from old catalog] ed Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Montpelier, Vt., Vermont watchman and state journal press Number of Pages: 1066

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890, [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Montpelier, Vt., Vermont watchman and state journal press
Number of Pages: 1066