The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 111

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 111

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691

NORTHFIELD.

GEN. ALONZO JACKMAN, LL. D.

GEOLOGY.

[A paper on the Geology of this town, by Professor Jackman, late of the Norwich University, from John Gregory's History of Northfield-the portrait to accompany it in this work being contributed by Mr. Atkins of the Argus.]

REMARK .- In accordance with the char- acter of this book as a history of North- field, the following article is presented in historical form. It, therefore, enters into the bearings of the subject through the successive periods of remote years, and at the same time whatever is introduced per- tains to Northfield. For the chronological order, reference will be made to Dana's Geology.

From a long series of critical observa- tions upon the stratified rocks of the earth's crust, and a close study concerning their contained fossils, geologists have pretty uniformly come to the following conclu- sion, viz. :

That there was a time when no living substance existed upon the globe ; when all the earth was under water ; and, during ages of this chaos, the oceanic currents at some places wore away the earth's crust,

and the resulting detritus, mixed with volcanic discharges, was spread out at other places upon the ocean bed, thereby forming immense stratified deposits to unknown depths. This duration of time is called the Azoic Period, toward the close of which the dry land began to appear, as " mere islets in the great conti- mental sea." (Dana, p. 77.) After this there was a time when life, in its simplest forms, began in the great deep. And during the progress of ages the ocean became filled with animal life, as radiates, mollusks, articulates, and vertebrates, and, in the same manner as above stated, vast stratified deposits, including fos- sils, accumulated to the depth of some seven miles. (Dana, p. 144.) Further, the earth rose gradually above the water, the dry land became covered with vegetation, and animal life everywhere abounded. This portion of time is called the Paleozoic Period. After this there was a Mesozoic l'eriod, whose deposits are some 2 miles deep. (Dana, p. 198.) And after this there was a Conozoic Period, whose de- posits are some 13 miles deep. (Dana, p. 244.) And then came the Age of Man, which is now in progress.

During the time pertaining to each of the above grand periods, the earth was many times convulsed, when its crust in some places was raised to mountain masses, and at other. places depressed to sea- basins, thus, in a manner, separating those grand periods into several sub-divisions ; but the grand divisions, at their closing epochs, were more emphatically marked, as if disturbed by special upheavals of such magnitude that at each time nearly all an- imal life upon the globe became extinct, then the following period received a new order of beings upon a higher scale of life. In this manner the earth progressed, up- ward to the Age of Man, and onward to the condition in which we behold it. (Dana.)

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At the times and places of these terres- trial disturbances, mentioned above, the volcanic heat became so intense as to metamorphose those stratified deposits : the sand into granite, the clay into roofing slate, and the coral-reefs and shell-banks into marble, etc. (Dana, p. 312.) Further, when these deposits were being broken up by upheavals, the oceanic currents, charged with gravel-drift, ground off their ragged edges, and moved the detritus to other places of deposit. Thus, the conti- nents, from period to period, rose grad- ually above the water. And now we see the earth with its stratified, out-cropping rocks, well water-worn, even to the top of our highest mountains.

Large portions of the earth's surface are observed to be covered with unstratified deposits, which are confusedly mingled with gravel and boulders ; and, sometimes, these deposits are in hillocks of small wa- ter-worn stones ; as may be seen in Depot village, in the vicinity of School street. Also, on the tops of our highest mountain- peaks, we often see large granite boulders, and other rocks, which must have come from great distances ; and, apparently, at a time not very remote in the past. Now the "Glacier theory" fails to account, con- sistently, for all these appearances ; for, were there, west of the Green Mountains, a glacier, or ice-flow, from the North, it would naturally pass through the Hudson Valley opening ; but, to suppose that this glacier would turn eastward, climb the western front of the Green Mountains, and, as the "drift marks" indicate, cross Vermont the rough way over hills and val- leys, in nearly a horizontal path, is to sup- pose what involves a dynamical absurdity. If, now, we try the theory that there was a flood like the one described in Genesis (Chap. vii), all appearances at once wheel into a consistent line of argument and are compatible with a complete solution of the mysterious problem ; for such a flood would in the polar regions raise from their ancient beds large masses of ice, which had re- ceived from mountain ravines gravel and boulders, by means of thaws and glaciers. Also, from the frozen tops of mountains,

the ancient masses of accumulated ice would'float, thereby tearing off their rocky scalps. These icebergs, moved by wind and current, would drift toward the equa- tor, and on the thawing passage drop their rocky freight upon the submerged land. Further, icebergs, drawing a greater depth of water, would lodge on submerged mountain ridges, and there remain until sufficiently reduced to be pushed over by the elements, thereby making, in their rocky tops, the " drift marks," which are distinctly seen on the heights about Northfield. As our admitted flood should subside, hillocks of water-worn stones would be formed by the thawing of strand- ed icebergs. Also, sandy terraces, similar to those near the Methodist camp-ground, the fair-ground, and the cemetery, would be formed. (Such terraces have hitherto been placed by geologists in a "Cham- plain Period.") In fact, to account for the appearances every where seen upon the earth's surface, it seemingly requires what is identically the "flood." But whence came the water to make such a flood ? It came in from the ocean, when "all the fountains of the great deep were broken up,27 as a consequent result of the ocean bed being upheaved and the dry land de- pressed. Thus the whole earth became again submerged, as it was in the Azoic Period. Further, the subsidence of the flood was caused by the same agency, in returning the continents and ocean beds- possibly in part-to their former conditions. And all this is in complete accordance with admitted principles in the science of Ge- ology.

The " mere islets" of the Azoic Period in the ancient ages of the world, were the first dry land, (Dana, P 77), but the next land which rose out of the sea was the Green Mountains, (Dana, P 92), which is, therefore, about the oldest dry land upon the globe. When the Green Mountains began to show themselves above the water, the Paleozoic formation had in its struct- ure only the Potsdam and Trenton de- posits, (Dana, p 80, 91), which now rest on the mountain. As ages advanced the mountains gradually rose out of the ocean

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to completion, thereby bringing to the sur- face, in the order of their formation, the successive Paleozoic strata, thus causing an increase of dry land. Hence, from the mountain top eastward, these successive strata have an eastern dip, a western out- crop, and a strike generally parallel to the Green Mountain range. These several outcrops, in the order of their formations, have those of the upper formations consid- erably to the east of those belonging to the lower formations. Further, in the process of their rising, the Green Moun- tains were so irregularly pushed up that their stratified structure received many cross-breaks and contortions. The ocean currents then scooped out these cross- breaks and wore off their rough projections, thus grinding down Vermont into a grand system of high mountains and deep val- leys. In this condition the Green Moun- tains finally came up out of the sea, and now present themselves as a kind of High Backbone Ridge, with large vertebral knobs, and long rib-like spurs, extending eastward to the Connecticut valley, and between these spurs flow the vein-like streams, as Black river, Quechee river, White river, etc.

To get a better idea of the stratified formations in the Green Mountain struc- ture, conceive an explorer to walk from the mountain top eastward through North- field, and to observe the rocks he passes. This person would first walk on the upper surface of some Paleozoic formation, down its dipping slope into Mad River valley, near Waitsfield. Here he would meet the high, out-cropping front of the next form- ation above, which he would climb and having arrived at its top, where it is called " Bald Mountain," he would find himself 2636 feet above tide-water ; but, on Waits- field Mountain, at the highest point in the road between Waitsfield and Northfield, he would stand 2135 feet above tide-water, and upon a slaty formation of hard green- ish stone highly charged with quartz. He would next, on the upper surface of this formation, pass down its dipping slope into Dog River valley at Northfield, where he would find himself 728 feet above tide-

water, and 638 feet above the surface of Lake Champlain. The hill north-west of Elmwood Cemetery, 1359 feet, and that just south of South village, 1900 feet above tide-water. Also, he would notice a stra- tum of light-greenish, talcose slate-rock, well charged with quartz grit, and locally called "jenkstone." It splits freely into desirable thicknesses, breaks handsomely into rectangular forms, and is doubtless a good building stone. For proof see Mr. Jenks' dwelling-house. Next in order he would notice a stratum of lightish-gray mi- caceous sandstone, locally called " whet- stone ledge," from which whetstones, hones, and the like, are manufactured by Wood & Son, and they are said to be good. Proceeding onward, he would meet the high, out-cropping front of the famous slate formation, from which the noted roofing slate are taken by Adams & Co. Having climbed this high front-called Paine mountain-and standing on its top, he would find himself 2435 feet above tide- water, or 1707 feet above the depot, and he would also get a magnificent view with a clear sweep around the whole circum- ference of the distant horizon. Thence, proceeding onward upon the upper surface of this formation, he would pass down its dipping slope into Berlin Pond valley, where he would meet the out-cropping front of a dark slaty limestone formation. Thence, proceeding over this elevation, he would descend into Williamstown val- ley, and so on he could travel up and down to the Connecticut valley, and to the sea.

At first sight this traveler would think that the rocky stratification over which he passed stood nearly perpendicular to the horizon ; but, on closer inspection, he would discover that what he took for strat- ification was the slaty cleavage of the rock, which is always nearly perpendicular to the bed of stratification. (Dana, p. 36.)

Now the town of Northfield is on an eastern spur of the Green Mountains, and at the centre of the State ; for, by actual estimation, from maps and various sur- veys, the center of the town and the center of the State are both found to be upon the same town lot. (Lot No. 9 in range 5.

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See town map.) The town being thus on the Green Mountains, Northfield farmers cultivate about the oldest land in the world where terrestrial life first began. In fact,

" The dust we tread upon was once alive."-Byron.

Dog river runs through the eastern part of the town in a direction a little east of north, taking in on both sides quite re- spectable tributaries, which drain the sev- eral minor valleys of the towu. Thus, by the river, its tributaries, and their great number of feeding springs, the town is well watered. Instead of the surface soil rising abruptly from the banks of the river and brooks, these streams are skirted by handsome narrow meadows and terraced flats, from whose outer limits the ground rises into the highlands in such manner that nearly all the surface, even to the tops of the highest hills, is susceptible of cultivation. There is very little waste land in Northfield. On the river the soil is generally light and sandy, but back from the river, on the upland, the soil is dark, strong and good, suitable for all the crops generally raised in the State. The native timber growth of the town consists of fir, spruce, hemlock, maple, birch, ash, elm, and the like.

BUSINESS IN NORTHFIELD-1882.

BY JOSEPH K. EGERTON.

Dog River runs through the town in a northerly direction, affording many valua- ble water privileges, most of which are now improved. The East Branch runs from Bennett's Pond, which is on the highland near the Williamstown line. From this pond, when the water is high, a stream runs north to Berlin Pond. Just below the eastern outlet Mr. Edward H. Howes has a saw-mill. The first mill built on that site was put up by Aquillo Jones ; soon after Judge Paine built the first mill in town, which was on the same stream, about one mile below. About 2 miles further east, and near South Northfield, this stream unites with a brook which runs from a large pond in East Roxbury. A few rods north of this junction, Geo. H. Fisher has a shingle mill and carriage- shop, and Warren C. Briggs has a black-

smith shop and knife factory, both deriving power from the same water-wheel. About 20 rods north of these shops is a large building occupied by Martin Cobleigh and Geo. W. Kingsbury, for the manufacture of doors, sash and blinds, they having also, across the road, another large building used, in connection with this, as a paint- shop. A few rods further down the stream is a two story building, about 40x60, occu- pied by L. N. Howe as a chair factory : adjoining this is the grist-mill of Thomas Slade : further down the stream, a few rods, is a small factory used by S. D. Dodge for cloth-dressing and wool-carding, and a little below, W. W. Holden has a shop for the manufacture of coffins, cas- kets and chairs, the aforesaid comprising all manufacturing establishments now in operation at So. Northfield.

About one mile from the South village, N. W., the east branch unites with the river, the main branch of which runs from Stump Pond, which is partly in Roxbury and part in Northfield. Just below the outlet of this pond, G. B. Andrews has a grist-mill, to which a large part of the in- habitants of Roxbury, and many of North- field, carry their grain to be ground. A few rods north, Joseph C. Rice has a saw- mill, and just below that stands the car- riage-shop of Gilbert R. Andrews. About half way from Andrews' mill to the Har- low Bridge are the ruins of a saw-mill. where in former years, a large amount of lumber was manufactured. No further use is made of the river as motive power till we reach, nearly 4 miles further north, the location of Judge Paine's first woolen fac- tory. The brick building now standing there is occupied by A. F. Spalding as a machine-shop and for the manufacture of pumps ; by Newell & Colby for the manu- facture of chair stock and fork handles ; by Henry R. Bean for the manufacture of fork and broom handles ; and by Brown, Denny & Harris for the manufacture of lumber, they having, also, a grist-mill and saw-mill in an adjoining building ; about 30 feet north is a large building used for the manufacture of slate, power being car- ried thereto from the brick building, above

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named, by belting. About 4 mile further down the stream is the woolen factory built in 1864, by George M. Fisk, now occupied by A. Howarth & Son as a flan- nel factory, employing about 30 hands ; adjoining this, and using the same power, is the extensive machine-shop and foun- dry, built in - by Perley Belknap, and now occupied by the Ely Foundry Co., and giving employment to about 30 men ; about 3 mile further on is the grist-mill of Lewis Wood & Son ; a half-mile below we find the ruins of a mill, and near to that the first-class brick building owned by Jo- seph W. Gould, and occupied by him for the manufacture of woolen flannels. Mr. Gould has one of the very finest establish- ments of the kind to be found in the coun- ty, and gives employment to about 100 people. On.Cox brook, which runs into Dog River at Gouldsville, is a very fine saw-mill, owned by John Hornbrook; on Jones Brook, which runs in further up the river, H. M. Cutler has a large lum- ber mill; on Stevens Brook W. A. Rice has a saw-mill ; and on Rocky Brook, Geo. F. Glidden has a large saw-mill. By steam, the Ely Foundry run their ma- chinery in low water times, and the Adams Slate Co. run a derrick by steam-power, for raising stone from their quarry.

GEO. H. RICHMOND.

has also a steam engine, used for power to run his printing presses, and to heat the building occupied by him. Mr. Rich- mond publishes The Northfield News, a pa- per started by him in 1878, now having a circulation of 1200, and also The Vermont Farmer, circulating 2400 copies weekly, which was removed to Northfield from Montpelier in 1881. He prints, also, The Reveille, a monthly periodical, published by the cadets of Lewis College ; and The Monthly Reporter, published by C. F. Buswell of Montpelier. In the same building is "The Northfield Insurance Agency," managed by Joseph K. Egerton. Just south of the News Block, above men- tioned, is the extensive marble works of F. L. Howe & Co .; 30 feet further south is Central Block, now occupied by Boyn- ton & Moseley, for the sale of meat &

provisions ; George Nichols, drugs & medicines ; A. E. Denny, groceries & hardware ; C. Denny & Co., dry goods ; Stebbins & Richmond, groceries & provis- ion : G. II. Crane, dry goods ; Fred Down- ing, saloon ; Edwin Porter, drugs & med- icines ; S. P. Grow, boots & shoes : J. N. Johnson, lawyer ; F. R. Bates & F. Plum- ley, lawyers ; C. W. Locklin, dentist ; the third story of the building in two very fine halls, is occupied by the Masons and the Odd Fellows. West of Central block is Concert hall, capable of seating 500, and over that the Universalist church ; further west, a few feet, is Eagle block, occupied by Geo. B. B. Denny, for the sale of cloth- ing ; W. A. Blake, groceries ; Kenyon & Soper, groceries, crockery & fancy goods ; S. F. Judd, groceries ; E. O. Thurston, watches & jewelry ; D. Bacon, flour, meal & groceries ; Hazleton, Kimball & Deer- ing, meat & produce ; Mrs. Jones, milli- nery; W. C. Woodbury & F. N. Carpen- ter, barbers. Union block, just opposite on the south, is occupied by J. C. B. Thayer, for the sale of clothing ; by the Northfield Savings Bank, of which J. C. B. Thayer is Treasurer ; Edgerton Broth- ers, for the sale of merchandize of every description ; E. G. Pierce, groceries ; Geo. M. Fisk, lawyer; O. S. Cook, leggins & mittens ; L. S. Wellington & D. P. Holt, boots & shoes. East of Union Block is R. M. McIntosh, photographic rooms, occu- pied also by N. W. Gilbert, dentist. West of Union Block is Stevens Block, occupied by A. Stevens, for the sale of books & stationery; T. C. Patterson, boots & shoes ; Rene S. Fletcher, milli- nery ; north of Stevens Block is the R. R. Depot, one room of which is occupied by the Northfield' National Bank; another room by E. G. Sanborn, for a boot & shoe store ; and one by Mrs. M. S. Gilchrist, for the sale of millinery goods ; also, the express & telegraph office, by C. A. Webb.

Opposite the Depot, east across the pub- lic square, which is about 200x400 feet, is the Northfield House, built by George M. Fisk about 2 years since, on a part of the ground covered by the hotel burned in 1879. It is now kept by W. H. Morris,

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VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

PHOTO-ENG. CINDY.

Jours July , Fisk

See page 695 and 634.

river, is the harness shop of C. B. Gold ; and fur- ther on a few feet, is Paine's block, occupied by S. W. Steele & Son, tin- ware & stoves ; J. G. Co- burn, harnesses ; E. Hunt- ley, paints & paper ; J. L. Abbott, coffins and cas- kets; N. Huntley, tin- ware & stoves. The up- per part of the building in two large halls, is occupi- ed by the Good Templars and the New England Guards. A little further east, is the paint shop of S. F. Gibbs; the black- smith shop of J. R. Davis ; and the carriage shop of A. C. Chase.

At Gouldsville is the general store of A. F. An- drews ; the grocery and provision store of C. F. Hurley ; harness shop of A. H. Brown; and black- business is done in. the manufacture of whetstones by L. Wood & Son and by Geo. S. Richards.

who keeps also a livery stable ; and adjoin- | smith shop of Greenwood ; a considerable ing this hotel, on the south, is the post- office. A few rods south, on main street, is the Avery Hotel and Livery Stable, kept by L. W. Avery ; about } mile further south Northfield Circulating Library contains about 1,000 volumes. is the tannery owned and occupied by Den- ny & Smith ; a little further south, in what There are in town two well equipped Fire Engine companies, of 50 men each, and a Hook & Ladder company of 20 men. was formerly the Center village of the town, is the general store of John P. Davis, and a blacksmith shop and carriage shop run by In the quarrying and manufacture of slate stone a very large amount of money was formerly invested. Eleven quarries were opened, at an expense of more than $200,000, nearly all of which would now with good management yield large profits to the manufacturers. The supply of slate is inexhaustible, and in quality equal to the best in the world. R. T. Eastman ; and a broom factory by Thomas Averill. On the west side of the river, opposite the Depot, is the C. O. D. store by Darius Thomas; a blacksmith shop by A. Fuller ; a coffin and carriage- shop, owned and occupied by G. W. Max- ham. A short distance west is the carriage and machine shop of D. Bacon ; easterly across the R. R. track, is the carriage shop The Adams Slate Co. have been working their quarry successfully since 1869; in 1881, employing 40 men and sending out of town 100 car loads of slate. At the present time, this Co. is at work in the Morris quarry, and expect in 1882, to dou- of A. Mead; the blacksmith shop of A. Gosley & Son ; the carriage shop of A. O. Chase; the paint shop of W. R. Bean ; and the blacksmith shop of Ai Smith. South a short distance, is the carriage shop of J. B. Shortridge ; across the ble the amount of their business.

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There is in town a very extensive gran- ite ledge, which was formerly worked in a small way. It is very favorably located for quarrying, but wholly neglected.

There have been 17 saw-mills in North- field. Of this number 7 are now in oper- ation. At different times 9 grist-mills have been run, and there are now 4 in town. Of woolen factories the town has had 5, of these 3 are now at work. Of wood-shops the town has had a large num- ber, the largest of which, that of the Vt. Manufacturing Co., which had been suc- cessfully engaged in the manufacture of chairs for years, was burned in 1877.

Brick-making was formerly an important branch of industry in Northfield, but al- though there is a plentiful supply of mate- rial, very favorably located for the busi- ness, nothing has been done in that line for many years.

NORTHFIELD GRADUATES.

University of Vermont .- Class of 1850, John H. Buck and Edwin Porter. Class of 1860, Geo. N. Carpenter and Geo. Bates. Class of 1868, George Cochrane. Class of 1870, Geo. W. Winch.

Non Graduate .- Fred Ely.

Dartmouth College .- Class of 1863, Isaac Newton Jenks, born in Northfield, June 17, 1839 ; read law in New York city. Dartmouth allumni .- 1878, F. W. Gregg ; 1879, J. N. Jenks, C. C. Davis, K. Derby, C. D. Edgerton, H. B. Thayer ; 1880, B. F. Armitage.

Non Graduates, Dartmouth .- C. A. Edgerton, Jr., class of '79.

Under Graduates .- C. W. McClearn, class of '82 ; C. A. Braley, '83 ; C. M .* Da- vis, '84.

Middletown University .- Geo. C. Smith, graduated.

Non Graduates .- Frank A. Winch, Geo. H. Richmond.

George Gallup, John W. Gregory, grad- uates of Law School University of Michi- gan.

Norwich University .- Asa Howe, class of 1869; Charles Dole, Henry J. Howe, 1870; Walter Dole, Chas. E. Tarbell, 1871 ; Wm. G. Owen, 1872, F. L. Kim- ball, 1873; Frank R. Bates, C. M. John-

ston, 1874; Robert A. Silver, 1876; George Thomas, 1877 ; Henry C. Dole. Lewis College .- 1881, M. D. Smith.

THEODA P. HOWE

was born in Cambridge, Mass., Nov. 20, 1813. Her parents removed to Norwich, Vt., when she was quite young, and to Northfield in 1835, where she was mar- ried to Wm. R. Tucker. She died in 1845, leaving a son and daughter, both re- siding now (1882), in Washington, D. C. Her first articles for publication were written at Norwich when she was only a child, for the Vermont Enquirer, a paper published at that place. For several years she was a contributor to various Vermont and Boston journals. As her writings were never collected in book form, this piece given is the only one at hand, and is hardly a fair specimen of her poetry: [See Poets and Poetry of Vermont, where the same is published.]

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The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 111

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