The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 113

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 113

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).

Benway, Eli W.

39 July 23 64 11 B

Mustered out Aug. 25, 65.

Brigham, Don A.

19 Aug 26 63 3 Bat

Pro. C. Jan. 1, 65 ; mustered out June 15, 65. Trans. to Co. A, June 24, 65.

Buzzell, Samuel D.

43 Oct 28 63 3 Bat

Mustered out June 15, 65.

Coburn, Washington

45 Dec

5 63

II I

Sick in general hospital, Aug. 31, 64 ; trans. to Co. A, June 24, 65. Died Dec. 25, 63.

Dickinson, Zerah H.

Dole, Heman

18 Dec 2 63

Taken pris. June 23, 64 ; died in rebel prison.

Dutton, John

45 Dec 2 63

Died July 20, 64.

Duvall, John

45 Nov 12 63 II K

Discharged Apr. 14, 64.

Hill, Playstone J.

25 Nov 30 63

Artificer, Jan. 1, 65 ; tr. to Co. A, June 24, 65. Deserted, July 26, 64.

( For the Gazetteer.) VERMONT IN THE REVOLUTION.

BY DR. N. W. GILBERT.

** Glory to old Vermont! she stands Where freedom's star has never set ; Though dim its light on other lands, It shines upon her mountains yet." Thus sang the bard, and thus I sing, In this my humble offering.

And yet it has been charged that she, When war his deadly witch broth brewed- When states were struggling to be free- Assumed a threatening attitude; An attitude, In fact, which was Unfriendly to the patriot cause.

But what is patriotism, if 'Tis not persistent, bold defence Of native mountain, plain and cliff, By beating back and driving thence, Each foreign or domestic foe, Who would our freedom overthrow?

And when the States " cried havoc, and Let slip the cruel dogs of war," Vermont's devoted, patriot band, Already was contending for That which was vital and supreme- For principles she could but deem

As far superlor to those Which caused the hearts of men to thrill, Who fought against invading foes, At Lexington and Bunker Hill, As were our mountains higher than Was Bunker Hill, when war began.

For they were fighting to resist A trifling tax, which was assessed Upon them, and I here insist They were not hopelessly oppressed ; Save in a moral sense, which must, Or may, their cause have rendered just.

Our fathers, on the other hand, A demon's clutches would unclasp ; For roof and altar, house and land, Were being wrested from their grasp; And by the self-same parties who Ilave conjured up this bugaboo . Of lack of loyalty ; who claim Our fathers would to us bequeath A traitor's heritage of shame. I hurl the falsehood in their teeth, And brand it as alike untrue, Unjust and most ungenerous too.

Vermont disloyal! yet withstand The shock of many a ponderous blow From either side; on either hand A wily and inveterate foe; The British lion's lordly roar Resounding through her northern shore,

Whlie from the west and south there came A horde of thieves and plunderers, With only thelr highwayman's clalm, " Your money or your life, good sirs"- And Congress, too-from which should come Relief-to her was deaf and dumb.

What marvel she should entertain- Before her waning sun should set- From Haldiniand and Lord Germain, Proposals of armistice? Yet

Burnes, John S.

34 Dec 5 63

Gardner, Charles

19 Nov 14 63

Remarks

Cav C Recruit.

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NORTHFIELD.

"Twas nothing but a truee, as she Was still determined to be free.

On either hand an enemy, Refusing still her rights to yield, Her prowess and diplomacy

Were seen and felt in court and field, While thus alone, in sovereign sway. She stood, and held the world at bay.

Not only so, with towering erest. Her narrow boundaries she increased, By making conquests on the west, And conquests also in the east ; And these were won without the aid Of musket or of glistening blade.

Her court at Charlestown being held- Her western boundary near Malone- Her foes were thus at length compelled Her power, if not her rights, to own; A power too which she dared maintain Until her rights she should regaln.

Nor was she false to freedom when Herself the hunted, threatened prey Of freedom's friends; for, even then, She was not idie in the fray ; But points to deeds of valor done At old " Fort Ti," and Bennington.

My native State! thy history is To me a heritage of pride- Which is not dimmed by rivalries- Whose lustre may not be denied ; For he who runs so plainly reads The tale of thy heroie deeds.

I sit beneath thy mountains' shades, And muse upon thy glories now ;

I wander through thy glens and glades, Or stand upon Algonquin's brow, And look around on shore and wave, Where never trod the foot of slave.

And on thy verdant slopes I see The stamp of freedom still Impressed- A prophecy of what shall be When human nature has been blest With deeds of love, whose shimmering sheen No mortal yet has ever seen.

Dr. NORMAN W. GILBERT, born in Morristown, 1830, married Sarah Atwell, of Waterbury, 1854, studied dentistry in Lowell, Mass .; 1858 settled in Northfield ; 1867 removed to Montpelier ; 1873 to Bos- ton, where, in January, 1877, Mrs. Gilbert died, and soon after the doctor returned to Northfield. He is a graduate of the Boston Dental College.

UNIVERSALIST CHURCH RECORD CON- TINUED. BY CHARLES DOLE.

Mr. Matlack was followed by the Rev. R. A. Greene, who remained with the so- ciety 5 years, doing good and acceptable work, when, receiving a call from Lowell, Mass., the society reluctantly consented

to his removal to what seemed to be a wider field of usefulness. The year suc- ceeding Mr. Greene's departure the socie- ty was without a regular pastor. During this year the Rev. John Gregory preached for a few months. The remaining part of the year the services were conducted by clergymen from neighboring societies. Rev. Wm. M. Kimmell, of Ohio, a young man of Christian worth, was then invited to become the pastor of the church. He accepted, and for 2 years did good and faithful service, closing his labors March 1, 1880.

The church was at this period encum- bered with quite a large debt, which had been accumulating for a number of years. It was not only a source of much trouble, but seriously impaired the usefulness of its work, and its removal became a ques- tion of serious importance. This was by the Rev. Walter Dole, who gave his ser- vices for one year, that all the money paid in during the year might apply on the church debt. Mr. Dole was a graduate of Norwich University and the Meadville Theological School. This was his first year of active service in the work of the Christian ministry preparatory to ordina- tion. At the end of the year, he was reg- ularly ordained, and accepted a call from the Universalist church at Enfield, N. H. During this year's work he had removed the debt that had been the source of much trouble, and thus merited and received the sincere thanks and good will of all mem- bers of the church and society.

At this date, Jan. 1882, the society is in a prosperous condition, with the Rev. I. P. Booth as its pastor, who succeeded the Rev. Walter Dole, May 1, 1881.

THE HARLOW BRIDGE TRAGEDY.

Never was there a tragedy in Vermont which equaled the one that took place Dec. 11, 1867, at "Harlow Bridge." It occurred just after noon, and sent a thrill of horror over the land. About 100 me- chanics and laborers employed in rebuild- ing the " Harlow Bridge" on the Vermont Central railroad, about 2 miles from the depot, were boarding at the Northfield

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House. That day they took their dinner there as usual, and this repast finished, the last meal that many of them were ever again to partake, about 60 of them got in- to a passenger car, and started back for their work. The train, consisting of one car and locomotive and tender, was in charge of Francis B. Abbott, for 15 years a faithful hand in the employ of the road. He was requested to hurry up, so as to get back an! take the others, and the train started, backing up. Intent only upon obeying orders, and forgetting all else, he ran at a speed reprehensible under the circumstances. A number on the train felt that they were going to destruction, but nothing was done to stop it, and then came the culmination of this horrid disas- ter, which carried mourning and desolation into so many families. It is said that the fireman spoke to the engineer about slack- ing his speed, and at last hurled a stick of wood at his head, to awake him from his reverie, telling him to reverse his engine, which he did, but too late. The passenger car first plunged into the frightful abyss. Going down about 25 feet it struck upon the bank, which projected something like a shelf, and then broke, one part of it stopping there, and one going to the bot- tom, over 60 feet further. The tender followed, crushing in among those who remained with that portion of the car which lodged on the bank, where the greatest mortality occurred, those going to the bottom escaping comparatively easy. Across those on the shelf a large timber had fallen, and on this the tender, pinning them to the earth and crushing out their very life. The reversing the en- gine suddenly prevented that from follow- ing, although it had gone so far that a per- pendicular line dropped from the flange ot the driver, carried it 4 feet beyond the abutment. Affrighted, the engineer jumped from his post, but seeing his en- gine did not go over he at once regained his position, and thus prevented the ma- chine from tearing down the road with the velocity of a scared bird, with no one to control it.

Killed : Almon Wetherbee, foreman of

bridge gang ; Christopher Devine, laborer ; Patrick Garvin, laborer ; Edward Sweeney, trackman; Timothy McCarty, trackman ; Louis Rock, bridge builder, citizens of Northfield, and 9 others killed, most of whom lived in Canada.

Wounded: George Randall, telegraph- ist ; Horace Kingsbury and J. Mulcahey, citizens of Northfield, and 35 from this State and Canada.

COL. FRANCIS V. RANDALL

was born in Braintree, in Orange County, Feb. 13, 1824. His father, Gurdon Ran- dall, was of English origin, born in Con- necticut, and emigrated with his father's family to the new State of Vermont in 1803, when about 9 years old ; was re- puted a man of excellent parts, and suc- ceeded in acquiring more than an ordina- ry education for those times, and studied medicine, which, however, he never prac- ticed, it not being congenial to his tastes. He had a natural aptitude for mechanics, and had the reputation of building as good grist and saw-mills as the best. He mov- ed from Braintree to Northfield in 1832, where he lived mostly until he died in 1861. [See page 645.]

Col. Randall's mother was Laura Scott Warner, the daughter of Luther Warner, a near relative of Col. Seth Warner. She was born in Putney, and moved to Brain- tree with her father's family when a small girl. She died in Northfield in 1880. No more need be said of her than that she raised a large family of children under somewhat adverse circumstances, and did it well. She was emphatically a good wife and mother.

Col. F. V. Randall was the second of a family of 9 children, and being thus one of the oldest, in those rugged times had to lend a hand in assisting in the support of the family, and at 20 years had had no school opportunities beyond the district school, with such additional aid as his father could find occasional opportunities to give. At his 20th birthday his father informed him that his means would not admit of his helping him to obtain an ed- ucation, and that all he could do would be

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to give him the year of his unexpired mi- nority, which he did. From that time he worked and kept school a few months at a time until he had earned money to take him through a term at the academy, ex- pended it for that purpose, and then earned more, and so on, as many another boy has done before and since.

At about the same time, he entered as a student at law in the office of the Hon. Heman Carpenter, of Northfield, and in- proved all of his vacations in this way. While studying with Judge Carpenter, he boarded in his family, and a part of the time did chores to pay for his board. In 1847, being 23 years old, he was admitted to Washington County Bar, and went im- mediately into a large and successful prac- tice, which he only abandoned to go into the army at the outbreak of the Rebellion. I think Washington County Court docket shows that but one or two lawyers in the county had a larger practice than he did at that time.

He first commenced practice in North- field, where he remained until 1857. From 1853 to 1857 he was postmaster there. While in practice there, Albert V. H. Carpenter was his law partner for awhile, and afterwards Col: Chas. H. Joyce. In 1857, he sold out at Northfield with the in- tention of moving West, and moved to Roxbury, where he had some real estate interest, intending to remain long enough to close his business preparatory to going West.

Just before the fall election it was pro- posed to him by leading members of the Democratic party, to which he belonged, to run for town representative. He in- formed them that his residence in town had hardly been a year, the constitutional time required, and that if elected he prob- ably could not hold his seat. The town was very closely divided in its vote politi- cally, and it was thought as things then stood that he was the only Democrat who could win, and that it would be more grat- ifying to succeed at the polls than to be defeated, even if his seat should be success- fully contested, and so he was nominated. The first ballot showed a tie between him

and his whig opponent, but on a subse- quent ballot he was declared elected, and received his credentials and took his seat. It was however contested, and having re- tained it in the controversy till toward the close of the session, he was ousted. Dur- ing this time he was on several important standing and other committees; was the Democratic candidate for Speaker, run- ning against Senator Edmunds. The next year, having remained in Roxbury, he was again elected representative by a large ma- jority, and his seat was not contested. In 1860 he moved to Montpelier, the better to pursue his largely increasing law prac- tice.

In 1858, the legislature having organized a militia brigade in the State, consisting of a regiment from each congressional dis- trict, Gen. Alonzo Jackman was appointed Brigadier General, and in making up his staff, Col. Randall was made Brigade Judge Advocate, and in that year the brigade mustered at Montpelier, and Col. Randall was present in his official capacity. When three years after the town of Montpelier raised a company for the 2d Vt. Regt. in the Rebellion, this was remembered by some, and after, at a war meeting during the extra session of the legislature, it was found that more than enough men for the company had enlisted in a single evening. Col. R. was asked to take charge of and drill them. He reluctantly consented to do so, and when finally on the organiza- tion of the company, he received every vote for captain, he was persuaded to ac- cept the position, with the expectation and belief that the war would not continue 6 weeks. With that company he served as captain, having been with it at the first Bull Run battle, and all the battles that followed till the close of Mcclellan's Pen- insula Campaign, when he was made Col. of the 13th Regt., and served with that during its term of service. The Governor then offered him the command of the 17th Regt., then being recruited, which he ac- cepted, assisting in filling up the regiment, and serving with it to the end of the war. Col. Randall was the only man from the State who was colonel of two regiments.

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In the winter of 1863-'4, after the Pres- ident's call for 300,000 men, known as the call of October 17, 1863, at the request of Gen. Washburn, then Adjutant General, and charged with the raising of men, Col. Randall was detailed to assist by address- ing war meetings in different parts of the State, his appointments to speak being made by Gen. Washburn in those local- ities where recruiting was hardest and where they were most behind. Many amusing anecdotes are told of the shifts which the Colonel made to induce men to enlist, which space will not permit us to insert. But during that winter he spoke at about 50 war meetings all over the State, and at no place where he spoke did they fail to fill their quota, and generally before the meeting was closed.

At the close of the war he returned to Montpelier, where for about 6 or 8 years he pursued his law practice with much success ; but the interruption of the 4 or 5 years that he was out of practice during the war diminished his interest in his pro- fession, and for several years he has not made it a leading business, having done very little at the law, but has cultivated his farm without engaging much in other business.

F. V. R.

PAPER ON EARLY METHODISM IN NORTH- FIELD. BY REV. J. R. BARTLETT.

The earliest records now known on the history of Methodism in this section, are those of the Barre Circuit from 1804 ; quite incomplete, but show the class in North- field possessed some 20 or more members at that time. The list reads : William Keyes, Betsey Keyes, William Ashcroft, William Smith, Abel Keyes, Esther Keyes, Mary Smith, Susanna Latham, Joseph Nichols, Weltha Nichols, Lydia Robinson, Betsey Robinson, Cynthia Nichols, Polly Smith, Isaiah Bacon, Ruth Bacon, Anan- ias Tubbs, Hannah Tubbs, Simeon Fisk, Betsey Fisk. In 1812, three classes were reported. Jason Winch leader of one with 9 members, William Keyes leader of another with 23; and the third having no stated leader, but 6 members. and two on trial ; Asa Winch recorded as an "ex-

horter " and resident at Northfield. This town was included in Barre circuit until 1826, when Brookfield circuit was organ- ized, including Brookfield, Northfield, Williamstown, Roxbury and Randolph.

Doubtless all the preachers appointed on Vershire circuit from 1796 to 1803, in- clusive, and on Barre circuit from 1804 to 1825, visited Northfield in the course of their labors at stated intervals to preach ; and quarterly meetings, which in the early days were attended from all parts of the circuit, were held here from time to time. The first one recorded here was May 23, 1807; the collections reported $78.48 for the quarter, and the summary for the year $148.45. This was disbursed: to E. Sa- bin, presiding Elder, $24.72 ; for commun- ion wine, $4.68 ; to Philip Munger, $54.67 ; for his expenses, $3.82 ; and the same to Jonathan Cheney, do. The preachers af- terwards received (during the remainder of the Conference year) $13.35 additional, in which was included a note from the class in Orange for one dollar. Following the organization of Brookfield circuit in 1826, this town remained therein until it became an appointment by itself. The Vermont Annual Conference has held. its sessions here ; June 24, 1852, the Sth an- nual session, Bishop Levi Scott presiding ; Apr. 16, 1862, the 18th annual session, Bishop O. C. Baker presiding ; Apr. 20, 1871, the 27th annual session, Bishop E. S. Janes presiding.

THE OLD YELLOW MEETING-HOUSE, (page 649 and 658), seems to be the butt for joke and mistake, though passed out of exist- ence. First, page 649, a superfluous "was " crept in, and did not get excluded. Line 2d, inclosed paragraph after " Impromptu " should read : "that was soon however burned." Again, the old yellow meeting- house was not burned at all. Father Druon has just sifted the conflicting accounts, and given us the reliable one. "Gov. Paine had given land to the Catholics for a church if occupied ; if not, they lost it ; hence, when they bought the old meeting- house, they had to move it 13 mile to the given site, which so racked the frame, and it was so much too small, though they re-

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NORTHFIELD.

modeled it and got along with it some 3 years, Father Druon then commenced to build a new church directly in front of the old, and the new frame, partly inclosing in the rear the old one; which as the new progressed was cut away part at a

time, and when the new one was finished, the last fragment of the old house had been removed, and so no part of it was in fact burned ; but the new one, which was the second church, was burned by lightning in 1876.

Respectfully. ACarpenter

NATHANIEL CARPENTER, OF MIDDLESEX. BY HON. HIEMAN CARPENTER, OF NORTIIFIELD.

Nathaniel Carpenter, one of the early settlers of Middlesex, was born in Cov- entry, Conn., Sept. 20, 1766. He was one of a family of 12 children. His father and family moved to Sharon, Vt., about 1775. His oldest brother, Jonas Carpen- ter, was in the American army, and was at the taking of Cornwallis at Yorktown. He married for his first wife Susanna Shep- herd, of Sharon, and by this marriage had 3 children : Lavinia was born June 21, 1788, and died Aug. 21, 1865 ; Stephen was born May 23, 1790, and died Dec. 30, 1803; Alanson was born Jan. 30, 1793, I was very successful in his practice.

and is now living in Fremont, Ohio. Their mother died May 29, 1794. Said Nathaniel mar- ried for his second wife, Abigail (Morse) Waterman, March 26, 1797. They had by their mar- riage 9 children : Christopher, Susan, Wooster, Nathaniel M., Don P., Heman, Otis H., Fi- delia, and Albert V. H., four of which are now living-Alanson, Nathaniel M., Heman, and Al- bert V. H. The father of these children held many prominent offices in said town of Middlesex, and he and his son Alanson were in the battle of Plattsburg in the war of 1812.

Nathaniel Carpenter died at Middlesex, Nov. 25, 1840; his wife Abigail, Sept. 21, 1842, and is buried in Middlesex, aged 65 years, 9 months, and 19 days.

The mother of these 9 chil- dren was born in Royalton, daughter of Nathaniel Morse. At the burning of Royalton by the Indians, her mother was flee- ing on horseback from the inva- ders, with her in her arms, and was captured and seated on a log, the In- dians brandishing their tomahawks over their heads. They left them, but took the horse, burning their house and barns, and the contents, including several fat oxen in the barns.

Alanson, the youngest by the first wife, read law and located at Chateaugay, Frank- lin Co., N. Y. He was custom-house offi- cer at that place for many years. He now resides in Fremont, Ohio.

Christopher studied medicine, and grad- uated at the medical school in Burlington, and located at Bangor, N. Y., where he died. He had a very extensive ride, and

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Wooster studied medicine with his brother, and graduated at Burlington or Castleton medical college, and located at Lisbon, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. He had a large and successful practice, but died poor, having become involved in debt in his efforts to build and complete a stone church in the small village where he resid- ed, which was dedicated to "The Church," as he called it, of which he was a zealous communicant.

Don P. was a farmer, but held many offices in his native town ; was a member of the Legislature in 1848, and twice elect- ed side judge of the county court.

Nathaniel M. was a farmer, and now lives in Middlesex.

Otis H. was a blacksmith by trade, and at the breaking out of the gold fever in California, he with a party went over land to the gold regions of that State, and on the way suffered all but death. Having gathered a competence, he returned and settled in Manitowoc, Min., where he died.

Albert V. H. fitted for college at the Washington Co. Grammar School, read law in the office of his brother in North- field ; set up in Strafford, Orange Co., where he remained two or three years, and returned to Northfield. He was a well- read lawyer, and a good advocate, but if beaten in a case that he thought he ought to have won, he became disgusted with the profession, for the lack of " pluck," and turned his attention to railroading. He was station agent at Rouses Point a while, and at Montpelier, and at Toledo, Ohio, and is now, and for nearly twenty years has been general ticket agent of the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, embrac- ing nearly 4,000 miles of road. His resi- dence is at Milwaukee, Wis. He is well known throughout the North West, and many Vermonters will remember the kind greeting they have received from him, and the friendly aid he has extended to them.

PERRY MARSH

was born in Petersham, Mass. Aug. 7, 1796. His parents removed to Calais, Vt., when he was about 4 years old, draw- ing the subject of our sketch on a hand- sled from Montpelier to their new home in

that town. When Perry was still a boy, he enlisted as a fifer in the war of 1812. At the close of the war he returned to his home and to civil pursuits, residing in Calais until 1836, when he came to Mont- pelier and engaged to some extent in the manufacture of pianos, which he continu- ed several years, and then removed to Stowe; from which place, near 20 years ago, he came to Northfield. He was then approaching his three score years and ten, and has passed here, in a quiet, unobtru- sive fashion, his declining years, during which he has become widely known through his favorite pastime of playing his fife. He was a good player of some other wind instruments, but especially attached to this, an account of which, immediately after his death, Sunday, Feb. 4, 1882, Dr. Gilbert wrote the following tribute to :

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The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 113

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