The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 126

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 126

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Luther L., a successful teacher in the southern part of Massachusetts, and now a resident of New York.

Frank B., a graduate of U. V. M. in the class of '63, now a civil engineer in the in- terior ; and Abigail H., wife of Rev. Chas. Cavern, of Lake Mills, Wis.

Hon. JASON CARPENTER was born Aug. 15, 1772, at Coventry, Ct. Like many of his contemporaries, his school days were few, but his education practical. He came to Waitsfield in 1818, and was identified with its business and interests for the rest of his active life. He served as judge of probate for the County 2 years, and as representative from 1829 to '31, and from '34 to '36, inclusive. He married, 18-, Miss Betsey Ingraham, by whom he had 6 children, of whom one finds mention in another place, the wife of Hon. Hiram Jones ; while the record of another, Charles, as a most successful teacher, though cut off in the midst of his usefulness; and of another, George H., as a successful busi- ness man in Racine, Wis., must not be passed in silence.

MATTHIAS S. JONES, Esq., was born in Claremont, N. H., Apr. 12, 1778, and re- moved to Waitsfield at an early date. He was one of the more prominent men of the town, filling in turn the most impor- tant offices in the gift of his townsmen ; was justice of the peace more than 30 years, and town clerk for half that period, and represented the town in 1825, '26, '27. He was twice married-Aug. 28, 1807, to Miss Betsey Joyslin, of Waitsfield, and May 26, 1836, to Miss Mary Prentice, of Weathersfield. His death occurred June 25, 1851. He reared a comparatively large family-all children of the first mar- riage-of whom are L. W. Jones, Esq., a successful merchant of Waitsfield, and a man of decided public spirit.

EDWIN JONES, M. D., who was born June 3, 1825, at Waitsfield, studied for a time with Dr. D. C. Joslin, of Waitsfield, and attended one course of lectures at Woodstock, graduating at length at Pitts- field, Mass., and practicing at Orange, Vt., for three months, and at Vershire and Straf- ford the remainder of his life. He mar-

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ried, Oct. 18, 1852, Miss Mary A., dau. of Rev. Elisha Brown, of Montpelier, and precisely 2 years later died at Strafford, a bereavement not only to those who knew him as a relative and friend, but to those who had learned to know him as a beloved physician.

Hon. HIRAM JONES, another son, who was born June 26, 1808, and whose oppor- tunities for acquiring an education were confined to the common schools of his native town, and who made such improve- ments of these scanty means, that he was called into places of public trust at an unusually early age. Besides almost con- tinually serving as justice of the peace, and frequently holding other offices of pub- lic trust, he represented the town in 1840, '41-'42, and was assistant judge of the county court from 1855 to 1857. (Died in 1872.) He married Oct. 6, 1835, Laura L., daughter of Hon. Jason Carpenter. Six children were the issue of this mar- riage, of whom Walter A., is a resident physician of his native town, and George M. lost his life in the first battle of the Wilderness,-the only one in which he was engaged. His enlistment was just at the time Gen. Grant took command in the 2d Reg. U. S. S. S.

Hon. RODERICK RICHARDSON, Sr., was born in Tolland, Conn., in 1779, and in early life removed to Waitsfield. By trade he was a saddler. He was for many years postmaster of the town, and the owner of the principal store ; was assistant judge of Washington Co. court 2 years. The date of his marriage to Miss Anna Davis we are unable to ascertain. Two sons and two daughters were born to him, the youngest, Hon. RODERICK RICHARDSON, Jr., who as a man of enterprise and wealth was for many years a leader in the business of Waitsfield. He was born Aug. 7, 1807, at Hartford, Conn., but obtained all his schooling at the common school in Waits- field; was representative in 1837-38, '39, 50-51, and senator from Washington county 4 years; assistant judge of Wash- ington county for one year ; elected by the joint assembly, and declined a re-election. He is an earnest Episcopalian, having

united with that church not far from 1853 ; at the present time is senior warden of Christ Church in Montpelier; one of the standing committee of the diocese of Ver- mont, and a delegate to the Triennial Convention of the Episcopal church of the United States at the sessions of 1862, '65, '68. [See Montpelier, 546.]

RODERICK JULIUS RICHARDSON, son of the above, was born in Waitsfield, May 31, 1840 ; graduated at Norwich Univer- sity, and was made paymaster in the U. S. Navy, Sept. 1861. Being ordered to the " Harriet Lane," he was captured with the remainder of her crew off Galveston, Tex., Jan. 10, 1863 ; was paroled that spring, and participated in the capture of New Orleans, the first siege of Vicksburg ; went through the Mississippi River Campaign ; was in the " South Atlantic Squadron " at Charles- ton, S. C., and in the "North Atlantic Squadron" on board the Steamer "Wa- bash " before the Wilmington fight, and participated in search for the " Alabama " and "Florida." In 1865, he received his discharge, and was elected cashier of the First National Bank, Montpelier, and is now a commission merchant in Boston. He was married Jan. 5, 1865, to Miss Faddie Ware, of Boston.

B. H. ADAMS, Esq., was born in Tun- bridge, in 1810, and after receiving the usual common school education, studied law, and opened an office in Waitsfield, where he practiced until his death, which occurred in Oct. 1849. The writer re- members him as he appeared at leisure in the store a year or so before his death. He was a man of medium height and rather robust in appearance, of light com- plexion and pleasing address. It is said that he never made a plea of any extended length, but rarely failed to make a deep impression on all those who heard him. " He was a rare man," says one who was conversant with him, "gifted, eloquent, persuasive, powerful, genial, generous, benevolent to a fault, the best advocate I ever saw or heard." A full history of the man would of course present other than the professional side of his character, and would be obliged to state what we are

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sorry to say is too common in the history of talented men, that while they rule their fellowmen by their great abilities, they are too often the slaves of intemperance or gaming. The ready wit with which he sometimes secured a favorable verdict when he had by far the hardest side, is well remembered, and could we afford space for story-telling of this kind, we should provoke many a hearty laugh from the reader.

ORANGE SMITH, M. D., was born Jan. 27, 1796, at Brookfield. He was a grad- uate of Randolph Academy, and of the medical department of the U. V. M. He also studied medicine with Daniel Wash- burn, M. D., and attended lectures for some length of time at Dartmouth. He commenced at Starksboro ; soon removed to Williston, and after one year of practice there removed to Waitsfield, and contin- ued in practice there until near the time of his death, in 1863. Besides being a good physician, he was a very public spirited man, and one whose influence, especially in religious matters was not small. He entered into the practice of Dr. Miner, who was about to remove from town, and for some time lived on the farm now owned by T. G. W. Farr, Esq., but subsequently removed to the village. He married (Mar. 2, 1825,) Miss Lucy Hatch of Brookfield, by whom he had three children, only one of whom (Charles D. Smith, Esq.,) is now living.

MEETING AT WAITSFIELD ON THE ADMIS- SION OF TEXAS.

"The undersigned respectfully request all the inhabitants of Waitsfield to meet at the brick Meeting house on Thursday, the 17th day of August inst., at three o'clock P. M., for the purpose of expres- sing their views in relation to the propri- ety of having Texas annexed to the Uni- ted States as a slave holding territory. We consider this a subject of great impor- tance, and earnestly invite a general atten- dance.

Waitsfield, August 7th, 1837.

Wm. Bragg, Jonathan H. Brown, Rod'k Richardson,

Zana Moore,

Jenison Joslin, D. C. Joyslin,

Horace S. Jones,

Azro D. Rice,

Hiram Joslin,

John W. Steele,

James C. Fargo,

Stephen P. Jos!in, Samuel Chipman, Matthias S. Jones, Robert Leach,

S. H. Cheney,

Benjamin Reed, Jr.,

Orange Smith, Isaac Hawley,

L. W. Truman, Wells Hitchcock,

Wm. M. Pingry,

Harry Jones,

R. Richardson, Jr., Charles Jones.

Resolved, That a copy of the preamble and Resolutions together with the proceed- ings of this meeting, signed by the chair- man and Sec., be forwarded to each of the pol. presses at Mont. for publication, also to each of our Senators and Reps. in Congress.

Whereas, it is the priviledge of the citi- zens of a republican goverment to assemble together for the purpose of expressing their sentiments on all subjects in which they are interested, and it becomes their duty so to do, when questions of great moment are proposed, especially when in the de- cision of those questions the rights and lib- erties of American citizens are involved. And whereas slavery, in the language of a distinguished senator from Virginia, is a "moral and political evil, an evil in the eye of religion, philanthropy and reason," and is opposed to both the letter and spirit of the Declaration, " that all men are created equal ; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," and is a gross viola- tion of that divine law which commands " whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so to them." And whereas, the annexation of Texas to this country would have a tendency to perpet- uate the system of slavery, and endanger the liberties of our country by subjecting us to discord at home and conflict abroad :

Therefore resolved, that however much we may differ with regard to the immediate abolition of slavery now existing in the United States, we are of one mind on the question of adding thereto by annexing Texas or any other slave holding territory to our Government.

Resolved, That we are opposed to the annexation of Texas to the United States at the present time, under any circumstan- ces whatever, and that we will use our ut- most exertion in a lawful and constitutional manner, to prevent such a result.

Resolved, That we are in favor of equal rights, and would gladly welcome the time when the enjoyment of political, civil and religious liberty shall be co-extensive with the vast family of man.

Resolved, That it is the duty of the press to advocate and contend for the doc-

W. M. Guilford, Dan. Richardson, H. Cardell,

J. B. · Bisbee, Roswell Morris,

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trine of equal rights, and oppose the asso- ciation with our government of any terri- tory whose constitution, or constitutions, are based upon any other principle.

Resoleed, That every consistent person that is opposed to slavery in the abstract, must necessarily be opposed to annexing Texas to this government, and that it should be the study of the American peo- ple how best to rid themselves of the evil under which they are now labouring, in- stead of making addition thereto.

Resolved, That our Senators and Rep- resentatives in Congress be requested to oppose to the utmost of their power, every attempt to annex Texas to the United States."

[The foregoing was contributed by Chas. A. Smith, of Barre, a grandson of Orange Smith, of Waitsfield. Orange Smith draft- ed the above resolutions.]

DAVID CARLISLE JOYSLIN, M. D., was born at Springfield, Vt., May 15, 1799, pursued a classical course at Randolph Grammar School ; graduated at Castleton Medical College in -; commenced prac- tice in Waitsfield in 18 -. His practice has been extensive and successful, not in Waitsfield only but also largely in Warren and Fayston. At present he has laid aside the regular practice of his profession, and is more engaged in practical farming. He married Oct. 26, 1852, Miss Jane E. Car- penter, a great grand-daughter of Gen. Wait, by whom he has had three children, of whom only one is now living. Dr. Joyslin died in 1874.

Hon. IRA RICHARDSON was born in Waitsfield Oct. 6, 1816, and enjoyed the usual advantages of its common schools; represented the town in 1856, and again in 1866, and served as assistant judge of Washington county in 1868-'69. For many years his health was exceedingly poor, yet he has done a great deal for the business of the town by engaging in mer- cantile and manufacturing pursuits, as well as farming. He is the owner of mills that turn off a large quantity of lumber, chiefly clapboards, and of a tannery. He mar- ried April 6, 1843, Harriet F. Chapman, and has raised up a family of sons who are now in active business.

Hon. JONATHAN HAMMOND HASTINGS, was born in Waitsfield, Feb. 12, 1824, and has been a resident of the town until the present time, and for many years entrusted with a portion of the town business. He filled the office of deputy sheriff and con- stable for 10 years from 1846, to the entire satisfaction of the people; in 1856-17 was high sheriff of the county ; represented the town in general assembly in 1862-'63, and was elected senator in 1869. He has also been connected with the Waterbury bank as director for 13 years. He married Nov. 1, 1848, Miss Ellen M. Merriam of Johnson, by whom he has had 6 children.

EDWIN F. PALMER, ESQ.,

of Waterbury, was born in Waitsfield, Jan. 22, 1836. In his boyhood, he exhib- ited more than usual capacity as a scholar, and began a course of classical study while still a youth, reciting to Rev. Charles Duran, pastor of the Congregational church, and afterwards pursuing his course at the Northfield Institute ; and graduating with honor at Dartmouth. in 1862 ; and becom- ing a member of the college church during his course of study. He then studied law with Hon. Paul Dillingham, and has prac- ticed in Waterbury since, with the excep- tion of 6 months service in the custom- house at Island Pond, and 9 months ser- vice as 2d Lieut of Co. B, 13th Vt. ; during which time he kept a diary, and on his re- turn, published a neat little work entitled " Camp Life," which is prized by his com- rades and their friends, as an accurate and pleasant history of their campaign. He was married June 15, 1865, to Miss Addie D. Hartshorn.

REV. AMARIAH CHANDLER,

was a native of Shelburne, Mass., a gradu- ate of U. V. M., and a theological pupil of Rev. Dr. Packard of Shelburne, Mass. He was settled in Waitsfield in 1810, and dismissed in 1830. During all this time, he was a faithful pastor, a kind sympa- thizing friend, and a man of courage and power in every direction. Several times in this sketch, we have had occasion to re- fer to him, and the savor of his name is still sweet in all this region. He was both

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eloquent and witty, but he used the latter mainly as a weapon of defense. Woe to the man that attempted to oppose or en- trap him in any matter, a very few meas- ured words would shut his month. His gentleness could not be exceeded, but he had the most perfect contempt for all dis- play. He was short and stout in person, and in habits quite refreshingly rustic. The best picture that could be made of him, would be a delineation of that scene at his own door, (after he had removed to Greenfield, and received rather thanklessly the degree of D. D.) when a dapper young man approached him, as he was washing his bare feet at the pump after a morning's labor in his field, and inquired for " Mr. Chandler." "I am Mr. Chandler," was his quiet reply. " But I mean Rev. Mr. Chandler," said the stranger. "Yes, sir, that is my name." But still obtuse, the young theologue persisted in saying, "but I mean Rev. Amariah Chandler, D. D." " Yes, sir, they sometimes call me all that," said the doctor, quietly enjoying the dis- comfiture of one who mistook him for a boor.

The writer remembers of his rising to preach, (when on a visit to his daughter only a few years ago,) and saying meas- uredly, "The sermon I am about to preach will perhaps be remembered by some of you who are here to-day. If you do not remember it, it will make no difference to you. If you do, it will make a great dif- ference with me, for I shall be glad to know that you remember so well."

In his later days, he preached a sermon in which he acknowledged some change of views on doctrinal subjects. This sermon the writer has not been able to lay hold of now, but from his recollections of it, (having read it when a boy) he believes it to have shown Mr. Chandler to be precise- ly with the majority of Congregational ministers at the present time ; and though it created some discussion, and met with disapproval from some of his people whom he had trained so well to think and judge for themselves, yet we suspect it would prove to be a crowning glory to him, as showing that he was an inquirer after truth,

even at three-score-and-ten, and certainly the humility and candor of it, in frankly expressing his almost lifelong mistake as he then thought it, was noble.

When he reached his 70th birth-day, he resigned his pastoral charge, saying to his people, that he did not intend to leave them, and was ready to minister to them still, but he meant to put it out of his pow- er to pastor them when he should become childish. Thns the matter stood until his death. It would probably have been hard to have convinced his people that there was any danger of his getting childish after that.

We cannot help saying, O that he had remained in Waitsfield, while he lived ! The people were very loth to part with him in 1830, but they did not fully realize what they were losing, or they would have utterly refused to let him go, and re- sisted until they had compelled him to remain.

Rev. PERRIN B. FISK, son of Moses, was born July 6, 1792, and in youth and early manhood followed the trade of a saddler, residing at Montpelier, where he married (May, 1815), Miss Azuba Blais- dell. His talents were rather above the point of mediocrity, but he had small op- portunities for study. After his conversion he became very anxious to do more good, and in a short time was led to change his views upon the subject of baptism, in consequence to leave the Congregational for the Baptist church, by which order he was immediately licensed to preach, and was at length settled in Wardsboro, as pastor of the Baptist church. The late Rev. P. H. White was at this time one of the young men who sat under his preach- ing. His remembrance of the man, as given to the writer, was of a corpulent and jolly man, who enjoyed to sit on the store steps and smoke and tell stories, both of which he could do well. As a preacher, he was able to compare fairly with the av- erage men of his denomination. He was the father of three children, two of whom were sons. Moses, the eldest, was a shrewd and smart, but unprincipled young man, who lived fast, and died early, leav-

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ing a young widow and babe, both of whom are now dead, and Thomas was sheriff in Washington Co., N. Y., from the time he was 21 until he led his men through the bloody campaigns of the Potomac as lieutenant and captain of ar- tillery.

Rev. JOEL FISK, brother of the above, was born Oct. 26, 1796, and lived at Waitsfield until the age of 20, when, be- coming pious, he gave himself up to the work of the ministry, and at length grad- uated at Middlebury, in 1825; studied theology with Rev. Charles Walker, of Pittsford, and at the age of 30, was or- dained pastor of the Congregational church in Monkton. He was almost reprimanded while in college for his persistence in re- vival work, and this fact is a true exponent of his whole professional life. He labored successively and successfully in the follow- ing places, viz. : New Haven, Vt., Essex, N. Y., Montreal and Phillipsburgh, C. E. (as it then was), Irasburgh and Plainfield, Vt., where he died Dec. 16, 1856. He was devoted to his work, searching in his style, and a man of decided literary taste. He married, Oct. 15, 1826, Miss Clarinda Chapman, by whom he had 7 children, of whom are Harvey, of the celebrated firm of Fisk and Hatch, in New York City, and Pliny, president of the American Pot- tery Co., of Trenton, N. J.

Rev. HARVEY FISK, brother of the two last noticed, was born Apr. 12, 1799, and had in early life the reputation of being a smart, wild, but very truthful boy. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to the late Gen. E. P. Walton, of Montpelier, to learn the printer's trade. Here he made friends and acquired much useful knowledge, but withal, had such a vein of fun and frolic and an aptness at practical joking in him, that he provoked the momentary indigna- tion, as well as the regard, of those who knew him. Having become a Christian here, he gave himself up to the work of the ministry, graduating at Hamilton Col- lege in the class of '26, and at Princeton Theological Sem. Subsequently, during his studies, he worked his way with the composing stick, and was the compiler,

and for some time the publisher, of the " American Sunday-School Union," and the compiler and publisher of the " Union Question Books" for Sunday-schools. He died very suddenly at New York City, after less than a year of ministerial labor. He married, Feb. 17, 1829, Anna M. Plumb, by whom he had one son, Harvey Jon- athan, who is at present an accountant in Detroit, Mich., thus maintaining his wid- owed mother.

Rev. PLINY FISK BARNARD was born in Waitsfield, Nov. 9, 1820 ; pursued a course of classical study at Jericho and Mont- pelier ; graduated at Dartmouth in 1843 ; at Bangor Theological Seminary in 1846; was settled over the Congregational church in Richmond, Me., in 1847, and after a pastorate of 9 years, removed to Williams- town, Vt., where he continues to exercise the pastoral office with much acceptance. He married, Nov. 4, 1846, Julia, daughter of Rev. James Hobart, of Berlin, by whom he has had 7 children.

Rev. PERRIN B. FISK, son of Deacon Lyman, and grandson of Deacon Moses, was born July 3, 1837 ; studied at Barre Academy and at Bangor Theological Sem- inary, where he graduated in 1863, and was immediately settled as pastor of the Congregational church at West Dracut, Mass ; in 1865 was dismissed, and removed to Rockport, where he .supplied the First church during the European tour of Rev. W. H. Dunning, the pastor; 1866, was settled as pastor of the Congregational church in Peacham, Vt., where he still resides ; served as chaplain of the Senate of Vermont in 1869 ; otherwise chiefly dis- tinguished as the author of this sketch of Waitsfield. In 1863, he was married to Miss Harriet L. Bigelow, of Waitsfield, a great-great-grand-daughter of Gen. Wait.

Rev. ALONZO HITCHCOCK was born at Waitsfield, Nov. 29, 1814; pursued his studies mainly with a resident clergyman, and has been stationed in the following M. E. churches, viz. : Albany, St. Johns- bury, East Walden, Bethel, Gaysville, Randolph, Corinth, Bradford, Proctors- ville, Plainfield, Cabot, E. Burke, Middle-

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sex, and is now acting as agent of the Methodist Conference Sem. at Montpelier.

MATTHIAS JOSLIN was born in Waits- field, Aug. 19, 1806, and finished his lim- ited education at Royalton. In 1830, he entered upon missionary work as a teacher among the Choctaws. He had charge of the boys' school at Mayhew until the re- moval of the tribe by government to the new country assigned them west of the Mississippi, which took place in 1832. Mr. Joslin then returned to Waitsfield, and remained during the summer and fall. In September he married Miss Sophia M. Palmer, and with her returned to the Indian country, residing at Dwight among the Cherokees, and when he was about to return to his contemplated field among the Choctaws, was removed by death, Nov. 21, 1833, after an illness of only 11 days. He was a good man and his end was peace. [Mr. Joslin's widow married a Mr. Newton, and is now living at San Antonio, Texas .- E. A. F.]

IRA BUSHNELL, son of Dea. Jedediah Bushnell, was born June 11, 1826; fitted for college at Johnson, and graduated in Burlington in 1856. He was a young man of deep piety, and of much promise, who had consecrated himself to the work of the ministry. But being not the readiest, though one of the most persistent of stu- dents, and a very athletic young man, who had been accustomed to labor on a farm, his health during his college course was undermined. Soon after he graduated, he was attacked with hemorrhage of the lungs, and gradually wasted away until June 16, 1858, when he died.

GURLEY A. PHELPS, M. D., was born in Waitsfield, June 30, 1822; pursued a course of classical study at Montpelier and of professional study at Castleton, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. Took up his residence in Jaffrey, N. H., where he has had an exten- sive practice, and attained a wide reputa- tion as a skillful physician. He married April 10, 1851, Miss Adaliza Cutter, who deserves mention as a poetess of much merit. Some time after her death he was married again (Nov. 3, 1858,) to Miss

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The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 126

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