The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 137

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 137

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).

Mr. Wells was married to Miss Eliza Carpenter, second daughter of Judge Dan Carpenter, Jan. 13, 1831. This choice of a wife was a most fortunate one for him, as his subsequent life demonstrat- ed. They buried two children in in- fancy, but reared 7 sons and I daughter. Four of the sons were engaged more or less in the conflict for the Union, and one of them, William, attained the rank of Brevet Major General of Volunteers. Roswell, the eldest, is in business at Waupun, Wis. William is Collector of Customs for the District of Vermont, re- siding at Burlington. Curtis is Cashier of the Waterbury National Bank. Edward, Henry and Fred are members of the firm of Wells, Richardson & Co., of Burling- ton, (wholesale dealers in drugs and medi- cines). Charles is employed in the Customs Department of the Government, residing at St. Albans, and Sarah C., is the wife of James W. Brock of Montpelier, (1882). During the war and since, these sons of Mr. Wells have demonstated the great truth that intelligent labor faithfully pur- sued, wins.

Mr. Wells' impulses were generally working good results. He was an honest

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man in all his relations to life. Hating dishonesty, despising cant and abhorring hypocrisy, he passed a life which left ev- idences that our little part of the world was better for his having lived. He died respected by all, and mourned by many.

Mrs. Wells died Aug. 5, 1873. She was a member of the Congregational church, Waterbury.

[We asked Gen. Wells for his war record for Waterbury in our Gazetteer in 1876, choosing it from his own pen. The fol- lowing brief paper is his return] :

William Wells, born in Waterbury, Vt., Dec. 14, 1837, entered the service as a private soldier in Co. C, Ist Regiment Vermont Cavalry, in 1861 ; was promoted to Ist Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, Brev. Brig. General, Brig. Gen. and Brev. Maj. Gen. Vols .; was mustered out of service Jan. 16, 1866; represented Water- bury in the Legislature 1865 and 1866; was Adjutant and Inspector General of Vermont from the ist of Oct. 1866, to May 1, 1872, when he was appointed Col- lector of Customs for the District of Vt., which position he now holds. w. W.

From the Burlington Free Press, 1872.

Gen. WELLS, born in 1837, had been engaged in business with his father, till shortly before the war broke out. He went into the service as Ist Lieutenant of Co. C, of the Ist Vermont Cavalry, was promoted to be Captain before the regi- ment reached the field, and was made Major, Oct. 30, 1862. He was wounded in action, at Hagerstown, Md., July 6, 1863, and Sept. 13, 1863, at Culpepper, by the explosion of a shell, which also wounded Gen. Custer. He was promoted to the Colonelcy of the regiment, in June, 1864, commanded and fought the regiment during its arduous service in the Shenan- doah Valley during that summer and fall, till he was placed in command of a brigade of Cavalry. February 22, 1865, he was promoted Brigadier General for gallant and meritorious service, and May 19, 1865, was appointed Brigadier General.

He commanded a cavalry brigade at Winchester and at Cedar Creek. in which battle his old regiment, the Ist Vermont, took 23 pieces of artillery-the heaviest capture ever made by one regiment in the war-and was in command under Sheridan throughout the rest of the war, up to the surrender of Lee at Appomattox Court House. After that he was in command of a division near Washington, till mustered out of the service. He came home a Bre-

vet Major General of Volunteers, and with as clean and honorable a record as any soldier that Vermont sent to the war.

In 1866, Gen. Wells was elected Adju- tant and Inspector General of Vermont, succeeding Gen. P. T. Washburn in that office, which he has held up to his present appointment,-[Collector of Customs for the District of Vermont at Burlington.] For several years past Gen. Wells has been a resident of this city, Burlington, and a member of the firm of Henry & Co., wholesale drug merchants. His personal standing is high, as a man of integrity, good sense, correct habits, and unblemish- ed character, and his appointment will be generally accepted, throughout the State, as one eminently " fit to be made."

The General holds the honor of having received the greatest number of promo- tions of any Vermont officer during the war. He enlisted from his native town, Waterbury.

LOCATION OF THE REFORM SCHOOL.

[Reasons for the location at Waterbury-from the First Reform School Report.]

Omitting details and particulars, it is sufficient to say that we found the condi- tions we had prescribed for a location, best answered at Waterbury, on the spot where the institution stands.

These conditions were, first, not far from 100 acres of good land suitably divided as desirable into about equal parts of tillage, meadow, pasture and woodland. Next, that the farm should all be in sight of the house, and be taken in at a glance from any point within it, a very important con- dition, which is perfectly answered in the spot we have chosen. The boys wherever they are at work on the farm, are never out of sight or hearing. As a matter of secu- rity, convenience and advantage for an es- tablishment like ours, the value of this fea- ture can hardly be overestimated. Besides the utility and practical advantage, it adds very much to the beauty of the situation, imparting a sense of unity and complete- ness, and more of the feeling of home, We did not overlook the influence of nat- ural security in fixing upon the spot we were to call our home. We rejected situ- ations, whatever might be their advantages in other respects, that were desolate, iso-

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late. distant, cut off from human society and neighborhood, easy access of friends and visitors, and from the free, warm and strong pulsations of the great social heart ; we resolved if possible to place ourselves in a situation where nature and man could exert their best influence upon us.

Hence as a third condition, we deter- mined that our location be ncar the rail- road. and not more than one mile from a depot, and we concluded that a thriving business village, and a live depot, were much to be preferred to a place of little business, and a depot where ready convey- ance for visitors could not be found. We thought it very desirable, (and have found it so) that we should be within easy walk of the station, and the churches and busi- ness centre of the town. Finally, if the place answering these conditions should be near the centre of the State it would be so much the better for that.

These conditions we found more nearly fulfilled in our present site than any other that was brought to our notice. The scen- ery is beautiful, the land fertile and easy of cultivation and of access in all parts. There is also an abundant supply of water brought from the hill in the rear by an aqueduct to the house and barn. In these respects, the site is unequaled, and its re- lation to the road, the depot and the vil- · lage is all that could be desired. It has besides, the advantage of centrality in the State.

HANNAH GALE,

daughter of Peter and Hannah Gale, was born in Waterbury, Dec. 28, 1824. She was married to Samuel S. Luce, of Stowe, in 1847. In 1857, they removed from Waterbury to Galesville, Wis., where Mr. Luce, carpenter and architect, superintend- ed the building of the University. In 1860, he began to publish and edit The Galesville Transcript. Mr. and Mrs. Luce are both good writers of prose and poetry. They have three children. R. BUTLER.

Mr. and Mrs. Luce have published to- gether a volume, small 12 mo .. 208 pp.

POEMS. By S. S. & H. G. Luce. Trem- pealeau : Chas. A. Leith, publisher, 1876.

OUR OWN GREEN HILLS. BY HANNAHI GALE LUCE.

The Switzer loves those Alpine peaks, Where sweep the clouds along,- So worship we our own green hills, And cherish them in song.

And were I in a foreign land, 'Mid classic halls of Rome, I'd turn from all to fondly gaze Upon my mountain home.

I'd see among my native hills The cottage 'neatlı the trees- The tall elms waving gracefully To music in the breeze.

The bright Winooski flowing near, Through waving meadows green-

The lilacs where the robins sing, When earliest flowers are seen.

The distant church spire bathed in light, Like shaft of burnished gold-

The green where roseate children play, As in the days of old.

Old Mansfield rears his rugged face, Upturned to meet the sky ; And south, the " Couching Lion " lifts His beetling crags on high.

Full many an ancient legend wild I've heard the aged tell, Of precious ores in caverns hid, And kept by mystic spell.

An Allen's dust reposes now, Near by the quiet lake; No more those brave " Green Mountain boys" The forest echoes wake ..

But treasured be, in every heart, The love it bears for them- Each mountain seems their monument- The winds, their requiem.

. Yes, dear to us our mountains green- The home of virtues rare- And dear their noble-hearted sons, And daughters good and fair.

When my freed spirit seeks a home Above all earthly ills, Here may my humble grave be found, Amid our verdant hills!

THE VILLAGE DOCTOR. BY SAMUEL SLAYTON LUCE.

I see him still, as erst of yore, With furrowed cheek, and whitened brow; Though he's been dead of years a score, I see him stand before me now.

I seem to see his withered form Bestride his faithful white-faced mare, With old brown saddle-bags behind, Whose odor 'twas a grief to bear.

With chronic cough I hear him pass- He digs his steed with vigorous heel, Whose callous sides, from daily thumps, Had long since lost the power to feel. *

The constant grin upon his face- His light " te bel " at human pain, As oft he wrenched the offending tooth, Our memory ever will retain.

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But deeply down within his breast, Beneath a mail like Milan steel, 'Twas said by those who knew him best, "The doctor has a heart to feel."

'Twas in the old Green Mountain State, 'Mid deep, dread winter's drifting snow, The evening hour was waxing late, Some forty years or more ago.

We sat around the ample hearth, Where maple logs were blazing bright ; Glad songs arose, and social mirth, Upon that dismal winter night.

The storm-cloud hung on Mansfield's brow- The wind blew piercingly and chill ; Fierce through the leafless branches shrleked, And roared along the fir-clad hill,

The deep'ning snow, that all day long Had fallen silently and fast, Now densely filled the frosty air, And piled in drifts before the blast.

And still we sat-the hours sped- The storm increased with fearful might ;-

"I hope," our tender mother sald,

"No one's abroad this dreadful night."

Our mother's voice had hardly ceased, When sudden through the opening door, O'er drifts, the quaint old doctor sprung, And forward fell upon the floor.

- brow was crusted o'er with ice, And crisp and frozen was his cheek ; His Ilmbs were paralyzed with cold; For once, the doctor could not speak.

With genial warmth, and tender care, He soon revived, and said : "Come, Bill,

Be kind enough to get my mare,- 1 must reach Martin's, on the hill."

Then on again, o'er trackless snow, Against the biting winter blast, Without the hope of worldly gain, Through mountain drifts, the doctor passed.

Far up the winding mountain road, Through forest dark and blinding snow,

Ile reached the desolate abode Of sickness, poverty and woe.

Long years have passed ; yet oft I ask, As howls the tempest in its might, While sitting by the evening fire, "What faithful doctor rides to-night ?"

Yes, faithful; though full well I know The world is sparing of its praise ; And these self-sacrificing men But seldom tempt the poet's lays.

And yet, 1 trust, when at the last They leave the world of human strife, Like him " who loved his fellow-men," Their names shall grace the " Book of Life." Jan. 1871.

[The original of " The Village Doctor" was Dr. T. B. Downer, who for many years practiced in Stowe; but in middle life removed to Waterbury Centre, and practiced a number of years after. He held several town offices, and was well known in Waterbury forty years ago. I knew him well forty and fifty years ago. R. BUTLER.]

HON. HENRY F. JANES. BY EDWIN F. PALMER, ESQ.

Mr. Janes was born at Brimfield, Mass., Oct. 18, 1792, and died at Waterbury, June 6, 1879. He was the third son of Solomon and Beulah Fisk Janes, whose family con- sisted of 4 boys and 4 girls, he surviving them all, although the others lived to a great age. In early childhood he moved with his father's family to Calais, this State, where his boyhood was passed ; and which town was represented in the Legis- lature for several years by his brother, Pardon. The Janeses were among the pioneers of Vermont.

Jonathan Janes, an uncle of Henry F., was prominent in the organization of the town of Richford, March 30, 1799, and elected its first representative, and three times after in succession ; and was also judge in Franklin County. Hon. Henry F. Janes studied law at Montpelier. While living there he went with the company from that town to the battle of Plattsburgh. He commenced the practice of his profes- sion at Waterbury in 1817, where he lived 62 years ; without avarice acquired a com- petent fortune ; and without lust for power, or a resort to sinister means, but solely through the solidity of his judgment and the unquestioned probity of his character early attained a commanding influence in his town, his county and State. He was . married in 1826, to Miss Fanny Butler, a daughter of Gov. Butler. Mrs. Janes, in whom was the gentlest refinement without the least affectation, or love of display, inheriting the religious traits of her father, was greatly beloved and esteemed by all who knew her. She was born in the year 1800, and survived her husband 2 years and a few months.

Soon after settling in Waterbury, Mr. Janes was appointed postmaster, and con- tinued to hold this position till about 1829. He was one of the State councillors, 5 years, commencing 1830; a member of Congress, 3 years, commencing 1834; State treasurer, 3 years, commencing 1838 ; one of the Council of Censors in 1848; and was elected several times to the Legis- lature, his first election being in 1854.

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Mr. Janes was far removed both by na- ture and the whole education of his long life from those well described by the phrase, " potius callidi quam sappientes,"-crafty, not wise ; nor did he belong to that class of public men well delineated by Burns in his poem on Charles James Fox,

"How wisdom and folly meet. mix, and unite: Ilow virtue and vice blend their black and their white."

No man ever saw more clearly than he, that in the very nature of God's moral government nothing is, or can be even expedient, that is not intrinsically just ; and no man ever pursued more willingly or tenaciously what his conscience, illum- ined by a powerful judgment, taught him was just.

DR. HENRY JANES,

was born in this town Jan. 24, 1832. He is the son of the late Hon. Henry F. Janes, and on his mother's side, a grandson of Gov. Butler.

We find the following truthful sketch of Dr. Janes in the "Biographies of the members of the Rocky Mountain Medical Association," published at Washington, D. C., 1877 :- condensed.

The Doctor received his academical edu- cation at Morrisville and at St. Johnsbury academies, [etc]. His medical studies were commenced in 1852, at Waterbury, under Dr. J. B. Woodward. He attended his first course of medical lectures at Woodstock College, in 1852, and two courses subsequently at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New York, where he graduated M. D., in 1855, and was appointed assistant, and afterwards house physician in Bellevue Hospital, New York City. In 1856, he went into practice at Chelsea, Mass. ; in 1857, he returned to Waterbury, where he soon acquired a good professional business ; in 1861, en- tered the army, Surgeon of the 3d Vt. Regt. ; 1863, commissioned Surgeon, U. S. Army; 1865, breveted Lieut. Col. ; the greater part of his military service spent in hospital duty ; the fall of'62, in charge of a hospital at Burkettsville ; in 1863, in the winter, at Frederick, Md. ; in the spring, of the hospitals of the 6th Army Corps ; sum- mer and fall, of the army hospitals in and about Gettysburg, and the Letterman Gen- eral Hospital, in which were about 2000 severely wounded, from the Gettysburg battle-field, with a view of studying the results of treatment of fracture and ampu-

tations ; winter and spring of 1864, of South Street General Hospital, Phila ; sum- mer of '64, in charge of the hospital steamer, (of Maine) ; fall of'64, till the close of the war, in charge of Sloan General Hospital, at Montpelier ; and left the army in 1866, after spending the remainder of the year in New York, making a special study of injuries to the bones and brain, and returned, in '67, to Waterbury, where he has been actively engaged in practice until the present time, excepting in '74, a portion of which he was traveling in Europe. His practice is large in the treat- ment of nervous diseases, surgery, and con- sultations with neighboring physicians. In '69 and '70 he published, in the Transac- tions of Vermont Medical Society, a paper on the treatment of gunshot-fracture, es- pecially of the femur. In '71, '72, '73, papers on some of the incidents following amputations ; in '74, amputations at the knee-joint ; in '77, wrote a paper on spinal hemiplegia. He is a member of the Wash- ington County Medical Society, and of the American Medical Association ; of the Vermont State Medical Society, of which he was president in 1870, and which he represented at the meetings of the Ameri- can Medical Association in '60, '66, '71,'80 ; of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and an honorary member of the California State Medical Society.

In 1880, when the Legislature was about to elect trustees of the University of Vermont, the members of the medical pro- fession, among them Dr. Carpenter of Bur- lington, insisted they were entitled to be re- presented on that board with the other pro- fessions. They put forward Dr. Janes ; and he was elected unanimously to that position. He is also at this time one of the medical committee of the Mary Fletcher Hospital, Burlington-and it is no exagge- ration to say, no man in this State stands higher in his profession to-day than Dr. Janes. E. F. P.

DR. HORACE FALES.

Dr. Fales, born in Sharon, Feb. 16, 1823, received his education at Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, N. H. ; gradu- ated at Woodstock Medical College, 1848, and the same year located to practice in this town. In 1851, he was married to Miss Henrietta A. Sheple, daughter of David A. Sheple. During these 34 years, he has had a large and lucrative practice,

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and is exceedingly skilful. He brings to bear with rare tact the learning of the books to a given case ; and few doctors ever approached the sick room whose man- ner and words were better adapted to in- spire courage in the invalid, and to divert for the time his mind from his own aches and pains. In his long practice he has won many warm friends here.

MR. RUSSELL BUTLER,

the youngest of Gov. Butler's family, was born Feb. 17, 1807, in this town ; and has resided here for the greater part of his life. He was fitted for college at the academy at Montpelier, and entered the University of Vermont in 1825. He was compelled to quit the University after 2 years, on ac- count of ill health ; but he has been a stu- dent and a great lover of books from his youth. Although Mr. Butler has ever peremptorily refused political honor, which his friends would willingly have conferred on him, he has always taken a deep interest in the welfare of the country and this com- munity ; and his influence has ever been on the side of the right, good government, education and religion. The purity of his life, his morals, or even his motives, we have never heard questioned. E. F. P.

MR. BUTLER'S PAPERS-CONTINUED. HENRY FAMILY.

SYLVESTER HENRY came to this town early in the present century, and for many years held a prominent position. He was several years one of the board of select- men, represented the town in the General Assembly 2 years, and was several years justice of peace. He was a man of much reading for the times, and of excellent judgment, particularly in property values. At his decease, he left a large landed es- tate.

Mrs. Henry's maiden name was Sybil Proctor. She was a woman of usefulness ; all the neighborhood, in sickness or dis- tress, appreciated her skillful nursing and helpful hand.

Two of the sons reared families of the same number, one having the same proportion of sons and daughters.

JAMES M., the eldest son, was born in Waterbury in 1809 ; attended school in his native district ; but an unusually strong desire for knowledge led him to read much and closely observe men and things. He was eminently qualified to judge human character. Such a mind, schooled in the rough experiences of life, led him to ac- cept men as they were, without attempting the herculean task of making them what they should be. To this may be attributed his peculiar influence on the opinions of men, especially in politics. If he entered the domain of religion or morals, it was the better to enforce his public policy. The interests of one's country are certainly higher than those of individuals, or even the local affairs of a community.

He did not find the severe labors of the farm sufficiently remunerative to make the business attractive. He thought that it was the work of the brain that achieved success and fortune. After some years of reverses and unsettled habits, he happily fell in with the temperance reformers, and brighter prospects dawned on his future. At this time better influences took posses- sion of his nature, gained the mastery over the power of habit, and asserted the power of the will. It is a critical, but a grand period in life when a noble man- hood triumphs once for all over a habit which has long seemed an invincible foe. A good degree of success attended his business enterprises. He was twice elect- ed to the General Assembly, and had pre- viously been justice of peace several years. He died, aged about 55.

Gen. W. W. HENRY, eldest son of James Henry, is U. S. Marshal for the District of Vt., and years ago represented, first, Washington, then Chittenden Co., in the Vt. Senate, and was 2 years presi- dent of the board of aldermen in Burling- ton.

JOHN F. HENRY, of Brooklyn, N. Y., . from a moderate beginning in Waterbury,

This couple, together with their 4 sons and 4 daughters, made up a family in re- spect to family coincidents, remarkable. [ has grown into a very extensive trade in

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drugs and medicines. He has once or twice run for the office of mayor of the city, and is said to have run above the party strength.

SYLVESTER, 2d son of Sylvester, had 6 sons and 2 daughters-a family the same number as his father's and brother's. He accumulated a large property ; was several times elected constable ; three of his sons served in the army. He died in 1871, aged about 58.

LUTHER, 4th son of Sylvester, was born in Waterbury in 1826. At the age of 14, his father died, in his will having appoint- ed the selectmen as guardians of this son, thus showing his confidence in their in- tegrity and capability.

He completed his school life at Newbury Seminary ; when about 21, is said to have entered into some speculations in patent rights which proved very unsuccessful ; about this time, began the study of law with Hon. Paul Dillingham ; was admitted to the Washington Co. Bar in May, 1849; not discouraged by his first financial ven- ture, he had learned caution and wisdom. Of his professional capabilities, said L. L. Durant, in an address before the Wash- ington Co. Bar :

"As a lawyer, he was never deemed learned in the books ; but in a knowledge of men and things, he was not to be ex- celled. With keen discrimination and quick discernment, he readily grasped the strong points of a case, and bringing all his efforts to bear upon them, could not easily be led away. He was, so to speak, a natural lawyer, as all who entered the lists with him can testify."

Mr. Henry took an active interest in building the bridge that connects Water- bury and Duxbury, and in opening a new street to it. He also made strenuous efforts to get the Newbury Seminary re- moved to Waterbury, and made an able argument in favor of the measure.

He was twice married ; the first time to Flora Taplin ; the second, to Katherine E. Royce. Three children survive him. He died Jan. 1, 1867, aged 40.

LEANDER HUTCHINS

was born in Montpelier, June 27, 1798, where he lived till 21, after which he passed

some 3 years in the Western and South- ern States, engaged in trade, and in 1822, came to Waterbury, and entered into part- nership with Amasa Pride and Roswell Wells, under the name of L. Hutchins & Co. The firm began business on the cor- ner now occupied by C. E. Wyman, in a small wooden building, which Mr. Hutchins replaced about 12 years later by the one now standing. He put up in 1826 a dwelling- house adjoining Knight's Block on the east. In that year, the firm was changed to Hutchins & Pride ; and later, to Hutch- ins, Wells and Co. In 1835, it became L. & Geo. W. Hutchins. Some 3 years after the name of Geo. W. Hutchius ap- pears alone. About 1845, Mr. Hutchins built and stocked a starch-factory near the Centre Village ; burned, not rebuilt ; [see fires.] Previous with the late Hon. H. F. Janes, he bought the extensive wild lands of Vermont owned by the Boardman Bros. of New York, for whom he had been agent ; much of this land was not disposed of at the decease of the purchasers. For a few years he owned and personally man- aged a farm on the old hill road to Stowe, a mile or two from Waterbury village.

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The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 137

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