The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 138

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 138

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).

He married Jan. 30, 1826, Martha Pride, who died in December, 1834, leaving two daughters, Mrs. C. W. Arms and Mrs. Dr. Woodward, who survive both parents. In 1837, he married Martha W. Atkins, who is now living.

Mr. Hutchins died Feb. 17, 1879, aged 80 years. After a residence of nearly 60 years in Waterbury, actively engaged in business dealings with its citizens, his rec- ord is that of a prudent, reliable business man, and valuable, discreet friend, con- servative on all subjects of public interest, whether politics, morals or religion. He united with the Congregational church in 1835 or '36, and during the later years of his life was one of its principal supporters, as he was one of its wealthiest members. Somewhat reserved in manner, he was genial with his friends, and often indulged in sallies of humor. He had a great aver- sion to display and ostentation, as shown in his whole manner of life, and seemed to have no particular taste or fancy for

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political preferment, though far from indif- ferent to the character and principles of those who controlled and directed public affairs ; and for some 12 years, he per- formed the duties of treasurer to the town, and when the bank of Waterbury was or- ganized, he was chosen president, for which position he was eminently qualified, and held this office 20 years or more, when he requested to be relieved from its responsibility.

MOODY FAMILY.

From a sketch in the " Watchman."

JOSEPH MOODY and his wife Avis, came to Waterbury from Vershire in 1834, with 6 sons and 3 daughters : Daniel is now 79; Nathaniel, 75; William. died in 1865, age 57; Elisha, 68; Joseph, 67 ; George W., 59 ; Betsey, 71 ; Avis, died in 1843, at 24; Angelina is 54. The pres- ent average height of the brothers is 6 ft. I inch, weight 225 pounds. Joseph Moody Sr., weighed 308 pounds, his wife 228. Joseph Moody, Jr., was State Senator in 1853, went West in '54; located at St. Anthony, and subsequently at Sauk Rap- ids, Minn., where he is a successful oper- ator in real estate, and is a county justice. The other brothers have remained resi- dents of Waterbury. Joseph Moody, Sr., and after him his sons, were well known in the State as stock or cattle buyers, and have been active farmers and operators where money was to be made. Remin- iscences of their trading days are a con- stant source of entertainment at the vil- lage rendezvous. George, by virtue of his imposing corporation, is titular governor, and Elisha the wag of the town. Politi- cally, Nathaniel is the only republican among the brothers ; the others were war democrats, and now affiliate with the dem- ocratic party : but politics are not always inherited, the sons of the brothers are re- publicans. Justin W., a son of William, has been for a long time the efficient post- master, and Eugene, son of George, an active worker in the party, as well as one of the most thriving young farmers in the town or county.

DR. OLIVER W. DREW

came to Waterbury about 1820, from South Woodstock, where his father was a physician. He lived and practiced medi- cine here about 55 years, after which he and Mrs. Drew went to live with their only daughter, who had married a clergyman and lived in Acton, Mass.

As a man, a physician, a citizen, a friend, and a professor of religion, he was sensible and practical, trustworthy and conscien- tious in all duties. He was three times married ; first to Miss Arms, by whom he had two children, a daughter who died young and suddenly, and Frederick, who became a doctor and settled at Ft. Riley. His second wife, Miss Woodward, was a sister of the late Dr. Woodward of Mont- pelier, formerly of Waterbury. His third wife survives him. Dr. Drew died in Mas- sachusetts about 1878, and his remains were brought to Waterbury for burial.

RICHARD HOLDEN.

Prominent among the very early settlers of the town. as early as 1788, was Richard Holden. He was moderator of the meet- ing when the town was organized (1790) ; chosen first selectman at this meeting, as he was in 1791 and several years after [see list of selectmen], and for many years held the office of justice of peace ; and 1793, was sent to the Constitutional Convention. His family occupied a respectable position in the social circles of that period. The sons and daughters were well educated for the times, limited as were the opportuni- ties of education. The oldest son, Guy C., was a teacher of the district school in 1810, '12. The writer has seen a receipt of payment as teacher, signed by him and bearing the last above date. Two years after, Holden, with a group of small boys, was listening on the hill side to hear the cannon the day before the battle of Platts- burgh, but on the day of the battle, Sunday, Sept. 11, 1814, there was no need of listen- ing to hear the broadside discharges of artillery in the lake action, to which a hundred of Waterbury boys were witnesses. In 1794, the representative to the General

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Assembly of Vt., took with him this rather | of Waterbury. He was admitted to the singular certificate :

"WATERBURY, Oct. 6, 1794.

This may certify that Mr. Ezra Butler, who was duly elected as member to attend the General Assembly for the town of Waterbury for the year ensuing. has for about three years made a profession of religion, and therefore has declined taking an oath in the common form, but choses whenever that he was elected into any town office, to take the affirmation.

RICHARD HOLDEN, Justice of Peace."

Some 62, possibly 64 years ago, the Holden family migrated to Northern New York. Giles H., the 2d son, and most of the family, settled at the mouth of the Genesee river, a post of entry 6 miles north of Rochester, Holden being col- lector and keeper of the lighthouse in 1829, as he had been some years before and was after that date some years. At the date named they were comfortably situated, and it is believed were some time after.

PAUL DILLINGHAM. BY B. F. FIFIELD, ESQ.

Paul Dillingham, son of Paul and Han- nah (Smith) Dillingham, was born in Shutesbury, Mass., Aug. 10, 1799. His father served the country in the Revolu- tionary War, first in the Mass. militia 6 months, then in the Continental Army 3 years, June, 1777, to 1780, his regiment being connected with that part of the army which was under the more immediate com- mand of Gen. Washington. His grand- father, John Dillingham, served in the "Old French War," and was killed in September, 1759, in the battle preceding the surrender of Quebec to Wolfe. He was thus descended from brave and patri- otic ancestors, and as it will be seen, pres- ently, transmitted the same noble qualities to his sons.

When about 6 years old, he removed with his parents to Waterbury, which has ever since been his home. In 1818, '19, he attended the Washington County Gram- mar School at Montpelier, then under the tuition of Seneca White, a recent graduate of Dartmouth ; and in 1820, commenced the study of law with Hon. Dan Carpenter

Washington County Bar at the September term, 1824, and from that date was in the active practice of his profession until 1875. As a jury lawyer, he long stood among the first in Vermont.

He was town clerk of Waterbury from 1829 to '44 ; representative to the Legis- lature in 1833, '34, "'37, '38, '39: State's attorney for Washington County in 1835, '36, '37 ; a member of the Constitutional Convention 1836, '57, '70; State Senator of Washington County 1841, '42, '61 ; and in 1843, was elected member of Con- gress, where he served two terms, and was on the committee on the Judiciary. In 1862, '63, '64, he was Lieutenant Gover- nor, and in 1865, '66, Governor of the State.

Mr. Dillingham was a Democrat by birth and education, and always acted with the democratic party ; not, however, without many inward and some outward protests against its subserviency to slavery. But after the attack on Fort Sumter, he knew no party but the country, nor did he spare any exertion in the maintenance of the country's cause. During the presidential campaign of 1864, he was a frequent speaker at popular meetings, not only in Vermont, but in New Hampshire and New York. He gave two sons to fight, one of them to die, for the country. Charles, his oldest son, recruited Co. D. of the 2d Regt., in May, 1861, and was in the ser- vice till the winter of 1863, '64, when he was honorably discharged, being then Lieutenant Colonel of the 8th Regt. Ed- win, his second son, [See sketch of Major Edwin Dillingham in paper that follows.]

The Governor reared a family of 7 chil- dren, 3 daughters and 4 sons. One of the daughters, wife of J. F. Lamson, Esq., of Boston, died in 1875. One remains un- married, and the other was the wife of Senator Carpenter of Wis. ; his son, Wm. P. Dillingham, is practicing law in this county, and is developing many of the traits of character which have rendered his father so distinguished. Charles resides at New Orleans, La., and Frank at Mil- waukee, Wis.

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The many public positions held by Mr. Dillingham, both by the choice of his neighbors, as well as of the whole people of the State, indicate the confidence the public have had in his integrity, as well as his ability, and that it was well deserved is proved by this fact alone ; for while the State is sparsely populated, and the people as a rule are poor, or simply independent, they are intelligent, exceedingly jealous of their rights and proud of their public men, and thus it has seldom happened that high public places have been unworthily con- ferred.

But Mr. Dillingham's fame rests yet more in his professional life. I first knew him in 1856. He was then in the very vigor of manhood and in the full tide of professional success, and his reputation was that of the very first jury advocate in the State.

At this time, Lucius B. Peck, Timothy P. Redfield and Stoddard B. Colby, to say nothing of numerous other lawyers of superior ability, were in full practice at Washington County Bar, and it can easily be seen how a natural rivalry among men of so much talent, not unfrequently brought out exhibitions of eloquence and intellectual strength, which gave to this bar a position equal, if not superior, to any other in the State.

Often at this time was the court house packed, and an interested and appreciative audience would stay for hours to listen to the grapple of these men in legal debate. The great reputation that Mr. Dillingham then had as a jury advocate, of course made him the subject of general observa- tion, and particularly was this so among students and the younger members of the bar ; but it is quite difficult to present any picture of him that will do him adequate justice. He must have been seen and heard when his blood was young, to be appreciated, and yet they who saw and heard him were often sorely puzzled to find out or account for that mysterious power which gave him such wonderful mastery in jury advocacy, that the traditions of his great efforts, evanescent as such things are, will last for half a century. Among

the things which certainly contributed to it, was an exceedingly fine presence. He was fully 6 feet in height, and weighed perhaps, something over 200 pounds. Physically, well rounded, though not corp- ulent, his step was elastic and his bearing kindly, warm-hearted, frank and manly, and his intercourse with his fellow-men carried with it that insinuating address which invited respectful familiarity and cordial friendship. There was nothing of the aristocrat about him ; nothing distant or reserved, and yet there was a dignified simplicity which always commanded re- spect. His dark hazel eyes, too, beamed with sympathy and kindliness, and his gestures, movements and address were natural, easy and unaffected ; and above all was his voice, musical and sweet as a flute in its lower cadences ; but in passion or excitement, rising in its notes clear and ringing, it resounded like the music of the bugle.

In addition to these things, he was in the enjoyment of excellent health and a happy, genial temperament, which made everything sunshine about him. All these advantages were nature's gifts, and they were never tampered with or impaired by any vice or bad habit. And these gifts, too, are not, and cannot be acquired. He who is so fortunate as to possess them, must thank his Maker, not himself. With these gifts he coupled an instinctive knowl- edge of the human heart, acquired by long experience at the bar, and familiar inter- course and sympathy with his fellow-men, He never was a law student in the highest sense of the term ; never the mere book- worm which David Paul Brown pronounces "a mere donkey;" never dealt with the sharp analysis and the keen intellectual dissection of great subjects, but his mind teemed with brilliant conceptions, glitter- ing generalities, happy conceits, apt il- lustrations and appropriate anecdotes, which were interspersed so ingeniously through the argument as the discussion went on, that great audiences have stood upon their feet by the hour to listen to the magic of his eloquence.

The writer of this sketch once heard

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him in a pauper case, where the question of legal settlement turned upon the ap- parently insignificant fact whether a fam- ily removed in the spring or autumn of 1816 from one town to another ; and one witness, an old lady, remembered it was in autumn, because the family went on foot, the children were barefooted, the ground was frozen, and their feet bled by contact with the hard earth. She remem- bered, too, that they cracked butternuts which lay under the trees at this time of the year. Seizing upon these incidents as a text, his vivid imagination quickly sketched a picture of the privations and suffer- ing of the early pioneers in the State, so full of tenderness and pathos, that when he dropped back into his seat, panting with emotion, there was scarcely a dry eye in the jury-box, and when the jury went out, it took them less than ten minutes to vindicate the testimony of the old lady who remembered the frozen ground and the little children with their bleeding feet.

It may be thought that in this he was simply acting. But it was not so. It was genius, a native instinct which directed him as certainly to the incidents and char- acteristics of a case which could be used for effect as the magnetic needle is directed toward . the pole. He made his client's case his own, and threw into it all the zeal and earnestness of his nature.

In every controversy there is something of right on each side, and to a person of his natural genius and emotional nature, it was not difficult to quickly convince himself that the right always largely pre- dominated on his side, so that his advocacy always had the appearance of the utmost sincerity, the utmost candor. Himself a member of the Methodist church, and a careful student of biblical ·history, there was an undertone of moral sentiment con- tinually cropping out and constantly re- turning, illustrated and enforced by apt quotations from the Scriptures, and this, coupled with his high reputation for in- tegrity, gave his utterances extraordinary weight and effect.

that a skilled musician plays upon the strings of a guitar, and made them respond to emotions of laughter, anger, sympathy or sorrow whenever he pleased and as best suited the purposes of his case. By pure animal magnetism, he subjected inferior wills to the superior strength and power of his own, and having control, he moulded and shaped them to his wishes with the ease that the potter moulds the clay. And this was just as likely to arise in a small case as in a large one. It was antagonism that roused him. It was when his brother Colby had ridiculed his case, and con- vulsed the jury with laughter by the hour, that all his faculties were brought into full play, and then it was an intellectual treat to see him recapture the jury and win back the lost cause, and revel in the victory with the gaiety of a troubadour.

Mr. Dillingham never by a professional act degraded his profession. He loved it, and practiced it because he loved it. He withdrew from practice about 1875, after a period of professional labors of half a cen- tury. He is now in the 83d year of his age, and is exceedidgly well preserved for such advanced years. An hour with him now in social intercourse is a rare enjoy- ment. With nothing to regret in the past, and a Christian's hope of the future, his present condition exhibits a restfulness and placidity which fittingly crowns a life of labor not spent in vain.

From Chaplain E. M. Haynes' Ilistory of the Tenth Regiment, (1870). MAJOR EDWIN DILLINGHAM,

second son of Hon. Paul Dillingham and Julia Carpenter, was born in Waterbury, May 13, 1839. The first years of his life were passed at the home of his parents, amidst some of the most delightful natural scenery in the State. Here the mountains are ever green in their towering magnifi- cence to the sky. Almost every field is laced and ribboned by tireless, sparkling streams ; the soil, rich and stubborn in its fertility, yields its fruits only to the steady persistence of a hardy race ; and here, al- most in sight of the State Capitol, and within the immediate circle of its legisla-

When in his best mood, he played upon the strings of men's hearts with the facility tive and social influences, and always

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under the more refining elements of a Christian home, the years of boyhood and youth were numbered. Like other boys. we presume he passed them quietly, not varying much from the round of sports and duties of New England's revered manual for the training of her sons, al- though other homes have not been so richly endowed by Christian example. His opportunities for an education, we are in- formed, were respectable and diligently improved. Always found at his task, he won the admiration of his teachers ; ever kind and of a happy spirit, he was loved by his fellow-students. Enjoying the highest advantages afforded by the com- mon schools and academies of his native State, he here received all the instruction deemed absolutely essential to entering successfully upon his professional studies. He chose the profession of the law, and commenced his preparation for the bar in 1858, in the office of his brother-in-law, the Hon. Matthew H. Carpenter, now a senator in Congress, in the city of Mil- waukee, Wis., where, however, he re- mained but a few months. Upon leaving the office of Mr. Carpenter, he entered the Law School at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he graduated with honor in the autumn of 1859. He finally finished his law studies, Upon the President's call for 300,000 troops, issued in July, 1862, he actively engaged in recruiting a company in the western part of Washington County, of which he was unanimously chosen captain. These recruits finally became Co. B, of the Ioth Reg. Vt. Vols., and were really the first raised for that regiment ; but in con- sequence of a company organization then existing, though formerly designed for the preparatory, in the office of Dillingham and Durant, in his native town, his father being the senior member of the firm, and then Lieutenant Governor, and afterwards Governor of the State. In Sept. 1860, he was admitted to practice at the Washing- ton County bar ; and it is said, "though the youngest," was considered " one of its most promising members." Subsequently, he became the law partner of his father, ! 9th Regiment, he was obliged to take this position in the 10th. Soon after the reg- iment was fairly in the field, he was de- tailed as Assistant Inspector General on the staff of Brigadier General Morris, then commanding the Ist Brigade, 3d Division, 3d Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. He acted in the capacity of aid-de-camp to this officer during the battle of Locust Grove, Nov. 27, 1863, and while carrying an order to his own regiment, his horse I was shot under him and he was taken

and thus established in his profession, and thus associated, he continued until July, 1862. We have often heard him speak of this arrangement as one most suited to his tastes, and doubt not that it was one of great promise and profit. It may be that he had expected to reap much from the great ability, experience and wide reputa- tion of his father as an advocate and states- man, and so enrich his own mind for the largest duties of his calling, either in its

immediate sphere, or else fit himself for the demands of a wider field, and prepare to win the honor to which the young am- bition may justly aspire. But whatever schemes of this kind he might have enter- tained, they were not destined to be re- alized : even if they did float dimly, yet with golden wings, before his mind, his nature was not one to remain undisturbed by the dark war-cloud that had for two terrible years stretched from the Gulf to the northern boundaries of his native State. Its mutterings, mingling with the cries of the slain of his own kinsmen and companions in peace, were notes of sum- mons. Though the silver lining of other dark clouds had betokened promise, this had turned to blood, and he would go and do battle for his country. Forgetting party affinities, and severing dearer and sweeter ties, he, with thousands more, would make the sacrifice of his young life upon the nation's altar. But to write all that was noble of this officer, would be but to repeat what has been in a thousand in- stances already made historic, and for him, we, his compatriots and subordinates in rank, because he has taken a higher com- mission, have but to record the epitaphs of the brave!

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prisoner. Then he was marched most of the way to Richmond and incarcerated in Libby prison, where he was kept for four long months in durance vilest. In March following, he was paroled and soon ex- changed, when he immediately returned to the field and to his old command. Gen. Grant was at this time making his cel- ebrated campaign from the Rapidan to Petersburg, and consequently rendered ap- proach to the immediate scene of opera- tions extremely difficult. Still, troops of every arm of the service were being hurried forward, and Capt. Dillingham was put in command of a battalion of exchanged pris- oners and enlisted men, which he led to the front, fighting some of the way. He dismissed his men to their respective com- mands, and reported for duty at Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864.

Col. Jewett had resigned. Lieut. Col. Henry and Major Chandler had been pro- moted respectively to the first ranks in the command. Capt. Frost, the ranking line officer, was breathing his last the hour he arrived ; one-third of the regiment were lying dead on the field and wounded in the hospital, and the rest, begrimmed with dirt and powder, within close range of the enemy, were looking down into the Chick- ahominy swamp, within steeple view of Richmond. Col. Henry had been wound- ed on the first instant, and Lieut. Col. Chandler soon afterwards became sick, and Capt. Dillingham took command of the regiment, although he held it but a short time, Lieut. Col. Chandler returning to duty. The remaining awful days until the 12th, was his second battle with his regiment. June 17, 1864, he was com- missioned Major, and went with the troops to James river and Bermuda Hundreds, where, with a large part of the corps, they were ordered into action by Gen. Butler. But Gen. Wright delayed obedience to the order, and his corps was finally extricated by Gen. Meade, after remaining under a most distressing artillery fire from the enemy's battery for several hours. From this time until his death he was constantly with the regiment, and some of the time in command.

July 6, 1864, the 3d Division of the 6th Corps was detached from the Army of the Potomac, and the two remaining divisions soon afterwards, and were sent into the Shenandoah Valley, under Gen. Sheridan. Arriving at Frederick City, Maryland, on the 8th, he was second in command at the battle of Monocacy, fought on the 9th, Lieut. Col. Chandler being detailed to command the skirmish line, and Colonel Henry in command of the regiment. After marching untold leagues from Frederick to the Relay House, to Washington, up the Potomac to Leesburg, over into the Shen- andoah Valley, through Snicker's Gap, where we had a skirmish with the enemy over and in the river on the 18th, back to Georgetown by way of Chain Bridge, again up the Potomac as far as the mouth of the Monacacy, thence to Frederick, Harper's Ferry, Winchester and Strasburg, back to Harper's Ferry, by way of Charleston- over 600 miles since we had set foot in Maryland, July 21. It was now Aug. 22. On the 21st, the whole corps was attacked vigorously by the enemy; drawing in the pickets in front of the 2d Division, while the troops were lying quietly in camp or preparing for Sunday morning inspection. Here, for the first time, young Dillingham was ordered to lead his command to battle. The regiment, however, was not prom- inently engaged, and he had no opportuni- ty to distinguish himself. When asked how he felt, invested with the full command at such a time, he replied : " I felt as if we should make a good fight, but I rather wished that Henry had been there." From this time he commanded the regiment until he fell at the glorious field of Winch- ester, Sept. 4, 1864.

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The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:, Part 138

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