USA > Vermont > Washington County > The history of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer: > Part 99
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Died of Diseases .- Wm. H. Allard, Mar. 15, '64; Newell Antoine, Sept. '62 ; W. H. H. Badger, Feb. 12, '63 ; Jonathan Boyden, June 20, '62; Edwin J. Chase, Feb. 4, '62; Edwin Canfield, Aug. '62 ; W. N. S. Claflin, died May 20, '63, of wounds received at Banks' Ford, May 4, '63 ; Morris L. Divoll, Dec. 28, '62 ; Dexter M. Davis, Jan. '62; Geo. Sawyer, Jr., Dec. 7, '62 ; Manley Hoyt, June, '62 ; Nathaniel Shattuck, April, '62; Oramel Turner, July 28, '62 ; Harry H. Wright, Feb. '65, all of typhoid fever.
Discharged for Disability .- Albert Ains- worth, Henry Balch, Emerson E. Davis, Michael Donovan, Goin Bailey Evans, Charles Freeman, Lewis Goodell, John H. Gilman, Horace Hall, Jarvis C. Harris, Hiram B. Howland, Allen Mahuran, Wm. Mills, Wm. F. Moore; Henry Newton, Angus G. Nicholson, Peter Pero, Harrison Persons, Edwin Phillips, promoted to assistant surgeon, 4th Vt. Vols .; Seth T. Porter. [The places of residence do not appear on the register.]
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VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
NORTHFIELD. BY REV. JOHN GREGORY.
[Compiled from lils History of Northfield, pub- lished In 1878.]
This town is situated in the southern part of Washington County, 10 miles from Montpelier, lat. 44° 8', long. 4° 25' ; and very near the center of the town is the geographical center of the State. The original town was chartered Aug. 10, 1781, to Maj. Joel Matthews and his associates, and contained 18,518 acres. A tract of land from the east part of Waitsfield, con- taining 6000 acres, was annexed to North- field Nov. 7, 1822. Five equal shares or rights were reserved to the use of the pub- lic, and the grants were conditioned that each proprietor should, " within the term of three years next after the circumstances of the war will admit of it with safety," " plant and cultivate 5 acres of land, and build a house at least 18 foot square on the floor, or have one family settled on each right, on pain of forfeiture of his share."
The first proprietors' meeting was held in Hartford, Vt., Nov. II, 1783. The proprietors met at different times at Wind- sor, Hartland and Pomfret, also, till 1794, when the town had sufficient settlers to take care of itself at home.
The township appears to have been first surveyed by Marston Cabot, from the vote at one of the proprietors' meetings.
Voted that Mr. Marston Cabot be al- lowed 27 days in surveying Northfield. { S. D.
At 9s I per day
12. 3. 0
And 18s expense money 18. 0
And for three gallons of West India rum at 8 | per gal. and one of New England ditto at 5 | 6 per gallon, 1, 9. 6
14. IO. 6
PROPRIETORS OF NORTHFIELD as they stand in the charter, with the num- ber of each proprietor's lot, and the range it was in; the first figure after the name for the lot, the second for the range ; the lots having been drawn by Mr. Cabot as the law directed, beginning with the first in the charter :
Major Joel Matthews, 10, 6; Captain William Gallup, I, I ; Michael Flinn, 7,
2 ; Oliver Williams, 4, 5 : Amos Bicknal, 6, 7 ; Benjamin Cox, 2, 3 ; Zebulon Lyon, 1, 5 ; Timothy Grow, 7, 1 ; Benjamin Em- mons, 8, 5 ; Steel Smith, 3, 6; Samuel Smith, 10, 5 ; Samuel Patrick, 9, 4 ; Ze- bina Curtis, 5, 1 ; Elias Taylor, 3, 2 ; Ebenezer Smith, 9, 3; John Smith, 10, I ; Elisha Smith, 1, 2; Edward Hazen, 8, 2 ; John W. Dana, 6, 5 ; Zebulon Lee, 8, I ; Sylvester Smith, 2, 4; James Cady, 5, 2 ; Joel English, 1, 7; Resolved Sessions, 8, Edmund Hodges, 6, 3 ; Abel Emmonds, 6, 6; Thomas Chittenden, 10, 2; Joseph Parkhurst, 7, 5; Calvin Parkhurst, 3, 3; Moses Kimball, 8, 7 ; Ebenezer Parkhurst, 3, I ; William Andrews, 4, 4; James An- drews, 2, 6; Paul Spooner, 8, 6; Amasa Spooner, 10, 1 ; Jeremiah Richardson, 2, I ; Daniel Gilbert, 7, 6; Amos Robinson, 9, 6 ; Elias Thomas, 5, 6 ; Ebenezer Miller, 7, 7; George Dennison, 2, 2; Barnabas Strong, 5, 3; John Throop, 7, 3; Beriah Green, 1, 3 ; Joseph Kimball, 3, 5 : Oliver Gallup, 1, 4 ; John Payne of Pomfret, 8, 4 ; Amasa Payne, 3, 4 ; Elijah Payne, 9, 2 ; Ja- cob Clark, 5, 5 ; Abida Smith, 4, 7 ; Barkus Green, 2, 7 ; Elisha Smith, B. A., 9, 1 ; David Fuller, 6, 4; William Gallup, Jr., 2, 3 ; Jesse Safford, 4, 6; Thomas Lawton, 4, 2 ; Willys Hall 4, 1 ; Samuel Matthews, 6, 1 ; Benjamin Burtch, 2, 5 ; Oliver Tay- lor, 5, 7; John Sergeants, 1, 8; Phineas Williams, 10, 4 : Sbubal Child, 6, 2; Pe- rias Gallup, 9, 5 ; College Right, 3, 7; Right for the County Grammar School, 7, 4; First settled Minister's Right, 1, 6; Right for the support of the Ministry, 2, 8 ; Town School right, 5, 4.
The first land cleared in town was by Elijah Paine, some time previous to the first settlement, which was made in May, 1785, by Amos Robinson and others from Westminster, Vt.
THE FIRST TOWN MEETING
was called by petition from a number of respectable inhabitants of Northfield, by Cornelius Lynde, Esq., of Williamstown, to meet at the house of Dr. Nathaniel Robinson, who lived a little N. W. of what is now the poor-farm. Said meeting was holden March 12, 1794, Cornelius Lynde Esq. moderator, at which the following
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NORTHFIELD.
first board of town officers were chosen ; Nathaniel Robinson, town clerk; Stanton Richardson, Amos Robinson, Ezekiel Rob- inson, selectmen; David Denny, consta- ble : William Ashcroft, Stanton Richard- son, Ezekiel Robinson, listers ; David Tenny, collector of taxes ; Aquillo Jones, Samuel Richardson, highway surveyors.
EARLY HARMONY IN POLITICS.
The first votes were cast in Northfield for Governor, Isaac Tichenor, Lieut. Gover- nor, Paul Brigham, treasurer, Samuel Mat- tocks, and 12 councillors, Samuel Spafford and others, in 1800, for each one, 12 votes, which must have been near the number if not all the legal voters at that time in town.
In 1801, three school districts made re- turns of the number of scholars that at- tended school within their limits. In No. I, the Loomis district now, Ebenezer Fox sent I, John Coales I, James Paul 3, Da- vid Hedges 2, Ithamer Allen 6, Ezekiel Pierce 4, William Tubbs 3.
. In district No. 2, in the Robinson neigh- borhood,-the principal part of the town at that early day-John Kathan sent I, William Coales 2, Aquillo Jones 2, Amos Robinson 6, Ezekiel Robinson 5, Nathan- iel Robinson 6, Abraham Shipman 3, Oli- ver Cobleigh 2, John Emerson 3, Abel Keyes 3, William Ashcroft 5, Justus Burn- ham 2.
In district No. 3,-the school-house be- ing on the main road to South Village, near where Mr. Guild' now lives-Stanton Richardson sent 5, Samuel Richardson 5, Eliphas Shipman 5, Isaac Lynde 4, Isaiah Bacon 5, Amos Starkweather 3, Thomas French 2, Justus Burnham 2, Roswell Car- penter I, Elisha Brown I, and two years later, in district No. 4,-what is called South Village-Isaac Lynde sent 5 schol- ars, Eliphas Shipman 5, Amos Starkweath- er 2, David Denny 5, Justus Burnham 4, Elisha Brown I, being a return of 118 scholars in these 4 districts ; and showing besides, who were early settlers in these neighborhoods ; and all these men were laborers, and earnest laborers, and happy withal. The noble men of that day knew they could not grow rich without industry, and valiantly did they make the wilderness
resound with the echoes of toil, as the tall old trees came crashing down upon the right hand and left, laid low by the sturdy woodman's axe! Even with their priva- tions, they were measurably comfortable and happy.
TOWN OFFICERS, MAR. 7, 1826.
Amos Robinson, moderator ; voted that the meeting be opened with prayer; Eli- jah Smith, Jr., town clerk ; Elijah Burn- ham, John Mead, Charles Paine, select- men ; Albigence Ainsworth, Elijah Smith, Jr., Jesse Averill, Harry Ainsworth, list- ers ; John Starkweather, constable and collector of taxes ; John Fiske, grand juror ; William Jones, Amos Robinson, Joel Winch, Michael Shaw, Wm. Wales, Jr., Alva Henry, Curtis Wright, excused ; Hezekiah Williams, Samuel Dunsmoor, Titus Rice, Wm. Case, Horace Fullerton, Elijah Smith, Jr., John Fiske, Jacob Ami- don, highway surveyors ; Jacob Keyes, Oliver Averill, John Braley, fence view- ers ; John West, pound keeper (excused), David Robinson chosen ; Elijah Smith, Jr., sealer of leather ; Joseph Keyes, sealer of weights and measures ; David Stiles, Jus- tus Burnham, Asa Sprout, tything men ; (Asa Sprout excused) ; Justus Burnham, Suel Keyes, James Nichols, John White, Albert Stevens, haywards ; Nathaniel Jones, Amos Robinson, John West, com- mittee to settle with overseer of the poor ; Oliver Averill, Henry Knapp, committee to settle with treasurer; John Fiske, over- seer of the poor; William Cochran, Na- thaniel Jones, Samuel Whitney, Oliver Averill, Henry Emerson, committee to divide the ministerial money ; Wm. Coch- rane (excused)-chose Elijah Smith ;- Amos Robinson, Nathan Green, David M. Lane, Nathaniel Jones, Benjamin Fiske, Joseph Williams, Jesse Averill, Eleazer Loomis, Daniel D. Robinson, Samuel Dole, John West, Albigence Ainsworth, Ezekiel Robinson, Anson Adams, Joel Winch, Oliver Averill, John White, Abel Keyes, petit jurors ; voted to annex the highway districts in which Roswell Car- penter and Oliver Averill live ; chose Seth P. Field, district committee.
ELIJAH SMITH, Jr. Town Clerk.
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VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
REPRESENTATIVES.
From 1794, when the town, was organ- ized, until 1801, no representatives were chosen : 1808-09-11-14, Amos Robinson ; 1810-15-17, Gilbert Hatch ; 1818-19, Abraham Shipman ; 1820-21. Josiah B. Strong ; 1822-23, Joel Winch ; 1824-25, Abel Keyes ; 1826-27, John Starkweather ; 1828-29, Charles Paine ; 1830-31, Lebbeus Bennett ; 1832-33, John Averill ; 1834, David Robinson ; 1835-41-53-54-61, Mo- ses Robinson ; 1836, Anson Adams ; 1837 -39, Jesse Averill ; 1840, Lebbeus Ben- nett ; 1842, Nathan Morse ; 1843, David W. Hadley ; 1844, John L. Buck ; 1845- 46-73, David W. Hadley; 1847-48, He- man Carpenter : 1849, George B. Pierce ; 1850-51, John Gregory ; 1852, no choice ; 1855-56, Wilbur F. Woodworth ; 1857- 58, Isaac B. Howe ; 1859-60, Jasper H. Orcutt ; 1862, Edward F. Perkins ; 1863, Charles Barrett ; 1864, George M. Fiske ; 1865-66, Samuel Keith ; 1867-68, Edwin K. Jones ; 1869, George B. Warner ; 1872 -73, Edmund Pope ; 1874-5, Elbridge G. Pierce ; 1876-77 - [representatives, other town officers and matters in regard to the early and present civil history of this town -completed by Joseph K. Egerton]- 1878-9, no representative ; 1880-81, N. E. Dewey.
STATE SENATORS FROM NORTHFIELD.
1846-47, Moses Robinson ; 1856-57, John Gregory : 1862-63, Philander D. Bradford ; 1866-68, Jasper H. Orcutt ; 1870-73, Heman Carpenter.
SELECTMEN 1794 TO 1878.
Stanton Richardson, 1794, 96. 97, 1802, II, 12; Amos Robinson, 1794, 95, 1810 ; Ezekiel Robinson, 1794. 95, 99, 1803, 04, 11, 15 ; David Denny, 1795,98, 1800, 03, 04, 06 : James Paul, 1796, 97, 1805 ; Will- iam Ashcroft, 1796; Oliver Cobleigh, 1797, 98, 99, 1800 ; Aaron Partridge, 1798 ; Abraham Shipman, 1799, 1800, 01, 05, 06, 07, 13, 15: Ithamer Allen , 1802, 03, 04 ; Nathaniel Robinson, 1801, 02; Dan- iel Edson, 1805 ; Elijah Smith, 1806, 13, 18, Joseph Nichols, 1807, 09; Charles Jones, 1807, 17 ; Gilbert Hatch, 1808, 09, 10, 17, 20, 27 ; Joseph Slade, 1808 ; Thos. Slade, 1808; William Jones, 1809, 12 ; |74;
James Morgan, 1810, 14; Oliver Averill, 18II, 12, 19, 40 ; Charles Jones, 1813, 19 ; Amos Brown, 1814; Seth Smith, 1814; Jesse Averill, 1815, 16, 17, 20, 21, 27, 28, 30, 31, 33, 35, 36, 40 ; Eleazer Loomis, 1816; Joseph R. Williams, 1816, 1819, 21, 22; Nathaniel Jones, 1818, 20; Richard Hedges, 1821, 22 ; Joel Winch, 1823, 48 ; David M. Lane, 1823, 24, 27; Elijah Burnham, 1824, 25, 26, 28, 33, 35, 37, 38 ; Daniel Parker, 1823; Abel Keyes, 1824, 25 ; Benjamin Fiske, 1825; John West, 1826, 29; Charles Paine, 1826, 30, 31 ; Anson Adams, 1828, 29; Daniel D. Rob- inson, 1829; Joel Brown, 1830; Erastus Parker, 1831 ; Harry Ainsworth, 1832; David Partridge, 1832 ; John Averill, 1832, 33; Jason Eaton, 1834; Samuel Fiske, 1834, 47; Eleazer Nichols, 1834; Joel Parker, Jr., 1835 ; David W. Hadley, 1836, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 55, 56. 58, 59, 63, 64, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75; Hiram Dwinell, 1836, 43 ; Samuel U. Richmond, 1837, 38, 39, 51, 52, 57, 60, 61 ; James H. Johnson,“ 1837 ; Lebbeus Bennett, 1838, 39; Nathan Morse, 1841, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 53, 54 ; Nathaniel King, Jr., 1841, 42, 44 ; Luther S. Burnham, 1842; Moses Robinson, 1845, 48, 49, 50, to 51, 58, 59 ; James Pal- mer, 1846; Emanuel Sawyer, 1847; Ara V. Rawson, 1849, 50; Anson Munson, 1850 ; Heman Carpenter, 1851, 52 ; Marvin Simons, 1853 to 58, 60, 64, 65, 67 ; Aaron D. Metcalf, 1857 ; F. A. Preston, 1858, 59 ; C. Woodbury, 1860, 61, 62 : A. J. William Braley, 1862; I, W. Brown, 1863, 64 ; A. S. Williams, 1864; J. H. Orcutt, 1865-67 ; E. K. Jones, 1865 to 67 : William Winch, 1868, 69 ; Samuel Keith, 1868, 69; Reu- ben Smith, 1868; Joseph Gould, 1869; Edmund Pope, 1870-71 ; D. T. Averill, 1870-71 ; George Nichols, 1872, 73, 76-78 ; E. C. Fiske, 1872, 73; John A. Kent, 1873; E. K. Jones, 1874-75 ; O. D. Ed- gerton, 1874, 75; James Morse, R. W. Clark, 1876-82 ; J. H. Rawson, 1879, 82 ; Fred. Parker, 1880, 82.
GRAND LIST 1794-1882.
1794, 295 £, 5s .; 1795, 671£,15s .; 1796, 433 £, 10 S. ; 1797, $1,738.35 ; 1798, $2, 126.75 ; 1799, $2,051.47 ; 1800, $2,776 .- 1801, $3,000.96; 1802, $3,153.16;
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NORTHFIELD.
1803, $3,230.88 ; 1804, $3,808.92 ; 1805, $4,201.84 ; 1806, $4,391.31 ; 1807, $5,203 .- 15; 1808, $5,285.75 ; 1809, $5,632.34 ; 1810, $5,907.32; 1811, $5,735; 1812, $5,942.65 ; 1813, $6,027.83 ; 1814, $6,147 .- 12; 1815, $6,238.50 ; 1816, $6,267.25 ; 1817, $6,607.50; 1818, $6,003; 1819, $6,994 ; 1820, $7,441.96 ; 1821, $6,748.54 ; 1822, $5,305.42 ; 1823, $6,458.84; 1824, $8,036.56 ; 1825, $7,701.75 ; 1826, $6,480 .- 99; 1827, $6,802.95 ; 1828, $5,635.23; 1829, $7,620.02 ; 1830, $8,159.95 ; 1831, $8,064.12 ; 1832, $9,743.80 ; 1833, $9,977 .- 66; 1834, $10,197. 18; 1835, $10,270.20 ; 1836, $11,017.97 ; 1837, $11,337. 17 ; 1838, $11,280.80 ; 1839, $11, 341.82 ; 1840, $11,- 821.52 ; 1841, $12,834.74 ; 1842, $3,906.23 ; 1843, $4,281.25 ; 1844, $4,226.36; 1845, $4,286.80 ; 1846, $4,400.32 ; 1847, $4,776 .- 50; 1848, $4,744.70; 1849, $5,035.96; 1850, $5,205.05; 1851, $5,440.07; 1852, $7,408.16 ; $1853. $7,341.28 ; 1854, $7,857 .- 09; 1855, $8,285.97 ; 1856, $8,144.97 ; 1857, $8,187.71 ; 1858, $8,848.12; 1859, $8,848.12 ; 1860, $8,695.70 ; 1861, $8.875 .- 94; 1862, $8,798.42 ; 1863, $8,642.08; 1864, $8,569.26; 1865, $8,467.30; 1866, $8,428.48 ; 1867, $9,041.37 ; 1868, $9,212 .- 45 ; 1869, $9,415.70; 1870, $8,148.32 ; 1871, $9,422.20 ; 1872, $9,288.33 ; 1873, $8,640.40 ; 1874, $8,569.04 ; 1875, $8,314 .- 37; 1876, $8,871.14; 1877, $8,561.91 ; 1878, $8,530.57 ; 1879, $7,589.15 ; 1880, $7,440.16; 1881, $11,788.02 ; acres, 24,480 Number of legal voters, 1880, 800 ; popu- lation, 2,836; grand list in 1881, $11,788.02; town treasurer, G. B. B. Denny ; consta- ble, F. W. Gold ; sup't of schools, Chas. Dole ; overseer of goor, F. A. Preston ; town agent, John P. Davis.
LISTERS 1794-1882.
Stanton Richardson, 1794, 95, 96, 97 ; Ezekiel Robinson, 1794, 1803, 10 ; William Ashcroft, 1795, 96; Ezekiel Pierce, 1795, 96, 1802; Nathaniel Robinson, 1797 ; Samuel Pierce, 1797 ; David Denny, 1798; Abel Keyes, 1768, 1807; James Paul, 1798, 1803 ; Aaron Partridge, 1799; Oli- ver Cobleigh, 1799, 1800, 02, 04, 08, 09 ; Abraham Shipman, John Emerson, 1800; Elisha Brown, 1800, 1804, 05 ; Amos Rob- inson, 1804, 06, 28; Gilbert Hatch, 1801;
03; Ethan Allen, 1804, 05, II; Joseph Nichols, 1806, 07, 08, 09 ; James Morgan, 1806; Charles Jones, 1807, 09, 12; Na- thaniel Richardson, 1810, II, 31 ; Jesse Averill, 1811, 18, 26, 37, 45 ; Gilbert Hatch, 1811, 12, 14, 16, 18; Seth Smith, 1812; Oliver Averill, 1813, 14, 17; Nathaniel Jones, 1813, 15, 27 ; Eleazer Loomis, 1814, 15, 27, Solomon Dunham, 1815 ; Thomas Slade, 1816; Nathaniel Green, 1816, 20; Josiah B. Strong, 1817, 18 ; Dyer Loomis, 1817; John Starkweather, 1819, 21, 22 ; Elijah Smith, Jr., 1819, 26; Daniel D. Robinson, 1819, 23, 28; John Hinckley, 1820, 21; James Morgan, 1820; Charles Jones, 1821 ; Charles Paine, 1822, 23, 28 ; Joseph Keyes, 1822; Joseph Williams, 1823, 27 ; Benjamin Porter, 1824; Sam- uel Gilson, 1824, 25 ; Henry Knapp, 1825 ; John West, 1824, 25; David M. Lane, Harry Ainsworth, 1826, 29; Elijah Smith, 1829; John Averill, 1829, 35, 38 ; John L, Buck, Erastus Parker, Allen Patch, 1830 ; David Partridge, 1831 ; Daniel Parker, Jr., 1831 ; Elijah Smith, Jr., 1832, 35, 36, 37 ; Elijah Burnham, 1832 ; Joel Winch, 1832, 34, 36, 42, 65, 66; George K. Cobleigh, 1833, 34; Samuel Denny, 1833, 34; Nu- man R. Dryer, 1834, 36 : David W. Hadley, 1835, 39; David Robinson, 1837, 38; John Starkweather, 1838 ; Hiram Dwinell, 1839; Moses Robinson, 1839, 40, 41, 43, 44, 47, 48, 49, 57, 59. 61, 62, 63, 64 ; Sam- uel N. Richmond, 1840, 41, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 52, 53 ; Harvey Tilden, 1841, 43 ; Na- than Morse, 1842; James Gould, 1843 ; William Nichols, 1844, 52, 57 ; Daniel P. King, 1844, 46, 48; Marvin Simonds, 1845, 51, 52, 54, 58; G. P. Randall, 1846; Moses Thurston, 1847; D. W. Hadley, 1849, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 60; Richard H. Little, 1849; Joseph Denney, Joseph Gould, Hiram Henry, 1850 ; William Gold, Jr., 1851, 52, 56; Henry Jones, Jr., 1854 ; A. D. Metcalf, 1855, 74; F. A. Preston, 1855, 56, 57, 59, 60 ; William C. Woodbu- ry, 1858, 64; E. B. Pride, 1858; D. S. Burnham, 1859; George Robinson, 1860; I. W. Brown, 1861,62; Freeman Thresh- er, 1861, 62, 63, 77 ; A. D. Metcalf, 1863 ; J. C. Gallup, 1864, 65, 66, 74, 78 ; Wil- liam H. Loomis, 1865, 66; George Nich-
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ols, 1867, 70, 71 ; William S. Smith, 1867 ; William Gold, 1868 ; A. A. Preston, 1868, 69, 75 ; William R. Tucker, 1868, 69; T. | W. Hanson, J. H. Winch, - Green.
L. Salisbury, 1869; F. S. Kimball, 1870; THE PAPER CARRIER. Fred Parker, 1871, 72, 76; Ira A. Holton, Henry Dewey, of Randolph, was the first regular paper carrier for this town, by bringing the weekly news, and Ambrose Nichols, the second. The paper carrier was always a welcome visitor. When the tin horn sounded his approach, the chil- 1871, 72, 73, 74, 75 ; William H. Loomis, 1872; Royal Clark, 1873; James Morse, 1873, 74; Royal W. Clark, 1874; Francis Wright, 1875; E. H. Howes, 1876, 77 ; O. P. Winch, 1876; J. H. Ransom, 1877 ; John L. Mosely, C. A. Tracy, 1878 ; C. dren were on tip-toe, and would rush out B. Tilden, E. C. Fiske, 1879, 80 ; Free- man Thresher, 1879 ; E. H. Howes, 1880; J. A. Holton, J. C. Gallup, Andrew Doty, 1881.
TOWN CLERKS FROM 1794.
Nathaniel Robinson, Gilbert Hatch, Eli- jah Smith, Volney H. Averill, C. A. Edg- erton, Geo. B. B. Denny.
POSTMASTERS.
Oliver Averill, John E. McClure, Volney H. Averill, Elijah Smith, J. A. S. White, Wm. Rogers, Francis V. Randall, James Currier, Roswell Dewey, Geo. W. Soper, J. H. Orcutt.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
John Starkweather, I. W. Brown, high sheriffs ; John L. Buck, Heman Carpenter, C. H. Joyce, Frank Plumley, state's att'ys ; Nathan Morse, D. W. Hadley, side judges ; H. Carpenter, judge of probate; D. T. Averill, high bailiff.
LAWYERS
who have practiced in this town to 1878: John L. Buck, B. F. Chamberlain, Heman Carpenter, F. V. Randall, A. V. H. Car- penter, A. C. May, Charles H. Joyce, Geo. M. Fisk, C. N. Carpenter, James N. John- son, E. J. McWain, Frank Plumley, C. D. Joslyn, Cyrus M. Johnston. Lawyers since Gregory's book-F. R. Bates, D. Webster, B. F. Chamberlin, Edward Farr.
PHYSICIANS.
Nathaniel Robinson, Jeptha White, Ben- jamin Porter, Julius Easterbrook, John Work, Clifton Claggett, Numan R. Dryer, Samuel W. Thayer, Washington Cochran, Jared Barrett, Edward H. Williams, Joshua B. Smith, George Nichols, Edwin Porter, P. D. Bradford, Samuel Keith, M. Mc- Clearn, Daniel Bates, P. E. O. Chase, S. H. Colburn, M. F. Styles, G. W.
Colton, J. Draper, H. C. Brigham, Leonard Thresher, W. B. Mayo, O. O. Davis, L.
to the highway to get their papers, which were read with great avidity. A paper once a week was considered a very great blessing.
NORTHFIELD IN THOMPSON'S GAZETTEER, (1824.)
There were considerable revivals of re- ligion here in 1802, 1807, 1811 and 1821. There are three ordained preachers : Elder Joel Winch and Nathan B. Ashcroft, Meth- odists, and Elder James Morgan, Freewill Baptist. The epidemic of 1811-'12 was very mortal here, and the dysentery swept off about 30 children in this town in the fall of 1823. The physicians are Benjamin Porter and Julius Easterbrook. The prin- cipal stream in this town is Dog river, which runs through it in a northerly di- rection, and affords a great number of val- uable mill-privileges. A range of argilla- ceous slate passes through the township from south to north. The surface is con- siderably uneven, but it forms a convenient centre, in which is a small village, contain- ing a meeting-house, one tavern, two stores, one saddler, one hatter, two black- smith shops, one physician,. one tannery, and 17 dwelling-houses. This is a place of some business, and is rapidly increas- ing. The second house was erected in this village in 1814. There is a small village 13 miles south of the one above mentioned, containing 2 saw-mills, I grist and I fulling-mill, I carding-machine, I cider-mill and several machine-shops. One mile north of the meeting-house (Depot Village) is an extensive woolen-factory, containing 230 spindles and 8 looms. There are also here some other mills and machinery. There are in town 9 school- districts, 7 school-houses, I company of
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NORTHFIELD.
militia, I of artillery, 8 saw, 3 grist and 2 fulling-mills, I carding-machine, I woolen- factory, 2 stores, 2 taverns, 2 tanneries and 4 blacksmith shops.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
of the first settlers and most prominent citizens of Northfield, from 1785 to 1878, condensed from Mr. Gregory's History, page 58 to 251, inclusive. Mr. Gregory's volume is Svo. pp. 319. The preceding part of this paper is the summary of the town history contained in its first 57 pages.
JOHN GREGORY'S TOAST
at the Northfield centennial day dinner. The 4th of July, 1876:
The early settlers of Northfield :- Prompted by their love of freedom, strong in the ambition of their manhood, and clad in the garb of truth and morality, they sought amid the wilds of Vermont a home for themselves. and for those who should come after them. Through their efforts the wilderness was made to blossom as the rose, and the fruits of their labors are to us a priceless inheritance.
AMOS ROBINSON,
born in Providence, R. I., Aug. 19, 1762 ; next to Elijah Paine, was the most influen- tial man of that early day ; made the first settlement, May, 1785, where his son, Hon. Moses Robinson, now lives (1878). He was the first representative of the town, re-elected 13 successive years, with the exception of 1810 ; justice of the peace many years, and was a large-hearted, hon- orable man, well-qualified for a leader in a new settlement. He induced a number of his relatives and friends to move from Westminster, Vt. to this town. He mar- ried for his first wife Batheny Jones, chil- dren : Polly, b 1786 ; Kezia, b 1787 ; Amos, b 1789; Patty, b 1791 ; Alman, b 1794 ; Judge, b 1795 ; Loretta, b 1796; Elijah, b 1799. He married for his second wife Mrs. Submit Holden ; children : Moses, b 1804 ; Sophronia, b 1810 ; Caroline, b 1815. Mr. Robinson died Mar. 13, 1840.
KEZIA ROBINSON, daughter of Amos and Batheny, was the first child born in Northfield. She married Ira Sherman, of Waterbury, and died in 1877.
H.on MOSES ROBINSON, son of Amos, who lived on the old homestead, held
many town offices, and was State Senator in 1846-7. He died Apr. 22, 1881.
JUDGE ROBINSON, another son of Amos, settled near the Roxbury line ; was a farmer.
COL. EZEKIEL ROBINSON,
brother of Amos, born in Providence, R. I., July 15, 1764, came from Westminster, May, 1785, nearly 10 years before the town was organized, and settled on the farm now occupied by John Henry, on the East Hill. He was moderator, selectman, col- lector, &c. He married Dinah Doubleday, born in Palmer, Mass., April 28, 1764. Mrs. Erastus Parker, a daughter of Col. Ezekiel, of Waterbury, says, " I have heard father and mother tell much about their living in a log house without a board or door about it, until they had 2 children ; when the first was born, Jan. 26, 1788, father went over the hills of deep snow, with snow shoes and a hand sled, almost down to Farewell village, 9 miles, to get a midwife. She went home with him, some of the way on a sled, and some on foot."
" I was quite young, but remember the talk about father being called a ' Fed,' and Uncle Amos Robinson a ' Whig.' Father held the common offices in town, and was a surveyor through all its early history. He used to take large pieces of peeled hem- lock bark for his bed, and make a rousing fire to keep the wolves off-they used to follow him home. many a time close to his horse's heels. The bears were kept from the cabin the same way, by great nres."
They had 7 children : Lucinda, b 1788; Daniel, b 1789 ; Reuben, b 1791 ; Sylva- nus, b 1793 ; Anna, b 1796 ; David, b 1799 ; Weltha, b 1806. All born in Northfield.
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