USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Baltimore > The history of the town of Baltimore, Vermont > Part 10
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We learn from the Springfield records of 1830 that Reuben Bemis and Clarissa Spooner were married Dec. 9th. of that year. If Reuben had died penniless, this sketch must need have ended here. But, generally speaking, the Bemises do not die that way and Reuben was no exception. The Probate Office at Ludlow provided a copy of Reuben's will presented in 1839 which made disposition of his property as follows:
To his wife Clarissa he willed all the household furniture, also one cow, also one-half part of estate both real and personal. To his sons Charles Bemis and Henry Bemis, children by his second wife, he willed $300 each, then plainly stated that was all they were to have; the rest of his estate was to be equally divided among his other heirs. His estate was settled in 1839.
Wm. Dyer and Sylvester Burke took the inventory as commis- sioners. Among other possessions they appraised two pews in the old brick meeting house (on top of hill in North Springfield) for $2.
Reuben's home was the place now owned by Duane Allen which he, Reuben, purchased from Socrates Hastings. Rev. R. M. Ely had lived there when he was minister and he sold it to Hastings.
These buildings with the two acres of land were appraised for $420. The sum total of his debts was $40.86 and his property was valued at $4248.25.
There were exactly $198.81 for each of Reuben's other nine chil- dren, presumably the offspring of Lois, the first wife, and born in Baltimore. Their names were listed as follows: (We will supply the bits of genealogical data available. A. M. P.) Reuben Bemis d. May 5, 1839 Age 72, Lois Bemis d. Sept. 14, 1829 Age 54. Children: Enos married May 27, 1821 Submit Haskins. He died 1874 age 78 yrs. 6 mos. Cyrus; Lyman; Aaron; Esther m. Stephen Martin Mar. 8, 1827; Rebecca m. Adolphus Ellison, Chester, Dec. 29, 1825; Lincoln m. Harriet Spooner Aug. 16, 1827; Seymour; Lorinda m. Mayes Rogers July 4, 1831.
Apr. 29, 1840, a Clarissa Bemis married Lysander Davis of Ches- ter. The Reuben Bemis homestead was sold and each of the older children signed off their rights in half of it. It is from these deeds that we learn the whereabouts of Reuben's older heirs in 1841. Aaron was in Ionia, Mich .; Cyrus, Seymour and Esther had all moved to Barton, Orleans Co., Vt .; Lyman was in Lisbon, N. H .; Rebecca in Plymouth, Enos in Weathersfield, and Lorinda in Springfield, Vt.
In a measure this explains why no descendants are to be located by the writer. They were quite widely scattered; their father's home was broken up when they were comparatively young; and
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probably they did not return very frequently to visit either in Baltimore or North Springfield.
The Glynn Place
The story of the Glynn place is the story of a homestead that changed ownership sixteen times in seventy-five years. The reason for so many changes is not wholly apparent. It was always situated on the town's most travelled highway, the land was comparatively level, the water supply was reasonably dependable. True the soil is rocky, or "boney" as some express it, but no doubt most of the fields cleared in Baltimore were likewise full of stone. The innum- erable, endless stone walls bear out that statement.
A good set of buildings once graced this property. No large family of children was born and reared in this substantial house that finally fell prey to devastating flames. Probably no family ever acquired wealth or influence during their short stay on this farm, while other farms less favorably located were subjected to splendid improvements and in turn provided for families of size and importance.
1795-June 10-Isaac Hildreth yeoman to Calvin Davis 50 acres for £ 46, both of Baltimore.
1797 -- Calvin and Nabby Davis to Samuel Drury of Alstead for £ 130. Drury mortgaged it back to Calvin.
1799-March 4-Drury sold one-half his farm to Josiah Sims of Baltimore for $200.
1799-June 15- Drury and Sims to John Haven of Leominster, Mass., 55 acres for $466.68, mortgaged for full amount of purchase price.
1800-April 29- Haven sold to Benj. Bruce, mortgaged to John Haven. Benj. agreed to pay May 1, 1801, a "certain promesary note in neet stock or flax seed", also three other notes of $100 each, one of which was to be paid each year in "neet stock and flax seed." Benj. must have lost his courage as on Dec. 19, 1800, he deeded back to John Haven for $10.
1801-June 23- Haven sold to John Bigelow of Worcester, Mass., for $400.
1815-Bigelow mortgaged to Nahum Duncan. In 1817 mortaged again to Duncan for $110 more. Mentions house and barn as included. Possibly new buildings had been erected. 1817-John and Sally Bigelow sold to Benj. Litch for $700 and on that same day Litch sold to Joseph Atherton.
1822-Dec. 2-Joseph sold to his son, Joseph Jr., for $1000 and retained right to cut wood and timber during his natural life. Possibly Joseph Sr. built the good house which would account for the increase in price.
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1830-Joseph Atherton Jr. sold to Willard Hastings for $900.
1835-Sept. 4-Willard Hastings to Matthew Chaplin for $900.
1836-Sept. 8-Matthew Chaplin to Oren E. Averill of Bridge- water for $1000, mortgaged to Chaplin for $950 which was paid Jan. 8, 1842.
1852-March 26-Averill to Wd. Mary Preston for $1000.
1859-Wd. Mary Preston to Theodore Merrill of Jackson, N. Y.
1865-Nov. 9-Theodore Merrill to Ozias King for $1100.
1871-Ozias and Anna D. King to Geo. Jefts and Nancy Glynn of Chester for $1400.
1873-April 24-Joseph and Nancy Glynn to Robert Glynn for $960. Robert and Susan made out a writing agreeing to execute a warranty deed of the premises in favor of Nancy and Joseph Glynn when Nancy paid him $960. On March 3, 1875, Nancy and Joseph released and surrendered the claim.
1901-Robert Glynn sold to Herbert A. Glynn to be Herbert's at the decease of said Robert A. Glynn. Herbert A. Glynn Est. to Celia Shepard.
It will be seen that the Glynn family was in possession of this property over a span of years. But in 1880 the house was burned to the ground and never rebuilt. This house was considered a fairly good one, built something after the plan of Louis Sundgren's. It was painted yellow. A parlor and parlor-bedroom faced the road back of which were a sitting room and family bedroom and pantry in the main part. The ell consisted of a kitchen, woodshed, and sinkroom. The barn remained standing several years.
Contrary to the usual fate of farms deprived of their buildings, the acreage of this farm has always remained intact except four acres which Robert Glynn set off to his sister, Harriet Lockwood, as her due for caring for their mother in her last days.
The Averill Family was prominent in town and church affairs. Mr. Averill served as lister and highway surveyor in 1838, as con- stable and collector of rates and taxes in 1840, and as surveyor and lister at various times. The school records proclaim him to have served as prudential committee and to have boarded the teacher and supplied the wood. He boarded one Allura D. Woodward 6 weeks at 68 cents per week. She might have been a relative of Mrs. Averill who was Lucinda Woodward before her marriage. Her sister Lorinda married Horace Martin at one time a resident of Baltimore. There was also Lodema Woodward who married Isaac Gregory of this town.
The Averills moved from Baltimore to North Springfield and lived in the house recently owned by Bernard Ward. Their house, however, stood at the foot of the hill until it experienced the flood of '69 after which Mr. Averill moved it to the higher ground it now occupies. There were no Averill children listed in the school records of Baltimore, but a Smile Lockwood lived with them for several
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years and attended school. Mr. Averill was deacon of the No. Springfield Baptist Church for many years.
Edmund Batchelder Family (Volney Foster's Place)
Isaac Hildreth lived on this farm in that memorable year of 1794. The first highway mentioned in the first-meeting records was the "rode" from Weathersfield line to Isaac Hildreth's. However, he might not have been secure in his possessions as Samuel Davis in 1795 sold him 100 acres of the land he was occupying in 1794 for £50 lawful money.
In 1798 Isaac sold 541/2 acres of this land to Joseph Hildreth of Chesterfield, N. H., for $365.66. Joseph mortgaged the farm to Isaac, agreeing to pay three different notes in "beef, neet stock, and grane." Joseph deeded it back in 1800 to Isaac, who later in that same year sold the farm to Samuel Clark of Andover, Vt. There is nothing to prove that Samuel lived here at all during the four years he owned it, and in 1804 he sold the place to Edmund Batchelder of Townsend, Mass., 541/2 acres for $500.
By the process of deduction it seems reasonable to believe that Edmund Batchelder built the house now standing. In surveying the road from the Volney Foster to the James Shepard farm in 1799 it refers to Joseph Hildreth's "hovel" as a point of beginning. This would indicate that Joseph's habitation was in a state of wretched- ness. Isaac Hildreth was ordered to "depart said town in 1801", which in early practice was a reliable indication that his financial prospects were none too bright. Samuel Clark has been "weighed in the balance and found wanting"-in the records of the town meetings from 1800-1804 his name does not appear. Then, as now, no man could live in Baltimore four years and not hold a town office. Convinced that the Hildreths were too poor to build a good house, also that Samuel Clark never lived in town, we therefore conclude that Edmund Batchelder built the house. Q. E. D. Possibly it was built for his bride Rachel Bartlett whom he married in 1808. He certainly had an attractive site on which to build, one of the few old-fashioned red houses of one story now remaining in this vicinity.
Edmund Batchelder did not strive to be a large land owner and did not furnish the town clerk (or his wife) many chances to earn pin money by recording. In 1822 he purchased the pasture on the easterly side of the highway between his mowing and that of Thomas Preston, 1934 acres for $233. This provided him with a farm of 7414 acres on which he was content to live and here were born his four girls and one boy.
A study of the grand list of Baltimore for 1830 shows Edmund Batchelder's house with a medium valuation of $135.80. He had two oxen, 4 cows, one 2-year-old heifer, one horse, one 2-year-old colt, and 16 sheep. In those days nearly every farmer in Baltimore kept some sheep; now there is not a sheep in town. A perusal of
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subsequent grand lists shows the number of farm animals kept by Edmund remained practically the same.
He was not extremely prominent in town affairs but served in the useful capacities of surveyor for South District several times. Some years he bid off the town paupers to board as well as the school teachers. He kept the Widow Phebe Gates for one year for $35.90. In 1825 he bid off Nancy, a girl who was a town charge, for 24 cents a week and "agreed to clothe her and clear the town from all ex- pense." He had four girls of his own; so probably Nancy's labor was not needed in the home. Undoubtedly it was a charitable im- pulse rather than one of greed or avarice that prompted Edmund and Rachel to share their home with Nancy.
In the South School District Edmund served in every capacity except district clerk, which means no specimen of his handwriting is preserved. For some years they voted "to board on the schollar"; so we know the Batchelder home with its five children was liberally patronized. When they bid off the mistress' board, the records show that on one occasion Edmund "bid off two weaks bord at 42 cents a weak", also bid off 2 cords wood at 46 cents per cord. It was stipulated that the wood must be good, hard and dry. As late as 1849 Edmund bid off 2 weeks board $1.06 per week. This is the last time his name appears on the town or school records.
Truly Edmund farmed in a small way. The house was neither pretentious nor commodious for those times when size played an im- portant part in the construction of houses. His was a modest in- come, and he was never listed as having any money to tax. We can safely infer that the children of Edmund and Rachel Bartlett Batchelder were not reared in luxury. Yet there is undeniable proof that the atmosphere and surroundings of this home were of the highest order, as reflected by the standards of living which their children adopted in later years.
It was the writer's privilege to spend a delightful hour with Mrs. Marcia Batchelder Bishop of Springfield. Her father, Abel Batchel- der, was very fond of his Batchelder cousins of Baltimore and from Mrs. Bishop much valuable information was obtained.
She prefaced her reminiscences with the remark, "The Batchelder girls all made out well when they married." Perhaps at this junc- ture reference may well be made to such genealogical data as the writer has been able to collect.
Batchelder Family
Nathaniel Batchelder's son, Edmund Batchelder,, b. 1780 in Townsend, Mass., d. Oct. 23, 1860, in Springfield, Vt., m. 1808 to Rachel Bartlett, b. Townsend, Mass., d. Apr. 10, 1849, in Baltimore, Vt., age 65 years.
Edmund m. 2nd wife-Eliza Temple, Springfield, Vt., Apr. 4, 1850.
Children of Edmund and Rachel
Mary-b. Nov. 14, 1808, d. Feb. 24, 1877, m. Seldon Cook, Jan. 15, 1829.
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Harriet-b. 1810, d. Apr. 17, 1886, m. Jonathan Martin Boynton. Cynthia-b. Nov. 7, 1811, m. Lucius Griswold, m. 2nd. Chandler Eddy of Londonderry.
Cynthia's children: Cynthia Lorette b. 1833, Lucius Dana b. 1835, Harriet Augusta b. 1839 d. 1840, Collins R. b. 1841, Amelia A. b. 1842, Eliza® Ann b. 1844, Abby Jane b. 1850, Fred Herman b. 1856.
Edmund-b. Mar. 10, 1813, d. Feb. 5, 1835, age 21 yrs., 3 mos., 25 da.
Rachel-b. Nov. 26, 1818, m. Alden W. Sherwin.
Rachel's child: Henry W. Sherwin, b. Sept. 27, 1842, d. summer of 1916.
Lucius Dana Griswold enlisted in the Civil War. He was taken prisoner and was stoned in Libby Prison. When he was released he did not live to reach home, dying in New York state. He was a splendid-looking young man with full beard. The writer has a picture of him which was given her by Mrs. T. H. Richardson.
It will be noted that Cynthia had a large family, and it is interest- ing to know that, with the exception of Cynthia Lorette born in Springfield, the other children were born just over the line from Baltimore on the Griswold place now belonging to the Bibens' farm. Everyone knows where the "Griswold Gate" is.
In 1858 Lucius Griswold deeded this land to Joel Woodbury. We can only conjecture what became of the house. The barn re- mained standing until about 1895 when it was burned by an incen- diary together with a colt that was occupying it. In those days the residence of the parents generally afforded a birthplace for their children. Even the stork knew not the exact location of any hos- pitals.
Harriet Batchelder Boynton settled in Baltimore and will be given due attention in the sketch to be prepared about the Boynton family.
So far as known by the writer, Alden and Rachel Sherwin had but one child, Henry Alden Sherwin, born in Baltimore on what is now known as the Dan Rich farm Sept. 27, 1842. This boy, how- ever, was destined to become one of the most illustrious sons of Baltimore. We are indeed fortunate to gain much of interest con- cerning Henry Sherwin from his second cousin, Mrs. T. H. Richard- son of Chester. Her mother, daughter of Jotham Bartlett, grew up in North Springfield until 14 years of age when her parents moved to Weston. Her father was C. W. Sprague who kept a store in that village. When Henry Sherwin was 13 years old, he came to work for her father. Quoting Mrs. Richardson, "Some said he seemed rather young but he proved to be a jewel."
In 1859 he went with his parents to Cleveland, Ohio, where they accepted a good offer to work for a relative. In due time Henry Sherwin became the founder of the Sherwin-Williams Paint Co. He was its president until 1900 when he became Chairman of the Board of Directors. He died at his summer home in Winden, Ohio, in 1916. He had amassed a fortune, was rated as a millionaire
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when he died. People that knew him intimately stated that he did much good with his money.
He married Fannie O. Smith of Cleveland. They had five chil- dren, four girls and one boy. His daughter, Belle Sherwin, was president of the National League of Women Voters from 1924-1934. In one of her letters she writes, "I remember with interest that, at the election of President Mckinley, my father said his native town had cast a unanimous vote for the Republican candidate, and then added that the number of votes at that time in Baltimore was eleven!"
According to Mrs. Richardson, Henry Sherwin came east many times. One time he went to Baltimore to the house where he was born. Not a thing could he find but the stone step in front of where the house had stood. He broke off a corner of the stone re- marking to his wife as he did so, "I am taking this stone to my home as it is the only thing left of the place where I was born." It will be remembered the brick house burned when Albert Chapman lived in it, and some few years elapsed before he finished the pre- sent house in 1902.
Among Mrs. Bishop's treasures is a bundle of letters well over 100 years old written by Edmund Batchelder and his cousin Abel Batchelder. In an effort of this kind one hardly expects an injec- tion of the romantic. But those letters were so imbued with deeply religious sentiment, and reveal so clearly the part religion played in the lives of those and other young people of their day, some excerpts from them can not be out of place.
It appears Edmund voluntarily played the role of a "match- maker". This word seems too flippant to use in describing Ed- mund's sincere efforts to encourage a matrimonial alliance between his cousin Abel, who lived in Andover, Vt., and one Lois Chandler who lived on the Frank Moore place on the Gassetts road.
Edmund was a pupil in Chester Academy when he wrote Lois Chandler, June 3, 1833. "Respected Lady," he begins, "The subject to which I solicit your attention at this time is one by a request of a respected cousin who has arrived almost to a proper age to engage with some one to be his partner in life, and noticing different ones last Sabbath his attention was attracted (by a little assistance) to the person which I am now addressing. He expressed his mind calmly and decidedly that he should be pleased to form some ac- quaintance with you.
"Respecting his situation and father's family he says he has affectionate parents, one brother and four sisters. His father owns two farms considered to be good. Without doubt one of them will be his.
"I have often heard him state that he should live single for a great length of time unless he found someone that would agree with him in this point, and that would be wont to bow and pour out their heart to God at certain seasons with him."
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Edmund further stated in this letter that he expected to leave this country soon and move to the distant West or South and craved a word in Lois' prayers that the Lord would continue to bless him.
Lois wrote in reply, "Because of my confidence in you, Edmund, I venture to say it will be agreeable to my mind to form an ac- quaintance with him (cousin Abel). The most encouragement you gave me was that he is a Christian." Lois added that she hoped when he (Edmund) left the country that the spirit of the Lord would go with him and believed the privileges of New England great for worshipping God.
Edmund Jr. was a teacher in 1834. In March of that year from Chester he writes his Cousin Abel, "I finished my school in pleasant terms without the least offense from the inhabitants or from the pupils and they gave me an invitation to come and teach next winter, but I told them I would be in this western country unless I was disappointed." (Poor Edmund Jr .! He little knew what the near future held in store for him.) He invited his cousin Abel to come to Chester, then they would have time to go to Springfield to Mr. Cook's (probably his sister Mary's). "I shall plan to go in four or five weeks, if not convenient to come then, three or four weeks from that time would suit me. I have my washing done at home so go home once in about four weeks." Transportation was not so easily obtained in 1834, no thumbing for rides.
He also wrote Abel, "The time that I promised to write has passed. It has been neglected because for want of a bearer to con- vey it to you." Evidently there was no daily mail to Andover in 1834. "The subject which I have heretofore taken into considera- tion for your welfare is now blasted for a season if I am informed right. I was sorry to learn last week that a Mr. Woodbury called on Miss Chandler on the subject of matrimony. It is generally thought that it will be of short duration, but I am not able to say. I was sorry to hear the news. She is healthy, smart for business, and a very good singer and a true follower of the meek and lowly Jesus. I am sorry she is not at your refusal. I shall probably know if he stops visiting her and will communicate the news to you."
The last letter in the bundle from Abel to Lois was written in Oct. 1834. He stated therein that he would not be able to call as he planned, as he was "going below". Lest the reader should find the suspense unbearable it may as well be told that Abel and Lois were wed Jan. 3, 1837, at her home on the Gassetts road by Rev. C. W. Hodges.
But alas for poor Edmund! He did not live to see the consum- mation of his efforts. His sun sank in the West forever for him on Feb. 10, 1835. His letters show him to have been a young man of sterling qualities, earnest piety, and lofty purposes. The reason for the splendid qualities of heart and mind possessed by the progeny of Edmund and Rachel Batchelder is most obvious. It was a good name, and we regret that Edmund Jr. did not live to prolong that name in this locality.
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Mary Batchelder married Selden Cook whose forbears were early settlers of Baltimore. His mother was Polly Bruce, daughter of Joseph and Philadelphia Wheeler Bruce. She was first cousin of the Athertons. Both of them were Quakers; they died the same day and were buried in the same grave. Polly Bruce married Oliver Cook, and they lived on the Dexter Olney place on the plain over- looking North Springfield. It was from their farm that land was taken for the Pine Grove Cemetery, and Mr. Cook, father of Selden, reserved the privilege of selecting the best location for a burial lot for himself and family. Not far from the fountain and to the west of it are found the graves of Oliver Cook who died in 1863 andPolly, his wife, who died in 1842.
Selden Cook was a shoemaker starting business in Proctorsville; after two years he removed to Springfield and engaged in mercantile business. He and his wife were very devout members of the Con- gregational Church in that village for forty years.
Their children were Mary Ellen b. 1830 d. 1832;Rosella b. 1833 d. 1835; Ellen Maria b. Feb. 7, 1840 m. O. S. Tuttle; George Selden b. Sept. 27, 1841, lived for some time in Bellows Falls; Adam Per- kins b. Oct. 2, 1844 d. 1846; Everett B. b. Jan. 30, 1852.
Parkman Davis Family (Frank Kendall Place)
It is hardly within the scope of an effort of this kind to trace the ancestry of the prominent first families back to Europe. In the case of Alexander Parkman Davis, however, the writer feels justified in giving some space to him, being, as he was, the progenitor of the two generations living in Baltimore in the 1800's that numbered at least 42 souls, 4 being his children, 38 his grandchildren; and later, several great-grandchildren were born in Baltimore.
Alexander Parkman Davis was born 1749 in England and came to America when a small boy with his father, a brother Robert, and an Aunt Collins who later died in Boston. Robert went to sea and was never heard from again. Alexander P. was bound out either to a farmer or a tradesman.
Though a native of England, Alexander Parkman Davis rendered valuable service to his adopted country during the Revolution. He enlisted from Templeton, Mass., in 1777-1778 in Joseph Wild's Co., Col. Sparhawk's Regiment. By this time he had three children, possibly four.
In 1772 he had married Abigail Gregory of Templeton, Mass. She was probably a relative of Amasa Gregory who came to Balti- more in 1807 and settled on the farm now owned by Louis Sundgren.
Their children were:
Parkman-b. Jan. 29, 1773; d. Jan. 16, 1836-married-Sally Forbush, dau. of David Forbush, d. Apr. 10, 1864, age 86 yrs. 3 mos. 10 da.
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Sally-b. June 14, 1774-married-Jonathan Woodbury. Betsy-b. Feb. 1776-married-John Woodbury. William-b. Apr. 15, 1779-married-Phebe Sanders.
Then there was a Lydia b. Feb. 17, 1778, d. Dec. 21, 1792, and Anna b. Sept. 6, 1781, married Dec. 1806 to Nathaniel Pierce, d. July 10, 1846.
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