USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Woodstock > The valley of the Kedron; the story of the South parish, Woodstock, Vermont > Part 12
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tended circle of acquaintances and in various ways served me much better than it did financially." He tells that he was Superintendent of the Sunday school at the Chapel and when he closed his engagement as Principal a Bible was presented to him with this inscription, "As a token of friendship and with the kind regards of the ladies of the South Woodstock Social Circle, presented at the Institute July 31st, 1863, to Wm. R. Shipman, late Principal of the Green Mountain Institute and Superintendent of the Sabbath School." Prof. Shipman became a teacher at Tufts College and spent the rest of his life there teaching in the department of English. To continue with the names of the Principals :- J. J. Lewis, H. P. McKechnie, H. R. Burring- ton, Edward Drew, A. Z. Squires, J. L. Powers, Minot War- ren, J. B. Morse. These five preceding names are of men who only served a term or two, Marsh Perkins, and Walter M. Wright stayed for brief periods. Then came E. H. Aldrich who stayed on the job five years and so was able to do real constructive work. At this writing he still lives and has his home in Rutland, Vermont. Other Principals were Norman P. Wood for three years, Noah Wood, J. S. Cook, W. E. Mack. N. P. Wood taught again, also J. S. Cook, Oscar Perry, Charles Darling, F. O. Kendall, N. E. Wood, Carrie Walker, F. B. Van Ormon, then Carrie Walker Jaquith, J. H. Dunbar. During the 1890's two terms were held and in the spring with J. H. Dunbar as Principal and the two graduates already mentioned, the Green Mountain Per- kins Academy closed its door as a place of education. High Schools were prospering, schools had been built in cen- ters with railroad facilities. Life had taken on complexi- ties that a little remote village school could no longer
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meet and so the curtain fell on some hopes not fulfilled but also on much excellent work which had been done.
In 1902 when we came to Woodstock the men and women of the South Parish had been students in this school and one felt the impact of the cultural life which fifty years of the school had left. Pupils and many of the teachers lived in the homes of the neighborhood. There was a close and intimate relationship between the school and the families.
The last part of this story will be incomplete and imper- fect for no one knows the life of all these students. Some of them came to occupy prominent places in their towns and states. It is a very difficult undertaking to get in- formation about people long since dead. Many letters of inquiry have been sent out. Many people have been in- terviewed but the results are meager as to definite results.
The Hon. Hosea Parker studied at the Institute, gradu- ated at Tufts, became a distinguished lawyer in his state of New Hampshire. He lived at Claremont. As a Demo- crat he served two terms in Congress. The Bar of New Hampshire celebrated his eightieth birthday with a ban- quet. For fifty years he was Superintendent of the Uni- versalist Sunday school in his home church. He attended the reunions of the Academy while living and was an impressive figure. He married Lovisa Southgate of Bridge- water who was a student at the Institute. Before the Civil War she had taught in the South but the increasing fric- tion had compelled her to come back North.
I. A. Parker a native of South Woodstock, a student of the Institute, graduated at Dartmouth in the Class of
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1853. He became a teacher in Lombard College, Gales- burg, Ill., and taught there many years.
Elmer H. Capen, after leaving the Institute, graduated at Tufts, prepared for the Universalist Ministry, preached for a few years and in 1875 became president of Tufts Col- lege. He was a distinguished Educator and Administrator. He died at Tufts in May 1905.
Almon Gunnison went to Tufts after his South Wood- stock days, became a Clergyman in the Universalist Church, held several exceptional pastorates, traveled ex- tensively, wrote delightful reports of these journeys. He spent his last years as President of St. Lawrence University.
Three boys by the name of Pope, Carlos Cadwell, M. Aurelius, and Ira from Washington, Vermont, all were students in the 1850's. They went to Minnesota. One became an Editor, the others studied law. Wade Keyes, of Reading, prepared for Tufts College at the Institute. Ebenezer J. Ormsbee of Brandon, Vermont, was at the Institute in 1856. He became Governor of Vermont, and was Consul at Samoa when Robert Louis Stevenson was living there.
"Annette J. Shaw was born in Sutton, Vermont, June 7, 1848. She was educated in Barton Academy, and the Green Mountain Institute, there fitting for college. In the fall of 1869 she entered St. Lawrence University, and graduated in 1873, receiving the degree of A. B. On leaving college she was at once engaged as preceptress of Canton Union School, where she taught the languages, and largely fitted her classes for entering college. But her mind was upon the ministry, so relinquishing teaching, she set herself to the task of preparing fully for it. In the Autumn of 1874, she entered Canton Theo-
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logical School and graduated in 1876. During her theological course she was instructor at St. Lawrence University, in Ger- man and Greek. On graduating from the University, Miss Shaw chose for her subject, The Power of Fiction in Reform, and when graduating from the Theological School chose, Is it the Office of Religion to Drive Men or Draw Them? She was ordained to the full work of the Christian ministry at East Charleston, Vt., Oct. 25, 1877. But in November of 1879 she was invited to assume charge of a movement in the vicinity of Barton, Vt., where she remained until she accepted a call from Blue Island, Ill. As a sermonizer and preacher she ranked high, and her associates in the ministry have accorded her places of trust and honor. She gave the Occasional Sermon before the Northern (Vt.) Association, in 1879 and was Stand- ing Clerk of the same for a series of years."
O. W. Sherwin of Woodstock, Vt., was an honorary first Lieutenant in the Medical Reserve Corps of the United States army. He held the rank of Brigadier Gen- eral in the Medical Corps of the state of Vermont. He was one of the oldest practitioners in Vermont, was president of the Vermont Medical Society in 1882 and 1883, and mem- ber of the board of pension examiners for twenty-five years. Dr. Sherwin was born in Reading, Vt., and gradu- ated in the class of 1865 at the Dartmouth Medical Col- lege. After four years' practice in his native town he came to Woodstock, and for thirty-nine years practiced here. Dr. Sherwin was a thirty-second degree Mason, also past grand high priest of the grand chapter of Vermont. Dr. Sherwin was a student at the Institute in 1853. He roomed for a time at George Fletcher's. He played the violin. On one occasion the Institute bell rang mysteriously. This lad
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sat by an open window in his room, playing most beauti- fully. It was discovered that he had a heavy cord tied to his leg and also to the bell and when he jerked his leg the bell rang. Such are some of the joys of youth. He died in Woodstock in April 1913.
Charles R. Miller, Editor of the New York Times, be- came a student at the Green Mountain Institute in 1866. He had been at Kimball Academy, Meriden, N. H., from which he was expelled. He wrote that "Rule 6 governing the relations between the two departments, male and fe- male was simplified by forbidding all relations. Infrac- tions of this rule were dangerous." The girl whom he later married was one of the students. Probably he talked with her, he may have walked with her. At any rate he had to go elsewhere. He graduated at Dartmouth as a good New Hampshire boy should. He did not do any work at Dartmouth to distinguish himself at all. He was one of many boys who do not find themselves till later years. They drift till they hit the upping stone. I have the biog- raphy of Mr. Miller. Yes, it's interesting, especially all those adolescent years and the uncertainties of college education. The smell of printer's ink had reached him during a college interregnum. A job was found, after graduating, on the Springfield Republican and under the famous Samuel Bowles. On April 13, 1883, he became Editor in Chief of the N. Y. Times, having been con- nected with the paper since 1872, and there he stayed till the great call came for the Editor to report at the desk of the Master of them all.
Nehemiah White of Wallingford, Vermont, taught at Buchtel College, Akron, Ohio. This school has been for
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years the City University of Akron. He was president of Lombard College, Galesburg, Ill., first teaching there and then becoming president in 1875.
Simon Goodenough, William E. Gibbs, Hiram A. Phil- brook, Franklin S. Bliss, Benjamin K. Russ, all became Universalist Ministers. Obed C. Turner was once City Physician for Cambridge, Mass. Edward Conant became State Superintendent of Education for Vermont, and wrote a school history of the State. Samuel E. Adams was Master of the National Grange, William Waldamar Spaulding became the head of a great shoe plant in Haverhill, Mas- sachusetts. Henry Vail who went to Middlebury became identified with the American Book Company and was its president. When he was ready to enter College the fol- lowing recommendation was given him.
"This is to certify that the bearer, Mr. Henry H. Vail of Pomfret, Vt., has been pursuing his studies in this Institution during the present term preparatory to entering the Freshman Class in College. He is a young man of studious habits, high aims and a good moral character and I cheerfully recommend him as a fit candidate for a more advanced course of study in a higher Institution.
JOHN S. LEE Principal of Green Mountain Liberal Institute.
South Woodstock, Vt. July 25, 1856
Thomas Seaver after graduating at Tufts studied law, practiced in Woodstock and was Probate Judge for many years in Windsor County. Norman Paul studied law,
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settled in Woodstock and practiced law. Miss Lucia Jaquith became a trained nurse and served the Memorial Hospital at Worcester, Mass., as its very efficient Super- intendent. She was a South Woodstock girl. Avis M. Keith of East Barnard studied at the Institute, then took a medical course at the Ensworth Medical College and Hospital at St. Joseph, Mo. She served one year as an Interne after graduation at the North Western Hospital for women and children in Minneapolis, Minn., she practiced ten years in Rock Springs, Wyo., and more than thirty years in Glou- cester, Mass., where at this writing she still lives.
I have had access to many notes, letters and items of various sorts which Swan Dana collected but which he did not use in his history. The following caught my imag- ination and held my interest and so I pass it along, as the young woman was a student at the Institute. Charles English, a son of Joel English of English Mills, now called Prosper, migrated to Western New York where he taught, then he went on to Missouri and then to California, leav- ing his wife and some of his children in Missouri. This state was strongly southern in its feelings during the war of the 1860's. A son joined Mosby's Guerillas. A daughter was arrested because of her activities in behalf of the South. She was on parole. During this time she came to Woodstock to visit her relatives and became a student at the Green Mountain Institute. She returned to Mis- souri and taught school. She registered as Emma S. Eng- lish, St. Louis, Mo.
George H. Bowers of West Windsor became a lawyer and has practised for years in Canton, N. Y. He is presi- dent of the Board of Trustees of St. Lawrence University
-
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and is the most distinguished lawyer in that part of the state. Henry Priest after college went to St. Lawrence where he taught for years. Norman P. Wood after gradu- ating at Tufts, went to the University of Vermont for his medical studies. Practiced a brief period in South Londonderry, Vt., then went to Northfield, Mass., where he lived many years, following his profession.
Two students at the Institute who won distinction, were Edna Chaffee of Rochester, Vermont, and Henry Noble of Hinesburg. She taught at the Institute and then taught in Rochester, and Randolph. Later she became a pupil of Moses True Brown in Boston who was a well- known teacher of Expression. She also studied with Henry Hudson the Shakespearian scholar. She established a school of Expression in Detroit and pupils came to her from all over the country. She travelled widely, lecturing and giving readings. She coached several actors. She inspired her pupils with such zeal that a number of them estab- lished similar schools. One was opened in London in 1904. Her graduate students prepared a tribute to her. A book was published filled with letters from these former stu- dents who wrote of the debt they owed her for all she had done for them in the way of culture and education.
She married Henry S. Noble who was a physician, de- voting himself especially to nervous troubles. He became the Supervising Doctor of the Michigan State Hospital at Kalamazoo. Later he became the head of the Hospital at Middletown, Conn. His work being in one city and hers in another, they so planned their lives that some months of each year they could be together. As long as they lived
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both did their work and rendered fine service in their chosen vocations.
A word of appreciation should be spoken for the men who were on the Board of Trustees. They were always representative men from several Vermont towns and at times there were members from New York State, Massa- chusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. Ministers and Lay- men served. It is impossible to give all their names in this connection but such names as Lake, Kendall, Marsh, Mur- dock, Drew, Buckman, Winslow, Skinner, Ballou, Church- ill, Crowell, Ralph, Bailey, Ransom, Shattuck, Briggs, Porter, Lamb, Wood and many others, meant that the substantial people of the region, were giving time, money, thought to the education of youth, a work of supreme worth.
The beautiful old Academy building still stands on Cottle ridge. Otis Wood was the Master builder and he built on honor, or as another early builder in the town said that he always built by the "Sarmon on the Mount." The bell that hangs in the belfry was once on the brick school house at the Green near the middle bridge. When that building was made into a dwelling house, the bell went to South Woodstock and was placed on the brick schoolhouse but it was too heavy for that building, so when the Academy was erected the bell moved again. We Canfields love bells and their musical sounds. We are in- terested in their construction. The way they are hung and the bell makers. They possess a special charm and inter- est. This bell is always rung for the August reunions, so at least once a year, its musical tones roll down the Kedron Valley, bringing back a message of the years and
١ ٠١٠٠١١١٠ (٠١٠ (١٤ ٤٤١:١١١١١٠٠١٤) ( ١)١٠ ٢٠) ١١١١١١١١١١١ ١٠٠١١١٠٠١١٠١١١١ ١٠٠١ .
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their events now past. The imagination can hear the tramp of students' footfalls and can picture the boys and girls hurrying to and from classes. Forgive the paraphras- ing of Longfellow's poem.
The bell swings to and fro, It is a voice of the past, Of a time austere and grand. Ye call back the Past again, Out of the shadows of night, The world rolls into light.
CHAPTER £ X
Churches in the South Parish
REFERENCE has been made in the first chapter to the vote of the town in 1779 to build a meeting house on a hill near the center of the town, but this vote was rescinded and no church was ever built in Woodstock with public money.
Dana's Woodstock history in a footnote says that the records of the South Parish Congregational Church were sold for paper rags during the Civil War. Vague refer- ences to this church have been found occasionally. The town records from 1793 and into the 1830's, report the holding of town meetings in the South Parish Meeting house, alternating with meetings at the Court House and the West Meeting house. The very earliest town meetings were held in private houses and they met about once in three months. Only through such gatherings could the settlers decide their business affairs.
The most fruitful source of specific information about this early church has been the Day Books of the Ransom Store which was a most flourishing institution in South Woodstock for many years. I have these books beginning with June 1792 and covering the years up to 1797. Elias Smith in his book with the elaborate title: "The Life,
198
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Churches in the South Parish
Conversion, Preachings, Travels and Sufferings of Elias Smith, Written by Himself," printed at Portsmouth, N. H. in the year 1816, gives some valuable information about the Congregationalists and the 'Baptists in the South Parish. The records of the Literary Fraternity refer to this church building, as do the records of the building of the Universalist Church which still stands.
The items in the Day Books of the Ransom Store relat- ing to the Church are most revealing as to the methods by which the Church was supported, through rates and sub- scriptions. There was little money in circulation in those early years, so the members had to make their payments in the products of their farms. Since the records of this Congregational Church were destroyed, it is of historical value that all these fragmentary items shall be preserved in this book. In those far off days, they still used pounds, shillings and pence. I shall retain the spelling, the Capital letters or lack of them just as these are found in the Day Books. Some words are misspelled according to present usage. All of these things show the habit of the pioneers. When one sees 4/ just remember it means 4 shillings, 4/3 is four shillings and three pence. £ mean pounds.
In June 1792, the Ransom Store charged the Congrega- tional Church 9/ for three quarts of wine. The Store paid Dr. Cheever 15/4 and charged that to the Church. The name Cheever appears a few times on the Day Books. He lived in Hartland. The next items recorded during 1793 are :- The Church buys an old paper ledger. Abiah Rice pays his rate of 3/. Church is credited with one bushel of wheat sold by Francis White for 3/6. The Church becomes a debtor for one gall of wine, amounting to 12/. In May of
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this year the Church is credited with wheat in the follow- ing manner :-
By Dea Wood 1/2 Bushel Wheat
5
9
By Eben Shaw 1/2 do
1
9
By Seth Brewster do
1
9
By Wm. Wyllys 3 pecks Wheat
2
71/2
By Oliver Palmer 1/2 do
By Zebedee Hackett 1 do
3
By Dea Thomas 314 Bushels
13
By Edward Church 1 do
3
By James Perry 2 Bushels
By Joseph Starlin Jr. 1/2 do
1
9
£2 | 9
One man sold to the Store two quarts of apple seeds which were credited to the Church. Apple seeds were prized highly for the first orchards were grown from seeds. There were no nurseries from which to buy trees.
Here is an obscure item. The Rev. Peletiah Chapin is debtor to the Store for 6 / L M paid John Hays on Verbal Order, equal to two bushels of wheat in the fall. Peletiah was a Congregational minister and Elias Smith in his book says he was a very solemn man. Robert Knowlton works three days on the meeting house in February and is paid £2 and 16/ if not set down before. The Store pays Dea Wilcocke for ten bushels of wheat and the Deacon is credited with 12/ toward's Peletiah Chapin's salary. The Store on order from Seth Starlin pays the Rev. P. Chapin 12 / but Chapin owes the Store 1/2 for Dressing Cloth and he also owes the Store 4/ paid to Lydia Starlin for weev- ing. Evidently the minister was indulging in a new suit.
1
9 6
11/2 6
7
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Churches in the South Parish
In July, Elijah Field paid his rate of 1/6. He also paid a subscription of 6/ which he had pledged the preceding April. The Church is charged with one tea Kettle 8/11, and one half pound of tea bought by Dr. Cheever. The Church is again in debt to the Store in October for two quarts and one half pint of wine, also for one pound of tea delivered to Mr. Bell, and one cake of chocolate. In December, Seth Starling gives an order on the Rev. Mr. Chapin to pay Daniel Edson. It sounds most complicated but the Church receives credit for this deal. The next April 1794, the Church is credited by one half Bushel of Wheat from Ezra Perry.
A curious account stands against the Church in April. It is Debtor for two pounds Tea 7/6, Cash 6/, Chocolate 3/1 pound raisins. 1 gall Rum 6/2, wine 6/. 1 do Brandy 3/, two pounds W I Sugar 2/8, one paper pins 1/, one P Tope 1/8, paid Mr. Burrows towards three Sabbaths preaching last July, £1 17/. In June the Church has credit for six pounds of flax and one half Bushel of Been. These amounted to 6/4.
During the summer Dea. Thomas buys £5 worth of nails to be delivered to Capt. Cottle to use on the Meeting house. They are to be paid for before October next. He also buys 2m 10 Nails to be delivered to the Meeting house workmen and he will pay by October. The fact that work is being done on the Meeting house, explains the orders for strong drink. Church work and ordinations re- quired much lubricating fluid in those years.
Credit is given the Church by John Ransom paying his rate of 2/6 and his subscription of 3/3. He also paid Elisha Ransom's rate of 1/6. Stephen Bailey paid his rate
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of 1/10, Zebedee Hackett his rate of 5/6 and his subscrip- tion of 6/. Mitchel Pope gives 1/6 to help pay for Com- munion wine. John Darling gives two pounds of flax and pays his contribution of 1/4. Further credits for the Church are 4/8 from Jason Smith, 4/ from George Ran- som. Nathaniel Pool pays his rate 2/2 and gives sugar which cost 4/4. Dr. Samuel Cheever in September pays 1/6 and a little later, buys three bushels of wheat from the stock on hand at the Store and the Church is credited. A cheese is sold for 3/2 which is another credit. Nathaniel Pool pays 1 /6 on his susbcription in October and R. Ransom makes two payments, one of 1/6 the other of 9/. The following contributions are delivered at the Store which were pledged as Donations or Subscriptions on August 27 and are for the benefit of the Church :-
James perry
19 pounds Cheese Daniel perry
1/2 Bushel new wheat by
1/2 Bushel wheat by
S. Avery
1/2 Bushel wheat by Nathan Avery
1 Bushel wheat by
Wm. Ellis
1/2 Bushel wheat by
Dea. A. Smith
1/2 Bushel wheat by John Gardner
8 pounds Pork by Wm. Lord
1 Bushel wheat
by Elijah Field
1 Bushel wheat
by
Francis White
The Day Book for January 1795 has the following items :- The Church is credited on behalf of Uriah Holt for work and Beans 5/, Wm. Ellis by Cheese 4/, Lydia Starlin by weeving 3/. The credits for February are 6/3 paid by Ezra Perry. Lieut. Ransom paid Noah Winslow
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Churches in the South Parish
towards his work on the Meeting house 11/2. In March the Church is credited 3/ from Dea. P. Thomas. Amasa Ransom pays his rate of 16/. The Church is debtor for 6/ to the Store which it paid to D. Bailey for labor. Gershom Palmer paid his rate of 1/6. and credit is given to the Meeting house for Pearl Ashes and cash of 1/7 by Eli- phelet Densmore. Nathaniel Pool pays 11/2 which covers his rate and subscription. Amasa Ransom pays rate of 2/. Credit is given for the cash returned by Dea. Smith who apparently had been out collecting.
The year 1796 had fewer references to the Church in the Day Book. Benjamin Mack pays his rate of 6/ and the Widow Sarah Sanders also pays. Humphrey Rood pays the Store £2 for window glass for the Church. Quantities of glass at this time were being brought to the South Parish and the people quite generally were putting win- dow sashes with glass into their houses. A Rev. D. Smith gets his name on the Book. Oliver Perry pays his rate of 4/6 and J. Perry his of 2/6. Amasa Ransom pays 2/.
Elias Smith in his book says that the Congregationalists held their first services in a barn and then bought a house near his father's home to use as a Church. His father's farm was lot No. 6 Apthorp tract South and this joined the Popes and N. Woods' land. His father settled there in 1782. Later the services were held in the school house in the South Village which was enlarged for this purpose. He reports that Mr. Hutchinson of Pomfret preached at times, also Mr. Damon of the North Parish and when no preacher was available, some member read a sermon from Flavel or Whitfield. Elias had a sense of humor, he tells of a Baptist minister who preached a Thanksgiving ser-
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mon for them from the text "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, he that believeth not, shall be damned." He laid great emphasis on baptism to an audi- ence of Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Baptists greatly to the disgust of many and especially the advocates of infant baptism." The South Parish had Baptists as well as Congregationalists but the former never built a Church, the two groups worshipped together.
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