USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Woodstock > The valley of the Kedron; the story of the South parish, Woodstock, Vermont > Part 17
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Below Otis Wood's place in the pasture now owned by Sanford Wilder, Bailey & Morse used to have a brick kiln in which much of the brick used in this vicinity were made. Farther down the stream David Mack had a saw- mill. The old retaining bank walls on either side of the stream at its site still tell how much of heavy toil was necessary to secure it. Below that was the gristmill. The last time I was on the stream some of the stone and logs of the dam still remained. The wheel was of a kind much used then in Massachusetts. The settlers here were familiar with them and could make nearly all from lumber ready at hand. This kind of wheel, known as a tub wheel, might be called parent of the present-day improved turbine, for it secured much power from a small stream of water. Be- low this on the Kedron, Gideon Barnes built a sawmill. The water of the pond set back nearly to the grist mill and by the rush of water in spring and fall gravel was deposited, destroying the fall, and the grist mill went out of business. Some of the older residents still remember the pile of rocks on the left side of the road south of San- ford Wilder's, as "grist-mill-knoll."
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Bailey & Morse owned a water power by the Oliver Bailey store, now Mrs. R. H. Kingsley's house. Here was a wool-carding machine, a fulling mill where the cloth of domestic manufacture was made into broadcloth with no shoddy in it. On the east side of the stream was a sawmill and below that a distillery where rum and cider brandy were made. This was succeeded by a starch factory in the time of the great potato rot, the mash tubs being used for settling vats. The wheel for the carding and fulling mill was a breast wheel, the first I ever saw that had a gear on the outside of the rim and a pinion. A great wonder it used to be to me how they could keep it from freezing in winter. The wheel at the distillery was a tub wheel and water was carried in a canal close to the bank and under the sawmill from the dam, the mudsill of which is yet to be seen. Just above the stone bridge was a dam. A flume from the south side went to the gristmill run by an overshot wheel of about twenty feet diameter; and from the north side to a breast wheel that gave power to grind bark and mill hides of the tannery that used to employ ten or fifteen men. Owing to lack of power and inability to buy the right to the stream, the owners, Perkins and Standish, bought the last power on the Kedron and moved their works to Woodstock which was a great loss for South Wood- stock to bear. Below the tannery was a sawmill but its life was short from lack of yard room for logs and lumber. Below that was the Drew mill, which has been rebuilt lately with a modern equipment, circular saw, etc. Below that was the fulling mill afterwards changed to a wheel- wright's shop and the necessary machinery. No other mill
An ancient sawmill, on the Paul Kendall farm
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till the site of Dutton's sawmill is reached, thence to a dam in Woodstock above Central St., sash, blind and door shop one side of the stream, succeeded by a gun shop and iron working machinery, sash and doors the other side, till right of power was bought by the town and the dam demolished. Below Pleasant street is the above mentioned power of Perkins & Standish. All these powers are discon- tinued now but three: The Powers gristmill, the Drew sawmill, both owned by Geo. M. Rood, and the last one on the stream, sash, blind and door factory, general stock of mouldings and all kinds of building lumber, of I. & E. I. Benson.
The brook coming in below Wm. Cady's was never made to labor, neither was the one coming in at Sanford Wilder's, but the one coming in at the South Village had to work as it came, turning wheels to grind bark and mill hides opposite where Ernest Weeden now lives. There was for some time a sweep horse power at the corner across the road from the house now owned by Lucian Morgan, a wheelwright's shop, bench saws, lathe, planing machine and scroll saws, a blacksmith shop and an expert steel worker, carriage and sleigh ironer, etc.
When the country was new, all thought that fruit would be in demand. Orchards were set, there were no grafted trees available, only those grown from seed and in time there was an excess of apple stock. A cider mill at Abiah Rice's (Capt. Smith's place), one at the Kingsley place (where Geo. Fullerton now lives), at the Bridge place, Fernbrook farm, Ralph place (this farm alone re- ported to have picked of its own fruit one year 600 barrels
The third store built by the Ransoms, 1822
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of apples), Jason Kendall's place, Royce place (where Robt. White now lives), and I presume others down the valley. A distillery on the flat south of Bridgewater, an- other in front of what is now the Town house, with the above mentioned one of Bailey & Morse, managed to use up all the alcoholic cider that was left after filling the calls for vinegar stock and drink for the thirsty.
Ezra Fuller, when he came to see his aunt, Susannah Wood, put in his knapsack at Kingston, Mass., fifty apple trees and came on foot. Some of the trees are yet standing on what was the Darling farm. I cut down the last one that stood on my farm, the Deacon Wood place. We of the present day, with our good roads and autos, would think such a walk a very grievous undertaking. These are but few of the industries of former days in these valleys. Baseball, golf and tennis were then unknown but every house was a hive of industry with no drones. From the girl of six, spinning flax on the little wheel to the old ladies of ninety, quietly knitting by the fireside. The log rollings, raisings, huskings, trainings, etc., furnished ex- citement and cultivated the muscle of the men.
Work of the world was being done, while the most enduring occupation was raising and training the workers to a life of usefulness and independence. My communica- tion is I fear getting too lengthy but I must mention the cabinet and furniture factory of two stories of John Lake that stood just south of Mr. Billings' shop. The nice dove- tail and match work done there when I was a lad was a marvel to me, also the pot and pearl ashery of the Ran- som's, rear of what is now the post office. The old kettles
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of which are scattered over town as water reservoirs for our teams."
Would it not be interesting to meet all these folks, talk with them and share in their vision and their enterprise? Our South Parish was a busy region. All hail to those brave men and women.
CHAPTER XIII
Family Portraits
BILLY BROWN and his good wife Rebecca Ellis died within seven weeks of each other. Aged 87 and 80 years. Major Brown was the son of Thomas and Hannah Lovel Brown of Middleboro, Mass. The father was a sea-faring man and during the Revolution, was captured by the British and taken to Halifax but he succeeded in escaping. Major Brown's father and mother, also his grandparents came to Woodstock with ox teams and bought the Pool farms on the hill road north of the South Village, and there he built the stone house. He was twice a representative for Woodstock in the Legislature.
Sylvester Edson of Brookfield, Mass., came to Woodstock in 1782 and settled first on the Hartland line. Part of his farm lay south of the land owned now by Robert Parker. Later he bought a small farm of Wm. Ellis and built a large brick house which was sold to John Lake and later burned. This is the site of Owen Moon's house. They had seven children, the son Sylvester became the owner of much land in Woodstock, and was the builder of many residences and stores. The family were quite outstanding and "stood in the front rank of Society in this vicinity." I have an oil painting of Sylvester the 2nd done in 1827. It is to be placed in some museum.
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James Harwood the first one to come to America, set- tled in Sutton, Mass. His son James perhaps English born, married Eunice Brooks and settled in Woodstock in 1769. He was the third settler in the town. His house was at the end of the first hill road on the South Branch. They had five children, two little boys died, one was buried on the farm, the other in the yard on the Quechee which was destroyed by the flood of 1811. His daughter Betsy mar- ried John M. Call and her daughter married a son of Hatzel Pelton and were the parents of Mrs. Betsy Pelton Soule. Harwood died in 1805 and his wife in 1809 or 10.
Joseph Wood of Middleboro, Mass. was one of the eleven sons of Ichabod Wood. He served two campaigns in the Revolution and settled on the hill road, to South Woodstock, buying his land of Ebenezer Kingsley in 1786. Wood received a pension for his services. His son Samuel lived in the house his father had built. He was a prominent man in the town.
Joseph Sterling came from Lyme, Conn., in 1781. His wife was Lydia Ransom. He was a useful citizen, being a mechanic, he made all sorts of farm implements. There were four sons and three daughters in the family. His son Seth who became a Methodist preacher, married seventy- one couples and was married three times himself.
Three Farnsworth brothers settled in Woodstock com- ing from Groton, Mass. having settled for a brief time in Charleston, N. H. Jonathan's first deed is dated 1774, and his land is located in Cumberland County, Province of New York. The deed was written by Crean Brush, that strange figure of those years, an Irishman by birth, a land speculator, a dashing sort of chap. A copy of that deed is
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in this book. Cumberland County, Province of New York is just plain Windsor County, Vermont. Jonathan and Stephen bought three hundred acres. They covered all of that hill side where the town farm has been, where the Blakes and the Woods live. Oliver settled near the center of the town. Their sister Relief married Warren Cottle. Jonathan was a famous farmer, he had large apple orchards and sometimes gathered 1,500 bushels of apples in a season. Sometimes he had 100 hogs, raised much grain and often had forty men working for him. His first cabin was up on the hill side, the second one was near the corn barn on the Blake farm and later, the frame house was built. His first wife was Martha Cottle, his second one, Martha Brewer, both Pioneer names. The Blake family are de- scendants of Jonathan.
Oliver died before 1800. This item is copied from the Standard of August 12, 1875. "Wm. Farnsworth, Mrs. Eliza W. Guilford and Mrs. Augusta M. Stone, children of Oliver Farnsworth, who had moved West. After an absence of sixty years are visiting in Woodstock at the home of Wilson Parker at the head of the Park and will be glad to see their friends."
Ephraim Brewster, a Mayflower descendant, came to Woodstock from Preston, Conn., in 1775 and bought over 300 acres of land in the Valley of the Kedron which was then called the South Branch. His wife was Marjory Parks. Their six children settled near them. Polly married Seth Sterlin. Paul married Rachel Styles. Sally married Wm. Bramble. Seth married Dolly Green. Ephraim married Augusta Crafts. The name like many others has passed from our midst. Ephraim was a thrifty farmer and he also
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Family Portraits
grew large quantities of apples. A few descendants with other names still live here.
Dr. Stephen Drew came from Scituate, Mass., in 1788. He studied medicine with Dr. Stephen Powers, the first physician in this town. Dr. Drew and his wife Elizabeth Williams had six children. Dr. Drew was the first physi- cian in the South Parish. They were the grandparents of Mary Ann Kendall, Abba Willard, Elizabeth Storrs and the brother Henry French, well known and much loved in South Woodstock.
Levi Blossom came from Bridgewater, Mass., at an early date. He was the father of nine children. He named one son Levi and there was a grandson Levi. His son Charles was the father of Mrs. Townsend and the grandfather of Mrs. Anna Richmond. One daughter was Mrs. Abigail Bishop. He bought in 1804 the farm now owned by Mr. E. G. Bailey not far from the so-called new reservoir. Abi- gail Herrick wife of Levi Blossom grd, died in 1900 and is buried in the Fullerton graveyard.
George Lake was born in Topsfield, Mass. His wife was Sarah Lovejoy. They settled in the South Parish in 1779, on two hundred acres of land which he bought of Ebe- nezer Curtis who was the agent of the confiscated land. Eight children were born to them of whom the son Daniel seems to have been the best known. He succeeded his father on this farm where he was a prodigious worker. The Standard says of him at the time of his death in April 1874 when he was ninety years old, that he had cleared 300 acres of land, had made millions of shingles, that with his scythe he once cut six acres of hay in one day, that he had made thousands of sap buckets and tubs, also snaths
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and in his leisure, he made both snare and bass drums, and he painted his wife's portrait. For some reason he died in Bridgewater. There were other Lakes in the South Par- ish probably his brothers or nephews. George Jr. and John were surely his brothers, but Gustavus and Henry may have been nephews. Our vital statistics are sadly lacking until recent years.
Hadley Standish, another Mayflower descendant, came here from Pembroke, Mass., in 1793. In 1796 he bought of Joseph Darling Jr. one half of a lot in the Apthorp tract and later bought more land of Andrew Smith. His son John was born at Pembroke in 1785. As a lad he hired out to work for Samuel Slayton at $50.00 a year and then he improved his condition by hiring to Jonathan Farns- worth for $100 a year. He was in the second war with England. While a bachelor, he hired housekeepers. Just why their names should have been preserved when many vital things have not been, adds to the thrill of research. These women who baked and brewed for him were, Mrs. Wallace, Irene Royce, Nancy Brewer and Caroline My- rick. He married Caroline in 1820. Maybe she was the best cook he had had. She was a daughter of the Revolu- tion of the first generation. Six children were born to them. The beautiful house on the old Standish farm, he built in 1842 which shows that he had excellent taste and was a fine builder. He died in November, 1874. His wife had died in 1859. He spent his last years with his daughter Mary Ann, wife of Sanford Wilder. His son, Van Ness Standish went to Galesburg, Ill., to teach in Lombard College of which he became president. At his death he made many valuable gifts to the city of Galesburg. With
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Family Portraits
his dictionary under his arm, he attended for several years the Western Association of Universalist Ministers which met in Chicago and it was his business to correct their errors of speech. My ministerial husband attended some of these sessions and recalls Prof. Standish and his dic- tionary. The following item about Prof. Standish came from records in Galesburg. "He was born at Woodstock, Vermont, Feb. 26, 1825. He graduated at Norwich U., 1847; A. M., 1855; (honorary Ph. D., Knox College, 1879; LL. D., St. Lawrence University, 1893. Married at Gales- burg, Illinois, to Harriet Augusta Kendall, of Phillipston, Mass., March 24, 1859. Taught in public schools of Vermont and New Hampshire and grade schools of central New York for several years. Conducted Teachers' Institutes and lectured in many counties of Illinois. Professor at Lom- bard University 41 years, six of which he was President and Acting President. Member of the committee for Promo- tion Univ. of U. S .; president Galesburg Park Commis- sion, Galesburg Improvement Society, Mayflower Pilgrim Society, Auxiliary Society of State Board of Charities for Knox County, Ill .; member American Civic Association. Traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, Holy Land, and No. America. With his wife, made a bequest to Knox Col- lege of $100,000 in 1908. Was City Forester of Galesburg. Died in 1919." His brother Frank died in Woodstock.
The Jabez Hammond Family is one of the most interest- ing and colorful which settled in the Vermont hills. Jabez and his sparkling wife Priscilla came from New Bedford, Mass., in 1780 and bought a farm of Sylvanus Cottle in the Apthorp tract No. 5 north range. This means that it was a short distance south of the present Fletcher school.
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Jabez' direct English ancestor was William who married an Aunt of Wm. Penn. Her name was Elizabeth Penn. Priscilla was a Delano, De La Nois. She belonged to the Huguenots and this French strain explains her vivacity and unusual mental activity. Jabez learned the shoemaker's trade in New Bedford and it is well that he did, for five girls and three boys needed many shoes. The old account books of the Ransom store tell often about the girls buy- ing shoe binding and thread. The girls and their Mother did most of the purchasing. Once the item on the books reads, "by Jabez himself." He did not often break loose from that group of women in his household but he was no weakling. He too was intellectual. Dana's history has only two mentions of him. One of these reports his drinks at the store and the other one tells of the school he taught in the South Parish in 1796.
Their son Jabez Delano who was born in New Bedford, 1779, was a lover of books. He taught school at sixteen years of age and then studied medicine with Dr. Stephen Drew and settled in Cherry Valley, New York, but he did not like the practice of medicine and so studied law. He then settled in Albany. He was elected to Congress from this district. He travelled in Europe and on the death of Martin Van Buren, he was appointed to succeed him as one of the Regents of New York City University. He was the author of several books, one of them was, A Political History of New York. The Baker Library at Dartmouth College owns three of his books. He made a visit to South Woodstock in 1800. His second wife was Laura, a daugh- ter of Roger Williams of this town. He died in Cherry Valley in 1855. George Hammond was born in South
The Kingsley Home-built by John Arnold Cottle
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Woodstock in 1783, became a noted teacher in these parts. He taught in Woodstock, Pomfret and Barnard. He mar- ried Lucy Paine of Pomfret in 1806. He bought the Fort Defiance farm in Barnard. His son George succeeded him on this farm, also his grandson George. George the second came along in time for the Lyceums and of course he helped to organize one in Barnard for the intellectual strain in this family did not die out but was passed on to succeeding generations. Wherever a Hammond lived, there were schools, books and activity of the mental kind. This son George died in October 1849. Henry Hammond studied law and settled in Indiana.
Daughter Rhoda married Nathaniel Dean of Pomfret, Dec. 31, 1801. This Dean family were also intellectuals. Their son Amos graduated at Union College in 1820, studied law with his Uncle Jabez Delano Hammond. When he was admitted to the Bar, he became Professor of Medi- cal Jurisprudence in an Albany school and finally the Prin- cipal of it. In 1851 he went to Iowa and became Chan- cellor of Iowa University, he also taught history in the College. He returned to Albany in 1858. He was the author of several books. Amos spent his last years in Cherry Valley and his father and mother died in his home there.
Daughter Priscilla married John Stark Bicknell of Bar- nard and they also lived on the Fort Defiance farm. The Deans lived in that neighborhood. The Bicknells had a son Jabez who became a Physician. This Priscilla died in 1819 in Barnard. Abigail another daughter who was called Nabby died unmarried in South Woodstock and is buried beside her father and mother in the Morgan graveyard which is so sadly neglected. One son also died.
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Daughter Rebecca was the queen bee, though they were all brilliant. They all taught school and Rhoda as well as Rebecca wrote poetry. Gilman's Bibliography of Vermont contains a rather lengthy sketch of Rebecca. In 1820 David Watson, Woodstock's famous Printer, published a volume of poems for her. She dedicated the book to her brother, the Hon. Jabez Delano Hammond. Her name does not appear but the title page says they are by A Lady. Re- becca married Samuel Laird in 1800 and they went to Warren, Vt., to live where her children were born, Julia, Samuel, Horatio, Nelson, Charles. In 1820 they moved to Indiana, one of her sons preceded the family there. The Barnard history reports that they settled in North Madison, Ind., but there is no town by that name in the state, and it was probably North Marion which is in the Southern part of the state. Rebecca published a poem of twelve pages called, "The Banks of the Ohio." So she must have lived near enough to it to have felt something of the majesty of a great river. This poem was printed in Wind- sor, Vermont, in 1823. She continued her teaching in Indiana and taught not only common subjects but taught the Classics. She and her husband died in the Middle West. For some strange reason in a biographical sketch of her, the husband's good old Scotch name of Laird is spelt plain Lard. Harold Rugg of Dartmouth Library owns one of the books containing her poems. It is bound in boards.
Jabez and Priscilla had another daughter, probably named Eunice, but no record of any sort has been found concerning her. A niece, Mrs. Almira Sterling lived here
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in Woodstock. Jabez died May 1807, his wife Priscilla in 1816 and daughter Nabby in 1824, aged 49.
The Sanderson family is quite completely reported in Dana's history but this enchanting description of Ben- jamin, a son of James who settled on Dunham hill in 1780 is something not to be neglected. It was written by Chauncey Richardson for the Standard of Jan. 31, 1869. He had been an eye witness of this episode. No such pic- turesque individuals live on our hills in these sophisti- cated days. There are none so salty. Benjamin was stand- ing on one of the balconies of that interesting tavern which stood where the present fruit store stands when this related incident occurred.
"Benjamin Sanderson who died not long ago was an uncommon man. He was a person of powerful physical frame, strong mind, retentive memory and ardent tem- perament. He was a hard working farmer with no advan- tages for education and lived and died on the hill farm where Mr. John W. Cary now lives, two and one half miles from the Green and one half mile up the hill road from the road going to the South Village.
What he believed he believed for himself and not for another. He did not ask anyone what he was to believe, he read, he reflected and judged for himself, without re- gard to popularity or filthy lucre, he opposed every thing that he thought wrong either in private affairs or in mat- ters he thought affected the nation at large. Politics and religion were his favorite topics of meditation and dis- cussion. He was a firm patriot and a strong Universalist. He was a temperate man though the customs of the times sanctioned a moderate use of spirituous liquors and he was
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Home of Dr. Drew: Pioneer Physician
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no exception to the rule but he just drank what he wanted and no more. He was never known to be intoxicated or excited above and beyond a moderate state of exhilaration, such as was allowed and was common through the country. After he got old and somewhat slow in his gait and a little clumsy, it took considerable lubricating fluid to render him supple and agile. He was like Apollos, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures. When he was exhil- arated just enough to bring the powers of his mind into full activities, he would hold forth upon Bible doctrines with a fluency and power that would put many a Modern theologian to the blush.
We well recollect that on one freeman's meeting day in September when the election was over, in the gallery of the tavern now kept by Mr. Henry and conversing with great animation as was his habit, with Prof. Willard Parker, the Prof. of Anatomy and Surgery in the Vermont Medi- cal College. A crowd had gathered around and the side- walks and stores opposite were filled with people listening to his powerful harangue or exhortation. Prof. Parker ap- peared to be very much delighted and entertained. Mr. Sanderson, it being a public day and finding numerous friends, he had not seen for a long time, had probably several times during the day been in the neighborhood of liquids that were uncommonly smooth and oily and his mental powers and his gift of utterance seemed to be at the top of their condition and in the best kind of working order. And there in the hearing of the crowd with great eloquence and power he lectured to the delighted Prof. on anatomy and surgery of God's operations past, present, and to come, beginning with Abraham and coming down
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