USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Woodstock > The valley of the Kedron; the story of the South parish, Woodstock, Vermont > Part 7
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pressed flowers were given me when I carried to her the very necessities of life. She wrote a beautiful poem for us on our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. She wrote poems for other people. The daughter lay ill for years in a tiny room and when she died, the worn out mother lay down on her bed and said to me, "I am so weary." She could not attend the funeral in the school house just across the road. In one month, she was given her release, and I know she went to that Paradise where the roses and lilies bloom and pain is no more. When we see the huge excavating machines of the present day, and know of the addressing devices in printing offices, we wonder why this man never profited from his inventions. When a few years ago there was some recognition of the inventing of the Remington typewriter his name was published in the papers with the names of the other two men. The tragedy of the whole situation is difficult to understand. His name was Samuel Soule and her name before her marriage was Betsey Pelton.
AN OMITTED CHAPTER Which repeats some facts already given.
A chapter omitted from the Dana history contains the following facts which Mr. Dana collected principally in 1872. On the road from the Green up the South Branch, Major Swan owned the first farm. A small wooden house on it was occupied by a tenant. About 1815 Major Swan built a brick house where his tenant lived until 1839, when he sold the farm to William Bailey, and in 1857, the brick house, having been torn down, William Bailey Jr. built the stone house. The next house William Bailey Sr. built in 1857. The little house which is fast going to pieces near
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where the road goes up the hill to the east, was built by Apollos French in 1830. The next house on the west, was built by Ephraim Brewster in 1789. The story and half house on the east side of the road, was built by Seth Ster- ling. The next house is not so old. The one on the west by the dashing brook, was built by Jonathan Styles in 1804.
Going up the Dunham Hill road, the wreck of a house on the right, was built by Amos Pelton in 1841. The Rich- ardson house was built by Oliver Smith in 1852. The next house above was built by Hatsel Pelton about 1804. Tracy Bingham in 1842 built the one back on the hill to the left. The Sanderson house was built by Benjamin Sander- son in 1809, an earlier house had been somewhere near that one. A wing had been built on this house which in 1842 was moved to the south and made into a comfortable tenement and occupied by Henry Morgan. When it was still connected with the Sanderson house, it was lived in by Eber Cory who had married Metracy Sanderson, one of her sisters married a Cary, the other one, Henry Morgan. Just over the hill top to the east Cyrenus Houghton built that house in 1847.
Getting back on the South Branch the so-called Dutton house to the south of the hill road was built by him in 1862. The Chauncey Richardson house was built by Joseph Perry before 1798 for in that year, he sold the farm and moved away. It was not quite finished at that time but Ezekiel Fitz who bought it, made some improvements. Across the road by the arched stone bridge, that house there was moved onto that site by William Washburn.
Going up this hill road, the house on the left was built by Elisha Lord about 1795. Getting back to the main road,
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the first house south of the Richardson place, was built in 1847 by Elijah Royce. The Thomas Christie house was built in 1828. Ira Whitaker built the little house near the brook in 1830. It has had so many additions that the orig- inal house is not visible. Passing up the hill road to the left, Henry Hoadley built the first house. The stone house was erected in 1856 by H. H. H. Rood, and the house at the junction of the roads was built in 1826 by Abel Slayton.
Going up the road to the right near the Whitaker house, the stone house was built by Daniel Ransom in 1855, the frame house beyond, was built by Edward Perry. Between these houses was a tomb. (The present generation knows nothing about it.) An old house stood where the Kendall house is located, which was removed in order to erect the present one. It took two years to build this house which was not finished till the fall of 1804. A lovely house stood just west of the Kendall house which was built by Elisha Perkins in 1829. (The Hotel and the store building are well described elsewhere.) Alice Fletcher's house was built by Gaius Perkins in 1831. The old frame house which stood just to the east of it, was built by Jabez Cottle in 1785. The brick house to the south was built by Jabez Cot- tle in 1812. A house just west of the flour mill was built by Levi Washburn in 1817. It burned a few years ago and an- other house stands there now. Joseph Sterlin built his house in 1782. His granddaughter, Mrs. Elias Logan, lived there many years. Dana does not mention the little brick house across from the mill. The house across the road from the Chapel was built by Otis Peck in 1810. The house with the store was built in 1813 by John Arnold Cottle. The Galen Pearson house was built by Richard Sterlin in 1805.
mr
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Gaius Perkins' home: Alice Fletcher owner
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It was first a cabinet shop. It was moved from the east side of the road to the west side and back again to the east side, and then he put up a brick house which James Slayton bought and used as a tavern. This burned. The shop was made into a dwelling house. Dr. Drew built his house about 1798. The National Hall was built by Daniel Ran- som in 1842, alas, that it was torn down. The Eliab Bridge house was built by Edmund Page in 1842, an earlier one had stood on this site, built by Elijah Harlow about 1796, the cabinet maker. The next house to the south was built by Captain Ezekiel Pearsons about 1826. On that site Dr. Drew had built a house in 1796 and had lived there before building his two story house on the hill. He sold the first house to Captain Ebud Burk and he sold it to Edward Hayes. Captain David Mack eventually married Hayes' widow so he owned this house. In 1817 it burned. William H. H. Slayton built the white house in 1852. Another house was on this site, built in 1814 by Richard Sterlin. It burned in 1838. (This location is where Clarence Walker lives.) Galo Ralph's house was built by Benjamin Cottle about 1808. Marshall Worcester's house was built by Hiram Holt in 1855 and the Hollis Stowe house was built in 1796 by Warren Cottle. Oliver Bailey also lived in this house, and made many improvements. The town house was built by Stephen Farnsworth in 1809. Reuben Slayton's house was built about 1806 by Nathaniel Hammond. Mrs. Azubah E. Burnham's house by her father, Jonathan Farnsworth in 1787. (This is the John Blake place.) Ann Farnsworth built a small house east of this one in 1861. Jonathan B. Farnsworth in 1845, built the Avery Colston house where A. E. Wood now lives. John W. Standish built his house
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Congregational Meeting House-built 1792
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in 1842. This is the house with the columns beyond the Woods. The Ira Kendall house was built by John Lake in 1815. This is the Upwey Farm. It is a bit difficult to follow the Dana story of the houses for he skips about with considerable agility, and also leaves out some of the places. We must go back to the Paul Kendall region. The house now lived in by the Marshalls, was built by Lieutenant Richardson Ransom for a store. Now go up the hill road past the antiquated tomb, the first place on the left was the Edward Slayton farm. The house was built in 1802 by Kendall Emerson who sold it to Ephraim Allen. Emerson moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. On the east side of the road, Daniel Perry built his house in 1795. Franklin Perry suc- ceeded him. Barker Crooker built a house further up this hill in 1810. Silas Perry occupied it later. Edward Perry's house was built by John Ransom in 1802. Just north of the hotel was Carlton Morgan's house built by Billy Brown in 1831.
Going up the hill road past the Paul Kendall house on beyond the stone house, near the graveyard stood a fine brick house, the home of Eliza Randall. This house was built by her father, Nathaniel Randall in 1812. It was burned. The frame house at the fork of the roads, was built by Joseph Wood in 1792. His well-known son Samuel lived out his life here.
Now we will go to the so-called Fletcher School region. The first place which Mr. Dana mentions, is the Salmon Hoisington house built in 1817. This is the two story brick house beyond the school. Travelling westward, there were two Fletcher homes, one belonging to Bushrod the other to James. Bushrod's house was built about 1806 by Daniel
Old courthouse at Woodstock, built 1793; burned July 4, 1854
The West Meeting House Built 1789. Torn down in 1832
In these two buildings and the Congregational Church at South Woodstock, the town meetings were held alternately many years
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Perkins and the house of James was built by Foster Taylor near 1820. The house in which George Fullerton now lives, was built by Jacob Kendall. He and a Mr. Cummings took up a hundred acre lot some time in the 1780's and divided the land between them, each building a log house and then a frame house. Jacob Kendall was succeeded by his son Oliver who was living here in 1832 and the Stowes then lived on the Cummings farm. Oliver Kendall was succeeded by R. A. H. Kingsley, then Levi Blossom lived here and later I. T. Fullerton became the owner. The Cummings house was taken down in 1867.
The first house on the right going toward the Fletcher School now owned by Mrs. Belcher, in 1872, was called the Oliver Bridge place; the house was built by Cyrus Allen in 1802. The Frank Wood house was built by William Miner Lord about 1806. Richard Hayes lived here, also Marshall Jaquith. A little house beyond this was built by Billy Brown and occupied by C. B. Coleman and later by Carlos French.
Going to South Village, Dana gives this information, which is a bit puzzling at the present time. Having looked up deeds and dates without much illumination, I quote the paragraph word for word. "Hiram Holt's house was built by Oliver Bailey in 1811, but the house built by Bailey forms the back part of the present house. The front part was added afterwards by Captain Ezekiel Pearsons who exchanged places with Bigelow, and made these addi- tions and improvements to the house for the purpose of converting it into a tavern. The Gifford house was built by Captain Alvah Wilson in 1827. The John Standish house was built by Frank Hemenway in 1834. (These are
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the two brick houses south of the Chapel.) The Frederick C. Benjamin house was built by William Ellis in the sum- mer of 1812. (This was torn down years ago. It stood just north of the Dr. Drew house.) Sullivan Cady's brick house on the hill was built by Amaziah Kendall in 1817. Richard Kingsley's house was built by Jonathan Kingsley, the year his son Elisha was born which event the Town Records say took place the 4th of March 1789. Isaac Parker's house was built by Abel Slayton in 1829."
The last three houses are not in the Village but were out on the hills. Several houses are not mentioned by Mr. Dana, but this chapter of his is an excellent supplement to the other descriptions of the South Parish homes. Dates may not always agree, but this omitted chapter and the one relating to the purchases in the Grout tract are en- tirely too valuable in this study of the early days of the South Parish not to be preserved in this record.
The effusion which closes this long chapter was written by Mrs. Mary Smith Ballou, a brilliant South Woodstock woman, in the days when much excitement prevailed in regard to the building of the railroad to Woodstock. Feel- ing ran rather high and the South Parish held decided opinions as to their personal worth and importance, and felt that they were being just a bit slighted.
SOUTH WOODSTOCK
On Kedron's banks, in a fair vale, Where land is good for tillage, And where there's no such word as fail, Here stands our pleasant village.
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Nestled among the dear old hills, High points the old church steeple, And we have schools and shops and mills, For we're a thrifty people.
Though we came forth from Noah's Ark, Our deeds are none the darker, And though we boast not of a "Park," We have a Captain Parker.
We have a host of honest men, A good and worthy preacher, And in our choir is Benjamin, The famous singing teacher.
We've Christie, but he's feeble now, He's passed through many a sorrow; They've left their mark upon his brow, But there's a bright tomorrow.
We've Slaytons and we've Kendalls, too, God bless them for their labors, In all good works they help us through, And Ralphs, the best of neighbors.
We've Pearsons, Holt, and many more, Whose hearts and hands are willing To do as they have done before, And give a nimble shilling.
We've Aldrich, our Professor new, Who's lately from "Tufts College." He strives to lead his scholars true, High up the hill of knowledge.
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We've Brewster who lives on a hill, He goes by Russell Morgan, He had our thanks and our good will, In church he plays the organ.
We've Fletcher, George, who rings the bell, We've some whose hearts are merry, We've Courtney who shoes horses well, We've Bailey and we've Perry.
We've little ones to cheer us on, You'd know it by their prattle; And we've a "Bach," Mckenzie, John, Who often buys our cattle.
And we have men of every age, Here in our place, God bless her, We've Weeden, Fisher, Ladd and Page, We've Logan and we've Messer.
The tribe of Smiths has not increased, We've Joe Smith-not the Mormon, But son of Andrew Smith, deceased, And brother, too, of Norman.
Our Bridges! How our hearts rejoice To give them friendly greeting, Of one, we're glad to hear his voice In all our Sunday meetings.
We have not here a cotton mill, But we have what is better, For Clarke is weaving carpets still, And does it to the letter.
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Our good old friend, Mecorney here, Whose heart you ne'er can harden, Just beats the village every year, In caring for his garden.
For first class board you will do well, (You can not get it cheaper,) To call at the big, brick hotel, Where Morgan is the keeper.
Ed. Slayton makes the best of sleighs, And if you'd only ask it, He'd make you one the Queen would praise, And Reed as good a basket.
And you can get here in our store, All things down to the plaster, The Office is just through the door, And Washburn is Postmaster.
We boast not of a sculptor grand, Our Powers is a Miller, You'll find him always at the stand, A staunch and upright pillar.
To build a bridge we have, you know, No poor and low-lived "paddy," And Thomas is not old nor gray, Though some now call him Daddy.
If our old Ark should sail away, And we should want to catch her, Just get a team 'most any day, Of Gifford or Jim Fletcher.
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In a brick house near Johnson's door, Where bloom the pinks and roses, Of worthy men we have one more, And Kelley's name is Moses.
And though we thrive we are not vain, We boast not like "Green" fellars, Who have the railroad on the brain, And see such "green umbrellas."
Now we have told you of the men, From here almost to Cady's, They're very wise and good, but then, They're nought beside the ladies.
CHAPTER V The Literary Fraternity
MIRABILE DICTU! Just to know that in this year of our Lord 1937, one hundred and two years after it had ceased to be, there should come to light two of the five record books of the Literary Fraternity. As I write the five are piled up by my side. For the most part, the handwriting is wonder- fully clear, the ink once black is a soft brown, the pages are yellowed, the decorations and flourishes in which some of the Secretaries indulged are entertaining and the min- utes and the Constitutions which were secret, oh, so very secret in those far off years, are mine to read and to pass on to you as far as space permits.
Dana's Woodstock history says that "A Literary Fra- ternity with Willard Bowman as secretary played an active part in the South Parish for a time and then passed away."
Under the leadership of a small group of young men in South Woodstock, who met on January 14th, 1815, there was organized the Literary Fraternity. A very formal con- stitution was adopted to which were added amendments and by-laws, all of a stringent nature. The meetings were to be secret, many formalities had to be observed. Ab- sence, tardiness and failure to perform the parts assigned, were subject to fines. Continued neglect of duties, report-
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onstituttet,
Bylinis, and
of the
Literary Fraternity
By the destory.
Madsleche . April 2 NDESCOVA
Title Page of the Constitution
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ing the meetings to those not belonging, meant expulsion. The quality of Mercy had been completely strained out of the constitution and by-laws. Many of the members had been born under the old Blue laws or had the essence of them thoroughly ingrained in their very souls. The result of these inhibitions meant rigid and severe terms in their rules and regulations and penalties for the most part were enforced.
The declaration of the purpose of this Fraternity de- clares it to be "To improve in Useful Knowledge, to exer- cise the judgment and promote social virtues." The first officers were :- D. Howland, president. J. W. Barber, vice- president. C. Fullerton, secretary. O. W. Drew, critic. The president appointed J. W. Barber and O. W. Drew to de- bate. L. C. Smith to write a composition. R. M. Ransom to speak of The Stage. Henry C. Hammond, Elon Farns- worth and Frederic Ransom were members of this enter- prising group though not present at the first meeting. The father of the Ransom boys lent the prestige of his influen- tial name by becoming an honorary member. By the year 1820, thirty four members were enrolled. Now the fire works began, for some members had failed to observe the rigidity of their oath of secrecy which involved keeping absolutely secret all the activities of the sessions. The oath or rather Affirmation as it is called in the constitution reads in this wise :- "You solemnly affirm upon the honor of a Gentleman that you will not make known out of this society, anything said or done herein, or pertaining hereto, nor will fully hinder its beneficial proceedings in any man- ner whatsoever." The constitution had various revisions. By the changes in 1829 the Affirmation read, "You sol-
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emnly affirm on your honour, that you will diligently and zealously promote the literary pursuits and objects of this Society as set forth in the constitution and by-laws of the same conforming yourself there unto so far as may be con- sistent to your ability under the penalty of expulsion."
Rather elaborate trials were held for these cases of ex- pulsion. One member was always appointed to speak for the accused. He could speak for himself, if he so desired. One member spoke for the Society, acting as a prosecutor. As early as 1818 John Anthony was accused of ungentle- man-like conduct, and that he had boasted that he was second in command in the Fraternity and he said the mem- bers questioned his authorship of the articles he had read. He was accused of telling the secrets and had said that the speeches were trivial. At the end of the trial, the yeas and nays were called for by the president, L. C. Smith, who "very ably and feelingly announced the sentence of Expulsion." This is most entertaining. Anthony was a retired sea captain who had settled in the Vermont hills. He had been accustomed to command and to have obe- dience. No doubt whatever that many of the long, elabo- rate and often speculative debates wearied his sea trained mind and to him, they were trivial and not salty.
In November 1820 this resolution was introduced: "Whereas the constitution of the Literary Fraternity has been set at naught and trampled upon in a willful and malicious manner without any specious pretext whatever by a member living in the vicinity, the following charges are brought against him." In short, he did not attend the meetings and promote the interests of the organization so he was expelled. I have stood by the cellar hole of his home,
without first being notified ofh impeachmentan time treaty honing
the privilege of making Ais difence
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triala
The trial officers shall be before society? and of others before the President in society. Art. XXI.
-To part of this constitution shall be amended or abolished, nor shall there be any addition to it, but by the concurrence of three fruits of the min bers present in a regular meeting Names of Signers.
how alter Constitution.
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An farnsworth Daniel Howland - Henry C. Hammond Jonathan" W. Barber Devo M. Clau- Broderie Cansom Charles Fullerton David Or French. Makipeur hangum Oliver .f. Drew Olay Doubleday.
Rufus Fullerton
Ora J. Paddock Ira Hood
Part of the Constitution and signers of The Literary Fraternity
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a beautiful location. He was an excellent farmer and became the father of a group of brilliant children. His name was Andrew Smith. Justin Howard was tried in December that year "For the violation of his oath and willfully and felo- niously neglecting to perform the parts assigned him," so out he went as a member. Who he was, I know not. Henry Drew was expelled but finally reinstated. Henry's father was the well-known Dr. Drew who practiced medicine for years in South Woodstock and built the colonial house just north of the Universalist Church. His mother was Eliza- beth Williams, a daughter of Jesse, some of whose descend- ants still tread our soil. Henry was a respectable person but he had failed to attend meetings and perform some parts.
The most extraordinary expulsion was that of James Slayton. James was an out-standing citizen. He was one of the founders of the Library in 1797. He became an ardent abolitionist at a later date, but in 1821 he was ex- pelled from the Fraternity for the violation of his oath, his refusal to perform parts assigned him, absence from meetings, and speaking derisively of the Society. He was not found guilty on all the charges but was expelled on some of them. This expulsion was startling to me for James Slayton was one of the sturdy men of the South Parish.
It is very easy to understand why Pliny Doubleday who had his name changed to plain Day, was expelled. He was a brilliant youth but lacked the fundamental principles of character. The County Jail housed him for a period and he chose the wrong road of life. Ira Wood was expelled because he beat up his wife; "And frequented places of low repute, to wit, Distilleries and Taverns and other
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places of debauchery and drunkenness, becoming intoxi- cated and demeaning himself in a brutal manner." Of course he was expelled and the sentence was made eternal and everlasting in good old Calvinistic theology style. "He was debarred forever for entering as a member." Make- peace Ransom, whose full name was Royal Makepeace Ransom, was tried for failing to light the room in time for one of the meetings. Being a Ransom, he stoutly de- fended himself at the trial. He felt that the rights of the minorities were trampled on by the majorities and minori- ties should always be respected. He and the prosecuting officer argued the meaning of the constitution and dis- agreed on various interpretations. He admitted that he had not lighted the candles at the designated hour, but said that he was then attending to some important business for the Society and he lacked the power to be in two places at the same moment. The trial involved prolonged and heated discussions but when the yeas and, nays were called for the vote was unanimous against his expulsion. Good for Makepeace. He quite rejoices my heart.
It is most interesting that the members faced their prob- lems and always endeavored to have fair trials, but they did not hesitate to bring delinquent members up to their full duty. Their constitution was their rock of refuge and strength and by that they held their trials and passed sen- tence. They were courageous, strong minded and inde- pendent and their names represent the pioneer families of the South Parish. Their meetings for the most part were held on Saturday at early candlelight. They bought candles at the stores of R. M. Ransom, E. Wood, and E. Miller. The Ransom store was the famous institution but Wood's
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and Miller's are wrapt in oblivion. They bought paper, usually six sheets at a time, but once they became expan- sive and got one half of a quire which cost twelve and one half cents. One item says Mr. Mckenzie sold them one half cord of wood.
For a time they held their meetings on Sunday. Some- times there was no quorum and the records report ad- journment; the weather was bad or the farmers very busy with their crops. Occasionally they met in the "Green Vestry" which had been the Ransom store. Sometimes the meetings were held in the study of Mr. Ransom's house, now and then in his counting room and a few times in the store. The system of fines was elaborate. Two cents for tardiness, four cents for absence, four cents for failure to perform. Frequently these fines accumulated which made their collection difficult and on rare occasions they were rescinded. The initiation fee was twelve and one half cents. A critic was always elected who had to pass judgment on all productions. He was guided by the fol- lowing Key, 1st. Error in spelling, 2nd. Error in Pointing, grd. Error in Parsing, 4th. Error respecting Capitals, 5th. Errors not mentioned above. Had one of his duties been to pass upon the reports of the Secretaries, his job would have been increased for they contain many of the afore- said errors, even those under article 5.
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