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yet speaketh," in his good, solid, practical life.

 

UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.

 

CONTINUED.

 

The Rev. Geo. E. Forbes continued as pastor until May, 1880. For 1 year suc­ceeding this date the church had only oc­casional preaching services, and during this time its numbers were diminished by the death of two members. In May, 1881, the Rev. Eli Ballou, D. D., was engaged as pastor for one-half the time. This en­gagement continues at present, (Aug. 18, 1881.)

 

MARSHFIELD VOTED FOR THE GAZETTEER

 

at the town-meeting held March 4, 1879, to send a subscription to Miss Hemenway for the whole work, attested by E. L. Smith, town clerk.

 

 

——————————

 

 

MIDDLESEX.

 

STEPHEN HERRICK, ESQ.

 

The town of Middlesex was chartered June 8, 1783, by Benning Wentworth, Esq., then Governor of the Province of New Hampshire, to the following grantees: Jacob Rescaw, Benjamin Crane, 3d, Seth Trow. Richard Johnson, Lawrence Eg­bert, Jr., James Campbell, David Ogden, Matthias Ross, Jonathan Skinner, Jehial Ross, Ebenezer Canfield, Daniel Ogden, Jonathan Dayton, Jr., Lawrence Eggert, Samuel Crowell, William Bruce, Robert Earl, Patridge Thacher, Joshua Horton, Job Wood, George Ross, Cornelius Ludlow, Nathaniel Barrett, Esq., Jeremiah Mulbard, John Roll, Jr., Joseph Newmarch, Nathaniel Little, Henry Earl, Richard Jennee, Esq., Gilbert Ogden, John Little, George Frost, Daniel Ball, Samuel Little, 3d, David Morehouse, Jr., Thomas Woodruff, John Force, Joseph Raggs, Jr., Capt. Isaac Woodruff, Daniel P. Eunice, Jacob Brookfield, Jonathan Dayton, 3d, Isaac Winors, Samuel Meeker, Jr., David Loomeris, John Cory, Jr., Alexander Car­miea, David Bonnet, James Seward, Ste­phen Potter, Nathaniel Potter, Stephen Wilcocks, Thomas Dean, Jonas Ball, Amos Day, John David Lamb, William Lamb, William Brand, James Colie, Jr., William Hand, Robert French, Samuel Crowell, Jonathan Woodruff, Ezekiel Ball, Aaron Barnett.

 

THOMAS MEAD AND THE FIRST SETTLERS.

 

The first settler in this town 20 years subsequent to the above date made his first settlement here.  Having succeeded in finding one of the best lots of land in Washington County, on the Onion River, 5 miles from Montpelier village, here Mr. Thomas Mead made his excellent location. The second settler, JONAH HARRINGTON, chose his location about 2½ miles from Montpelier on a superior lot of land. SETH PUTNAM came soon after with three brothers, Ebenezer, Jacob and Isaac, who were soon followed by Ephraim Willey, Ebenezer Woodbury, Ira Hawks, Solomon Lewis, Samuel Mann, Isaac Bidwell, Henry Perkins, Daniel Harrington, Samuel Mon­tague, Nathaniel Carpenter, Daniel Smith, Hubbard Willey, Asa Harrington, Joseph Chapin, William Holden, Lovewell War­ren, Jesse Johnson, Joseph Hubbard, David Harrington, Jonathan Fisher, Isaac Bidwell, Oliver Atherton, Robert McElroy, Nathan Huntley.

 

ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN.

 

Copy of a record in the town clerk's of­fice in Middlesex:

 

To Seth Putnam, Esq.:—

 

Sir—We, the Inhabitants of the town of Middlesex, petition your honor to grant a Warrant for the purpose of calling a town-meeting in said town of Middlesex on Monday, the 29 of March instant, at ten of the clock in the morning, for the purpose of Organization of said Town.

                                                                             EDMOND HOLDEN,

                                                                                    LEVI PUTNAM,

                                                                               SAMUEL HARRIS,

                                                                                 ISAAC PUTNAM,

                                                         Chittenden, March 15th, 1790.

 

In pursuance of the foregoing Petition, By the authority of the state of Vermont, you are hereby directed to warn all the free-Holders and other inhabitants of the town of Middlesex to meet at the dwelling-house of Seth Putnam, Esq., in said Middlesex, on Monday, the 29th day of March Instant, at ten of the clock in the morning. Firstly to choose a moderator to govern said meeting.

2dly, to choose a town Clerk, Selectmen, Town treasurer, and all other Town officers according to Law, and of your do­ings herein make due return according to Law.

Given under my hand at said Middlesex. this 15th day of March, A. D., 1790.

To Levi Putnam, freeholder of the Town of Middlesex.

                                                                                   SETH PUTNAM,

                                                                             Justice of the Peace.

 

 

 

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Served the within Warrant by notifying the inhabitants by setting up a true copy at my dwelling house in Middlesex.

            March 16th, 1790.

                                                   LEVI PUTNAM, Freeholder.

 

Mar. 29, 1790, According to within war­rant being met, made choice of Levi Put­nam, Modera'r; Seth Putnam, Town Clerk; Thomas Mead, Levi Putnam and Seth Putnam, selectmen; Edmond Holden, constable and collector of taxes; Lovewell Warren, Town Treasurer; Jonas Harring­ton, Surveyor.

                                                                   Attest,

                                                       SETH PUTNAM, T. C.

Recorded May 7th, 1790.

 

I find by the records in the town clerk's office that the honorable Seth Putnam was chosen to represent the town of Middlesex on the first day of September, 1807, and that the number of votes cast for representative was 30. The general reader will at first think it strange, to say the least, that the town had no representative till 17 years after its organization; but may remember Vermont was not admitted into the Union until Feb. 1791.

 

SAMUEL MANN, one of the first settlers of the town, bought two lots of land 3 miles N. E. of Middlesex village. I bought the same lots Oct. 19, 1820, at which time I commenced an acquaintance with the in habitants of Middlesex. I came into the town with my family Mar. 16, 1821. The venerable Thomas Mead was then very far advanced in years, and had a great number of children and grand-children. His son Thomas, and grand-son Thomas, lived in his house, and also Jacob Morris, who married his daughter, making in all four families. Mr. Thomas Mead was a church-going man and was much respected. There was no meeting-house in town until several years after I came, except a small house of one story, which was built by a very upright and benevolent man,

 

SAMUEL HASKINS,

 

who built it at his own expense to present to the Methodist church, which was then in a prosperous state here. He owned a saw-mill and grist-mill, and an oil-mill. While he was grinding large cakes of oil-meal, one of the stones, 6 feet or more in diameter, broke away from the axle-tree or shaft, and threw him backward against the oil-trough, and broke both of his legs. The stone which remained attached to the axle-tree rolled around swiftly against the other, crushing them nearly off, until the sufferer was released by a neighbor, who took away the stone and conveyed him to his house. Two physicians were soon in attendance; both limbs were taken off, but the good man's sufferings soon ceased, and he passed away calmly. I was stand­ing by to behold the solemn sight, and could truly say:

 

"How still and peaceful is the grave

      When life's vain tumult all is passed;

The appointed house by Heaven's decree

      Receives us all at last."

 

After the death of this generous man, the house was changed from a meeting‑house to a dwelling-house, and thus re­mains. It stands near the S. E. corner of the town cemetery, owned and occupied by a grand-daughter of the deceased and her husband.

 

LOVEWELL WARREN,

 

one of the first settlers, was town treasurer in 1790. He was much esteemed by his neighbors. Leander Warren, a son of Lovewell, represented the town several times, and was much esteemed by his townsmen. Rufus Warren, a son of Le­ander, has also represented the town.

 

HON. SETH PUTNAM

 

had 3 sons. Holden, the oldest, represented the town several times. Roswell, the second, was an estimable citizen, much esteemed, and the reverend George Put­nam was a minister of the Gospel, much esteemed. Hon. Seth Putnam made the town a present by deeding to the town a small lot of land for a cemetery, where his remains and the remains of a part of his family are buried. Their graves are en­closed by an iron fence. Almost all the first settlers of Middlesex were living here when I came. I think the number of men was about 210 who were heads of families, and they have all passed away from earth.

 

WILLIAM HOLDEN,

 

one of the first settlers, bought a lot of land about 1½ miles from the village, the

 

 

 

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farm now owned by William B. McElroy. Mr. Holden had 5 sons, Horace, William, Xerxes, Moses and Philander. Horace Holden, chosen town clerk in March, 1820, held the office 32 years. At the end of 32 years, his son, William H. Holden, was chosen, and held the office 19 years. C. B. Holden, a son of Horace, held the office from March, 1873, to the time of his death, July 25, 1878, and James H. Holden ap­pointed July 27, 1878, by the selectmen; held the office until September 3, 1878. Horace, William, Xerxes, Moses and C. B. Holden represented the town several times each, and have all passed away, and William H. Holden has also passed away.

 

JOSEPH CHAPIN

 

was born Oct. 28, 1758. His son, Joseph Chapin, Jr., was born June 25, in Weathers­field, Vt., in 1792. Joseph Chapin, Sr., settled in Middlesex when the town was quite new; his son, Joseph Chapin, Jr., was a farmer, and by industry and good economy, acquired a very handsome prop­erty for his children, and left a good name. His wife passed away many years before his departure. She was sister to Horace Holden. Joseph Chapin, Sr., lived to the age of 96 years, and was esteemed by all who knew him.

Joseph Chapin, jr., had 2 sons. Hinkley, the oldest, was killed instantly. He was a brakeman on the cars, and received the fatal blow when passing through or under a bridge. William Chapin, his son, still survives and has held many important offices in town.

The Chapin family own lots in our beau­tiful cemetery, and the remains of their loved ones are deposited there. One of Joseph Chapin, Jr's., daughters, with her husband, Otis Leland, are living in sight of our beautiful cemetery, where they often visit the graves of their departed friends— their son, their parents and grand-parents, and brother who was killed on the cars.

 

JEREMIAH LELAND,

 

one of the first settlers, removed from Charlestown, N. H. He died soon after I came to Middlesex, respected by all who knew him; left 3 sons, Rufus, James and Jeremiah, all of whom have long since passed away, esteemed by all, and their remains are deposited in our cemetery, with the remains of all their partners in life. James, son of Jeremiah, was never married. Jeremiah, Jr., has left 4 sons, all now living, two of whom have represented the town, and Rufus has left two sons, who are now living, worthy men, much esteemed.

 

EBENEZER PUTNAM,

 

a brother of Col. Seth Putnam, was a man about 50 years of age when I came to live in Middlesex, in 1821. He was a very pleasant, social man, and worked with me to score timber for a barn. His son, Russel, hewed the timber. Soon after, Russel was taken sick. I visited him several times. His sufferings were very great before he passed away. He left several daughters and one son, whose name was Holden, who was a sheriff of good repute, and enlisted in the last war, and lost his life in the defence of his country.

 

JACOB PUTNAM,

 

another brother of Col. Seth Putnam, set­tled on a branch of Onion river in Middle­sex, about 5 miles above Montpelier vil­lage. I became acquainted with him soon after I came to the town. He was a man of good understanding. I was associated with him and Nathaniel Carpenter in mak­ing an appraisal of all the real estate in Middlesex soon after I came. He died many years since. His son, C. C. Put­nam, and C. C. Putnam, Jr., are persever­ing men and good citizens.

 

ISAAC PUTNAM, another brother of Seth Putnam, lived in Montpelier, and passed away to the spirit life, leaving a good name and a respectable posterity.

 

NATHANIEL CARPENTER

 

was one of the first settlers; voted for town representative in September, 1807; was town clerk in all 9 years, and a justice of the peace, I think, 30 years, or more. He died in the winter of 1837. In 1821, when I came to live here, he lived one mile from our village and 5 miles from Montpelier village. He had 4 sons by a second mar‑

 

 

 

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riage; two or more by a previous marriage; his four last sons were, N. M. Carpenter, Don P. Carpenter, and Heman and Al­bert. Don P. Carpenter has been one of the side judges of Washington Coun­ty Court, and Heman, judge of Wash­ington County Probate Court, and N. M. Carpenter is a respectable and successful farmer. I know less of Albert, as he set­tled in a distant state.

 

CAPT. ROBERT MCELROY,

 

one of the first settlers, lived 2 miles from Middlesex village. His family were an aged mother, who emigrated from Scotland, his wife, 4 sons and 3 daughters. Ira, the oldest son, died single; Harry, the second son, had 3 sons, Clesson R. and H. L. Mc­Elroy, and Wm. B. McElroy. Lewis had 2 sons and Jeremiah 2 sons, in all, 7 grandsons. Capt. Robert McElroy and wife, mother and 4 sons, have passed away. Harry McElroy's third son, Wm. B. McElroy, was chosen town clerk, Sept. 3, 1878.

It will be observed by this that Capt. Robert McElroy has left a good record. In addition to the above I think it is my duty to state that Harry McElroy's eldest son, Clesson R. McElroy, was a lieutenant in the army and a valiant officer, held in high esteem by both officers and soldiers, and Harry McElroy's second son, H. L. McElroy, has been superintendent of com­mon schools in Middlesex for several years, and as such highly esteemed.

 

JESSE JOHNSON

 

was one of the first settlers, and voted for representative in 1807. He was far ad­vanced in life in 1820. His son, Jesse Johnson, Jr., was a man in the prime of life, and lived about 50 years after 1820, and was for many years associated with Moses Holden, his son-in-law, in trade. They were esteemed by all who knew them, were good economists, and accumu­lated a large property, and have passed away. They have left no son to perpetuate their names.

 

EPHRAIM WILLEY

 

was one of the first settlers, and had 2 sons, Hubbard and Benjamin, who were in the prime of life in 1820. They have all passed away; but have left a great number of children and grand-children to perpet­uate their memory, all of whom are re­spectable citizens, even as their fathers and grandfathers before them were.

 

RUFUS CHAMBERLIN, ESQ.,

 

one of the first settlers, was in 1821 a man far advanced in life, and had then living 5 sons and 3 daughters. His oldest son, Clesson, died in Massachusetts. Oliver A. Chamberlin, the second son, and A. L. Chamberlin, the fourth, are still liv­ing. Rufus Chamberlin, Esq., and wife, 2 daughters and 3 sons, have passed from this life, but not without leaving children and grandchildren to perpetuate their memory, though most of the grandchildren have passed away. I will name a few: Wm. H. Holden, C. B. Holden, Martha Holden; children of Horace Holden and his wife, Mary Chamberlin, and Mary, also a daughter of Oliver A. Chamberlin. Our town clerk is a son of Harry McElroy and his wife, Mary Ann, dau. of Rufus Cham­berlin, both of whom have passed away.

 

MERCHANTS AND STORES, 1879.

 

We have three stores in Middlesex vil­lage, one owned and occupied by Benja­min Barrett and James H. Holden, one by J Q. Hobart, and one by N. King Herrick, all doing a good business without danger of failing. Our merchants are as reliable as those of Montpelier, and I choose to patronize them.

We have at this date, Jan. 1879, no physician in town. Nearly all of the people of Middlesex employ the physicians who live in Montpelier village.

 

MEETING-HOUSES AND CHURCHES.

 

We have three meeting-houses, all good; one good brick one in the village, near the passenger depot, one built of wood in the center of the town, and another of wood in the small village denominated Shady Rill. They are all kept well painted and in good repair. The one in Middlesex village is now occupied by the Methodists one-half of the time, and seldom at any other time, and it is about the same as to the house in the center of the town. The meeting‑

 

 

 

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house in Shady Rill was built about 30 years ago, by the Freewill Baptists, and it is occupied by those who built it, and their posterity. There was a Congregational church in this town when the brick meeting‑house was built, but there is not now. I think it passed away about 1845. The Methodist church has about 36 members at this time. The Freewill Baptist church, I think, is about the same as to numbers.

The Methodist denomination own a good and well-finished parsonage house and out-buildings, all well arranged, near the brick meeting-house in Middlesex

 

MICAH HATCH

 

was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was an early settler of Middlesex. He bought two or more good lots of land, 4 miles north of Montpelier village. He had 2 sons, Micah and David; David had 2 sons, Zenas and Gardner. Zenas was drafted and lost his life in defence of his country. A daughter of Micah Hatch was the mother of the Hon. Zenas Upham, one of the side judges of Orange County Court in 1878.

 

SOLOMON LEWIS

 

was an early settler of Middlesex, and set­tled on the North branch of Onion river, 6 miles north of Montpelier village. Wil­liam Lewis, a son of Solomon, owned and occupied the farm for many years, and said farm is now owned by Lathrop Lewis, a son of the late William Lewis. I could say much in commendation of Mr. Sol­omon Lewis and his son William, and of his grandson, Lathrop, all of whom have been good citizens.

 

EZRA CUSHMAN

 

was one of the early settlers, a respectable merchant, and associated as such with Theophilus Cushman, his nephew, in trade in Middlesex village in the early settlement of the town, was a man in whom the people all had the utmost confidence. He married a daughter of Hon. Seth Putnam. Their son, the Rev. Lewis Cushman, a Methodist minister much esteemed, has been engaged in the ministry more than 30 years, previous to 1879.

 

CAPT. ZERAH HILLS

 

was one of the early settlers of this town. He had 3 sons, Lorenzo, Justin and Zerah. Zerah built the house above described, and had it very nearly completed when the Rebel war commenced, and he enlisted in defence of our country, and died in its de­fence June 25, 1863, lamented by all who knew him.

 

COL. HUTCHINS

 

was one of the early settlers of Middlesex. He had two sons. Timothy and Solomon. Solomon married a sister of ex-Governor Paul Dillingham. Solomon Hutchins kept a public house in Middlesex village when the town was quite new. I think the house was the first public house kept in Middlesex. Solomon Hutchins and his immediate family have long since passed away, but leaving a respectable posterity of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

March, 1879.

 

MIDDLESEX CONCLUDED.

 

BY VOLNEY V. VAUGHN, ESQ.

 

The township, situated on the north side of the Winooski river, 30 miles from the mouth of the river at Burlington, lat. 44°, 20', long. 4°, 2', is bounded N. by Worcester, E. by East Montpelier and Montpelier, S. by Berlin and Moretown, from which it is separated by the Winooski, and W. by Waterbury.

The N. H. charter, by Wentworth, was granted "by command of His Excellency, King George III., in the third year of his reign," and provides:

 

The township of Middlesex, lying on the east side of French or Onion river, so called, shall be six miles square and no more, containing 23,040 acres.

The first meeting for the choice of town officers shall be held on the 26th day of July next, to be notified and presided over by Capt. Isaac Woodruff. and that the an­nual meeting forever hereafter for the choice of officers for said town shall be on the second Tuesday of March, annnally.

The town was to be divided into 71 equal shares; each one of the 65 proprietors to whom it was granted to hold one share, and 6 shares as usual in the N. H. charters for the Governor's right, the ben‑

 

 

 

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efit of the Gospel and schools. The Governor's land was a tract of 500 acres in the S. W. corner of the town.

The council of New York established the county of Gloucester in 1770, which included this town, and the first record of a proprietors' meeting found in our town records commences:

 

A meeting of the proprietors of the Township of Middlesex, on Onion River, in the Province of New York, holden at the dwelling-house of Samuel Canfield, Esq., in New Milford, Conn., on Tuesday, ye tenth day of May, 1770.

At this meeting Partridge Thatcher, of New Milford, was chosen moderator, and Samuel Averill, of Kent, clerk.

It was voted to "lay out said township and lot one division of 100 acres to each right," and Samuel Averill was chosen agent to agree with a surveyor and chain-bearers to do the business. It was voted to lay a tax of $3 per right, to pay the expense of surveying, and Partridge Thatcher and Samuel Averill laid out the 1st division as above voted.

The proprietors held a meeting at Kent, Apr. 13, 1773, Samuel Averill, Jr., clerk. Voted $2.50 per right instead of the $3.00 voted before to pay the expense of the surveys.

Oct. 14, 1774, Samuel Averill, Jr., col­lector, sold 8 lots of land at public auc­tion, to satisfy unpaid taxes voted as above. Partridge Thatcher and Samuel Averill, Jr., bid off 4 lots each, at £1 2S., N. Y. money, per lot.

The first deed of Middlesex lands recorded is from Samuel Averill, Jr., to Samuel Averill of 5 full rights, dated Kent, Litchfield Co., Dec. 30, 1774, and ac­knowledged before Wm. Cogswell, justice of the peace.

The first proprietors' meeting held in Vermont was at Sunderland, Oct. 13, 1783, Isaac Hitchcock, proprietors' clerk, and the 2d and 3d division of lands were made, and surveys recorded Feb. 9, 1786.

The first proprietors' meeting held in Middlesex was at the house of Lovell War­ren, Aug. 14, 1787. Choice was made of Seth Putnam, proprietor's clerk, and adjourned until Nov. 5, same year, and at this adjourned meeting it was claimed that all former surveys or pretended surveys had been made inaccurately, that some of the lots had been laid out within the limits of Montpelier, that proprietors could not find their lots, etc., and it was "Resolved to hold null and void all former surveys or pretended surveys."

It was voted to lay out the 1st, 2d and 4th divisions in 69 lots each, of 104 acres in a lot, the 4 acres being allowed for highways Where the village now stands, 30 acres were reserved for a mill privilege, and 104 acres of the pine lands just easterly of the will site for the first mill-builder, if he built a mill within 12 months. This reservation was the 3d, called the white-pine division, which was laid out in about 1-acre lots, and divided among the proprietors the same as the other divisions. The 1st, 2d and 3d divisions were allotted in 1787 and '88, and surveys recorded in September, 1788, Allotted by Gen. Parley Davis, surveyor; Isaac Putnam, hind-chainman; Jacob Putnam, fore-chainman. The 4th division was allotted by Gen. Davis in 1798.

This allotting, if accurately surveyed, would cover 22,162 acres, which would leave 878 acres undivided land, of which each proprietor would own an equal share. This land, which is north-easterly of the Governor's right, has been taken up or "pitched" from time to time, until it is all claimed on titles of original rights.

By an act of the legislature, approved Oct. 30, 1850, so much of the town as is contained in lots numbering 50, 55, 56, 57, 58, 63 and 64, and so much of the undi­vided land as lies westerly of a line com­mencing at the most south-easterly corner of lot number 64, and running south 36° west and parallel with the original line be­tween Waterbury and Middlesex to the Governor's right, so called; thence on the line of the Governor's right to the original town line, was annexed to the town of Waterbury, which leaves about 22,000 acres as the present area of Middlesex.

The change in the town line was made to benefit a few families who lived in the west part of the town who could more con-

 

 

 

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veniently attend meetings and go to market in Waterbury than in Middlesex, on account of living the west aide of a high range of hills or mountains, that form a natural boundary, and so separate the two towns that only one carriage-road directly connects them. The change brings the town line as now established very near the summit of this range of mountains.

Near the S. E. corner of the town com­mences a less elevation of land, which ex­tends in a northerly direction a little east of the centre of the town, which unites with the higher range about 4 miles from the south line, and gives the south part of the town a slope southerly towards the Winooski, and the northern and eastern part a slope easterly towards the North Branch of the Winooski, which flows through the N. E. corner of the town.

The surface of the township is somewhat uneven, but the soil is generally very fer­tile and productive. There are many ex­cellent farms on the hills, and some fine intervales along the river and branch, and although the meadows are not very ex­tensive, they are enough so to form a number of very good and valuable farms.

The land is naturally covered with maple, birch, beech, ash, elm, butternut, red-oak, iron-wood, pine, spruce, hemlock, fir and other smaller trees and bushes such as are common in this part of the State.

The N. W. corner of the town contains about 1200 acres of nearly unbroken forest, covering the mountain and lying along its base, which only needs steam-power in the immediate vicinity, backed by good me­chanical enterprise and skill, to make it valuable property.

This town will compare favorably with the other towns in the County for farming and lumbering.

 

NATURAL CURIOSITIES.

 

Nature has given our territory fully an average share of the singular and odd, and of the grand and sublime.

Among the oddities is a rocking stone on the farm of William Chapin, near the Centre. This stone, weighing many tons, is so evenly balanced on a high ledge that it can be rocked forward and back with ease. On the mountain west of the late C. B. Holden farm is a high cliff of rocks, from which many heavy pieces of rock have become detached and fallen to the ravine below. These are so placed that they form some curious caverns on a small scale, which are noted hedge-hog habitations. One of these rocks, sheltered by the over­hanging cliff from which it fell, which is some 6 feet long, 4 feet wide, and from to 2 feet thick, lies on another rock in such a manner that it projects over nearly half its length, and is so nicely balanced that a man can teeter it up and down with one finger.

A few years ago there stood by the road‑side on the farm now owned by. Daniel Pembrook, an iron-wood or remon tree, which about 2 feet from the ground divided into two trunks, each about 6 inches in diameter. They grew smooth and nearly straight, and from 1 to 2 feet apart for some 10 feet, where they again united in one solid trunk, which was about 10 inches in diameter; this continued about 3 feet, where it again divided. The two trunks above were similar to the two below for about 10 feet; there it united once more, and above threw out branches and had a "top" similar to other trees of its kind. This tree was cut down by some one who had an eye keener for the useful than for the ornamental.

The only road that directly connects this town with Waterbury, about 1½ miles from the river, passes through a notch between masses of ragged ledges which for many rods rise almost perpendicular on either side to the height of 100 feet or more, with just fair room for a good carriage-road and a small stream of water between.

The channel called the Narrows, worn through the rocks by the Winooski be­tween this town and Moretown, is quite a curiosity. Of this grand work of time Moretown may justly claim a share, but as this town is the most benefited by it, Mid­dlesex history would be incomplete without a description. The channel is about 80 rods in length, some 30 feet in depth,

 

 

 

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and averaging about 60 feet wide. Where the bridge leading from Middlesex village across to Moretown spans the channel, the width at the top of the cut is less than the depth. Below this bridge for many rods the rocks rise very nearly perpendicular for some 30 feet, appearing like a wall. Above the bridge for many rods they rise on either side to near the same elevation, but not quite so steep, leaving the chasm only a few feet wide at the bottom, and the river runs very rapidly through the channel. At the upper end of the Narrows is a dam and the mills described elsewhere. Just below the bridge, and in direct line with the course of the river above, is a high pinna­cle of rocks. When the river is low it runs the north side of this, and when the water is high it flows on both sides, or sur­rounds it.

By a survey made by the late Hon. Wm. Howes a few years ago, it was ascertained that the fall in the river from below the dam at Montpelier village to the top of the water in the pond at Middlesex was only 5 feet 11 inches.

There are many things that indicate that at some distant day these ledges formed a barrier that obstructed the water of the river, and raised it many feet higher than the meadows along the river above this place, forming a large pond or lake, that flowed not only these meadows but a part of Montpelier, including the greater part of the village, and a portion of the towns of Barre, Berlin and Moretown. About 2 miles above the Narrows the ledge, near where the carriage-road now is, some 50 feet above the present bed of the river, bears unmistakable evidence of the wash­ing of the waters of the river or lake.

 

While gazing on this wondrous work

      Of nature's law, divinely fair,

We feel how great the work of time,

      How weak and frail we mortals are.

 

We feel the feeling grow of awe,

      While looking on this rolling tide,

And think these were the works of God,

      In which mankind could take no pride.

 

Along the mountain side in the N. W. part of the town are many rills and brooks, that come rushing down steep declivities and leaping from high precipices, forming many beautiful cascades and miniature cat­aracts, which if as great as they are lofty would be supremely grand. Here, too, are found high overhanging cliffs and deep ravines, and all the sublimity common to the mountains of the Verd Mont State.

But when we stand upon the summit of the highest peak, 3,558 feet above Lake Champlain, and cast our eye at a glance over more than 10,000 sq. miles of the surrounding country, looking down over the homes of tens of thousands of our steady villagers and sturdy yeomanry, view­ing the well-cultivated plains and forest-covered hills, and beholding the distant mountain scenery, the winding streams and ever-varied landscape, here we find magnificence and grandeur combined.

 

It might be said sublime and fair,

      And lofty are our verdant hills,

And crystal streams from fountains flow

      That turn with ease the swiftest mills.

Our plains, how grand, how marked with care,

      While each proclaims the work of God;

And man, with thanks and willing hands,

      Improves the rich and fertile sod.

 

For the following very good description of our mountains I am indebted to Wm. Chapin:

 

MOUNTAINS OF MIDDLESEX.

 

BY WM. CHAPIN, ESQ.

 

Near the South-west corner of Middle­sex there rises abruptly from the south bank of the Winooski river a range of clearly-defined mountains, that extends about 20 miles, being nearly on the line between Middlesex and Waterbury, and extending between Worcester and Stowe, a little to the east of the line between those towns, and ending near Elmore pond, in the Lamoille valley. These mountains are called "The Hogbacks" in some of the earlier geographical works of Vermont, but that name now applies only to the south end of the range near the Winooski.

The most conspicuous points in Middle­sex are locally known as "Burned Mount­ain," "White Rock," or "Castle Rock," and "Mt. Hunger." This Mt. Hunger is nearly on the line between Middlesex and Worcester, and a little east of the corners of the four towns, Middlesex, Worcester, Stowe and Waterbury. Its height is 3648 feet above the sea.

 

 

 

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As the topmost stone of this mountain, which is the highest point in the range, is doubtless in the town of Worcester, that town may perhaps fairly claim the honor of having within its limits one of the pleas­antest places of public resort to be found in New England.

The name of Mt. Hunger was given by a party of hunters who went out from Mid­dlesex Centre on a winter's day, some 60 years ago, to hunt for deer on this mount­ain. Lost in the vast woods, they had to stay out all night, with nothing to eat save one partridge, and that without salt or sauce. When they got home the next day, half starved and wholly tired out, they said they had been on Mount Hunger. Not an inviting name, certainly, but very appropriate to the occasion.

The only comfortable way and road to the summit at the present time is in and through Middlesex. From the earliest settlement of the town this has been a favorite resort for all who have had suffi­cient hardihood of muscle and wind to make the first ascent. But the way was rough, tangled and steep. A better way was needed, and in due time was made.

The Mt. Hunger road was commenced in October, 1877, and completed June 1, 1878. It was on its first survey 2 miles and 16 rods in length, extending from the public highway in Middlesex to the sum­mit of the mountain. The first 500 rods was made a good, safe and comfortable carriage road. The last half mile is very steep, and only a foot-path could be made, but the path is so well provided with stairs and other conveniences that children 6 years of age have gone up safely, and men of 86 years have gone up without difficulty. [The late Hon. Daniel Baldwin, of Mont­pelier, twice after 86 years of age.] Many teams of one to 6 horses drawing carriages from two to 20 persons, have gone up and down this road in the summers of 1878, '79 and '80, without an accident or mishap to any one.

To build such a road, through a dense forest of spruce, birch and maple woods, was no small undertaking, requiring some courage, much capital and a vast amount of hard labor. Thousands of trees had to be dug up by the roots—giant birches that clung to the ground for dear life, well-rooted spruce, and tough beeches and maple; thousands of knolls and hills had to be graded or removed, and hardest of all, thousands of rocks and ledges to be blasted, dug out, or got around in some way.

Hundreds of feet of bridging had to be built across the many little brooks and rills that come down the mountain sides. The longest bridge is in Middlesex, near the Worcester line, and is 137 feet long. At the upper end of the carriage-road is a level plateau that has been well cleared of the undergrowth and made smooth, and here a barn has been built to accommodate travelers with teams. The grade of the road is necessarily somewhat steep, but as it is a continual rise from the foot to sum­mit, no very sharp or steep pitches are to be found in the whole length of it.

This road was built by Theron Bailey, Esq., of Montpelier, proprietor of the "Pavilion," and is owned and occupied by him as a toll road, the various land-owners on the route having deeded him the right of way, and some 25 acres of land for building and standing ground at the top.

The construction of this road was under the superintendence of Wm. Chapin, Esq., of Middlesex Centre, and was completed, with the exception of stairs and bridges, in 60 working days, and with a gang of less than 20 men.

Whether this road will be kept up in re­pair or not, remains to be seen. The mount­ain top is one of the pleasantest places of earth, and will be visited so long as people inhabit the country; standing in an isolated position, it commands a view of the whole country; to the east, to the White Mount­ains, west, to the Adirondacks, north, to the Canadian Provinces, and south, to the Massachusetts line; a score of villages, many lakes and ponds, and, best of all, thousands of New England farms and homes.

Among those who visited here in the, olden time was the late Daniel P. Thomp­son, of Montpelier, who climbed up, fol‑

 

 

 

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lowing the town line for a guide, about 1833, and no doubt much of the sublime mountain scenery so beautifully described in "May Martin," "The Green Mountain Boys," and other Vermont stories, was studied from nature here.

The tops of all of these mountains were covered with timber at the settlement of the town; now some to acres are burned down to the bare rock on the top of Mt. Hunger, about the same area on "White Rock," and on Burned Mountain the fire has cleared some 30 to 40 acres. The spaces thus opened afford the finest out­look upon the surrounding country.

 

"Now on the ridges, bare and bleak,

      Cool 'round my temples sighs the gale.

Ye winds! that wander o'er the Peak,

      Ye mountain spirits! hail!

Angels of health! to man below

      Ye bring celestial airs;

Bear back to Him, from whom ye blow,

      Our praises and prayers."

 

            Middlesex Centre, 1880.                W. C.

 

 

WATER-POWER, MILLS AND FRESHETS.

 

The town is abundantly watered by springs, brooks and rivers. There are but very few houses in town that are not supplied with a stream of clear, pure, soft water, running from some never-failing spring.

Numerous brooks rise among the mount­ains and on the hills, and flow across the town. One called Big brook rises N. W. of the Centre, flows a southerly course to near the centre of the town, then flows south-westerly to the Winooski, emptying just above the village.

On this stream, about half a mile from its mouth, has been a saw-mill the greater part of the time for upwards of 60 years, and at different times there have been mills at three other places on the stream, one being near the Centre. The best of these mills, built by Solomon Hutchins about 20 years ago, was destroyed by fire soon after it was completed. The other mills have rotted down, been damaged by freshets and never repaired, or been taken down, and at present there is no mill on the stream; but there is a repair shop, owned by Myron Long, in place of the mill first described.

Along the mountains northerly of the height of land near the Centre, rise many brooks, which, flowing south-easterly and uniting, form a quite large stream, which empties into North Branch about 5 miles from Montpelier village.

The two largest of these brooks unite at Shady Rill, about one mile from the Branch, and here in the year 1824, Jedu­than Haskins and Ira McElroy built a saw­mill on the right bank of the stream, which stood about 4 years, and was washed away by a freshet. It was rebuilt soon after by Haskins on the other side of the stream. This mill stood until about 1850, when it was washed away and never rebuilt. On the east stream of the two that unite at Shady Rill, about ½ mile above that place, a saw-mill was built some years ago. In 1869, or '70, this mill was bought by Isaac W. Brown, of Montpelier, who put in a clapboard mill, which was run by John Hornbrook until 1872.

In 1872, W. H. Billings came from Waits­field and bought the mill. He ran the old mill 2 years, and his brother, J. J. Billings, went in company with him. The fall of 1875, they built a new mill, 34 by 60 feet, and put in a small engine to run part of the machinery. In this mill they did a good business, which was increasing each year until the mill was burned, May 8, 1880. At that time they had several thousand logs in the mill-yard, and they immediately commenced clearing out the debris of the burned mill, and laying the foundation for a large new mill, 48 feet by 96. They put in a 75 horse-power engine, and commenced cutting out boards and timber July 17, and in the course of the summer they nearly finished the mill and put in all the machinery necessary for cut­ting, planing and matching boards, and sawing and dressing clapboards. It is now, Jan. 1881, one of the best mills in the State, and capable of turning out 10 car-loads of dressed lumber per month. There is another mill, on another stream, about half a mile west of this mill, now owned by Geo. W. Willey.

In 1815, Esquire Bradstreet Baldwin came from Londonderry, and built a mill

 

 

 

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where Putnam's mills now stand, on North Branch, about 5½ miles from Montpelier, since which there has been a mill there.

We are favored by the following de­scription of these mills through the kind­ness of C. C. Putnam, Esq:

 

"The north branch of the Winooski, which empties into the main stream at Montpelier, flows through the N. E. corner of Middlesex, about 3 miles, on which is situated one of the best mill privileges in the State, with a fall of 32 ft., on which was erected a mill in 1815, by Bradstreet Baldwin, son of Benjamin Baldwin, of Londonderry, Vt. The mill built by Brad­street Baldwin, on the above-mentioned privilege, was owned and occupied by sev­eral parties until purchased by C. C. Put­nam and Jacob Putnam, about 1845. At that time the capacity of the mill was about 100,000 ft. per annum. The old mill was situated on the west side of the stream at the top of the fall. In 1854, was erected a large double gang-mill on the east side of the stream below the fall to take advan­tage of the 32-feet fall, together with a grist-mill and machinery for dressing lum­ber. The latter was consumed by fire in 1862. The same year was erected by C. C. Putnam on the same site, the mill now standing, with two large circular saws. Since then have been added to the mill, planers, matchers, edging-saw, butting-machine and band-saw for cutting out chair stock, the capacity of the mill being 2,000,000 ft. dressed lumber per year. The past year, C. C. Putnam & Son, the present owners, have shipped 150 car-loads of dressed lumber to New Hampshire, Mas­sachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, valued from $25,000 to $30,000. The most of this lumber is cut on their land in Worcester, and floated down the stream. In connection with their lumber business they have a supply store, containing all necessaries for their workmen and public generally, doing a business of from $15,000 to $20,000 per year."

Henry Perkins came to town somewhere about 1800, and built the first grist and saw-mill at the Narrows, where the village stands. He lived in the Widow Aaron Ladd house, one of the two first houses in the village. Soon after, Samuel Haskins built an oil-mill, and Thomas Stowell built a clothing-works mill.

In those early days, when news were conveyed on horseback as the swiftest means; when freighting between here and Boston was mostly done with oxen; before Arkwright had invented the spinning Jenny, or carding-machines were known; when the women did all the carding and spinning by hand when farmers had to go a great way to mill, and carry their grist on horseback, or on their shoulders; when the meat mostly used was that of wild game, and salt to season it sometimes $3.58 per bu.; when 8 children were called an av­erage family, and 12 or 13 not uncommon, and boys and girls were not afraid of work; when the "goode housewyfe" found ample time to spin yarn from wool, flax and tow, and weave cloth to clothe all in her goodly family, works were then in vogue and built for coloring, fulling, pressing and dressing cloth. In May, 1818, a freshet swept away the clothing-works, but they were soon built up again.

At the time of this freshet Luther Has­kins was moving from the farm which he sold to Stephen Herrick in 1820, and which Mr. Herrick still owns and occupies. He got his cattle as far as the river, and could get them no farther on account of high water. Nathaniel Daniels and John Cooms undertook to go from the village in a boat to take care of the cattle. They had pro­ceeded some 20 rods up the river, when the current upset the boat. Cooms swam ashore, and seeing Daniels struggling in the water, was about to swim in to rescue him, when some one who considered the undertaking too dangerous, held Cooms back, and Daniels was drowned.

Nov. 1821, all the mills were destroyed by fire. They were soon rebuilt, with a good woolen factory in place of the clothing-works, which was built by Amplius Blake, of Chelsea, who employed Artemas Wilder to superintend it.

In Sept. 1828, was another freshet, which swept away the factory, grist-mill, oil-mill and saw-mill. Much to the credit

 

 

 

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of the owners, they went to work with true Yankee courage immediately, and rebuilt the mills in a stronger and more secure manner, and had them all in operation within 2 years. They were not secure enough, however, to withstand the exten­sive freshet of July, 1830, during which the water in the Winooski probably was the highest ever known since the State was settled, being at its greatest height July 27 or 28, so high it flowed through the vil­lage, and a dam was built across the upper end of the street, to turn the current of the river back towards the Narrows. All the mills were raised by the water from their foundations, and sailed off together like a fleet, taking the bridge below with them, until they struck the high pinnacle of rocks a few rods below the bridge, when, with a deafening crash, they smashed, and ap­parently disappeared in the rolling flood.

The weather in the summer of 1830 was cold and wet up to July 15, From the 15th to the 24th it was mostly clear and exces­sively warm. During the day of the 15th, the thermometer rose in the shade to 94º, the 16th it rose to 92°, the 17th to 92½°, the 18th to 92°, the 19th to 90°, the 20th to 91°, and the 21st to 94°.

The rain commenced in the afternoon of Saturday, the 24th, and continued till the Thursday following, and is believed to be the greatest fall of water in the length of time ever known in Vermont, the fall at Burlington being more than 7 inches, 3.85 in. of which fell the 26th in 16 hours.

After this freshet, Jeduthan and Luther Haskins built here an oil-mill, which was bought by Enos Stiles in 1835, and successfully operated by him for 33 years. He sold to Y. Dutton, who now owns it. There were many oil-mills in the State at an early day, but they had all been abandoned except two, when Mr. Stiles sold his mill. Mr. Dutton kept the mill in operation for a time after he owned it, and is supposed to be the last one in the State to give up making oil from flax-seed. The Messrs. Haskins also built a grist-mill, which was afterward owned for many years by Geo. & Barnard Langdon, of Montpelier, who sold to L. D. Ainsworth. He has at great expense fortified it against freshets, and made it a first-class, modern flooring and grist-mill, where he does a good business. He also owns a planing-mill near the grist­mill, and a saw-mill on the opposite side of the river in Moretown, which accommo­dates many who reside in Middlesex, and has recently bought the old of Dutton.

In Oct. 1869, there was a freshet that did considerable damage. No buildings were carried off, but the highways were badly washed, and many bridges carried away. In the town itport the following March I find, in addition to a highway tax of 50 cents on a dollar of the grand list, about $3,000 in orders drawn for extra work and expense on highways and bridges, The river was so high that Mr. Ainsworth's saw-mill teetered up and down on the water, and would have been swept away had it not been securely chained to the trees and ledges.

 

OF THE MINERALOGY

 

here but little is yet known. Rock crystal is quite common, and some very fine spec­imens of crystal quartz have been picked up. The largest, most transparent and most perfect specimens have been found in the north western part of the town, along the foot of the mountain. The crystal quartz found here is mostly nearly white. Some of the specimens are traversed in various directions with hair-like crystals of a reddish, yellowish or brown color, and similar to those found elsewhere along the gold formation, so called, that extends through this part of the State. Many stones are also found of which iron enters largely into the formation; and it is claimed that gold has been found in small quanti­ties in the eastern part of the town, but no very valuable mines have yet been discov­ered here.

 

MAGNETIC VARIATION.

 

From an examination of the lines run when the town was alloted in 1788, it appears that the westerly variation of the mag­netic needle is now very nearly 4°, so that lines in this town that were run N. 36° E. in 1787, now in 1881 run N. 40º E.

 

 

 

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ANIMALS.

 

The first settlers found in the forest of this town, the black bear, raccoon, wol­verine, weasel, mink, pine martin (im­properly called sable), skunk, American otter, wolf, red fox, black or silver fox, cross fox, lynx, bay lynx or wild cat, star-nosed mole, shrew mole, Say's bat, beaver, musk rat, meadow mouse, jumping mouse, white bellied or tree mouse, woodchuck, the gray, black, red, striped, and flying squirrel, hedge-hog, rabbit, moose, and common deer.

In 1831, a very large moose left the mountain near the notch road, and wan­dered towards the village of Middlesex. He crossed the Winooski near the eddy just below the narrows, and went across the meadows on the farms now owned by Joseph Newhall and Joseph Knapp in Moretown, passing through a field of wheat on the latter farm. He then crossed Mad river near its mouth, and started in the di­rection of the large tract of woods near Camel's Hump mountain. This is sup­posed to be the last wild moose that ever visited Middlesex.

 

COUNTY MEMBERSHIP.

 

Middlesex has had the honor to belong to Gloucester County, established by the N. Y. Council, Mar. 16, 1770; Unity, es­tablished Mar. 17, 1778; name changed to Cumberland, Mar. 21, 1778; to Benning­ton, being set to this County by change of county line Feb. 1, 1779; to Addison Co., formed Oct. 18, 1785; to Jefferson County, incorporated Nov. 1, 1810; to Washington Co., the name of Jefferson being changed to Washington in 1814.

Middlesex can boast of being the first town settled in Washington County, as the county is now organized; but it was not the first town chartered, Duxbury, Moretown and Waterbury having been chartered one day first, June 7, 1763.

The altitude at Middlesex village was given by D. P. Thompson at 520 feet above the level of the ocean, probably meaning the elevation of the railroad at that place. He did not claim minute ac­curacy, but as his estimate was deduced from data of surveys for canals and rail­roads, it is probably a very near approxi­mation.

 

CARRYING THEIR VISITORS HOME.

 

Somewhere between 1825 and 1830, a carpenter and joiner, named Downer, came with his family from Canada to build the house where Elijah Whitney now lives, for Jacob Putnam, and moved his family into a house about 2 miles easterly from Wor­cester Corner, and owned by Wm. Ar­buckle. Downer, for some reason, went to Canada in the winter, and left his wife and four or five children in Worcester, and during his absence they were aided by the town. Danforth W. Stiles then lived where he had made the first beginning, on what is now known as the Nichols' place, above Putnam's Mills, and the Downer family came there and to Jacob Putnam's on a visit. When they were ready to return home, they procured a team, and a boy started to drive them home and take the team back, but they were met near the line by Worcester men, who turned their team around, and told them to drive back into Middlesex, and they returned to Stiles'. Stephen Herrick was overseer of the poor in Middlesex, and Stiles immediately no­tified him of the affair, and he started with his team to carry the family back. He took the woman and children, and accom­panied by Stiles, they proceeded to within about a mile and a half of the house, which distance was through a thick woods, when they were stopped by two men who were felling trees across the road so lively that after considerable effort to cut their way through, they returned with the family to Middlesex, leaving the family at Esquire Baldwin's.

Herrick went home, arriving there about dark, and rode about that part of the town to inform the men of his defeat and procure assistance, and was soon on the road to Worcester again, accompanied by Elijah Holden, with a span of horses and double sleigh to carry the family, and by Horace Holden, Moses Holden, Xerxes Holden, Asa Chapin, Torry Hill, Josiah Holden Abram Gale, John Bryant, George Sawyer, Jeremiah Leland, Sanford White, Lewis Mc‑

 

 

 

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Elroy and others, in all 22 men, with 9 teams and plenty of axes, bars and levers, with which to clear the track, and they were jomed by Stiles when they reached his place, making 23 men. When they reach­ed the woods they were again stopped, this time by 16 Worcester men with axes, who commenced to fell trees into the road, as fully resolved to prevent any further tax to support the Downers, as the Boston "tea party" were to avoid paying the three cent tax on tea. The Middlesex men commenced clearing the road, and pro­ceeded some distance in that way, but the 16 men kept the trees so thick in the road ahead, that Herrick ordered his men to leave the road, and cut a new road through the woods around the fallen trees. In this way they succeeded better, and when the trees became too numerous ahead, they dodged again, and brushed out a road around them, Holden following close behind with the family. As soon as it was certain that they would succeed, Herrick proceeded alone to the house, to protect that from being destroyed, and to have a fire when the woman and children should get there.

Very soon after he reached the house, William Hutchinson entered with a fire­brand, and was about to set fire to the house, when Herrick seized him, threw him to the floor, and seating himself on Hutchinson, held him fast. Torry Hill soon entered, with a gruff "whose here?" Herrick answered, "I am here, and here is this little Bill Hutchinson, who bothered me yesterday by felling trees into the road." "Let me have him," said Torry. Herrick released him, when he sprang for the fire, determined to carry out his purpose, but Torry seized him by the collar, and snapping him to the door, gave him a kick that made him say, ''I'll go!" "Yes, you will go, and that d—d quick, too," said Hill, giving him another kick, that sent him many feet from the house.

Soon after both parties arrived at the house, and the family was escorted in about daybreak. A war of words followed, with some threatening. One tall, muscular, Worcester man, named Rhodes, stepped out, and threatening loudly, exclaimed, "I can lick any six of you!" Torry Hill sprang in front of him, and smacking his fists together, replied, "My name is six, come on!" but no blows were struck.

Herrick was soon called before Judge Ware, of Montpelier, to answer to the charge of violating the statute against removing any person or persons from one town in this State to any other town in the State without an order of removal. It was proved conclusively that all the home they had was in Worcester, that they were vis­iting in Middlesex, and desired to return, and that the defendant only helped them to return to their house in Worcester. Wm. Upham and Nicholas Baynes, counsel for Worcester, and Judge Jeduthan Loomis for defendant.

Although the Worcester people were beat, they did not give up, but arranged a double sled so that the driver's seat was attached to the forward sled, and a blow or two with an axe would free the hind sled and body, and taking the family on the sled, they gave them a free ride up north, and when in a suitable place the driver detached the forward sled, and trotted off towards home, leaving the woman and children in the road, comfortably tucked up in their part of the sled, and where they would be under the necessity of soliciting the charity of Her Majesty's subjects in Canada.

 

POPULATION AND GRAND LIST.

 

1783, population 1 or 2; 1791, 60; 1793. grand list £280, 10s.; 1800, population 262; 1810, population 401, list $4770.37; 1820, 726, $7623; 1830, 1156, $5720; 1840, 1279, $8240; 1850, 1365, $2952.52; 1860, 1254, $3459.51; 1870, 1171, $3584.63; 1880, 1087, $3128; 1881, $5068.

 

In 1794, our votes for governor were, for Thomas Chittenden 10, Elijah Paine 4, Louis R. Morris 1, and Samuel Mattocks 1.

It was voted to raise 3d. per pound for making and repairing roads, and 2d. per pound to defray town expenses.

The 5d. on a pound was 2 1-12 per ct. of the grand list, which was a great variation from the 125 to 150 per et. raised by

 

 

 

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the town for a few years past for necessary expenses and highways.

 

SCHOOLS.

 

The first district extended along the river, but we have not learned the exact location of the first school-house. The district was divided in 1794, the line be­tween lots 6 and 7 on the river, and one school-house built near where the No. 1 school-house now stands, and No. 2 school­house, which was washed away by the freshet of 1818, about half way from the village to where the road leading towards the Centre passes under the railroad.

As the town became settled, new dis­tricts were organized until they numbered 13, but at present only 11 support schools, two having been divided and set to other districts. With two or three exceptions, the school-houses have been newly built or repaired within a few years, and are in good condition, and the schools will com­pare favorably with the common schools of surrounding towns.

The natural division of the township prevents any natural central point in town, and no high schools of any grade have been established here, but many of the larger scholars attend the high schools and seminaries at Montpelier, Barre, Waterbury and elsewhere.

The number of families having children of school age is about 170, and the number of school children only about 225, consequently our schools are all small compared with the schools of early days. About the year 1825 Stephen Herrick taught at the Centre and had 75 scholars; Hubbard Willey sending 10, Ezra Nichols 7, and others nearly as many.

 

TOWN OFFICERS.

 

REPRESENTATIVES—Samuel Harris was representative in 1791; Seth Putnam, 1792, '93, '94, '96, '97 to 1800, '3, '4, '5, '7, '8, '13 to '17, '22; Josiah Hurlburt, 1795; Henry Perkins, 1801, '2, '6; David Har­rington, 1809 to 1813, '17, '19, '21; Na­thaniel Carpenter, 1818, '20; Josiah Hol­den, 1823, '24, '28, '29; Holden Putnam, 1825, 26, '27, '34, '36, '40; John Vincent, 1830, '33, '35, '37; Wm. H. Holden, 1831; Wm. J. Holden, 1838; Leander Warren, 1841, '44, '58, '59; Horace Hol­den, 1842, '43; Wm. H. Holden, 1845; Joseph Hancock, 1846, '48; John Poor, 1849, '50; Oliver A. Chamberlin, 1851, '52, '55; Moses Holden, 1851, '54; Geo. Leland, 2d, 1856, '57; James H. Holden, 1860; Jacob S. Ladd, 1861, '62; Wm. E. McAllister, 1863; C. C. Putnam, 1864, '65; Rufus Warren, 1866, '67; Charles B. Holden, 1868, '69; Jarvil C. Leland, 1870; Jacob Putnam, 1872; Sylvanus Daniels, 1874; C. C. Eaton, 1876; Myron W. Miles, 1878; Wm. Chapin, 1880.

 

SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.—David Goodale was chosen in 1846; Aaron Ladd, 1847, '48, '49; Stephen Herrick, 1850, '56, '66; George Bryant, 1851; Wm. H. Hol­den, 1852; Wm. Chapin, 1853, '57, '69; H. Fales, 1854; Anson Felton, 1855; H. L. McElroy, 1858, '61 to '66; Marcus Gould, 1859, '60; W. L. Leland, 1867; C. C. Putnam, Jr., 1868, '70; Elijah Whitney, 1879, '80; V. V. Vaughn, 1871 to '79, '81.

 

FIRST SELECTMEN.—Thomas Mead, 1790, '95, '96; Samuel Harris, 1791; Seth Putnam, 1792, '98, 1803, '4, '14, '15; Levi Putnam, 1793; Josiah Hurlburt, 1794; Leonard Lamb, 1797; Henry Perkins, 1799; David Barrington, 1800, '1, '2; Ephraim Willey, 1805; Elisha Woodbury, 1806; Josiah Holden, 1807, '8; Nathaniel Car­penter, 1809, '11, '13, '18, '19, '20, '21; Joseph Hutchins, 1810; Ephraim Keyes, 1812; Daniel Houghton, 1816; Jacob Put­nam, 1817; Horace Holden, 1822, '23, '27, '35, '36, '39, '46, '47; James Jordan, 1828; John Vincent, 1829, '30, '31, '34; Wm. H. Holden, 1833; Aaron Ladd, 1837; S. C. Collins, 1838; Leander Warren, 1840, '57; Geo. H. Lewis, 1841, '42, '53; O. A. Chamberlin, 1843, '44, '48, '49, '51; Sam­uel Daniels, 1845; George Leland, 1850, '52; C. C. Putnam, 1854, '72, '73; Jacob S. Ladd, 1855; Moses Holden, 1856; Wm. D. McIntyre, 1858; David Ward, 1859, '60, '66, '67, '68; Osgood Evans, 1861; Andrew A. Tracy, 1862; Jas. H. Holden, 1863, '64; D. P. Carpenter, 1865; Jarvil C. Leland, 1869; Jacob Putnam,

 

 

 

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1870; Gardner Sawyer, 1874, '81; Elijah Somers, 1875; Wm. B. McElroy, 1876; Hiram A. Sawyer, 1877; Norris Wright, 1878; D. K. Culver, 1879; C. J. Lewis, 1880.

 

CONSTABLES.—The first constable elect­ed was Edmond Holden, in 1790; Daniel Romney, 1791; Jacob Putnam, 1792; Seth Putnam, 1793; Samuel Harris, 1794, '97, '98, '99; Josiah Hurlburt, 1795; Wm. Hol­den, 1796, 1820; Henry Perkins, 1800; Rufus Chamberlin, 1801; David Allen, 1802; Ira Hawks, 1803; Thomas Mead, 1804, '5, '6; David Harrington, 1807 to '13; Josiah Holden, 1814; Horace Holden, 1817, '19, '24; Luther Haskins, 1818; Dan­iel Houghton, 1821; Jeduthan Haskins, 1822; Alexander McCray, 1825; Ira Mc­Elroy, 1825; O. A. Chamberlin, 1828; Wm. A. Nichols, 1829; Luther Farrar, 1830, '31; D. P. Carpenter, 1833, '34, '36, '37; Gideon Hills, 1835; Stephen Herrick, 1838, '39, '40, '42, '45; Geo. Leland, 1841; Philander Holden, 1843, '44, '46; Geo. H. Lewis, 1847, '48, '49; Wm. H. Holden, 1850, '51; Wm. Slade, 1852; Frank A. Blodgett, 1853, '54; Curtis Haskins, 1855; Ezra Ladd, 1856, '57; Wm. Chapin, 1858, '59; C. B. Holden, 1860 to '74; Myron W. Miles, 1874 to the present, 1881.

 

OVERSEERS SINCE 1841.—Robert McElroy, 1842; Selectmen, 1843, '75; Jedu­than Haskins, 1844; D. P. Carpenter, 1845; Wm. S. Clark, 1846; Wm. D. Mc­Intyre, 1847, '67, '68, '69; Enos Stiles, 1848, '49; Thomas Stowell, 1850; Benja­min Scribner, 1851, '53, '54, '64; Stephen Herrick, 1852, '58; Daniel B. Sherman, 1855, '56; Geo. R. Sawyer, 1857; W. H. Clark, 1859; C. C. Putnam, 1860 to '67; David Ward, 1870; Elijah Somers, 1871, 72, '73, '74; Seaver Howard, 1876, '77; Putnam W. Daley, 1878; H. A. Sawyer, 1879, '80, '81.

 

FIRST JUSTICES.—Seth Putnam, 1789, 1811, '12; Nathaniel Carpenter, 1813, '14, '15, '17, '18, '23 to '30, and '33 to '39; Rufus Chamberlin, 1816; Daniel Hough­ton, 1819, '20, '22; David Harrington, 1821; Wm. H. Holden, 1831, '32, '33; Horace Holden, 1839, '40, '41, '44, nearly all the time till his death, in 1865; Wm. T. Clark, 1842; Thomas Stowell, 1843; John Poor, 1853; Jas. H. Holden, 1864, '65, '67 to '72; Marcus Gould, 1866; C. C. Putnam, 1872, '73, '74, '75; D. P. Carpen­ter, '76, '77, '78, '80. Seth Putnam, first justice in 1789, held the office of justice 26 years; David Harrington, 15 years; Thos. Stowell, 12 years; John Poor, 14 years; Nathaniel Carpenter, first justice, 20 years, and Horace Holden was justice at least 38 years.

 

TOWN AGENTS.—Stephen Herrick, 1842, '52, '57, '58, '60, '61, '66, '72; Geo. H. Lewis, 1843, '44; John Poor, 1845, '53; Holden Putnam, 1846 to '51; George W. Bailey, 1855, '56; Wm. D. McIntyre, 1859; Leander Warren, 1862, '63, '64, '65, '71, '73; D. P. Carpenter, 1867, '68, '69; David Ward, 1870; C. C. Putnam, 1874, '75; Wm. Chapin, 1876, '77, '78, '80, '81; Rufus Warren, 1879.

 

COUNTY JUDGES.—Hon. James H. Hol­den, Hon. Don P. Carpenter.

 

MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.—Seth Putnam was member in 1793; Rufus Chamberlin in 1814, '22, '28 and '36; Wm. H. Holden in 1843; O. A. Cham­berlin in 1850.

 

POSTMASTERS.—Theophilus Cushman was postmaster in 1824; Daniel Houghton, 1828; Aaron Ladd, 1829; Moses L. Hart, 1830; Nathaniel Bancroft, 1831; Moses L. Hart, 1832, '33; Hiram McIntyre, 1834 to '38; Ransom B. Jones, 1838, '39; Horace Snow, 1840 to '45; Wm. C. Stowell, 1845, '46; Harris Hoyt, 1847; A. A. Haskins, 1848, '49; A. H. Hayes, 1850; Jesse Johnson, 1851, '52; Anson C. Burnham, 1853, '54; Geo. H. Lewis, 1855 to '59; Simpson Hayes, 1859, '60, '61; James H. Holden, 1862 to 1881, inclusive.

 

PHYSICIANS.—A doctor by the name of Billings practiced and resided in Middle­sex in 1821; Holdridge soon after; Joseph Lewis, 1825; Samuel Fifield, 1830; Daniel Kellogg, '33; Henry Dewey, '34; H. Dewey and Jona Webster, '35; Jona Webster, '36, '37; Rial Blanchard, '40, '41, '42; David Goodale, '44; F. B. Packard, '45; Chand­ler Poor, dentist, '45; David Goodale, '46,

 

 

 

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'47; A. H. Hayes and B. L. Conant, '48; A. H. Hayes, '49; Horace Fales, '50 '51, '52, '53, '54, '55; W. Sawin, '58, '59; H. L. Richardson, '61, '62, '63; O. L. Watson, '65, '66; — Risdon, '79; W. G. Church, '80 and '81.

There might have been physicians in town previous to any named, but I have no such record or evidence. In addition to those named, other physicians have lived in town, among whom is Dr. Zela Richardson, a son of Frederick Richardson, who was one of the first inhabitants of Stowe. The Dr. was born in Stowe in Dec. 1799, went to Castleton when about 22 years of age, and studied for the pro­fession under Dr. Thompson, and com­menced practicing according to the Thomp­sonian system in Brandon and vicinity in about 1824. He moved to Stowe in 1833, and practiced some there till 1840, when he moved to where Silas Mead now resides in Moretown, where he lived until 1846, when he moved across the river to Middlesex village, where he has ever since resided, but for the last thirty years he has nearly discontinued practice.

Among others who have lived and prac­ticed m town a short time each are a doc­tor by the name of Conant, and Dr. Spicer, Dr. Scott and a cancer doctor named Hill, and perhaps a few others.

 

THE CLERGY OF THE TOWN.

 

No record has been found of the first preaching in Middlesex, but it is known that about 1812 the Methodist minister of the Barre circuit preached occasionally in town, and that in 1813,

 

REV. STEPHEN HERRICK,

 

of Randolph, took the place of the Barre circuit preacher, and in his circuit visited Middlesex often, and usually held meetings in the school-house, then standing on the north side of the road, very near the present line between the farms now occupied by Stephen Herrick and Joseph Arbuckle. About the same time,

 

NATHAN HUNTLEY

 

organized a religious society, commonly called Elder Huntley's church, which in belief and manner of worship was nearest that of the Free Will Baptists. Elder Huntley continued his labors until about 1822, when through his advice the society decided to disband, and many of the mem­bers joined the other churches.

 

ELDER BENJAMIN CHATTERTON

 

was probably a resident of Middlesex longer than any other preacher that has ever re­sided here. He was a member of Elder Huntley's church, and was ordained Elder, and commenced preaching soon after the society to which he belonged disbanded. He was a Free Will Baptist, and continued to preach in town occasionally until near his death. He was buried on the farm where he lived, on East Hill, now owned by Charles Silloway.

A list of many of the clergymen who have labored in this town, with dates to show about what time they were preachers in Middlesex; John F. Adams, Methodist, circuit preacher in 1821; E. B. Baxter, Congregationalist, 1831; Benjamin Chatterton, Free Will Baptist, 1834; E. G. Page and Isaiah Emerson, Meth., '35; J. T. Pierce, Cong., '38; Edward Copeland, Meth., '39; Hiram Freeman, Cong., '39 and '40; W. N. Peck, Meth., '40, '41; Elbridge Knight, Cong.; and Wm. Peck and Israel Hale, Meth., '42; John H. Beckwith, Cong., and H. P. Cushman; Meth., '43, '44, '45; P. Merrill, Meth., '46; N. Web­ster in '47; D. Willis, Meth., '48; E. B. Fuller, Free Will Baptist, '51, '52; Joshua Tucker, Free Will Baptist, '53; L. H. Hooker, Meth., and — Cummings, Free Will Baptist, '54; E. Dickerman, Meth., and O. Shipman, Free Will Baptist, '55, '56; Abner Newton, Meth., '57; J. S. Spinney, Meth., '58, '59; N. W. Aspinwall, '60, '61; W. E. McAllister, Meth., '62, '63; T. Drew, Meth., '64; F. H. Roberts, '65, '66; A. Hitchcock, '67; Dyer Willis, '68; —— Goodrich, '69; W. A. Bryant, Meth., '71, '72, '73; O. A. Farley, '74, '75; L. O. Sherburn, '76; C. S. Hurl­burt, '77, '78; T. Trevillian, '79, '80; W. H. Dean, '81.

 

EARLY INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES.

 

The following account of the hardships of the first family who made a settlement

 

 

 

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in this town, from Deming's Vermont Offi­cers, 1851, written by Horace Holden:

 

"Thomas Mead was the first settler in the town and the first in the county. He came from Westford, Mass., having purchased a right of land in Middlesex. He came as far as Royalton with his wife and two or three children. Here he shouldered his gun, knapsack and ax, and set forward alone to find Middlesex, on Winooski river. He went from Brookfield through the woods to the head of Dog river, following that down to its junction with the Winooski, and over that river to Middlesex, having informed his wife that in a given time he should return, unless he sent her word to the contrary. On his arrival he found Mr. Jonah Harrington had made a pitch, and commenced chopping about 2 miles below Montpelier village, where he tarried till morning when he went down the river about 3 miles to the farm now owned by Thomas Stowell, where was formerly a tavern. Here he made his "pitch," and a very good one too for a farmer; but had he continued down to the village of Middlesex it might have been much better around the falls in that place.

"He was so pleased with swinging his ax among the trees on his own land, subsist­ing on such game as he took with wooden traps and his gun, that his promise to his wife to return was not fulfilled. She be­came alarmed about him, procured a horse, loaded it with provisions, and set forth to find her husband; following up White river to its source in Granville, thence down Mad river through Warren, Waits­field and Moretown to its junction with the Winooski about half a mile below Middlesex village, crossed that river and travelled up it about one mile, where, to her joy and his surprise, she found her husband in the afternoon of the third day, doing a good business among the maples, elms and butternuts. From Royalton to Rochester she had a bridle path, then to Middlesex were only marked or spotted trees; was often under the necessity of un­loading her horse to get him past fallen timber, and often had to lead him some distance. Mr. Mead's family soon moved into town. Mr. Mead's third son, Joel, was born in Lebanon, N. H., Jan. 18, 1785, she having gone there for better ac­commodations than Middlesex then af­forded. Some time in June, 1785, Mrs. Mead was gone from home on a very cloudy afternoon. Mrs. Mead had to look for her cows, which ran in the woods at large. She started in good season, leaving three small children, one a nursing infant 5 months old, alone in the house. Not hearing the bell on the cows, she took their tracks and followed down the river about 1½ miles, found where they had fed apparently most of the day, but no bell to be heard. She then sought their tracks, and found they had gone down the river, and over "Hog back mountain" to Waterbury, one of the roughest places in all creation, almost; but cows must be found, or children go to bed supperless. She made up her mind to "go ahead," and crossing the almost impassible mountain, and following on, found the cows near the present railroad depot in Waterbury, 6 or 7 miles from home.

 

"By this time it had become dark, and backed up by a tremendous thunder­shower, rendered it so dark, that return­ing over that mountain in the night was out of question. In this unpleasant sit­uation, she found her way to Mr. James Marsh's, the only but in that village, and stayed till the first appearance of daylight, when she started her cows for home on a double quick time, where she safely ar­rived before any of her children had com­pleted their morning nap. She concluded the children had so long a crying spell before going to sleep, they did not awake as early as usual."

 

About 1795, Mr. Mead kept a few sheep, the only sheep kept in town at that time. He had to keep a close watch of them and yard them nights, to keep them from falling a prey to the bears that were then plenty in the woods.

One morning he found his sheep had broken out of their pen, and following them a short distance northerly from his house, he found a sheep that had been

 

 

 

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killed and partly eaten by the bears. He returned to his house, took his gun, and started in search of the intruders. He had not proceeded far into the woods before he came in sight of a bear that was on the retreat. He proceeded cautiously after bruin, keeping the bear to the windward, and fol­lowed up the hill in a northern direction, until he came near the top of the hill, when he again came in sight of his game, and was skulking along to get a better chance to shoot, when his wife, who had become alarmed by his absence and followed him, came in sight and halloed to him. This started the bear, but a quick shot rolled the sheep-thief over on the ground lifeless. The courageous woman told her husband she had seen another bear while she was searching for him, and they started back in the direction where she had seen it. They had not proceeded far when they came in sight of the second bear, which Mr. Mead also killed with one shot from his faithful gun. They then returned towards where the sheep had been killed, thinking to pick up and save the wool that had been scattered by the carniverous shearers.

 

As they came in sight of the spot, bruin number three was finishing his morning meal. Mr. Mead immediately settled his account with this bear in the same way he settled with the other two, and went home feeling very well after his before-breakfast exercise. He then informed the few neigh­bors in town of what he had done, who collected together, helped get the three bears out of the woods and dress them, and all had a "jovial time" and joyful feast.

As the number of settlements in town increased, the bears became less numerous, and when one was seen it was often the occasion of a lively and exciting chase. Sometimes nearly all the men within four or five miles would join in the chase, or surround the woods in which the bear was known to be, and lucky was the animal if he escaped unharmed. Three bears were killed one year at three such hunts. At one time, about the year 1830, a bear was discovered somewhere near the spot where the guide-board now is, near the Centre, and ''all hands" started in pursuit. Geo. Holden. then living at the Centre, where Mrs. Daniels now resides, started with a pitchfork, the weapon he happened to have in his hands when he first heard the cry, "a bear! a bear!" The bear was chased down towards the Winooski, and made his way to somewhere near the river on the Governor's Rights, where, being worried by dogs and hotly pursued by men, he un­dertook to climb a tree that stood on a very steep side-hill. Mr. Holden, then a strong, courageous young man, was near, and ran to the foot of the tree as the bear was hitching up it, and stuck the pitchfork into the bear's posterior. Bruin, not liking to be helped up in that way, dropped upon his hind feet, and threw his fore feet around Mr. Holden's body. Holden at the same time seized the bear "at a back-hug hold," and they tumbled over on the ground, and rolled over and over to the foot of the hill, and some say into the river, where they quit their holds, and bruin ran until he was out of the way of men and pitchforks, and went up another tree. The word spread rapidly that the bear was up a tree, and the men gathered together and commenced shooting at him. Many shots had been fired when Horace Holden put in an ap­pearance. After amusing himself and others present for a few minutes by cracking jokes and telling stones at the expense of the sharp-shooters, who were too ex­cited to kill a bear, he expressed a desire to try it himself. No sooner did his rifle crack than the bear loosened his hold on the tree and fell to the ground.

 

FIRST SETTLEMENTS IN THE EAST PART OF THE TOWN.

 

Jacob Putnam settled where Elijah Whit­ney now lives in 1802; Micah Hatch on the old Hatch place, so-called, the same year; Wm. Lewis on the Lathrop Lewis farm in 1805; John Arbuckle where Putnam Daley now lives, about 1808; Lewis McElroy where Dudley Jones now lives, in 1822; Caleb Bailey and — York lived on the George Herrick farm in 1823; Ichabod Cummings began on the Ziba Smith farm in 1824, lived there one year, and re‑

 

 

 

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moved the next year to the farm where he with his Oramel, now live; Daniel Colby lived on the farm where Frank Maxham and son now live, in 1826.

 

The most ancient writings with a pen in town, are probably in the possession of James Vaughn, among which is a book commenced by George Vaughn in Oct. 1687; the writing done by him being very neatly executed, and a commission of 1696, given here et literatem:

 

"William Stoughton Esqr Lieutent Governour and Comander in chief in and over his Matys Province of the Masssa­chusetts Bay in New England. To Jo­seph Vaughn Greeting, By virtue of the power and authority in and by his Matys Royal Commission to me granted, I do by these presents constitute and appoint you to be Ensign of the Foot Company of Militia in the Town of Middleboro within the County of Plimouth whereof Jacob Thompson Gent is Lieutenant. You are therefore carefully and diligently to dis­charge the duties of an Ensign by order­ing and Exercising the sd Company in arms both Inferiour Officers and Souldiers Keeping them in good order and Discipline, Commanding them to obey you as their ensign, And yourself to observe and follow such orders and directions as you shall receive from your sd Lieutenant and other your Superiour Officers, according to the Rules and Discipline of War pursuant to the trust reposed in you. Given under my hand & seal at arms at Boston the Fifth day of August, 1696, In the Eighth year of the Reign of our sovereign. Lord William the Third, by the Grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c.

            By Command of the Lieut. Govern'r., &c.

                                                         WM. STOUGHTON."

            Jsa. Addington, Secr'y.

 

 

THE MIDDLESEX MONEY DIGGERS.

 

"May Martin, or The Money Diggers," by D. P. Thompson, is known to be founded upon the fact that men dug here for money, at the foot of the nearly perpendic­ular drop of a hundred feet or more from the southerly part of the highest peak of Camel's Hump. It was commenced by a few men in 1824 or '25, who built a shanty there, one side a large piece of detached ledge, the other three sides, log of un­trimmed spruce and fir, quite young; the roof formed by drawing in the trees as they neared the top, until the boughs met the ledge above, which shelter being protected from the north and west winds by the high ledge, made a warm and comfortable place, under which the men professed to dig in search of the treasure supposed to have been secreted by Capt. Kidd somewhere on this continent. They were in part directed in their search by a woman living towards the North part of the State, who claimed to see into unsearchable things by looking into a transparent quartz stone or piece of glass. This company subsisted mainly by duping the nearest settlers so as to get them to furnish food. One man let them have his sheep to eat until they had devoured a large flock, he expecting good pay when the treasure should be found. Many were the conjectures as to the object of these money-diggers. Some thought they were a band of counterfeiters, others that they were a set of thieves, while a few thought they were honestly digging for money, and were hopeful for their success.

Their work was brought to a close by a party of young men from Middlesex, among whom was Enos Stiles, who gives the fol­lowing account of their expedition, he be­ing the only one of the party now alive:

Dec. 11, 1826, between 8 and 9 o'clock in the evening, Ira McElroy, Calvin Farrar, Amos L. Rice, Archy McElroy, Jerry Mc­Elroy, Alexander M. Allen and Enos Stiles started from Middlesex village for Camel's Hump, with a view to discover what they could of the work or object of the money-diggers there, and were accompanied by Nathaniel Carpenter, then a justice of the peace, who went to act as an official if any arrests should be made. As they started, it so happened Danforth Stiles, from the east part of Middlesex, one Hink­son and one Reed were on their way to the mountain, and fell in with them. There was no temperance law then to forbid, no Good Templars to interfere, and acting upon the principle that which contained the most heat and stimulus was the best beverage for a long journey in a winter's night, they took two gallons of new rum for drink with them, and what provisions

 

 

 

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needed beside. Leaving their teams at Ridley's tavern, now Ridley's Station, they took their provision and drink, and pro­ceeded on foot to the mountain, about 6 miles distant. Esq. Carpenter stopped at the last house at the foot of the mountain to await for business, if needed, and the other seven of the party kept on up the steep mountain, through some two or three miles of thick forest.

When about half way up, after crossing a spruce ridge and coming into hard wood where it was lighter, they called the roll, and found one man missing. Three men were detailed to go back and find him, which they did some one-third mile back, lying in the snow fast asleep, having ap­parently fallen asleep and dropped out of line unnoticed by the rest of the party. Nothing more of note occurred until they arrived in the early break of day at the headquarters of the money-diggers, where they found Rodney Clogston, of Middle­sex, the leader of the band, one Shackford, Eastman, and Friezell, up, dressed, with a good tire burning before the shanty.

After looking over the premises a little, four of the party went up to the top, and were there at sunrise playing a game of cards. The south wind was blowing warm, and they suffered no inconvenience from cold. It had been warm for a number of days, and the snow was not very deep at that time. After taking breakfast, well-washed down, the Middlesex party com­menced a thorough search for goods, coining implements, treasures or excavations, which continued till about 1 o'clock P. M., and resulted in finding nothing except a little digging done inside of the shanty in the ledge that formed one of its sides, about what might have been done by two men with powder, good drills and a sledge in one day.

Giving up searching, the party came to­gether at the camp and had a social time, until some were feeling pretty well, when one man said he did not want to trouble the camp for anything, and offered to pur­chase one cent's worth of meat, which was dealt out to him.

Then some of the boys, being possessed of evil spirits as well as good, commenced to break spruce twigs and put them on the fire for the fun of seeing them burn; this made a division, and two opposing parties were formed. Two of the men from the east part of the town sided with the dig­gers, and one remained silent and neutral, which made six against seven, when the invaders commenced piling on larger brush, and soon had the shanty in a rousing blaze. The diggers defended their property smartly by words, and declared that their things should all burn and the boys would be compelled to pay for them; but no fighting was done, and before the fire reached any of their things they made a rush and saved their trumpery, and let the shanty burn. The brush was so dry, the blaze shot into the air some fifty feet, making a splendid sight, but the diggers' lodge was reduced to ashes. In less than two hours after, the money-diggers were all on the march for home, thus ending the digging for Captain Kidd's treasures on Camel's Hump.

 

THE COLDEST NIGHT HERE

 

in the month of July since the year 1816, was probably in 1829. Enos Stiles relates that he worked at haying for Elijah Holden on the farm where Gardner Sawyer now resides, in 1829, and that he and two other men who were mowing on the 10th of July threw down their whetstones on a swath of hay, one above another, and that when he took up the upper stone on the morning of the 11th, the stones were frozen together so that he raised the three together when he lifted the top one. But he says the frost did not seriously injure the growing crops.

 

FIRES.

 

The only fire in town supposed to be in­cendiary was that burning the store, tavern- house and barns standing where B. Bar­rett's store and tavern now stand, and owned in 1835 by a man named Mann. In May, that year, the buildings, with 3 or 4 horses and one ox, were burned, and Simeon Edson, who kept tavern where J. Q. Hobart now lives, was arrested on charge of setting the fire. At a justice trial the jury found him guilty, and he was

 

 

 

                                                              MIDDLESEX.                                                        243

 

lodged in jail to await County Court trial. After being in jail for some time, he got bail, and never appeared at trial, and as there was lack of good proof, his bonds were never called for.

 

THE SAP-FEEDER,

 

so generally used by maple sugar-makers to run the sap into the pans or evaporators as fast as it evaporates, was invented by the late Moses Holden, Esq., who for many years owned and carried on the sugar-place about 2 miles from his home in the village; was a part of the Scott farm. He was a large, strong man, a great worker, and seldom had any help in sugar­ing, and often felt the need of having his sap boiling safely when he was away. Hearing a description of a floating con­trivance for regulating the amount of water running into the flume of a certain mill, gave him an idea about regulating the sap running into his sap-pans, and he went to Montpelier and told one of the tinmen there what he wanted made. The tinman would have nothing to do with it for fear of ridicule in case of a failure; but going to another tin-shop, the tinman made the feeder according to directions, and only asked for a chance to make more if it proved a suc­cess. Mr. Holden took his invention home, elevated his sap-holder, put on his feeder, and started a fire. It worked well during the day, and when he left at night, he filled his holder with sap and his arch with wood, and when he returned in the morning, found his holder nearly empty and everything right. He never applied for a patent, but used this first feeder as long as he sugared, and it is still used by Wm. Scott, who bought the sugar-place.

 

Moses Holden died in May, 1878, at an advanced age. He had always been a res­ident of the town, had represented it in the Legislature twice, and had filled many offices of trust and responsibility. Many stories are told of his physical strength, one of them being to the effect that he has been known to cut and split 8 cords of three-foot wood in one day. He could lift up a full barrel of cider, hold it, and drink from the bung-hole.

 

BURYING GROUNDS.

 

At an early date, Hon. Seth Putnam deeded his one-acre lot in the white pine division, which is in the village, on the east side of the street opposite the railroad depot, to the town for a burying ground. The yard is well fenced, and kept in as good condition as the scanty room will admit. I have not learned who was the first person buried there, and the number can­not be very accurately determined, but the cemetery is nearly all occupied.

 

The following names, taken mostly from the headstones there, show that there sleep some of the brave veterans who fought to establish our nation, and some of the dar­ing pioneers who cleared the dense forest from our fertile fields; Lyman Tolman, aged 95, Cyrus Hill, 94, Ebenezer Woodbury—Revolutionary sol­diers; Hon. Seth Putnam, fourth settler in town, 93; Capt. Holden Putnam, Captain at Plattsburgh, 86; Jesse Johnson, Sen'r, 86; Luther Haskins, 84; Mary Petty Has­kins, wife of Luther, 81; Sally, wife of Dr. Joseph Lewis, 83; Polly Goldthwait, 79; Elihu Atherton, 79; Moses Holden, 78; Aaron Ladd, 70; Jesse Johnson, Jr., 77.

 

As the ripened autumn leaves surely and successively drop from the forest trees and are borne to the silent earth, so are we, in sure succession, dropping from the stage of life, and being borne to the silent cities of the departed. And as the inhab­itants of these cities will soon outnumber those living in our villages and along our valleys and hill sides, it seems just and appropriate proper mention should be made of them; and I think much credit is due the inhabitants of this town and near vicinity for the improving and adorning of their cemeteries. The ground now called

 

THE MIDDLESEX CENTRE CEMETERY,

 

is now one of the most neatly arranged country cemeteries to be found; situated in a sightly, pleasant place, on the east side of the first made and most direct road from the village to the Centre, about 2 miles from the river, on the top of the first of three elevations of rolling ground found in coming from the village on this

 

 

 

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road. Along the roadside and within the gate near the entering avenue, is a grove of handsome maples in rows, casting their shade upon the turf and over the pretty, white school house upon the left. The grounds within the cemetery are neatly arranged in 6 rows of lots, with 3 carriage avenues running the length of the ground and cross avenues. Each lot is raised above the avenues, with walk left between each 2 lots, and flowers, blooming shrubs and roses, break the mat of thick green grass and add their beauty to the sacred plots. A substantial wall and close-trimmed cedar hedge inclosing all.

But it is more the tasteful arrangement of the whole that makes the place seem beautiful for every one, than any profuse adornment. The stranger, too, pauses to admire the lovely scenery around as well, and the mourners feel a spirit of thankful­ness that their dear friends are resting in so fair a place.

 

There are some 200 graves here now, with many monuments. Jan. 1, 1812 Na­than Benton, one of the first settlers, deeded 2 acres of land here to Joseph Chapin, Josiah Holden and 16 others: the land to be used for a neighborhood bury­ing ground. In the spring of 1822 there were 5 graves in this ground, but it was in an open field, and had not been exactly located. That year the neighbors met and appointed Stephen Herrick to measure and stake out the ground, and a fence was built around it.

But little was done to improve it more until about 1856, when through the influ­ence and under the supervision of Horace Holden, the friends of the deceased buried there, and others who felt interested, be­gan to kill the weeds and brakes that had become abundant, and improvements were continued from time to time till 1858, when everything was completed nearly as at present. In 1866, an association was formed called "The Middlesex Centre Cemetery Association," to which Aaron Ladd, Asa Chapin, and 21 others, owners of lots, deeded their right and title. Under the Association each one of those who deeded and each one who took an active part in the work of improving the ground were en­titled to a family lot.

 

SOME OF THE OLDEST

 

buried here are: Elizabeth McElroy, came from Scotland to U. S. in 1740, died in 1823, aged 99; Joseph Chapin, Sen'r, 96; Susanna Chase, 89; Jeremiah Leland, 78; Elizabeth, wife of Jeremiah Leland, 88; Samuel Daniels, 87; Lucretia, wife of Sam­uel Daniels, 78; Polly McElroy, 84; San­ford White, 80; Maj. John Poor, 79, and Eliza M., his wife, 73—both buried in one grave; Joseph Chapin, Jr., 78; Horace Holden, 74; Marian Leland, 92; Abram Gale, 78, and Mary, his wife, 92; Marga­ret Mead, 79; Benjamin Willey, 72; Mary Wilson, 73; Hosea Minott, 74; Knight Nichols, 81, and Mercy, his wife, 92; Geo. H. Lewis, 71.

 

THE NORTH BRANCH CEMETERY.

 

On North Branch, about 1 mile below Putnam's Mills, is another cemetery, of which Mr. Putnam furnishes the following description:

 

"About 1810, Jno. Davis was buried on land then occupied by him, known as the Scudder lot, nearly in front of his house, on the opposite side of the road. After that time the place was used for a burying ground, and 1/8 of an acre was enclosed with a log-fence. At that time a man by the name of Flanders lived where Chester Taylor now lives; Levi Lewis and wife, Polly, lived where G. M. Whitney now does. Jno. Davis and wife, Nancy, were the first who lived on the Stiles place. James Pittsly and wife, Esther, commenced on the place known as the Bohonnon place, on the east side of the stream, now occupied by Jacob Putnam. After this, Wm. Lewis purchased the Scudder lot and the inhabitants erected a board fence around the burying lot. Oct. 8, 1863, an association was formed called the North Branch Cemetery Association. The trustees pur­chased 1½ acres, together with the old ground of Lathrop Lewis, son of Wm. Lewis, for $150, and built a good, substan­tial fence around it, erected a hearse-house and purchased a hearse. The location being on the main road, and the soil dry

 

 

 

                                                              MIDDLESEX.                                                        245

 

and sandy, makes it the most desirable cemetery in the town."

Some of the oldest buried in North Branch Cemetery were: Clarissa Gould, aged 66; Ruth Minott, 66; Daniel Russell, 68; his wife, Temperance, 81; Reuben Russell, 78; his wife, Susannah, 69; John Gallison, 83; his wife, Phebe, 85; Allen Gallison, 68; Enoch Kelton, 64; his wife, Huldah, 72; Josiah Wright, 76; his wife, Betsy, 84; Nathaniel Wentworth, 71; Eliz­abeth, relict of Moses Wentworth, 87; Wil­liam Lewis, 88; his wife, Hannah, 67; Jacob Putnam, 73; his wife, Polly W., 57; Betsy Thayer, 67; Isaac Batchelder, 61; his wife, Mary, 68; David Herrick, 86; his wife, Mary, 85; Stephen C. Jacobs, 76; Andrew Tracy, 75; his wife, Levina, 84; Ebenezer Cummings, 94; Abel H. Cole­man, 75; David Gray, 82; David Hatch, 63; his wife, Sarah, 57; John McDermid, nearly 77; his wife, Adelia, nearly 72; Louiza Lane, 72; Margaret Smith, Thomas Culver, 71; his wife, Anna, 73; Zeley Keyes, 76; Micah Hatch, 83; his wife, Mary, 69; Ephraim Hall, 68; Tim­othy Worth, 84; Solomon Lewis, 89; his wife, Susannah, 70; his second wife, Lu­cinda, 68; Elizabeth Chinch, 60; Sabra Burrell, 85; Wm. R. Kinson, 56; Hannah Kinson, 73; Eunice Edgerly, 64.

MRS. LYDIA KING, widow of Elder Nathaniel King, died at the house of her son-in-law, Stephen Herrick, at the age of 91 years, and was buried in Northfield.

 

REMARKABLE CASE OF PETRIFACTION.

 

In March, 1846, James Vaughn (the writer's father,) and family, which in­cluded his father, Daniel Vaughn, moved from Pomfret, this state, on to a farm in the N. W. part of Middlesex.

"Uncle Daniel," as he was universally called in Windsor County, was a man about 5 feet, 10 inches in height, broad shouldered, stout built, and weighing some more than 200 lbs. He was noted for his remarkable strength, his strong, heavy voice, his sociality, his song-singing and story-telling, and was a notedly robust man, the solidity of muscle increasing as age advanced to such an extent as to make it necessary for him to use a cane or crutches for the last 15 years of his life.

He died of dropsy June 3, 1846, aged 78 years, and by his request was buried in a place selected by himself in a sightly spot near the house where he died. The following March the eldest daughter of James Vaughn, aged 16, died of consump­tion, and was buried in a grave near her grandfather. In Feb. 1855 their remains were taken up to be removed to the family burying lot in Woodstock cemetery. The remains of the young lady were found in the usual condition of those buried that length of time.

The uncommon heft of Mr. Vaughn's coffin led to an examination of the re­mains, when it was found that the body had become petrified. Every part, ex­cepting the nose, was in perfect form, nearly its natural color, but a little more of a yellowish tinge, hard like stone, and it weighed 550 lbs. The petrified body was viewed by Mr. Vaughn's family and many of the neighbors in Middlesex, and was also seen by many at Woodstock. A somewhat minute examination by physi­cians and scientific men revealed the fact that the fingers, toes and the outer part of the body were very hard and brittle, but that the length of time had not been suffi­cient to so fully change the inner portions of the most fleshly parts of the body and limbs. But it was generally believed by those who made examination that a few years more of time would have made the work of petrifaction complete, and chan­ged the entire body to a mineral forma­tion, that would perhaps endure for ages.

A biographical sketch of him we have not given, as it properly belongs in Pom­fret history, of which town he was an early settler.

 

SUDDEN AND ACCIDENTAL DEATHS.

 

Luther Haskins, aged about 80, died in a chair in Barrett & Holden's store. He sat leaning slightly back, and was first noticed to be dead by Will Herrick, who happened to go into the store.

Nancy Hornbrook, aged 16, daughter of Wm. Hornbrook, dropped dead at a party at Alfred Warren's, about the year 1856.

 

 

 

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When the railroad was being built, Lo­vina Cameron, aged about 13, dau. of Ira Cameron, of this town, was visiting in Berlin. She and a cousin and another girl were walking over the railroad bridge near Montpelier Junction, stepping from one stringer to another, all having hold of hands, when one made a misstep, and Miss Cameron and her cousin fell through into the river and were drowned.

U. W. Goodell, nephew of L. D. Ains­worth, was struck on the forehead by a stick thrown by a circular saw while working in Mr. Ainsworth's saw-mill, and lived but a few hours.

Chester Newton, while working in the same mill, helping to saw logs, was twitched upon the large circular saw, by the saw catching a board he was moving, and so horribly mangled that he lived but a short time.

Alvaro, son of Frederick Richardson, brakeman on the cars, aged 26 years, was killed by his head striking the timbers overhead in the dry-bridge at Waterbury, in 1879. Hinkley Chapin, aged 22, was killed at the same place, and in the same way, in 1851.

In 1872, Louis Amel's house, on east hill, caught fire from smoking meat in the wood-shed, and Mr. Amel was overcome by the flames while removing property, and burned with the house. Age, 51 yrs.

Nathaniel Daniels was drowned in 1818; see account of freshets. George, a son of Hiram Williams, was drowned in the river below the Narrows, while bathing, aged about 16. Frank, son of Osgood Evans, was in a boat above the Narrows, one paddle broke, and he went over the falls and was drowned. His body was found in the eddy below the Narrows. The only son of Asa Chapin, was drowned in a spring while drawing water for use in the house, and a little son of Samuel Mann was drowned in a spring on the Stephen Herrick farm.

James Daniels, aged about 78, living at Lawrence Fitzgerald's, was found dead in bed in the morning.

There have been 10 cases of suicide in the last 60 years by Middlesex people, 7 of which were committed in town.

 

STEPHEN HERRICK.

 

BY THE EDITOR.

 

We do not usually give sketches of the living, but the senior writer of this town history being so aged a man, and it being somewhat remarkable in his case that of 210 men living in the town when he settled here, who had families, that he has been the last survivor of them all for eight and a half years past, it seems a moderate autobiographic record in such circum­stances is admissible.

 

Mr. Derrick is of English and Scotch descent, son of Stephen, senior; born in Randolph, Vt., Feb. 19, 1795. In the fall of 1820, he came to Middlesex, and selected his location, bought in October, but returned to Randolph, taught school that winter after in Brookfield, and returned to Middlesex in April, 1821. He bought his farm of Reuben Mann, son of Samuel, who was one of the first settlers, and where Mr. H. has continued to reside for the past 61 years. He married Lydia, dau. of Rev. Nathaniel King; their children: Eliza— mar. 1st, Chester Pierce of N. H., 2d, Samuel Warren of Middlesex, 3d, Adin Miles of Worcester, has three children living Nathaniel King, the only son, who m. Jane Foster, 3 children, 2 living— King Herrick, as he is always called, is a merchant at Middlesex village; Emily R., who died at 22; Harriet, who m. Abram S. Adams, had 5 children, and is deceased; Laura Jane, who m. John McDermid, had 2 daughters, buried one; Nancy Jane, who m. Arthur McDermid, bro. to John, 3 chil­dren, her husband dying, m. 2d, Freder­erick A. Richardson; Lydia Ann, who mar. Heman Taplin, no children; and youngest, Alma R., born in 1842, married V. V. Vaughn, Mar. 8, 1865,—children, Mabel, died at 10 years, Wilmar Herrick, Ida Alma, and Frank Waldo.

 

Mr. Herrick has been a man of great physical strength and vigorous mind. The following will evince what his mental ability has been:

 

When the Vt. Central R. R. was being built, Abram B. Barker and Thomas

 

 

 

                                                              MIDDLESEX.                                                        247

 

Haight contracted to build 2 miles of it below Middlesex village. They carried on work for about a year and failed. Ste­phen Herrick took a contract to finish the work ; carried it on about 13 months, and in consequence of short estimates also failed—but for which he immediately com­menced a suit against the R. R. Co., and afterwards was retained for and commen­ced a suit in favor of Barker and Haight as agent for their creditors. After carrying on these suits for 8 years he got a decree against the R. R. Co. in his own case for about $9000; the Barker & Haight suit he prosecuted for 20 years be­fore getting a final decree.

In these suits he took all his testimony himself, examined his witnesses himself in court, and wrote out his own pleas. In a word he was his own lawyer. It is said he once appeared in Supreme court with his case written out, filling 300 pages, that Gov. Paine, the president of the road, said that that book would be the death of him. Mr. Herrick tells the story now well, and adds that it was. When Gov. Paine was summoned, he told the officer he had rather meet the devil than that Stephen Herrick in the court.

 

He has also successfully, as town agent, managed many suits for the town, includ­ing the noted Wythe pauper suit with Moretown, the Beckwith suit in regard to settling the 3 ministerial lots, and the East Hill road suit, and has managed many grand jury suits, in all of which he acted as his own counsel and made his own pleas.

 

The Saturday before the death of the late Hon. Daniel Baldwin, these two old men met upon the street at Montpelier village. Said Mr. Baldwin, " We two old men, the two oldest inhabitants of our respective neighboring towns, should have a visit to­gether." Mr. Herrick assented, and asked where it should be. " It must be at my house," replied Mr_ baldwin, 66 and next Saturday, one week from to-day." The following Wednesday Mr. Baldwin died. Mr. Herrick seems remarkably hale and hearty yet.

 

REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS.

 

No official list of Revolutionary soldiers who have resided in Middlesex can be obtained, but the following-named men are said to have been Revolutionary pensioners who have lived in town: Estes Hatch,— Sloan, Jas. Hobart, Cyrus Hill, Micah Hatch, David Phelps, Col. Joseph Hutchins, Joseph Chapin, Sr., Lyman Tolman.

Seth Putnam was one of the first three settlers in Washington County, having moved into Middlesex in 1785. He was a cousin to the noted Israel Putnam, and as a subaltern in Col. Warner's celebrated regiment of Green Mountain Boys, participated in their battles and marches in the old Revolution. He related many of his adventures of the first settlement, and among them one of a remarkable march which he made through the wilderness in a snow-storm, from Rutland, where he had been in attendance as a member of the legislature during the month of November. The only traveled road to his home was then around by Burlington.

 

SOLDIERS BURIED IN TOWN IN THE WAR OF 1861.

 

S. F. Jones, Jacob Jones and Zenas Hatch,—in North Branch Cemetery.

Chester Newton,—in the Cemetery at the Center.

Nathaniel Jones,—in the village Ceme­tery.

 

Mrs. Esther Shontell, of this town, sent seven sons into the army in this war : William, who measured 6 feet 8 inches in height; Benjamin, 6 feet 4 inches ; Fred­erick, 6 feet 3 inches ; Leander, 5 feet 9 inches; Lewis, 6 feet 1 inch; Joseph, 6 feet 7 inches; Augustus, 6 feet. Two of the brothers were killed; and the mother draws a pension for one of them. Anoth­er left a widow, and two are pensioned on account of wounds.

 

O, the strong Middlesex boys

      Were mad for the war!

And the name of each hero

      To the ages afar

Shall leave a track like a comet—

      Each shine as a star.

 

 

 

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LIST OF MEN CREDITED TO THE TOWN OF MIDDLESEX, 1861-1865.

 

BY STEPHEN HERRICK.

 

VOLUNTEERS FOR THREE YEARS.

 

      Names.             Age.      Reg.   Co.     Enlistment.  Remarks.

Brown, Harvey W.       19          2   F        May 7 61       Died Feb. 4, 63, at Point Lookout, Md.

Smith, William S.        22         do            do                Died Sept. 5, 61, at Washington, D. C.

Ripley, William C.       21          3   H       June 1 61     Discharged Nov. 8, 62.         [23, 65.

Scribner, Walter          21          4   G       Aug 22 61     Corp: pris. June 23, 64: must. out May

Herrick, George S.       23         do            Aug 29 61     Discharged Jan. 21, 63.

Leonard, Alonzo R.      21         do            Sept 3 61      Discharged Dec. 18, 62.

Leonard, Charles P.     19         do            do                Re-en. Feb. 8, 64; must. out May 23, 65.

Cushman, George H.    34         do            Aug 22 61     Corp: killed at Weldon R.R. June 23, 64.

Evans, Goin B.           21          6   G       Feb 18 62      Discharged April 24, 63.      [June 26, 65.

Gould, Page                21          6   H       Aug 14 61     First Serg: wd. April 16, 62; must. out

Gould, Worthen T.      18         do            do                Died Jan. 4, 63, at Belle Plains, Va.

Jones, Stephen F.       44         do            do                Died Feb. 63, at Brattleboro.

Jones, Jacob G.          18         do            do                Died Jan. 24, 62, at Camp Griffin.

Divine, John              30          6   G       Oct 15 61      Re-en. Dec. 15, 63 : must. out June 26, 65.

Lee, John Jr.              32         do            Sept 20 61    Re-en. Dec. 15, 63 : must. out July 15, 65.

Sweeny, James           35         do            Sept 23 61    Discharged Jan. 8, 62.

Leonard, John R.        26          6   F        Oct 3 61       Mustered out Oct. 28, 64.

Whitney, Elijah           31         do            Oct 8 61       First Lieut; resigned June 19, 62,

Hogan, John               22          6   H       Aug 14 61     Wd. April 16, 62 : deserted Jan. 19, 63.

Shontell, William        25          8   E        Oct 21 61      Corp : discharged Feb. 12, 63.

Shontell, Benjamin      24         do            Dec 16 61     Discharged Oct. 16, 62.

Shontell, Frederick      22         do            Jan 10 62     Died May 16, 62.

Shontell, Leander        19         do            Dec 16 61     Wd. Sept. 4, 62 : must. out Aug. 3, 64.

Amel, Louis                38         do            Oct 7 61       Re-en. Jan. 5, 64 : must. out June 28, 65.

Warren, Lorenzo S.      22         do            Dec 7 61       Wd. Sept. 4, 62: dis. April 6, 63.

Warren, Alonzo S.       20         do            do                Died March 19, 63.

Kinson, Benjamin H.   26         do            Oct 3 61       Died June 18, 62.

Wilson, Francis          28         do            do                Corp : died Dec. 5, 62.

Nichols, Roswell S.     41         do            Nov 30 61     Musician : discharged June 30, 62.

Lewis, Frederick A.     18       Cav   C        Sept 13 61    Paroled pris : must. out May 23, 65.

Lewis, DeForest L.      20         do            Nov 12 61     Mustered out Nov. 18, 64.

Scott, Elisha               50         do            Sept 20 61    do                                            [Nov. 18, 64.

George, Albert             21         do            Sept 13 61    Pro. Corp : wd. Apr. 1, 63 : mustered out

Smith, John W.          41         do            Sept 12 61    Corp : discharged Oct. 9, 62.

Chase, Austin A.         21         do            Oct 3 61       Discharged Nov. 27, 61.

Spencer, George W.     28         do            Sept 20 61    Discharged Oct, 3, 62,

Hastings, Sidney B.     42         do            do                Discharged Nov, 18, 64.

Dudley, William N.      32         do            Sept 12 61    Discharged Jan. 13, 63.

Preston, Philander R.  27         do            Sept 21 61    Wd. July 6, 63 : Re-en. Dec. 31, 63; taken pris. June 29, 64; died at Florence, S. C., Jan., 65.

Wells, Warren O.        38        1st   Bat     Dec 3 61       Corp : mustered out Aug. 10, 64.       [La.

Hills, Zerah                34         do            do                Corp : died June 25, 63, at Port Hudson,

Oakland, George         24         2d   Bat     Oct 23 61      Corp: re-en. Feb. 20, 64: mus. out July 31, 65

Hogan, Henry             20          9   I         June 18 62   Pro. Corp: do. Serg: mus. out June 13, 65.

Smith, William P.        19         do            June 30 62   Died Oct. 12, 62.

Cushman, Holmes       27         10   B        July 25 62    Mustered out June 22, 65.

Williams, Hiram          29         do            Aug 1 62       Died Feb. 17, 65, at Washington, D. C.

Morrisett, John           28         do            July 30 62    Mustered out June 22, 65.

Patterson, Robert         35         do            Aug 6 62       Wd. Oct. 19, 64: dis. May 27, 65.

Scaribo, Fabius            28         do            Aug 4 62       Mustered out June 22, 65.    [15, 65.

Lewis, Charles J.        25         11   D       Aug 12 62     Sec. Lt : pro. 1st Lt : do. Capt : dis. May

Fifield, William C.       41          6   F        Aug 15 62     Must. out June 19, 65.         [out June 19, 65.

Tobin, John W.           18         do            do                Wd. Sep. 19, 64: pro. Corp: do Serg: mus.

Cameron, Sylvester      25         do            do                Mustered out June 19, 65.

Ward, Tertullus C.       26                        do                Killed in ac. at Gettysburgh, July 3, 63.

Bean, Albert               23          2   D       do                Died Oct. 3, 64, at Sandy Hook, of wds.

Bruce, George W.        23         10   K        Aug 11 62     Deserted July 5, 63.

Jones, Jabez               19         11   I         Dec 5 63       Died at Middlesex, July 10, 65.

Chase. Amos J.           40       Cav   C        Nov 24 61     Mustered out Aug. 9, 65.

Buck, William H. H.    22       Cav   G       Dec 11 63     Discharged Sept. 15, 65.

Templeton, James A.   45       Cav   C        Dec 8 63       Mustered out Aug. 9, 65.

Cameron, John           26         do            Dec 18 63     Wd. May 6, 64: discharged Feb. 22, 65.

Rublee, Otis N.           18         3d   Bat     Sept 5 63      Musician : mustered out June 15, 65.

Herrick, Geo. S.          25         do            Nov 2 63       do                       do

Amel, Louis                19         do            Sept 15 63    do                       do

 

 

 

                                                              MIDDLESEX.                                                        249

 

      Names.             Age.      Reg.   Co.     Enlistment.  Remarks.

Chase, Albert H.          19         3d   Bat     Aug 29 63                Mustered out June 15, 65.

Kirkland, William        21         do            Sept 5 63                         do

Leonard, Alonzo R.      21         do            do                                   do

Libby, Frank F.           18         do            Nov 11 63     Promoted Corporal : do

Shontell, William        27         do            Sept 15 63                       do

Stone, Charles H.        20         do            Sept 3 63                         do

Hastings, Flavel J.      20       Cav   C        Dec 4 63       Mustered out Aug. 9, 65. [Aug. 17, 64.

Scott, George W.          18         do            Dec 11 63     Pris. June 29, 64: died at Andersonville,

Wheeler, Charles        45         10   B        Dec 19 63     Discharged May 15, 65.

Wing, Lemuel B.         18         SS   C        Dec 28 63     Discharged Mar. 10, 65.       [9, 65.

Murray, Henry            19       Cav   C        Dec 31 63     Pro. Serg ; wd. Apr. 3, 65 ; most out Aug.

Shepley, Elliot W.       43         do            Dec 25 63     Wd. May 5, 64 : Must. out Aug 9, 65.

Towner, John S.         26         do            Dec 18 63     Pris. June 29, 64 : died Oct. 2, 64.

Barton, David             44         10   B        Dec 14 63     Mustered out June 29, 64.

Smith, Abner              42         do            Dec 28 63     Killed in act. at Cold Harbor, June 1, 64.

Magoon, Henry C.        18          4   G          do             Died at Brattleboro, Aug. 20, 64,

Mee, Cornelius            18         11   H       Dec 19 63     Mustered out Aug 2, 65.

Willey, Albert              19         47   C        Sept 3 63      Mustered out July 14, 65: pro. Corp.

 

 

VOLUNTEERS FOR NINE MONTHS.

 

Putnam, Chris. C. Jr.  23         13   I         Aug 25 62     Pro. Serg : must. out July 21, 63.

Whitney, William H. H. 22        do            do                Discharged April 6, 63.

Whitney, Hiram G.      20         do            do                Musician: mustered out July 21, 63.

Whitney, Sidney E.     18         do            Aug 29 62                   do

Jones, Dudley B.         31         do            do                              do

Jones, Jabez               18         do            do                              do

Benjamin, R. Plummer 22         13   B        do                              do

Jones, Edwin             18         do   do      do

McElroy, Clesson R.                 do            Aug 25 62     2d Lt : pro. 1st Lt: mus. out July 21, 63.

Luce, Merrill O.          18         do            do                Corp : pro. Serg :     do

Potwin, Joseph           36         do            do                Corp :                       do

Ordway, Royal            30         do            do                Mustered out July 21, 63.

Barnett, William W.     28         do            do                              do

Willey, Albert              18         do            do                              do

Flood, Gregory            18         13   H       do                              do

Nichols, Eugene          25         13   B        do                              do

Miles, Otis G.             31         do            do                Pro. Corp : Must. out July 21, 63.

Chase, Albert H.          18         do            do                              do

McCarron, Barney       18         do            do                              do

Chamberlin, Burt J.     20         do            do                              do

Rublee, Otis H.           18         13   A        Oct 3 62       Musician :  do

White, Lucian W.        23         13   B        Sept 1 62                    do

Moulton, Stedman D.   30         do            Sept 3 62      Discharged April 24, 63.

Wright, Edwin L.        27         13   C        Aug 29 62     Mustered out July 21, 63.

Taylor, Francis F.        18         do            Sept 8 62      Died April 16, 63.

Lawrence, George S.    22         do            Sept 15 62    Mustered out July 21, 63.

Scribner, Hiram W.      18         do            Sept 8 62                    do

Slade, William            42         do            Sept 10 62                  do

 

 

VOLUNTEERS FOR ONE YEAR.

 

Atridge, Nathaniel       21       Rec            Aug 19 64     Discharged Oct. 1, 64.

Cameron, James          18          2   D       July 30 64    Mustered out June 19, 65. [pris, of wds.

Jones, Edwin R.         20       Cav   C        Aug 22 64     Died Oct. 7, 64, at Mt. Jackson, Va., while

Nichols, Henry W.       18          2   D       Aug 2 64       Mustered out June 19, 65. [June 19, 65.

Alden, Sylvester O.      27         do            Aug 19 64     Wd. at Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 64 : must. out

Edgerly, James           39         do            Aug 20 64     Died Oct. 31, 64, at Winchester, Va.

Saunders, Asa S.         28         do              do              Mustered out June 19, 65.

Dodge, Wallace W.       21         3d   Bat     Aug 22 64        do

Dutton, Charles H.      22         do              do                 do

Wakefield, William H.  23         17   E        Aug 31 64     Mustered out June 2, 65.

Andrews, Salmon F.    28         do              do              Mustered out May 13, 65.

Whitney, Geo. M.        34     Front   Cav     Jan 3 65          do     June 27, 65.

Connor, Francis R.      21         do              do                         do

Whitney, Sidney E.     20         do              do                         do

Stiles, Orrin               43          2   D       Feb 4 65       Mustered out July 15, 65.

Nichols, Eugene H.     22         do              do                         do

Loizell, Julius             18         do            Feb 8 65                  do

Smith, James H.         22          7   I         Feb 11 65      Mustered out Feb. 11, 66.

Wells, Warren                        1st   Corps  Jan 25 65     Discharged Jan. 24, 66.

Marsh, Rufus H.                      do            Feb 14 65      Discharged Feb. 13, 66.

Richardson, Plummer H.  20      6   K        Mar 15 65     Mustered out June 26, 65.

 

 

 

            250                         VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

 

DRAFTED AND ENTERED SERVICE.

 

      Names.             Age.      Reg.   Co.     Enlistment.  Remarks.

Hatch, Zenas              21          2   D       July 13 63    Wd. at Spottsylvania, May 12, 64: died Nov. 11, 64, of wds. rec. Oct. 19, 64.

Vaughn, Henry J.        21          6   E        do                Mustered out June 13, 65.

Woodward, Harrison    22          2   K        do                Discharged Jan. 23, 64.

 

SUBSTITUTE—FOR M. O. EVANS.

 

Hogan, John C.           20          4   I         July 23 63    Pris. June 23, 64 : sup. died in reb. pris.

 

 

PAID COMMUTATION.

 

Orrin Bruce,                  Francis B. Connor,                 Jeremiah Mahoney,

Luther Maxham,             Myron W. Miles,                    Chester Smith,

E. D. Williams,               Chas. H. Willey.

 

 

SOLDIERS IN THE WAR OF 1812.

 

Being unable to obtain an official list of the 1812 soldiers, I rely on the recollection of the oldest men in town for the following list of Plattsburgh Volunteers:

 

Holden Putnam, captain of the Company from Middlesex and vicinity, Horace Holden, Xerxus Holden, Lewis Putnam, Zebina Warren, Nathaniel Carpenter, Alan­son Carpenter, Samuel Barnett, David Har­rington, Ephraim Keyes, Benj. Chatterton, Nathan Huntley, Abram Gale, Rufus Cham­berlin, Rufus Leland, Samuel Meads, Jesse Johnson, Hubbard Willey, "Priest" Cole.

 

It is related respecting some of the Mid­dlesex volunteers to Plattsburgh: The Sunday previous to the battle, a Middlesex minister, known as "Priest" Cole, preach­ed a fiery war sermon, in which he urged every man capable of bearing arms to bravely turn out and meet the British in case of an invasion. Before the close of that week the march of the enemy towards Vermont was announced, and the reverend minister was one of the volunteers. When Captain Putnam reached the Lake with his company, he drew them up in a line, and gave orders for "all who had the cannon fever and did not want to cross the lake, to fall back to the rear." Not a man stirred except Priest Cole, who stepped back a few paces and there remained. A few days after the battle, Rev. Mr. C. was sitting in Enoch Clark's store, in the house now occupied by L. D. Ainsworth, when Esquire Nathaniel Carpenter entered, and sitting down by his side, slapping him on the knee, remarked, "Priest Cole, I was never more surprised in my life than I was to see you step back and not want to meet the British.", Mr. Cole coolly replied, "Esq. Carpenter , it is a great deal easier to preach than to practice."

 

  OUR CHRISTMAS TREE AT THE CHURCH.

 

BY MRS. ALMA R. VAUGHN.

 

You have asked for a poem, and what shall it be?

O, yes, I will sing for our new Christmas tree.

Let all come under its boughs, the great and the small.

If the house is not full, 'tis no Christmas at all.

Let us laugh and be merry; all be of good cheer,

For our Christmas day comes only once in a year,—

How delighted and happy we all feel to-night,

Now the little ones look on the tree with delight!

 

But I could not but think, as we just knelt in prayer,

Of the poor and the lowly, have they a gift there?

And my mind it turned back to the thoughts of the morn,

That 'twas on Christmas Eve that our Saviour was born.

Though the gift may be humble that's placed on the tree,

'Tis in memory of Christ;—like His gifts let it be;—

If a gift to the poor or the meek has been given,

You've laid up for yourselves a rich treasure in Heaven.

 

We now honor His birthday with gifts and with mirth;

Let us hope for His kindness and love while on earth,

And that Heaven's rich blessings may rest on its all,

That no sorrow, nor evil, nor ill may befall.

Then take not the gifts from the tree with fond pride,

But think 'twas for thee that our Saviour has died;

And receive each gift humbly, to-night, from the tree,

As an emblem of love—of His kindness to thee.

 

 

SUNSHINE WILL FOLLOW THE RAIN.

 

BY MRS. ALMA R. VAUGHN.

 

Life has its moments of gladness,

      Life has its moments of pain;

Yet God, He is near in our sorrow,

      Sunshine will follow the rain.

Why are we ever a shading

      Our moments of gladness with pain?

Why are we apt to repining?

      Sunshine will follow the rain.

 

 

     NOTHING LEFT UNDONE.

 

Oh, can we, as the night has come,

      Review the day with pride, and say,

We have left nothing now undone

      Of which we should have done to-day?

 

For soon, how soon our days are through,

      Our work in life will all be done;

Oh, can we say, as death draws nigh,

      No earthly task is left undone?

 

[We selected from Mrs. Vaughn's poems one or two other pieces, which we should give would it not overrun the pages allot­ted for Middlesex.—Ed.]