EAST
MONTPELIER. 575
EAST MONTPELIER.
BY
HON. S. S. KELTON.
The town of East Montpelier was organized Jan. 1, 1849,
having been set off from Montpelier by the General Assembly at their session in
1848, on the petition of citizens of Montpelier village. The meeting for
organization was called by Addison Peck, a justice of the peace, on the
petition of 6 freeholders to him directed for that purpose.
The officers elected at this first meeting were: Mod.
Addison Peck; town clerk, Royal Wheeler; selectmen, Stephen F. Stevens, Isaac
Cate, J. C. Nichols; treas., A. Peck; overseer of poor, A. Peck; constable, J.
P. W. Vincent.
The first child born in town, after organization, was
Clara Davis, daughter of Pearley and Cynthia Davis, Jan. 19, 1849. The first
marriage was Rodney G. Bassett and L. Amelia Willard, Jan. 21, 1849, by Charles
Sibley, justice of peace.
The town is bounded northerly by Calais, easterly by
Plainfield and a small part of Marshfield, southerly by Berlin, from which it
is separated by the Winooski river and a part of Barre, and westerly by
Montpelier and Middlesex, and contains 18,670 acres; population in 1880, 972;
grand list in 1881, $9,251.
The township is watered by the Winooski river, which runs
through the southerly corner, and along the southerly boundary, by Kingsbury
Branch, which, after draining the numerous ponds in Woodbury and Calais,
crosses the northeasterly corner of the town, and enters the Winooski; (its
name was derived from that of an early settler living near the stream,) and by
numerous small streams, affording many excellent mill-sites. The surface of the
town is uneven, but the soil is good and productive, and there is scarcely any
waste land in town. The prevailing character of the rocks is slate and lime,
with granite boulders scattered in the easterly part. Of timber, the sugar
maple, beech, spruce and hemlock largely predominate, with a great variety in
less quantity.
There are some very fine sugar orchards in this town; that
of Cyrus Morse numbers 2,750 trees, all supplied with tin tubs, the sugar-house
and fixtures being fully equal to the requirements of so large a number of
trees. In a good season they make 10,000 lbs. of sugar, for which there is a
ready sale, rendering it one of the best industries of a large farm.
The industries of East Montpelier are chiefly, almost
exclusively, agricultural; the farms are of medium size, generally containing
from 75 to 150 acres, some of 200 to 300, and a few as large as 400 acres,
devoted to a mixed husbandry, the dairy decidedly taking the lead; some
attention is given to the rearing of blood stock,—of horses, cattle, sheep and
swine.
There are two small villages in town,
EAST VILLAGE,
situated on the Winooski, containing a meeting-house,
school-house, store, tavern, post-office, established about 1825, a
grist-mill, saw-mill with planer, two carpenters and joiners and blacksmith
shop. This village has suffered great loss by fires; 1817, or thereabouts, a
hulling mill was burned; 1825, or '26, a blacksmith shop; 1847, the
tavern-house, store, two barns and all the out buildings,—property of John
Mellen; 1852, the Union store and goods; 1859, the blacksmith shop of G. W.
Lewis; 1868, the store and goods of C. H. Stevens, together with the barn of C.
C. Willard; 1869, the store of J. C. Nichols, with the goods, the property of
Col. Randall; also in the immediate neighborhood, 1857, the house of Norman
French; 1866, the house of George Daggett, one of the best houses ever built in
town—struck by lightning; 1871, the barns of C. A. Tabor, together with all the
farm produce, tools, and four horses.
[Store and tavern since burned.—ED.]
NORTH MONTPELIER,
situated on Kingsbury branch, contains a post-office,
store, grist-mill, saw-mill, woolen-factory, boot and shoe-shop, blacksmith
shop, and the manufacture of musical instruments by E. D. & G. G. Nye. The
water power in this place is very excellent.
There are ten school districts in town, each supplied with
a good, well-finished
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school-house, where a school is kept from 6 to 9 months
each year, besides four fractional districts, where the scholars attend school
in adjacent towns.
LIBRARIES.
In 1794, a circulating library was established at the
center of the town, in the house of Pearley Davis,—he being librarian,—containing
200 volumes, made up of history, travels, biography, and works of scientific,
philosophic or moral character. These books were freely circulated through the
town for a long period of years. The ladies' circulating library was
established in East village in 1859, containing 223 vols. A Sunday school
library of 290 vols. in 1850; one at North Montpelier of 160 vols. in 1867. In
1861, an agricultural library was organized at East village of 116 vols., which
was burned in C. H. Stevens' store, in 1868.
CHURCH EDIFICES.
There are four meeting-houses in town; that belonging to
the Society of Friends was first used as such, in 1802, having previously been
used as the store of Col. Robbins. The Union Meetinghouse at the center of the
town was built in 1823, and is also used as a town-house.
At east village is a Universalist house, built in 1833,
the Rev. John E. Palmer, of Barre, preaching the dedication sermon, Jan. 8,
1834.
At North Montpelier a Universalist house was built in
1867. This is much the best house, in the belfry of which is one of the best
bells in the vicinity.
RELIGIOUS
SOCIETIES.
In 1793, there was a religious society of Friends
organized in the east part of the town, who for many years assembled themselves
together regularly twice a week, a meek and contrite people, under the preaching
of Clark Stevens. It was their custom to hold silent meetings, when the spirit
of the Lord did not move them to speak.
FREEWILL
BAPTISTS.
There was a Freewill Baptist church organized in the east
part of the town at an early day, and a great awakening in the religious cause,
under the efficient labors of Elder Benjamin Page. They held their meetings in
barns, dwelling-houses, or anywhere where the way was open for them.
Subsequently there was a church organized by the same denomination in the north
part of the town, under the preaching of Elder Paul Holbrook.
UNIVERSALISTS OF
EAST MONTPELIER.
Two of the most active pioneers of this society were the
late Gen. Parley Davis of Montpelier Center, and Arthur Daggett, who lived and
died near the East village. These first settlers in town had preaching of the
faith they cherished, at an early day. Rev. William Farwell, Hosea Ballou, Paul
Dean and John E. Palmer were the first ministers. Their society here was
organized Feb. 8, 1834. The cause prospered until there was more of this faith
in town than any other. The resident pastors of "The Universalist
Society" were Rev. Tracy R. Spencer, R. M. Byram, Simeon Goodenough and
Lester Warren. Rev. Mr. Warren, now living in town, says he was employed for
this society by Parley Davis, Arthur Daggett and others, in May, 1838. He
preached once or twice a month, in the Center and at the East village, for 9
years. And now he has "vesper service" in the new church at the North
village, once in two weeks. The meetings are well attended, as are also a
"course of lectures" arranged by "The Prudential committee"
of "The Lyceum." Rev. E. Ballou also preached alternately with Mr. W.
for several years, until the settlement of the late Rev. T. R. Spencer.
EPISCOPAL
METHODISTS.
Rev. Jesse Lee, who was the pioneer of Methodism in New
England, first preached in this town in 1795, and formed the first society. He
was succeeded by Rev. Ralph Williston, Nicholas Sneathen, Gideon Draper. and
others.
Alexander Parker, his wife and two or three of their
daughters, Enoch Cate and wife, Sylvanus Morse and wife, David Persons and
wife, John Stevens and wife, Joseph and James Gould and their wives, were among
the early Methodists of the town.
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MONTPELIER. 577
Since the organization of the society they have, like most
institutions, experienced at intervals seasons of prosperity and decline.
THE CHRISTIANS.
There was a society of Christians organized in this town a
few years since, who supported preaching a portion of the time.
EPIDEMICS.
Of epidemics, only 4 deserving the name have occurred from
the first settlement of the town to the present day. The first of these was the
dysentery, which fatally prevailed in the summer and fall of 1802.
The second was the typhus fever, which prevailed to
considerable extent in the summer of 1806. The third, that fearful disease
known by the name of spotted fever, which suddenly made its appearance in the
winter of 1811. In the fall and winter of 1813, the typhus fever again very
fatally prevailed. The number of deaths from this disease in the whole (old)
town, was 78: much the larger number of which were outside the present limits of
East Montpelier.
The town is believed to be one of the healthiest in the
State; the average number of deaths for the last 20 years has been 17; the
largest number in 1862, being 29; the smallest number in 1867, only 7.
The oldest person living in town is Anna Gould, born at
Sutton, Mass., Aug. 12, 1787; came to this town in 1803; is the widow of Simeon
Gould, who died in 1879, aged 98 years, by whom she had 9 children, of whom 7
are now living at this writing, (Sept. 1881). Mr. and Mrs. Gould's marriage
life was 70 years.
The oldest person who was born in town is Mrs. Paulina
Davis, widow of the late Timothy Davis, and daughter of Clark Stevens, born
Sept. 15, 1795. (Oct. 1, '81.)
Mrs. Harriet Goodwin, widow of Hon. Israel Goodwin, and
daughter of Capt. Isaac Putnam, born July 29, 1796.
The oldest inhabitant of the town is Mrs. Sally Vincent,
widow of Capt. Isaac Vincent, and daughter of Darius Boyden, Esq., born at
Worcester, Mass., July 4, 1793; came to East Montpelier early in 1794, and has
lived in town continuously since, 87 years, 7 months.
The oldest person who ever lived in town was Mrs. Molly
Gould, who died in 1851, aged 102 years, I month. Mrs. Gould was born at
Sutton, Mass., in 1749; married John Gould of the same town in 1768; raising a
large family of children; came to this town in 1811.
THE EARLY
SETTLEMENT.
It is by no means certain, who cut the first tree, or
built the first house. Gen. Pearley Davis undoubtedly made the first pitch,
being two lots of the first division, at the center of the town, of which he received
a deed from Jacob Davis, May 28, 1788, the consideration being "eighty
pounds, lawful money." He made a beginning soon after, putting up
a log-house and barn that season, but returned to Massachusetts to teach school
the following winter. He cut and stacked the hay on a beaver meadow in the
north part of the town, (now owned by E. H. Vincent) that season, which was
mostly drawn to Col. Jacob Davis' the following winter, he falling short of
fodder for his teams, and those of new settlers who would stop for a time with
him on their arrival.
In June, 1788, John Templeton and Solomon Dodge came to
East Montpelier, from Peterboro, N. H., and commenced felling the forest on
their respective lots, (being adjacent) preparatory to establishing their new
homes, returning to New Hampshire to do their haying, after which, they worked
the remainder of the season, clearing their land, and building each a
log-house. The following spring, 1789, in March, they returned with their
families for a permanent settlement, accompanied by their father-in-law, James
Taggart. After stopping about three weeks with Col. Jacob Davis, they proceeded
to their new homes, 5 miles distant, the snow at this time being 2 feet deep.
On arriving at Mr. Templeton's house, the roof having been covered with bark, a
part of which had blown off, they found the snow nearly as deep inside the
house as out. This had a decided cool look, but there was no backing down, the
snow was
578 VERMONT HISTORICAL
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shoveled out, a fire built, and they spent the remainder
of their days on that farm, which is still owned and occupied by their
grandson, Austin Templeton.
Mr. Dodge and wife lived and died on their adjacent farm,
where their youngest daughter still resides, the wife of J. R. Young. These
were the first families that moved into the town of East Montpelier.
During the first season all their grain had to be brought
from Brookfield, (getting it ground at Williamstown) a distance of 20 miles,—on
a man's back.
In the fall of this year, (1789) as their first crops were
harvested, Col. Davis' mill on North Branch was ready to do the grinding, and
save the Brookfield tramp.
Mrs. Templeton was accustomed to say in her later years,
that she did not see a woman, except her two sisters, (Jenna Taggart who lived
with her and Mrs. Dodge,) for a year, lacking one day, and that no family
(except as above) lived nearer than Col. Jacob Davis', being 5 miles. Mr.
Templeton died May 18, 1813, aged 48 years.
The third family that moved into town, was Jonathan Snow
and wife, in March, 1790,—Mr. Snow having been here and made a small beginning
the summer before, in the east part of the town. They stopped several days
with Mr. Templeton on their way. After living on their land two or three years,
Mr. Snow sold out to his father-in-law, Barnabas Hammett, and lived a year or
two below Montpelier village, returning to an adjacent lot of his first
beginning, now owned and occupied by his youngest son, Alonzo Snow, where he
continued to reside. Mr. Snow was born at Rochester, Mass., July 12, 1768, married
Lydia Hammett Feb. 11, 1790, and came to this town by the then express train,
an ox team; after rearing a large family, died Mar. 31, 1846.
During I790, quite a large addition was made to the
population, for we find that March 29, 1791, at the organization of the old
town, of the 27 voters present, 24 were residents of East Montpelier, viz:
Benjamin I. Wheeler, David Parsons, Pearley Davis, Ebenezer Dodge, Solomon
Dodge, Nathaniel Peck, David Wing, Lemuel Brooks, Clark Stevens, Jonathan Snow,
Hiram Peck, James Taggart, John Templeton, Elisha Cummins, Jonathan Cutler,
Charles McCloud, Isaac Putnam, Nathaniel Davis, Jerahmel Wheeler, Smith Stevens,
Charles Stevens, Edmund Doty, Duncan Young. The last survivor of this pioneer
band, was Elisha Cummins, who died Nov. 21, 1860, aged 93 years.
The first child born in town was James Dodge, son of
Solomon Dodge, Apr. 5, 1790; the first female child born was Mary Templeton,
daughter of John Templeton, May 3, 1791. The first death was that of Betsey
Cate, a child of Enoch Cate, 8 months old. The first resident of East
Montpelier who was married was Clark Stevens, with Huldah Foster of Rochester,
Mass., Dec. 30, 1792. The first meetinghouse was a log-house, built by Clark
Stevens and Caleb Bennett, (Friends), on the highway near the line of their
farms, in 1793, and used as such till 1802. This is believed to be the first
meeting-house ever built in Washington County.
Dr. Philip Vincent was the first physician who came into
town; he came from New Braintree, Mass., in February, 1795, and settled where
his grandson, Horace M. Vincent, now resides; died in 1813, aged 54 years. The
first merchant was Col. David Robbins, who built and began trade in what is now
the Quaker meetinghouse, in 1796. The first tavern kept in town was by Freeman
Snow, opened in 1798 or '99, near where George Davis now lives. The first
saw-mill was built by Pearley Davis, on the brook at the N. W. corner of lot
no. 45, 1st div., in 1792, he having bought 2 acres of land for that purpose,
of Caleb Bennett, for which he paid "three pounds, lawful money."
The first grist-mill was built by Samuel Rich, in 1795, on
Kingsbury Branch, where the mill of M. V. B. Hollister now stands.
SAMUEL RICH
was born at Sutton, Mass., Feb. 24, 1769. He came to this
town in 1792; was married to Margaret McCloud Dec. 1, 1796. Besides doing an
extensive farming busi‑
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MONTPELIER. 579
ness, (owning 700 acres of land) he built and run a
grist-mill, a saw-mill, a carding-machine, a fulling-mill, a brick-yard and
distillery; he also kept a tavern for a number of years subsequently to 1805.
In 1805, he built a very nice, large dwelling-house, said
to have been the best house in the County at that time. The place was known for
a long term of years, as Rich's Hollow, so largely did his business
predominate over that of all others. He was a carpenter by trade, and built the
large barn (80x32 feet) for Nathaniel Davis, in 1793, being the first barn of
any magnitude ever built in this town. He died in 1827, leaving 10 sons and
daughters, one of whom, Jacob Rich Esq., resided at the old homestead at the
time of his death, in 1878.
BENJAMIN I.
WHEELER.
Born at Rehoboth, Mass., Sept. 19, 1766; settled at an
early date in Montpelier, now East Montpelier, on the farm where he lived
until his death. In the spring of 1793, he married Huldah French, of Attleboro,
Mass. At the organization of the town of Montpelier, in 1791, he was elected
one of the listers and one of the highway surveyors, and the same year town
grand juror. In 1792, he was elected selectman, and held that office 16 years
previous to 1818. He died March 7, 1845.
JERAHMEL B.
WHEELER.
Born at Rehoboth, Mass.; settled in Montpelier, now East
Montpelier, at an early date, on the farm where he lived till his death. He
married Sybil French, of Attleboro, Mass. In 1792, he was elected first
constable, and that year warned the first freemen's meeting ever held in that
town. Afterwards, between 1806 and 1813, he held the office of selectman 5
years, and was justice of the peace several years. He died in the spring of
1835.
MAJ. NATHANIEL
DAVIS.
Among the men of business prominence in the early history
of the town, none were more conspicuous than Nathaniel Davis. He was born at
Oxford, Mass., Nov, 25, 1769; in 1789, he came to Montpelier and purchased a
tract of land in the north-east part of the town, and commenced a clearing at
once, there being but two families in what is now East Montpelier at that time.
In 1792, having married Miss Dolly Davis of his native town, he commenced housekeeping,
and doing business on a large scale. The following year, he built a sawmill on
his farm, having turned a brook a mile above him to obtain sufficient water to
run the mill. In addition to clearing up his farm very rapidly, in 1793, or
'94, he built a barn 80x32 feet; in '95, he built a two-story house 42x32 feet,—the
same being occupied by his son Col. Nathaniel Davis, at the time of his death,
in 1879; this is the oldest house in town at this writing, 1881. Before the
year 1800, he built a potash and store, and did an extensive and successful
mercantile business for about 25 years.
Soon after 1810, Mr. Davis commenced what is now the
village of East Calais, by building at that place, a grist-mill, sawmill, nail
factory, a scythe factory, and opening a store; subsequently this property was
surrendered to 2 of his daughters, having married the Hon. Shubael Wheeler and
Samuel Rich, Jr. Esq. Another daughter, who married N. C. King, Esq., was
equally as well provided for.
In 1825, Mr. Davis having closed his mercantile business,
and disposed of his outside property, as above, in connection with his son
commenced doing a more extensive farming business, by buying farm after farm,
till they were able to sell more than 100 head of beef cattle per annum.
In 1838, they built the large woolen factory at North
Montpelier, which, in consequence of an unfortunate partnership, entered into
at the completion of the building, was a very disastrous enterprise. He died
in 1843, aged 74 years.
(From
Thompson's History of Montpelier.)
GEN. PEARLEY
DAVIS,
a son of Nathaniel and Sarah Davis, was born in Oxford,
(in the part afterwards becoming Charlton,) Mass., Mar. 31, 1766, and, after
receiving rather an unusually good English education, at the then new academy
in the neighboring town of Leicester, including a knowledge of surveying, he
came into town with Col. Davis, bringing his set of surveyor's instruments,
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and at once engaging in the original surveys of the
township, first as an assistant and finally as a principal surveyor of the town
and county.
It was while thus employed, as he once told the writer of
this sketch, that, coming on to the splendid swell of forest land then crowning
the elevation at the center of the town, he was so struck with the general
indications of the soil and the natural beauty of the location, as seen beneath
the growth of stately maples, cumbered with little underbrush, that he resolved
he would here make his pitch, feeling confident that this must be the seat of
town business, and then believing even that it would become the site of its
most populous village.
The mistake of Gen. Davis, so far as regarded the growing
up of much of a village on the highlands of the town, appears to have been
quite a common one with our early settlers. Impressed at first, as he was, with
the inviting appearance of the higher parts of their respective townships, when
contrasted with the forbidding aspect of the dark and tangled valleys, the most
able and enterprising of them, for a general thing, made their pitches accordingly,
as in the instances of the settlements of Randolph, Danville, and dozens of
other towns in this State. But they soon found their anticipated villages
slipping down into the valleys, to leave them, in that respect, high and dry on
the hills, with the most traveled roads all winding along the streams. First,
there must be mills; then a place near to shoe horses; then a place for
refreshment of both man and horse; and while all this is going on, it is a
convenience and a saving of time to be able to purchase a few family necessaries;
thence, to meet these calls, first comes the blacksmith's shop, then the tavern,
then the store; and you have the neucleus of a continually growing village
already formed; while people soon find out it is easier going round a hill than
over it, and build their roads accordingly.
So far, however, as regarded the seat of town business,
Gen. Davis' predictions were fulfilled; for he, having pitched on a tract of
300 acres of land at the center, and built a commodious house, had the
satisfaction of seeing it the receptacle of all town meetings till a public
house was erected; and the latter was the place of such meetings, either for
the whole town or his part of it, up to the day of his death. At all these town
meetings he was always an active and influential participator. And in looking
over the records of the town for the first half century of its corporate
existence, we can scarcely find a page on which his name does not appear
coupled with some of its most important trusts or offices.
In 1794, he was elected captain of the first military
company ever organised in town; and before the year had closed he was promoted
to the office of major of the regiment formed from the companies of the
different towns in this section. In 1798, he was elected a colonel of the
regiment; and in 1799, he was still further promoted to the prominent post of
general. In 1799, he was also honored by his townsmen with a seat in the
legislature, and received from them 2 elections as their representative in the
General Assembly.
In 1794, Gen. Davis married Miss Rebecca Peabody,
daughter of Col. Stephen Peabody of Amherst, N. H., the lady of whose medical
skill and general usefulness we have particularly spoken while treating of the
incidents and characters of the early settlement. From this union sprang 7
daughters, most of whom lived to connect themselves with the best families of
this or other towns; and one of them, (now (deceased,) Mrs. Truman Pitkin,
whose family occupy the old homestead, was the mother of Perley P. Pitkin,
Esq., the present representative of East Montpelier; while of the surviving,
one, endowed with high gifts of poesy, is the widow of the late Hon. S. Pitkin,
and another the wife of the Hon. Royal Wheeler.
Gen. Davis, in the expanded benevolence of his mind,
appeared to take an interest in the welfare of all his fellow-men, and particularly
so of the young, for whose improvement in knowledge he labored earnestly and
always. He was one of the most active and liberal in establishing a Town Library.
He was ever anxious to see our common schools supplied with competent
teachers; and in subscriptions, and in the education of his daughters, he
largely patronized our academy. He was one of the most pleasant, animated and
instructive of companions, one of the best of neighbors, and one of the most
public spirited and useful of citizens. In short, with his strong, massive
person, prepossessing face, intelligent eye, genial and hearty manner, and
earnest tone of conversation, he was one whom the world would unite in calling
a grand old fellow, and as such he will be remembered till the last of the
generation who knew him shall have followed him to the grave.
He died April 14, 1848, at the age of a little over 82
years. His relict, Mrs. Rebecca Peabody Davis, died Feb. 5, 1854, aged about 83
years and 6 months.
CLARK STEVENS
was born in Rochester, Mass., Nov. 15, 1764. At the age of
18, he was drafted as
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a soldier, and served in that capacity several months
during one of the last years of the American Revolution. After leaving the
army, he engaged himself as a seaman at the neighboring port of New Bedford,
and spent several years in the ventures of the ocean. But the perils he had
here encountered in the whaling and coasting trade, not only revived the
religious impressions formerly experienced, but led him to resolve on the quiet
pursuits of husbandry, and to remove, with that object in view, to the new town
of Montpelier in Vermont. Accordingly he immigrated into this town in 1790, in
company with David Wing, the elder, and his sons, purchased and at once began
to clear up the valuable farm near Montpelier East village, which has ever
since been the family homestead. After effecting a considerable opening in the
wilderness, and building the customary log-house and barn, he returned to the
land of his fathers, and, Dec. 13, 1792, married Miss Huldah Foster of his
native Rochester brought her immediately on and installed her as the mistress
of his heart and household.
Soon after his marriage, Mr. Stevens appears to have been
more deeply than ever exercised with his religious convictions; when soon, by
the aid of some neighbors who, like himself, had previously united themselves
with the Society of Friends or Quakers, he built a log-meeting-house on the
bank of a little brook a short distance to the north-west of his dwelling. And
here, under his lead, that little band of congenial worshipers established in the
wilderness the first altar for the worship of the living God ever erected in
Washington County. Subsequently this band was received into membership with
the New York Society of Friends, who held monthly meetings in Danby, in the
southwestern part of Vermont, which meetings were eventually established at
Starksboro, in this State. Of the latter, he became a regular monthly
attendant, and in 1815, having, besides being the leader and teacher of his
Society at home, travelled, each year, hundreds of miles to attend monthly,
quarterly and yearly meetings in Vermont, New York, and in the different States
of New England, and everywhere evinced his faithfulness as a laborer, and his
ability an a religious speaker and teacher, he was publicly acknowledged by the
Starksboro Association as a regular and accepted minister of the gospel. Years
before this, through his instrumentality, and that of his worthy and perhaps
most energetic fellow-laborer in the cause, the late Caleb Bennett, his Society
at home had been considerably enlarged, and a commodious meeting-house erected
a half mile or more distant from the first primitive one above mentioned.
But it Clark Stevens was a man of the intelligence and
virtue which caused him to be placed in such a prominent position in his
religious connections, why was he not, as well as other citizens of his town of
the same grade of capacity, promoted to posts of civil trusts, or other wordly
honors? It was because, after having been made the second town clerk of the
town, and reluctantly consented to serve in that capacity one year—it was
simply because he ever uniformly declined to accept them. Time and again would
the town gladly have made him their representative in the Legislature. But all
movements of that kind were by him promptly discouraged and stopped at the
outset. On the organization of the new county of Jefferson, in such high
esteem were his worth and abilities held by the leading men of the county at
large that, on their united recommendation, he was, without his knowledge or
consent, appointed by the Legislature to the more important and tempting office
of a judge of the court. But this he also promptly declined, and gave the
public to understand that civil honors had so few charms for him that it would
thereafter be in vain for them to offer them for his acceptance.
Thus, "he had wrought out his work, and wrought it
well." Thus he lived, and thus, at the ripe age of nearly ninety, he
peacefully passed away, at his old residence, on the 20th of December, 1853,
with the characteristic words on his lips: "I have endeavored to do what I
apprehended was required of me. I have nought but feelings of love for all
mankind; and my hope of salvation is based on the mercy of God through his Son
Jesus Christ."
Personally, Clark Stevens was one of the finest looking
men of his times. Full 6 feet high, and nobly proportioned, with a shapely
contour of head and features, dark eyes and a sedate, thoughtful countenance,
his presence was unusually imposing and dignified. He was a prince in
appearance, but a child in humility. He was unquestionably a man of superior intellect,
and that intellect was, in all its traits, peculiarly well balanced. But it was
his great and good heart which shown out the most conspicuously through all the
actions of his long and beneficent life. In fine, Clark Stevens, in the truest
sense of the term, was a great man.
D.
P. T.
"Goodness without greatness
Is but an empty
show;
But, O, how rich and beautiful!
When they
together grow."
582 VERMONT HISTORICAL
MAGAZINE.
ISAAC GRAY
died in East Montpelier, Oct. 7, 1874, aged 97 years. 2
months, 16 days. He was the oldest man in the county at the time of his death,
having resided in the town where he died one day over 80 years. He was born in Rochester,
Mass., July 22, 1777. John and May Gray, his parents, started with their 9
children for Vermont, Sept. 14, 1794, and arrived at Caleb Bennett's, in
Montpelier—now East Montpelier—Oct. 6, following, having been 22 days on the
road, their only means of conveyance of family and goods having been an
ox-cart drawn by two pairs of oxen. Mr. Bennett had come from New Bedford,
Mass., two or three years earlier, and with him Mr. Gray and family, being old
acquaintances, stopped a number of days, as did Thomas Allen and family, who
had traveled with the Grays from the old Bay State; this made a pretty
thick-settled family, but large houses were not such a necessity then as now.
SAMUEL TEMPLETON,
born at Peterboro, N. H., Nov. 15, 1788, came to East Montpelier
in March, 1789. He was at the time of his death one of the oldest residents of
East Montpelier,—aged 89 years, 7 months, 15 days. When the deceased was but 4
months old, his father, John Templeton, in company with Solomon Dodge, removed
to East Montpelier from Peterboro, N. H., at that time there being no families
in that locality, and but one, Col. Jacob Davis, in the then limits of
Montpelier. On their arrival here the snow was so deep that they were unable
to proceed further, and were compelled to stop with Col. Davis a week. Reaching
their new home, they discovered that the roofs of the rude shanties which they
had erected the year previous had been blown off, and the snow was as deep in
their houses as on the ground, they being compelled to shovel the snow out, and
make their beds as best they could. The two men had married sisters, named Taggart,
and cleared farms adjoining, that on which Sam'l Templeton died being the one
cleared by his father, while a daughter of Mr. Solomon Dodge, Mrs. John R.
Young, resides on the one which her lather cleared. The deceased was a good,
reliable citizen, and leaves one son and a daughter—Austin Templeton, of East
Montpelier, and Mrs. James M. Howland, of Montpelier. Although Mr. Templeton
had always lived on the same place, yet he has resided in four counties and two
towns, and paid taxes in three counties.
DR. NATHANIEL
CLARK KING,
[BY
DR. SUMNER PUTNAM.]
came to Montpelier, now East Montpelier, about 1812. He
was born in Rochester, Mass., July 19, 1789, being one of five brothers, and
the third son of Jonathan King and Mary Clark King.
In his boyhood he attended district school until fifteen
years old, when his father gave him his time, and he was to provide for
himself. He immediately entered a private school to fit himself for teaching,
and the study of medicine. He studied the languages, Greek and Latin, and made
such progress that he taught school the winter after he was sixteen, and began
to read medicine in 1808; and continued to teach, and read, until the fall of
1811. Having studied, mixed medicines, and visited patients more or less with
Dr. Foster of Rochester for 3 years, he attended medical lectures at Hanover,
N. H., Dr. Nathan Smith being at the head of the medical department of Dartmouth
College at that time.
He began practice at North Montpelier about 1812, having a
sister residing in that vicinity, and in 1814, at the call for volunteers he
went, as surgeon, with others, to Plattsburgh when the British invaded that
place. In 1817, he married Miss Fanny, second daughter of Maj. Nath. Davis, one
of the foremost settlers in town, engaged in mercantile pursuits. About this
time his father-in-law Davis offered him a good chance to go into trade, which
he accepted, and gradually ceased to visit the sick generally, prescribing for
and visiting only those who were especially anxious for his counsel. After
years of trade and careful investment of savings, he became perhaps the
wealthiest resident in East Montpelier. In 1849 and 1850, he represented the
town
EAST
MONTPELIER. 583
in the legislature, and for many years did a large justice
business; many sought his advice in matters important to them, and being a
well-informed, social man, of large acquaintance, many couples formerly applied
to him to join them in marriage.
Between 1818 and 1835, six children were born to him, only
three of whom reached maturity, and are living at the present time—two of them
at Montpelier, with one of whom he now resides at the age of 92, and until
within a few months retaining his faculties in a remarkable degree. Naturally
a man of strong mind, capable, honest and conscientious, yet full of pleasantry
and anecdote, he has endured with fortitude and even cheerfulness whatever
misfortunes came upon him, and in the course of a long life has made numerous
friends, many of the younger class of whom yet often call to see him, while few
or none of his earlier associates now remain.
Although his father was an orthodox deacon, and his oldest
brother a clergyman of the same denomination, views broader and more hopeful
have ever found a place in his heart.
EAST MONTPELIER
LONGEVITY LIST.
Persons
over 80 years of age who have lived and died in East Montpelier Dec. 1st, 1881.
Molly Gould, 102½
Mrs. Chamberlain, 101
Triphina Shepard, 99½
Betsy Carroll, 99
Simeon Gould, 98
Isaac Gray, 97½
Benjamin Ellis, 96
Elias Metcalf, 95
Bethiah Parker, 95
Phoebe Dudley, 95
Mary Gould, 95
Daniel Gould, 94
Samuel Davis, 94
Rachel Bliss, 94
Lorane Templeton, 94
Isaac Vincent, 93½
Theophilus Clark, Sr., 93½
Elisha Cummins, 93
James Foster, 93
Lucinda Cutler, 93
Eunice Vincent. 92
Polly Waters, 92
Samuel Patterson, 91
Joanna Wakefield, 91
Jemima Morse, 91
Margaret Holmes, 91
Abigail Cutler, 91
Clark Stevens, 90
Sylvanus Morse, 90
John Chase, 90
Elizabeth Boyden, 90
Edward Clough, 90
Willard Shepard, 90
Reuben Waters, 90
Harriet Hamblin, 90
Samuel Templeton, 89½
Daniel Bassett, 89
Ruth Daggett, 88
Abigail Nash, 88
William Gray, 88
Lucy Templeton, 88
David Wing, Sr., 88
Mary Stevens, 88
Sally Merritt, 88
Lucinda Sanders, 88
Freeman Snow, 87
George Clark, 87
John Upton, 86
Rebecca Giles, 86
Susanna Clark, 86
Ruth Bennett, 86
Oliver Merritt, 86
Pauline Davis, 86
Jesse Bassett, 86
Huldah Wheeler, 85
Hezekiah Tinkham, 85
Edward West, 85
Reliance Stevens, 85
John Gray, Sr., 85
Anna Gray, 85
Reliance Stevens, 85
George Clark, 85
Ezra Paine, 85
Nathaniel Ormsbee, 84
Lovina Tracy, 84
Timothy Davis, 84
Annis Tabor, 84
David Daggett, 84
Abigail Hathaway, 84
John Putnam, 84
Caty West, 84
Sally Parmenter, 84
Sally Ormsbee, 83
Daniel Russell, Sr., 83
Jesse Bailey, 83
Elijah McKnight, 83
John Boyden, 83
Benajah Putnam, 83
Abigail Lawson, 83
Nicholas D. Bennett, 83
Daniel Russell, Sr., 83
Rebina Davis, 83
Gen. Parley Davis, 82
Caleb Bennett, 82
Esac Howland, 82
Joseph Gould, 82
Abial French, 82
Ezra Bassett, 82
Jeduthan Doty, 82
Sarah Wing, 82
Paul Hathaway, 82
Cyrus Stoddard, 82
Abigail Beckley, 82
Polly Nelson, 82
Sally Parker, 81
Betsy Phinney, 81
Moses Parmenter, 81
Shubael Short, 81
Temperance Russell, 81
Polly Peck. 81
Lot Hathaway, 2d., 81
Lot Hathaway, Sr., 80
Smith Stevens, 80
Sally Parker, 80
Jonn Stevens, 80
David Gould, 80
Susanna Ellis, 80
Arthur Daggett, 80
Eunice Hammett, 80
Eunice Williams, 80
David French, 80
Polly Stoddard, 80
Nancy Holbrook, 80
Barnabas Hammett, 80
Job Macomber, 79
Nahum Kelton, 79½
Nathaniel Cutler, 79
Wm. Templeton, Jr., 79
584 VERMONT HISTORICAL
MAGAZINE.
EAST
MONTPELIER LONGEVITY LIST.
Living in town Dec. 1, 1881.
BY CHAS. DE F. BANCROFT.
Anna Gould, 94
Polly Gould, 90
Sally Vincent, 89
Lydia P. Parker, 87
Cyrus Morse, 85
Belinda Paine, 85
Harriet P. Goodwin, 85
Polly Richards, 84
William Holmes, 83
Ann Cummins, 81
Harriet Choate, 81
Catherine Stevens, 81
Mahala Templeton, 81
Culver W. Lane, 80
Eleanor Norcross, 80
Abigail Southgate, 80
Theophilus Clark, 79
Rodney Cummins, 79
Fanny Gray, 79
Betsey Gray, 79
Hannah Bliss, 79
Putnam McKnight, 79
Margaret McKnight, 78
Polly Hathaway, 78
Willard Cutler, 77
Ralph W. Warner, 77
Amasa Cummings, 77
Stephen Gould, 77
Joseph Richards, 77
Nahum Templeton, 77
Mirinda Dodge, 76
Lawson Hammett, 76
Lorenzo D. Gray, 76
Phebe Perry, 76
Relief M. Stewart, 76
John R. Young, 76
Anna Beckley, 75
Timothy Blake, 75
Samuel Davis, 75
Dulcena Edwards, 75
Almira Wheeler, 75
Willard Sanders, 75
Edward G. Davis, 74
Samuel Edwards, 74
Betsey Harvey, 74
Aurelia Jacobs, 74
Abigail Lawson, 74
Luther M. Parmenter, 74
Betsey M. Sibley, 74
Lydia Young, 74
Almira Warner, 74
Chester S. Guernsey, 73
Elhanan Norcross, 73
Eunice Parmenter, 73
Polly Gould, 2d, 72
Marcus B. Hamblin, 72
Prentiss M. Shepard, 72
Freeman N. West, 72
Hosea Gould, 72
Polly Burno, 71
Lucy B. Clark, 71
Jefferson F. W. Dodge, 71
Joseph Gray, 71
Mary F. Sibley, 71
Alonzo Snow, 71
Ann Blake, 70
Lucius Cummins, 70
Almira Fleming, 70
Philura D. Hamblin, 70
Harriet H. Peck, 70
Sherlock Peck, 70
William Templeton, 70
Squier Bailey, 69
Mercy E. Clough, 69
Diana Holmes, 69
Ezekiel D. Nye, 69
Joel Ormsbee, 69
Harriet Stevens, 69
Mary B. Southwick, 69
A very remarkable instance of longevity, is, of a Mrs.
Betsy Carroll and her three daughters of this town. Mrs. Carroll died at the
age of 99 years; one daughter, Mrs. Lucinda Cutler at the age of 93; the
second, Mrs. Abigail Cutler at the age of 91, and the other now living in town,
Mrs. Polly Gould at the age of 90 years.
SUICIDES AND
CASUALTIES
Within
the present limits of East Montpelier from its settlement to Dec., 1881.
BY
TRUMAN C. KELTON, TOWN CLERK.
A little girl, daughter of B. Nash, was killed by a
falling tree in the east part of the town previous to 1800.
A man by the name of Chamberlin, about 21 years of age,
was killed by a falling tree during the year 1801, near the center of the
town, and another the following year by the name of Robinson, in the north
part of the town.
The wife of John Cutler hung herself in 1801.
The foregoing are taken from D. P. Thompson's History of
Montpelier.
A man by the name of Alonzo Kingsley was killed by a tree
on the farm now owned by George H. Chase, about 1800; and Daniel Blanchard was
killed by a falling tree Sept., 1803, near the site of No. 5, or four corners
school house.
A child of Jonathan Edwards fell from a raft and drowned
in the lower pond of N. Montpelier, about 1825.
Charles Plumb was drowned while bathing, about 1819, just
below the Clark Stevens bridge, aged 16 years.
Nancy Waugh committed suicide by drowning in the brook
east of George Davis' residence, about 1829.
Elisha Gray, aged about 28, drowned or died in a fit
occasioned by plunging in the water when over-heated, Aug. 19, 1831. A child of
Heman Powers was drowned by falling from a raft, at East village mill-pond.
The wife of Henry French committed suicide with the razor,
near East Village. Also a man by the name of Ladd.
William Stoddard committed suicide by
EAST
MONTPELIER. 585
hanging, at the present residence of Aro P. Slayton.
A child of Theophilus Clark died from being scalded by
sitting into a pail of hot water.
William Alger died from a gun shot wound, (accident) April
5, 1844, on the farm now known as the Norcross farm.
Charles Pitkin died at A. J. Hollister's from accidental
gun shot wound.
Dec. 22. 1857, George W. Jacobs died from poison by taking
a solution of corrosive sublimate by mistake.
June 25, 1860, Abner Chapman, aged 13 years, and Herbert
L. Nye, aged 7 years, son of George G. Nye, were drowned while bathing in the
Branch below N. Montpelier.
July 5, 1862. Nathan Parker, aged 72, died from being
gored by a bull.
Oct. 31, 1863, Ellison Albee, aged 26, fell from a loaded
wagon and was run over and killed, while at work for Elon O. Hammond.
Feb. 15, 1866, Eustice Morris, aged 53, was killed by a
falling tree while chopping for T. C. Kelton.
July 13, 1868, Zadock H. Hubbard, aged 25, died from
sun-stroke, while at work for Charles A. Tabor.
Nov. 9, 1873, Pliny P. Pearsons, aged 34, died from a cut
on the head by a circular saw, while working under the mill at N. Montpelier.
Nov. 22, 1875, Bessie K. Lord, aged 5, daughter of Rev. W.
H. Lord, of Montpelier, was thrown from a carriage and killed in the west part
of the town.
Arbuckle murder.
—Hiram W. Arbuckle, aged 27, living with his mother at East Village, April 13,
1877, shot George Shortt, a young man of 16, who was sitting on a bench by the
stove in the grist-mill. The ball striking the breast bone, glanced down to the
left side. Shortt starting to leave by a back door was hit in the arm above the
elbow by a second ball, after its passing through the stove-pipe, he at the
same time stumbling over some wood on the
floor. The appearance was that the last shot was fatal. Arbuckle
immediately left the mill and went to the black-smith shop of his
brother-in-law, George W. Bancroft, and shot him twice and then returned back
near the mill. About that time, Bancroft came out of the shop and started for
his house. Arbuckle seeing him, ran after him and chased him round some lumber
near the road. Bancroft then changed his course and ran for the mill, followed
by Arbuckle, who fired again just as he was entering the mill door, he falling
dead on the door. Arbuckle then went to his home and remained there until the
arrival of the constable, George Howland, who had been sent for about a mile
distant, when he stepped out at a back door and shot himself, falling dead
instantly. The situation of the mill, shop and house are is about like the
points of a triangle, 12 rods apart, and Bancroft's house next to the other
house. The young man, Shortt, strange to say, was not fatally hit, the ball of
the first shot was taken out on the outside of the left ribs, some 8 or 10
inches from where it struck him. At the time of the shooting, the miller, Mr.
Clifford, and two other neighbors were in the mill, and no one except Bancroft
was in the shop. No cause can be assigned for the shooting, except an
unpleasantness with Shortt, growing out of a collision of teams some time
previous at a ride, and the dissipation of Bancroft and treatment to his wife,
who was the sister of Arbuckle.
July 18, 1878, Henry R. Campbell fell from a load of hay
and was killed.
Dec. 20, 1878, Bert R. Macomber, aged 17, committed
suicide by shooting.
Nov. 30, 1879, Doct. John H. Peck died from over dose of
chloroform.
April 24, 1880, Byron Eastman, aged 20, was drowned by the
upsetting of a boat at North Montpelier.
SYLVANUS SHEPHERD
is remembered by the citizens of Montpelier as an odd
character about town in its early days. His brother, Willard Shepherd, was one
of the early settlers of East Montpelier, and became an opulent farmer. The old
two-story brick house he built near the line of East Montpelier and Plainfield
is occupied by his descendants. He was the author of "The Phœnix Chron‑
586 VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
icle," The word Phœnix signifies arising out of its
own ashes. The Bonfire in which 450 books were burnt: A view of Montpelier and
all the country places in the State, &c. &c. By Sylvanus Shepherd.
Printed for the author. 1825, 8vo. pp. 18.— Gilman's Bibliography.
THE
STEP-MOTHER.
Lines written by
CLARE STEVENS in his 89th year, to a lady who was a second wife.
A step-mother's lot is one that's hard—
She need be constant on her guard;
There are so many minds to please,
She should be often on her knees,
To pray for grace her path to tread,
And by her Saviour's will be led;
For what suits one will not another,
So I do pity the step-mother.
See biography of Clark Stevens, page 581. In his old age
he often amused himself with rhyming tributes for his friends, acrostics
largely. This, just given, is taken from a quarto blank book, 84 pages, all
written after he was 85 years of age.
TOWN OFFICERS.
Town Clerk—Royal
Wheeler, 1849 to 1855 inclusive; Austin D. Arms, 1856 to 1862 inclusive. Truman
C. Kelton, 1863 to the present time—1881.
Treasurer—Addison
Peck, 1849, '50, '51. N. C. King, 1852 to 1861 inclusive. S. S. Kelton, 1862 to
1877. T. C. Kelton, 1877 to the present time—1881.
Overseer of the Poor—Addison
Peck, 1849, '50, '51. Jacob Bennett, 1852 to 1860. Addison Peck, 1860 to 1865.
John G. Putnam, 1865-66. John M. Willard, 1867 to 1875 inclusive. Solon F.
Cummins, 1876 to the present time—1881.
1st Selectman—J.
C. Nichols, 1845-50, '51; Jacob Rich, 1852; Samuel Templeton, 1853; Lorenzo
Gray, 1854; Edson Slayton, 1855, '56; Ezekiel D. Nye, 1857; Hazen Lyford, 1858;
Jas. Bennett, 1859; Orlando F. Lewis, 1860, '61; Truman C. Kelton, 1862; John
C. Tabor, 1863; Jas. A. Coburn, 1864; S. S. Kelton, 1865; John M. Willard, 1866;
J. L. Coburn, 1867; Thomas B. Stevens, 1868; Squire Bailey, 1869; M. D.
Willard, 1870, '71; Clark King, 1872, '73, '74; E. H. Vincent, 1875; Eri
Morse, 1876; S. W. Hill, 1877; D. H. Patterson, 1878; J. C. Paine, 1879; G. H.
Dix, 1880; Orlando Clark, 1881.
Representative —N
King, 1842, '50; J. P. W. Vincent, 1851, '52; James Templeton, 1853, '54;
Stephen F. Stevens, 1855, '56; Larned Coburn, 1857, '58; P. P. Pitkin, 1859,
'60; E. D. Nye, 1861, '62; T. C. Kelton, 1863, '64; Prentice M. Shepard, 1865,
'66; Timothy Davis, 1867, '68; J. A. Coburn, 1869, '70; T. B. Stevens, 1872,
'73; H. D. Foster, 1874; J. L. Coburn, 1876; Austin Templeton, 1878; A. A.
Tracy, 1880.
Representatives from East Montpelier before division of
town—Pearley Davis, 1799, 1802; Nahum
Kelton, 1816, '17, '18, '20, '29; Wm. Billings, 1834, '35; Royal Wheeler, 1838,
'39; Addison Peck, 1842, '43; Dr. Charles Clark, 1846, '47.
VOTES FOR
GOVERNOR AND PRESIDENTS.
1849—Horatio N. Needham, free soil, 213; Carlos Coolidge,
whig, 76; Jonas Clark, dem., 21.
1850 — Lucius B. Peck, dem., 193; Charles K. Williams,
whig, 85; John Roberts, free soil, 32.
1851—Timothy P. Redfield, free dem., 146; Chas. K.
Williams, whig, 59; John Roberts, dem. 24.
1852—Lawrence Brainerd, free soil, 107; John S. Robinson,
dem., 81; Erastus Fairbanks, whig, 65. Presidential, Winfield Scott, 37;
Franklin Pierce, 47.
1853—John S. Robinson, dem., 101; Lawrence Brainerd, free
soil, 91; Erastus Fairbanks, whig, 51.
1854—Stephen Royce, wing, 93; Merritt Clark, dem., 95;
Lawrence Brainerd, free soil, 5.
1855—Stephen Royce, whig, 163; Merritt Clark, dem., 95;
Lawrence Brainerd, free soil, 1.
1856 — Ryland Fletcher, whig, 168; Henry Keyes, dem., 87.
Presidential, Fremont, 139; Buchanan, 40
1857 —Ryland Fletcher, whig, 128; Henry Keyes, dem., 93.
1858—Hiland Hall, whig, 145; Henry Keyes, dem., 92.
1859—Hiland Hall, whig, 163; John G. Saxe, dem., 102.
1860—Erastus Fairbanks, whig, 180;
EAST
MONTPELIER. 587
John G. Saxe, dem., 87. Presidential, Lincoln, 113;
Douglass, 32.
1861—Frederick Holbrook, repub., 141; Andrew Tracy, whig,
73; H. B. Smalley, dem., 13.
1862—Frederick Holbrook, repub., 111.
1863—John G. Smith, repub., 161; Timothy P. Redfield,
dem., 62.
1864—John G. Smith, repub., 149; Timothy P. Redfield,
dem., 56. Presidential, Lincoln, 131; McClellan, 25.
1865—Paul Dillingham, repub., 122; Charles N. Davenport,
dem., 49.
1866—Paul Dillingham, repub., 129; Charles N. Davenport,
dem., 41.
1867—John B. Page, rep. 176; J. L. Edwards, dem., 39.
1868—John B. Page, repub., 174; John L. Edwards, dem., 51.
Presidential, Grant, 156; Seymour, 28.
1869—Peter T. Washburn, repub., 143; Homer W. Heaton,
dem., 48.
1870—John W. Stewart, repub., 129; Homer W. Heaton, dem.,
41.
1872—Julius Converse, repub., 155; Abraham B. Gardner,
dem., 47. Presidential, Grant, 107; Greeley, 19.
I874—Asahel Peck, repub., 77; W. H. H. Bingham, dem., 41.
1876—Horace Fairbanks, repub., 134; W. H. H. Bingham,
dem., 57. Presidential, Hayes, 109; Tilden, 33.
1878—Redfield Proctor, repub., 145; W. H. H. Bingham,
dem., 55.
1880—Roswell Farnham, repub., 166; Edward J. Phelps, dem.,
56. Presidential, Garfield, 108; Hancock, 17.
SOLDIERS OF EAST
MONTPELIER.
Soldiers of the Revolution, who lived and died in East Montpelier.—Hezekiah Tinkham, Edward West, Elias Metcalf, John
Putnam, Job Macomber, Daniel Russell, Sen., Theophilus Clark, Clark Stevens,
Samuel Southwick, Enoch Cate, John Gray, Joshua Sanders.
Soldiers of the War of 1812.—Rowland Edwards, Enoch Kelton, Nathan Kelton, John
Gould, John B. Kelton, John Morgan, Jasper M. Stoddard, Moses Parmenter.
Soldiers of the Mexican War.—Daniel Cutler, Orange McKay.
WAR OF THE
REBELLION.
COMPILED
MAINLY FROM THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S REPORT BY CHARLES DE F. BANCROFT.
VOLUNTEERS
FOR THREE YEARS CREDITED PREVIOUS TO CALL FOR 300,000 MEN, OCT. 16, 1863.
Names. Age. Co. Regt. Enlistment. Remarks.
Andrews, Gustavus A. 43 K 3 July 10 61 Discharged Dec. 9, 62.
Bancroft, Charles F. 18 I Bat. Jan. 18 62 Died
June 14, 62, in Louisana.
Bancroft, Daniel P. 23 C Cav. Aug 28 62 Discharged
May 18, 65.
Bailey, Hiram A. 19 H 3 June 1 61 Mustered out July 27, 64.
Beaudreau, Stephen Credited,
but does not appear to have
entered
the service.
Bent, David J. 20 G 4 Aug 30 61 Died May 7, 62.
Burnham, Andrew 36 H 2 do 20 61 Discharged Dec. 17, 61.
Carley, Charles 22 F 6 do 15 62 Transferred to U. S. Navy Apr. 15, 64;
discharged
June 6, 65.
Carley, Henry 24 F 6 Sept 23 61 Mustered out Oct. 28, 64.
Carley, William 44 E 8 Nov 28 61 Trans. to V. R. C.; disch. June 4, 64.
Carr, Chester 26 I 11 Aug 11 62 Deserted July 26, 64.
Connell, Thomas 22 K 3 July 10 61 Died July 4, 62, of wounds rec'd at Lee's
Mills.
Cummins, Edwin 22 G 4 Aug 27 61 Discharged Oct. 10, 62.
Cutler, Charles F. 21 K 7 June 1 62 Died at New Orleans, Sept. 3, 62.
Dearborn, Roswell H. 23 G 4 Aug 29 61 Killed at Fredericksburgh Dec. 13, 62.
Dillon, William 2d., 18 F 6 do 15 62 Pro. corp.; wounded Aug. 21, 64; must.
out
June 19, 64.
Field, Reuben R. 24 B Cav do do do Mustered out June 21, 65.
Gero, George 28 K 3 July 10 61 Discharged Nov. 22, 61.
Gray, William C. 22 C Cav Sept 13 61 Mustered out Nov. 18, 64.
Hammond, Elon O. 45 K 3 June 16 61 Captain; resigned Aug. 14, 61.
Hargin, Ira J. 18 F 2 Aug 14 62 Killed in action May 3, 64.
Hill, Amasa 29 K 3 July 10 61 Died April 14, 62.
Hill, Henry H. 21 G 4 Sept 21 61 1st lieut.; died May 9, 62, Wash'n, D. C.
Hill, Joseph P. 20 E 3 June 1 61 Prom. corp.; discharged Dec. 23, 62.
588 VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
Names. Age. Co. Regt. Enlistment. Remarks.
Howland, Hiram B. 42 G 3 June 15 61 Discharged Jan. 21, 63.
Joslyn, Triffley 21 G 4 Sept 3 61 W'd at Wilderness; must. out Sept. 30, 64.
Lapiere, Cypren 21 F 2 Feb 24 62 Trans. to V. R. C., Apr. 20, 65; must.
out
July 20, 65.
Lapiere, Joseph 21 F 2 do 5 62 Discharged Sept. 13, 62.
Lawrence, Stephen D. 28 F 2 Aug 14 62 Rejected by Brigade Surgeon.
Mann, Albert N. 21 I 9 May 23 62 Discharged Nov. 5, 62.
Maxham, George 38 E 8 Dec 8 61 Promoted corp.; re-enlisted June 5, 64.
Mitchell, John 18 K 3 July 10 61 Deserted Jan. 21, 62.
Morse, Joseph Jr., 29 H 2 Aug 20 61 Mustered out Sept 13, 64.
Morris, Joseph 18 C Cav Aug 14 61 Discharged
Nov. 26, 62.
Muckler, Henry 28 G 4 do 27 61 Discharged April 19, 62.
Ormsbee, Elhanan W. 24 G 4 Aug 30 61 Killed at the Wilderness May 5, 64.
Ormsbee, Mansaur A. 28 F 2 May 7 61 Discharged Jan. 14, 63.
Ormsbee, Orvis 20 G 4 Aug 30 61 Died Jan. 19, 62, at Camp Griffin, Va.
Persons, Charles E. 20 G 4 Aug 27 61 Mustered out Sept. 30, 64.
Persons, Levi A. 24 G 4 do do do Sergeant; discharged Apr. 17, 62.
Persons, Phineas C. 23 F 6 Feb 25 62 Discharged July 31, 62.
Pitkin Perley P. 35 2 June
20 61 Quartermaster; pro. capt. and
assist.
quartermaster
U. S. A., April 13, 62.
Prescott, Dexter S. 22 G 4 Aug 22 61 Discharged Nov. 10, 62.
Putnam. Isaac A. 24 G 4 do 24 61 1st sergt; prom. 2d lieut. Co. H, Jan.
19,
62; 1st lieut. Co. C, Oct. 20, 63;
killed
at the Wilderness May 5, 64.
Sanders, Charles A. 29 G 4 Aug 24 61 Discharged April 4, 62.
Seymour, Isaac 44 I 9 June 23 62 Discharged Feb. 20, 63.
Shorey, Theodore 19 F 2 May 7 61 Prom. corp.; sergt.; re-enlisted; must.
out
July 15, 65.
Silloway, Seth P. 39 1st Bat Dec 7 61 Discharged April 30, 64.
Sinnott, William 44 I 2 Aug 27 62 Discharged May 18, 63, for wounds rec'd
at
Fredericksburgh.
Slayton, Austin C. 21 K 3 July 10 61 Mustered out July 27, 64.
Smith, James H. 19 F 6 Oct 2 61 Discharged Oct. 30, 64.
Snow, Oscar D. 19 H 3 June 1 61 Died Oct. 14, 61.
Southwick, George W. 32 1st Bat June 16 62 Mustered
out August 10, 64.
Stevens, William B. 23 G 4 Aug 22 61 Pro. serg't; died of wounds rec. at Cold
Harbor,
Juue 12, 64.
Steward, Dexter G. 24 K 3 July 10 61 Discharged Sept. 17, 62.
Templeton, Charles A. 19 F 6 Oct 7 61 Corporal; died Oct. 17, 62.
Thibeault, Antoine 18 F 2 Aug 28 62 Died at White Oak Church, Dec. 24, 62.
Trow, George E. 20 H 2 Aug 20 62 Mustered out Sept. 12, 64.
Washburn, William L. 18 G 4 do 28 61 Discharged Feb. 17, 63. [18,
63.
Wheeler. Cyril 33 I 2 do 20 62 Wounded at Fredericksburgh; dis. May
Willey, Alonzo D. 24 K 3 July 10 61 Killed at Lee's Mills, Apr. 16, 62.
Wemes, James 38 G 4 Apr 5 62 Discharged July 8, 63.
VOLUNTEERS FOR
NINE MONTHS.
Barnet, Lucius H. 21 C 13 Aug 29 62 Mustered out July 21, 63.
Carson, Charles H. 20 do do do do
Coburn, Lewis L. 28 do do do Captain; mustered out July 21, 63.
Cutler, Lorenzo D. 20 do do do Serg't; died at Brattleboro, July 24, 63.
Flint, Norris W. 25 do do Aug 29 61 Mustered out July 21, 63.
Genait, Victor 21 do do do
Hill, Horace L. 21 do do do
Howland, William H. 22 do do do
Lawson, William E. 22 do do do
Lewis, William H. 19 do do do
Martin, Henry H. 20 do do Wd. July 3, 63; must.
out. July 21, 63.
Nye, Alanson 22 do do do do
Ormsbee, Hosea B. 22 do do do do
Ormsbee, William H. 18 do do do do
Pierce, George 25 do do do do
Pratt, Azro A. 29 do do do do
Slayton, Rufus H. 18 H 13 do do
Snow, Willard C. 22 C 13 do Wounded July 3, 63; died July 19, 63.
Stoddard, Francis F. 22 do do Pro. Corp; must. out
July 21, 63.
Templeton, Albert C. 18 do do do
Tucker, Marcus F. 19 do do do
Wakefield, Christopher H. 24 do do do
Wakefield, Henry 20 do do do
Wakefield, William H. 22 do do Mustered out July 21,
63.
EAST
MONTPELIER. 589
CREDITS FOR 3
YEARS, UNDER CALL OF OCT. 17, 1863, FOR 300,000 MEN.
Names. Age Co. Regt. Enlistment. Remarks.
Ainsworth, Eugene D. 18 I 11 Nov 23 63 Wd. at Cold Harbor, June 1, 64; dis.
Apr.
27, 65.
Barton, Geo. M. 17 3 Bat Dec 26 63 Pro. corp; mustered out June 15, 65.
Batchelder, John D. 21 I 11 Nov 21 63 Died at Ft. Slocum, D. C., Feb. 27, 64.
Burnham, Edwin 20 I 11 do 23 63 Wd. at Cedar Creek, Oct. 19. 64; pro.
corp;
must. out July 17, 65.
Carson, Charles H. 21 E 17 Sept 14 63 Corp; killed at Wilderness, May 6, 64.
Clark, Isaac 31 I 11 Nov 29 63 Died June 6, 64, of wounds received at
Cold
Harbor.
Collins, Luther M. I8 H 17 do 9 63 Mustered out July 14, 65.
Goodell, Lewis 19 I 11 do 23 63 do June 29,
65.
Gove, George D. 17 3 Bat Dec 23 63 do June 15,
65.
Howland, Arthur L. 18 E 17 Sept 21 63 Deserted from hospital in 65.
Howland, William H. 23 E 17 do 14 63 Corporal. Died May 10, 64, of wounds
received
May 6, 64.
Jackson, Marcus N. 20 I 11 Nov 23 63 Mustered out Aug. 25, 65.
Langdon, John C. 21 3 Bat Oct 30 63 do May 13,
65.
Mason, Gilman 18 I 11 Dec 4 63 Discharged Apr. 15, 64.
Mason, Joseph 18 I 11 Nov 27 63 do [65.
O'Neil, Daniel 44 B 5 do 24 63 Trans, to V. R. C. Apr. 64; dis. June 15,
Pierce, David 20 K Cav Jan 1 64 Killed in action March 1, 64. [22,
64.
Roscoe, Curtis W. 19 H 11 Dec 2 63 Corp; died at Andersonville prison, Sept.
Sanders, Charles A. 27 3 Bat Aug 5 64 Mustered out June 15, 65.
Thomas, William W. 19 I 11 Dec 23 63 Discharged Jan. 31, 65.
Wakefield, Henry 22 E 17 Sept 15 63 Died at Salisb. prison, N.C., Feb. 20, 65.
Washburn, Ira A. 18 I 11 Dec 28 63 Mustered out Aug. 5, 65.
VOLUNTEERS FOR
ONE YEAR.
Francis, Edgar A. 18 D 2 Aug 20 64 Mustered out June 19, 65.
Jangraw, Francis 21 3 Bat do 17 64 do do 15,
65.
Morris, Joseph 20 do do do do
Morris, Francis 19 do do do do
Dana, Alpheus T. 20 K 7 Feb 1 65 do Jan. 31,
66.
Lewis, William H. 21 Ft Cav Jan 3 65 do June 27,
65.
Potter, Robert 19 E 8 Feb 20 65 do do 28, 65.
Rowe, Joseph 24 3 Bat Aug 18 64 do do
25, 65.
Skiddy, Lawrence 33 D 7 Feb 13 65 do Feb. 13,
66.
Stevens, Henry A. C. 19 Ft Cav Jan 3 65 do June 27,
65.
Hoyt, Enoch S. V.
R. C. Feb 17 65 Died Oct. 1, 65.
VOLUNTEERS
RE-ENLISTED FOR THREE YEARS.
Holmes, Ira 24 E 8 First en. a credit to
town of Woodbury.
Deserted
May 28, 64.
Maxham, George 41 do June
5 64 Wounded at Cedar Creek, Oct. 19,
64;
must.
out July 17, 65.
DRAFTED MEN WHO
ENTERED THE SERVICE.
Aldrich, Levi H. 24 K 3 July 13 63 Wounded at Cold Harbor, June 3, 64;
des.
Oct. 1, 64.
Gray, George S. 22 C 2 do Killed at Wilderness, May 5. 64.
Ripley, William C. 20 D 2 do Wd. May 5, 64, and Sept. 19, 64; pro.
corp.
Oct. 31, 64; serg't. Feb. 7, 65;
must.
out July 15, 65.
SUBSTITUTES
FURNISHED BY DRAFTED MEN.
Bigelow, John B. 48 B C July 24 63 Substitute for John H. Peck; must. out
June
26, 65.
Giovanni, Don do Substitute for Darwin A. Stewart; des.
before
assignment to Co. or Reg't.
DRAFTED MEN WHO
PAID COMMUTATION.
Benjamin, David Foster,
Edwin H. Pierce,
Aaron
Bliss, George E. Gould,
Henry M. Seabury,
Edward T.
Buzzell, George W. Gould,
John M. Smith,
Willard G.
Cummins, Luther Hollister,
Martin V. B. Stevens,
Thomas B.
Davis, George Holmes,
Henry C. Templeton,
Austin
Davis, Nathaniel Jr., Ordway,
Edward, Templeton,
H. H.
Davis, Oscar L. Parmenter,
Marcus Wasson, David
H.
Edwards, Samuel Jr.,
590 VERMONT HISTORICAL
MAGAZINE.
RECAPITULATION.
Volunteers for 3 years.............................................................................................
86
Volunteers for 1 year................................................................................................ 12
Volunteers for 9 months..........................................................................................
24
Drafted men who entered service .............................................................................. 3
Furnished substitute................................................................................................
2
Paid commutation...................................................................................................
22
Mustered out at expiration of time of service, or the
close of the war........................
64
Discharged for disability..........................................................................................
30
Killed in battle..........................................................................................................
8
Died of wounds received in action............................................................................... 6
Died of disease contracted in service........................................................................ 11
Died in Rebel prisons................................................................................................. 2
Deserted.................................................................................................................... 6
ROLL OF HONOR.
Name. Date
of death.
Bancroft, Charles F. June
14, 1862.
Batchelder, John D. Feb.
27, 1864.
Bent, David J. May
7, 1862.
Carson, Charles H. May
5, 1864.
Clark, Isaac June
6, 1864.
Cornell, Thomas July
4, 1862.
Cutler, Charles F. Sept.
3, 1862.
Cutler, Lorenzo D. July
24, 1863.
Dearborn, Roswell H. Dec.
13, 1862.
Gray. George S. May
5, 1864.
Hargin, Ira J. May
5, 1864.
Hill, Amasa April
14, 1862.
Hill, Henry H. 1st lieut. May
9, 1862.
Howland, William H. May
10, 1864.
Hoyt, Enoch S. Oct.
3, 1865.
Ormsbee, Elhanan W. May
5, 1864.
Ormsbee, Orvis Jan.
19, 1862.
Pierce, David Mar.
1, 1864.
Putnam, Isaac A. 1st lieut. May 5, 1864.
Roscoe, Curtis W. Sept.
22, 1864.
Snow, Oscar D. Oct.
14, 1861.
Snow, Willard C. July
19, 1863.
Stevens, William B. June
12, 1864.
Templeton, Charles A. Oct.
17, 1862.
Thibeault, Antoine Dec.
24, 1862.
Wakefield, Henry Feb.
20, 1865.
Willey, Alonzo D. April
16, 1862.
[OF
MR. WALTON.]
Page 329, Miranda C. Storrs should be Maria Cadwell
Storrs.
Page 357, William H. Upham should be William Keyes
Upham. E.
P. W.
Page 299, soldiers furnished by the town given as 236,
quota 189, should be 336, and a quota of 289 to fill.
[OF C. DE F. BANCROFT.]
Page 331, Willie Kelly, aged 11 years, killed by a sweep
on Barre street, in 1869.
Page 331, a Willey child killed on Main street; run over,
age 6, 1870.
Page 331, Michael McMahon killed, should read, aged 30
years.
Page 231, William Mousier, not William Monsier.
Page 332, D. K. Bennett, Aug. 3, not Aug. 8.
On page 348 should be added the names of Edward Ordway,
Edward Seabury and Willard G. Smith to the list of drafted men from Montpelier
as having paid commutation. They are erroneously given in the Adjutant
General's printed report of 1864, as credits from East Montpelier.
Page 345, '6, Frank V. Randall, Jr., enlisted Jan. 1,
1863, at the age of 11 years; a credit from this town as a musician in Co. F,
13th Reg't., and mustered out of service July 21, '63; enlisted Jan. 5, '64, as
musician in Co. E, 17th Reg't.; mustered out July, '65.
Page 342, Ansel H. Howard, aged 18 years, enlisted Aug.
20, '61, in Co. H, 2d Reg't.; promoted corporal; re-enlisted from Montpelier,
Dec. 21, '63; promoted sergeant; mustered out of service July 15, '65.
Page 345, William Goodwin, enlisted Aug. 25, 1862, at the
age of 24, in Co. I, 13th Regt. Mustered out with the regiment July 21, 1863.
Page 524, Center Cemetery should read Cutler Cemetery,
Page 530, James Conners' age should be 24, not 54.
Additional.—Mrs.
Rhoda Brooks, page 476, the date of her birth should be 1788,
J. A. Wing, p. 545; birth Oct., not Dec 26, 1810, remained
in Plainfield 58.
Page 289, Drolette, should be Drolet.
PORTRAITS
AND DONORS.
CLARK STEVENS of East Montpelier, old town clerk and
Quaker minister—first preacher in old Montpelier. Donated by Hon. S. S. Kelton,
historian of East Montpelier, and Thomas B. Stevens, grandson of Clark Stevens.
Gen. PARLEY DAVIS of East Montpelier, first general
surveyor of Washington County. Donated by his grandson, Benjamin I. Wheeler of
East Montpelier.
Gen. EZEKIEL P. WALTON. By Hon. E. P. Walton
Mrs. PRUSSIA PERSONS WALTON. By Mrs. Harriet N. Wing of
Glens Falls, N. Y.
Hon. E. P. WALTON. By Hon. E. P. Walton.
Col. JAMES H. LANGDON, Mrs. JAMES H. LANGDON, JAMES R. LANGDON.
By James R. Langdon.
GEORGE LANGDON. By Mrs. Geo. Langdon.
Dr. JULIUS Y. DEWEY. By Hon. Charles and Edward Dewey.
Hon. DANIEL BALDWIN. By Mr. and Mrs. Marcus D. Gilman.
Hon. CHARLES REED. By Mrs. Charles Reed.
Hon. CHARLES W. WILLARD. By Mrs. Charles W. Willard
Senator WILLIAM UPHAM, Mrs. WILLIAM UPHAM. By Mrs. George
Langdon.
Hon. SAMUEL PRENTISS. By Joseph A. Prentiss, Esq., Winona,
Minn.
Rev. WILLIAM H. LORD. By Ladies of Bethany Church.
Rev. FREDERICK W. SHELTON. By Episcopal Church Society.
Rev. CHESTER WRIGHT. By Rev. I. Edward Wright.
Capt. NATHAN JEWETT, Col. ELISHA P. JEWETT. By Col. E. P.
Jewett.
JOHN WOOD, THOMAS W. WOOD. By Thos. W. Wood.
Judge TIMOTHY P. REDFIELD. By Hon. T. P. Redfield.
Hon. HOMER W. HEATON. By Hon. Homer W. Heaton.
JOSEPH A. WING, Esq. By J. A. Wing, Esq.
Gen. PERLEY P. PITKIN. By Gen. P. P. Pitkin.
Hon. LUCIUS B. PECK. By his daughter, Mrs. Anna M.
Mallary, Towanda, Penn.
Hon. STODDARD B. COLBY. By his daughter, Mrs. Col. Carey,
Washington, D. C.
CHARLES G. EASTMAN. By Mrs. Charles G. Eastman.
JONATHAN SHEPARD. By George C. Shepard.
Gov. ASAHEL PECK. By Nahum Peck of Hinesburgh.
Hon. RAWSEL R. KEITH. By Dodge W. Keith of Chicago.
MAHLON COTTRILL, Mrs. MAHLON COTTRILL. By Jedd P.
Cottrill, Esq., Milwaukee.
Col. LEVI BOUTWELL. By Mrs. Levi Boutwell and H. S.
Boutwell.
Dr. NATHANIEL C. KING of East Montpelier, Dr. SUMNER
PUTNAM of Montpelier. By Dr. Sumner Putnam.
CARLOS BANCROFT. By Mrs. Carlos Bancroft.
AARON BANCROFT. By Chas. De F. Bancroft and two old
citizens.
ZENAS WOOD. By his daughters at St. Johnsbury.
RICHARD W. HYDE. By Mrs. R. W. Hyde and family.
592 VERMONT HISTORICAL
MAGAZINE.
Hon. JOHN A. PAGE. By Hon. J. A. Page.
Hon. JOSEPH POLAND. By Hon. J. Poland.
CHARLES W. BAILEY. By Mrs. Chas. W. Bailey.
J. WARREN BAILEY. By Mrs. J. W. Bailey.
Major ALFRED L. CARLETON. By Mrs. A. L. Carleton.
Rev. ELISHA BROWN. By Col. A. C. Brown.
LUTHER CROSS. By Luther B. Cross.
ROBERT H. WHITTIER. By Mrs. R. H. Whittier.
Dea. CONSTANT W. STORRS. By Mrs. C. W. Storrs.
MARCUS D. GILMAN. By M. D. Gilman.
HIRAM ATKINS. By H. Atkins.
Hon. RODERICK RICHARDSON. By Hon. R. Richardson.
Dr. CHARLES CLARK. By the family.
WOOD ENGRAVINGS
SPECIALLY FOR THIS WORK.
LORENZO Dow and PEGGY, and BRIDGMAN. By L. J. Bridgman.
CHURCH OF ST. AUGUSTINE. From the Catholic Society.
TRINITY M. E. CHURCH. By the Society—Mrs. Laura A.
McDermid, solicitor.
CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH. By the Unitarian Society, through
John G. Wing, Esq.
BAPTIST CHURCH. By Society and friends, through John W.
Smith.
CENTRAL VERMONT DEPOT. From Cen. Vt. R. R. Co., St.
Albans.
VERMONT MUTUAL. FIRE INSURANCE BUILDING. From the Company.
RESIDENCE OF MARCUS D. GILMAN. From Mr. Gilman.
WASHINGTON COUNTY COURT HOUSE. By the Montpelier lawyers,
through Hiram Carleton, Esq.
RESIDENCE OF GEORGE C. SHEPARD. From Mr. Shepard.
RIVERSIDE HOUSE. From C. J. Gleason, Esq.
Plates before engraved.—CHRIST
CHURCH—By favor of Mr. Atkins of the Argus. BETHANY CHURCH, THE STATE HOUSE,
PAVILION, &c. The Interior Of CHRIST CHURCH, BETHANY, and TRINITY M. E.,
subscriptions commenced for.
NOTE TO THE PORTRAITS.—Those of Col. Langdon and wife, and
Gen. Walton and wife, were painted by Tuthill, (a pupil of Benjamin West);
those of Mahlon Cottrill and wife, by Mason, and all when the parties were so
young, their portraits will be recognized by only a few persons. The same is
true to some extent of the portraits of Gen. Parley Davis and Mrs. Upham. The
signature of Prussia Walton was writren at the age of 82.
FINIS.
MONTPELIER, thou hast won my heart
By all thy
generous ways;
It is my joy, my pride, thy noble men,
Thy matrons
beauteous in their days—
To praise.
And I would write thy happy name
On the historic
page,
In letters as of gold, to hand
Down to the
future age—
MONTPELIER.
Abby Maria Hemenway