"Buck Mountain lies near the centre of Waltham, and, as it is the highest land in the country, west of the Green Mountains, its summit exhibits a good view of a delightful section of country.  Waltham lies on the east side of Otter Creek, which it separates from Panton . . . The settlement of Waltham was commenced just before the beginning of the revolutionary war, by a family of Griswolds, and others, from Connecticut."

Gazetteer of Vermont, Hayward, 1849.

      WALTHAM was chartered in 1761 by Governor Wentworth, of New Hampshire, in common with New Haven, of which it was formerly a part. It contained about nine square miles, and by special act of the General Assembly of Vermont was taken from the northwest corner of New Haven, after the city of Vergennes was incorporated in November, 1796. At a meeting of the citizens, March 30, 1797, its organization was perfected by the election of P. BROWN, moderator; Andrew BARTON, jr., town clerk and treasurer; Doctor GRISWOLD, constable and collector, and Phinehas BROWN, Joseph LANGWORTHY, and Moses PIER, selectmen. The name of Waltham was suggested as a proper one for the new town by Phinehas BROWN, who came from Waltham, Mass. It has no post-office and never had a separate charter, and had no common business center within its limits, being a strictly agricultural town, the business of its citizens in trade and commerce being transacted in the city of Vergennes and the adjoining towns of Weybridge and New Haven. A range of high hills intersects the town north and south near its center, and at one point assumes the proportions of a mountain, called Buck Mountain. On either side of this range the land slopes gradually; on the east to the line of New Haven and beyond, and on the west to Otter Creek. It has a variety of soil well adapted to grazing and cultivation, and many of the farms rank with those most noted in the beautiful Champlain valley. 

      No settlement was made in the town prior to 1769, when a few families from Massachusetts and Connecticut came in and commenced clearing the unbroken wilderness. Many of these families took up lots contiguous to each other and at about the same time, and by their native energy and necessary industry made such progress in clearing the lands, building comfortable though rude dwellings, opening roads, and other general improvements, that their success as pioneer settlers would have been permanently assured but for the jealousy and greed of the Yorkers, who seemingly allowed no opportunity to pass by which they could harass and annoy their less numerous and poorer neighbors. It is well understood that several of these families, or members thereof, who resided here previously to the war, were, with others from adjacent towns, carried away by bands of Tories and Indians and never returned, while others by some means escaped after years of privation and suffering, and returned to occupy their lands. Among the first settlers in Waltham were a few of the grantees of New Haven, or their immediate descendants, and others, who are not included in the list of grantees. It appears of record that John EVERTS, of Salisbury, Conn., was deputed by the grantees to obtain a charter of a township from Governor WENTWORTH, and accomplished the business of his mission, at the date first mentioned in this sketch. It is not certain that John EVERTS ever resided in Waltham, yet his family was represented in the early settlement of the town, and several families of the name of EVERTS of successive generations have been, and still are, permanent and influential citizens in town. One author gives the name of John EVERTS as the first town clerk of New Haven, but in searching the records the statement needs confirmation, and is doubtless erroneous. He might have been proprietors' clerk, but another name appears as first town clerk, and stands affixed to official papers, placed upon the early records. All agree that Andrew BARTON, jr., was the first town clerk of Waltham, and also the first justice of the peace, elected in 1791. He was a well-educated man for his time, and his native talents were much above the average. He died in 1802, in the prime of his manhood, aged forty-one years. His residence was on the West street near the center of the town, at present occupied by his grandson, A. B. ROSE, and one of the finest locations in this or adjoining towns. He had several brothers, residents of Waltham and New Haven.

      In addition to the names of first and early settlers mentioned, may be here noticed others who figured conspicuously in giving character to the community and promoting the general and important interests of the town. Before the war came John GRISWOLD, sr., and his five sons, John, jr., Nathan, Adonijah, David, and Doctor; Eli and Durand (father and son) ROBURDS, Andrew and Dyer BARTON, Phinehas BROWN, and others. About that time, or a little later, came Isaac HOBBS, Ichabod COOK, Ebenezer, ZEBULON, and Roger HAWKINS, Joseph ALMY, Nathaniel CHALKER, Jesse WARD, Joseph LANGWORTHY, Moses PIER, William and George FISHER, Daniel CHIPMAN, Luther and Calvin EVERTS, and Christopher DENNISON. He and the four eldest sons of John GRISWOLD were taken prisoners by a band of Indians and carried with others into Canada. John, jr., induced by a promise of liberty, went as a hand on board a transport ship that sailed from Quebec for Ireland, and was never after heard from. The others returned at the close of the war. Adonijah located in the east part of the town, near the residence of H. EVERTS, reared a family of five sons, left the town about 1830, and went with his family to Illinois, where he died at an advanced age. Nathan lived and perhaps died in Vergennes. David located on the farm lately owned and occupied by H. C. HUNT, in New Haven, and spent the remnant of his life there. Doctor located on the West street in Waltham, and built the stone house now occupied by C. D. BRISTOL. He was many years a prominent citizen and public officer, and died an old man.

      Andrew and Dyer BARTON located on West street and occupied lands now owned by F. D. BARTON, grandson of DYER, the latter dying in 1808 aged fifty-nine years, leaving his estate to his son John DYER and a daughter, Fanny, who became the wife of Jeptha SHEAD, a bookbinder and dealer in the city of Vergennes. The widow of Dyer BARTON subsequently married Aurey FERGUSON, and died July 23, 1842, aged eighty-nine years. The first fifty acres owned by John D. BARTON, who subsequently became a large land owner, were given him by Andrew BARTON for his care and support during his natural life. He (Andrew) died soon after this arrangement was made, January 10, 1813, aged seventy-three years. The south part of the farm was early owned and occupied by William BARTON, son of Andrew B., sr., until 1835, when he sold out to Abijah and Judson HURD, from Cornwall or Bridport, and moved to Middlebury, where he resided several years, but died in Indiana at an advanced age. He represented the town in the General Assembly in 1832. The HURD brothers occupied the farm six or eight years, then sold to John D. BARTON. The farm occupied by David HARE was first settled by Calvin EVERTS, son of Luther EVERTS, sr., who lived but a few years, and died, leaving a widow, who subsequently married Luther HUNT, the father of H. C. HUNT, of New Haven, and Newman HUNT, of Waltham. Mr. HUNT died at the residence of his son Newman in 1844, aged eighty years. A dwelling house was built on the site of Mr. HARE's house about 1830 by Josiah BAILEY, a shoemaker by trade, and a representative of the town in 1835. After following business a few years he sold the premises to J. D. BARTON and went to Franklin county, N. Y. The house built by BAILEY was burned about 1845 while occupied by Amos M. BARTON, son of J. D., and after the division of J. D. BARTON's estate (Mrs. HARE being one of the heirs) Mr. HARE built the beautiful dwelling house standing thereon. Mr. HARE is an active, prompt man, and a good farmer and dairyman. John D. BARTON was widely known as a large land owner, a judicious farmer and successful breeder of horses, sheep, and cattle. He died in 1865 at the age of seventy-five. The farm now owned and occupied by John H. SPRAGUE & Son on West street was occupied at an early day by Anthony and Lewis SPRAGUE, the former being the father of J. H. SPRAGUE, sr., into whose hands the property soon drifted. John H. SPRAGUE, sr., was a stirring business man, and in addition to his farming was a large dealer in livestock, especially of fat cattle, large numbers of which he purchased to be slaughtered. He built the fine residence now standing, and died in 1863, aged sixty-seven. His son, John H., jr., succeeded to the occupancy of the homestead, and erected the commodious and convenient out-buildings standing thereon. Carlton W. SPRAGUE, son of J. H., jr., occupies a farm adjoining his father's, which formerly belonged to the territory of J. D. BARTON; it was purchased a few years since of Calvin BRAGG, whose wife was a daughter and heir of J. D. BARTON. The SPRAGUES have been thorough farmers and general business men, and everything around them gives evidence of enterprise and thrift. The present owners are breeders of fine-wooled sheep and fine horses. The residence of A. B. ROSE is the place on which Andrew BARTON, jr., resided, who is supposed to have been the first settler on that farm. He had brothers -- Nathan, of New Haven, and William, of this town, both of whom were large land holders and men of much shrewdness and good sense; yet Andrew, jr., is said to have been a more brilliant man in practical ability and intellectual strength. Polly BARTON, his widow, subsequently married one Manchester, who kept a country tavern on the Barton farm, and the old sign, Manchester's Inn, is now in possession of Mr. ROSE. No one seems to know, and no record shows, what became of Manchester; but the old lady lived long after he disappeared, and when she died, in 1842, was buried by the side of her first husband. One of the daughters of Andrew BARTON, jr., married Newton ROSE, a Connecticut man, who resided in Waltham several years last before his death, which occurred in 1865, aged seventy-five years. He was three years a representative in the General Assembly and two years a door-keeper in the same. Andrew B. ROSE, son of the last named, succeeds to the ownership of most of the homestead of his grandfather BARTON, and is an excellent farmer and dairyman; has held various town offices and was its representative in 1876 and '77. The farm now owned by J. and E. J. HURLBURT was first occupied by Christopher DENNISON, jr. It soon passed to the ownership of Lewis COOLIDGE, from Boston, Mass. He was a good citizen, but never a practical farmer. He occupied the farm some fifteen years, then sold the same to Philemon ALVORD, who in turn occupied the same about twenty-five years, then, in 1860, sold to Isaac HALLOCK and removed to the State of Minnesota, where he has since died. This farm has since been owned and occupied by H. W. PHILLIPS, O. M. CHAPIN, George HALLOCK, N. ROSE, and now by Julius and Edward J. HURLBURT. The "town plot" is on this farm.

      The so-called BACON farm is the same that was early occupied by Christopher DENNISON, jr., the first representative elected from this town. It passed to the occupancy of Charles BACON in 1833, who lived upon the same until his death in 1873. He represented the town three years, held the various offices of the town, and was a first-class farmer. The row of beautiful, thrifty maples standing by the wayside, opposite the dwelling house, is a living monument to the memory of Charles BACON. Oscar C., son of Charles, succeeded to the ownership and occupancy of the farm, until his death in 1879. Both of the BACONs were successful breeders of fine-wooled sheep, and a valuable flock is still kept on the farm by Frank H., son of O. C. BACON, who is the present occupant of the same.

      The SAXTON farm was a part of the territory early settled by Timothy TURNER, and conveyed to him by his father, John TURNER, in 1809. Mr. TURNER sold to George FISHER, who came from Addison and located here in 1815. Mr. FISHER occupied and improved the farm, until, in 1841, he sold the same to his sons-in-law N. A. SAXTON and John P. STRONG, who subsequently divided the same, and occupied his division until the death of Mr. SAXTON in 1874, and the sale of Mr. STRONG's part to Henry S. CROSS in 1850. Mr. FISHER was many years a leading man in town; a justice of the peace thirty years, town clerk fifteen years, and town representative in 1833, '34 and '38. He died in 1865, aged eighty-five years. Mr. SAXTON was a noted breeder of fine-wool sheep, and ranked high among the best breeders of his day. He held various town offices and was its representative in 1867 and '68. Mrs. SAXTON now resides on the farm formerly belonging to her husband and father. After her decease it passes, by Mr. SAXTON's will, to the Congregational Church Society in Vergennes.
 

      The farm now occupied by Messrs. WRIGHT & JACKMAN is that of which mention is made as belonging to John P. STRONG, and after him to H. S. Cross, who occupied the same until 1867, when Mr. WRIGHT purchased it; he still owns and occupies the same, in company with his son-in-law Henry S. JACKMAN. A part of the farm was the residence of Joseph LANGWORTHY, one of the first board of selectmen and an early settler in the town. He died October 1823, aged eighty-seven, and his wife December 3, 1823, aged eighty-four years. The enterprising LANGWORTHY brothers, well-known and thorough business men and merchants in Middlebury, Vt., are grandsons of the venerable patriarch Joseph LANGWORTHY. The present owners of the farm have made marked improvement thereon, and are successful breeders of choice Merino sheep. Mr. WRIGHT has held the office of town clerk fourteen years, was town representative in 1874 and '75, and has been superintendent of schools since 1871, except for one year. Mr. JACKMAN has held various town offices and was a member of the General Assembly in 1884 and '85. The farm now occupied by John GREGORY was first settled by Solomon STRONG, who lived upon the same until his death in 1822, aged eighty-five years. Solomon STRONG, jr., owned and occupied a farm with his father, and subsequently sold it to Azro BENTON in 1830, and moved to Hinesburg, where he died in December, 1846, aged seventy-three. Mr. STRONG was one of the best men of the town, a man of refinement, and withal a good blacksmith. He built the large house now standing on the farm. Mr. BENTON occupied the STRONG farm about thirty years, when he sold the same to Isaac HALLOCK, who lived thereon ten years and died in October, 1870, aged fifty-four years. Mr. HALLOCK was employed eighteen successive years by Samuel E. CHALKER, of New Haven, as a foreman in his large farming operations, at the nominal sum of fifty cents per day during the entire period. He was married, and during his long term of service with Mr. CHALKER raised a family of five children. The rent of a house and fuel for the same, also the keeping of a cow or two, were furnished gratuitously to Mr. HALLOCK by his employer. Mr. HALLOCK commenced business life empty handed and left an estate valued at $20,000. He was twice married; the second wife survived him and is now the wife of John GREGORY, a native of Ferrisburgh. Anson M. HALLOCK, his son, succeeds to the ownership of a large part of his father's farm, is a good farmer, and one of the present board of selectmen. 

      The farm on West street, first settled by Phinehas BROWN, first representative of New Haven, at his decease came into possession of Elijah BENTON, of Cornwall, Vt., who married one of Mr. BROWN's daughters, and who occupied the farm until his decease in 1875. It is now owned and occupied by E. F. BENTON, by whom it has been much improved, and its present appearance is very creditable to the good taste of the owner. Richard BURROUGHS married another daughter of Mr. BROWN and resided on a part of the BROWN territory many years, but died in Illinois in 1850, while visiting his only son. Mr. BURROUGHS was a man of liberal culture, having been graduated at Dartmouth College with a prominent standing in his class, and prosecuted his studies long after his graduation. He edited and published a grammar of the English language; was town clerk several years; town representative in 1831, and a practical surveyor in this and adjoining towns. One of Mr. BURROUGHS's daughters became the wife of Azro BENTON, who is still living at the age of eighty-four. A. BENTON has been a successful farmer, and several years a constable and collector for the town.

      The farm and residence of the late Warren W. PIERCE was first occupied by a son-in-law of Mr. BROWN, named Abram MCKENZIE. It is now the property of Wyatt W. PIERCE, whose temporary residence is Franklin Furnace, N. J. The elder PIERCE was noted as a careful breeder of Jersey cattle and a successful dairyman. Fine Jersey stock is still kept on the place.

      The SUTTON farm was early owned by Edward SUTTON, a prominent merchant in Vergennes, and at his decease in 1828 became the property of his daughter, now residing in New York city. It contains 200 acres and is among the best farms of the town. It has been occupied at various periods by some excellent citizens and first-class farmers, viz., John C. BUCKLEY, Henry HAWLEY, Midas P. FAGGART, and others. Its agency was for many years in the person of Daniel W. BUCKLEY, and is now in that of the Hon. J. E. ROBERTS, of Vergennes.

      The DAY farm, now owned and occupied by Mrs. N. S. DAY, was owned in small parcels by William MCKENZIE, Beers TOMLINSON, and Francis BRADLEY, from whom it passed to Dr. W. M. DAY in 1865. He died there in 1874. Dr. Day was town clerk and superintendent of schools several years, and was the only practicing physician who ever had residence in Waltham.

      The farm of John PRESTON was probably settled by William SPALDING. Mr. PRESTON, the present owner, was born in Ireland, came to this neighborhood when a lad and has resided in town nearly fifty years and raised a large family of sons and daughters. One of the sons was a graduate of Middlebury College, class of 1880 and is now a successful teacher at Mamaroneck, N. Y. Another son was a graduate of the medical department of Vermont University in 1882, and is now located at New Haven, Vt., and gives promise of success in his chosen profession. 

      The residence of Mrs. Maria THORN, also the adjoining farm, now occupied by George BOSTWICK, was first settled upon by Wm. FISHER, of Addison. He was a very prominent citizen, but died early, aged about forty-five years. The farm was subsequently divided between his two sons, Peleg and Hiram, who lived upon the same until well advanced in age, when they both removed to New Haven, where they have since died. Mr. BOSTWICK came to town in 1884, the successor of Daniel HAWLEY, who bought of the FISHERs.

      Luther EVERTS, born about 1760, and son of Luther EVERTS, sr., was an early settler on East street; reared a large family and spent a long life there. He was a very bright, keen-witted man, social, but sensitive; was a surveyor, and held many of the offices in town by repeated elections. His death occurred at the homestead in 1846. His son, Harry EVERTS, succeeded to the ownership of the farm and is the present occupant. He was town representative in 1869 and '70, and held other principal offices in town. A younger brother of the last named, the Hon. Edwin EVERTS, was a graduate of Middlebury College in class of 1839; studied law and was admitted to the bar in Addison county; represented Waltham in the General Assembly in 1863 and '64, and served as assistant judge in Addison County Court. His residence is now in Illinois. He and Richard BURROUGHS were the only college graduates who ever resided in the town, except the PRESTON brothers above named.

      Other early settlers, and their entire families, have died or left the town or country, so that no one of the name or kindred remains in the town. Of these, many of the older residents will remember the names of Ebenezer and Zebulon HAWKINS, Daniel CHIPMAN, Wm. SPALDING, George S. and Benjamin CHASE, Ichabod COOK, Nathaniel CHALKER, Joel T. CLARK, Elkanah BRUSH, George FIELD, Lyman and Leman HUSTED, John PECK, Josiah BAILEY, Philemon ALVORD, Christopher DENNISON, and others. The farm first occupied by Ichabod COOK, afterward by J. T. CLARK, is now owned by Harry EVERTS and son, who are large landholders in Waltham and New Haven, and also noted breeders of fine Jersey cattle. 

      The farm owned and occupied by Numan HUNT and his son-in-law, C. D. SMEAD, is that on which Zebulon HAWKINS lived many years, and died there more than fifty years ago. The farm now owned by Nicolas FOSTER was occupied by Ebenezer HAWKINS, one of the early settlers. Mr. FOSTER purchased the farm in 1836, and has since resided thereon. Adjoining the FOSTER farm was the residence of Roger HAWKINS, who purchased the same in 1813 and lived thereon till his death, about 1840, aged eighty years. The farm is now owned by Samuel S. WRIGHT, of New Haven. 

      The HOBBS farm, on East street, was probably first occupied by Isaac HOBBS. He kept a public house for the entertainment of travelers, and lived to a great age. Previous to his decease the farm had been transferred to his son Solomon, who spent many years thereon, but at an advanced age moved to Vergennes, where he died. The farm is now the property of Mrs. E. A. HULBURD, only daughter of Solomon HOBBS, who was the wife of Rev. David P. HULBURD, formerly a preacher and presiding elder in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He died February 14, 1885, aged sixty-five.

      Jesse WARD was probably the first settler on the farm now owned and occupied by Numan HUNT. He came from Lee, Mass., and located in town in 1803; passed the balance of his life in town, and died about the year 1838. His son Chester settled near the former in Waltham and was a prominent citizen until his death in 1882, aged over ninety-two years. Two sons succeeded to the ownership of his large and very valuable farm, and one of them, Watson W., is the town's treasurer and has often held the other principal town offices. Ira, another son, resides in New Haven. These men have been successful farmers, accumulating a competency, and possessing the respect of the community. 

      Daniel CHIPMAN was an early settler and a very prominent citizen in the town; was a good farmer and reared a numerous family; but they are all gone away, and his fine farm is now owned by the WARD family and heirs of George FISHER, jr. George S. CHASE was a sea-faring man in early life, but came to Waltham in 1806 and located on the farm north of the Chipman territory. He died an independent farmer in 1867. His brother, Benjamin CHASE, owned and occupied the farm now belonging to FIELD & FRISBIE, and came to reside thereon as early as 1867. He died in Ferrisburgh about 1870. W. F. FRISBIE, the present occupant of the B. CHASE farm, came from Westport, N. Y., and located in town in 1870. He is a successful farmer and has made marked improvements on the premises, having erected an elegant and convenient dwelling house and remodeled the farm buildings. He is an active business man and has held various town offices. The farm now, and since 1838, owned by Stephen M. BURROUGHS, was first settled by Joseph and Benjamin ALMY. It appears from the records that Elkanah BRUSH was the first owner, and sold to Joseph ALMY. He, in turn, transferred the farm to WHITE & BRUSH (Reuben), merchants of Vergennes. New lands frequently came into possession of the merchants by mortgages given to secure the payment for goods purchased by new-comers into this and neighboring towns, and very likely this farm came to Mr. BRUSH in that way. Mr. BURROUGHS has made very marked improvements on the farm, having, in connection with his sons, George E. and Solon, stocked a large area with a variety of fruit and shrubbery. He has been noted as a successful horticulturist, a good farmer and stock-breeder. His dwelling house is supposed to have been the first two-story framed house built in the town, and it was erected in 1786. It stands on high ground about a mile south of the city of Vergennes, and commands a grand view of the same and the surrounding country. The Adirondack range of mountains for more than thirty miles, Lake Champlain with its numerous islands and floating vessels, Otter Creek valley with its beautiful farms, together with the spires and villages of surrounding towns, are all spread out as a grand panorama from the place of Mr. BURROUGHS's residence. On the north road leading from Vergennes to New Haven, and the easterly section of the BURROUGHS territory, is the residence of Solon BURROUGHS, the present constable and collector of Waltham, and also one of the justices of the peace. He also is an extensive fruit grower.

      On the East street again, and opposite the farm of Mr. BURROUGHS, is the residence of William W. BOOTH. His excellent farm is the same that was owned in the early history of the town by William WHITE, first cashier of the first bank of Vergennes. It was purchased of the White family by Mr. BOOTH in 1875.

      The residence of W. R. BRISTOL on West street was erected by Francis BRADBURY, a native of Vergennes, who spent his early life at sea, but settled here in 1841; was town clerk a few years, and sold out to Deacon J. PARKER in 1844, who occupied the same till his death in 1872. Mr. PARKER was town representative in 1847 and '48; he was a deacon of the Congregational Church in Vergennes several years. The place passed to the ownership of Mr. BRISTOL in 1881 and has undergone extensive improvement, so that it is one of the finest residences in town. Mr. BRISTOL is a dealer in farm produce and has an office and place of business in the city. He is one of the justices of the peace, and has held various town offices. F. D. BARTON, son of John D. BARTON, is the present owner of the large and beautiful farm where several members of the BARTON family first located in town. He has been a successful farmer and breeder of fine-wooled sheep. In 1880 he built upon his premises a magnificent barn, the best one probably in the county. It was designed for the accommodation and convenience of his large flocks and herds, and the storage of large quantities of hay and grain which his well-tilled farm is capable of producing. The barn is built on an inclined or sloping surface and in the form of the letter T. The size of the part designed for sheep is 96 x 40 feet, and the basement is occupied by his flocks. The cattle department is 108 x 50 feet. The whole is three stories high, with a sub-basement under the cattle for storing manure. All the hay is carried in upon the third floor and thrown down into the deep bays until they are filled, the grain in suitable places for convenience of threshing. It is thoroughly built and finished throughout, and has capacity for holding an immense quantity of hay, estimated at least at 300 tons, and stock enough to consume it all can be accommodated under its broad canopy. Its expense was probably not less than $8,000. Alanson EDGERTON, of Charlotte, Vt., was the architect and builder.

      H.S. CROSS resided seventeen years on the farm now owned by WRIGHT & JACKMAN, and was a prominent citizen. He removed in 1867 to Bridport, Vt., where he died in 1881, aged seventy years.

      Rev. John HOWARD was a clergyman of the Baptist denomination and the only one who ever resided in the town while engaged in the active service of his profession. He was a good man, and died December 26, 1826, aged seventy years. His residence was on the farm now owned by W. W. PIERCE. No church edifice has ever been erected in this town; yet religious meetings have been frequently held in the several school-houses, and appointments often been made by the clergy of adjoining towns and as often filled. A large number of the citizens are members of Christian churches, and their attendance in many cases has been regular and punctual.

      The town has an agricultural library and most of the families supply themselves liberally with books and the current literature of the day. There are three school districts in Waltham, and each is supplied with a good school building; no mill privileges or mill in town; no public buildings except school-houses, and no professional man living within its limits. Yet all these good things are close at hand, but just within the boundaries of adjoining towns. No section of a railroad lies in Waltham, yet the bed of the Rutland and Burlington Railroad is about thirty rods outside of her limits.

      Except the legal quota of justices of the peace the citizens of Waltham have held but few of the county offices, the more populous towns properly claiming and bestowing the offices upon the worthy citizens of the larger municipal corporations. Hon. Edwin EVERTS was an associate judge of Addison County Court two years, in 1865 and '66, and William S. WRIGHT was appointed by the governor to the same office in November, 1885, vice Hon. E. A. DOUD of New Haven resigned. Andrew BARTON, jr., was a justice of the peace five years, George FISHER held the same office thirty years, Chester WARD seventeen years, and Peleg FISHER fifteen years. Other citizens have held this office through periods varying from three to fifteen years. Waltham had no representative in the General Assembly until 1824, when Christopher DENNISON, Jr., was made her first representative. Since that time the town has been regularly represented, except in the year 1826. The names of persons filling the various town offices in 1885 are: Clerk and school superintendent William S. WRIGHT; selectmen, James SNEDEN, Arthur D. EVERTS, and Anson M. HALLOCK; constable and collector, Solon BURROUGHS; treasurer, Watson W. WARD; listers, W. W. WARD, W. S. WRIGHT, and W. F. FRISBIE; grand jurors, Numan HUNT and W. R. BRISTOL; town agent, W. R. BRISTOL; trustee of United States surplus fund, William W. BOOTH.

      This town has only about 250 inhabitants, and that has been about the number during the three last decades. Her quota of men to be raised under the several calls of the president in the War of the Rebellion was promptly furnished submitting to a draft on one occasion only, when two of her citizens were drafted and paid a commutation of $300 each. There are now residing in the town several citizens of Waltham who were in the army; some reside in other towns, and some were killed or died in the service. Among the former are H. S. JACKMAN, Cornelius GAINEY, Henry P. FISHER, Dustin BARROW, and Angus BURNS. Cassius A. CROSS, who was a sharpshooter, was killed at the battle of the Wilderness. Other men than the above named were furnished in obedience to the call, as shown in the following list:

      Volunteers for three years credited previous to call for 300,000 volunteers of October 17, 1863:

S. BAKER, D. BEAURA, J. BLAYES, A. C. BURNS, A. C. CROSS, J. FULLER, J. W. JACKSON, J. OBIN.

      Credits under call of October 17, 1863, for 300,000 volunteers, and subsequent calls:

      Volunteers for three years. -- F. COLOMB, jr., F. ENO, H. P. FISHER, J. VERE.

      Volunteers for one year. -- A. J. HOBON, E. MATOT, G. A. QUILTY.

      Volunteer for nine months. -- C. N. DICKENSON.

      Furnished under draft. -- Paid commutation, E. F. BENTON, J. TATREAU.

      There is no record at hand which furnishes a list of men enlisted in the War of 1812, but well-authenticated tradition includes the names of George FISHER, Newton ROSE, Josiah PARKER, Abram MCKENZIE, Elijah BENTON, Solomon HOBBS, Solomon STRONG, jr., Charles BACON, Coleman JACKMAN, and Christopher DENNISON, jr., and some others, perhaps, who were present as volunteers and participated in the battle of Plattsburgh in 1814. 
 
 
 

Chapter XXXV, pages 702-712.
History of the Town of Waltham.
"History of Addison County, Vermont, 
With Illustrations And Biographical Sketches
of Some Of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers." 
Edited by H. P. Smith. Syracuse, N. Y.;
D. Mason & Co., Publishers, 1886.

Transcribed by Jan Maloy, 2002