Victory
lies in the western part of the southern half of the county, in lat. 44º
32', and long. 5º 5', bounded northwest by Burke, northeast by East
Haven and Granby, southeast by Lunenburgh and Concord, and south and southwest
by Concord and Kirby. It was granted November 6, 1780, to Captain
Ebenezer Fisk and sixty-four others, though the charter was not issued
until September 6, 1781. By the terms imposed by the charter deed,
five rights, of 300 acres each, were to be reserved for public use, viz.:
One right each towards the support of a college, grammar schools, common
schools, the church and a minister. This 1,500 acres was to be taken
from the full township of 2 3,040 acres; but by an act of the legislature,
passed in 1856, however, a tract of land lying between Victory and Concord,
known as Bradleyvale (in Caledonia county), was divided. and a portion
annexed to Victory, so that the town now has an area of 2,500 acres more
than its original territory.
The surface
of Victory, as compared with the surrounding mountainous territory, is
level and unbroken, a large portion of the town being included within the
valley of Moose river. But as the distance increases from the river, the
land becomes more elevated, until it form's a portion of Burke mountain
on the west, an elevation of some 3,000 feet; Mount Tug and Miles mountain
on the east and southeast, and Kirby mountain on the southwest. There is
also an elevation on the north, on the line between Victory and Granby,
called Round Top. There is but one mountain proper, however, wholly within
the limits of the town, Umpire mountain, an elevation of about 2,000 feet.
The Moose river rises in East Haven, and runs in nearly a southerly direction
through the town, affording several excellent mill privileges. There are
also several other streams which empty into this river, as Alder brook,
Umpire or Bog brooks, on the west, and Granby stream on the east, which
are sufficiently large for manufacturing purposes.
The timber
along the banks of the Moose river, and its tributaries, is mostly evergreen,
consisting of pine, Tamarack, hemlock, spruce, fir and cedar, together
with a small quantity of elm, maple and birch. As the land becomes
elevated there is a much larger proportion of the timber hard wood, consisting
of birch, beech and sugar maple; and in some sections, especially in the
western part of the town, there is a very large proportion of the latter,
affording excellent sugar orchards, from which considerable quantities
of sugar are manufactured. The soil is generally fertile, and will compare
favorably with that of adjoining towns. It is well adapted to the growing
of potatoes, and most kinds of English grains.
Two miles
and a half from the southern boundary of the town, at the junction of the
Bog brook with the Moose river, is a tract of land known as the bog.
It consists of some 3,000 acres of low marshy land, which is usually overflowed
once a year, and frequently oftener. Near the mouth of the brook there
is what is supposed to be a beaver meadows. It is said that it was once
so soft that a man, by stepping upon it, could shake half an acre. It is
now, however, so much hardened that carting can be done over the most of
it with safety.
In 1880,
Victory had a population of 321. In 1886 the town had five school districts
and five common schools, with ninety-four scholars, taught during the year
by six female teachers, who received an average weekly salary, including
board, of $5.10. The entire income for school purposes was $1,604.64, while
the total amount expended was $718.35, with Mrs. S.M. Day, superintendent.
South
Victory (p. o.) is a hamlet located in the southern part of the town.
Damon's
Crossing (p. o.) is a station on the ?. & L. R. R., and contains three
or four houses.
(Source:
Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, VT.; 1764-1887, Compiled and
Published by Hamilton Child; May 1887)
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