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Stannard
(Previously known as Goshen Gore)
Caledonia County, Vermont
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Brief History of Goshen Gore / Stannard

Primary Source:  The Vermont Historical Gazetteer:  A Magazine, Embracing a History of Each Town, Civil, Ecclesiastical, Biographical and Military,  Vol. 1.  Edited by Abby Maria Hemenway,  "Goshen Gore,"  By Joseph Clarke, Burlington, Vt :  Miss A. M. Hemenway, 1867,  (pp. 434-435).

     There were two Gores in Caledonia county by this name.  The largest contained 7339 acres; was situated in the northwest part of the county, bounded north by Wheelock, east by Danville, south by Walden, and west by Greensboro.  The smaller Gore contained 2828 acres, and was located in the southwest corner of the county.  The smaller Gore, sometimes referred to as "the less," was set off to Washington County.  These Gores derived their name from the town to which they formerly belonged.  By a singular act of the legislature, these two Gores, in Caledonia county, and one still larger in Addison county, 70 miles distant, containing 13,000 acres, were incorporated into a town by the name of Goshen; chartered February 1, 1792, to John ROWELL, Wm. DOUGLASS, and 65 others, and re-chartered to the same, on November 1, 1798. 

     The inhabitants of the part of the town in Addison county, organized March 29, 1814.  The Gores in Caledonia county were severed from the town of Goshen by the legislature in 1854.  The larger of the Gores in Caledonia county was referred to as "Goshen Gore, near Hardwick" and "Goshen Gore by Wheelock" to distinguish it from the smaller Gore.  There were frequent petitions by the inhabitants of the larger Gore in this county to become organized into a town, the first being presented to the legislature in 1835.  The larger Goshen Gore was organized, in 1867, and was called Stannard by the time the 1870 U. S. Census was taken. 

     The first settlements in the land which became known as Stannard were made by Elihu SABIN and Warren SMITH in 1802.  SMITH did not settle permanently.  SABIN built a frame house which he occupied until his death some 41 years later.  Other settlements were made soon after that of SABIN, by Reuben SMITH, Elisha SHEPARD, Reuben CROSBY, Thomas RANSOM, Azariah BOODY, Ephraim PERRIN and Andrew BLAIR.  Improvements were made about the same time by several other transient residents. 

     Although the settlement of the place was at comparatively a later date, the hardships incident to new settlements had to be encountered.  Supplies of grain and necessaries had to be procured in a measure from adjoining towns; the method of transportation frequently upon their backs, and the method of payment, often by a day's work.  The frosty season of 1816, and others which occurred previously, was severely felt.  Mary SABIN was the first child born.  Freeman SMITH was the first male child, and Edmund BARKER and Betsy SABIN, the first couple married in Stannard.

     By about 1867, the western portion of Stannard, towards the Lamoille river, comprised about two-thirds of the territory, and had been improved by resident occupants.  There were reportedly over 40 families in Stannard by 1867.  Two or three farms on the eastern extremity, adjoining Danville, had been under improvement since 1805; James CLARK and Thomas YOUNG made the first improvements there. 

      The eastern portion, though well timbered, was chiefly unimproved and mountainous.  A pond, covering about 80 acres, in the northern part, the outlet of which found its way to the Connecticut River, was the site of a steam saw mill erected, in 1856, by T. G. BRONSON.  BRONSON died in 1857, and the mill passed into the hands of others--HAWKINS & ROSS were the proprietors in 1867.  At that time, nearly 1,000,000 feet of lumber was manufactured at this mill annually, which was principally drawn to St. Johnsbury, and used in the manufactory of E. & T. FAIRBANKS.  About a mile west of this pond is/was "Beaver Meadow," also called "Blueberry Meadow."  A stream once called "Gore Brook" arises from this meadow and empties into Lamoille River.

     The first saw mill was built by G. W. COOK, on a stream which is the outlet of a pond in Wheelock.  This mill was burnt, and another built by William SHURBURN on the same spot.  The second was burned, and the third was built by Enoch FOSTER in 1833, which was still in operation in 1867.  Another mill was built in 1840, by Levi UTLEY, in the Gore brook, leading from Beaver Meadow.

     In 1867, the first meeting house, first public house, first grist mill, first physician, and the first lawyer, remained among the things that had not yet existed within Stannard. 

     The first school was kept by Barilla MORSE, in Reuben CROSBY's barn, in 1812.  Judith CHASE, Betsy SABIN and Lucretia WASHBURN were the next succeeding teachers.  Mrs. Andrew BLAIR sent her girl to the first school, and paid the tuition with a pink silk handkerchief.  "Schoolmarm know'd I had it, and she wanted it to make her a bonnet."  (Reportedly, "Good old Mrs. Ann BLAIR's testimony.)  The first frame school house was built in 1823.  In 1834, a second school district was formed.

     A Freewill Baptist Church was organized in Goshen Gore in August, 1841, and the Elder John Garfield ordained pastor.  It consisted originally of 12 members; growing to over 50 members by the late 1860s.  In 1855, H. W. HARRIS became their minister; he was succeeded by Elder Geo. KING, who was ordained pastor of the church in 1857.  After Elder KING left, the church was supplied by itinerant ministers.

Primary Source:  Part First. Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, VT., 1764-1887,  compiled and published by Hamilton Child,  "Town of Stannard."  Syracuse, N. Y. :  The Syracuse Journal Company, Printers and Binders, May, 1867,  (pp. 306-309).

     STANNARD, the smallest township in the county, lies in the western part of the same, in lat. 44° 33' and long. 4° 46', bounded northeast by Wheelock, southeast by Danville, southwest by Walden, and northwest by the Orleans county line.  It has an area of about 7,339 acres.

     Until August 19, 1867, this town was known as Goshen Gore, deriving its name from the town to which it formerly belonged.  By a singular act of the legislature, this Gore, with another now set off to Washington county, and one in Addison county, seventy miles distant, were incorporated into a town by the name of Goshen, chartered February 1, 1792, to John ROWELL, William DOUGLASS and sixty-fives others, and was re-chartered to the same November 1, 1798.  And again, the gore now the township of Stannard, was severed from the town of Goshen by the legislature in 1854.  Frequent petitions were sent to the legislature by its inhabitants to have it organized as a town.  Finally these petitions were granted, August 19, 1867.  The town received its name in honor of General Stannard.

      The western portion of the town, towards the Lamoille river, and comprising nearly two thirds of the territory, is improved by resident occupants.  The eastern portion is mostly unimproved land, heavely covered with a growth of hard and soft wood timber.   In the northeastern part there is a pond covering about seventy-five acres, the outlet of which finds its way to the Connecticut river.  T. C. BRONSON erected a steam saw-mill near the outlet of this pond, in 1856, which did an extensive business for some years.  About 300 rods west of this pond is a meadow, supposed to have been caused by beavers building a dam across a small stream that has its rise here.

     In 1880 Stannard had a population of 252 souls.  In 1886 the town had two school districts and two common schools, employing one male and three female teachers, to whom was paid an average weekly salary, including board, of $7.25 and $5.58, respectively.  There were ninety-eight scholars, eight of whom attended private schools.  The entire income for school purposes was $326.93, while the total expenditures were $342.73, with Mrs. E. BRADLEY, superintendent.

STANNARD (p. o.) is a small but pleasant hamlet, with two churches , a town hall, one saw-mill and about a dozen dwellings.  But little manufacturing is done in town, the chief occupation being farming.

     The first tree was cut in what is now Stannard by Warren SMITH.  This tree stood a few rods south of where T. C. BATCHELDER now lives.  Mr. SMITH never settled in the town.  Elihu SABIN built a log house here in the fall of 1802, and lived in it until 1809, when he built the framed house now occupied by T. C. BATCHELDER, on road 16.  This was the first framed house built in town.  Sabin lived in town about forty-one years, and was buried in a small yard on the farm formerly cleared and owned by him.  Other settlers arrived soon after SABIN, among whom were Reuben SMITH, Elisha SHEPARD, Reuben CROSBY, Thomas RANSOM, Asariah BOODY, Ephraim PERRIN and Arthur BLAIR.

     Mary, daughter of Elihu SABIN, was the first white child born in town.  Edmund BAKER and Betsey SABIN were the first couple married here.  The first saw-mill was built in the northwestern part of the town, on a stream which is the outlet of Wheelock pond in Wheelock.  It was built by George W. COOK, was operated only a short time when it was burned.  Another was soon erected on the same spot, by William SHERBURN, which was also destroyed by fire, and a third mill was built by Enoch FOSTER.  This mill was of short duration, however, it being torn down.  In 1840 Levi UTLEY built one on what was then known as Gore Brook, now called Stannard brook, which was operated for several years.  The first school was kept by Barilla MORSE, in the fall of 1812, in a barn.  The first school house was built in 1823, on road 13.  In 1834 a second district was formed.

     Elihu SABIN, before mentioned as being the first permanent settler in the town, was born at Dudley, Mass., in 1772.  He was known as a trustworthy man, talented for his day and opportunities, commanding the respect of all who knew him.  He was for about twenty years a justice of the peace, and held other offices of trust.  He died July 9, 1843.  He was one of the twenty-six children of Mr. and Mrs. Gideon SABIN.

     Ephraim PERRIN was one of the early settlers here.  He came from Connecticut in 1807, and lived alone in a log house for eight years.  The house he constructed was by the side of a large rock, which served the double purpose of a fire place and one end of his apartment.  Later his affairs prospered and he married Polly CHEEVER, and built a framed house.  This wife died in a few years, and he married a second, Maria CUTLER, and reared a large family.  He died in 1859.

     Elisha SHEPARD was a native of Connecticut.  He came to this town about 1804.  His son Moses D. was born January 5, 1805.  He was by occupation a farmer.  He married, in 1831, and reared a family of seven children, three of whom are living, and one, Calvin J., in this town.

     Frank A. PAIGE was a son of James.  He was born in Walden, Vt., February 9, 1834, and when two years old he moved with his parents to Hardwick.  Here he lived until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted in Co. I, 19th Vt. Vols., serving three years.  He married, October 17, 1866, Helen WALKER, and three children have been born to them.

     Joseph CLARK was born in Peacham, Vt., September 14, 1807.  When quite young he entered a printing office at Wells River, learning the printer's trade.  He afterwards followed this vocation in Stanstead, P. Q., and also at White River Junction, Vt.  In 1837 he came to this town, settling on the farm now owned and occupied by his son, Joseph H.  He died in 1867.

     Edward CLARK, M. D., was born in Peacham, Vt., a son of Edward, Sr.  He was a graduate of Dartmouth college, Hanover, N. H., graduating in 1822.  He at once went to Greensboro, Vt., and commenced practice.  He married Caroline HALE and reared a family of five children, as follows:  Eliza A., Laura C., Egbert W., now of this town, Caroline S. and Lydia M.  He died July 15, 1842.

     James BATTEN was a native of Topsham, Vt.  He moved to this town about 1858.  On July 16, 1861, he was mustered into Co. K, 3d Vt. Vols., and was killed by a gunshot wound at the battle of Lee's Mills, April 16, 1862.  Three of his sons were in the army.

     Alfred CHASE, son of David, was born in Rumney, N. H., July 14, 1800.  He moved to this town about 1825, first settling near road 6.  He married Persis HEDGES and reared two children, Almon H., born January 1, 1833, and Hannah E., born September 15, 1835.  Almon H. married Elizabeth SMITH and lives on road 17.

      Benjamin BLODGETT was born in Vershire, Vt.., March 4, 1772.  He lived in Vershire about twenty-five years, when he married Polly GREENLEAF, of Connecticut, and moved to Bath, N. H.  He reared a family of eight children.  His wife died November 11, 1825, after which he married Sally UTLEY.  He died February 10, 1858.  Only one of his children is living, Joseph F., born August 16, 1803.  The latter lived in Bath, N. H., until 1837, when he moved to this town, first locating on road 10.  He was twice married, first to Rosanna UTLEY, and second to Abigail SAWYER.  Of his six children only two are living, Sally, wife of Nathan MOORE, of Monroe, N. H., and William H., in this town.

     Charles WEED, a native of Amesbury, Mass., was born in 1749.  He took an active part in the Revolutionary war, participating in the time-honored conflict on Bunker Hill.  He married Dorothy Goodwin, and reared a family of three sons and two daughters.  About the year 1805 he moved to Topsham, Vt.  The children were Charles, Jr., Joseph, Isaac, Judith and Marion.  He died about 18030, and his wife survived him until about 1838.  All of their children were born in Amesbury, Mass.  Joseph Married Marion CURRIER, and died in Topsham, leaving a family of seven children.  Isaac married Sally JONES, of Topsham, and moved to this town in 1840.  They reared a family of thirteen children, five of whom are living, as follows:  Daniel J., Olive, Sarah, Ephraim G. and Gustie.

     The Freewill Baptist church.--Most of the early settlers of this town were of the Freewill Baptist persuasion, and organized the church here in August, 1841.  Rev. John GARFIELD was their first settled pastor, although services were conducted by a minister by the name of BLOOD previous to the organization of the church.  At its original organization the society consisted of twelve members, but it soon increased to over forty.  In 1850 this church resolved itself into a society for the purpose of aiding superannuated ministers and poor widows and orphans, and to do all they could for their aid and support.

     The Union Baptist church, located at Stannard village, was organized by its present pastor, Rev. G. B. WHEELER, December 23, 1884, with seventeen members.  The present edifice, built of wood, in 1885, is capable of seating 150 persons, and is valued, including grounds, etc., at $1,500.  The Sunday school has an average attendance of thirty.

     The Union Advent Christian church was organized by its first pastor, Rev. J. H. SMITH, October 4, 1885, with eleven members.  The building is capable of seating 125 persons.  The society now has seventeen members, with Rev. J. H. SMITH, pastor.  A well attended Sunday school is held regularly.

Biographies

Elihu SABIN
    Born in Dudley, Massachusetts, in 1772, died in "Goshen Gore, near Hardwick," July 9, 1843, aged 71 years.  He was one of the 26 children of Mr. and Mrs. Gideon SABIN, commemorated in the Hardwick History (No. 3, p. 324).
     He was the first permanent settler of this Gore.  A generous-hearted, worthy man, talented for his day and opportunities, energetic and persevering, he had the respect of all the settlers of the neighboring towns, and was, for about 20 years, a justice of the peace.  He was, moreover, distinguished for uncommon muscular strength, in so much that the history of the Gore is not without an example of the courage and prowess requisite for a hand-to-hand mortal combat.
     Once on a time, well verified it is said, SABIN did face the foe in a single-handed struggle for life.  It appears that he had caught a cub, whose cries brought forward the bear robbed of her young, whom Elihu unflinchingly smote with a breech of his gun; the bear was dispatched, and so was the breech of Elihu's gun.  Lest, however, it may be said, in cavil, that sudden desperation which has been known to give supernatural strength, nerved our hero's arm, we have a more deliberate feat with which to crown our point--the prodigious strength of Elihu SABIN--a feat of no thrilling moment, a plain, practical test, however, evincing not less arm-strength in the man.  A living witness testified that he had seen Mr. SABIN knock down with one blow of his fist, a two year old bullock, striking him between the fore shoulders, and breaking a rib.