GRANBY.                                                      987

 

 

VOLUNTEERS FOR THE RECENT WAR.

3rd Regt.: John M. Hudson, Lyman Hud­son, Henry McMiller, Elam White, Hollis Coe, Eli Horsford. 8th Regt.: Hanson White. 9th Regt.: Robert Murry, Wm. Murry.

 

————————————

 

GRANBY.

 

BY LOOMIS WELLS, ESQ.

 

This town was named, tradition says, in honor of Lord or Earl Granby, and was char­tered Oct. 10th, 1761, by King George III, to Elihu Hall and 63 others.* Divided into 70 equal shares, containing by admeasurement 23040 acres, and to be 6 miles square and no more, out of which an allowance was to be made for highways, and unimprovable lands by rocks, ponds, mountains, and rivers, 1040 acres free.

The charter is in the usual form of the Ben­ning Wentworth New Hampshire charters, containing conditions and reservations of no importance to the present inhabitants of the town, since the successful rebellion of the colonists. The "Governor's farm of 600 acres is in the S. E, corner of the town, and the public rights of "Glebe" and "Incorpo­rated Society" are pretty much all that is left to remind the inhabitants—unless one looks at the copy of the charter in the Town Clerk's office—that their homesteads were once English property, and were granted to past generations by the special grace and mere motion of a British king.

Granby is bounded N. E. by Ferdinand and Maidstone, S. E. by Guildhall, S. W. by Victory, and N. W. by East Haven, in lat. 44° 35´N. and long. 5° 5´ W., 47 miles N. E. of Montpelier.

The surface of the town is broken and hilly, not to say mountainous. The soil is mostly of the granite order, and is better adapted to, grazing, and the growing of the coarser grains and vegetables, than for wheat and corn, which require the selection of the best fields, and a favorable season; and even then are more or less uncertain crops.

Rocks are abundant, affording an availa­ble material for fences; and there are some specimens of interest to the geologist.

Good clay is very scarce, and of minerals nothing of practical importance is known.

Cow Mountain in the S.E., and Mud Pond in the southerly part of the town, both rath­er small, are all the ponds known with any certainty to be within the limits of the town. Unknown Pond, also small, near the N. W. corner of the town, is believed by some to be in Granby, and by others in Ferdinand.

The streams too are small. Moose river or Gaswell's stream, as surveyor Gen. Whiter law calls it, runs across the S. W. corner of the town, from East Haven to Victory, and two or three of its branches rise in the south­erly slope of Granby. One brook runs east­erly through Guildhall to Connecticut river, and with Paul's stream and its branches drain the northerly slope of the town, and these streams afford a pretty good supply of water power.

Of timber the white pine was quite plenty in the north part of the town, but a consid­erable portion of the best quality has been cut. Spruce and balsam however are abun­dant, as but a small part of the town has as yet been cleared, and hemlock, tamarack and cedar are found in a few localities. A few elms also are found growing on and near the streams, while maple, birch and beech are the principal varieties of hard wood.

There are no existing indications that the Indians ever inhabited any part of Granby, and who was the first white man that pene­trated this wilderness region probably none of the present or future generations will ever know.

Henry Stevens the antiquarian writes, "I have heard Daniel and Levi Hall, early set­tlers of Barnet, tell of going up Passumpsic, and Moose rivers and through the woods to Nulhegan river, hunting. This was before the settlement of St. Johnsbury, and before and after the Revolutionary war." Perhaps the fact that Elihu Hall, Elihu Hall, Jr., John Hall 5th, Benjamin Hall 2d and Abel Hall were original grantees, makes out probability that these old hunters first ex‑

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* GRANTEES OF GRANBY.—Elihu Hall, Joshua Ray, Samuel Mansfield, Thomas Rice, Thomas Ray, Joshua Ray, jr.,, Edward Carter, Elisha Whittlesey, Timothy Barker, Sam'l Baker, John Willowsby, Jonathan Barker, David Hubert, John Hall, 5th, Medad Dudley, Abraham Kimball, Samuel Sharp Beadeel, Elihu Hall, jr., Daniel Hubbart, John Stevens, Nathaniel Parker, Thomas Howell, Francis Wooster, jr., Jonathan Johnson, Joshua Cullen, Jonathan Butterfield, Joseph Atkins, Jesse Parker, Samuel Ives, Jonathan Ives, Samuel Whittlesey, Chauncy Whittlesey, Nath'l Chauncy, Esq., James Drake, Timothy Hardy, John Thompson, Charles Whit­tlesey, Thebis Doolittle, Eben Ball, John Phillip, Nath'l Merrill, Hezekiah Handet, Ebenezer Hartshorn, James Blanchard, Daniel Warner, Esq., Joseph New, Isaac Cook, Oliver Dudley, Jos. Bartholomy, Benj. Hall, 2d, Abel Hall, Stephen Ives, Stephen Andrus, Philemon Johnson, Andrew Parker, Abraham Parker, Jacob Park­er, Gamaliel Parker, Isaac Parker, Didemus Parker, Samuel Parker, James Marks, Jonathan Marks, Joseph Doolittle.

 

 

 

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plored this locality, and procured a charter of Granby for the benefit of their family connections. Yet all that pertains to the first settling of the town must in the main be left to conjecture, as the first settlers and their descendants are all dead or moved beyond the knowledge of the writer: and there is not a tradition, much less a memorandum or scrap of record, of anything that transpired in town before 1777, and it appears to have been more than 10 years after this date be­fore the first settler came into town; for the first census taken in 1791, shows Granby blank. So says Henry Stevens.

 

SURVEY AND ALLOTMENT.

 

Gen. James Whitelaw, of Barnet, survey­ed the town line in 1785, commencing at Guildhall Corner, thence N. W. between Vic­tory and Granby six miles, noting the mile marks and place of the streams with his usual accuracy. Then N. E. between East Ha­ven and Granby 6 miles to a large rock.

The line was then run between Guildhall and Granby, then between Maidstone, Ferdinand and Granby.

Edward Bucknam, and Thomas Darling, under Gen. W.'s direction, surveyed the range lines and made the corners in Sept. 1787, according to a plan in Henry Stevens' possession, but their field book is said to be lost.

A few particulars from the proprietors' book of records for Granby, may be of inter­est.

By the way, the old parchment-covered book was bought by Lieut. Timothy Andrews of New Haven, Ct., "as the first book to record all the proceedings of the Propriety," and the Propriety voted to assess themselves 26 shillings to pay for above book, and for carrying the same to upper Coos.

On the fly leaf of this book is the follow­ing entry:

We, the subscribers, being appointed a committee, in the year A, D. 1777, to survey and lot out some land at the Coos, especially the township of Granby, which we undertook to do but could not accomplish, for well known reasons; therefore, gentlemen, we think it not improper to give you an account of our expenses:

 

Our expenses on the road for each,                                                           £4 12 6

To horse hire, 230 miles, at 2½d per mile for each,                                    2 18 2

To 20 days, at 6s per diem for each one,                                                       6 0 0

            AMOS MORRIS, jr.                                                                          13 10 8

            ENOS HEMINWAY,                                                                         13 10 8

                                                                                                               —————

                                                                                                                   £27 1 4

            BENJ. ANDRUS,                                                                             13 10 8

                                                                                                               —————

                                                                                                                 £40 12 0

 

East Haven, June 29, 1777.

On the next leaf is a vote of the proprietors of Granby, No. 1:

Voted, That a tax is laid on us by a vote of the proprietors, at the rate of fifteen shillings, hard money, to defray the former charges that have arisen or may arise on ac­count of locating and laying out said town.

September, 27th day, 1779.

Attest: AMOS MORRIS,

                                              Proprietors' Clerk.

 

A line and a half of the sentence have a heavy black line drawn across them. Ten pages are then left blank, then comes a regular notification of a meeting of the proprie­tors of Granby, which was called by Eben Curtis, Esq., Aug. 17, 1783, to meet at the house of James Rosebrooks, in Guildhall, on Monday, the first of September, one o'clock P. M., to see if the proprietors will tax themselves to defray the expense of locating and lotting out the town, and raise a com­mittee for that purpose.

The meeting was duly organized, and adjourned to Ebenezer Rice's dwelling-house in Lunenburgh, Sept. 5th, when a committee, consisting of Timothy Andrews and six others, was appointed to locate and lot the town as soon as circumstances will permit, and into such sized lots as they think proper.

They also voted an equal tax on each right to pay Amos Morris, E. Heminway and Benj. Andrews, £48 and 12s for their services as a committee, appointed at a former meeting, to locate and lot the town.

At the same meeting voted to assess $10 on each right to locate and lot the town and other necessary expenses.

A meeting of the proprietors of Granby, in the County of Orange, was notified and warned by Elisha Burton, Esq., of Norwich, May 9, 1787, to meet at the house of the late Ebenezer Rice, in Lunenburgh, on the second Tuesday of September next, at 1 o'clock P. M. to raise a committee necessary to pro­cure and promote the settlement, to locate and bound out said town and agree upon some suitable encouragement to be given for building a mill or mills, either by surveying land for the purpose or by grants of money, and agree upon an allotment and division of said land to and among the proprietors,

 

 

 

                                                     GRANBY                                                      989

 

either in whole or in part, as may be most convenient. At this meeting Jonah Clark, Esq., Capt. Thomas Darling, Capt. Timothy Andrus and Edward Bucknam were chosen a committee to lot out the said town of Granby into such division lots as they shall judge most convenient for the proprietors of said town, as soon as conveniently may be done, agreeably to Mr. Whitelaw's survey, and where the said Whitelaw has run the outlines and made the corners thereof. Also voted a tax of 3 pounds 6 shillings and 7 pence on each right, to pay expenses.

The accounts for surveying Granby were presented and allowed at North Haven, Ct., Dec. 5, 1787, and the allotment of the town­ship, as made by the committee in three divisions, was approved at a meeting held at Guildhall, Dec. 9, 1789.

At a proprietors' meeting held at Guildhall June 10, 1790, Eben W. Judd, Joseph Her­rick and Benoni Butler were appointed a committee to make a draft of lots agreeably to the laws of Vermont. A report was made at the same meeting, which was accepted, approved and recorded. See page 26 Pro­prietors' Records.

It was alledged at a meeting of the pro­prietors of Granby, in the County of Caledonia, held at the dwelling-house of Joseph Herrick, in said Granby, that the draft of the town and the survey of Messrs. Darling and Buckman was incorrect and unequal. Joseph Herrick and Eben W. Judd were appointed a committee to examine and measure several of the lots and lines in said town as heretofore run by Messrs. Darling and Bucknam, and if, in the opinion of said committee, they conceive it expedient to make a new allotment, they proceed at the expense of the proprietors to complete three divisions of lots in said town, of one hundred acres to each right—to follow the original design, and not disturb the settlers' lots with­out their consent.

A proprietors' meeting was warned to meet at Joseph Herricks, Granby, Jan. 20, 1801:

"To accept of and ratify the several divisions or declare them void; to agree on the mode of making divisions; the number of acres to each right, and appoint a committee to make such division."

A vote was taken at the meeting and recorded, after a preamble, that

"We therefore declare the several divisions and drafts of lots to be void, and the lands  in said town to be in common, except lots voted to the several settlers, and that we will proceed to make a legal division of the lands in said town."

The meeting was adjourned to May 25, 1801, when the vote taken Jan. 20, 1801, was reconsidered, and tho proprietors then voted

"To ratify and confirm the divisions and drafts of lots in said town, and that the pro­prietors will rectify any mistake that has taken place in the records at a future meet­ing;" which appears to have been done by inter­lining the record of the draft, and here the contest about the survey seems to have ended, except a petition to the general assembly for a re-survey about 1845 or 1846. Some of the corners found near the openings have the numbers marked upon the bark of the trees by the side of the spottings, and the spottings are not as old as those back in the woods, and the original corners have the numbers made on the spottings with a mark­ing iron. But as the range lines only were run by Darling and Bucknam, and the cor­ners were made by measuring on tho range lines through the forests and over high and steep hills, they are of course almost neces­sarily more or less incorrect; and as the lines appear to have been run from alternate sides of the town, either singly or in pairs, hence, when a corner rots away, controversy natu­rally ensues, as there is no apparent rule established or agreed upon to fix the locality of the missing corner.

 

FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.

 

The proprietors of Granby appointed Lieut. Timothy Andrews their agent, Sept 1, 1783,

"To transact all and every matter what­soever for and in behalf of said proprietors, as he shall think beneficial to bring forward the settlement of said township."

and a similar vote was taken Oct. 1, 1787. A committee was appointed Dec. 8, 1789, consisting of Nathaniel Herrick, William Amy, Joseph Herrick and Sherman Hemberly, to lay out and complete a road through the town, and Jonah Clark was appointed agent to give leases of tracts of land, not exceeding 150 acres, to each of 12 first settlers who will engage to settle and improve under the proprietors.

"Guildhall, June 14, 1790. The proprie­tors voted that Joseph Herrick and Benjamin Cheney, being the first settlers in Granby, that each of them have, as inducement for

 

 

 

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settling, two lots (ever); that is to say, the said Herrick lots No. 7 and 8 in the 5 range, and the said Cheney the lots No. 7 and 8 in the range 4, being the lots on which they have begun improvements, which is to in­clude all grants heretofore made, provided that each of them pursue and prosecute their improvements as fast as could reasonably be expected."

At a meeting held at Guildhall, June 21, 1791, the committee appointed to lay out and clear a road through the town of Granby were directed to complete the same as soon as possible.

At the same meeting an offer was made to any person or persons that would build a saw-mill and grist-mill, and keep them in repair for 10 years, should have the land on which they were built and 300 acres of pub­lic land.

Provision was also made for supplying teams in making bridges, and "that the price of each yoke of good oxen so employed shall be the same price per day as a man's labor," which was 5s per day.

"Nov. 4, 1791, then surveyed the road through Granby, beginning on the S. E. line of said town, 3 miles and 10 rods from the N. E. corner, and running," &c.

Here follows tho courses and distances through the town, the last 2½ miles of the road next to East Haven run due N. W.

"Granby, Nov. 11, 1791, then completed the road through the town of Granby, and surveyed the same, according to the vote of proprietors.

Attest by us,                                       

                                                            WILLIAM AMY,

                                                            JOSEPH HERRICK,

                                                            CHARLES CUTLER."

 

"Voted, 2d, to accept of road through Granby as it is now surveyed, cleared and bridged."

The bill brought in for building this road amounted to £174 13s 6d, and has this certificate appended:

"The within is a true account of the labor done on Granby road.

Attest:

                                                            WILLIAM AMY,

                                                            JOSEPH HERRICK, Committee."

                                                            CHARLES CUTLER,

 

This road was re-surveyed as a county road, leading from Memphremagog Lake in Derby, Orleans county, to Connecticut river in Guildhall, Essex county, Sept. 1810.

Attest, NEHEMIAH WRIGHT, Surveyor.

                                                            CHALLES CUTLER,

                                                            ABNER COE, Committee.

                                                            JOSEPH HERRICK,

 

Distance seven miles one-quarter and 34 rods. The first proprietors' meeting as per record held in Granby, was held at the house of Joseph Herrick, October 27th, 1795. At this meeting they voted:

"That whereas the proprietors at their meeting holden heretofore, have given as encouragement to the 12 settlers who shall first settle in said town, a tract of public land, not exceeding 150 acres to each, and whereas the following persons have made improve­ments according to said vote, and are con­sidered as settlers, and to hold and enjoy, to themselves and heirs and assigns for­ever in fee, the lands as hereafter voted to them respectively, viz: "To Mr. Nathaniel Herrick lot No. 6, range 4th, containing one hundred acres, and the half of lot No. 5 in the same range adjoining to the other, to him, his heirs and assigns forever."

The names of the others and their allot­ments were as follows: Joseph Herrick (200 acres) Benjamin Cheney, Samuel Ward, Nathaniel Herrick junior, Robert Pike, John Crawford, Joseph Roberts, Jeremiah Harris, Charles Curtis, John Cook, and Enos Cook, and voted to extend the time for building mills two years from the meeting.

The last entry upon the proprietors' re­cords bears date April 19, 1802, when the meeting was adjourned one month, but here the curtain falls and the remainder of the page is blank paper.

After a careful examination of all within my reach that pertains to the first settlement, I have come to the conclusion that Joseph Herrick and Benjamin Cheney moved into the town in 1790 or 1791, probably the former.

In the first book of town records, under the head of "Births and Deaths and Marriages" on page 11, is the following:

"Herd Cheney, son to Benjamin and Eu­nice Cheney born September 16, 1791, the first child that was born in town."

 

On page 8 of the same book the record says:

"Samuel Hart married to Susanna Herrick March 31st, 1796—also on page 9, Anna Pike died July 13th, 1795, and these are understood to be the first marriage, birth, and death that occurred in town.

For about 20 years, up to 1810, the settlement of the town appears to have gone on favorably if not prosperously, and there were 24 or 26 families in town. About 1810, for some cause, to the writer unknown, several families removed to Canada, some to northern New York and some to adjoining towns; and the famous "cold seasons," 1813 to 1818, produced a general stampede, so that in 1816 or 1817 there were but three families left

 

 

 

                                      ESSEX GRANBY. CHAPTER.                                       951

 

in town, viz:—Nathaniel Bell, Zacheus Cook and James Waid, and they were hardly near enough to each other to be neighbors. After a year or two some who had removed to ad­joining towns, returned, and others moved in, so that in 1825 or '30, about the standard of 1810 for number of families was attained, and has kept along to the present time (1863) very uniform."

 

ORGANIZATION OF GRANBY.

 

William Amy, Esq. of Guildhall, warned the meeting for the organization of the town Feb. 27th, 1798, and the meeting was held on the 2d Tuesday of March following, at the dwelling-house of Joseph Herrick. Nathan­iel Herrick was chosen moderator,—Samuel Hart town clerk,—Nathaniel Herrick junior, Robert Pike and Benjamin Cheney, selectmen ,—Samuel Hart treasurer,—Zadock Herrick constable,—listers same as selectmen. James Morehead, surveyor of highways

Those who were chosen to town office and four others, Elijah Bugbee, John L. Craw­ford, James Morehead junior, and Eben Johnson, took the freemen's oath, and the town officers down to highway surveyor, took the oath of office.

Joseph Herrick's dwelling-house was voted the place for putting up advertisements, and September following Clarke Curtis was chosen the first representative.

For some reason that does not appear on the record, no town officers were chosen in 1799, nor any representative.

March and Freemen's meetings were held regularly until Sept. 1814 when but 41 names appear on the check-list, and state officers only were voted for. In March, 1815, the town failed to choose town officers, and the organization was abandoned, and the records delivered to the county clerk at Lunenburgh. The town was re-organized Jan. 10th, 1822, and at the March meeting following, was for the first time divided into school and high­way districts, which had the same bounds and designation of North and South.

Gen. Seth Cushman of Guildhall built the first saw and grist-mill about 1810. During the "cold seasons" the grist-mill entirely run down. The granite mill-stones lay near the old mill site, and the people go "out of town" to mill, and have for nearly 50 years. The saw-mill held out until 1826 or 1827. About this time Martin Joslyn built another saw­mill and sawed a few thousand feet of boards, but the dam proved to be on a clayey found­ation, and Joslyn failed in health and financially, so the mill went to ruin without ever being inclosed or covered. About 1845 Gershom Carpenter built a saw-mill near the main road on the same stream, which has some years done good business, but is now badly out of repair.

About the year 1810 or 1811 a Mr. Green, blacksmith, from Connecticut, moved in and built him a blacksmith shop, and commenced to carry on his business, but in the course of a year or two Green had some difficulty with the boys in town, and the boys took retribu­tive justice into their own hands, and one day when Green was away to dinner rolled his anvil out of doors, and carried his tools into the woods and hid them where he never found them, but a part of them were found more than 30 years afterwards in a hollow log in the vicinity of the old shop in a pretty good state of preservation. Green soon after moved back to Connecticut; and all who ever attempted to start the blacksmith business in town since, have for some reason entirely failed to accomplish their object.

The inhabitants have up to the present time been dependent on adjoining towns generally for shoemaking and most mechanic work done in shops.

But as an offset in part for these disadvan­tages—such as going so far to mill, getting mechanic work done and getting goods from stores for family use (for there has never been anything like a store of goods kept in town), the town has never been cursed by a tippling shop and its surroundings, so that the people are generally temperate and fru­gal in their habits, and there are no internal police expenses for the detection and punish­ment of crime, and there has not been a pauper on the town since the re-organization in 1822, and the whole expense for transient poor and incidental charges during the period just named has been less than $25.

The hard wood was cut from large tracts of land and burned to obtain ashes, which the early settlers leached and boiled into salts, and carried to Guildhall, Vt., or Lan­caster, N. H., a distance of 10 to 20 miles. Yet "where there is a will, there is a way." Those that had a horse would make what they called a "car," by pinning cross-pieces to two light poles of suitable length, putting the horse in as into the thills of a wagon,

 

 

 

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the hind part dragging on the ground, and the load fastened on just behind the horse. Those that had oxen got up a similar arrange­ment with a wide spread crotched stick like a cart tongue, this they called a "go cart." And those who had no team either drew their load by hand or carried it on their backs; and, in fact, the man that could not carry a hundred pounds on his back ten or twelve miles was hardly fit to begin a new settlement. And, let it be borne in mind, money was so scarce the most the people could get went for taxes. Besides, the rum bottle stood on every merchant's counter, and even those of small means were urged to "take a, drink," and perhaps take a jug full home. Then of course they would feel rich, buy what they could have done without, and if they could not pay up, the sheriff would "walk in" with "greeting" and relieve the poor man and his family of what little property they might have, and then "for want thereof take the body" to jail until he or she should pay "the uttermost farthing," with costs. Hence by far too often poverty was the rule and plenty the exception.

During the cold seasons the snow fell fear­fully deep, and the few families that stayed in town found it next to impossible to keep a road open in the winter. Mr. Bell has told me that he had worked hard to break a road two miles from his house towards Guildhall for two entire days. In the winter of 1816, I think it was, when the roads were blocked up with snow, his bread stuff failed, and he started with a bushel of wheat on a horse to go to Guildhall to mill, leaving a family of small children alone with their mother, and one or two of them so sick that he hardly expected to find them alive when he should get home; and, after wallowing about two miles through the snow drifts, had to turn his horse back, put on his snow-shoes and take his grain on his back and go on his gloomy way to mill. The mill owner, Gen. Cushman, sent his hired man with him the next day, and helped him back with his grist home to his family, who were better. In December previous Mr. Bell's mother, a woman in the prime of life, started from Guildhall for Granby one very cold day on horseback. The next morning her horse was found in the barnyard and the woman in the road, within a hundred rods of home, dead. Apparently chilled too much to sit upon a horse she fell or got off, and after crawling a rod or two in the road on her hands and knees, sunk down in despair on her bed of snow and slept the "sleep that knows no waking."

The wife of Mr. Waid, who lived at the outside clearing towards East Haven, who had long been in feeble health, died unat­tended by any kind neighbor, in one of the winters when there were but three families in town (1816, probably), and Mrs. Cook went on snow-shoes two or three miles and helped lay her out, she being the only woman that could get to the funeral.

In the month of March, 1835, Mr. Wm. Griffin, a resident of Granby, aged 72, who had been at work in Guildhall, started for home during a very severe snow storm, perished in the snow, and was found by those who were breaking out the road one or two days afterwards nearly opposite to where the dwelling-house of Chas. Gleason now stands. But I will not enlarge in this direction, for hardship and suffering were the lot of all who commenced new settlements, which we that enjoy the fruits of their toils and privations can hardly realize or fully appreciate.

I shall perhaps be pardoned if I make some allusions to the reckless manner that the agents of the proprietors did the busi­ness entrusted to them. Proprietors' meet­ings were called very frequently, adjourn­ment piled upon adjournment, committees and agents appointed, schemes started, pur­sued awhile, then reconsidered and aban­doned, roads cut in various directions by committees who would let jobs to each other, so that all could make a rich thing out of it; tax was voted on tax, and land sale followed land sale, until the original proprietors were worn out or became bankrupt;* speculators bought up there lands and in turn failed and made assignments to trustees for the benefit of creditors; the trustees managed dishon­estly; rival claimants under different land sales were in convention; Daniel Boardman, of New York city, laid claim to a large quantity of land in Granby, and to perfect his title a suit in chancery was commenced,

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* The taxes on each right, up to 1802, had run up to £16, and after a national currency of dollars and cents was adopted by Congress, nearly $36 is to be added to the first named sum; and, for the next 10 or 15 years after 1802, somebody besides the proprietors and land owners of Granby must have been growing rich.

 

 

 

                                                     GRANBY.                                                      993

 

and in 1814 a decision was made in his favor, which quieted the controversy about title, and to a great extent accounts for the land in Granby being so generally owned by a very few individuals, and mostly by one who claims under the Boardman title.

The first mail route through Granby was established in 1832. Martin Joslyn was the first P. M. In three or four years the route was discontinued by reason of the representa­tions of rivals for the contract to carry the mail.

In 1849 a mail route was established from East Burke, Vt., to Northumberland, N. H., through and back once a week. John Woos­ter was the first postmaster on this route, he held the office until October, 1854, when he resigned in favor of Loomis Wells, the present incumbent.

 

MILITARY.

 

In 1811 a military organization was formed. Capt. Timothy Fairchild held the post of commander until he left town, about the time the "cold seasons" commenced, when the company run down for want of material.

When the military system of Vermont was remodeled and attempted to be revived in 1842 and '43, a company was formed in Granby and Victory, and Jonathan Mat­thews was 1st Lieutenant.

In the war of 1812 James Elliot went as aid for Gen. Seth Cushman, and others took part in guarding the road from Connecticut river through Granby to Canada against smugglers.

During the war of 1861 Benj. McDaniels, the first in town to respond to the call for soldiers to put down rebellion, enlisted Sept. 9, 1861, in Co. G, 4th Vt.; died in Verginia, near camp Griffin, Feb. 7, 1862, of diphtheria.

Alonzo L. Ford enlisted Dec. 14, 1861, Co. K, 8th Vt.; taken prisoner in Louisiana, Sept. 4, held about 3 months; died, Sept. 6, 1863, at New Orleans, of chronic diarrhea.

George O. Ford enlisted December, 1861, Co. K, 8th Vt.; was taken prisoner Sept. 4, 1862, in Louisiana, held about 3 months; served under Gens. Butler and Banks in the department of the Gulf with distinction, was several times promoted, and Dec. 1863 was 1st Lieut. and acting Captain.

Ethan P. Shores enlisted Dec. 9, 1861, in Co. K, 8th Vt.; was wounded Sept 4, 1862, at Bootee Station, La., when the detachment were returning from the sacking of the Taylor estate, by a buckshot in the head, another in the foot, and a ball through the left leg near the knee; was taken prisoner, escaped, during the melee, to the woods; eluded the vigilance of his pursuers, procured some food once, sucked water from old logs, traveled more than 30 miles, and the third day got into camp more dead than alive, so haggard that his companions did not recog­nize him; had his wounds dressed for the first time. Refused a discharge after his recovery; served with credit in the assaults and seige of Port Hudson, and was appointed corporal.

Paschal P. Shores enlisted with his brother Ethan; was taken prisoner at the same time the Fords were. A ball wounded him severe­ly in the right shoulder at the first assault on Port Hudson, June 14,1863; refused a discharge, and returned to his post when able, and when fit for duty was always ready.

George W. Shores enlisted Jan. 1, 1862, in the 8th Vt., Co. K; was discharged July 4, 1862, by reason of hernia, produced while on service at Ship Island.

Solon D. Buzzell enlisted Dec. 1861, in Co. K, 8th Vt.; died at Ship Island, April 28, 1862, of typhoid dysentery.

Richard T. Boyce enlisted Jan. 3, 1862, Co. K, 8th Vt.: taken sick at Brattleboro, Vt., while in camp; furloughed and dis­charged after a few months. Re-enlisted as a 9 months man, Sept. 16, 1862, in Co. G, 15th Vt.; mustered out Aug. 6, 1863. Detailed for hospital duty most of the time.

John W. Boyce enlisted Jan. 3, 1862, with his father, R. T., Co. K, &c.; died in the hospital at Brattleboro, Vt., Feb. 28, 1862, of diphtheria.

James M. Boyce enlisted Aug. 1862, in Co. B, 10th Vt.; died Oct. 6, 1863, of typhoid fever in Virginia.

Otis E. Griffin enlisted Jan. 5, 1862, Co. K, 8th Vt.; died at Fort Hubbard, La., Aug. 14, 1863, of dysentery; was always a faith­ful soldier.

John W. Buzzell enlisted Sept. 20, 1862, as a 9 months man, in Co. G., 15th Vt.; mustered out Aug. 6, 1863. Not brought into action at any time, but took to soldiering naturally.

 

EDUCATION.

 

At the second town meeting provision was made for schools. The first schools were

 

 

994                         VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

 

kept in private houses. Miss Cheney, daugh­ter of Benj. Cheney, taught the first in the east part of the town, and a Miss Howe in the west part. The first log school-house was built in the east part of the town, about 50 rods westerly of the present house. The first frame school-house was built by Martyn Joslyn in 1825, near Gershom Carpenter's. There are at present two whole districts in town, and one fractional. School-houses ought to be better.

The writer believes, from a careful examination of all the facts within reach, that there never has been a child raised to maturity in Granby that could not at least read and write. Nearly all have had a fair common school education, while many have aimed to excel, and being uniformly encouraged and assisted to the extent of the means of their friends have made attainments that will lose nothing by a comparison with scholars in the more favored portions of the state. We are, it is true, and always have been destitute of an academy; but those in neighboring towns have been as largely patronized as by any other section of country so thinly peopled.

The two accompanying "original speci­mens" from two young ladies born and raised in Granby, written impromptu, will speak for themselves.

 

RELIGION.

 

Previous to 1806 nothing is known of the religious history of the town.

Capt. Timothy Fairchild, who moved into Granby in 1806 and left in 1813 (moved to Guildhall), wrote me just before his death:

"There was no organized religious society in the town during the time that I resided there, but religious meetings were held on the Sabbath and very well attended. During most or all of that time there was no recog­nized leader; but they used to sing, and some one would read a sermon, and another would offer prayers. They had preaching occasion­ally by ministers from the neighboring towns and also by missionaries.

There was a revival of religion in the town in 1810-11. What the number was that finally made a profession of religion I do not know, as there was no church organization in the town. Some joined the church in Guildhall (Congregational), and some embraced Baptist sentiments. I recollect one couple, a man and wife (Bugbee), over 70 years of age who were baptized by immersion."

Dining the cold seasons, which lasted some five or six years, commencing about 1813, increasing to 1816, and then becoming less and less severe, meetings for religious wor­ship were held at uncertain intervals; but, as the population increased they became more frequent and regular, the people being assisted and encouraged by ministers from adjoining towns; and after Dea. Joel Bas­set moved into town, which was about 1820, meetings were held every Sabbath, the dea­con taking the lead if there was not a min­ister present; and as he was a man of con­siderable energy of character and enjoyed uniform good health, no matter how inclem­ent the weather, the deacon was sure to be "at his post."

The Congregational church was organized June 8, 1825, by Rev. Samuel R. Hall, then pastor of the church in Concord, Vt. There were but 8 members, 3 males and 5 females. Joel Basset was chosen moderator, and offi­ciated as deacon, having been previously chosen to that office in Guildhall, Vt. He left town in 1835, and in 1836 Silas Buck was chosen clerk of the church and officiated as deacon. Ashley Appleton was the first deacon chosen by vote of the church on June 30, 1843. Aug. 31, 1843, Ansel Hannum was chosen by the church second deacon. He died March 1, 1850.

In 1836 Rev. James Tisdale was settled over the churches of Guildhall and Granby for 5 years. After his time was out Rev. Mr. Smith, of Guildhall, and Rev. Mr. Duncan, of Burke, were hired a portion of the time.

And if there was not a minister of any denomination, deacon meetings were uni­formly held, and a Sabbath school has been kept up always in the summer since 1825, and for the last few years we have had one the year round.

Rev. John Wooster, the first settled min­ister of Granby, was settled in 1843 for 5 years, and installed Aug. 9, of the same year. He was hired from year to year, after the first contract, until 1858, when he was dismissed by an ecclesiastical council from the pastoral care of the church.

Since that time Rev. Jeremiah Glines has been acting pastor, the church having been assisted every year since 1843 by the Home Missionary Society.

The Congregational meeting-house (first in town) was built in 1845, dedicated Jan.

 

 

 

                                                     GRANBY.                                                      995

 

15, 1846. The church has now, I believe, 28 members.

Since my first acquaintance in Granby, in the spring of 1825, there has been a portion of the inhabitants in favor of Methodist principles, and clergymen of that denomination have from time to time preached in town. In 1836 Elder Wells preached regu­larly about half of the time. Elder Wil­liams, of Lancaster, N. H., organized a church in Granby the same year. At that time there was no Methodist church in Victory, and some from the northerly part of Victory united with the Granby church. The members found themselves unable to sustain preaching regularly, and after a few years the members were transferred to the Lunenburgh church. For several years past there has been, for a portion of the year at least, Methodist preaching in town, and a separate Sabbath school has been sustained portions of the time, and several have been baptized and joined the Methodist church; but whether they stand connected with the church in Lunenburgh or Victory, or exist as a distinct organization, I do not know, as there are no meetings of are church or class of late in town to my knowledge.

In closing this humble effort at compiling the fragmentary historical sketches of Gran­by, my acknowledgments are due to Henry Stevens, Esq., of Burlington, Miss A. M. Hemenway (the editor), Capt. Timothy Fair­child, of Guildhall (deceased), John Shores, of Victory, Mrs. Nancy M. Appleton, Mr. Nathaniel Ball, of Granby, and to several others who have very kindly assisted me.

 

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IMPROMPTU.

 

Written during an evening Military Parade.

 

BY MARY W. RICE.

 

O sweetly sound the merry bells

      So bold and clearly ringing!

And sweet the harp's soft music swells,

      Its gentle murmurs flinging;

Sweetly the lute's soft voice may greet

      The organ's swelling anthem come;

But there's no music half so sweet

      As the "rub-a-dub-dub of the drum."

 

No wonder that the soldier's heart

      With brave and noble daring fills.

That purposes heroic start,

      As on his ear that music thrills;

No marvel at its stirring notes,

      That thoughts sublime roll on their tide,

While over him there proudly floats

      The banner of his country's pride.

 

Now clearly on the night air calm

      That martial strain is loudly swelling;

Its echoes wake a strange alarm,

      And seem of conflict fearful telling;

Insults, too long and tamely borne,

      Now loudly call for stern redress;

And 'twill be given—that warlike tone

      And arum's deep cadence answer Yes!

 

Oh, in this wild, conflicting hour!

      In thrilling accents it shall speak,

And onward roll with startling power,

      "From vale to vale and peak to peak,"

Till thrilling with the kindling word,

      Each soul shall glow with purpose high,

And grasping stern the ready sword,

      The hearts of oak shall make reply.

 

The opening cannon's mouth in vain

      May threaten with its living fire;

In vain spread out the blood-drenched plain,

      Where friend and foe in death expire;

They feel no throb of quailing fear,

      Their noble souls think not of death,

And willing at their country's call,

      They yield to her their latest breath.

 

GRANBY, May, 1861.

 

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"GOOD BYE."

 

BY JEAN WELLS.

 

Borne along on wings as lightning

      Swift the fleeting moments fly,

And the hour is drawing nearer

      When we each must say "good bye."

 

Scarce we dare to break the silence,

      Bound as by a magic spell;

One fond, lingering look is given,

      Speaking more than words could tell.

 

Tear drops on the eyelids glisten,

      Hands are clasped in silent woe,

Each sad, earnest look is telling,

      "O! cannot let thee go."

 

Still we linger, loth to sever,

      Still the hour is drawing nigh,

When we part, perhaps forever,

      Bid one last, one fond "good bye."

 

Tender let the word be spoken,

      Let its music thrill the soul,

Lest that magic spell be broken—

      Binding us in sweet control.

 

Oft that hour will be remembered,

      Oft will memory love to dwell

On each look, each parting token,

      From the friends we loved so well.

 

Like a cadence in the music,

      Like the low wind's gentle sigh,

Lingers in our hearts the echo

      Of that parting word, "good bye."

 

Sweet yet sad will be its memory,

      And we scarce suppress a sigh,

As the thought comes startling o'er us,

      "This may be our last good bye."

 

GRANBY, VT.