VICTORY. 1045
and cushions, &c., &c. You found the house so like
a bird's nest—brown without but feather-lined within; you visited so good
below, and slept so good above, you concluded these people in Essex about the
happiest people in the world.—Editor.
[More names who were inhabitant's in Maidstone, Vt., in
the year 1786: Caleb Amy, John Rich, James Lucas, Enoch Hall, Jeremy Merrell,
John Hugh, John French,—Tory, Hains French, Benjamin Byrum, Joseph Wooster,
Reuben Hawkins, Abraham Gile.]
MAIDSTONE
VOLUNTEERS.
Names. Co. Regt. When enlisted.
John J. Rich, I 3 April, 1861.
Horace H. Rich, I 3 April, 1861.
Jos. W. Taylor,* I 3 April, 1861.
Jos. Hinman,* I 3 November, 1861.
Moody B. Rich, I 3 November, 1861.
Wm. J. S. Dewey, I 3 September, 1862.
Charles Ford,* I 3 September, 1862.
Albee Elliott,* I 3 September, 1862.
Geo. England,* I 3 September, 1862.
Fred England,* I 3 September, 1862.
Wm. W. Walker, I 3 September, 1862.
L. C. Luther, January,
1864.
Pat. Gleason, January,
1864.
Wm. W. Walker,* January,
1864.
Jos. H. Watson, I 3 March, 1864.
John J. Rich* I 3 March, 1864.
E. B. Smith,* I 3 March, 1864.
Geo. A. Ford, I 3 March, 1864.
Charles Keeney, September,
1864.
J. M. Lund, September,
1864.
And'w J. Pottle, K 8 September, 1864.
John Shallop, I 3
——————————
VICTORY.
BY
GEO. A. APPLETON.
Victory, a town situated in the southwestern portion of
Essex Co., is in lat. 44° 32', lon. 5° 5'; bounded N. W. by Burke and Kirby, N.
E. by Granby and East Haven, S. E. by Lunenburg and Concord, and R W. by
Concord and Kirby.
It was designed originally to contain 23,040 acres, and a
tract of land lying between Victory and Concord—known as Bradley's Vale—by an
act of the Legislature of 1856 being divided and a portion annexed to Victory,
it now contains about 2500 acres more than its original territory.
It was granted Nov. 8, 1780, and chartered Sept. 6, 1781,
to Capt. Ebenezer Fisk and 64 associates, reserving 5 rights of 300 acres, viz.
the college right, grammar school right, minister's right, church right and
common school right.
The surface is diversified, but though literally
surrounded by ranges of mountains it is not comparatively very uneven, a large
portion of the town being included in the valley of the Moose river. But as the
distance increases from the river, the land becomes more elevated, until it
forms a portion of Burke mountain on the west, an elevation of some 3,000 feet;
Mount Tug and Miles' mountain on the E. and S. E., and Kirby mountain on the S.
W.
There is also an elevation on the north, on the line
between Victory and Granby called Round Top There is but one mountain, proper,
wholly within the limits of the town—Umpire mountain, an elevation of about
2000 feet.
STREAMS.
The Moose river rises in East Haven, and runs in nearly a
southerly direction through the town, affording several excellent mill
privileges. Here was once the hunting-ground of the Indian, and, in later years
the game with which their forests abounded, was pursued and taken by the white
man. So numerous were the moose which once roamed over these hills and through
this valley, that the river was called "Moose river." There are also
several other streams which empty into this river, as Alder brook, Umpire or
Bog brook on the west, 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 west 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 adjoining towns. It is well adapted to the growing of potatoes, and most
kinds of English grains.
In some parts of the town there is an abundance of granite,
while other portions are comparatively free from stone of any kind, and there
is but a very small proportion of the town which can properly be considered
—————
* Names with star attached, died in the service.
1046 VERMONT
HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
waste land; or but little, which, if properly cultivated,
would not richly repay the labor of the husbandman. It is well watered by a
great number of freely-flowing, never-failing springs—as good as can anywhere
be found.
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 flowed once a year, and frequently oftener. Near the mouth of the brook
there is what is supposed to be a beaver meadow. Including some small additions
which have been made within a few years, there are 50 or 60 acres which have
been used, for years, an a mow-field. 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.
"At a meeting of the original proprietors held at
Guildhall, Oct. 6, 1798, it was voted to accept the survey of the township of
Victory, which had been made that season by Jonas Baker, Esq., under the
direction of David Hopkinson, Esq.,—and also to allow the account of David Hopkinson,
Esq., for making the survey, and other incidental charges, £150 3s. 11d; his
other account, £87. 11s. 11d. for opening the road through said township.
Hezekiah May, Esq., was appointed an agent to the General Assembly of the state
of Vermont,—at their session which was to meet at Vergennes during that same
month,—for the purpose of preparing a petition to that Honorable House, for a
tax of three cents per acre on all the lands in the township of Victory (public
rights excepted), for the purpose of making a good wagon road through said
township towards St. Johnsbury and Danville."
This was the same road which had been partially opened by
David Hopkinson, Esq., the summer previous, 1798, about 14 years before there
were any inhabitants in town, and is the first road we have any account of.
This, however, was so badly located, and so imperfectly made, that it never
became a traveled road. Some portions of it can be easily traced at the present
day.
About the year 1812 James Elliot commenced on the lot now
occupied by Mr. John Shorer, being on the road from Guildhall to Burke, and on
the line between Victory and Granby. He remained there some three or four years
and left. The first child born in town was Curtis Elliot, named in honor of
Gen. Daniel Curtis, of Windsor, Vt., and who was one of the original
proprietors.
The first permanent inhabitant of the town was John
Shorer, who moved from Sanbornton, N. H., to Granby in 1815, and in 1822 moved
to Victory. He was followed that same year by Reuben Sterner, and in the fall
of 1825 by Mr. Asa Wells, originally from Connecticut, and by Isaac R. Houston.
Thus was commenced the settlement which is now known as North Victory.
The settlement of West Vitcory was commenced in the year
1827, by Timothy Minor,, who moved his family, consisting of a wife and three
children, from Lyndon, on the 17th day of January. Previous to this, however,
two men, with their families— Clark Ranney and Eben Clark—moved from
Westminster, Vt., to what was then called the Vale, but which now belongs to
Victory.
In the fall of 1829 Mr. James Towle and Mr. Archibald
Starks moved from St. Johnsbury, and in the spring of 1830 they were followed
by Mr. Jonathan Hill, who moved from the same place. The first child born in
West Victory was Fanny M. Minor, April 17, 1827, and who is now living in
Lawrence, Mass.
The first death in West Victory, Enoch W. Sanborn—died
August, 1842—a child about one year and half old. The first grown person, Mrs.
Jeremiah Ingraham, died May 2, 1848, being more than 20 years after the settlement
was commenced. First marriage, Jona. Lawrence and Angeline Towle, Oct. 2, 1852.
The first school, consisting of 8 scholars, was taught by Hannah Bean, in the
spring of 1832. The first saw-mill was built by Joseph Woods, about the year
1830, on Moose river, on the line between Victory and Bradley's Vale. Soon
after other families moved into that part of the town, and formed the
neighborhood now known as South Victory.
There are now in operation three saw-mills, together with
other machinery connected with them, and two others which are at present out of
repair and not doing business,
The town once contained a large amount of pine lumber,
there being some 3000 acres, covered more or less thickly. On one lot 3536 pine
trees have been counted, estimated,
VICTORY. 1047
25 years ago, at 1,500,000 feet. There was also an
unlimited amount of spruce, hemlock and cedar; so that the lumber business, in
some form, has been quite extensively carried on from the early settlement of
the town to the present time.
Previous to 1841 most of the lumber cut was run down the
Moose and Passumpsic rivers to the Connecticut, or manufactured at mills along
those streams.
About that time Mr. Willard Read built a mill in the
southern part of Bradley's Vale (now North Concord), where he commenced
manufacturing lumber taken from this town. This mill was subsequently purchased
by Mr. Dudley P. Hall, now of East Burke. Another large mill was built upon the
opposite side of the river, where he was extensively engaged for 9 years in the
manufacture of lumber that was taken from this town, amounting to about
7,000,000 feet; and other mills were soon after built upon the Moose river,
which have been more or less extensively engaged in the manufacture of pine
lumber. Probably not less than 20,000,000 of pine, spruce and hemlock have been
cut within the last 30 years from lands in this town.
Large quantities of cedar have also been taken to
adjoining towns for fencing, and along the line of the Passumsic railroad for
ties. Mr. Nat S. Damon employed 20 hands one winter getting out cedar, a large
portion of which was used for railroad purposes.
Victory has become somewhat celebrated also for its
blueberry fields. Fires, which have been set designedly and by accident, have
run extensively through those sections, where the timber has been mostly cut
off, and blueberry bushes have come in spontaneously and in such abundance
that during the autumn months thousands resort to them for the purpose of
gathering the fruit with which they are often so heavily loaded. For the last
two years, however, there have been no blueberries of any amount in this
section; but during the fall of 1859 and 1860 they were so plenty that a
pailful could be picked in a very few minutes. From the time they commenced to
ripen until they were gone, there was a "regular rush" to the
blueberry fields. The road side, barns, and barnyards along the nearest
available points were lined and filled with horses and carriages while the
fields were inhabited by scores at a time from adjoining towns, and sometimes
from a distance of 30 or 40 and even 50 miles, and the most of them would come
out with their basket filled.
Previous to 1823 there was no road leading through the
town which could be traveled by teams, and but one way of getting out in any
direction, and that through Granby to Guildhall. There was a line of marked
trees to Lunenburgh, and a foot path over which people sometimes walked; but it
seemed very desirable that there should be a road which would admit of travel
through the town to adjoining towns; and, consequently, in that year, a road
was laid out near the line, between Granby and Victory, leading from Lunenburgh
to Burke, and a portion of it worked. With this road the Guildhall road
intersected, so that a direct road from Guildhall to Burke through Victory was
also formed, and there has since been a road opened connected with this and
leading to St. Johnsbury through Concord, a distance of 18 miles.
Victory did not become an organized town until 1841, the
meeting for that purpose being called by Ansel Hannum, justice of the peace.
Isaac R. Houston was chosen moderator; Loomis Wells, town clerk; Jonathan
Hill, Ransom Hall, John Gates, Chauncey Hildreth, selectmen; Loomis Wells, town
treasurer; Hubbard Gates, first constable; Abraham Sanborn, James Towle and
Ansel Hannum, listers; Timothy Miner, Chauncey Hildreth and Moses C. Kimball,
auditors; Levi P. Shores, Joseph Nickerson and Nathan Boles, fence viewers; I.
R. Houston, John Shores, town grand jurors; Sonathan Lawrence, Nathan Boles,
Elisha Gustin, highway surveyors; Joseph Hall, Chauncey Hildreth, county grand
jurors; Levi P. Shores, Moses C. Kimball and Orin Hall, petit jurors.
Population in 1841, 140; in 1850, 168; in 1860, 212. Grand
list in 1844, 252.15; in 1850, 379.90; in 1855, 522.77; in 1860, 535.27; in
1862, 521.43. The first representative was Loomis Wells, who represented the
town in 1841 and '42; Ransom Hall, in 1843 and '44; Harlan Keyes, in 1845;
James Towl, in 1846 and '47; Jonathan Hill, in 1848; James Towl, in 1849 and
'50; Wm. Stearns, in 1851 and '52; Cyrus Smith, in 1853; James B. Hill, in 1854
and '55; Charles Hall, in 1856; Willard H. Kneeland, in 1857 and '58; Warren
Harrington, in 1859,
1018 VERMONT
HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
and '60; Isaac R. Houston, in 1861, '63, '64 and '65; Geo.
A. Appleton in 1866.
First P. 0., established March 24, 1858. Natt S. Damon, P.
M. The present P. M., Willard H. Kneeland, appointed July 11, 1859.
There are at present 4 school districts in town, in which
schools are sustained two terms during the year. In two of them, new
school-houses have been built recently.
There is but one religious society in town, and that
Methodist (see history by Rev. J. Evans). There are, however, some Congregational
people in North Victory who are connected with the church in Granby, and
virtually belong to that town, so far as sabbath schools, and all religious
purposes are concerned.—May, 1867.
As this town has been but partially settled, and that
comparatively recently, there are but few incidents connected with its early
history which would be of general interest. Unlike many other towns, most of
the early settlers are now living here. Mr. John Shores now remains upon the
farm where he first commenced nearly 40 years ago; Mr. Hill now lives on the
farm upon which he first moved, and has just commenced his 90th year—being the
oldest man in town. As was the case with many of the early settlers of our own
and other states, they were obliged to endure the hardships and privations incident
upon a first settlement, which would at the present time be thought almost
incredible.
Two children have been lost in the woods since the
settlement of the town. One, Geo. Minor, son of Timothy Minor, a boy about four
years old, was lost April 14, 1827. He left the house soon after noon without
hat, coat, or shoes, and intending to go to the sugar place, but lost his way
and wandered about in the woods. Search was immediately made for him, but
without success. It was renewed again the next morning as soon as people could
see. About one hundred had collected from adjoining towns at sunrise, and by
noon three hundred more.
They again commenced the search, assuring the mother that
if he was found they would fire one gun; if dead, three; if ALIVE, would
blow a bugle. Near four in the afternoon a party of some twenty was
about giving up the search in a particular direction, saying that no child, or
hardly a wild beast could go any further in consequence of the windfalls, when
they heard the little fellow calling to them and saying, "I am
coming." The signal-gun was fired and heard by that almost distracted
mother. None but those who have been placed in similar circumstances, can
imagine her feelings; for as she listened now, was it her darling boy which
she was about to clasp once more in her arms, that was found alive, or had he
been devoured by the wild beasts which then prowled so thickly through the
forests, and had left his mangled corpse, or his tattered garment, or perhaps a
hand, or a foot only was left? But soon the shrill notes of the bugle were
distinctly heard, and the mother knew that her son which "was lost, is
found." He is now in the army of the United States.
The other child, was a little girl about three years old,
belonging to Mr, Moses Emerson. She was lost about noon in the summer of
1858, who after being out all night was found the next day a considerable distance
in the woods, sleeping quietly where she had settled down from fatigue.
June, 1863.
DEA. ASA WELLS.
BY
LOOMIS WELLS, OF GRANBY.
Asa Wells was born in Bolton, Tolland county, Ct., May 29,
1770. Being of a slender constitution, and a little deaf from childhood, he
remained upon the home farm, while his father and older brothers served in the
Revolutionary war.
Sept. 13, 1795, he married Martha Loomis by whom he had 8
children; four of them only survived him.
In 1807 he removed to Tolland, Mass., and in 1817 to
Lunenburgh, Vt. The spring of 1825 he removed to Granby, and in the fall to
Victory, upon the farm now occupied by his oldest daughter, Martha.
The roads were very poor and but little traveled, and a
part of the boards for his log buildings had to be drawn from Burke, and the
grain to be carried to Burke, Lunenburgh or Guildhall, and in the summer season
generally on horseback. For several years all kinds of grain were carried out
of town to be ground—wheat always.
To aggravate the hardships and privations of a new
settlement, he was here in the decline of life, with impaired health, by the
VICTORY. 1049
rascality of a nephew, who sold him for his farm in
Massachusetts what purported to be 600 acres of good land, as he said, in the
thriving town of Victory, Vt., only one hundred of which, as described, could
be found in the town; besides, the covenant of the deed was defective, which
led to a protracted and expensive law suit in Connecticut, in which he was
beaten on technicalities, leaving him poor to struggle on through the last
years of his life, on rather poor land. Yet he earnestly endeavored to promote
the prosperity of the town, by encouraging settlers, improving roads, and
particularly by endeavoring to improve the moral and religious condition of
the settlement. My father was not a politician, and always stood aloof from
office of every grade. I do not recollect ever seeing him read a political
paper, but his Bible and a few choice religious books were the chosen and
constant companions of his leisure moments.
Religion was his favorite theme; hence, as a private
Christian, and in the society of friends, family and home, his distinguishing
traits were exhibited. In early life he was of a serious and reflective turn,
being, from feeble health, much in the company of a pious mother. When about 21
or 22 years of age, the sudden death of his next older and favorite brother,
followed in three days by the death of his mother, and soon an attack of the
same disease (dysentery), that nearly proved fatal,—while these nearly
overwhelmed him with grief, he also became particularly anxious for his own
salvation, avoiding, for several months, every thing like amusement and the
society of his associates.
Soon after their marriage my parents, according to the
then prevalent custom of the Congregational church in New England, united with
the Congregational church of Bolton, by what was then termed "the
half-way covenant;" that was, as I have been told, by assenting to the
"articles of faith," promising to live as near as they were able to
the rules of the Bible, going to "communion," and promising to have
their children baptized. This, however, they soon felt to be the form without
the substance, and, after a protracted mental struggle, accepted salvation on
whole covenant terms, and both soon after made a public profession of their
faith in Christ, and a family altar was set up through life.
Although frequently beset with temptations, doubts and
fears, aggravated by nervous debility, which produced at times great activity
and animation, but was often followed by dejection, yet hope would revive
after melancholy, and he would press onward in the Christian race.
He commenced when quite young the practice of reading the
Bible through by course once a year, and continued it as long as he lived; and,
after his health failed so as to be unable to work regularly, he often read it
through two or three times in a year. Hence he was a good Bible student, and
able from Scripture to warn or reprove, encourage or console. He sung
intuitively either part in church music, and from 8 years of age to his last
sickness he sung in the choir, if needed; indeed, at any time, or on any
occasion when it was appropriate, he was ready and willing to sing of
"redeeming grace and dying love."
Although particularly industrious, he not only attended
meeting on the Sabbath when able, but was present at the lecture and prayer
meeting, and was ready to converse in private when opportunity presented.
Kind and affectionate in his family, and ardently desirous
of doing all for them in his power, yet he looked upon them as "lent
treasures," and when the Master called them home could say, "Thy will
be done."
A cancerous humor had developed itself about him for more
than 30 years; at last it became seated on his under lip, and no medical skill
could remove it. For nearly four years he was being worn out by it, suffering
intense pain, unrelieved by refreshing sleep; but while his earthly house was
being dissolved day by day, his evidence of a blessed immortality beyond the
grave grew brighter and stronger, and be had a word "in season" for
all who called to see him. The morning he died he asked to be raised in bed and
have his large Bible held before him, when he had it opened at St. John, 14th
chapter, and appeared to read to himself. Conscious to the last, he took an
affectionate leave of all present, then closed his eyes in death, Sept. 6,
1837, aged a little more than 67 years. Mother survived hint nearly 22 years,
much afflicted, having become a cripple. She died May 10, 1857, in the
"full assurance of faith." Truly, "the memory of the just is
blessed."
1050 VERMONT
HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
METHODISM IN VICTORY.
BY
REV. J. EVANS.
The west part of this town, with a few families at the
river, some two miles distant, have been connected with East, St. Johnsbury,
and also with Victory, for quarterly meeting purposes, since 1840, until the
friends of religion and morals here came to the conclusion that they were able
and ought to have a minister live with them, so as to be able to have regular
and stated means of grace within their own borders. In view of this, I was
engaged to preach to the people in Victory one Sabbath each month for the
conference year of 1860.— Before the year closed, there was almost an unanimous
call for me to accept the lands in the town of Victory chartered for the settlement
of a minister, and ministers of the gospel in said township forever. I put them
off for a while, on account of feelings of unworthiness and imbecilities; but,
at the close of the year, I told them to do as they thought best (my home at
the time was in Newbury, Vt.) I soon received a letter from one of the official
members of the church, stating that the town had voted to settle me as their
minister. According to the agreement entered into, I moved into the town of
Victory, with my family, in the month of May, 1861.
I find some worthy members here, and some that are not so
worthy. We however did not organize a church at once, but met with our good
brethren in Kirby; at Kirby for our quarterly meetings, as heretofore, until
the spring of 1862. In a quarterly meeting held in Kirby, in good faith and
feeling—on motion, voted to separate Victory from Kirby, so that Victory might
become a charge by itself. Andes T. Bullard, the presiding elder, was in the
chair; John Goram, secretrry.
In the month of August, 1862, Br. Andes T. Bullard met
with us at the dwelling-house of Mr. Willard A. Kneeland, the usual place of
holding meetings at the river, and preached a good sermon from Ephesians v. 1;
after the close of the sermon we met for a quarterly conference, agreeable to
appointment. This was our first quarterly conference held in Victory. Our
presiding elder (A. T. Bullard) was in the chair. Br. A. J. Shaw was duly
elected secretary of the quarterly conference, and afterwards was elected
recording steward. The official members of this quarterly conference consists
of five stewards and four class-leaders and one local preacher, The church of
Victory is divided into four classes: Class No. 1, 16, one in the army (on
trial); No. 2, 10, one died in the army; No. 3, 13, four on trial; No. 4, 15,
two on trial—making 46 in full connection, and 8 on trial. We have no
meeting-house in this town, and hold our meetings in school-houses mostly.
There are some four persons also in this part of the town that are Freewill Baptists
and belong to Lyndon Center, some 10 miles from here. Also there are a few
Congregational brethren at the north-east part of the town, who hold their
church election with the Congregational church in Granby. Of those friends that
belong to the Granby church I do not know just how many there are; I cannot,
however, call to mind but six. Some of these, I feel assured, are worthy
members of any church, and think they evidence genuine zeal for God.
There has been but a few meetings held in this town for the
past few years but by the Methodists. The Freewill Baptists have had two
evening lectures the year past. We cannot speak of great prosperity at this
time. We have a regular class meeting once a week, and two prayer meetings, and
they are generally well attended. But some of our brethren have gone to the
war, and some of our brethren's sons have gone, and some have fallen there in
hospital, and a general feeling of sadness is manifest in all our borders. And
what is worse for the cause of God, this war excitement does not, as it should,
drive us nearer to God and his throne. Yet a general feeling of submission to
the will of Him who doeth all things well is apparent, and we hope this
principle will ultimately prevail till the nations shall learn war no more or
the principles of treason shall cease to exist, and sin, the fruitful source of
all kinds of rebellion, shall be slain by its true conqueror, Christ the Lord.
What
Victory has done to put down the Rebellion.
Of the many thousands who have gone to our nation's
rescue, Victory has furnished from her sparse population twenty-two men,
fourteen of whom went for their own town, the remainder for other towns. These
be‑
NATURAL
HISTORY. 1051
longed to the different regiments of Vermont volunteers,
as follows:
3d Reg't, Co. B. —
Moody Evans. Co. D.— Albert H. Thomas, Lester Smith—died Jan. 17,
1863,—Henry W. Sterns—died Jan. 21, 1863,—Augustus B. Jones—died May 25, '64,
of wounds,—Chas. A. Story, Robert Suitor.— Co. I.—Benj. W. Isham—died
Dec. 15, 1862,— William Brooks. A. J. Shaw.
4th Reg't, Co. G.—Alonzo
H. Bell—died Jan. 1, 1862.—Horace B. Houston, Wesley I. Houston—died May 17,
1862,
8th Reg't, Co. K.—Charles
H. Farnham —died Sept. 4, 1862,—Melvin Wilson. H. M. Lund.
9th Reg't, Co. F.—Hollis
M. Emerson, Moses Emerson, Fredom D. Prescott.
11th Reg't, Co. A.—Ira
Lee, Orisan L. Farnham.
Vt. Artillery.—Abial
Cheney.
Besides these one man procured a substitute, a
non-resident, and two others paid commutation. Of this number, six have died
from sickness, and one from wounds received in battle, and have thus been
called to lay all, even life itself, upon the altar of our country, and thus
become a portion of that costly oblation which she has so willingly offered.—
They died, not on the field of battle made gory by the blood of thousands of
thousands of their fallen comrades—not amid the roar of thundering cannon as
their awful death-tones hushed, as it were, for a moment, the shrieks and
groans of the dying, only to add new horror to the scene—not amid the acclamations
of contending armies, as they rush to victory and glory, but they are none the
less honored. They have done what they could to perpetuate those liberties and
blessings, for which our fathers bled and died. They have done what they could
to defend our homes, our friends, our sacred altars, and our government—the
best upon which the sun ever shone—from tyranny and blood-stained oppression;
from a power whose poisonous fangs were seeking to sever the very life-strings
of its existence; and their graves are in southern climes—their precise
locations doubtless soon to be lost by time's onward march; yet their memories
will long be fondly cherished at home.—May, 1867.
NATURAL
HISTORY OF ESSEX CO.
BY H.
A. CUTTING.
Essex county lies east of Caledonia and Orleans, bordering
for upwards of 65 miles upon the meandering folds of the Connecticut river.
Its area is about 620 square miles, and a large share of the county is covered
with a dense growth of forest trees—mostly spruce, yet pine and hemlock,
together with the sugar maple,, birch and beech, give an ever-varying
appearance to the forests, and furnish lumber in abundance and variety. The
larger portion of the inhabitants live near the streams, and the majority live
in or near the Connecticut river valley. In Concord and Lunenburgh, however,
the towns are generally settled, yet the part lying back from the river and off
from the large brooks is little but a wilderness. For so small a section of
country there is greater difference in climate than is general in this
latitude. The direction of the wind and the lay of the land, doubtless are the
main rouses; yet difference in soil, and the amount of water in the vicinity,
of course makes sonic difference in vegetation. The proximity of the highest
portion of the White Mountain range, on which snow lies for at least nine
months out of the year, gives a coolness to the atmosphere which must have its
effect upon the climate. The valley of the Connecticut is frequently some two
or three weeks earlier than some of the interior portions, yet as a general
thing the frosts on the streams prevent the growth of anything that cannot be
raised in among the hills of the interior townships. I have however seen the
maple buds on the Connecticut bursting into loaves, when the snow in the dense
forests of spruce and hemlock, in Granby, East Haven and Ferdinand, would lie
in sufficient depth to make quite a freshet of the streams, and the buds of the
maple in those localities could hardly be said to have swollen.
Of the geology of Essex little can be said. In our recent
state survey very little was done in this county, and we find a sort of general
description to suffice in that recently published work. In the southern portion
of the county the prevailing rock is talcose slate, with granite bowlders. The
elate is, however, very irregular in stratification, being intersected with
dikes, much broken in surface and putting on many varieties of appearance. In
the southern portion of Concord there is dike of magnesian limestone, that is
traceable in a straight line nearly three miles, varying from 2 to 6 feet wide.
There is also in Concord, on the farm owned by Wm. Darling, quite a deposit of
iron and copper pyrites, also