SUTTON.

 

BY HON. J. E. WILLARD,

 

In his frock of blue,

He stood up, hardy and true.

Every inch a man;

Beat him this day if you can. [Old Settler]

 

 

SUTTON.

 

IN 1803,

The Grand List was made up as follows: polls at $20, each; improved land at $1,75 per acre ; oxen at $10 ; three-years old $6,50 ; cows at $6,50 ; two-years old, $5; horses $13,50; two-years old, $6,50 ; one-year old, $3,50; watches at $5; and $5; framed houses appraised and then assessed at 2 per cent.

Enoch Blake had a house valued at $250 ; he, also, had a watch. Thomas Colby and Enoch True each had a house valued at $100, and each a watch. — These were the only framed houses and time-pieces in town; not as yet, had any person a sheep or a clock.

 

IN 1804.

In 1804, there were 58 polls assess­ed ; nine less than in 1803 : and there were the same number of polls in 1805 as in 1804.

 

IN 1806

there were 67 polls assessed in town. — Among the arrivals of 1806, was that of Stephen Eastman, who settled on "Right No. 26."

 

IN REMEMBRANCE

STEPHEN EASTMAN,

his descendants thought it well to have a re-union of the children and other relatives of the Eastman family at the house of the writer, Sept. 15, 1880. The day was not pleasant, but over 180 persons attended. The first order of the day was refreshments, the second, choice of A. H. Ball, for president, af­ter which, the exercises were:

1st Singing by the kindred ; and, Prayer by Rev. B. A. Sherwood of Sutton.

 

WELCOME BY M. A. TAFT, Sutton:

 

Mr. President,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

It may seem strange to you that I should take the stand to welcome you to another man's home. But you should remember that we are all more or less governed by circumstances, and our surroundings and the circumstances in which we are placed make us, to a great extent what we are. This being the case, it has fallen to my lot to make a few remarks at this time ; and in be­half of my highly esteemed friend, Mr. J. E. Willard and his worthy com‑

 

 

 

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panion, I bid you all a hearty welcome to their pleasant home and its beauti­ful surroundings. Not only do I wel­come these kindred here to-day, but, I welcome these townsmen and these neighbors, and am happy to think that these friends are so kind and have come here to help make this gathering a suc­cess. Now what we want is that all should feel free and and at home, and I am quite sure that if all that are here on this occasion were as well acquain­ted with Mr. Willard as I am, and knew his large heartedness as well as I do, you would have no fears, and would receive this welcome as genuine and heartfelt. Not far from here among these green hills and fertile fields our fathers leveled the forests and broke the virgin soil, and our mothers (how sacred their memory) shared the hard­ship toils and dangers of a pioneer life ; while they worshipped Him who was their guide, their light, their life and their all.

This is a meeting of the Eastman family, assembled for mutual benefit and pleasure ; and if we rightly under­stand the characteristics of the family, there are none here that are so selfish as to wish for the pleasures of the hour to the family alone ; but are very grate­ful to these old neighbors and friends that were so willing to respond to the invitation given them and meet with us at this our first re-union. We have come from the North and the South, from the East and from the West, a respectable company drawn together by the ties of kindred to renew old acquaintances and establish new friend­ships ; to trace various grades of relationship and learn more of the history of the race. I trust we shall throw a­side the cares and perplexities of life for the hour ; and feel that it is good for us to be here. We meet near the place where our ancestor once lived and where many of their posterity now reside and their green graves in the cemetery on yonder hill or those in the adjoining towns are made sacred to us as the repositories of their dust. No costly monuments may mark their rest­ing places, yet this gathering of the family shows that they are remembered in the affections and hearts of their pos­terity. Could great-grandfather Steph­en and his children be permitted to stand upon the battlements of Heaven and from those lofty heights behold this assembly, would they not say that the promises of God to the patriarchs of old had been fulfilled when he said I will multiply thee exceedingly. What memories rise before us as we look back over the past seventy years and more when our fathers built their homes in the wilderness on that beautiful and fertile strip of rolling land. But of these and their trials and dangers, through which our ancestor and their descendants have passed, it is not for us to speak. As I study the history of the race I learn that it is noted for its industry, honesty, energy and frugali­ty ; and when the dark clouds of war have hung over the nation, they have taken an active and patriotic part in support of the government. And now while corruption and wrong stalk bold­ly at noonday, may we be found fight­ing manfully for the right.

My friends, this is a meeting long to be remembered by some that are here before me : These friends that are in the morning of life, if they are permitted to live to old age will look back to this gathering with pleasure and pride, and to them it will be as a bright oasis in the desert of life. Kindred and

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                   7

 

friends, this occasion is a joyous one! and yet as our imagination tries to pen­etrate the future there is sadness that comes stealing over the mind as we think how soon the scythe of time will break up our pleasant and quiet fami­lies. Another decade will mark many changes with this company here assem­bled. The generations that were in advance of the older present, have all passed away; our aged mother and friend that died last winter was the last one. And as I look over this company I see quite a large number with whitened locks and trembling limbs and fal­tering steps, and soon, and very soon, life's cares with them will end and they will he gathered with the generations that have gone before.

In conclusion let me say a few words for the three towns in which most of the descendants of grandfather Stephen reside, Lyndon, Wheelock and Sutton. We love their towering hills and gush­ing rills; we love their maple groves and forest shades; we love their green vallies and beautiful fields; we love the sweet, solemn tones of their church bells that call us to the house of prayer and praise; yes, and why not? our fa­thers and mothers before us loved them and it was in the midst of these pleas­ant surroundings they lived and toiled, died and were buried. How it is with you, my friends, I know not, but as for me, where my kindred have lived, let me live, where they have labored, let me labor, where they have died, let me die, and beside their graves, let me rest.

The parting at the close of these ex­ercises will be the last farewell for some of us, but may we so live that when the splendors of the millennium shall come we may partake of them ; and and when the end shall be, and the world shall be rolled up like a worn-out vesture, and the arching skies shall have passed away like a forgoten dream, when eternity with its deep sounding waves shall break upon the rocks of time and sweep them away, forever, —  then in a brighter, may we meet again in a greater and grander re­union, which shall last through the ceaseless ages of eternity.

 

HISTORICAL ADDRESS

 

BY J. E. WILLARD.

 

NOTE: I have only taken such extracts from the Address as I thought would be of general interest.

 

The first settlements in New England were made by emigrants who on ac­count of their religious belief were persecuted, and to obtain that liberty came to an unbroken wilderness, — to brave the perils of wild beasts and sav­ages, bidding farewell to friends that could not go with them, came to estab­lish homes for themselves and children here. Large numbers flocked to these shores for about nineteen years— until the great civil conflict under Cromwell commenced when those in favor of en­larged religious priviliges regarded it better to stay and assist in securing them. During the time named in 1638, Daniel Denison, Simeon Bradstreet and others procured a grant of a portion of land in the north east corner of "Mass­achusetts Bay" for a settlement. In 1640, it received the name of Salsbury, a few years later was divided, the part called Amesburg. Among the grant­ees was Roger Eastman, born in Wales in 1611. He married in 1639 Sarah — born in 1621. He was a carpenter by trade and his presence with the first settlers must have been a great help to the place — a man to build their houses and barns and mills for them.

 

 

 

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The children of Roger and Sarah Eastman were:

John, born, January 1640:

Nathaniel, born, Mar. 18, 1643:

Philip, born, Oct. 20, 1644:

Thomas, born, September 1646:

Timothy, born, Sept. 29, 1648:

Joseph, born, Nov. 8, 1650:

Benjamin, born, Feb. 12, 1652:

Sarah, born, July 25, 1655:

Samuel, born, Sept. 20, 1657:

Ruth, born, Mar. 21, 1660:

 

I think, the children all settled in Massachusetts; and as emigration al­most ceased after the success of Crom­well, I think that it is safe to assume that Roger is the father of all the Eastmans in the United States. When the first church was organized in Salsbury, 1687, the Eastmans were fairly repre­sented, and continued to join as long as we have any record at hand. Roger died, Dec. 16, 1694, aged 83 years ; Sarah, his wife, Mar 10, 1698, age 77.

When the state line between Mass­achusetts and New Hampshire became established, about 1740, Roger East­man of Amesburg, Mass. found his residence located in the town of New­ton, N. H. His children were:

Thomas, born in Amesburg ; married Sarah Sargent; moved to Weare, N. H. ; afterward settled in Newbury, Vt.

Stephen, born in Newton, Mar. 27, 1744;

Samuel, born, Oct. 8, 1746, settled in Weare:

Ichabod, born, May 22, 1749 ; set­tled in Weare, N. H.

Nicholas, born, Jan. 16, 1751 :

Isaac, born, Oct. 30, 1754; married Hannah George ; 10 children who settled in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

 

STEPHEN EASTMAN,

the second son of Isaac, married Anna Colby and moved to Bow, N. H. in 1774 or '75. In 1776, the selectmen of the towns of the state circulated association "Test papers" which are now on file in the Secretary of State office at Concord and read as follows:

"We, the subscribers, do hereby engage and promise that we will to the utmost at the risk of our lives and fortunes with arms oppose the hostile proceedings of the British fleets and armies against the United American Colonies."

On the paper filed by the town of Bow, N. H. appears the name of Ste­phen Eastman, he being one of 8199 men who signed in the State of New Hampshire. The paper uttered treason against the mother country; every person signing it, if the colonies should not succeed, would be liable to have his property confiscated and himself to be hung or banished. Imagine the trial for a man with four small children to support the oldest not yet seven, to take such a stand! But none who knew him will doubt that when he was convinced that it was right that he would try to evade any part of it. Some here can well remember that until past eighty, he would with staff in hand every Sabbath, in fair or foul weather, walk 6 or 8 miles and return to attend the church of which he was a member.

The children of Stephen and Anna Eastman were:

Elizabeth, born, Oct. 22, 1767:

Hannah, born, Oct. 13, 1769:

Elizabeth, born, Nov. 30, 1771 :

Janeworth, born, Mar. 29, 1774:

Stephen, born, July 23, 1776:

Rachel, B., born, January 1779:

Eli, born, Nov. 15, 1782:

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                   9

 

Anna, born, Aug. 12, 1785:

David, born, July 3, 1788:

Mary, born, Apr. 30, 1791 :

 

Stephen had a small place, but was a shoemaker and followed his trade, and wished to have his son, Stephen, also fol­low the same business ; but it was distasteful to him, and when, one day, a pair of shoes, not very clean brought in to be repaired, his father requested him to clean and mend them, he bolted, or stated, then and there, that with this job ended his shoemaker's trade. Not long after, as according to the custom in those days, for the shoemaker to go from house to house to make the in­habitants their boots and shoes, his fa­ther was away on one of these expedi­tions, Stephen, Jr. went and confered with his uncle Colby about what course he should pursue, who advised him to make a bee and fell 10 acres of trees on his father's farm and follow farming. He then was only fifteen, but fol­lowed the advice.

When his father came home and saw what had been done in his ab­sence, he exclaimed we are ruined! But from that time things began to prosper better and he admired the management of his son so well he gave all the prop­erty into his hands, expecting him to stay at home and take care of him and his wife in their old age. After a lit­tle, a new house was to be erected. — The father wished the front to face the highway, but Stephen prefered the end to face the road. Each was so strong that theirs was the best way, Stephen said, I will assist to get the frame up, then I shall seek some other place for myself. Small matters at first have caused nations to change their course, the same will hold of individuals. The way a house should front resulted in Stephen Eastman, Jr. leaving the old home and emigrating to Vermont. — He first went to his uncle William Clement in Danville, who kindly spent some time in assisting his nephew in finding a place to locate. They first looked over Danville and Wheelock, then came to Billymead, now Sutton, and purchased 100 acres, July 12, 1804, it being a part of the farm Jonathan Eastman now owns. Not a tree had then been cut ; the only log-cabin from Lyndon and Wheelock town lines to this place was Deacon Richardson's. After receiving a deed, he contracted to have the trees felled on 10 acres and the land cleared ready for a crop in the spring of 1806.

He moved from New Hampshire in February 1806, into Bradbury M. Richardson's house, which stood near the orchard in the field toward C. W. Willard's residence; June 16th, following raised a house on his premises near the house in which Jonathan Eastman now lives ; and David East­man was born the same day. He mov­ed into his house during the summer. Rachel, his wife, was obliged to go to Deacon Richardson's for some time still to do her baking. She had to carry David, the baby in her arms, and he, Lyndia, the little girl two years old — and the meal. The boards to cover his house he had to drag with a team from the Hollow. As late as 1816, the only clock in town was owned by Caleb Fish and there were 2 watches and 9 framed houses in town. How could we do, do you think, with only three time-pieces in town? or go the best of a mile and carry two babies through the wood to bake? or to draw our boards 3 miles to cover our buildings — with a chain? Yet our fathers and mothers were obli­ged to undergo these hardships; and I

 

 

 

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presume did without a murmur. These early settlers are very good examples for us to look back upon, if the cares of life pressed they never thought of suicide ; but "put their shoulder to the wheel.

He was interested in the State, in its matters; he was interested in the church and ever ready to perform his part. In 1837, when schisms had crept into the churches here and destroyed their use­fulness and it was thought best to re­organize the Free Will Baptist Church in Sutton, he threw open his doors and Rev. Daniel and Joshua Quinby and David Sweat formed themselves with twenty others into a church which has ever prospered and is the same organization now at Sutton Village.

Although the Eastmans have never been distinguished for great things they have ever been performing little acts of kindnesses, one of which I will nar­rate. It was a custom of early settlers to serve a notice on persons liable to come to want, warning them out of town. Stephen Eastman had lived in town about four years when the matter came up in a town-meeting of warn­ing Aaron Baldwin and his family to depart from town so they might not gain a residence. Stephen Eastman was not accustomed to speaking in public, but on this occasion he arose and addressed his fellow townsmen with so much feeling and justice Mr. Baldwin was not warned out, nor any other person for several years after.

He was very eccentric in some things, especially in his dress. On one occa­sion, doing business at Sutton Corner, one of the villagers said to him why do you come here in such clothes? Why not wear better ones?" The old gentleman looked at the good suit of his interrogator and replied, "I pay for what I wear!" Perhaps his inter­rogator's not paying for his apparel was the first step which lead him to ruin. Often have we seen this venerable man at church dressed in his home-made pants, vest and blue woolen frock, and I have thought that he took as much pride in wearing such suits as his girls did in their silk dresses and gold neck laces with which he had furnished them.

Another characteristic trait of our good old man was rising early and re­tiring early; many and many a time, have we known him retire before dark and be up by three o'clock at work the next morning. The year that he was eighty, he rove and shaved by hand 135.000 shingles.

Eli Eastman, his brother, had a good farm in the town of Wheelock, and was a tolerable good farmer, and a man of property, but was different in many respects from the rest of his relatives: they were spry at work, he slow ; they had their work done in season, he was always behind ; they were ready to re­tire early, he late ; they had their debts paid, he was sometimes slack about his.

On one occasion a creditor brought a suit against him and then proposed to have his brother, Stephen, come over and appraise neat cattle enough to pay him and he would take them at Steph­en's appraisal, to which Eli agreed and Stephen came over from Sutton and appraised the cattle; but when Eli heard the price, he refused to let them go. — Stephen and the creditor took the bars of the fence down, drove them away, and that debt was paid.

When Stephen, Jr. left his parents in Bow, N. H. he had a deed of the property there. As soon as Stephen had

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                 11

 

gone, his father selected David, his youngest son to stay at home, a man of aimable and even disposition. Stephen, Jr. soon saw it would be for the advantage of his father and brother to come to Vermont to live, and he select­ed a tract in the edge of Lyndon and adjoining his farm for them, and then went to Bow for them ; but no argument could convince them until he said you will be obliged to go with me, for I have sold and deeded the house. He had done it over their heads, neces­sity compelled them to leave. On their removal, the whole family, 9 children and their families with one exception, came to Vermont.

There have not been any very emi­nent men in this branch of the East-mans; but if we have no great men to admire or refer to in our family pride, we have something far superior. — We can boast, and I am proud to, that not one in the connection, was ev­er convicted or even accused of any crime; nor are there any drunkards, nor any that make a practice to use profane language ; nor do you see them noisy, rude, ready to dispute, quarrel or fight. They are quiet, peaceable citizens such as have a tendency to elevate any community in which they reside.

 

 

—————————————————————————

 

THE OLD SETTLER'S

 

FAMILY GATHERING POEM.

 

BY HON. J. E. WILLARD OF SUTTON.

 

PRESIDENT MOST HONORABLE :

 

I came here to-day

To see and to hear; and not to spout away!

And the fact is, I'v not the jewel of a word;

And days like this, only jewel-words should be heard.

I very well know I could better afford

To keep still, than to hear some one say I am bored.

Still at high noon you said "a five minutes say

I must furnish, deliver, or squarely disobey:"

A true Eastman obeys his President's behest;

So I'll say a few words of the Eastmans at rest.

I so aver: at an old Eastman's ancestral hall,

The armor once worn, still hangs on the wall,

The sword in its sheath, the lance placed at rest,

And the battles they have been through are told at their best;

And the grandfather's tale, and the dear mother's story

Fling around each old name a halo of glory.

The Eastmans of Vermont who're entitled to fame,

I'll not this day undertake to mention by name;

The names are too many, they've so gone on before

And are waiting to meet us when trouble is o'er.

How often we speak of the absent and dead,

How often we think of their faces;

How often we see when the banquet is spread,

That new ones are filling their places.

They are with us in spirit, they are present I ween,

They are hovering near, near enough to be seen,

Were our mortal eyes able the brightness to bear,

The glory we've faith to believe they now wear.

I have thought as I sat here, my heart a glow,

Of the good those Eastmans did long years ago.

When they voted at Bow (to us a good lesson.)

"No spirits, but good coffee be furnished at the Eastmans Reunion."

I wish I could sing like the minstrel of old,

Their virtues all shining in song should be told:

Their good deeds on record, I'd brightly unfold;

I would have their names written in letters of gold.

Our Eastmans of Vermont were as true and as good

As those Eastmans that before your great grand-father stood:

 

 

 

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In defending the right and defending the poor

No men of their means have ever done more.

Let us copy their virtues, and live just as wise,

Fulfilling each duty, its day, — in that true honor lies,

That our lives may be right, that our record may show

For the years as they come and the years as they go,

For sooner or later, we very well know

The places we'll fill are under the snow.

 

—————————————————————————

 

OUR ANCESTRAL DEAD,

 

BY MRS. L. SULLOWAY OF WHEELOCK.

 

In memory of our ancestral dead,

Stephen and David, much is said;

But what example did they give

That we may learn of them to live?

In early life they sought and found the Lord;

And found Him faithful to His blessed word;

They saw His justice shine, they felt his grace,

And found in Him a peaceful hiding-place.

No flowery garlands here to-day we bring;

But grateful hearts their praise to lowly sing.

The honest truth most simply said

Is the best ornament to bear the dead.

 

...................................................................

 

In Vanity Fair, their way winding through,

What in that place did our forefathers do?

They raised a warning loud, a warning long,

A warning that almost shook that ancient town.

 

...................................................................

 

No flowery paths, our fathers cried, lead us to God!

With iron and with brass we need be shod;

Thick dangers gather here and many a snare;

But promised strength is swiftly gained by prayer.

Pilgrims and strangers! walking the Upper way,

And angel-guided sweetly upward, day by day;

They gave up all, all for Heaven, made God their Friend,

And then, His blessing He did on them send.

Blessed them, abundant blessed in basket and in store;

And blessed with smiling children more and more;

Yet some, His Reaper, Death, laid 'neath the turf,

Least they might lean too much on earth.

They humbly saw the Reaper's was the hand of God,

And meekly knelt in prayer beneath the rod.

 

...................................................................

 

They searched the sacred Scripture-text, so well they read,

The neighboring poor were clothed and fed;

But not one cent did from their pockets go

To make an empty, vain and pride-swelled show.

They built an altar to the Lord

And near it lay His precious word;

They called it Bethel; from that day,

From vain amusements turned away.

With reverence we recall the names

Of Father Taft and Richardson and more,

A host of godly men passed on before

That wait our coming on the shining shore.

 

...................................................................

 

Could they speak from their cold clay,

Nothing greater to us could they say

Than, dear children watch! watch and pray,

And prepare you well for the judgement day.

 

...................................................................

 

 

After the poems, were remarks by Rev. M. C. Henderson of St. Johns­bury, Rev. A. B. Sherwood of Sutton, Dea. Peter Woodman and Dea. David Eastman of Lyndon, and Dea. An­drew P. Taft, Sutton; and then pray­er by Rev. M. C. Henderson, which closed the ceromonies.

 

 

RECORD OF SUTTON Con. from page 5.

 

IN 1805,

Mar. 25, voted the selectmen reasona­ble compensation for their services. Up to this time the town officers had re­ceived no pay and now only the select­men were to have pay.

 

IN 1806,

Otis L. Hidden settled on right 22:— on what place, I do not know, but I think it must have been where Daniel

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                 13

 

Lee now resides: this, I think, was the first settlement on what is known as North Ridge. There were no openings made except by residents of the town, for several years, as I find no new names on the grand list as late as 1810.

 

IN 1811:

The town conducted its affairs with the strictest economy. It was voted to raise $11. to defray town expenses.

The inhabitants, also conducted their affairs on the old Puritanic principles as will be seen by vote at March meeting, 1811, "that rams shall be secured from the 1st day of September until the 20th day of November and if the said own­ers of rams shall let them said rams run into the inclosures of any person said rams to be forfeeted to the persons into whose inclosures they shall break and if the said person into whose inclosure they shall break shall give up said rams to the owner, the person so giving up said rams, shall forfeit and pay to said town five dollars."

The people have ever been willing to support the government with men and means; not only in the last war, but in the war of 1812 with England. There never was but one draft of men in this town: that was when the general draft, as an experiment was made in the late war, and if we had had an opportunity to fill the call there would have been no occasion for it.

 

IN 1812,

In a town meeting legally warned and holden, May 25, 1812, it was voted to buy 32 lbs. of powder, 100 lbs. of lead and 128 flints.

June 12, 1812, it was voted in town meeting that all of their men that went into the service of the United States in the army, they should be compensated as those that did not go.

Voted also "in case of a complaint from the Captain that any poor soldiers are not able to aquip the selectmen are to procure such aquipments at the expense of the town."

March 14, 1814, the town voted to procure 16 cartridges to each gun.

 

THE GREAT MUSTER.

General Cushman of Guildhall or­dered out the Brigade of Militia to muster in October 1824, at Sutton. — The field used for parade and drill ex­tended from the road leading north from the Village to and including the farm of Corydon Parker. I do not think a better field of land could be found in this part of the state for such a pur­pose, but the accommodations in this town were very small to entertain five thousand men, and the weather being cold caused considerable suffering; still the people did everyhing possable to make them comfortable. Our clothier, Mr. Holmes, loaned webs of cloth to cover them at night; yet the men were exasperated at the General for calling them so far, some over 70 miles, there were threats when they went into a sham fight they would kill him. — On the last day of the muster the brig­ade were drawn up in two files and or­dered to fire at the General's horse's tail as he rode down the centre. He heard bullets whistle by him as he rode along. He did not try it but once; after that he rode in the rear of his men.

 

IN 1819:

The town expenses were as follows, to wit:

"Roswell Cheney for making Grand List                                                    $1,50.

Benj. Campbell, settling with Town Treasurer                                               ,40

James Way, for services and neces­saries furnished Taylor Norris          $7,76.

 

 

 

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Thomas True, services                                                                               $5,56.

Jacob Webster, articles furnished, Taylor Norris                                     $4,00.

Jokton Putnam, services                                                                        $1,1,75.

Ira Goodrich, services and articles furnished Taylor Norris                     $7,17.

Caleb Fisk, services                                                                                   $4,22.

Andrew Brown, services                                                                                '50.

Jacob Shaw for settling with treasurer.                                                         '50

Amount                                                                                                    $33,36.

 

These statistics are an average neither higher or lower.

The above expenses did not include the building or repairing the roads or highways.

 

CHURCHES.

 

The first church in town was the

 

FREE WILL BAPTIST,

 

it was organized by Elder Eliphalet Maxfield, July 30, 1800 ; Joshua Horr, John Atwood, David Norris, David Bean, Zebulon Norris, Hannah Horr, six original members. John Atwood was chosen clerk.

The Creed adopted was these words: "And it appears the spirit of truth was working with the children of men and we would say as Iasiah did "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strengths and my song, he, also, is become my salvation."

At the next monthly conference, Jo­siah Norris, Lois Richardion and Hannah Bean joined the little church, and at the monthly conference in October, Joseph Richardson and others joined, and Joshua Horr was elected deacon. — Here the record is so obliterated by newspaper clippings pasted upon the leaves by Eugene M. Campbell to make a scrap-book, that we cannot learn anything more of the pioneer church, for about two years.

In 1802 was the quarterly meeting for setting apart of Eliphalet Maxfield for the work whereunto the Lord would have him."

At a monthly meeting in May 1802, the church voted to reject Samuel Orcut in the following words :

 

"State of Vermont

Friend Samuel Orcutt,

Whereas we have taken all the pains and used all the means necessa­ry to reclaim you from your fall from the holy confession and solemn engage­ment that you made with us in broth­erhood for to keep up the public worship of God and to walk in the laws and ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to watch over us and we over you done by revaulted to our grief and we are sorry that your abstenance is such such that we are brought to the disa­greeable necessity to reject you off from your membership for it is like cutting off the Right hand or plucking out a eye but in honor to the cause of Christ and our duty to you we do solemnly withdraw the hand of fellowship from you and you to be no more a member of this church until you return by re­pentance for which we pray God to give you repentance to the acknowl­ment of the truth as it is in Christ Jesus our Saviour

Billymead May 27, 1802

Signed in behalf of the Church"

John Atwood Church Clerk''

 

REV. AMOS BECKWITH IN SUTTON.

During the year 1802, Amos Beckwith a Baptist clergyman with Calvinistic proclivities came into town from Put­ney, Vt. and held meetings in a log-school-house near what is now known as the Powers place at Sutton Corner.

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                 15

 

Holding many Calvinistic views, yet according to Calvin's principles not strictly orthodox, was Mr. B.

In April 1803, the church was parti­ally re-organized: no doubt to see if they could not all be united in one body under the following covenant, Amos Beckwith, moderator.

 

"First. that it is the duty of all Christians to join togathar in solemn covenant to keep up the public worship of God and walk togaher in the ordenances of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Second. That we must be agreed in the commands of Christ or we cannot be bretheren in visible unity.

Third. That we are agreed the scrip­tures are the only rule for the Christian church to make her appeals to and in case of controversary of any matter arising not determined by the scrip­tures the major may rule the miner.

Fourth. That a person may be ad­mitted a member of this church upon his or her confession of their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ upon satisfac­tion of the church.

Fifth. That we beleive the only mode of baptism is by immersion it is not our minds to receive any member into this church to the grief of any of the bretheren.

 

CHURCH COVENANT: We now in the presence of the Great God in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ give up our­selves to God and each other by, the will of God in solemn covenant to watch over ourselves and each other in love and to keep up the worship of God submitting to the discipline of this church as a part of Christ's material body to watch together in the orde­nances of our Lord Jesus Christ in obedience to his commands endeavoring to promote each others spiritual and tem­poral happiness according to the gifts and graces that God giveth still looking for more light and Glorious opening of the scriptures until to coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. X"

 

At this meeting they chose Thomas Colby and Enoch True deacons, and Bradbury M. Richardson, clerk.

 

I do not think all the old members joined this new organization, or if they did they soon formed another and call­ed themselves the Free Willers, and held their meetings in a log school house near the forks of the highway just north of where A. H. Ball now resides.

 

Their discipline was strict and un­yeilding. A member transgressing in any matter, though of minor import­ance, if it was contrary to discipline, was sure to be labored with as may be seen by some extracts of letters and records:

 

"To Moses H. Brewer

this from your once professed bretheren the church of Christ in Billymead. Whereas you gave yourself a member of this church and we promised to take the watch and care of you we feel duty bound so to do and as you have withdrawn from us and con­ducted very perversely and talked very foolishly about brother David Beau and brother Moulton M. Richardson in saying one would lye and the other would swear to it we look upon such things as very unbecoming among bretheren therefore we hope and trust in the fear of God we strictly admon­ish you to refrain from these things and confess your fault and forsake evils and return again to the cause of God

 

 

 

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that you professed and your bretheren may God grant it for Christ sake Billymead June 10th, 1803 by order of the church

Thomas Colby"

 

FOR NOT ATTENDING MEETING.

 

To a member:— from a letter.

"Remember that you are eternity bound and that your soul is of Great value when once lost lost to an never ending eternity may God grant that you may consider on the things that make for peace before they be everlast­ingly hid from thine eyes"

In 1809, John Colby, a son of Dea. Thomas Colby, commenced preaching ; there being two seperate meetings, he endeavored to unite them and several meetings were held to see if the two could not be united.

In October 1810, a meeting was held for uniting all the bretheren in one body. [They seemed to want to all come together, but somehow could'nt.]

Finally, Oct. 21, 1810, the celebra­ted Ring Church was thus formed: All the bretheren and all the sisters of the two churches, or so many of them, the school-house to which they came would not hold them; and the people all went out on to the Common and there held their meeting; and the young Preacher after delivery of a suitable address, in­vited all desirous of embodying in one church to stand around in a circle that their names might be taken; and the number being one hundred and eleven that stood around in the circle, they there joined hands forming a continuous ring and knelt down and agreed to walk together in love.

In 1811, the church voted that when the church disowned a member, it should be made known in a public as­sembly. In 1812, one of its members was known to be under the influence of strong drink and the church voted, the member confessing to them, and then making a public confession, he should be received into full fellowship or that the church would be satisfied.

In the fall, trouble began to show it­self by Rev. Amos Beckwith object­ing to have members cry out and shout, and by his belief that a church should have other rules to govern them besides scripture, and this trouble or contro­versary grew to such proportion, a new church was formed by Rev. A. Beckwith which continued its organi­zation till about 30 years since when the remaining members joined the F. W. Baptists here. The cause of the trouble can be better understood by producing the record, 1813:

 

"After opening the meeting by pray­er to God for wisdom the church voted the scriptrures is a sufficient rule to govern the church."

"Voted that they think Elder Beck­with is wrong in saying the scriptures is not a sufficient rule for the church."

"It was tried to see if the bretheren are agreed with Thomas Colby in say­ing that Elder Beckwith was not sub­ject to the church; they are agreed he is not subject to the church.

"Voted they are agreed with Thomas Colby in his allegation against Elder Beckwith that he has made division among the people.

"Voted they are agreed with Thomas Colby in saying that Elder Beckwith has broke his covenant with the church.

"Voted that they are agreed with Thomas Colby in his allegation that Elder Beckwith has set up a new church.

"It was asked if they are willing to have a council? "They are church agreed to send to five different church‑

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                 17

 

es for a council of two members from each church to come and examine into the doings of the church in Sutton.— The council came, July 1, 1814, but nothing came of it as to settling the dif­ficulties.

 

But during the time the Baptists were all united in one church and in the year 1812, Rev. John Colby thought the church ought to build a meeting house and presented a plan of a house to them ; but as many of them had not paid for their farms and there was rumor of war with England, did not think best to undertake its erection at that time, and Rev. Mr. Colby having some property, determined to build a house him­self. He had one week before he was going a journey as an evangelist, du­ring that time, in May, he bought land to set the house on, contracted timber for the frame, boards, nails, workmen, and gave notice he would preach in the new house the last sabbath in the June following. At the end of the week, he took his leave for several weeks, but re­turned in season and preached in the new meeting-house, June 28, 1812, al­though the house was not finished for about two years after ; and he farther says: I took more pleasure in seeing my property laid out in building a house to worship God in than any old miser ever did in filling his bags with silver and gold.

 

In Nov. 1814, the church had labor with James Way and he agrees to dis­continue buying and selling cattle to those that he suspects are driving them to Canada as it is a grief to the breth­ren for any to feed the British." The church voted to be satisfied on those conditions; so it will be seen, that it tried to keep all within its body and be loyal to our country in its trials and wars. Nothing of any great interest transpired in the church until Decem­ber 27, 1827,

 

ELISHA BROWN

asked a letter of dismission to join the Methodists. It seemed at the time of no great consequence, but to the Meth­odists it was a great haul. He became a quite noted preacher of that denomination.

At this time they were also vexed by one member bringing a case of litigation against another member. They had several church meetings and called a council to settle the matter, but with all their wisdom, they did not, and could not prevent litigation. This and other difficulties arose one after the oth­er and caused considerable trouble, and Rev. Jonathan Woodman formed a new church and called it the Gener­al Baptist. Here is a space of about 10 years the church has no record and some of the time did not belong to the Quarterly-meeting, and there was no church represented in those gatherings unless it was the old one, known as Rev. David Cross' church, and some think this must have been the case, but. as the writer has no record, and as no one can tell where one may be found, we must go by tradition. During this time or in 1832

 

THE WHITE CHURCH

or meeting-house was built and dedi­cated. October 1837, twenty persons met at the house of Stephen Eastman with Rev. Joshua and Daniel Quimby, and David Sweat and organized a new church. Thus the

 

SECOND FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH

was organized with Bradbury M. Richardson, deacon, he having been deacon, for a long time in the other churches.

 

 

 

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Stephen F. Bean, was, also, elected at this organization for clerk.

The church, now, made application and was received into the Wheelock Quarterly Meeting. It became active and zealous and grew in numbers. In 1847, the General Conference of the Free Will Baptists assembled here; and the talent of this denomination in the United States were here, and the En­glish Baptists, also, sent two deligates from England, Revs. Burns and Goadby. This seemed to infuse new enthusiasm into the church and their prospect looked bright.

A few years since (1885) the Anni­versities of the societies were held here by the F. W. Baptists, and the people can well remember of hearing some of the best talent in the denomination at that time. The church has been blessed with some of the best clergymen in the society; among whom was

 

REV. JONATHAN WOODMAN,

who commenced preaching in 1816, or about that time. He was connected with the church as an evangelist and pastor 29 years. He resigned his charge this spring, aged 85 years, having preached between 67 and 68 years.

We will also mention in this connec­tion, Revs. T. C. Moulton, L. B. Tasker and Rev. Mr. Dame.

The church now numbers about 200 members with Rev. F. L. Wiley as pastor, (1883.)

 

METHODISTS.

The records being lost by the death of the recording steward, all the information received for this Society has been from Rev. Silas Wiggins, who came into town in 1820. He was con­verted in 1823 and soon commenced to preach. He soon went to New Hamp­shire and preached until his health failed and he came back, — about 1850, and has lived in town ever since except ten years in Lyndon. He thinks the church must have been organized in 1818. The original members, we cannot tell, but including those who joined soon, the following must be nearly correct: Jeremiah and Joseph Parker and wives, Gleasons family, — six persons ; Dr. J. C. Morrill's wife and her daughter, Sally Morrill; Joseph and Samuel Bartlett and their wives; Martin How­ard's family, — six persons ; Jonathan Powers, Phineas Stoddard and five of his sisters; — Clark and wife and one daughter; William Hutchinson and wife ; and Almon Mason and wife ; Eben Richford and wife; Mary A. True, Elisha Brown, — afterward Rev. E. Brown; Alfred Holmes and wife and Silas Wiggins and wife, Samuel Densmore and wife, Josiah Smith and wife, Benjamin Streeter and wife, Benjamin P. Smith, Irena Fisk, Mary Bartlett, afterward wife of Rev. E. Smith : Susan Dalloff, Deborah Bartlett and Roswell Cheney and wife.

When this church was organized, a certain number of preachers were stationed over several towns : One preached in Sutton one Sunday, and so on in every town in the circuit until he got round.

This District consisted of Sutton, Danville, Wheelock, Burke Lyndon and Newark. Among the first preachers were:

 

Rev. Dr. Fisk :

Rev. Orrin Scott :

Rev. Newell S. Spaulding :

Rev. Samuel Kelley :

Rev. Samuel Norris :

Rev. Justin Spaulding :

Rev. N. W. Aspinwall:

Rev. N. W. Scott,

Rev. Israel Rust :

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                 19

 

Rev. Eleazer Smith :

Rev. Abel Heath :

Rev. Edward Kellogg.

The above, I think, were all before 1844, later were:

Rev. P. N. Granger.

Rev. David Packer:

Rev. Dyer Willis:

Rev. H. T. Jones:

Rev. D. S. Dexter:

Rev. J. S. Spinney :

Rev. —Tarbell:

 

Rev. Mr. Tarbell was the last M. E. preacher stationed here. This was about 30 years since. The members by death and removals were reduced to so few preaching was discontinued, and the meeting-house was soon disposed of and they remained without a house to hold meetings in.

From 1812 to 1832 there was but one meeting-house in town, the Colby one, and when the Baptists were not using the Colby house, the Methodists had the privilige of using it. The best feel­ing existed between the Baptists and Methodists ; better than existed among the members of their own society.

The Baptists having a church-meet­ing at one time, sent down to Doctor Morrill's who was town clerk, for a copy of the laws of Vermont. Mrs Mor­ril, a smart, keen woman, thinking it might be well to read them a lesson, did up a bible and sent by the messen­ger to the turbulent meeting ; and as I learn, it had a good effect and stilled the troubled waters.

 

MRS. MORRILL

while her husband was the town clerk, did all the recording, and, I think, she recorded 2.200 pages in that time. — She died a year or two since (1883) in California, aged over 80 years.

In 1822 and in 1823, the Methodists held their camp meeting in Cabot, and the last. year, 20 young persons from this town attended and were all converted at the camp-ground.

The Methodists held a camp-meeting in Sutton in 1851 or '52, with a good degree of interest.

In 1882, they organized a church of 14 members here and the Conference stationed Rev. H. P. Cushing for this town and West Burke, the meetings here being held in the Grange Hall, once in two weeks.

 

SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST AND ADVENT.

During the preaching of Miller and Shipman, about 1842, some were converted to the Second Advent faith.

Some in 1843, looked so strong for the coming of the millennium they did not dig their potatoes, but when the year rolled round as usual, instead of acknowledging their error they kept on and soon concluded the seventh day sabbath was the proper one to keep.

They claimed some prayer cures in support of their faith.

Sarah Tilton who lived in this town had been unable to walk for about 30 years, a man of this faith, Stephen W. Willey had a message or impression, if he should go to Mr. Tilton's and pray for her and command her in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to get up and walk that she would be well. He did as impressed ; she arose and walk­ed and was well. She went to her friends and tried to persuade them the Seventh Day Baptists as they called themselves were the chosen people. — She afterward married and has been known to walk four or five miles in one day.

This cure increased the membership of the society considerably at the time,

 

 

 

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but their course with their children, in not allowing them to associate with the world, the name given by them to all not of their faith, or belief, and not sending them to school, was so repug­nant to the feelings of the children, as soon as they became of age they forsook the faith of their parents, by which with deaths and removals, and no new accessions, they soon run down and I think, there is now, but one Sev­enth Day Baptist in town, and she nearly 80 years old.

 

LISTERS.

 

John Anthony,      1794, '95,       '96, 1802:

Samuel Cahoon,        „     „     „      97

Samuel Orcutt,          „     „     „        „     98, 1800, 1, 2 4:

Joseph Richardson, 1797, '98, '99, 1800:

B. M.           „              1798, '99, 1800:

Peter Atwood, 1799:

James Cahoon, 1801:

John Atwood, 1801, 9:

Samuel D. Blake, 1802, 4

Caleb Fisk, 1803, 4, 5, 6, 11, 13, 20:

Thomas Colby, 1803, 23 :

Jonas Goodell, 1803, 5, 6 :

Enoch True, 1805, 6, 8:

Dan Dickinson, 1808:

Jacob Shaw, 1808, 9, 10, 13, 15:

Jethro Sanborn, 1809:

Jonathan Colby, 1810, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20 :

John Orcutt, 1810:

James Way, 1811, 18, 19, 22

James Campbell, Jr. 1812, 13, 14, 16 :

Joshua Stoddard, 1812, 14, 24, 37:

Andrew Brown, 1814:

Lyman Powers, 1815 :

Bala Orcutt, 1816, 17, 19:

Jacob Webster, 17, 18:

Roswell Cheney, 1818 :

Ira Goodridge, 1820, 21, 23:

John Beckwith, 21, 27, 32:

Luther Stoddard, 1821:

Jacob Blake, 18, 22, 25, 26, 28, 31, 32, 33, 33.

Nehemiah Shaw, 1822, 1841 :

Jacob C. Morrill, 1823, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 36:

Jacob Brown, 1821:

Stephen Eastman, 1824:

Stephen Eaton, 1825:

Jonathan Brown, 1825, 26, 27, 29:

Josiah Rawson, 1826 :

Thaddeus Curtis, 1827, 29, 38:

Jeremiah Parker, 1828

Martin Way, 1830, 37:

Nathaniel C. Kibbey, 1830 :

Josiah Willey, 1831, 33, 38:

Wells Way, 1832, 34, 35 :

H. W. Easterbrook, 1833, 55:

Jonathan Richardson: 1834, 35, 36, 39, 41, 42, 51:

James Ruggles, 1836, 44:

William Hutchinson, 1837, 42, 43, 47

Mark Hill, 1838, 39 :

Owen Brown, 1839:

James Ingalls, 1840:

John Ladd, 1840, 48:

Joshua Stoddard, Jr. 1840 :

David Griffin, 1841, 42, 43, 47 :

Jenks M. Putnam, 1843, 44, 45 :

Asa Masten, 1844, 51:

Wheaton Campbell, 1845, 46:

Thos. J. Barker, 1845, 46, 47:

Eleazer Ball, 1846, 60, 61:

Ralph Jacobs, 1848, 49:

Jonathan Eastman, 1848, 49:

Daniel G. Shaw, 1849 :

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                 21

 

Samuel A. Evans, 1850:

John C. Libbets, 1850, 52, 53, to 61 :

Allen B. Curtis, 1850, 53, 62, 79:

John Mc.Neal Jr., 1851:

John True, 1852, 53, 54, 58:

Nathaniel Noyes, 1852:

Hosea Cobleigh : 54, 55, 56, 57:

Wm. F. Ruggles, 1855, 55, to 63:

Jonathan Powers, 1855 :

Jacob B. Gordon, 1856, 61, 62 :

Jonathan Davis, 1859, 70:

Eben Clough, 1863:

N. K. Campbell, 1863, 67, 68, 78, 81, 82:

Silas Roundy, 1863, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69 78, 81 :

A. H. Ball, 1864, 65

D. E. Ruggles, 1864, 65:

John W. Colby, 1866, 67, 71, 72

C. W. Wiley, 1866, 67, 70:

David Jenness, 1868, 69:

Wm. A. Densmore, 1869 :

Daniel S. Frost, 1870 to 73:

Wm. R. Roundy, 1871, 72 :

B. M. R. Willey, 1873, 74, 78, 81, 82:

S. J. Whipple, 1873, 74:

H. F. Barker, 1873, 74:

Harlow Easterbrooks, 1875 :

L. J. Hall, 1875 to 78.

L. W. Gordon, 1875 to 78 :

Geo. W. Bridgman, 1876:

Charles Clark, 1877 :

John Darling, 1879, 80, 83, to 88:

F. W. Barker, 1879:

J. E. Willard, 1880, 83, to 89 :

S. M. Bartlett, 1882, 83 :

D. E. Kimball, 1884 to 89 :

G. M. Campbell, 1887 to 89:

 

TOWN TREASURERS.

 

Enoch Blake, 1796, 97, 1800, '01, '02:

James Cahoon, 1798:

Samuel Orcutt, 1899 :

Thomas Colby, 1803, '07, '08, 10, 11, 18:

Caleb Fisk, 1806 :

Jacob Shaw, 1812, 13, 14, 22:

Andrew Brown, 1815, 16, 17, 19, 20:

James Way, 1821 :

Thomas True, 1823, to 36 and 1852:

William Hutchinson, 1837, to 44, 1845 to 1851:

Amos Hill, 1844:

John C. Blake, 1855, 56:

Mark Hill, 1857 to 60:

J. H. I. Richardson, 1860:

Jona.       „              1861:

William A. Densmore, 1864, 65

J. C. Libbets, 1866 to 70:

Geo. L. Bradley, 1870 to 72 :

Asa S. Taft, 1873 to 76 ;

R. D. Wilson, 1876 to 81 ;

M. A. Campbell, 18 to 8

 

CONSTABLES

 

Jeremiah Washburn, 179, 95,

Samuel D. Blake, 1796, 97, 99, 02, 03, 04, 05, 09, 12, 13, 20;

Benjamin Rowley, 1798;

Joshua Horr, 1800;

Samuel Orcutt, 1801:

Levi Silver, 1806 ;

Abial Goodell, 1807;

Burton Carpenter, 1808;

Ira Goodridge, 1810 ;

Thomas True, 1811;

John Beckwick, 1814, 21, 22;

Jockton Putnam, 1815, 16;

Roswell Cheney, 181 ;

James Campbell, Jr. 1818;

 

 

 

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Jacob Webster, 1819;

Jonathan Brown, 1813 to 26 ;

Bradbury Richardson, 1826;

Geo. W. Brockway, 1826 ;

James Morse, 1831;

Gilman Gale, 1832;

Nathaniel Glidden, 1834 to 45 and in 1854 61;

Alfred H. Bartlett, 1845, 51;

Thos. J.       „          1851 to 54,

Alexander Page, 1861 to 64;

Geo. W. Mc Gaffey, 1864 to 1868;

H. L. Gilman, 1868;

John E. Willard, 1869, to 71;

Charles W. „      1871 to 85 ;

M. A. Campbell, 1876, 77 ;

H. S. Forbes, 1879 ;

G. M. Campbell, 1885 to 1888;

 

 

TOWN CLERKS.

 

James Cahoon, 1794 to 99, 1801, 2:

Samuel Orcutt, 1799, 1800:

Caleb Fisk, 1803 to 1808, 12, 13, 15, to 1820:

Burton Carpenter, 1808, 09, 10, 11:

Ezra Child, 1814:

Jacob C. Morrill, 1822 to 35:

James B. Ashley, 1835, 36:

Adna C. Dennison, 1837 to 42:

Nehemiah Shaw, 1842 to 1850 :

Abel B. Blake, 1850, 51:

R. D. Richardson, 1852:

J. H. I.       „          1853, 61:

David Powers, three months:

Wm. A. Densmore, 1861 to 71 and a part of 71 :

Geo. W. Colby, about three months :

J. E. Willard, part of 1871 to 1888, and now in office.

 

[The list of selectmen, for type-convenience, will be found farther over. Mr. Willard being made town clerk in 1871 has very naturally to a man that fills his office well, taken a lively interest in the history of his town.

 

His History opens very like a town clerk, a little like a politician: Page 4, with a peep at a tax list in 1803,—1804,— 1805,— 1806. A bit of the record first, and the bit one that suggests, our little town was hardly started in 1803, '06, you should not expect too much from us; and as the curious like to know the cause, more and more as it grows remote, I will tell you, I regard that first anniversary of the old settler of 1800, held in Mr. Willard's house the cause, and this History of Sutton the effect. Let us cultivate anniversaries of the early settlers, we will have local history. Thus in this re­cord, we have of ourself given the Eastman Anniversary its early place, with the history of the churches, etc. thus far. Upon the next page, we will take up the charter and give the ballance of minute and faithful record of early settlers preserved in this town.—Ed.

 

——————————

 

LINES TO THE FRIENDS

OF FRED F. McINTIRE,

Who died June 4, 1886, at Haverhill, N. H., aged 29 years, 5 months and 6 days.*

 

Lonely, sorrowing family groupe,

Wife, mother and sisters, dear,

Waiting and watching tenderly

The loved, unconscious sufferer.

You were weeping round his pillow,

For you knew that he must die;

It was night within your bosoms,

It was night within the sky.

Hoping, looking and listening eagerly

For a kind embrace and last farewell,

But reason never more resumed its sway.

Dear Fred silently, peacefully passed away.

You'll sadly miss him from your group,

His joyous laugh and gentle ways,

The loss to you on earth so great, will be

A gain for him of heaven and eternal days.

In that bright home where loved ones wait

And many waiting mansions are,

My Father grant that you may dwell

One happy family! — my prayer.

J. E. WILLARD.

 

*This tribute which has been published in Notes by the Path of the Gazetteer — see Vol: 1. page 167, is reprinted here that it may appear in connection with, the History of Sutton, by special request of the friends.—Ed.

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                 23

 

THE CHARTER OF SUTTON, was granted to Jonathan Arnold and his associates by His Excellency Thom­as Chittenden, Governor of Vermont, Jan. 27, 1791, on the following conditions:

1st. For the purpose of settling a new plantation and a valuable consideration.

2d. Reserving 1 seventy-first part for the first settled minister ; 1 seventy first part for the County Grammar School ; 1 seventy-first part for the support of English Schools; 1 seventy first part for a Seminary or College ; 1 seventy first part for the support of the social worship of God"

The two seventy-first parts for the College and Grammar School were to be under the charge or control of the Legislature of the State which gave them to the University of Vermont at Burlington and the Grammar School in Caladonia County which was located at Peacham; the other three seventy-first parts to be under the control of the selectmen (in trust.)

3d. The proprietors are empowered to dispose of one seventy-first part for the encouragement of erecting a grist-mill and saw-mill, and are, also, empowered to act out the several sev­tenty-first parts in such places as will best encourage the settlement of the town, giving quantity for quality, so that some of the public rights contain­ed more than 1000 acres which could be easily done from the peculiar shape of the town which can be seen by the survey, as follows:

"Beginning in the Northwest corner of Lyndon being a beech tree mark Lyndon Corner July 1st 1787 1 A Bil­lymead Corner 1788 and running North 6 Ds. and 15 minutes west 10 miles four chains and 50 links to a beech tree marked Billymead July 22 1788 Standing in the Southerly line of Westmore eight Chains South east from the Westerly corner thereof thence South 45 Ds east eight miles 12 Chains and 81 links to a Spruce tree on flat land Marked Burke North corner Standing in Southerly line of Newark thence South 20 Ds West six miles 2 chains and 80 links to a Stake 7 links south from a little beech tree Marked Burke, Billymead 1787 Standing in the north line of Lyndon thence North 70 Ds West two miles and 64 Chains in said north line of Lyndon to the bound began at containing twenty three thousand and forty acres and is called and shall be known by the name of the township of Billymead."

 

THE FIRST PROPRIETORS MEETING

was held at the house of Jonathan Arnold in St. Johnsbury, Orange Co. (then), Aug 6, 1787, Jonathan Ar­nold, moderator, and Joseph Lord the clerk, pro tempore. Voted: Jonathan Arnold shall procure a surveyor and other persons to survey and lay out the township into lots and a tax of £2 and 8s. on each right to defray the ex­pense.

The next proprietors meeting was held at the same place, Mar. 31, 1791, Eld. Philemon Hine, moderator, Jo­seph Lord, clerk, pro tempore.

Voted: That the return of survey and Plan returned by James Whitelaw Esq., Surveyor General be approved and accepted and that the draft of the several lots or Rights be made agreea­ble thereto that the proprietors may hold the lots by them respectively draf­ted forever hereafter in severalty. — Passed.

Voted : That previous to each draft the public Rights and mill Right be

 

 

 

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pointed out and assigned and entered on said plan ; and that the Rights so pointed out and assigned be consider­ed in severalty and so held to the respective uses declared in the Charter of said township forever. Passed.

Voted that the Right No. 69 be the College Lot; No. 68, County Gram­mar School Right. No. 67 be the Right for maintaining and the supporting the social worship of God in said town­ship. No. 33 be the town School Right and No 34 the Right for the use of a Minister or Parsonage. Passed.

"Voted: that No. 16 be the Mill Right and they and each of them are hereby assigned for those purposes for­ever. Passed.

Voted: that the Mill Right No. 16 be and the same hereby is granted to Daniel Cahoon Esq., on the same terms and conditions that the mill Right in the township of Lyndon was granted Jonathan Gould Esq. at a Proprietors Meeting for said township of Lyn­don held in St. Johnsbury 18th day of June 1787 viz that he erect or cause to be erected a Saw Mill and Grist Mill in the township of Billymead within one year after twelve actual settlements shall be made therein. Passed.

Whereas it appears from the Field Book of Survey returned by the Sur­veyor that by some casualty in run­ning the lines that lots Nos. 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, and 49 are somewhat less ( on an average about ten acres ) than the other regular lots and whereas it is uncertain where the error originated and it would be attended by great expense to find and rectify the same and whereas by taking a draft the chance to each proprietor is equal and just therefore, voted: that the rights be held by each proprietor who shall draw the same according to the present bounds and lines any difference a­foresaid Notwithstanding and it is further voted that all other lots and rights be held agreeable to the present corners bounds and lines however they may be more than the common average quantity such allowances being designed to compensate for disadvantage of situation, mountains and other inconveni­ences which attend them. Passed.

Voted: that Daniel Cahoon, Jr. and Joseph Lord now prepare for and draft the several Rights amongst the propri­etors. Passed.

 

THE LOTTING.

The draft being made, the numbers of the lots drawn to each proprietor's names were as follows:

Jonathan Arnold, 55, 37, 62, 38, 50, 30, 63, 24, 36, 51, 8, 7, 31, 28, 35, 59, 12 and 17.

Clark and Nightengale, 60, 61, 32, and 57, 2, 23, 48, 59, 22, 47, 46 58, 65, 54, 47, 10, 52, 1, 64, 20 and 49.

William Rhodes 26, 27, 6, 4, 29, 39, 18, 44, and 15.

Joseph Fay, 11, 42, 14, and 21.

Sterry and Murry No. 45 and 14.

Daniel Cahoon, No. 3, 18.

Peter Chandler, No. 40, 25.

Jonathan Jenks, No. 53, 43.

Cynthia Hastings, No. 5.

William Bowen, No. 9 and 66.

Edward Thurber, No. 70 and 71.

 

The above and foregoing were pass­ed and entered at the meeting aforesaid

 

Attest. Philemon Hine, Moderator,

The above is a true copy from the original.

JAMES CAHOON, Town Clerk.

March 2, 1795.

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                 25

 

THE NATURAL HISTORY

 

OF THE TOWNSHIP.

 

SUTTON lies about 40 miles northeast of Montpelier and about 16 miles north west of St. Johnsbury Village. The surface of the township is somewhat uneven although not as much so as some other towns in the County, it lay­ing in four swells or ridges which are called South Ridge, Middle or Beech Ridge, East Ridge and North Ridge. These divisions are made by the Passumpsic River. The south branch of this river, called Callender river, (it is said derived its designataion, from a man by the name of Callender who fell into it when the town was being allotted by the surveyor) has its source on the east side of the town of Sheffield, and running in a southeasterly direc­tion across the south portion of the town into the town of Burke. On this stream, at the present, time are 3 saw­mills, 1 carding mill, 1 grist-mill and 1 carriage-shop. In some portions of the year, the water is so low — as it is in most mountain towns in the state — but little can be done in the mills.

Until about 1850, where the carding-mill now is there was a woolen factory which employed a dozen, or more hands, and on the opposite side of the river from the factory were a saw-mill and a cabinet-shop, and just below the present grist-mill there was another much larger mill, which was burned down about twenty years since and the present one was then erected.

The Middle Branch (of the river) rises in the hills on the westerly side of the town and fed by several ponds runs southeasterly acrost Sutton into Burke at West Burke Village. There are no mills on this stream, at present.

The North Branch (of the river) rises in the towns of Newark and Westmore and taking a southerly course, runs into this town and out, uniting with Mid­dle Branch at West Burke Village. — There are a grist-mill and saw-mill in Sutton on this stream, but are so near to West Burke they almost seem a part of it.

 

OUR SUTTTON PONDS

Are ten in number, although from present appearances two or three of them in a few years may only be mud or frog-ponds.

Fish Pond and Duck Pond are nice bodies of water and abound with fish, though not as many as formerly. They lie well up on the mountain, some 200 or more feet above the valley, and sev­eral thousand feet above the level of the ocean and discharge their waters to the north into St. Francis River.

The Lime Ponds, also, deserve spe­cial notice. The bottom of these ponds consists of a white marl, of which the early settlers in this and surrounding towns made the putty for their windows and lime to lay their chimneys with and plaster their walls.

 

THE OLD SETTLER'S LIME-KILN

was made and lime burned by digging a hole in the side of the hill about 4 feet wide, 8 feet back and six or 8 feet deep, when it was walled up a layer of wood laid crossways the length of the arch­ways, then a layer of the marl, and a layer of the wood and a layer of the marl alternately until the kiln was full, when a fire was set to it. It took sev­eral days to burn and cool down, but as soon as burned and cooled the set­tlers had a most excellent lime ready for use. The writer has seen rooms plastered with this lime which have

 

 

 

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have been used more than sixty years, in endeavoring to get mortar from brick taken from old chimneys, has found it almosts impossable to seperate the mortar from the brick, taking many times a portion of the brick with the mortar. It is the opinion of some, if an oven could be so invented that this marl could be burned without its being mixed with the ashes of the wood, it would be superior to any lime produced from stone.

 

SPRINGS.

There are in this township several mineral springs worthy of mention. — One is on the northerly side of what is known as the Lake Mountain. The writer visited this spot, about ten years ago. He measured the spring and found the depth of the water a lit­tle over 6 feet; its diameter 15 feet a­cross the surface. Watching the white sand boiling up in the water over a space of several feet, he thought that he never saw such a sight.

In our midst, are the sulphur and the iron spring.

 

THE SULPHUR SPRING

is said to have large medecinl proper­ties. It is a water of excellent drinking quality for those that like sulphur­ated waters. Some horses are very fond of the sulphur water.

 

THE IRON SPRING,

an invigorating tonic fresh from the hand of Mother Nature, is an excellent drink for either thirsty man, or beast, and delightfully refreshing to the invalid or debilitated.

 

THE ORIGINAL FOREST.

The natural timber was principally sycamore, or the sugar maple, with a sprinkling of beech, birch and ash generally, but alongside the streams uponthe banks are quantities of spruce and white cedar.

 

THE BANNER MAPLE SUGAR TOWN OF VERMONT.

Sutton, it is understood, is the larg­est maple-sugar producing town in the State, and perhaps, the largest in the United States. In the spring of 1874, more than 140.000 pounds was made, and one year since, the produce was larger than in 1874.

In School District No. 6 of 12 familes more than 28.000 pounds have been made in a single season.

 

NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER: If you will send me the name of the man who has made the most maple-sugar in your town, I will print it here; for he has, probably made the most maple-sugar of anybody in the world, the sugar-maple being a native American tree.

I have headed the record of your sugar-making modestly, "The Banner Maple Sugar Town of Vermont" when it might have been written: The Banner Maple Sugar Town of the World—Ed.

 

ANSWER: The following list will show the largest sugar producers and the most produced in a single year by any one:

C. W. Willard,                          7.050. lbs.

Jona. Eastman,                       4.500.  „

Alfred Allard,                           3.500.  „

G. R. Willard,                           5.000.  „

Arch Craig,                              3.000.  „  —about.

D. J. Ball,                                3.000.  „   or more.

H. S. Forbes,                            3.000.  „  —about.

Messrs. Ball and Forbes do not know the amount made. Their orchards consist of 1.800 to 2.000. trees.

 

Our sugar is made nearly all of it in this County, dry or what is known as stirred so that it is put into flour bar‑

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                 27

 

rels and headed up, and is now shipped to Chicago. What they do with so much maple sugar is somewhat of a mystery. Some say it is used in spirituous liquor, especially for brandy which it gives the look of age, others that it is used in glucose.

 

THE FIRST OPENING

in the Sutton forest was made by Chas. Hacket on the place known as the Wm. Brockway farm in 1791, or 92, but I think, he never moved here.

Those that came and settled in the years 1792 and 93, up to 94 were:

Jeremiah Washburn, who located on right No. 2, on the farm now owned by J. W. Colby. Thomas Washburn, his son, was the first child born in town, Jan. 17, 1795. It is not easy to find from what place they emigrated. It was customary then to give a 50-acre lot to each settler unitl the requsite number should become residents to fulfill the conditions of the charter, and when they received their deed they were set up as residents of Billymead, now Sutton.

 

SAMUEL ORCUTT

comes next, a. blacksmith, who settled on the place where S. S. Doud now lives, on right No. 14. He married Elsie Brown of Kilery, Me. Children: Hannah, Ephraim, Samuel John, Su­sannah, Bela, Lydia and Betsey.

Ephraim married Christiana Willey, Feb. 19, 1798, and settled on the ridge of land south of S. S. Doud house.

John was a blacksmith. He moved to Lyndon, and afterward became a clergyman.

Bela married; raised a large family of children; died at South Barton, several years ago.

Samuel, Senior, lived here for some years and removed to Boston, Mass. to live. Only two of his descendent with their families now reside in town, his grandson, Samuel Orcutt and great-grandson, Harrison Orcutt.

 

JOSHUA HORR

settled on the place where Chas. Hack­ett commenced (the Brockway place) he lived there several years and then went to Canada. Some said he was a good Christian, others, that he was a cruel and bad man.

 

PHILIP BEAN

settled on the place now owned by C. W. Willey, but lived there only a few years and moved away.

 

ELIPHALET MAXWELL

and his two sons settled on the place now owned by Reuben Ellis' estate, between the farm owned by C. W. Wil­lard and the old Wm. Green farm; and the place is now sometimes called the old Maxwell place. Eliphalet, Sr. was called Elder Maxwell, but I think he was never ordained by any society. — The Maxwells lived here a number of years and then the family became scat­tered.

 

SIMON BRIER

located on a tract of land near the res­idence of Jesse Ainger on the South Ridge, but he did not stay there more than a year or two and made another pitch near the sugar house of Ora S. Jesseman ; but being a man of shiftless habits soon left and was lost sight of.

 

CAPT. JOHN ANTHONY

came from Woodstock and married a sister of the Cahoons and settled in the field of M. A. Campbells which lies on the road leading off from Sutton to West Burke. The log-cabin stood near the apple trees in the field. He lived there only a short time and sold to Dea,

 

 

 

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True. This was the first opening north of Callender's River.

 

JAMES AND SAMUEL CAHOON

came from Winchester, N. H. and first settled on the farm now owned by J. E. Willard. The house stood in the cor­ner of the field west of the road. The first town-meeting was held in this house and the first church was also, organized there. The Cahoons built the first saw and grist mill in town it was built in 1795, and stood in the field of G. R. Willard southeast of the bridge at Sutton Hollow. The crank of the wheel that carried the saw-mill was drawn on a hand-sled from New Hamp­shire. Afterward the mill came into the possession of Deacon. True. And when one of his customers was wait­ing for his grist to be ground he said to the Deacon, I could eat it faster than you grind. How long? said the Dea­con, Until I starve to death, said the man.

How many years this mill stood can not now be ascertained; but some time after a saw-mill was erected where the mill of Freeman Hyde's was and a grist mill on the site now of the grist-mill of O. E. Bundy.

Samuel Cahoon and James continu­ed in company a few years and then dissolved partnership. Samuel remain­ed on the old place until about 1807, when he committed suicide by taking opium. It is said that some of his sons became influential men.

James Cahoon married Betsy Blake, Oct. 11, 1797, which was the first mar­riage in town. James moved after the partnership was dissolved to the place now owned by Mrs Josephine Lee, and kept a grocery or store in a small buil­ding, which stood near the dwelling-house of T. J. Barker's. He was a very intemperate man. His habit effecting his eyes, his physician told him unless he reformed he would be blind, he ap­peared to give up his drams for a time, but one day, he mixed a bowl of bran­dy, set it down and went out of the room. He soon came back and taking up the bowl of punch saying "go it, eyes!" drank it off. He soon died of delirum tremens, in 1804, age 33 years.

The children of James and Betsey Cahoon were:

Charles Dyer, born May 10, 1800 ; became an eminent Presbyterian clergyman.

Charlotte C., born, Feb. 15, 1802.

 

HON. JAMES BLAKE CAHOON

lived in Portland, Me. ; was Mayor of Portland at the time of the great fire in that city and in the struggle to stop the ravages of the flames, he injured himself so that he died soon after, as I was informed by his son-in-law, Geo. C. Cahoon of Lyndon.

 

BILLYMEAD ORGANIZED.

 

NOTICE :

 

FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN.

 

"State of Vermont.

Orange County, SS

 

Whereas application hath been made to me by a sufficient number of the inhabitants of the town of Billymead in the County of Orange and State of Vermont to warn a meeting of the inhabitants thereof for the purpose of organizing themselves as the law directs. The in­habitants and the Freeholders of the town of Billymead are hereby notified and warned to meet at the dwelling-house of Samuel and James Cahoon in said Billymead on Friday the fourth day of' July next at nine of the Clock in the forenoon of s'd day to Choose a moderator to govern s'd meeting & then

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                29

 

proceed to the choice of a town Clerk, Selectmen, Constable and all other town officers which the law requires and may be thought necessary to govern and take care of the prudential affairs of said town and do any other business when they may think necessary.

Given under my hand in Lyndon this eighteenth day of June Anno Domino 1794

Daniel Cahoon Just„ Peace"

                                                     "July 4th 1794

 

"Meet agreeable to the above warrant at the time and place therein mentioned and proceeded first to Choose Moderator

 

Samuel Orcutt was chosen Moderator (Samuel Orcutt, Eliphelet Maxfield John Anthony, Samuel Cahoon, James Cahoon, Joshua Horr, Eliphelet Maxfield, Jacob Maxfield, Simon Brier,) took the oath & affamation of allegegence and the freeman oath

 

James Cahoon is chosen town Clerk & Sworn

 

Chose Selectmen & Sworn

Capt John Anthony

Mr Samuel Cahoon

Mr Samuel Orcutt

 

Jeremiah 'Washburn Constable & sworn"

"Voted that the Selectmen, Listers & assessors of' taxes be sworn"

 

Surveyor Sworn

Eliphelet Maxfield

Joshua Horr

Philip B-an

 

"Voted that the meeting be disolved

                                            Samuel Orcutt Moderator

                                     Attest James Cahoon Town Clerk"

 

1795–SETTLERS.

 

Those that came in 1795 were the following :

David Bean, who settled on the place now owned by his grandson. C. W. Willey. The house stood in the field west of the house now on the place. — He was one of the deacons of the Free Will Baptist Church here a good many years, and Stephen, one of his sons, after the death of his father was chosen deacon and held the office until he went West about twenty years since.

 

ELDER DANIEL QUINBY

came from Sandwich, N. H. and settled on the place of A. H. Ball. He liv­ed their until 1799, when he went to Lyndon to live. He erected a saw-mill near where E. H. Butterfield lives. The dam was close to where the bridge is now, but the water-power was not very good and the mill never did great business.

 

BENJAMIN BOLEY

as near as can be ascertained settled somewhere in the vicinity of A. G. Jenness. He lived there some years and in 1817 moved to the South Ridge. He owned a small place near Lyndon. He lived on the farm now owned by Harlow Easterbrooks. His wife being troubled with rheumatism prepared poke or garget root in alcohol and taking a dose of it, went into her loom to weave, but died soon from its effects.

 

ENOCH BLAKE

came from Moultonborough and settled on the place now owned by John A. Rice. He was fitted for a pioneer. He soon became the wealthiest man in town. He built a framed house in 1802, it being the second in town, the first was built by the Cahoons. The Enos Blake house is now in quite a comfortable condition for a dwelling-house, and having been occupied ever since it was built ; and now occupied by Mr. Blake. At the time it was built it was and for many years after, the best house in town.

 

 

 

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Enoch and his wife, both, died of the scarlet fever.

 

SAMUEL D. BLAKE,

son of Enoch, came from Moltonbor­ough the year before his parents and brothers and sisters came, and commen­ced the opening which his father occupied. He made his home at Samuel Winslow's then living in Lyndon on the land now owned by Philo Graves, near the farm known as the Rice place.

Young Blake taking provision Mon­day morning to last till Saturday night, stopping in the woods, preparing him­self his meals through the week, with a few spruce and hemlock boughs for his shelter and bed, worked through the summer, returning to New Hampshire in the fall for the winter. In the spring of 1795, coming back with his father's family, he then commenced an opening for himself on right No. 18 on the place now owned by D. D. Hay­ward.

For some time after the town was settled the inhabitants had to go to Barnet and St. Johnsbury to mill. On one occasion, Samuel took his grist on his back and went by the spotted trees, the only road then, to mill. On his re­turn, it became dark while he was in the woods and he lost his way some­where on the South Ridge. He was somewhat disappointed at not reaching home that night, he would have prefer­ed after his long tramp a little supper, but as it was, accepted circumstances; pitched the heavy bag with his grist at the foot of a tree for a pillow ; bed­ded himself with his back to the tree and slept ; he had camped out before ; had a bear poked his nose against one of his limbs, probably, he would have sprang up and grappled him. If a bear or any wild beast of the forest scented his couch, they feared the hero that the summer before had been among them, slashing down the tall trees in their old haunts. He slept unmolested and when the light glimmered through the woods he took his bearings and soon found himself at home.

He married a Lee and reared a large family of children, all of whom have moved from town. Two of them

 

BENNETT AND ISAAC BLAKE

went to Texas. When Isaac died, he left $100, the interest to be used in fixing up the cemetery at Sutton Village. Bennet and Isaac were both sons of Samuel D. Blake.

 

STEPHEN BLAKE,

another son of Enoch settled the farm where Mrs. Powell now lives ; but afterwards moved to the Village and went into trade as a merchant which he followed for a time; sold his store and built a grist-mill at Sutton Hollow. — At last, getting old, he sold his mill and bought a few acres with buildings in the Hollow where he lived till his death. He was married three times. His two first wives were sisters, daughters of Dea. Colby. His last wife was daugh­ter of Thomas Daloff who survives him and still lives in town; one of his daughters, the only one now living, married M. A. Campbell and now lives in town.

Two of his grandsons:

 

HON. G. H. BLAKE,

is Editor of the Barton Monitor and has represented Sutton, his native town in the legislature, and Barton in the legislature, in both House and Senate.

 

REV. A. B. BLAKE,

brother of G. H. Blake, is a prominent Methodist minister in the St. Johnsbu­ry District.

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                31

 

ENOCH BLAKE JR.

married a Ladd and lived in several places and at last settled on the Gile place where he lived till his death, caus­ed by a fall in the barn while doing his chores. His wife fell into the fire and burned herself to death.

His son, Joseph E. Blake, and his grandson, H. A. Blake are the only descendants by the name of Blake in town although at one time there were more by the name of Blake than of any other name.

 

EBENEZER BLAKE

settled on the place now owned by Ste­phen C. Otis. He was a successful farmer. He lived the latter part of his life at the Village.

 

JACOB BLAKE

lived with his father until the death of his parents when he bought the place where A. H. Ball's old house stands. He lived there a few years and then moved to the Village and went into trade with his brother Stephen, whom he soon bought out, and took his son Abel in as a partner under the firm name of J. Blake & Son. About forty years ago they sold out and Abel went to Gardner, Mass., and after, to other parts of the country. In his rambles, he lost his property and came back. — He now lives in Bath, N, H.

Abel has one daughter that married to A. J. Rennie and owns one of the mills in town.

Jacob continued to live in town till about twenty years ago; then went to Massachusetts and died there when a­bout 90 years of age.

As a family, the Blakes were well-fitted to settle a new country ; as one of the relatives has said with capacious stomachs and large story tellers, also,nearly all had the faculty to acquire large property while young or in mid­dle age, but came to be in limited circumstances when old, as will be seen. The Blakes held considerable town office — S e town officers.

An anecdote is told of the Blake brothers: One of them having caught something in one of their excursions, they did not know what, said Stephen, we will know when we get home for he has traveled, having been to St. Johnsbury, Lyndon, Wheelock and Sheffield. Arrived at home, they went to view it by lantern light and Stephen's descis­ion was it was either a young bear or turtle-dove.

 

BRADBURY M. RICHARDSON

came form Moultonborough, N. H., and settled on the farm where N. W. Dean now lives. He like Samuel Blake boarded with ——— Winslow in Lyndon and at the same time; but went home ev­ery night and back every morning to his work. He commenced the opening cut in the field south of the road that leads to C. W. Willey's.

One day while he and Samuel Wins­low had been notching trees for a drove, which is done by chopping a large number partly down so that they will all fall in the same direction, and then take a very large one for the starter and chop so that it, will fall on the next tree and so on until it will take them all in. Sometimes one drove will cover half an acre or more and in this way no in­considerable amount of chopping can he saved.) Just as the drove was going they looked up and saw Elisha, a boy of about fifteen years coming under the trees which fell on and killed him. This was the first death in Billymead.

Bradbury went back to New Hamp­shire after building his log-cabin and

 

 

 

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married Sally Lee. Their children were Sally, Bradbury, Malachie, Jona­than, Sayrles, Judith, Joseph and Lucy, all of whom are now dead except Ju­dith, widow of Stephen Willey.

Bradbury M. was chosen deacon of the Free Will Baptist Church after it was organized in 1800 and held that office until his death in 1848. He lived on the place where he commenced. In the latter part of his life he resided with his son, Jonathan, better known as Captain.

 

JOSEPH RICHARDSON,

son of Bradbury M. succeeded his fath­er as deacon and held the office about 25 years. He married Lucina Allen of Wheelock, and settled the farm where Riley their boy now lives. They had a large family. Three of the boys, Bradbury. Jackson and George Rich­ardson are prominent homœopthy physicians in New York City.

Frances, daughter of Bradbury, married Moses H. Noyes and resides in town.

Dea. Bradbury M. was a man that had not an enemy. He was ready to aid the needy, and his doors were open to accommodate all of the new arrivals to his wilderness home until they could make or build one of their own.

 

JOSEPH RICHARDSON,

brother, Bradbury M., came from Sandwich, N. H. selected a lot and commenced his opening on the road that now runs from G. M. Campbell's to the Wilson school-house. He built his log-cabin in the field near the west side of the Campbell farm on the north side of the road. While he was chopping a clear­ing and building his house, his family lived at the house of his brother, B. M. This was the second opening on the north side of Callender's river. He lived here and then went back to Sandwich. N. H. again.

After many years his son, Nathan, came back and finally located on the road leading from Sutton to Lyndon, on the place where his widow, Priscil­la now lives.

He was in the War of 1812 with the New Hampshire troops, and for several years before he died endeavored to obtain a pension, but never did. But since his death his widow has obtained one.

With the Richardson family, as with many otthers, nearly all of the descendants have gone from town.

 

——————————

 

The highway tax in 1795, was £9 and 12s. Up to 1798, it was assessed in pounds, shillings and pence.

At a meeting, Mar. 1, 1796:

"Voted that the inhabitants of this town shall from this time hence forev­er make their ox-sleds four feet wide and any that is found narrower shall be liable to have them destroyad by any person or persons that are inhabi­tants of this town."

At the same meeting they raised a tax of $10 and Samuel Orcutt gave the town a sixpence for the privilige to collect it.

It appears by the list of 1796, there were 2 horses, 5 yoke of oxen, 15 cows, 18 acres of improved land, 4 three-years-old, 10 two years-old 7 yearlings and 17 polls.

Voted: that the saw-mill and grist­mill of this town built by Samuel Cahoon be accepted by the inabitants,

 

1976:                                       MOSES H. BREWER,

who came from Sandwich. N. H. He first located on the place of Daniel Quinby He was in rather needy cir‑

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                 33

 

cumstances and moved from place to place. He was out in the war of the Revolution. One of his grandaughters married A. H. Ball and lived on the place where her grand-father first liv­ed when he came into town.

 

JACOB EDDY

bought the place of Philip Bean and lived there a short time.

 

SAMUEL HUTCHING

came, I think, from Sandwich, and as Daniel Colby's wife was his sister, I presume that he came with the Deacon's family. He only stopped one season.

 

CHARLES LEONARD

came from St. Johnsbury and settled on or near the farm now owned by A. G. Jenness.

A few years after, his wife started to go from their home over to a family then living on or near the place of A. R. Stone's, to warp a web. She lost her way and for some days wandered about till so weak from hunger that she could go no farther, she sank down in despair. She was found nine days after still alive on the hill near a spring west of the Stone place. Others say it was on this side of the mountain west of Willoughby Lake.

 

ABNER ADAMS

came from Moultonborough, N. H. and settled on the corner of Right No. 45, the opening, not far, from the Joseph Barker place now owned by Harrison Masuer, I think. He must have been poor, for I find by a vote of the town he was exempted several years from taxes.

 

IN 1797

PETER ATWOOD came from Sandwich, N. H. and settled on the place owned now by Ward P. Whipple. He built a tavern and kept a public house there. He was active and energetic in busi­ness, loaning money to his less fortu­nate neighbors. He, also, bought and sold considerable real estate in town.

A large number of Atwoods with their families came into town within a few years and when they commenced to leave, left as suddenly.

 

JOHN CORLESS

settled on the farm where Ward R. Eastman lives. He married Susanna Blake, daughter of Enoch Blake. He soon sold this place and settled on land west of John B. Miles ; his son lived there with him till his father's death. Sometime after he moved down on the valley road on the place now owned by his widow, Gracia A., where he liv­ed till about ten years ago his horse ran away and he was so badly injured, he died in a few days.

 

JOHN LADD

married Polly Colby, sister of Deacon Thomas Colby and came from Sandwich, in the winter, moving his family on a sled with two yoke of oxen. Upon his arrival, he sold his oxen and pur­chased a tract of land where J. M. Pillsbury lives, and there lived until his death. His son, John, lived with his parents in their last years, and until about 25 years ago when he came and lived in the Village. John, Jr. was highly respected by his townsmen, having held positons of trust in town many times, always with credit to himself and benefit to others.

 

SCHOOLS.

At a town-meeting, Aug. 8, 1797, it was voted to divide the town into two school-districts:

 

DISTRICT NO. I.

consisting of 8 voters, the area of a­bout 3.000. acres, (11 rights). The

 

 

 

 34                               VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZiNE.

 

school-house was built near the cemetery on the South Ridge on the west side of the road, leading from B. M. R. Willey's to Willard Baldwin. Noth­ing there now to mark the spot except some cobble stone.

 

DISTRICT NO. 2.

consisting of 14 voters and an area of about 20.000 acres, the vote was taken to build on the southeast corner of right No. 31. But some of the old residents say it was near the brook where Mrs. Olive Harris lives which is on right 18.

Those that belonged in this Olive Harris district were 2 voters, where J. E. Willard lives ; 3 Right 29 ; in the opening where Ore S. Jesseman lives, Nos. 41, 42, rights, 1 voter.; In an opening just beyond G. M. Campbell's on Rights 32, 34, 2 voters ; one voter where Amos G. Jenness lives, Right 55 ; 2 voters where A. H. Ball lives, No 31; one in an opening in M. A. Camp­bell's field, toward Burke, right, No. 18 ; one where D. D. Hayward lives, on Right 18 ; one where A. R. Stone lives, Right 57 ; and one where John A. Rice lives, on Right No. 3.

Where Sutton Village is there was no opening at this time. The town-meeting was then held at this school­house instead of at Cahoon's dwelling house.

 

IN 1798,

JONAS GOODELL came and settled on the farm now owned by Harlow Easterbrooks. He lived there till 1807, when he sold to Jethro Sanborn and left town.

 

DANIEL GEORGE and NATHANIEL WALLACE came here to live in 98, but they never owned any land here and I have no means of knowing where they located ; yet in the grand list, after, I find Wallace had improved land and George had a cow.

 

JESSE ATWOOD

came from Sandwich, N. H. and settled somewhere near Ward P. Whipples. I think, he must have gone in with Peter Atwood.

 

THOMAS COLBY

came from Sandwich, N. H. and set­tled on the place now owned by M. A. Taft ; think, he married Elizabeth At­wood of Sandwich. He must, I think, have been 45 years of age; he had nine children then, that came with him. He soon made a home for himself and family. In 1800, he had 11 acres of improved land and one cow. In 1802, he had erected a framed house and fin­ished it so it was assessed at $100. — His townsmen recognized his judgement and ability, both in regard to church and state. He represented the town in the legislature and held other offices. — see the officers lists. He was chosen deacon of the church, and perhaps, had more influence in that body than any other member. After some years, he gave his home place to Jona­than, his son, intending retiring from cares; from some cause as often hap­pens when the father gives up the management to his boys, they soon disa­greed, so in this case, and the Deacon, so called, built the set of buildings on the place now owned by Mrs. C. W. Willard and moved there with his son, Thomas but misfortune seemed to over­take him, for Thomas soon died. — Josiah Colby, his grandson, married the widow of Thomas and went there to live; but all was not pleasant, and Josiah removed, and Jesse, the Dea­con's youngest son living, went home. He remained, but being lame did not prosper much.

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                35

 

The offices of trust the Deacon held were always filled to acceptance both of town and church.

 

DANIEL COLBY,

son of Thomas, Sr., married a Hutchins and settled in Burke. He built the Colby mills, — at present, only the house remains. One of his grandsons, Dr. G. W. Colby, lives in town, also, one of his great-grandsons, Harley R. Colby, on the Jeremiah Washburn place.

 

REV. JOHN COLBY,

the 3d., son of Thomas, born in Sand­wich, N. H., Dec. 9, 1807, came to Billymead, (now Sutton,) in 1788, and nothing is known of his boyhood ex­cept what is published in his life by him­self and that not at hand.

He was ordained, Nov. 30, 1809. He traveled and preached through Ver­mont, New Hampshire, and some in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York and, perhaps, in other states; at one time, he went into Pennsylvania and Ohio.

He built the first meeting-house in Sutton. (See in church history page 16 and 17, 18.) It was north of the ceme­tery and built with large, square pews, seats round the pew and meetings were held in it until the White Church was built when it was moved to the farm of Jerome Bally and used for a dwell­ing house.

Elder John Colby came home from his trips of preaching several times ; at one time so feeble, he thought that he must die; but after a time he be­lieved if Elders Charles and Nathaniel Bowles and Daniel and Joshua Quimby were to pray for him, he would recover, it appears by the record, June 8, 1817, Daniel Quimby believed that the two Bowles, Joshua Quimby and himself should go and pray for Elder John to get well, and on the 9th., they four started for Sutton.

During the night of the 8th., Colby says: "I reflected I had been trying to regain health by following the direc­tions of one and another, and had never followed the directions of St. James, Chapt. 5: "Is any among you sick, let him call the Elders of the church — &c. He expressed himself to his father and said who shall go for them? His father said he would and was preparing when the four clergymen he had selected ar­rived for the very same purpose. But it is said the Rev. Charles had no faith at first ; and that he said it was too much like raising the dead. But they all knelt down. The Elder Quimbys lead and Elder Nathaniel Bowles fol­lowed. The three first prayers were for faith for Rev. Brother Charles, who continued in his unbelief until near the close of the third prayer when as he said he could hardly wait for the prayer to close. As soon as the oppor­tunity came, he commenced his prayer for Colby's restoration; and as Colby says before it was finished, all pain had left his body and he was as free from it as ever in his life. He breathed easi­er, his cough began to abate, from that hour he commenced to amend. As soon as able he resumed his labors as an evangelist. In the fall, he started on a tour South and died at Norfolk Va., Nov. 28, 1817.

 

1799:                                           JOHN CAHOON

came from Winchester N. H. and set­tled on Right No. 3. The house stood on a road leading from where John A. Rice lives to Lyndon road near the Sulphur spring. He lived here only a few years and settled in Lyndon.

 

SAMUEL AMBROSE,

from Sandwich, N. H. made his pitch on the farm where E. J. Roundy lives.

 

 

 

 36                              VERMONT HISTORICAL GAZETTEER.

 

He did not stay long, but soon returned to New Hampshire.

 

TAYLOR NORRIS

began on the farm where Franklin O. Berry lives and married Susanah Orcutt, Mar. 12, 1801. It was said that he was very poor. At one time he was working by the day for Stephen Eastman, boarding himself, Eastman said to Norris: "Why do you have so little energy? The reply of Norris was, "I could do as much as any one, if I sat at your table." After this Stephen Eastman carried his meals 1½ miles to him, and after one or two days, said he never had any better help than Norris. — We find some years after the town contributed to his support. He, I think, was the first one assisted by the town.

 

DAVID NORRIS

settled on the northeast corner of right No. 44, being a part of the Harrison Masuer place. He sold his place to John Shaw and moved to Danville.

 

JETHRO SANBORN

bought right 31 of Daniel Quinby, in 1807, but sold and bought the farm of Jonas Goodell, then, at present of H. Easterbrooks. He lived here until his death.

William, son of Jethro, lived on the farm of his father some years but by some over confidence in the use of his name lost his property and his last days were spent in want.

Loami B., grandson of Jethro, was in the War of the Rebellion, being severely wounded, almost losing the use of one hand. He married widow Z. W. Campbell and they live at the Village, he receiving a pension of $30. per month.

JAMES BACON — a settler of 1800, I think, lived in the vicinity of A. R. Stone's.

 

JOHN ATWOOD

came from Sandwich, N. H. and settl­ed on the road that leads to J. M. Pillsbury's. The house stood just below the orchard in H. S. Forbes' field. He lived there until he bought the carding and fulling-mill at Sutton Hollow. He lived here, not many years, and moved back to N. H. — the cause some difficulty. See John Beckwith history.

 

IN 1800,

EZRA STODDARD settled on right, No. 13. His house stood west of the road just north of the cemetery on the South Ridge. The road run then from the Stoddard house to Samuel Orcutt's now S. S. Doud's. Stoddard, I think, was killed by the fall of a tree, a few years after.

 

MOSES NORRIS

bought the Maxfield pitch. He soon removed to Danville and became a clergyman.

 

WILLIAM RAMSEY

came from Walpole, N. H., bought a part of Jethro Sanborn's land, and made his opening and house on the present William Ruggles place. This was the first house erected at Sutton Village.

JOHN NASMITH settled near the Wil­son school-house.

 

JOSIAH SMITH

came from Sandwich, N. H. and settled on the S. W. corner of right No. 20; the house standing in the field just north of the road that leads to Luther Battles. He lived there some years, and then he and his son, Enoch, bought the present C. S. Taft place and built the house and barn there; but sold out there and moved to the Village. Enoch starting a cabinet and repair shop, did nearly all kinds of wood-work for the farmers. One of the most particular of

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                37

 

men about his work, consequently, his labor was never very remunerative ; consequent of that, he never acquired much property.

Two of the three daughters of Enoch Smith reside in town, Mrs. E. W. Brockway and G. N. M. Bean; both of their husbands manufacture carrieags ; both turn off good work.

Mr. Brockway has the reputation of making as good wagons as can be pro­cured anywhere.

Fida, daughter of Enoch, is a teach­er in Massachusetts.

 

——————————

 

The town voted to build a pound 20 feet square and 7 feet high and gave Charles Leonard 5 bushels of wheat for building it.

 

——————————

 

AMASA HUTCHINS came and settled on the place where D. E. Ruggles lives.

 

LEVI SILVER

settled on the road leading from B. M. ­R. Willey to Willard Baldwin's.

 

ABIEL GOODELL

settled on a part of the farm where Willard Baldwin lives. The house stood near the brook. His son, Dan is living, with his son-in-law, S. S. Doud. He must have received a settlement lot. He went to Westminster and Tobi­as Hanscomb.

 

IN 1802 :

ZEBULON NORRIS came from Lyndon and settled on right No. 18, where G. O. Eastman lives. He soon sold and returned to Lyndon, but in a year or so came back and settled where his grand­son, D. G. Norris lives, although some say he lived on the place owned by F. Roundy; if so it must have been after he came from the D. G. Norris place.

 

DAN DICKERSON

settled in the field back of the house of Willard Baldwin and it is part of that farm. The road to Dickerson was just in the edge of the sugar-orchard, north of Baldwin's field.

 

CALEB FISK

settled on right, No. 33, on the road leading to the depot. He was the best educated man that had as yet settled here and did a large proportion of the town business for several years. He was the first representative, (See list of town officers.) selectman 14 years, the longest of any one — A. H. Ball, next, 11 years J. E. Willard 10 years.

 

AMOS FISK,

son of Caleb, drawing brick with two yoke of oxen, in crossing the bridge between L. J. Hail and C. S. Taft, it gave way and he was killed. He was buried in the Sutton Cemetery, his being the first interment there.

Soon, all that had been buried in dif­ferent places in town were taken up and buried in this ground, (thirteen in all,) and Rev. Amos Beckwith preached upon the occasion from the text:—

"And, I saw the dead, both small and great, stand before God." Rev. xx. 12.

 

CALEB FISK, JR.

went to New York City and was there in the Custom House many years. His widow is, at present, living in town.

 

PRISCILLA GLIDDEN

came from Sandwich, N. H. and pur­chased the Leonard place. One of her sons, Nathaniel Glidden, was deputy sheriff, constable and collector many years.

 

ENOCH TRUE

came form Sandwich, N. H. and purchased the Capt. John Anthony place.

 

 

 

 38                               VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

 

 

Later, he bought the Cahoon grist-mill.

 

THOMAS TRUE,

son of Enoch, came with his father, and bought 2 acres in the corner of right 30, extending 20 rods E. and W. and 16 rods N. and S., being the land where Judge Tibbets lives, of the hotel and store of L. J. Campbell's, and the S. N. Whipple and perhaps that of T. J. Barker. He and his son, Thomas had a blacksmith-shop and followed that trade as long as Thomas Sr. lived. After his father's death, Thomas farm­ed some and did some blacksmithing for a time; but finally abandoned his old trade altogether and devoted him­self to his little farm until a few years since he sold out and removed to Greenfield, Mass.

 

LUTHER NICHOLS

came from Washington, N. H. He en­listed and was in the War of 1812; as I learn, his marriage relations proved unpleasant. The last of his life he liv­ed with his nephew, Samuel Densmore. He died insane some 30 years ago.

 

BENJAMIN AND EZEKIEL POWERS

settled on the East Ridge, — the first pitch in that part of the town. I think they lived together or near each, I find by the list each had one ox. They did not stay long, Ezekiel going to Burke. One of Ezekiel's grand-daughter's lives in town, Olive E. Harris.

Of Luther and William Tuttle, Jacob Kent, Benjamin Streeter, Ste­phen McCrillis and Allen Robbard the location cannot now be told.

 

DANIEL CRAM

came from Waterford and settled near where Simeon Olcott lives. He did not stay but a few years

 

REV. AMOS BECKWITH

came from Putney and bought the place of Zebulon Norris. (the G. O. Eastman). He was the first settled minister and received the minister-lot, No. 34. It is said, that he thought the whole right was too much and he gave the town a deed of 172 acres off from the east end of the right, retaining 128 acres of the west end. He continued to reside in town until his death which was caused by being thrown from his horse while returning from Burke near the unoccupied buildings on the H. S. Forbes place, Dec. 6, 1822, aged 68 years. I learn he believed he had a warning of his death when sick about a year before.

His son, living with his father, was away from home, the day of his fa­ther's death, assisting the stage in go­ing from Sutton to Lyndon down through Egypt. This was the first time the mail had been carried that way and a man, these days, went with the stage to play the bugle to announce the arri­val of the mail. Lodoska, one of John's daughters, says: One day when the stage stopped at Sutton to change the mail several young ladies got out. They were going to St. Johnsbury to a ladies school and she thought them something better than common people; and as she looks back, stage-bugle and all seems like a fairy tale.

Rev. Amos Beckwith married Susanah Truman. Their children were:

Abigail, born in 1781 :

Daniel and Truman, Oct. 15, 1783 :

Rebecca, Mar. 17, 1786 :

John, Oct, 12, 1789:

Elizabeth, Mar. 34, 1792 :

Sylvania, Dec. 28, 1795.

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                39

 

TRUMAN BECKWITH

Truman, the only really successful financier in the Beckwith family never lived in town ; but his acts of benevo­lence are so intimately connected with his relatives here, it is thought best to give a sketch of him with the family. At nine years of age he went with his father from Putney to Providence, R. I., a distance of 120 miles, riding on horseback behind his father. He lived a short time with his grandfather Tru­man ——— and then was apprenticed to his uncle Truman in a drug­store and saddler's shop; but neither business suited him and at twenty-three he went to Savannah, Ga. with Ebenezer Jenks and engaged in the cotton trade. He lived 8 years in Savannah and 1 year in Augusta and came back, but continued in the business until 1861, being then 77 years old ; all these years extending aid to his relatives. His brother Daniel lived on the place now owned by William Ruggles, in financial embarresment, he was likely to lose it. Truman relieved him of his difficulties and took the deed of the farm and after Daniel died he executed a deed in trust to two of his nephews that the use should be for the support of his brother Daniel's widow until her death and then for the support of his brother John's widow and two of their unfortunate chileren, and after their decease to go to John's children.

He, also, made the gift of a farm to his sister, Mrs. Sylvania Ball, and always on coming to Sutton, he made a present to all of his nephews and neices. He educated his brother John's oldest son, Corydon. He gave at his death to each of his nephews and neices $500. He did more kindnesses for his friends than I have space to enumerate.

He died at Providence, R. I. in his 95th year, leaving an estate considerably over a million.

Rebecca Beckwith, daughter of Rev. Amos, married Rufus Newell. Elizabeth Beckwith married Truman Newell. Abigail died young.

 

JOHN BECKWITH, ESQ.

son of Rev. Amos, lived with his fa­ther. He only had a limited education, but studied law and made a good and shrewd manager in preparing his cases before the court, but never much of an advocate. He was a politician, of the Democratic school, and had consider­able influence in the selection of the United States officers in the Northern part of Vermont. He was a custom house officer for many years. With his knowledge of men and his natural cunning in looking after the smugglers and those that endeavored to aid the British in the War of 1812, it became a risky and unremunerative business. Their losses were so great, the smugglers became very angry and desper­ate. Between 1812 and 1816, either the smugglers or their confederates de­vised the plan of mutilating him, and executed it, surprising him sleeping in his office. It is supposed two, or more, were engaged in the execution. They clipped off the top and the larger portion of one of his ears.

How much more was their intention to do nobody knows. Beckwith, as was his practice, ever on the alert for rogues employed Jacob Shaw, after­wards his father in-law, and, perhaps others to assist him in his investiga­tions. As soon as it was light they dis­covered two different kind of tracts, one something of a club-shape, which Shaw recognized as the shape of a boot he had made for John Atwood, at the

 

 

 

 40                               VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

 

 

Hollow, the owner of the carding-mill. Immediately, Shaw repaired to Atwood's for his rolls. He found him in the house and Wm. Goodwin with him, the boots of both well wet with dew. — The men, he was seeking had escaped through a field of grass, heavy with dew. Atwood and Goodwin were soon arrested and lodged in the jail at Danville. They were afterwards let out on bail by Andrew Brown, Thomas Colby, Thomas True, Pearson True, Thad­deus Curtis, Jethro Sanborn, James Way, Harris Way, and Benjamin Streeter, for the appearance of Atwood and Goodwin at the Supreme Court.

John Atwood conveyed his proper­ty to his bondsman as security. This instrument it dated Oct. 15, 1816. It appears by the records that there was an execution against John Atwood in trespass, and directed to the sheriff of Caladonia County or his deputy, or to the constable of Sutton, dated at Danville, June 30, 1816, and signed by Curtis Stanley, clerk.

The amount for execution was for $1.500. damage and cost of $ 172.79. The jurymen were Nathaniel Knight, Augustus Walter, Walter Harvey, John Gibson, Ebenezer Davis, Enoch Hoyt, Joseph French, Fredrick Bugbee, Daniel Dana, James Morrill, 2d , Hugh Laughlin, Simon Blanchard.

On the 1st Dec. of Dec. 1818, the barn of Beckwith was burned and a yoke of oxen in it so they died. For­tune again favored him, he soon had track of the incendiaries. Jacob Web­ster, then living where A. H. Ball lives, who owned and ran a whiskey still was one of the confederates, he learned ; one Gore, the one who set the barn on fire. He carried the fire in a dipper, foundon or near the place of a building that belonged to the whiskey still. — Gore ran away to Canada, but by some means was captured and turned State's evidence.

Webster deeded his property to James Way and others. Amos and John Beckwith brought a suit against Jacob Webster for burning the barn oxen and produce and recovered a judgement of $737 damages and $62.40 costs. — Webster took an appeal, but that court sustained the judgement of the County Court. Webster brought several petitions for a new trial, but in each case the court dismissed the petition.

The council for the plaintiffs were Mattocks and Paddock, and for the defendant Fletcher. Israel Fiske was the chief judge. I think, Caleb Fiske of this town was his brother.

John Beckwith, Esq. married Matilda Shaw, March 11, 1821 ; their children were: Lodoska B., Corydon, Amos, Laura, Daniel N., Truman, John, Henry, Kate and Sarah.

Lodoska Beckwith married R. D. Wilson and lives with Kate and Sarah.

 

HON. CORYDON BECKWITH.

Corydon, oldest son of John Beckwith, was born at Sutton ; educated at Providence, R. I. and Wrentham, Mass. He studied law with Benj. B. Smalley, Esq. at St. Albans ; was admitted to the Bar. He went first to Frederick, Md., where he practiced a few years, and returned to St. Albans and formed a partnership with Mr. Smalley ; but was soon drawn to Chicago where he made his permanent residence, practicing his profession. While Richard Yates was Governor of Illinois, the chief justice of the state died and the Governor appointed Mr. Beckwith to fill the unexpired term.

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                41

 

GEN. AMOS BECKWITH.

Amos: the second son of John Beck­with, Esq., born at Sutton, was appointed cadet to West Point from the Second District by Gov. Paul Dillingham. When he graduated, he was ap­pointed Lieut. and stationed at Fort Leavenworth, I think, in Capt. Floyd's Company, afterward Gen. Floyd of the Confederte army. Jefferson Davis was Secretary of War and signed Beckwitth's commission. He was Commissary of the Potomac army with the rank of Maj. General. He was transferred to General Sherman's command and went with the General on his march to the sea. After the close of the war he was stationed at New Or­leans, then at Washington, and then at St. Louis, where he is now.

 

DANIEL N. BECKWITH.

Daniel N, Beckwith, brother of Amos and Corydon, was Deputy Provost Marshal of the Second Congressional District in the war ; then he removed to Ludlow, Mass. where he has since resided.

 

TRUMAN BECKWITH

went West as a Government Surveyor. He surveyed the state lines of Minne­sota and Iowa, and then settled in Iowa.

 

JOHN BECKWITH

went West with Truman as an assistant surveyor ; since the war, has been clerk in the Commissary department under his brother Amos.

Laura Beckwith married David Joy and lives in Ludlow, Mass.

 

HENRY BECKWITH

was the only one of the sons of John Beckwith that received a collegiate education. He graduated at Union College with high honors, but died soon after.

 

IN 1803

WILLIAM BROCKWAY from St. Johnsbury came and bought out Joshua Horr ; No building now on the place.

 

JOSHUA STODDARD

settled on the B. M. R. Willey farm.

 

DR. LEMUEL TABOR

settled at Sutton Corner. He married Nancy Hutching. He was the first physician that located here.

Rev. L. H. Tabor, an eminent Universalist clergyman in the State, was born in this town.

 

JAMES CAMPBELL

a Revolutionary soldier came from Putney and settled on the place now owned by Silas I Leach. At the close of the war, he traveled 200 miles in four days to reach his home.

 

JAMES CAMPBELL, JR.

son of James Campbell, Sr. lived with his father and was a man of much business capacity and the best read man in the scriptures in town.

Three sons of James Jr. live in town: Milton A., Nahum K. and L. J., all of which have held considerable town of­fice. Nahum, having represented the town twice in the legislature.

Nahum and his son, Gilbert M. are in the business of drover and buyer of' wool and country produce.

Martha James the only daughter now living, and the last member of Rev. Amos Beckwith's church, married to Dea. Francis Switzer and lives in St. Johnsbury.

 

CAPT. BENJAMIN CAMPBELL,

son of James, Sr. came from Putney, and settled on the place where Reuben Drown now lives.

 

EZRA LEE

settled on the road near where Josiah Smith first commenced. He afterwards

 

 

 

 42                               VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

 

 

moved to the North Ridge. He was father of Daniel Lee of this town.

 

IRA GOODRIDGE

settled on the place where James N. Holtham lives. He represented this town twice in the legislature and held other offices.

 

WILLIAM DENSMORE

came from Washington, N. H. and set­tled on the place where Irving Blake lives (the Wheaton Campbell farm) He soon died, leaving a widow and several small children, all of whom she reared and who became leading and respecta­table citizens. Two of his grandsons are influental citizens in the place where they live.

 

WILLIAM A. DENSMORE,

grandson of William of Sutton, lives in Lyndon, and was the last cashier of Connecticut and Pasumpsic Rivers R. R. Co. before it was leased to the Bos­ton and Maine R. R. Co. He has also represented the town of Lyndon in the legislature.

 

DANIEL R. DENSMORE

lives in Burke, he is postmaster, and a merchant.

 

ROBERT RAMSEY

settled on the place where the late John Beckwith lived. He kept merino sheep here; afterward he moved to St. Johnsbury and lost his property, after which being on a visit at Sutton, he remark­ed they had a new law at St. Johnsbury; it being inquired what, to settle a man's estate, he said, before he dies, refering to the old bankrupt law.

Jonathan Webster, Peter Dusting, William Kately, Daniel Swain and Stephen Crillis were among the settlers of this year, but as to where they settled, or how long they remained, I have no knowlege.

 

IN 1804:

There were in town 37 oxen, 103 cows, 8 3-years old, 20 2-years old, 53 horses, 5 colts, 9 watches, 5 houses, 303 sheep, and 593 acres of improved land. Just what the latter was, I do not know ; but judging from the books, I conclude it was land after it was seed­ed to grass or had been mown.

 

———————————————

 

SUTTON LONGEVITY.

 

Those that have died and are buried in the town are:

Clarrissa G. Gale,           aged         71       years.

Cynthia Bishop,                 „            70            „

Abner H. Cobleigh              „            79            „

John Bishop,                      „            78            „

Asa Masten,                       „            72            „

Charlotte Mack Masten     „            78            „

Luther Curtis,                    „            80            „

Deborah Curtis,                 „            77            „

Thaddius Curtis,                „            81            „

Mary Curtis,                       „            81            „

Willard Huntley,                 „            71            „

John Fogg,                          „            79            „

Ann Eaton,                         „            84            „

Martin Howard,                  „            79            „

Hester Howard,                  „            89            „

Polly Lee,                            „            72            „

Deborah Bartlett,               „            87            „

Bela Humphrey,                 „            80            „

Rebecca Humphrey            „            74            „

Jonathan Powers,              „            79            „

Wells Way                          „            89            „

Deliverance Way,               „            76            „

Jemima Dunklee,               „            90            „

Moses Dunklee.                  „            84            „

Lyman Powers,                   „            79            „

Luther Stoddard,               „            72            „

Jacob Jewell,                      „            86            „

John Reddington,               „            91            „

Sarah Tilton Caswell,        „            87            „

David Drown,                     „            80            „

Mrs. Daniel Colby,             „            75            „

Mrs. — Bless,                     „            95            „

Mrs. — Harvey,                  „            90            „

Sally Chase,                       „            83            „

John Smith,                       „            79            „

Persilla Morgan Palmer,     „            83            „

William Sanborn,              ,,            82            „

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                43

 

Artemus Garfield,                 age     91       years.

David Rattray,                        „       75            „

Joshua Whitten,                     „       88            „

Sally Whitten,                         „       75            „

John Beckwith,                      „       74            „

Nancy Richardson,                 „       73            „

Betsey Daloff,                          „       76            „

John Daloff,                            „       74            „

Abigail Gordon,                       „       89            „

Daniel Tilton,                          „       90            „

Mary Tilton,                            „       88            „

Hannah Shorey,                     „       92            „

Joseph Putnam,                     „       80            „

Lydia Putnam,                        „       75            „

Jokton Putnam,                      „       89            „

Anna Putnam,                        „       95            „

Mary Drown,                           „       97            „

Rev. David Cross,                   „       84            „

Aaron Bloss,                           „       75            „

Achsah Bloss,                         „       75            „

Jonathan Clement,                „       82            „

Stephen Eastman,                  „       84            „

B. M. Richardson,                   „       77            „

Sarah Richardson,                 „       87            „

Luther Nichols,                       „       78            „

Olive Densmore,                     „       79            „

John Ladd,                             „       77            „

Dolly Ladd,                              „       78            „

Mercy Woodman,                    „       79            „

Jonathan Woodman,              „       90            „

William Brockway,                  „       84            „

Hannah Brockway,                 „       82            „

Jonathan Frost,                      „       72            „

Thomas Colby,                        „       79            „

Hannah Brown,                      „       95            „

Jacob Brown,                          „       75            „

Jethro Sanborn                      „       73            „

Elizabeth Sanborn                  „       78            „

Benjamin Bowler                    „       83            „

Mary Walter                            „       81            „

Stephen Blake                        „       83            „

Iasiah Evans                           „       80            „

James Clark                           „       70            „

Pamelia Clarke                       „       72            „

Asahel Roundy                       „       81            „

Rebecca Roundy                     „       86            „

David Stoddard                       „       80            „

Loren Cae                               „       73            „

Abigail Cae                             „       72            „

Josiah Colby                           „       71            „

Betsey Colby                           „       72            „

Betsey French                        „       79            „

Asa French                             „       96            „

Daniel Shaw                         age     78       years.

Wheaton Campbell                 „       75            „

John Smith                             „       78            „

Mary Smith                             „       80            „

Rebecca Drown                       „       81            „

Benjamin Ainger                    „       78            „

Jesse Ainger                           „       90            „

Rebecca Ainger                       „       80            „

Tamer Pillsbury                      „       84            „

Thomas Doloff                         „       92            „

Sarah Doloff                            „       82            „

Josiah Willey                          „       76            „

Mary Willey                             „       71            „

Nancy Baldwin                       „       74            „

Jacob Chapman                     „       70            „

Joseph Parker                        „       82            „

Sabra Campbell                      „       86            „

James Campbell                     „       82            „

James Campbell, Jr.              „       85            „

Moses H. Brewer                     „       81            „

Jacob Shaw                            „       89            „

Sally Shaw                              „       91            „

Thomas True                          „       85            „

Mary True                               „       85            „

John Shaw                             „       74            „

Dorcas Gee Shaw                   „       95            „

Eben Blake                             „       80            „

Obediah Bunker                     „       91            „

Judith Bunker                        „       71            „

Harvey Childs                         „       72            „

Sylvania Childs                      „       76            „

Lucy Putnam                          „       80            „

James Wilson                         „       79            „

Sarah Wilson                          „       80            „

Laban Taft                              „       80            „

Mary Taft                                „       86            „

Ambrose Hastings                  „       86            „

Sebina Hastings                     „       80            „

Jeremiah Parker                     „       78            „

Luther Rice                             „       77            „

Ruth Prescott                          „       89            „

Dorothy Ainger                       „       79            „

Joshua Stoddard                    „       90            „

Abigail Stoddard                     „       83            „

Mark Hill                                 „       70            „

Arvilla Hill                               „       70            „

Hannah Bean                         „       82            „

Daniel Beckwith                     „       71            „

Sylvania Beckwith                  „       77            „

Susanah Beckwith                 „       80            „

Daniel Chappell                      „       79            „

William Ramsey                      „       72            „

Euphemia Ramsey                  „       88            „

 

 

 

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Abigail Blake                         85     years.

Samuel D. Blake                   85          „

Nancy A. Blake                     77          „

Rachel Morrill                       86          „

Sally Hoyt                              78          „

Cynthia Taft                          70          „

David Brewer                        72          „

Stephen W. Willey                 77          „

Stephen Willey                      72          „

Temperance Rollins              86          „

Azuba Barber                        95          „

Josiah Smith                         81          „

Abigail Smith                        84          „

Elizabeth Cole                       79          „

Betsy Orne                            83          „

Nathaniel Glidden                 72          „

John Willey                           89          "

Deborah Willey                      89          „

Louisa Bailey                        90          „

Uriah Farmer                        80          „

Mary Muncy                          75          „

John Orne                             80          „

Wealthy Streeter                   88          „

Jane Ham                              97          „

Sally Ball Powers                  70          „

Lydia Holmes                         97          „

Rev. John Wooster                75          „

Mary S. Jesseman                82          „

Waalston Brockway              84          „

Eli Boyden                             83          „

Nathan Richardson              78          „

Capt. Theodore Tripp            82          „

Lieut. Samuel Winslow         84          „

Mahala H. Fuller                   75          „

Patience S. Sewell                 86          „

Enoch T. Smith                     73          „

Ezra Perkins                          86          „

Betsey Mellen                        90          „

Jane K. Abbott                      81          „

Matilda Beckwith                  84          „

David Eastman                     78          „

Nathaniel Noyes                    83          „

John Ladd, Jr.                      75          „

Dorothy Wiggins                    75          „

Joseph Richardson               77          „

Mahitabel Blake                    82          „

Judith Otis                            79          „

Anna Moulton                       70          „

Rev. Silas Wiggins                 81          „

Hannah Drown                     79          „

Betsey Rice                            73          „

Henry Allard                          71          „

Love P. Tibbets                      79          „

H. W. Easterbrooks               84          „

Sargent Jewell                      79          „

Sarah M. Fisk                       84          „

Chauncey Fuller                   78          „

Mary L. Harvey                      72          „

Samuel Hill, M. D.                 88          „

Mary B. Otis                          96          „

Elizabeth M. Perkins             87          „

Jacob Blake                          91          „

Ruth G. Prescott                    89          „

L. D. Hall                               76          „

Hannah Rice                         88          „

Sally Cross                            94          „

Calvin C. Burns                    75          „

William Densmore                 89          „

Sophia Chase                        82          „

D. B. Kibbey                          72          „

E. W. Burt                             79          „

Sarah Ladd                           77          „

Arad Ball                               84          „

Richard Willard                     74          „

Timothy Olmstead                 71          „

John Holtham                       77          „

John M. Rice                         74          „

A. F. Taft                                77          „

Abigail Easterbrooks             85          „

John Forest                           80          „

 

 

UNTIMELY DEATHS.

 

There have been several deaths in town beside those mentioned from suicide and accident, among whom:

Henry Allard by cutting his throat:

Rev. Silas Wiggins by hanging :

William O. Perham by       „

William Carns by taking poison:

Mrs. Silas Drown     „          „

Betsey Ball by          „          „

Reuben Ash by a tree falling on him

Moses Morrill, a   „         „        „      „

 

——————————

 

                   TOWN REPRESENTATIVES.

 

Caleb Fiske,                     1805, 6, 7, 10, 11, 16, 19:

Jethro Sanborn,              1808:

Thomas Colby,                 1809, 12 :

Ezra Child,                       1813. 14:

Benjamin Campbell,        1815:

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                45

 

Benjamin Campbell,        1815:

James Way,                     1817, 18:

Jacob C. Morrill,              1820, 21:

Ira Goodridge,                  1822, 23:

Andrew Brown,                1824, 25, 26:

John Beckwith,                1827

Thomas True,                   1828, 29, 33, 34 :

Martin Way,                     1835, 36 ;

Wm. Hutchinson,             37, 38, 45:

Jacob Blake,                    1839 :

Thaddeus Curtis,             1840, 41:

Stephen Eaton,                1842:

David Griffin,                   1843, 44:

John Ladd,                       1846, 48 :

Jonathan Pillsbury,         1847:

Nehemiah Shaw,             1849 :

L. D. Hall,                         1850, 51:

George Mason,                 1852:

J. B. Gordon,                    1853, 54:

J. C. Tibbets,                    1855, 57 :

John C. Blake,                 1856:

Edward Flint,                   1858, 59 :

Arnold F. Taft,                  1860, 61 :

Joseph Bartlett,               62, 64;

Justin Cobleigh,              1863 :

W. F. Ruggles,                  1865, 66 :

Henry F. Pillsbury,           1867, 68:

N. K. Campbell,                1869, 70;

George H. Blake,              1872:

Reuben Ellis,                    1874 :

B. M. R. Willey,                1876:

A. H. Ball,                         1878:

C. W. Willey,                    1880:

M. A. Taft,                        1882:

Harlow Easterbrooks,      1884:

L. W. Watson,                  1886:

 

SELECLMEN:

 

Capt. John Anthony,          1794, 95, 96, 1802:

Samuel Orcutt,                   1794 to 99, 1800, 1, 2, 4:

Samuel Cahoon,                 1794 to 98:

Joseph Richardson,            1797, 98, 99:

Bradbury M. Richardson,   1798, 99:

Peter Atwood,                      1799 :

James Cahoon,                   1800, '01:

John Atwood,                      1800, '04:

Samuel D. Blake,                1802, '04 :

Caleb Fisk,                          1803, to 1811, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20:

Thomas Colby,                    1803, 7, 8, 9, 11:

Jonas Goodell,                    1803, 5, 6:

Enoch True,                        1805, 6 :

William Densmore,             1807:

James Way,                        1808, 9, 17 to 21 :

Jethro Sanborn,                 1808, 10:

Ira Goodridge,                     1810, 11, 12. 16, 18, 22, 23, 24:

Jacob Shaw,                       1811, 12, 14.

Ezra Child,                          1813, 14 :

Andrew Brown,                   1815, 16, 17, 25, 26, 30 :

David Atwood,                     1813, 14:

William Brockway,              1815, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32:

Thomas True,                      1818, 19, 29, 33 :

Jonathan Brown,                1820, 21, 27, 28:

James Campbell, Jr.,          1821, 31 :

Luther Stoddard,                1822, 24, 34, 35, 45, 46:

Thomas Bartlett,                 1823:

Jacob Blake,                       1825, 39:

Josiah Rawson,                   1826:

Lyman Powers,                    1826 :

Jacob C. Morrill,                 1826:

Luther Huntley,                  1827:

Thaddeus Curtis,                1828, 38, 39, 40, 41, 51, 52:

Wells Way,                          1829, 30, 36:

 

 

 

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Thaddeus Curtis,             1828, 38 to 42, 51 52:

Elisha Brown,                  1831:

William Thompson,          1831, 32, 33 :

Martin Way,                     1832, 33 :

Joseph Webster,              1834, 35, 36:

Josiah Willey,                  1834, 35, 40, 41, 42, 48, 51, 64, 65:

Stephen Eaton,                1836, 37, 39, 40, 41 :

Jonathan Richardson,     1837, 38, 45, 46 47, 57, 58, 59:

Chauncey Holman,          1837, 38:

Ralph Jacobs,                  1842, 43, 44:

Jeremiah Parker              1842:

John Ladd, Jr.,                1843, 44, 45, 57, 58, 59, 63 :

Caleb Aldrich,                  1843, 44:

Jenks M. Putnam,           1846, 47, 48:

Lorenzo Howard,              1847, 48, 49:

Thomas J. Barker,           1849, 50, 55 :

Mark Hill,                         1849, 50, 56 :

David Bartlett,                 1850:

William Hutchinson,        1851 :

J. C. Tibbetts,                  1852, 53, 54, 63 :

L. D. Hall,                         1852, 53:

A. F. Taft.                         1853 54, 55, 60, 61, 70 :

Justin Cobleigh,              1854, 56, 63 :

J. M. Pillsbury,                 1855, 67, 68, 69:

Chauncey, Fuller,            1856, 57, 58:

Joseph Bartlett,               1859, 60, 64, 65:

Harlow Easterbrook,        1860, 61, 62, 66, 67:

Jonathan Davis,              1861, 62 :

C. J. Wilson,                    1862 :

J. B. Gordon,                    1864, 65, 82, 83, 84, 85:

J. E. Willard,                    1866, 71 to 80 :

W. A. Densmore,              1866, 67, 68, 59,

Nathan Way,                    1868:

George Clark,                   1869, 70?

C. W. Willey,                    1870, 71, 80, 81:

A. H. Ball,                         1871, 72, 73 to 80, 86, 87:

Chester Masten,              1872 to 78:

M. A. Taft,                        1878 to 87, 88 :

W. R. Roundy                   1880 to 89:

S. M. Bartlett,                  1855:

Charles Clark,                 1885:

F. W. Barker,                   1886 :

W. L. Gilman,                   1887, 88:

L. J. Campbell,                 1887.

 

——————————

 

BILLYMEAD BECOMES SUTTON.

At a town meeting in Mar. 1812, „Voted to petition General Assembly at their next session to alter the name of the town of Billymead to that of Sutton — United Vote."

The first notice or warning for town meeting after the name was changed to Sutton was for the purpose of choos­ing six representatives to Congress from this State, dated Nov. 23, 1812.

The first survey made of roads was on the 9th and 10th of June 1797, commencing at the Lyndon line near where Willard Baldwin lives, from thence to Sutton Village ; then from the Village to Burke line by M. A. Taft's; then by S. C. Otis place down by John A. Rice's by the Sulphur spring ; then over the South Ridge to Lyndon line near Harlow Easterbrooks ; then from the Village to where A. R. Stone lives ; then from Wheelock line to near Mrs. John Holtham's to the road from Willard Baldwin's to the Village. These roads were bounded by beech, maple, birch and hemlock trees.

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                49

 

REV. JONATHAN WOODMAN

was born in Wheelock, Mar. 27, 1798. He was converted at the age of fifteen and united with the Free Will Baptist church, and at once began to improve his gift by way of holding meetings in the surrounding neighborhoods. At the age of seventeen, he received a li­cense to preach the Gospel. Being naturally modest, retiring, and very consciencious, he was troubled, but as he could not excuse himself from preaching, he continued his efforts in such ways as seemed to him consistent.

In 1816, young Woodman went on horseback from Sutton to Parsonfield, Me. to attend the yearly meeting. He applied to the local Pastor for entertainment who not knowing him as a preacher told him be could stay in his family if he would bring the water and cut the oven-wood for the women-folk. These conditions, the applicant cheerfully ac­cepted. On Sunday a great congregation filled the meeting-house and hundreds stood outside in respectful and expectant attitude, but the spirit did not move any of the occupants of the plat­form to preach. After an awkward waiting, some brother from Vermont asked the Boy-preacher to "improve.”

Young Woodman consented, and standing on a bench in the doorway, took for his text Iasiah LXI 1: "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me &c." and the spirit of the Lord was not only upon the preacher, but upon the entire congregation, and more than a hundred dated their conversion from that day.

The first three years of his ministry were devoted to evangelistic work, confined mostly to Northern Vermont and some portions of New Hampshire. — Powerful revivals and large additions to the churches were frequent through those years. He received ordination at St. Johnsbury in 1818 at twenty-two. He married, for his first wife Charlotte Jackson of Madison N. H.; after her decease, he married, 2d., Mrs Mercy B. Eaton, a daughter of Rev. Moses Norris of Danville. (Norris was one of the early settlers of Sutton). His 2d wife died in 1877.

The pastorates occupied by Mr. Woodman in Vermont were, Sutton, Lyndon, Wheelock and Sheffield; New Hampshire: Madison, Effingham, Pel­ham, Great Falls, Sandwich, and Jack­son: in Massachusetts Lowell and Law­rence. His pastoral labors aggregated about sixty years; about forty to Ver­mont, l5 years to New Hampshire, 5 years to Massachusetts; of these over thirty years were devoted to Sutton. He began and finished his pastoral work with the Sutton church. The close was in 1883.

Mr. Woodman early became an in­terested and an important factor in the Free Will Baptist denominational work. Mr. Woodman, Rev. Mark Hill of Sutton with others felt the impor­tance of' a periodical literature devoted to the interest of the denomination. They were two of the nine known as Hobbs, Woodman & Co who assumed the financial responsibility of publishing a religious newspaper. Mr. Wood­man named the paper

 

THE MORNING STAR.

The first No. of the "Morning Star" was issued at Danville, May 11, 1826.

Mr. Woodman was one of twenty deligates that organized the General Conference of the denomination, which conference met at Tunbridge, Vt., Oct.

 

 

 

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11, 1827. He offered the opening prayer. There have been 25 sessions of the General Conference held ; of which, Mr. Woodman has attended 14 sessions and presided over two. In 1847, the General Conference was held in Sutton with Pastor Woodman as President. This was in many respects a notable session. Dr. Burns and Goad­by of England were present and active members of the conference.

In 1848, Rev. Mr. Woodman and Rev. Eli Noyes were appointed deli­gates to the General Baptist Confer­ence in England, which they both at­tended, and at the earnest solicitation of the English brethren, he remained with them four months, preaching in several of their churches.

In person, Mr. Woodman was of the medium height, compact, proportionate and erect. His step was elastic, his movements graceful and his bearing dignified, yet benignant. He was aimiable, courteous and devout. He was a close observer of nature, men and cur­rent events. In short, he was practical­ly educated. Thirty-five years after the birth of the Free Will Baptist de­nomination, and seven years after the death of its founder, Jonathan Wood­man commenced his public ministry. Since then, he has seen the people with whom he began his ministry increased twenty fold.

He was also, successful in his financial affairs. He bought a farm of Ste­phen Blake in 1836 of 170 acres, and followed farming many years with his pastoral duties. He bought, at one time, a threshing-machine and sent it to his son Jonathan in Australia to use there.

He continued to serve the church until September 1885, when he wasdisabled by a paralytic shock which was followed by another in December 1887, from which time he gradually declined to the end. He died at Tewks­bury, Mass., January 1888, in the 90th year of his age. Four days later at Sutton, in a church edifice that had been built under his supervision, filled with a grief-stricken people, his venerable form rested while his brethren conducted an impressive memorial service, when with reverence his remains were borne to the Village cemetery and there deposited to rest till the morning of the resurrection with his people.

 

REV. MARK HILL

came from Buxton, Me. He married Arvilla Ruggles and settled on the place now owned by L. W. Gordon and for many years carried on the largest amount of farming of any man in town. He was very benevolent and ready to assist charitable calls and also preach­ed in such places as could not easily be reached by others, and never preached on a salary. He built or caused to be, a house for public worship in the edge of Sheffield and organized there a church which was called the Second Free Will Baptist Church of Sheffield.

At his demise, he gave about one half his property, amounting to about $3000, to the Foreign and Home Missionary Societies, American Bible Society and American Tract Society.

 

HENRY W. EASTERBROOKS

was born in Lyndon and married Abigail Ruggles of the same town. When they were married they bought a place in the lower field of the farm owned by L. W. Watson and moved on to it. For some years lived there ; then built the house and moved into it where L. W. Watson resides, and lived there until a few years since when he sold his farm

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                51

 

 

to Mr. Watson and moved to the Village. His wife died in March 1888 and he the following August, aged 84 years.

By the closest economy and hard labor they had amassed considerable property, about one third of which, he gave in bequests in the Free Will Baptist denomination.

 

JOCKTON PUTNAM

came from Burrilville, R. I. and bought the place that H. S. Forbes now owns. He was the first to move to have, and the most influential in having the name of the town changed from Billymead to Sutton. His son-in-law, Andrew Brown, came with him and lived with his father Jockton. As I am informed, they were men of considerable proper­ty ; but owing to Brown lending his name on the bond of John Atwood in the John Beckwith suit, which being decided against Atwood he, Brown, was obliged to pay ; and there being but little money in circulation in those days, he was obliged to dispose of a large amount of property to obtain sufficient money to pay his share of the bond ; and as other misfortunes now followed they soon came to almost financial ruin.

 

JOSEPH PUTNAM,

son of Jockton, settled on the place now owned by F. W. Barker and John P. Buzzell, erecting the buildings now known as the Buzzell place.

At one time, before Joctkon and Joseph Putnam and Andrew Brown had erected the building on the Forbes and Buzzell place, they lived in the house just below the Forbes orchard and Laban Taft, making four families in one, small house. Joseph as soon as his house was built moved in to it and liv­ed there the remainder of his life. His son, Jenks M. married a Woodruff of Burke; one of their daughters married Moulton A. Taft and lives on the old Colby place; the other married Edwin Morgan and lives in Massachusetts.

 

LABAN TAFT

came from Burrilvill, R. I. and lived in different places, but the last of his life, he lived with his son, C. S. Taft. Laban married a Putnam, Jockton's daughter. Their children married and settled in Sutton and Newark.

In June 1812, the town warned out Laban Taft so that he should not gain a residence ; in 1887, his sons and grandsons paid more taxes in town, with one exception, than any other family name.

The Tafts were natural musicians, Laban Jr. was one of the sweetest. — Asa P. Taft, a grandson of Laban Sr., has been a music-teacher and at present is employed in the choir of the Uni­versalist church at St. Johnsbury.

I learn, Laban, Sr., one time went to Rhoda Island with an ox-team, when he arrived the Rev. John Colby was holding meetings and young Taft at­tended with the intention of carrying Colby out ; but the Spirit came upon him and he was converted, and when he came home he joined the Free Will Baptist Church on Pudding hill in Lyn­don and was chosen deacon, which ofi­fice he held until the church was disorganized a few years ago. Few men have left a record of as good and consistent a Christian life as Deacon Laban did.

 

WILLIAM HOUGHTON

and his wife, a Clay, came from Lyn­don about 1820. Their children were William, James, Albert H.,  Daniel C., Justin, Stella, Harriet, Diantha, Maria and Marilla.

The parents were exceeding poor and it is said, that many a time, the mother

 

 

 

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has been heard to say that after one meal was served she did not know where the next was to come from. But some of the children had much force of character and soon made a mark for them­selves.

 

REV. JAMES HOUGHTON.

James, son of William Houghton, became a Congregational minister and lived in Burlington. One of his sons, J. C. Houghton, is cashier of the First National Bank at Montpelier.

 

ALBERT H. HOUGHTON

went South and became very wealthy as a merchant, dealing largely in cotton ; but during Sherman's march to the sea the Rebels burned his store and merchandize rather than have it fall into the hands of Sherman and the Union. He then came North and settled in New York ; went into the firm of Hurd, Houghton & Co., Publishers, and died there. It is told of Albert when a boy that the family having dined on potatoes alone without salt for several days then procuring some salt, Albert took a large lump and ate it to season his potatoes.

 

HENRY O. HOUGHTON

of the firm of Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass. has lately made the Library Association of Sutton the offer that for every book they buy of him at the catalogue price he will give them one of the same volume. It is said that some time he intends to give his native town a li­bray.

 

DANIEL CLAY HOUGHTON, D.D.

was educated at the University of Vermont, class of 1841. Among his classmates were the late Henry J. Ray­mond of the New York Times, after­wards Congressman, and J. R. Spauld­ing of the New York World.

At the time of his death in 1860, Dr. Houghton was Editor of "The American Presbyterian." He was a man of great energy, sterling worth and large discretion. "He held an able and ready pen as his writings and contributions as editor show."

 

STELLA HOUGHTON.

Stella educated herself and went to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to teach and after­ward married a rich planter and died there.

 

MARILLA HOUGHTON.

Marilla was educated by her brothers and sisters and went West to teach in 1858. She married Dr John C. Gal­lop, and in 1861, they founded the Houghton Seminary in Clinton, N. Y. Here she lived and assisted her hus­band in the management of the school up to 1880, when the Doctor resigned as principal and A. G. Benidict was appointed to the position. The writer understands the school was founded and managed principally by Mrs. Gallop — through her efforts. I find in the Memorial of the Doctor, that Rose Cleveland the late Mistress of the White House was educated at the Houghton Seminary and wrote a letter (with many others, ) of sympathy to Mrs. Gallop on the death of the late Dr. John C. Gallop in 1884.

 

MARIA HOUGHTON.

Maria went West as a missionary and it is said, suffered many hardships in the prosecution of her self-appointed work for the benefit of others.

 

REV. JOHN COLBY'S BOOK.

Page 35.

Rev. John kept a journal and it was published in a book of two or three hundred pages. Occasionly, we find a copy in the hands of some old people.

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                53

 

LITTLE HOUSHOLD PET.

 

BY MRS. EMILY J. COLBY.*

 

In the spring time, low, we laid her,

Darling, little, household pet,

And our hearts are filled with anguish

And our eyes with tears are wet.

 

Yes, we miss her, sadly miss her

In the parlor, in the hall;

Oft we stop and listen, listen

For her merry voice to call.

 

Can the angels need the children

On that bright, celestial plain?

Is the heavenly music sweeter

That they join the glad refrain?

 

Perhaps the Father saw our need

And to draw our hearts to Him

Took our treasure up to Heaven,

That we might long to enter there.

 

Oft we hear our darling's voice

Sweetly calling Father, come!

Father, mother, meet your children

In this bright, celestial home."

 

 

WHERE IS MY CHILD TO-NIGHT?

 

I do not see my darling to-day

Amid the buttercups and clover,

I wonder if they miss in their play

The face of their sweet little lover.

 

Oh, buttercups! gleaming golden,

Fair, ox-eye dasies silvery white,

Tell me as you nod and blossom,

Where is my child to-night?

 

Oh, honey-bee! you jolly rover,

Do you miss the little feet today

As you dip in and out the clover?

Where is she, honey-bee, say, oh! say?

 

Bright sunshine burning warm and yellow,

Do you miss the gleam of golden hair?

Dear bobolink, with tone so mellow,

Where is the, singing voice so rare?

 

The buttercup drops its petals,

Sadly the daisy bends its head,

The bobolink whispers the lilies

"Her winsome, glad maiden is dead."

 

                                                   EMILY J. COLBY.

 

* Mrs. EMILY J. COLBY of Sutton is the grand-daughter of Deac. Thomas Colby; George W. Colby, her husband, the grand-nephew of the Rev. John Colby. Mrs. Colby's non de plume is Dora Sutton.

 

 

——————————

 

 

ROLL OF HONOR.

 

The following is a list of the soldiers of Sutton that have been in the service of the United States:— Compiled by FREEMAN HYDE.

 

REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.

 

JAMES CAMPBELL :

JESSE AINGER:

SAMUEL WINSLOW :

REV. AMOS BECKWITH :

MOSES H. BREWER.

 

SOLDIERS OF 1812.

 

LUTHER NICHOLS:                                  DAVID BREWER:

JEREMIAH PARKER:                                JETHRO SANBORN:

NATHAN RICHARDSON.

 

SOLDIERS OF 1861.

 

THIRD VERMONT REGIMENT.

 

Silas Cobleigh, Co. C., died March 12, 1862 :

John Blake, Co. G., now living in Sheffield.

Hugh Crow, Co. G, killed on Narm River, May 14, 1864.

Perry C. Dean, Co. G, died, Dec 5, 1874.

Mark W. Gray, Co. G, killed in the Battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 1864.

David Rattray, Co. G, killed in the Battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 1864.

Augustus R. Stone, living in Sutton.

 

FOURTH VERMONT REGIMENT.

 

Aruniah Burt, Co. C, killed in the Battle of the Wilderness, May, 5, 1864.

Silas W. Gray, Co. C living in Sutton.

Charles H. Ball, Co. D, living in Brooklyn, N. Y.

 

 

 

 54                               VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

 

 

Geo. W. Ball, Co. D, living near Funkstown, July 10, 1863.

Joel Ball, Co. D.

Marcellus Colby, Co. D, loosing one arm, living in Burke.

William H. Goodwin, Co D.

Luther B. Harris, Co. D. living in Lyndon.

Nehemiah R. Moulton, Co. D killed at Fredricksburg, Dec. 13, 1862.

William F. Stoddard, Co. D, living at Lyndon.

Jason Powers, Co. E. living in Canada.

Charles H. Carlton, Co. D.

Samuel H. Dow, Co. D.

William M. Nesbith, Co. D.

Joel Streeter, Co. D, killed at the Battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 1861.

Abel R. Smith.

Marston H. Bartlett, died August 23, 1863.

 

SIXTH VERMONT REGIMENT.

 

Lewis P. Clark, Co. C, died. Mar. 22, 1864

Arthur C. Blake, Co. E, died, Dec. 16, 1864.

Amos Ham, Co. E, living in New Hampshire.

 

SEVENTH VERMONT REGIMENT.

 

Elmer W. Sherman, Co. G.

Bowman F. Caswell, Co. H., killed by a tree since the war.

Alanson Switzer, Co. H., died in Insane Assylum.

 

EIGHTH VERMONT REGIMENT.

 

Charles A. Heyer, Co. C.

William H. McLain, Co. C.

John Farrrell, Co. C,

Lund Henry, Co. C.

Perry Porter, Co. C, living in Burke.

 

NINTH VERMONT REGIMENT

 

Freeman Caswell, Co. H.

Elmer W. Sherman, Co. G.

Elroy F. Wheeler, Co. B.

 

TENTH VERMONT REGIMENT.

 

Kimball Ball, Co. A.

Riley C. Merriam, Co. K, living in New Hampshire.

 

ELEVENTH VERMONT REGIMENT.

 

Nathan Smith, Co. A., killed, June 23, 1864.

Alexander Lucie, Co. A.

Edmund L. Carr, Co. K, living in Burke.

Alfred Q. Evans, Co. K.

George E. Frost, Co. K, died in Andersonville Prison.

John W. Johnson, Co. K, died in Andersonville Prison.

Hial B. Willard, Co. K, living in New Hampshire.

Moses Willard, Co. K, living in Barton.

Thomas Ransom, Co. L.

 

FIFTEENTH VERMONT REGIMENT.

 

Thomas Berry, Co. G, living in Barton.

George H. Blake, Co. G. living in Barton.

Charles Bundy, Co. G, living in Sutton.

George Bundy, Co. G, died, Feb. 19, 1868.

Lucius J. Campbell, Co. G, living in Sutton.

Warner C. Glidden, Co. G.

Lewis W. Gordon, Co. G, living in Sutton.

 

 

 

                                                          SUTTON.                                                55

 

Thomas C. Green, Co. G, living in Sutton.

Otis Ham, Co. G.

Freem Hyde, Co. G, living in Sutton.

Alvin C. Jewell, Co. G.

Calvin R. Stone, Co. G.

John B. Webster, Co. G.

Charles G. Flint, Co. G, living in Sutton.

Aaron W. Willey, Co. G, living in Barton.

 

FIRST VERMONT CAVALRY.

 

Ira S. Bryant, Co. D.

William H. Daniels, Co. I.

John N. Frost, Co. I, killed in action.

William R. Roundy, Co. D, living in Sutton.

Alonzo Wilson, Co. G, living in Massachusetts.

Loren W. Young, Co. D, living in Sutton.

Dyer Caswell, Co. D.

Thomas R. Gibson, Co. I.

Richard Jenness, living in Lyndon.

Wllliam R. Page, Co. I.

William Richards, Co. I.

Freeman Heyde, Co. D, living in Sutton.

Lewis C. Heyde, Co. D ,died, Oct. 19, 1869.

 

SOLDIERS BURIED IN SUTTON.

(Not credited to this Town.)

 

Jacob B. Ainger;              Zelotus Drown;

Charles A. Pierce;            Zeno Willey;

Wm. M. Tibbets ;              Leander Snelling;

James D. Johnson.

 

 

SOLDIERS NOW LIVING IN SUTTON.

( Not before mentioned. )

 

Samuel N. Whipple;         Luther Battles;

Sargent J. Whipple;         Charles Switzer;

Loami B. Sanborn ;          James M. Craig;

Thomas J. Mitchell;         Stephen Berry ;

Sewell B. Simpson ;         Arthur Kincaid ;

Henry C. Mitchell ;           C. W. Joy ;

Solomon Mitchell ;           Oscar Page ;

George N. M. Bean.

 

ERRATA.

 

Page 5, line 9, for "5$ ;" read 3.

Page 7, and 8 for Amesburg, Mass., read Amesbury, Mass. Same page, column 2, line 1 for "Isaac," read Roger.

Page 9, column 2, line 22, for to­ward C. W. Willard's residence, read C W Willey's, line 34 for Lyndia read Cyndia.

Page 11, the poem at the Eastman family gathering was not written by J. E. Willard, but by his brother C. W. Willard. Having published some po­etry for the former, not then knowing of his brother, the copy coming with the manuscript of the historian, we appear to have taken it for granted it was all the historian's, and it got primed before our mistake was pointed out to us. "It is all in the family," but we are quite chagrined for it.

Page 14, line 5, read Ira Goodridge; same page "for Eugene M. Campbell, put Somebody" [re'cd after printing]

Page 15, for Moulton Richardson, read Bradbury.

Page 24, read Arnold for Gould; p. 27. Maxfield for Maxwell; p. 29 Bowley for Boley; Enoch for Enos; 3 lines from p. foot, Rice for Blake; 30 Dalloff for Daloff; 31 Joseph T. Blake for Joseph E.

 

INDEX

of the surnames of the principle early families of Sutton.

 

Adams, Abner, 33:

Ainger, Jesse, 27 :

Anthony, Capt John, 27, 29, 37

Atwood, Peter, John, 14, 33, 4, 9, 40 :

 

 

 

 56                                VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE

 

 

Bacon, James, 36 :

Ball, 15, 29 31 etc :

Beckwith, Rev. Amos & family; John, Esq. & family, 14, 15, 16, 38, 39, 40, 41, 51 :

Bean, Stephen F, 18 :

Blake, Enoch, Isaac, Samuel, Stephen, Enos, etc. 5, 29, 30, 31, 2, 3, 40, 50:

Boley, Benjamin, 29:

Brewer, 32, 3:

Bean, Dav'd, 29 :

Brown, And'w, 40, 51:

Brown, Rev. Elisha Jacob, 17, 20:

Brockway, 37, 41, 42, 43:

Cahoon, Dan'l, James, Sam'l and families, 28, 9, 32, 4:

Cheney, Roswell, 13 :

Campbell, James, James Jr., Captain James and familes. 13, 27, 34, 36, 38;

Clark & Nightingale 24 :

Corless, 33 :

Colby, Dan'l, Dea. Thos. and families, Rev. John, 9, 15, 16, 17, 27, 33, 4, 5, 40, 44, 52:

Cross Rev. David 17 :

Curtis, Thaddeus, 40:

Densmore, William and family, 42:

Eastman, Roger, Isaac, Stephen, Eli, David, 5, 7, 8, 10;

Easterbrooks, 50 :

Fisk, Caleb, 9, 14:

Goodridge, 14, 42:

Gliddin, Priscella, Nathaniel, 37:

Goodell, Abiel, : Jonas, 34, 36, 37 :

Hidden, Otis, 27:

Hill, Rev. Mark, 49:

Hine, Elder Philimon, 23 :

Houghton, William and family, 51, 52 :

Lee, Dan'l Ezra, etc 13, 28, 32, 41, 2:

Leonard, Charles, 33:

Maxfield, E'der Eliphalet, 14.

Nasmith, John, 36:

Norris, Zebulon, Rev. Moses, 37, 8:

Orcutt, Samuel and family, 14, 29 :

Putnam, Jockton, Joseph, 51 :

Quimby, Elders Daniel, Joshua, 17, 29, 32, 35, 36:

Ramsey, William, Robert, 36, 42:

Richardson, Deacon Bradbury, Joseph and families, 32:

Sanborn Jethro, William, 36 :

Shaw, Enoch, Jacob, John, William, 14, 36, 37, 39, 40:

Silver, Levi, 37 :

Smith, Josiah and family 34, 6, 40, 41:

Stoddard, Ezra, Joshua, 36, 41 :

Streeter, Benjamin, 40 :

Tabor, Doctor Lemuel, Rev. L. H. 41 :

Tufts, Deacon Laban, Asa, Andrew, M. A., Moulton, C. S. etc 5, 12, 46, 51:

True, Enoch, Deacon, Thomas, Pear­son, etc, 4, 37, 38, 40 :

Tasker, Rev., 14:

Way, Jacob, James, Harris, 13, 17, 40 :

Wiggins, Rev. Silas, 18, 44 :

Winslow, Samuel, Elisha, 31:

Willeys Stephen, C. W. etc, 27, 8, 9 :

Willard, John E., C. W. 5, 7, 11, 12, 22, 28, 29, 34, 37:

Woodman, Rev. Jonathan and family, 17, 18, 49, 50, Deacon Peter, 12.

 

LISTS :

 

Grantees, 24;

First Town Officers, 29 ;

Town Clerks, 22 ;

Listers, 20, 21;

Constables 21, 2;

Selectmen, 45, 46;

Representatives, 44, 45:

Town Treasurers, 21.

 

The Members of the First Church in Town, —

 

Free Will Baptist, 16 ;

the present Free Will Baptist Pastor at Sutton, Rev. F. L. Wiley, and Past Pastor T. C. Moulton and Reverend Mr. Dame, 18.

The Ring Church, 16;

The Second Free Will Baptist Church, 17, 18;

General Free Will Baptist Conference at Sutton, 18.

The First Methodist Church in Sutton, Early Members, 18 ;

List of their Preachers; 18, 19 ;

Second Methodist Church Sutton, Rev. H. P. Cushing, 19 :

Advent and Seventh Day Baptist Church, 19, 20 ;

Sarah Tilton's Prayer Cure, 19.

 

Soldiers of the Revolution and the War of 1812 53,

of the War of 61 page 53, 54.

The Great Muster, 13.

 

Ten of the largest Maple-Sugar Producers in the Country, 26.

 

Poems:

 

C. W. Willard, 11, 12 ;

J. E. Willard, 22 ;

Mrs . Colby, 53.