XX indexVermont  

 

 

 

"This town was chartered in 1761, and its settlement commenced during the revolutionary war. The surface is rough, and the soil not very productive. Winhall River rises in this town, and affords it a good water power."

Gazetteer of Vermont, Hayward, 1849.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WINHALL



      THIS town was chartered September 16, 1761, under Benning Wentworth, governor of the province of New Hampshire, to Osee WEBSTER and sixty-one others, in sixty-eight shares, and derived its name from two proprietors, a Mr. WINN and a Mr. HALL.

      The town was laid out six miles square. It was the intention to commence the survey at the southeast corner of Manchester, and measure east six miles; but, by mistake, it was commenced at the northeast corner of Stratton, where that town joins Jamaica, and measured six miles west, leaving a gore of land between Winhall and Manchester, which was also joined to Winhall. The town is bounded north by Peru, east by Jamaica and Londonderry, south by Stratton, and west by Manchester, and lies twenty- five miles northeast from Bennington, and southwest from Montpelier eighty-nine miles. Bondville, the principal village, is located in the eastern part of the town, near the Jamaica line, on Winhall River.

      The township is east from the Manchester station of the Bennington and Rutland Railroad station eleven miles, and four and one-half miles west from the nearest station on the Brattleboro and Whitehall Railroad, with which it is connected by daily stage. There is also a daily mail route from South Londonderry west through North Winhall to Peru with post-office at North Winhall.  The westerly part of the town is rather high, and not extensively inhabited. There are no very high peaks, however, and the general character of the surface is fair for a mountain town. Stratton mountain on the south, Peru, on the north, and Windham or Glebe mountain on the east, provide an abundance of picturesque scenery.

      Winhall River, which takes its rise in a pond in the southwest corner of the town, passing through the southerly part, and emptying into West River, in Jamaica, gives fertility to the pleasant plains and excellent mill privileges for manufacturing industries.

      The principal road leads from Brattleboro, through Jamaica to Manchester. The roads are generally good.

      The soil, best adapted to grazing. is on an average with other mountain towns. 

      The two postoffices in town are Bondville and North Winhall.

      There are six school districts. There are several saw- mills, one grist mill, and one chair factory. Large quantities of lumber are exported annually.

      There is a Methodist Church at Bondville where regular meetings are held, and other religious services are frequently held in the school-houses.

      There is one hotel, kept by Mrs. Julietta MORGAN.

      Nathaniel BROWN, from Massachusetts, commenced the settlement in 1780 in the northern part of Winhall. In June, 1786 he deeded his farm to Joshua BARNARD. The latter served in the French and Indian War, also in the Revolutionary War. Mr. BARNARD also migrated from Massachusetts. The premises mentioned are now occupied by his grandson, Joshua BARNARD, esq., who has served as captain of a company of State militia, and who has held the usual town offices, including that of representative. He married Lydia WALKER, of Peru. They had five children, all of whom are deceased. His son, Lucius (the late Dr. BARNARD, of Jacksonville, Vt.), served in the Third Vermont Battery in War of the Rebellion. His only surviving descendants are the children of his daughter Mary, who married Counselor Joseph G. MARTIN, of Manchester.

      General L. A. GRANT, the last commander of the First Vermont Brigade in the late civil war, son of James GRANT, was born on the premises now occupied by John and George BARNARD.

      Prominent among the descendants of the early settlers now in town are the WILLIAMS', BENSONS, BOLSTERS, KENDALLS, GALES, BURBANKS, HEWES', and TAYLORS.

      The first military company was organized in 1796, Francis SKINNER, captain, for the War of 1812. Charles BAILEY, Francis BURBANK, Cephas WILLIAMS, and Samuel HUNT were drafted.

      The following is the list of soldiers furnished in the late war: Lucius M. BARNARD, Joshua A. SHATTUCK, Horace G. TAFIT, Gersham TAYLOR, Joseph B. WILLIAMS, Ormando M. WILLIAMS, Elijah G. WINSHIP, William T. ALLEN, Daniel O. KINSBURY, Ezra B. KINGSBURY, Martin H. KINGSBURY, Judson L. RAWSON, George F. SLADE, Ora SLADE, jr., Charles DEAN, Otis G. EDDY, George H. PHILLIPS, Charles H. PHILLIPS, Warren J. SHELDON, Gilman J. THOMPSON, William H. H. BURBEE, George P. BURBEE, Peter BURBEE, James H. CRAWFORD, Jonathan V. ALLEN, Lorenzo D. AXTEL, George E. LESON, Elbridge BROOKS, Joseph E. BUTTERFIELD, Franklin J. GALE, Edward W. HILL, George H. HILL, Elijah HINCKLEY, George W. JOHNSON, Franklin G. LACKEY, James H. LACKEY, John E. MASON, Samuel L. NORCROSS, William J. PERCY, Chauncey B. ROBBINS, William A. SHATTUCK, Montraville WITHERELL, John O. BENSON, Charles T. BROWN, Horace A. BURBEE, Dana F. KIDDER, William LEONARD, John LEONARD, William R. LIVERMORE, and George H. LYON.

      The following are the names of those who were drafted and paid commutation: Crawford AMIDON, Myron BENSON, Oscar BLODGETT. John B. CUDWORTH, Jonas W. HUNTING, Luther G. PERRY, William A. SLADE, Cephas WILLIAMS, and Almon S. WITHERELL.
 
 

History of Bennington County, Vt.
With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches
of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers.
Edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich.
Syracuse, N. Y., D. Mason & Co., Publishers, 1889.
Chapter XXXIII.. Page 494-496

Transcribed by Karima, 2004
Material provided by Ray Brown