CHAPTER XXIII
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF 
HUNTINGTON

      HUNTINGTON is a mountainous town of irregular outline in the extreme southeastern part of the county, and is bounded north by Richmond and Bolton, east by Duxbury and Fayston, in Washington county, south by Buel's Gore and by Starksboro, in Addison county, and west by Starksboro and Hinesburg. The town was chartered by Governor Benning WENTWORTH to the following named grantees on the 7th of June, 1763:

      Originally the township included all the southern part of Richmond lying between Winooski River and within one or two lots of Hinesburg's east line, thence down the Winooski to the north line of the farm adjoining the river, formerly owned by Peter CRANE and since by Oliver and Thomas CUTTER, and last by Alfred CRANE, about half a mile above the old meeting-house, following a line running west, and approaching not far from the farms owned by Royal BRIGGS and John WILLIAMS. The original western boundary was separated from the Hinesburg line by a narrow strip of land running from the southeast corner of Williston (as it then was called Williston Leg), which was afterwards annexed to the respective towns of Richmond and Huntington. The act by which this change of territory was effected was passed by the Legislature October 27, 1794, which took the easterly part of Burlington, the southerly part of Jericho, the town of Williston, together with the portion of New Huntington mentioned, and a part of Avery's and Buel's Gores, forming the whole into three towns. In addition to the part taken to form the new town of Richmond, another part was annexed to Bolton, while a portion of the gore on the south was annexed to this town. Other than these no changes have occurred in its area. On October 27, 1795, the name of New Huntington was changed to Huntington by the Legislature.

      The surface of the town is broken by hills and precipitous mountains, and contains but little level land, except along the fertile intervales of Huntington River. The highest elevation is Camel's Hump, one of the principal peaks of the Green Mountains, its summit standing within the eastern boundary of Huntington; while next to it in eminence rises North Mountain, just within the north line of the town, east of Huntington River. The western edge of the town is also skirted by a small range of hills The soil is various and, unlike most mountainous towns, produces abundant quantities of grass and grain. The town is watered by Huntington River and its tributaries, the former flowing across the entire length of the town north and south and affording the best of water privileges.

      Owing to the fact that the proprietors' records have either been lost or destroyed, the proceedings of the early settlers cannot be given at such length as otherwise might be. No doubt the proprietors organized and endeavored to make their town a popular place for early settlers, as their competitors in the other towns were doing. From records in possession of Solomon JOHNS, it is learned that William HILL was the first proprietors' clerk, and Jehiel JOHNS, Adolphus WALBRIDGE and Sylvester RUSSELL were the first committee to attend to the surveying of the town and all those affairs looking to a rapid sale and settlement of the land. From the same source the following is substantially taken:

EARLY SETTLEMENTS

      The first settlement made within the present limits of Huntington was begun in the spring of 1786 by Jehiel JOHNS, who came from Manchester, Vt., in March, bringing his wife and portable effects by way of Otter Creek to Lake Champlain, following it down to Burlington, and thence up Winooski River to what is now a part of Richmond. Here he left his companion and such effects as he could not carry with him in the care of Joel BROWNSON, an early settler in Williston, and proceeded by marked trees through the woods to his pitch, which he had purchased the fall before, being lot No. 58, original right of Isaac OAKLY, lying on Huntington River, just south of the site of the village. Here he built the first log cabin in the town. In the latter part of his work he had the assistance of Stillman and Samuel BRADLEY, early settlers in Williston. He was born in Duchess county, N. Y., February 19, 1756, and on the thirtieth anniversary of his birthday he married Elizabeth SEXTON, of Manchester, Vt., who bore him five sons and a daughter. He was early chosen to prominent positions in the new town, being moderator of the first town meeting, first justice of the peace, first representative, and filling various other offices. He died August 12, 1840, and his widow survived him until March 25, 1851. Her epitaph, written by her son, the well-known James JOHNS, reads as follows:

First of my sex brought to this town, 
To keep a house was I; 
Here by my partner I'm at rest,
For we were born to die.

      Jehiel JOHNS was followed the same year by Elisha BRADLEY, from Sunderland, Vt., who built the second log house in town. In the following winter, however, he removed to Williston and left Mr. JOHNS alone until the spring of 1787, when Charles Brewster and Ebenezer AMBLER, with their families, came on from Tinmouth and began settlements in the vicinity; AMBLER on lot 59, next north of the farm of JOHNS, and BREWSTER on that next north of AMBLER. In a year or two the next settler, Asa GILLET, arrived and settled on the lot next north of BREWSTER's, partly adjoining the town line. John MARTIN came soon after and made the first pitch on the hill in the east part of the town. The first settler in the western part of the town was Jacob SNIDER, who made his pitch on what was then called Williston LEG. The three last-mentioned settlements were established about 1788. They were closely followed by Thomas and Rufus WILLIAMS, who each pitched next to John MARTIN on East Hill, the one north and the other east of him. About 1789 the first settlements were effected in Buel's Gore by Abel TURNER, John FITCH and Samuel FARGO. About the same time Jacob FAIRMAN and Lawrence REVELIIN settled on Southeast Hill, south of Brush's Brook. As early as 1790 Stephen SQUIRES pitched in what is known as Sherman Hollow. In 1794 came Oliver RUSSELL, John RAYMOND, Jonathan SHEPARD, John TEFT, Jabez FARGO, David CASWELL, Joseph CARPENTER, Elias FARR, and Zebediah JOSLIN, some of them proving merely temporary squatters. Settlement was very slow and it was at least forty years before any portion of the town assumed the nature or appearance of a village or place of business. In 1791 the population was 167.

      As before stated, Deacon Charles BREWSTER came to this town from Tinmouth, Vt., in 1787. He purchased lot 6o and upon it settled his son, Charles, jr. He also purchased a farm in that part of the original town which was afterwards set off to Richmond, upon which he placed another son, Ozem. Mr. BREWSTER himself returned to Tinmouth, where he remained until his death. Charles, jr., built the first framed buildings in town in 1795, which are still standing on the old BREWSTER farm. After the death of her husband Mrs. BREWSTER removed from Tinmouth and took up her residence with Charles, where she died in 1790, aged sixty-six years, being the first adult person to die in Huntington. Charles, jr., had a family of ten children, none of whom is now living, though their descendants are numerous. He died March 15, 1809, aged fifty-four years.

      Among the other settlers who came in before 1800 may be mentioned John FITCH, from Hartford, Conn., who came in 1789 to Buel's Gore; John THOMAS, from Tinmouth, Mass., who came to Huntington in 1789 and settled on the farm now in possession of his grandson, John SPRAGUE; George SMALL, from Tinmouth, Vt., who arrived in 1793 and located on the place afterwards and recently owned by the BUTLER estate; and Nathaniel PIERCE, from Hollis, N. H., who came in 1795 and remained until his death in 1821 on the east branch of Huntington River, in Buel's Gore.

      Elisha BRADLEY was a native of Connecticut, and adopted very peculiar views of religion, said to resemble the faith of the Quakers, only "more ultra." He was an honest and exemplary man.

      Ebenezer AMBLER, son of John AMBLER, was born in Westchester county, N. Y., April 26, 1756. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Deacon Charles BREWSTER, in Tinmouth, Vt., and came to Huntington in 1787. He had only two children, John and Elizabeth, or Betsey. At the organization of the town Ebenezer AMBLER was chosen first selectman, and was for several years one of the justices of the peace of the town. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, and was once taken prisoner by the Hessians. He died April 26, 1826.

      Jacob SNIDER, or SCHNEIDER, was born of German parents in Rhinebeck, Duchess county, N. Y., April 12, 1758. His father was John SNIDER. Jacob married Rebecca HART, by whom he had twelve children. He served a short time in the American cause in the War of the Revolution.

      John FITCH was born in Coventry, Conn., in December, 1754 He was a soldier of the Revolution, and after the war was over received a pension from the government to the time of his death. He represented Huntington in the Legislature several years, and for several years also served as justice of the peace and constable He married Anna, daughter of Major Elias BUEL, original proprietor of the gore, and had several children. He died in 1850.

      John THOMAS was a native of Staffordshire, England, and was impressed into the service of the English during the War of the Revolution, but deserted and betook himself to more peaceable employment. After the war he married Mary McDONALD, stopped a while in Tinmouth, and in 1789 settled in this town. He died in December, 1836, leaving three children.

      William HILL was an Englishman, born near the borders of Scotland, and came to America about the period of the Revolution. He was, during the latter part of his life, inclined to the religious views of the Quakers. In 1820 he removed to Farnham, Canada, where he soon after died. His wife was Patience, daughter of Joseph CARPENTER.

WAR OF 1812

      The following company, commanded by Captain A. FARR, and made up from Huntington and Richmond, were stationed at Burlington during the year 1813 as a part of the regiment of Colonel TAYLOR : James AMBLER, Nathan SHERMAN, Alexander FRASIER, Salmon JOHNS, Leemon E. LANLOND, Joseph DIKE, as drummer, Aaron A. FAIRMAN, Brigham BRADLEY, Comfort BREWSTER, Elijah HURLBURT, Elin BUNKER, Gideon TAFT, George MOLTON, Hall ESTES, Elijah ABEEL, J. F. FAIRMAN, John SNIDER, Joseph HAMLEN, Joseph ELLIS, Terry SHATTUCK, Manley NEWLINS, Noah JOHNSON, Nathaniel NORTON, Otis TAFT, Peter SHATTUCK, Merlin DERBY, Sanford WILLIAMS, S. ROBERTS, T. WILLIS, William HALL, jr., Frederick FISH, John BUTLER, Jo. JOHNS, Samuel JOHNSON, Elisha WILLIAMS, Z. GAY, Samuel COOPER.

ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN

      The Organization of the Town took place at the house of Owen BREWSTER on the 29th of March, 1790, when Jehiel JOHNS was chosen moderator, Charles BREWSTER, sr., town clerk; Amos Brownson, jr., constable; and Ebenezer AMBLER, Ozem BREWSTER and Parley STARR, selectmen. The early records of town meetings, a fruitful source of historical information, are evidently very meager in Huntington and some of them so disconnected as to give rise to the suspicion that they have been mutilated and partly destroyed or taken away from the clerk's office. One of the first meetings recorded after the organization of the town was held on the third day of March, 1797, at the house of Jabez FARGO. William HILL was then town clerk. At the March meeting for 1798 it was voted that a pound be built at Joseph CARPENTER's house, at the most convenient spot. In March, 1799, it was voted that "the Selectmen are to Build a Temporal Pound and purchase a Burying Ground and Fence the same, to Erect a Sign Post and Guide Posts." Further measures were also adopted looking to the institution of an inquiry concerning the most suitable place for the "burying ground, sign post and guide posts," and to present the result of the inquiry at a future meeting. Either nothing came of this for some time, or what was done proved insufficient, for on the 2d of June, 1800, a tax of one cent on a dollar was voted to "build" the "burying-yard," pound, sign-post, stocks and guide-posts; and a few months later it was voted that this tax be payable in cash, wheat, rye or corn. Again on the 25th of August, 1801, it was voted that Joseph CLARK build the guide-posts for two dollars a post for "erecting, building, lettering and painting, according to law." And Enoch TERRIL was authorized to build the stocks and sign-post for two dollars and fifty cents, and to have them finished by the 10th of November of that year. It was also voted that the selectmen divide the town into two districts, for the more convenient arrangement of "burying-yards," each district to have its own ground.

      Little else occurs in the early records to throw light upon the early methods of proceeding to improve the internal affairs of the town, unless the following extract from the record of the meeting last above mentioned:

FIRST INDUSTRIES, ETC.

      Abel TURNER erected the first mill in town -a grist and saw-mill -about the beginning of the present century, on Huntington River in the southern part of the town. About the same time Samuel BUEL built a saw-mill on one of the tributary brooks flowing into the river from the east. Turner's mill was ruined by a freshet in 1804. Another grist-mill was built about this time for Orrin POLLY in the western part on a brook which enters the town from Hinesburg. It was discontinued in 1819 and the site used for a saw-mill. The first carpenters and joiners were Josiah and Thomas MILLER; Jonathan DIKE was the first kitchen chair-maker; James WELLER was the first blacksmith; Rufus WILLIAMS was the first tailor and Benjamin BROWNELL was the first resident shoemaker. The first carding-machine was built and started by Roswell STEVENS, in 1821, at the north village, where cloth-dressing was also done.

PRESENT MANUFACTURING INTERESTS

      The industries above mentioned were the most prominent early interests, excepting perhaps the grist and saw-mill of Solomon, Jacob and Almon ROOD on the west side of the stream in the north village, opposite the site of the present mills of Dr. CHESSMORE, which was carried away by the freshet of 1858, and the starch factory of Alexander FERGUSON, near by, which suffered destruction from the same agency. The abundant water power in the town has been instrumental in keeping its inhabitants supplied with mills. Among the present interests may be named the saw-mill of Dr. A. H. CHESSMORE, which stands on the site of the old mill of Roswell STEVENS, built about 1821. Soon after 1828 Joseph JOHNSON bought and repaired the building, operating a saw-mill in it until about 1856, when it was burned. He and his son, W. M. JOHNSON, immediately rebuilt and ran it until it was carried away by the freshet of 1858, after which it went into the hands of H. SHATTUCK and L. A. NORTON, who rebuilt it. W. M. JOHNSON went into partnership with Mr. SHATTUCK and retained an interest in the concern until 1878, when the present proprietor bought it of him and of the estate of Lyman NORTON. In 1883 Dr. CHESSMORE added shingle and clapboard machines to the mill and made various other improvements, and in the summer of 1885 replaced the old run of stones with a new grist-mill apparatus, and now does custom work of the best kind. In this mill are sawn annually about 200,000 feet of dimension lumber, while about 300,000 shingles and 100,000 feet of clapboards are made every year. By its enlargement in dimensions and in the volume of its business it shows the spirit of enterprise which possesses its owner.

      Norman J. MIX's saw-mill, on Huntington River, was built by Harry M. SMALL in 1875. Here are made annually about 100,000 feet of clapboards and 500,000 staves, in addition to the common lumber sawn.

      The saw and grist-mill of HOWE & DUMAS, in the south part of the town, was recently purchased by A. C. DEARBORN, and does a fair business.

      The steam saw and grist-mill at the south village, of Sidney GILLETT, was started about April 1, 1886, and promises to become one of the leading manufactories of the town.

MERCANTILE INTERESTS

      The first store in town was opened at the house of Jabez FARGO, on consignment as a branch concern by John THORP, of Charlotte, about the commencement of the present century. It was continued until about 1805, in the fall of which year another concern was started in that line, in a room of Ebenezer AMBLER's then new framed house, by ROSS & CONGER, from Monkton, and was the first store at the north village. In the fall of 1807 it was transferred to a new building erected partly for the purpose on the east side of the river, the firm name changing to ROSS & AMBLER, and the business finally going into the hands of Ira LADD, of Monkton, who kept it up until 1809. After this no regular trading was done in town until 1822, when Guerdon TAYLOR engaged in the business in a room of John AMBLER's house. Other early merchants were Nathan STEWART, Ephraim RANDALL, and Amos DIKE.

      The oldest of the present stores is that of G. W. & H. L. SAYLES, which was established by their father, Stephen SAYLES, in the present building, in 1854. The building has been used for mercantile purposes more than half a century. The present firm succeeded Stephen SAYLES in 1862. They carry a stock valued at from $3,000 to $6,000, according to the season and demand. G. BICKFORD opened his general store in the north village in December, 1875. E. W. Ellis built the store building he now occupies, and established the trade which he now conducts in the south village, in the fall of 1876. He carries about $1,500 or $2,000 worth of goods. The store of W. M. JOHNSON was started by the present proprietor in the north village in May, 1879, and he now carries between $2,000 and $3,000 worth of goods. The building was formerly occupied by Justin TAYLOR. H. M. SMALL and George W. BREWSTER entered into partnership and opened a store at the south village in the spring of 1886, and now carry a stock worth about $3,000. The building was erected by Amos DIKE many years ago, and was last occupied before the present occupancy by Lawrence SWEENEY.

HOTELS

      The first tavern in Huntington was opened by Jabez FARGO, who kept it for many years and nearly to the time of his death in 1827. The next was opened at the north village in 1826 by Guerdon TAYLOR, and is the same building, with some changes, now occupied by Edmund T. COLLINS, proprietor of the Green Mountain House. Among the landlords who followed TAYLOR were Sanford EDDY, Alexander FERGUSON, Jonathan DIKE, Charles LOVEKIN, John COOK, Hiram COOK, Truman WOOD, James WOOD, Daniel HILL, Ansel EDDY, Solomon JOHNS, Edward IRISH, Melvin HEATH, and the present proprietor, who succeeded HEATH in the fall of 1865.

      The hotel of M. J. ELLIS, at the Center, was built by Benjamin ALLEN not far from 1828, who kept the house for some time, and was followed by John DERBY After a long period DERBY was succeeded by Joseph ROUNDS. Gershom CONGER kept the house nine years, and was followed by George CONGER, who, after the lapse of one year, was himself succeeded by the present proprietor in March, 1865.

THE PROFESSIONS

      The first physicians who made Huntington their field of practice for any time were Drs. William AMBLER, brother of Ebenezer AMBLER, and William HEWETT. They soon left for other parts. Those who have since made the town their residence successively are Jesse P. Carpenter, Winter HEWETT, Seth HITCHCOCK, Samuel FARGO, 2d, Gail NICHOLS, Enoch A. SMITH, Matthew COLE, Plink P. GREEN, Charles H. SWIFT, Rial C. STEVENS, Reuben NIMS, Pierce STANDISH, John WORK, George W. BROMLEY, Chauncey L. CASE, and Abel SWEET. Besides these there were many years ago two others, Ebenezer LAMB and Richard ESTES, who professed to administer medicine on botanic principles. About twenty-five years ago, too, Dr. Ira HODGE was residing in town, and doctored on the Indian, root and herb system. At present there is but one practicing physician in town, viz., Dr. A. H. CHESSMORE. A detailed sketch of Dr. CHESSMORE appears in the later pages of this book.

      There are no lawyers now practicing in the town, which, with its proper propensity for litigation, has never had the harboring of but two of that description. William S. HAWKINS practiced here from about 1831 to about 1839, and Daniel B. HALE left town in 1850, after a residence of two years.

POSTMASTERS

      The first post-office opened in town was established near the commencement of the century, at the house of Jabez FARGO, who was postmaster. As it did not quite pay expenses it was soon discontinued, and no other took its place until 1828, when Amos DIKE received the appointment and opened an office at the south village. In 1829, on application to the general department, it was transferred to the north village and Alexander FERGUSON was appointed. Since then the postmasters at the north village (Huntington), have been as follows: 1829 to 1841 inclusive, Alexander FERGUSON; 1842, Cyrus JOHNS; 1843 to 1845, Orange DIKE; 1846-47, Stephen BARTLETT; 1848-49, John E. WOODWORTH; 1850-54, Mrs. Ruth CRANE; 1855-61, Solomon JOHNS; 1862-68, J. M. JOHNSON; 1869-71, George E. JOHNSON; 1872-75, R. C. Bromley; 1876-85, G. W. SAYLES; and the present incumbent, Solomon JOHNS, who received the appointment from the present administration.

      An office was established at the Center in 1862, by the appointment of A. H. LOVELAND to the position of master. He was succeeded in 1872 by E. M. KENT, and KENT in 1873 by C. DEARBORN. In 1874 M. ELLIS was appointed and retained the appointment until 1876, when he was followed by E. W. ELLIS. The present postmaster at Huntington Center (the south village) is H. M. SMALL, also appointed under President Cleveland.

PRESENT TOWN OFFICERS

      The officers elected for the year 1886 in this town are as follows: G. W. SAYLES, clerk, treasurer, and trustee of the surplus fund; G. D. ELLIS, A. E. BATES, and John FARGO, selectmen; overseer of the poor, Warham BREWSTER; first constable, George W. BREWSTER; listers, Henry BREWSTER, Frank STRONG, Smilie KENKON; auditors, O. H. ELLIS, Isaiah STRONG, G. B. ANDREWS; fence viewers, Warham BREWSTER, Daniel GORTON, Stephen SPRAGUE; town grand jurors, Enoch GREGORY, G. L. WILLIAMS; agent to prosecute and defend suits in which the town is interested, Henry BREWSTER; superintendent of common schools, Rev. E. B. FULLER; sextons, north village, Montraville ROSS; south village, John B. ELLIS; street commissioners, Warham BREWSTER, George A. BAKER; inspector of leather, Stillman JOHNSON; pound-keepers, south village, Harry M. SMALL; north village, A. H. CHESSMORE; surveyor of wood and inspector of lumber and shingles, Sidney GILLETT.

EDUCATIONAL

      The first school opened in Huntington was started in the summer of 1794, in the log barn of Ebenezer AMBLER, of which Betsey, wife of Darius FARGO, was the teacher. The first winter school was opened in the following winter in one of the rooms of Ebenezer AMBLER's log dwelling house, and was taught by Dr. William AMBLER, his brother. Other schools were after this opened, and in a few months log school-houses might be seen here. The first framed school-house was erected in 18o6 on the high ridge near Sherman Hollow, and was burned in 1808. No other was built until 1816, when one was erected at the south village. There are now seven districts in town.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY

      Probably the first ministers of the gospel to preach in Huntington were a Mr. SABIN and Abraham HALL, the former a Methodist and the latter a Congregationalist. The noted Lorenzo DOW also paid this town a visit, and preached several times, and it was probably by his means and Mr. SABIN's that the first seeds of Methodism took root here, though how many were gained for the church at that time we do not learn. These men were here some time between 1790 and 1795. The first house built expressly for purposes of worship was erected at the north village in 1836 by the Methodists and Freewill Baptists. Another smaller house was built at the south village in 1841, and was owned chiefly by Calvinistic Baptists. Nearly all the denominations have at one time or another sustained services in Huntington, though the only regular organization now acting in town is the Freewill Baptist. The first preacher of this persuasion in town was Elder Charles BOWLES, colored, who came here in the summer of 18 17, and at various times has been succeeded by the following preachers: Benajah MAYNARD, Josiah WETHERBEE, Orange DIKE, Joshua TUCKER, Ezra B. FULLER, Samuel WEBSTER, Samuel LORD, Porter THOMAS, Nathaniel EWERS, Daniel BATCHELDER, Mark ATWOOD, Jarius E. DAVIS, John GOULD, D. S. FROST, C. J. MOTT, Lyman SARGENT, and since the spring of 1877, Ezra B. FULLER. The present number of Freewill Baptists in this town and the mission at Jonesville, is about eighty-eight, and they own property valued at about $10,000 in all. The present officers of the organization are: Pastor, E. B. FULLER; clerk, R. A. NORTON; deacons, N. F. TOMLINSON, and H. R. NORTON; Sabbath-school superintendents, R. A. NORTON, at the north village; O. J. TOMLINSON, at the south village; and Mr. FRARY at Jonesville.

      The Methodists have no church here, though they have a class which is ministered unto by the pastor of the Starksboro church. The two houses of worship now in use, one at the Center and the other at the north village were built respectively in 1861, at a cost of $2,500, and in 1870, at a cost of $9,000.

BUEL'S GORE

      Buel's Gore, a triangular piece of land containing an area of about three thousand acres, forms the southeastern corner of the county, and is bounded north by Huntington, east by Fayston, in Washington county, and south and west by Starksboro and Lincoln, in Addison county. It was granted by Vermont on the 4th of November, 1780, to Elias BUEL and fifty-nine others, and then contained 4,273 acres; but was curtailed by the Legislature on the 27th of October, 1794, by the annexation of a portion of its territory to Huntington. The first settlement was made about 1789 by Abel TURNER, John FITCH, and Samuel FARGO. From that time until 1850 the population increased to eighteen, and now is estimated at about twenty-four.

      The Gore has never been organized as a town, has no church building and no post-office. Its residents all depend upon the adjoining towns for these matters, mostly upon Huntington; and, indeed, it might almost be said to be a portion of that town.

History of Chittenden County, Vermont 
With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches 
of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers
Edited By W. S. Rann, Syracuse, N. Y.
D. Mason & Co., Publishers, 1886
Page 613-623.

Transcribed by Karima Allison ~ 2004

Huntington section of Hamilton Child's "Gazetteer and Business Directory of  Chittenden County, Vt. For 1882-83."