East
Haven lies in the western part of the county, in lat. 44º 30' and
long. 5º 5', bounded northeast by Ferdinand, southeast by Granby,
southwest by Victory and Burke, and northwest by Newark. It was chartered
by Governor Chittenden, October 22, 1790, though none of the grantees ever
settled in the town. “A request having been made to Joseph Heath, of Groton,
one of the justices of the peace within and for the county of Caledonia,
by the owners of more than one-sixteenth part of the lots of land in the
township of East Haven, a proprietors' meeting, was called by him, August
31, 1810 to be holden in Newark, at the dwelling house of James Ball, November
15, 1810. At the meeting held on that day and the following days, Norris
Walter was appointed moderator, and James Whitelaw, proprietors' clerk.
Appointed Andrew Lockie a committee to lay out the town into lots of 106
acres each, to be divided into first, second and third division lots, an
equal number to each."
The surface
of the town is rough and uneven, though not, so much so as to seriously
retard cultivation of the soil. The Passumpsic river runs through the western
part, and there is a high ridge of land through the center of the town,
extending from the north to the south line, and Moose river, which heads
on the east side of said ridge, runs south through the eastern part of
the town. Both of these rivers are famous for trout, and the vicinity of
the Moose river, in years gone by, was famous for moose, deer and other
wild game common in Northern Vermont.
In 1880,
East Haven had a population of 225. In 1886 it had three school districts
and three common schools. There were fifty-four scholars taught during
the year, by six female teachers, who received an average weekly salary,
including board, of $4.34. The whole amount raised for school purposes
was $464.83, while the total expenditures were $337.95, with D. C. Howard,
superintendent.
East Haven
(p. o.) is a hamlet located in the western part of the town, on Road 5.
The first settler in the town was John Walter, Jr., who moved here May
1, 1804, and located where Oscar F. Walter now lives. He was born in Winchester,
Conn. and came to Vermont in 1799. He married Uneca Blakesly, who bore
him fourteen children, ten of whom attained an adult age. His wife died
March 5, 1848. He not only built the first house in the township, but also
planted the first orchard.
Norris
Walter, brother of John Jr., came next, in March, 1805, and located where
William M. Smith now lives, on road 8. His children were Harriet, Elam,
MerrittM., Clarissa S., Harlow B., Samuel, Emeline and Ann, most of whom
became settled in town. The settlers who followed next were the families
of Blake, Casey and Colfax, though they did not remain long.
The first
birth in town was that of Clarissa S. Walter, and the first marriage was
that of Harriet Walter and Peter Atwood. The first death was that of Jemima
Colfax. The first school-house was built in 1832, and the first teacher
was Betsey Blake. The first tavern was built by K. Hudson, in 1848. The
town was organized July 28, 1845, when H.W. Belden was chosen town clerk;
Russell Horsford, Jeremiah Lund and Abner Clagsdon, selectmen; and H.M.
Lund, constable. The first representative was John Walter, for the years
1845-46. The postoffice was established in 1850, and Elijah Avery was the
first postmaster. The burial ground was laid out in 1846, and the first
person buried therein was Uneca, wife of John Walter, Jr. The first
saw-mill was built by Joseph Woods.
(Source:
Gazetteer
of Caledonia and Essex Counties, VT.;
1764-1887, Compiled and Published by Hamilton Child; May 1887, Page 439-440)
This excerpt
was provided by Tom Dunn.
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