The surface of Victory, as compared with the surrounding mountainous territory, is level and unbroken, a large portion of the town being included within the valley of Moose river. But as the distance increases from the river, the land becomes more elevated, until it form's a portion of Burke mountain on the west, an elevation of some 3,000 feet; Mount Tug and Miles mountain on the east and southeast, and Kirby mountain on the southwest. There is also an elevation on the north, on the line between Victory and Granby, called Round Top. There is but one mountain proper, however, wholly within the limits of the town, Umpire mountain, an elevation of about 2,000 feet. The Moose river rises in East Haven, and runs in nearly a southerly direction through the town, affording several excellent mill privileges. There are also several other streams which empty into this river, as Alder brook, Umpire or Bog brooks, on the west, and Granby stream on the east, which are sufficiently large for manufacturing purposes.  The timber along the banks of the Moose river, and its tributaries, is mostly evergreen, consisting of pine, Tamarack, hemlock, spruce, fir and cedar, together with a small quantity of elm, maple and birch.  As the land becomes elevated there is a much larger proportion of the timber hard wood, consisting of birch, beech and sugar maple; and in some sections, especially in the western part of the town, there is a very large proportion of the latter, affording excellent sugar orchards, from which considerable quantities of sugar are manufactured. The soil is generally fertile, and will compare favorably with that of adjoining towns. It is well adapted to the growing of potatoes, and most kinds of English grains. Two miles and a half from the southern boundary of the town, at the junction of the Bog brook with the Moose river, is a tract of land known as the bog.  It consists of some 3,000 acres of low marshy land, which is usually overflowed once a year, and frequently oftener. Near the mouth of the brook there is what is supposed to be a beaver meadows. It is said that it was once so soft that a man, by stepping upon it, could shake half an acre. It is now, however, so much hardened that carting can be done over the most of it with safety. 

      In 1880,  Victory had a population of 321. In 1886 the town had five school districts and five common schools, with ninety-four scholars, taught during the year by six female teachers, who received an average weekly salary, including board, of $5.10. The entire income for school purposes was $1,604.64, while the total amount expended was $718.35, with Mrs. S.M. Day, superintendent. 

      South Victory (p. o.) is a hamlet located in the southern part of the town. 

      Damon's Crossing (p. o.) is a station on the ?. & L. R. R., and contains three or four houses. 

      Gallup's lumber mills, on road 1, were built by the late Dudley P. Hall, of Lyndon, about forty years ago. They passed through the hands of various parties, who did a small business, drawing the lumber to St. Johnsbury in the winter, as there was no highway which was worthy of the name until within the last twenty years.  In 1880, O.M. Gallup bought the old mill, and seeing the needs of the business and place, he began a series of improvements which few would believe a man would contemplate alone, but which have resulted in there now being a railroad and telephone line here, and instead of one house, there are twelve and a store, while several others are being built, together with an hotel. The mill has the capacity for turning out 1,000,000 feet of lumber, and a large amount of shingles, lath, clapboards, etc., per year. 

      L.D. Hazen's lumber mill, on road 91, was built by him in 1882.  It is operated by both steam and water-power, and does a very extensive business.  Since the mill was built, about twenty dwellings and a store have sprung up about, it, constituting the largest village in town. Mr. Hazen, who is a resident of  St. Johnsbury, was also an influential factor in inducing the building of the Victory Branch railroad. The mill gives employment to from eighty to one hundred hands, and turns out about 5,000,000 feet of lumber, 700,000 shingles, 2,400,000 lath, 300,000 feet of clapboards, piano sounding-boards, and a large amount of chair-stock per annum. The store and office are connected with Mr. Hazen's main office at Miles Pond, and with his residence at St. Johnsbury, by telephone. 

      The Kneel and mill, on road 14, now owned by G.A. Colby and G.B. Day estate, was built by Judge Kneeland about twenty years ago, and came into the possession of the present owners in 1880.  It has the capacity for turning out about 1,500 feet of lumber per day. 

      Weed, Wyman & Co.'s steam saw-mill was built by them in 1985.  It employs about twenty-two hands and is well equipped with machinery for manufacturing all kinds of lumber. 

      The New England Lumber Co.'s steam saw-mill, off road 9, turns out about 2,000,000 feet of lumber, 400,000 shingles, 50,000 feet of clapboards, and 500,000 lath per year. 

      Charles A. Well's lumber-mill, on road 9, was built by Daniel Lee, in 1876, and came into Mr. Well’s possession in 1882. The mill is operated by water-power, gives employment to twelve men, and turns out a large amount of lumber per year.  Mr. Wells has here, also, the only gristmill in town. 

      R.M. Lawrence’s carriage and blacksmith shop is located on road 1.

      Robert Delworth's general store is located on road 1. 

      The first settlement in Victory was made by James Elliot, who located about on the line between this town and Granby, in 1812.  He remained only three or four years, however. His son Curtis was the first child born in the township. The first permanent inhabitant of the town was John Shorer, who moved from Sanbornton, N.H., to Granby in 1815, and in 1822 to Victory. He was followed that same year by Reuben Sterner, and in the fall of 1825 by Asa Wells, originally from Connecticut, and by Isaac R. Houston. Thus was commenced the settlement which is now known as North Victory. 

      The settlement of West Victory was commenced in the year 1827, by Timothy Minor, who moved his family, consisting of a wife and three children, from Lyndon, on the 17th day of January. Previous to this, however, two men, with their families—Clark Ranney and Eben Clark—moved from Westminster, Vt., to what was then called the Vale, but which now belongs to Victory.   In the fall of 1829,  James Towle and Archibald Starks moved from St. Johnsbury, and in the spring of 1830 they were followed by Jonathan Hill, who moved from the same place. 

      The first child born in West Victory was Fanny M. Minor, April 17, 1827. 

      The first death was that of Enoch W. Sanborn, August, 1842, a child about a year and a half old. 

      The first grown person, Mrs. Jeremiah Ingraham, died May 2, 1848, being more than twenty years after the settlement was commenced. 

      The first marriage, that of Jonathan Lawrence and Angeline Towle, occurred October 2, 1832. 

      The first school, consisting of eight scholars, was taught by Hannah Bean, in the spring of 1832. 

      The first sawmill was built by Joseph Woods, about the year 1830, on Moose river, on the line between Victory and Bradleyvale.  Soon after other families moved into that part of the town, and formed the neighborhood now known as South Victory. 

      Victory did not become an organized town until 1841, the meeting for that purpose being called by Ansel Hannum, justice of the peace. Isaac R. Houston was chosen moderator; Loomis Wells, town clerk; Jonathan Hill, Ransom Hall, John Gates and Chauncey Hildreth, selectmen; Loomis Wells, town treasurer; Hubbard Gates, first constable; Abraharn Sanborn, James 'Towle and Ansel Hannum, listers; Timothy Mier, Chauncey Hildreth and Moses C. Kimball, auditors; Levi P. Shores, Joseph Nickerson and Nathan Boles, fence viewers ; L.R. Houston, John Shores, town grand jurors; Jonathan Lawrence, Nathan Boles, Elisha Gustin, highway surveyors; Joseph Hall, Chauncey Hildreth, county grand jurors; Levi P. Shores, Moses C. Kimball and Orin Hall, petit jurors. The first postoffice was established March 24, 1858, Nott S. Damon being the first postmaster. 
 
 

(Source: Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, VT.; 1764-1887, Compiled and Published by Hamilton Child; May 1887, Page 483-486)

This excerpt was provided by Tom Dunn.