MILTON, a lake town in the northwestern corner of the county, lies
in lat. 44° 38', and long. 3° 55', bounded north by Georgia, in
Franklin County, east by Westford, south by Colchester, and west by Lake
Champlain. It was granted by New Hampshire, to Albert BLAKE and sixty-three
others, the charter being signed by the governor, Benning WENTWORTH, June
8, 1763, granting 27,616 acres. This area remains to day as granted at
that time, no changes having been made in the boundary lines.
The surface of the township is rather uneven, not enough so to render
cultivation of the soil impracticable, but sufficient to lend a charming
diversity to the landscape; which fact, coupled with the delightful climate,
attracts numbers of pleasure seekers during the heated season. Many excellent
camping grounds and summer resorts are sustained, of which more anon. The
eastern portion of the territory is elevated some two or three hundred
feet above the general level of the other portions, thus affording many
excellent points of view over the charming lake and beautiful stretch of
country that skirts it. A sand bar, leading from the southwestern part
of the town to South Hero, in Grand Isle County, renders the lake fordable
between the two towns during a great portion of the year. In 1849-'50,
there was a toll bridge built on this bar, connecting the two towns, at
a cost of $25,000.00, which renders communications between them tolerably
good at all seasons of the year. The principal elevations are Cobble Hill
in the southern, and Rattle Snake Hill in the northern part, having an
altitude of 800 to 1,000 feet. The township is watered by the Lamoille
River, which flows in a serpentine course through the town from northeast
to southwest, having many tributaries, and a number of small streams whose
waters are discharged into Lake Champlain, affording many mill privileges,
and furnishing ample irrigation to the soil. Two ponds of some note are
also found, one, Long Pond, situated in the northwestern portion of the
town, is about a mile in length, by twenty to sixty rods in width, while
the other, Round Pond, about half the size of the former, is situated a
little to the east of it Another small body of water is found in the northeastern
part of the town.
The soil of the territory is excellent, varying in different localities,
from the stiffest clay to fine productive alluvium, producing crops of
wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat, Indian corn, etc., whose percentage is excelled
by perhaps no town in the State. The timber is that found in most of the
lake towns of the county, pine predominating; indeed, about half of the
township was once covered with a heavy growth of this valuable timber,
a great portion of which has long since found its way to the lumber market,
though there is considerable yet standing. The rocks entering into the
geological structure of the town are various. Along the lake shore, extending
inland from one to two miles, red sandrock predominates; next to this,
in a wedge shape, several miles in width on the north and a half mile on
the south, is found a large bed of Georgia slate; this slate rock is in
turn skirted on the east by a vein of Eolian limestone, having a mean width
of perhaps two miles, while the residue of the territory is composed of
talcose conglomerate. Quarries of very fair marble exist, though none have
ever been worked to any extent. Iron ore prevails to some extent, of a
good quality, but not in quantities sufficient to warrant remunerative
working. Taken as a whole, husbandry in its various phases constitutes
the principal wealth and occupation of the inhabitants. Nature has been
especially kind in her gifts to the territory in this respect, giving a
fine soil, even temperature, etc., to promote the husbandman's interests,
while the products of his toil find a ready means of transportation to
populous marts, in the Vermont and Canada Railroad, which passes through
the eastern part of the town from north to south, with a depot near Milton
Falls.
In 1880, Milton had a population of 2,006, was divided into eleven
school districts and contained eleven common schools, employing five male
and nineteen female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $1,886.
There were 436 pupils attending these schools, while their entire cost
for the year, ending October 31st, was $2,241.04. Mr. J. H. WOODWARD was
school superintendent.
MILTON FALLS (Milton p. o.), a beautifully located post village,
lies in the western part of the town, on the Lamoille River, and is also
a station on the Vermont and Canada Railroad. It receives its name from
the falls in the river at this point, which are not only a rare specimen
of the handiwork of nature, but also constitute one of the finest mill
sites in the State. The river falls 150 feet in a distance of fifty rods,
while near the center of the cataract the waters are divided by a small
island, which turns them, rushing down on either side with great violence,
dashing the spray high into the air, as they come in contact with some
projecting rock, until it may indeed be said:
"It seeths
and it hisses, and bubbles and roars,
As when
fire with water is commixed and contending."
The village itself is handsomely laid out, has a good class of buildings,
and is especially noticeable for its general air of neatness and good order.
That the inhabitants are both intellectually and religiously inclined,
is attested by the three church spires that point towards Heaven (Meth.,
Cong., and Cath.), and the fine graded school, employing four competent
teachers. Business enterprise, too, is represented by ten stores, two hotels,
three blacksmith shops, a grist and saw mill, wagon shop, etc. The village
contains about seven hundred inhabitants.
WEST MILTON, a post village, located on the Lamoille River, in the
western part of the town, contains one store, a blacksmith shop, one church
(Union), a butter and cheese factory, etc., and about twenty dwellings.
CHECKERBERRY VILLAGE, a hamlet located in the central part of the
town, contains a hotel, store, one church (Meth.), a school house and about
a dozen dwellings. The Checkerberry Hotel, now owned by John D. GALE, was
built previous to 1800, and has always been used for hotel purposes.
MILTON BOROUGH is a small hamlet located in the northwestern part
of the town.
The Lamoille Valley Butter and Cheese Factory, located at West Milton,
was built by a stock company in 1868, and is now owned by E. W. PECK, of
Burlington, who uses the milk from 350 cows.
CLARK's sate and grist mills, located at Milton Falls, were erected
by Joseph CLARK, in 1845, and are now owned and operated by his son, Jed
P. CLARK. The saw mill, which originally had an up and down saw, is now
supplied with circular and gang saws, affording capacity for cutting 3,000,000
feet of lumber per year, though but about 600,000 feet are manufactured,
employing 15 men. The grist mill operates six runs of stones, and is run
as a custom flouring mill.
CLARK's Carriage Manufactory, also located at this village, is engaged
in manufacturing all kinds of carriages and sleighs.
BROWN's Brick Yards, located, one at Mallett's Bay in the town of
Colchester, and one at Milton, were established by J. W. BROWN, in 1857,
and are now owned and operated by J. W. & H. W. BROWN. They employ
about fifty men during the summer season, manufacturing 4,000,000 brick.
MARRS Cheese Factory, located in the southeastern part of the town,
on road 57, was established by a stock company in 1868, who now manufacture
cheese from the milk of about 250 cows.
Milton Borough Cheese Factory, located in the northern part of the
town, on road 4, was established by a stock company in I870. The factory
is at present used by Henry L. WOOD for his dairy of forty two cows.
Camp Rich, a summer resort located in the western part of the town,
on Lake Champlain, was established by Charles RICH in 1874, and is now
one of the finest resorts on the lake. Mr. RICH built a handsome boat house
in 1879, which is well supplied with boats. He has excellent accommodations
for boarders and tenters.
Camp Watson, also very pleasantly located on the lake shore, was
established in a small way in 1869, by Hiram ATKINS, of Montpelier, editor
of the Argus, who leased the grounds of the present owners, Grace and Lucius
WATSON, in 1879, for a period of five years. There is a camp and boat house,
but no hotel, it being used as a tenting ground.
Camp Everest, located on the lake shore near road 27 1/2, owned
by Z. A. EVEREST and A. W. AUSTIN, was established in 1878. The camp house,
built during that year, is a building 20x26 feet in size, having a bowling
alley 78x14 feet and a good boat house attached. The camp is mostly the
resort of campers and picnic parties, though the proprietors have accommodations
for a few boarders.
The town poor farm, containing 205 acres, is very pleasantly situated
on the banks of the Lamoille River, opposite Checkerberry village, and
commands a fine view of the river and falls. It has been under the efficient
management of Mr. George W. EIGHMY for the past three years, who for several
years had charge of the union farm in Williston. He shows good judgment
in the manner in which he conducts it, and in his treatment of the unfortunates
who reside there.
No effort was made towards the settlement of the town until after
the close of the Revolution, when, February 15. 1782, William IRISH, Leonard
OWEN, Amos MANSFIELD, Absalom TAYLOR, and Thomas DEWEY commenced their
pioneer life here. These were soon after joined by Gideon HOXSIE, Zebediah
DEWEY, Enoch and Elisha Ashley, and others, whose numbers were increased
from year to year, until at the taking of the first census, in 1791, the
town had a population of 282.
Many of the early settlers turned their attention to cutting and
preparing the pine timber for the Quebec market, whither it was floated
through the waters of Lake Champlain, anal the rivers Sorel and St Lawrence.
After the Champlain Canal was completed in the State of New York, much
of this timber found its way to New York. This traffic became so extensive
that the forests soon melted away, and the inhabitants turned their attention
to agricultural pursuits instead, causing the town to become one of the
leading ones of the county in farming interests.
In 1788, it was deemed that the population was sufficiently large
to warrant the organization of the town by election of proper town officers.
Accordingly, a meeting was held on the 25th of March, at which Enoch ASHLEY
was chosen town clerk; Jesse PHELPS, constable; Amos MANSFIELD, Elisha
ASHLEY; and Gideon HOXSIE, selectmen. Aaron MATTHEWS was chosen justice,
and also to represent his townsmen in the legislature. The first birth
recorded is that of Hannah HOXSIE, December 13, 1789.
David AUSTIN was one of the first settlers in the eastern part of
the town. He came from Rhode Island, with his brother Joseph, in 1785,
and located on road 14, upon the place now occupied by Heman ALLEN. David
had a family of twelve children, and died in 1813. Joseph had a family
of five children; and died in 1838. One of David's sons, Ethan, married
Clarissa HILL and located upon the farm now owned by his daughter, Mrs.
G. W. CROWN, on road 14. He had a family of ten children, six of whom are
now living.
Isaac DRURY, from Pittsford, Vt., came to this town in 1782, and
located on road 45, upon the farm now owned by Emery REYNOLDS. Here he
was a long time engaged in the lumber business, manufacture of potash,
and also kept a store. He died in 1825, having had a family of five girls
and two boys, his wife following him in 1865, at an advanced age. One of
his sons, Isaac, was born here in 1800, married Beulah MOSLEY, had a family
of eight children, six sons anal two daughters, four of whom are now living.
Daniel now lives at Weathersfield, Vt., and is still quite an active man.
His wife died in June, 1856. Isaac N., son of Daniel, born in this town
in 1825, married Anna OSGOOD, and has two children, Edgar W., and Beulah
C.
Enoch and Elisha ASHLEY, brothers, came to Milton in 1784, locating
in the eastern part of the town. Enoch, who served the town as first town
clerk, remained here until 1820, then removed to western New York, where
he subsequently died. Beaman, son of Enoch, was born in Poultney, Vt.,
and came here with his father, married Lucy PRESTON, and had a family of
ten children, five of whom are now living. He died in 1854. His wife still
survives him at the age of ninety three years. Elisha reared a family of
twelve children, several of whom settled here, though his granddaughter,
Mrs. Jed P. CLARK, is the only representative of his family now residing
in the town.
Nathan CASWELL's is said to have been the fourth family who settled
in the town. He came from Connecticut and located in the northeastern part
of the township, on road 12, upon the farm now owned by Abram RUGG. His
son Solomon, who came with him, was born in Connecticut, December 5, 1763,
and died in this town, February 16, 1845. Solomon was thrice married, and
reared a family of seven children, one of whom, Horace, was born April
30, 1813, on the farm he now occupies. Horace has been twice married, and
reared a family of five children, four sons and one daughter.
Daniel MEEKER, from New Jersey, located in Milton, upon the farm
now, owned by his son, Daniel S., in 1788, the farm having been given him
by his uncle, Isaac TICHENOR, the second governor of Vermont, and upon
which Daniel resided until his death, in 1844. He was twice married, and
had a family of eighteen children, Daniel S. being the only one now residing
in the town.
Aaron and John SWAN; from New Hampshire, came to Milton in 1790,
and located in the northern part of the town on road 9. They resided here
together for several years, but John finally sold out and removed to Ohio.
Aaron married Azuba BULLARD, had a family of nine children, and died here
in 1825. His wife died in 1868, aged ninety-one years. Riley, son of Aaron,
now resides here, on road 40, a retired farmer, while his son, Charles
L., carries on a large farm.
John BEAN, from Goffstown, N. H., was an early settler in Burlington,
and subsequently removed to Milton, locating on road 4, upon the farm now
owned by his grandson, Joseph, where he died about the year 1840. John,
Jr., occupied the farm after his father's death. He married Lois TOMLIN,
and had a family of four children, one of whom, William, now resides here,
on road 8. After her death he married for his second wife Phebe SOPER,
by whom he had a family of seven children, six of whom are now living.
He died in 1873, aged ninety one years.
John SANDERSON, from Whilley, Mass., located in this town at an
early day, upon the farm now occupied by his grandson, Charles P., on road
32. Levi, one of four brothers, came here with his father, John, married
Sally BEAN, and had a family of nine children, four of whom are now living.
He died in 1867, his wife in 1850. His son, Charles P., still occupies
the old homestead, the husband of Sarah BEAN, and has two sons, Charles
L. and Willard L.
Aaron WARD located in Milton, from Massachusetts, at an early day,
where he engaged in the carding business. Aaron located on the place now
occupied by his son, William. He was the father of seven children, four
of whom are now living. He died in 1815, and was buried at Milton, where
his brother William also rests.
Lewis LYON was an early settler in this town, having located on
road 6, upon the farm now occupied by his grandson, Lewis. Mr. LYON was
a thorough businessman, was town clerk for many years, and took an active
part in public affairs. His son, Henry F., was born here September 6, 1810,
and resided here until his death, in 1859. He married Elizabeth MITCHELL,
and had a family of three children, Lewis, Henry F., and Henrietta (Mrs.
M. A. EVEREST, of Addison, Vt.).
Hawley WITTERS, from Connecticut, settled in Georgia., Vt., about
the year 1790, where his son, Horace, was born, December 25, 1794. Horace
subsequently removed to this town, locating upon the farm now owned by
his son, Alson L. He married Clarissa BASFORD, had a family of four children,
and died here, August 26, 1878, surviving his wife's death about six weeks.
John JACKSON, from Weybridge, Vt., came to Milton in 1794, and located
in the western part of the town, on road 30. He was twice married, had
a family of fourteen children, and died here in 1877, aged eighty five
years. His son, Giles, came here with his father, being then two years
of age. He subsequently married Rebecca MEARS, and had a family of four
children, three of whom are now living, two, Harrison and Andrew, in this
town.
Jonathan WOODS, from Goffstown, N. H., came to Milton previous to
the year 1800, and located upon the farm now owned by Charles RICH, on
road 2. Ebenezer, son of Jonathan, came with his father, and subsequently
married Sylvia RICE, and had a family of eleven children, seven of whom
arrived at maturity. Henry L. occupies the old homestead and has a family
of six children.
Asa NEWELL came to Milton previous to the year 1800, and located
in the southern part of the town, upon the farm now owned by his grandson,
L. N. SMITH. He had a family of nine children, several of whose descendants
now reside here
Mark WATSON, from New Hampshire, came to Milton about the year 1800,
and located on road 27, upon the place now known as Camp Watson, where
he resided until his death. David, son of Mark, born here in 1803, remained
on the old place until his death, August 22, 1878. David's widow and their
son now own the old homestead.
Seth RICE, from Hardwick, Mass., settled in Georgia, Vt., previous
to 1800, and in 1798 or 1799, removed to this town, locating on road 27,
upon the farm now owned by his son, Lester. He married Mary HAMMOND, had
a. family of six children, and died June 2, 1859. Lester was born July
7, 1811, married Caroline CHILDS, and has three sons. Gardner, Herbert
and Lucius M.
John MEARS came to this town, from Fair Haven, Vt., previous to
1800, and located upon the farm now owned by his grandson Rodney. He had
a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters. The only son now
living is Elias, who resides in Milton, aged seventy-five years. John died
February 8, 1860, at an advanced age.
Isaac BLAKE was born at Strafford, Vt., February 3, 1781, and settled
in Milton about the year 1800, locating upon the farm now owned by J. FLINN,
on road 26. He married Phebe LADD, had a family of seven children, four
sons and three daughters, and died May 25, 1870, His wife died in 1826.
John BLAKE, in 1830, settled upon the farm now owned by his grandson,
G. W. BLAKE. His son Jonathan married Sallie BASFORD, had a family of eight
children, and died in 1856. G. W., Jonathan's son, has been twice married,
and is the father of seven children. He has been engaged extensively in
wool dealing.
Daniel MARRS, from Massachusetts, settled in the eastern part of
the town, upon road 55, about the year 1800. He remained here about ten
years, then returned to Massachusetts, where he died. His sons, Philander
and Sidney S., finally returned to Milton. Philander married Sallie BRIGHAM
for his first wife, and Sarah BUTLER for his second, and still resides
here, aged seventy eight years. His daughter, Mary E., is the wife of G.
T. MEAD. Sidney S. married Esther TUBBS, and had a family of five children,
all of whom are now living. He died August 21, 1881.
William POWELL, a veteran of the Revolution, settled here just previous
to 1800. He had a family of eleven children, one of whom, James, was two
years of age when he came to the town. James married Miss S. SMITH, had
a family of ten children, and died here in 1872. His son Eben was twice
married and had three children, all of whom are now living in Milton.
Lyman BURGESS, one of the oldest residents of the town, was born
at Grafton, Vt., March 6, 1798, and came to Milton in 1826. He was a stirring,
energetic man, and at once engaged in the mercantile business, following
that vocation until October, 1877, a period of fifty one years. During
a considerable portion of the time he operated largely in lumbering, buying
and clearing many valuable tracts of pine timber, which was very abundant
when he first came here. He owned a fine water privilege and ran a saw
mill and paper mill many years. He was married, January 22, 1828, to Lucia
DAY, daughter of Warren and Keziah HILL, of Milton, and at once began house
keeping in a dwelling he had previously built, and which he still occupies,
together with three generations of his descendants, all born in this house.
James NAY, from Petersboro, N. H., came to Milton in 1804, and settled
in the northern part of the town, near Snake Mountain. He had a family
of nine children, and died in 1830, aged about ninety years. Robert, son
of James, came here with his father and located near him, and died in 1842,
leaving a family of twelve children, six of whom are now living. Nelson
S. M., son of Robert, was born in 1819, married Hannah HOLMES, and had
three children, two of whom are now living, one, Young G., in this town.
Edmond LAMB, Jr., located in the southern part of this town in 1805,
and resided here most of the time until his death, in 1862. He married
Sarah ALLEN and had a family of nine children, two of whom are living.
One of these, Alvin J., born in 1814, resides on road 33, and has several
children.
Isaiah MARTIN came to Milton in 1809, and settled in the western
part of the town upon what is now known as Camp Everest, the present property
of Isaiah, Jr. He had a family of eleven children, and died here April
21, 1858. Isaiah, Jr., married Paulina SMITH and has three children, all
of whom reside in Milton.
Luther FULLAM, born at Fitzwilliam, N. H., February 13, 1789, came
to Milton in 1811, locating on road 40, where he has since resided. He
is now; at the age of ninety three years, the oldest man in the town. He
married Martha CARPENTER and had three children, only one of whom, Sarah
F., widow of John FAXON, is now living.
Joseph CLARK, one of the most prominent and influential men who
ever resided in Milton, was born in Addison County, Vt., February 2, 1795.
At the age of five or six years he removed with his parents to Madison
County, N. Y., where he resided until about eighteen years of age, when,
after a short residence in the northern part of the State, he returned
to Vermont, and subsequently, about the year 1816, located in Milton, at
the village, where he remained until his death, May 17, 1879. Here he became
extensively engaged in lumbering and mercantile pursuits, amassing a large
fortune. When the Vermont & Canada Railroad received its charter, he,
together with John SMITH (father of Ex Gov. SMITH), and Lawrence BRAINERD,
became a prime mover in the enterprise, having at one time his entire fortune
invested. He was a director of that road, and subsequently a director and
trustee of the Central Vermont R. R. He also held many public trusts, all
of which he conducted with honor and intelligence. Possessed of great firmness
and executive ability, he yet had a nature that won for him many friends
throughout the State, and the respect and confidence of all. He was united
in matrimony with Lois LYON, of Colchester, who bore him six children,
four of whom reached a mature age. His son, Jed P., now occupies the old
homestead, and is one of the most prominent men of the town. As early as
1858, Jed P. became a director of the Vermont & Canada R. R., and in
1875, became a director of the Central Vermont, a position he still retains.
William HOWARD
came to Milton, from Connecticut, in 1814, and located
on road four, upon the farm now owned by his sons, Henry and Samuel. He
died May 28, 1876.
Nathan LINCOLN settled in the northern part of the town in 1814,
where he resided until his death. He had a family of seven children, one
of whom, Nathan, Jr., still resides here, aged seventy one years. He has
held most of the town offices, was associate judge three years, and has
been a notary public and justice of the peace for over forty years.
Jedediah WHEELER, from Connecticut, settled in the southern part
of the town, on road 60, in 1818. He married Amanda HICKOK, had five children,
two of whom are now living, and died October 16, 1863. His widow and their
daughter Julia (Mrs. MORTEN), occupy the old homestead.
John H. WOODWARD, "the fighting chaplain of Vermont," was born in
Charlotte in 1809. He is a Congregational minister, haring preached in
this county since 1826, excepting six years. He entered the army in 1861,
as chaplain of the 1st Vt. Cavalry, and was at the front with his men during
each engagement of that regiment, winning for himself the soubriquet of
the "Fighting Chaplain." He married Emily D. MOREHOUSE, and had a family
of six children, four of whom are still living. In addition to preaching
the gospel thirteen years, he has served the town as superintendent of
schools and State senator.
Dr. Benjamin FAIRCHILD was born in Georgia, Vt., in 1804, lived
there until he was twenty two years of age, studied medicine at Burlington,
in 1829, attended a course of lectures at Castleton, and located in Milton
as a physician, February 11, 1830. He soon became one of the leading physicians
of this section, and even now, at his advanced age, continues to practice
some.
Dr. F. B. HATHEWAY was born in Georgia, Vt., in 1819, married Lucia
BARTLETT and had one child, Franklin B., who studied medicine at Woodstock,
and settled at Milton in 1849, where he has practiced since. His son, Frank
B., graduated from the Burlington Medical College June r, 1879, and now
practices with his father.
Albert Gallatin WHITTEMORE was born at White Creek, N. Y., January
16, 1797, the son of John and Abigail WHITTEMORE, the latter being a daughter
of Gideon OLIN, of Shaftsbury, Vt., and half sister of judge Abram OLIN,
late of Washington, D. C. His parents came to St. Albans, Vt., in 1799,
and he there received his early education. While at school, in September,
1814, he joined the volunteers on their way to the battle of Plattsburgh,
crossing the lake in a row boat. He first studied law with Hon. Stephen
P. BROWN, of Swanton, and next with Hon. Heman ALLEN, of Milton, completing
his course with judge ALDIS, of St. Albans, and was admitted to practice
March 16, 1821, at the Franklin County court. He first opened an office
at South Hero, but came to Milton in 1824, where he gained a large practice
and was extremely successful. He married Abbie CLARK, September 14, 1826,
and resided on the home farm of her parents at Checkerberry village until
his death. He often held official positions in town, and was State's attorney
for the county; represented
Milton in the legislature four terms, and,
in 1851, was county senator. The Sand Bar bridge was constructed by Mr.
WHITTEMORE in connection with Samuel BOARDMAN, Esq., in 1849 and 1850,
which remains a permanent monument to their memory. About this time he
became interested in railroad enterprises, and was an earnest advocate
of the extension of the Rutland & Burlington R. R. to Swanton, and
predicted, as has since come to pass, that a road upon the New York shore
would be built within twenty five years, if the charter was rejected. In
1852, he was associated with Messrs. T. D. CHITTENDEN, John BRADLEY and
N. L. WHITTEMORE, in the construction of a large portion of the Central
Ohio R. R., and on the 10th of November of that year was accidentally killed
at Zanesville, O., by a blow from an iron bar in a capstan unexpectedly
set in motion by an approaching vessel. Mr. WHITTEMORE left a widow and
four children: Mrs. BARNUM, of Milton, Clark F. WHITTEMORE, an attorney
of New York, lately deceased, Don Juan WHITTEMORE, of Milwaukee, chief
engineer of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R., and Albert G.
WHITTEMORE, an attorney of Burlington. He was a thorough student, a lawyer
of strict integrity and rare ability, and an excellent advocate and public
speaker. He was a man of untiring energy, possessing public spirit, independent
judgment, and was foremost in educational matters and all public improvements.
His loss was deeply mourned by his townsmen and a large circle of friends
throughout the State.
Amos IVES, from Wallingford, Conn., came to this town about the
year 1800, locating in the western part upon the farm now owned by Isaiah
MARTIN. His family consisted of his wife and one daughter, Samantha. The
daughter married Alfred LADD, who died February 23, 1882, aged eighty-eight
years. She now lives with her son, E. L. LADD, in Georgia, at the age of
eighty-one years. Her only other surviving child is Charles LADD, a merchant
at Milton village, where he has been engaged in trade for the past sixteen
years. Amos, her father, died in 1867, aged eighty nine years.
The First Congregational Church, located at Milton Falls, was organized
September 21, 1804, by Rev. Lemuel HAYES and James DAVIS, with fifteen
members. Until 1807, the church was supplied with only occasional preaching;
but on September 23d of that year, Rev. Joseph CHEENEY was constituted
its pastor by a council composed of Revs. P. V. BOGUE, James PARKER, and
Benjamin WOOSTER and their delegates. The first house of worship was erected
in 1806 or 1807, the expense being mostly sustained by judge Noah SMITH,
who also gave to the society the land adjoining, for a cemetery. A second
building was constructed in 1823, a few rods north of the first, and destroyed
by fire in 1840. The present building was erected in 1841, upon the site
of the former, at a cost of about $16,000.00. It comfortably seats four
hundred persons, and is valued, including grounds, at about its original
cost. The society now has ninety five members, with Rev. J. H. WOODWARD,
pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Milton. -- This society was organized
at an early date, and supplied with itinerant preachers for a time, until
Rev. E. B. HUFF was appointed their first regular pastor. The society now
has a large membership, with Rev. Robert E. CHRYSTIE, as pastor. It has
three houses of worship, one at Milton Borough, one at West Milton, and
another at Milton Falls. The building at West Milton was erected in 1831,
and thoroughly repaired and modernized in 1859. The expense was borne in
union with the Congregational society, and they both now occupy it, each
on alternate Sundays. The edifice at the Borough was built in 1860.. It
is a wood structure capable of seating 300 persons, and is valued at $2,000.00.
A brick building was constructed at the Falls in 1841, and destroyed by
fire in July, 1868, when it was superceded by the present wood structure,
which will seat 300 persons, and is valued at $4,000.00.
St. Anne's Catholic Church, located at Milton Falls, was organized
by Bishop DeGOESBRIAND, who acted as its first pastor, in 1859. Their church
was built during the same year, a pleasant, commodious brick structure,
capable of seating 300 persons. The society now has 300 communicants, with
Rev. Charles PREVOST, pastor.
The Trinity Episcopal Church, located at Milton village, was organized
by Rev. George T. CHAPMAN, D. D., in the winter of 1831, with about twenty
communicants. It never has had an edifice of its own, but has worshiped
in the town hall, school house, and hotel parlors. For nearly twenty years,
owing to adverse circumstances, services were suspended, to be resumed
again, in 1867, by the Rev. John A HICKS, D. D., of Burlington, since which
time they have been sustained by different missionaries. The society now
has about seventeen members, under the charge of Rev. Gemont GRAVES, of
Burlington.
Gazetteer and
Business Directory of
Chittenden
County, Vt. For 1882-83
Compiled
and Published by Hamilton Child
Printed
At The Journal Office, Syracuse, N. Y,
August,
1882.
Pages 238-249.
Transcribed
by Karima Allison ~ 2004
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