GAZETTEER OF TOWNS
GAZETTEER OF ORANGE COUNTY, VT. 
1762-1888.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF 
THETFORD

      THETFORD is situated in the southeast corner of Orange county, in latitude 43° 50' and longitude 4° 43,' and is bounded north by Fairlee and West Fairlee, east by Connecticut river, which separates it from Lyme, N. H., south by Norwich, in Windsor county, and west by Strafford. It was granted by Governor Benning WENTWORTH, of New Hampshire, August 12, 1761, to extend six miles north and south, and seven miles west from Connecticut river on the south line, and six miles on the north line. It was divided into sixty-eight shares, and contained 23,200 acres. The grantees were John PHELPS, Esq., Aaron, Roger, Alexander, Davenport, Amos, Timothy, Asahel, Roswell, Isaac and Oliver PHELPS, and John, Jr., Alexander, Jr., and Asahel PHELPS, Jr.; Capt. Samuel FILER, John, Samuel, and Samuel FILER, Jr.; David CARVER; David, Oliver and Aaron BARBER; Israel SMITH; Israel POST; Obadiah, Daniel, Daniel, Jr., and Talcott HOSFORD; Capt. William BUELL; David MILLER; Benjamin, Benjamin, Jr., and Ebenezer BALDWIN; Daniel and Joseph GRISWOLD; Ezekiel, Samuel, Jr., Eliphas and Joel JONES; Wm. CANADA; Daniel TILLOTSON and Daniel TILLOTSON, Jr.; Joseph SKINNER; Phillip MATTOON; Stephen PALMER; Jonathan, Elijah and Caleb ROOT; Israel TAYLOR; Josiah COLEMAN; Azariah BEACH; Theodore ATKINSON and Theodore ATKINSON, Jr.; Benning, Hunking, Mark H., John and John WENTWORTH, Esq., and Samuel Wentworth BENTON; Henry HELTON; Rev. William FOGG and Wiseman CLAGGETT; with the usual minister's eight, glebe, and school rights, and 500 acres to the governor.

      On September 16, 1761, a meeting of the proprietors was held at Hebron, Conn., and a committee consisting of Jonathan ROOT, Joshua and John PHELPS, Jr., Josiah COLEMAN, William WHITE, Joseph DEWEY, Solomon TARBOX, and David CARVER, chosen to visit the township with a surveyor and lay out a road across it, northwardly and southwardly, eight rods wide, and one fifty acre lot to each proprietor, said lots to be fifty rods wide and one end bounded on the road. This committee reached the township October 8, 1761, and beginning on the south line 292 rods from the river, laid the road northwardly to the Fairlee line near the lake, and the lots sixty-six in numbee. At a meeting of the proprietors in Hebron, Conn., December 16, 1761, these lots were drawn, the number of each lot being written on a slip of paper and drawn by a man blindfolded one for each proprietor.

      The first town meeting shown upon the records was held at the house of Abner CHAMBERLIN, in Thetford, March 8, 1768, when the following officers were chosen: John CHAMBERLIN, moderator; Abner HOWARD, town clerk; Samuel GILLETT, John CHAMBERLIN, and Josiah GOODRICH, selectmen; Noah SWEETLAND, constable; Zebedee HOWARD, Benjamin CHAMBERLIN and Joseph DOWNER, assessors; Abner CHAMBERLIN, treasurer; Ebenezer GREEN, collector; Edward HOWARD, Joseph HOSFORD, and Richard BAXTER, surveyors of highways; Samuel WISE and Elijah HOWARD, deer reeves; Samuel OSBORN and ,Joseph DOWNER, hog constables; Zebedee HOWARD and Joseph HOSFORD, fence viewers; Joseph DOWNER and Edward HOWARD, tythingmen. At this meeting it was voted to join with Lyme, N. H., in hiring preaching for the ensuing summer.

      October 15, 1768, the proprietors "voted that John STRONG shall have sixty acres provided he build a good grist-mill and saw-mill on Gun Brook, by November 20, 1796," and David TYLER was voted a similar portion of land if he would build a grist-mill and saw-mill on " the brook near Mr. John CHAMBERLIN's." The lands were voted to each of the above men, May 15, 1771, for having built the said mills, which were undoubtedly the first in town.

      The principal water-courses traversing the town are the Ompompanoosuc river, which enters from West Fairlee near the northeast corner, flows in a nearly southerly course into Norwich about two and one-half miles west of the southeast corner of Thetford; and the west branch of Ompompanoosuc, which, entering from Strafford on the west line about one mile north of the southwest corner, flows southeasterly and joins the main stream about a mile north of Union Village. There are two small streams on the eastern side of the town which empty into the Connecticut, the more northerly one kown as Gun brook, from the tradition that a settler of the lower "Cohos," who was one of a party who came down the river in a canoe and followed this stream back into the forest, broke his gun in leaping the brook while hastening back in alarm to his canoe, fearing an Indian attack. No large ponds lie wholly within this town, although Fairlee lake is one-half within its borders, finds its outlet by way of Ompompanoosuc, and furnishes an unfailing reservoir for the manufacturers at Post Mills and below. Mud pond, on Thetford hill, is of little importance except as the source of the ice supply of that village and the Center. Child's pond is smaller but is worthy of special note as a natural curiosity. Lying less than 200 feet from Connecticut river its surface is over 150 feet above that stream, while the soil underlying the pond is composed of quicksand, a fact in itself sufficient to make it remarkable that it remains there. There is no visible outlet or inlet to the pond, and the land slopes away to a lower level within a short distance on all sides, yet through all seasons the pond remains with little variation and unknown depth.

      The underlying rocks in Thetford are mica schist, clay slate, and calciferous mica schist, the latter predominating. Lead and silver have been taken in noteworthy quantities from a mine worked fifty years ago on the farm now owned by H. A. CUMMINGS at the "Hill." Beds of steatite are in the southeastern and eastern part near Connecticut river. The surface of the township is very irregular. That portion bordering upon Connecticut river consists of a free, light soil, easily worked, extending back at an easy grade, or in a series of broad terraces, from one-fourth to one mile in width. The principal ridge of land extends north and south through the town, about midway between the Connecticut and Ompampanoosuc rivers, being highest toward the northern line. The western portion is cut up by many small streams, and steep hills and narrow valleys predominate. There is an abundance of excellent pasturage, and many fine farms are cultivated. Some pine timber remains in the eastern section, but most of the present forest growth is sugar maple, the product from which, in quantity and quality, is justly noted.

      In 1880 Thetford had a population of 1,529. In 1886 the town had fifteen school districts and an equal number of common schools, employing three male and twenty-four female teachers, who received an average weekly salary, including board, of $6.50 and $4.50 respectively. There were 333 scholars, sixty-six of whom attended private schools. The entire income for school purposes was $2,263.36, while the expenditures amounted to $1,891.38, with W. L. PAINE, superintendent.

      Thomas H. CHUBB's Fishing-rod manufactory, at Post Mills, was established by the present proprietor in 1869. He first bought and enlarged the old HINCKLEY oil-mill, but had barely placed the necessary machinery, in position when it was swept away by the October freshet, in 1869. He immediately rebuilt, erecting a wooden building 35x120 feet, three and a half stories high, with an ell 24x30 feet for an engine-room, and began business in the spring of 1870. In February, 1875, the buildings were destroyed by fire, and immediately rebuilt. The works are lighted by gas, heated by steam, and the machinery operated by either steam or water-power. Since the start the business has steadily increased, new machinery and appliances have been added as the necessity appeared, and now one man can with the machinery used do the work of five in 1872. The business furnishes employment for from fifty to sixty persons, and produces about $75,000 worth of rods, reels, and fishing tackle annually. Mr. CHUBB supplies the trade and does a custom order business. The best rods are made of selected split bamboo, and range in weight from four to twenty-four ounces. Mr. CHUBB also controls two saw-mills, which furnish lumber for the fishing-rod factory. It is expected that this factory will soon be removed to Bradford, where the business will be run by a stock company.

      SAYER Brothers' extension table manufactory, at Thetford Center, has been owned and operated by the present proprietors since 1883. They manufacture from cherry, birch and ash, do custom planing, sawing and turning, and repair wagons and sleighs. The machinery is operated by an excellent water-power.

      MOULTON Brothers' grist-mill, at Thetford Center, was built by Stephen A. FISH & Son about sixteen years ago, upon the water-privilege of the old PORTER mill. It was bought by the present proprietors in 1883, contains two runs of stones, is operated by water-power, and does custom grinding. They also manufacture butter tubs, meat barrels, etc.

      S.M. Ladd & Son's steam saw-mill, at North Thetford, was built by S. M. LADD in 1883, and burned in April, 1886. It was at once rebuilt and fitted with machinery for sawing and dressing lumber, sawing shingles and lath, turning chair stock and grinding feed. It has the capacity for manufacturing from 300,000 to 700,000 feet of lumber annually, and gives employment to from two to five men.

      John A. KENNEDY's saw-mill, on road 14, corner 18, was purchased by the present owner in 1884. It is run by water-power, does custom work, and has the capacity for manufacturing from 100,000 to 150,000 feet of lumber and about 200,000 chair stretchers annually.

      WATSON & THICKET's carriage repairing, painting and blacksmith shop, at North Thetford, was established in 1882.

      James E. BARRETT's saw and grist-mill, near Union Village, came into his possession in 1881. The grist-mill was added in 1884. They are operated either by steam or water-power, saw from 50,000 to 60,000 feet of lumber and grind about 20,000 bushels of grain per year.

      The Star flour and grist mill, at Post Mills, is a new, commodious, and well-appointed establishment owned by Phineas KIMBALL, of Nauvoo, Ill., and operated by H. C. PUTNAM.

      BURR & BACON's cider-mill, on road 15, manufactures about 400 barrels of cider a year. 

      Thetford academy is perhaps more widely known than any other public institution in the town because of the large number who have pursued the road to knowledge through its portals. It was established in 1819, largely through the influence and labors of Capt. Lyman FITCH, who urged and secured in the legislature the division of the state fund, and also gave the timber and did much of the work to erect a building for its use. The first principal was John FITCH, who was succeeded by Carlos SMITH, E. E. MARSH, and DeForest RICHARDS. Hiram ORCUTT, now at the head of the Bureau of Education in Boston, Mass., was the next principal, and held the position from 1843 to 1855, during which time over 2,500 pupils were given instruction here. After Mr. ORCUTT severed his connection with the school Gilbert E. HOOD served from 1856 to '58, and J. W. NORTON till 1861. David TURNER was principal from March, 1869, for over twelve years, and was succeeded by B. M. WELD, who held the position from December, 1881, to May, 1883, and W. H. CUMMINGS from that time to the present. 'Under Mr. CUMMINGS's management the school has averaged from sixty-five to one hundred pupils and has enjoyed a high degree of popularity. His own large and successful experience, and an able corps of assistants, make this equal in efficiency to any similar institution the state affords.

      Latham Memorial library, which now numbers about 3,000 volumes, is. the result of a bequest in the will of Mrs. Azubah LATHAM BARNEY, in 1875. She was a daughter of Capt. William Harris LATHAM, for many years a highly esteemed member of the First Congregational church of Thetford. To her legacies of $5,000 to the Congregational church and $5.000 to the society, other members of the LATHAM family have added gifts, making the total amount about $16,000 donated by this family for the public institutions of the town. The library building was built partly by subscription and party from the fund, and cost about $2,000. The library was opened to the public in July, 1877.

      Peabody library. -- In the early part of this century there came to Post Mills a poor boy to live temporarily in the family of his mother's brother, Eliphalet S. DODGE. His name was George PEABODY. How his after life was passed, his grand financial success, and his memorial benefactions are well known. Among them he remembered the village where a portion of his, youth was passed, and in the summer of 1866, while on a visit here, tendered the gift of a public library to the two school districts composing the village. Accordingly, in September, 1866, he transferred to a committee chosen for the purpose $5,000 in books and securities, $2,000 of which was safely invested, the income to be used in the purchase of new books. He afterwards gave $500 additional to the building fund. The building, a tasteful wooden structure, cost $1,500. The site was presented by Hon. Harvey DODGE, who has always served as librarian. The benefits to be derived from over 3,000 volumes are thus made free to the inhabitants of this village, and the privilege may be extended at the discretion of the board of trustees.

      September 15, 1769, by vote of the town, Col. Jacob BAYLEY, of Newbury, was selected as agent to petition the governor of New York for "privileges, both civil and military, or either of them," for the inhabitants of Thetford, a mission he seems to have undertaken in behalf of several towns jointly.

      In 1774 warnings for meetings were dated "Province of New York, Gloucester, ss."

      Early in 1777 a negative vote was passed on the question, "whether we are willing the convention of the State of New Connecticut should emit a bank of £10,000," and later chose Abner CHAMBERLIN representative "to the convention of Vermont" at Windsor, with the munificent salary of nine shillings per day, "he to bear his own expenses."

      In 1777 Capt. John STRONG, John WRIGHT, John ROBINSON and William MOOR served as a committee of safety, and the same year seven men suspected of tory sentiments were disarmed by the committee and made to take the oath of allegiance before their arms were restored. March 26, 1777, William MOOR, Abner HOWARD and Joseph HOSFORD, the "committee of inspection," took, according to an act or resolve of Congress, the real estate and personal property of Thomas SUMNER, who had left town on account of tory sympathies, and placed Capt. John STRONG in charge of it, with instructions "to inspect the boys and see that they are kept at work" for the maintenance of themselves and the family.

      August 25, 1780, the town "voted to raise six men one month as scouts to guard the frontier," and chose Solomon STRONG, commander, and Amos CHAMBERLIN, captain. Capt. William HEATON and Major Israel SMITH were selected as a committee to provide for the six. The remuneration to each soldier was eight bushels of wheat per month, as wages; and by vote of a subsequent meeting an allowance of "a gill and a half of Rhum per day and other necessary provisions."

      February 21, 1784, "voted to petition the Assembly to make Thetford a half shire town," and an almanac for 1786 shows that the supreme court of Vermont was to be held in Thetford on the third Tuesday in February, and the Orange county court the second Tuesday in June.

      The following is a list of the soldiers of the Revolution who are buried in the several cemeteries in Thetford, and is as complete as we have been able to make it: Richard WALLACE, Solomon CUMMINGS, Joshua TYLER, Joshua PALMER, John FRIZZLE, Josiah Hubbard, Thaddeus LADD, Richmond CRANDALL, Ensign Joseph WARE, Simon GILLETT, Col. Jonathan CHILD, Cyrel CHILD, Capt. William HEATON, Capt. HOWARD, Capt. RYLEY, Bethuel NEWCOMB, Solomon STRONG, Robert FOREST, Joseph FOSTER, Lemuel SOUTHWORTH, John GUILD, Joseph BRUCE, John GODFREY, James TYLER, ____ KEYES, Job MORSE, Daniel D. BRYANT, and Levi PARKER.

      The following soldiers of the War of 1812, including many "Plattsburgh Volunteers," are also buried in this town: Timothy ABBOTT, Nehemiah HOWE, Eliakim FRIZZLE, Capt. John TYLER, Elijah TILDEN, ____ PUTNAM, Col. Lyman FITCH, Lyman WALKER, GEORGE W. Holton, Thomas WARE, Joseph WARE, Capt. Oliver TAYLOR, Josiah PALMER, Jared HOSFORD, Aaron WILCOX, Calvin HOSFORD, Eben CUMMINGS, Ira W. JOHNSON, Capt. W. H. LATHAM, Lyman HOWARD, Capt. Isaac BALCH, Capt. Orange HEATON, Lieut. William HEATON, Col. Oramel HINCKLEY, Capt. Ambrose STRONG, Joseph HOSFORD, Alva HEATON, Bela CHILD, James HEATON, George MALTBY, Lemuel COLBURN, Jesse MCCLARY, David BRUCE, John GODFREY, Jr., Henry GILLETT, Ebenezer WEST, Joseph CHAMBERLIN, Darius MOORE, and Thomas COLBY.

      Thetford furnished, under all calls in the civil war, 133 men, including two captains, three lieutenants, nine sergeants, eleven corporals, two quartermaster-sergeants, and two surgeons. Of these, fourteen died of disease while in the service; two died of wounds, or were killed in battle; nine were wounded in action; sixteen were discharged for disability; twenty (of whom seventeen were substitutes) deserted; five were taken prisoners; seven residents from Thetford served from other states, and nine from other towns. The town paid $28,525 in bounties, and $500 expenses. Commutations paid by individuals amounted to $1,500, and $6,600 was paid for substitutes. The following soldiers of the civil war are buried in this town: Lieut. L. SANBORN, Solon PORTER, Chester FRANKLIN, Charles H. HALL, Isaac A. BALCH, J. Foster PALMER, William C. BABCOCK, Phineas S. PALMER, Arthur W. COMBS, Capt. E. P. FROST, Quincey CAREY, George CURRIER, Lucian CURRIER, Orange ALDRICH, Ransom ALDRICH, Timothy ROWELL, John SQUIRES, Ira W. MOORE, Joshua N. STEVENS, William YARRINGTON, Samuel MACKEY, ____ CILLEY, Rufus D. ROBINSON, James W. PARKER, Silas TURNER, Edward CARPENTER, and William CARPENTER.

      A short sketch of the early physicians here will be of interest to many. The first practitioner of the “healing art " in Thetford was undoubtedly Dr. Augustus BURGOYNE, who settled where Henry A. CUMMINGS now lives, and was the only physician in town for a number of years. His name is first found upon the records in 1781. His successors have been many; but of few can we present any definite account. At Thetford Hill Dr. Elijah HAMMOND settled about 1790. He was born in Tolland, Conn., and when he was fifteen years old his parents removed to Norwich. He studied medicine with Dr. LEWIS, of Norwich, married Lydia Hutchinson, of that place, and passed most of his life in Thetford, dying at Hebron, N. H., at the age of eighty-six-years. Dr. Thomas KENDRICK came from Hanover, N. H., to Thetford Hill, and was a physician and merchant. Of Dr. LEFFINGWELL and Dr. Joram ALLEN we-only learn that they practiced here.

      Dr. Daniel PALMER removed from Poultney to this place in the summer of 1825, and continued in practice here six years, when, having been appointed -to a professorship in the medical college at Woodstock, he removed thither. With no early educational advantages save those afforded by a district school, by unaided effort he attained an enviable position as a practitioner and lecturer upon the science of medicine. His death, October 22, 1852, at the age of fifty-two years, occurred at Pittsfield, Mass., resulting from an accident which happened during the delivery of an illustrated lecture on chemistry.

      Dr. Samuel W. THAYER removed to Thetford from Braintree in 1832, and remained until about 1846. He passed his last years in Burlington.

      Dr. Ezra C. WORCESTER located here in 1846. He graduated from Dartmouth Medical college in the class of '38, dying in this town in July, 1887.

      At Post Mills Dr. Samuel NILES was the first resident physician. He was a son of Sands and Anna (LUDDEN) NILES, of West Fairlee, where he practiced a few years before locating here (1807), where he continued in practice until his death, in 1826. He married, first, Elizabeth KEZAR, who bore him one son, Harry H., and by his second wife, ____ WILD, he had two sons, George and Edward. Dr. Harry H. NILES, born in October, 1807, graduated from Dartmouth Medical college, and began practice at Post Mills in 1831, where, until 1881, he was an acknowledged leader as well in social and political affairs as in his profession. He was one of the original members of the Congregational church, of which he was deacon for eleven years. He served as representative three terms, and in the state senate in 1870-71. He married for his first wife Lucy HEATON, who bore him three daughters, viz.: Elizabeth K. (LOW), of Washington., D. C.; Frances W. (DODGE), of Post Mills, and Kate (GAREY), of Columbia, S. C. By his second wife, Catharine (GILLETT) NILES, he has one daughter, Mary G.

      Dr. Heman H. GILLETT was born on his present homestead in 1824, the eldest son of Henry and Hannah (WALLACE) GILLETT. He was educated at Thetford academy, graduated from Dartmouth Medical college in 1846, established a practice in Corinth in 1848, where he continued until the breaking  out of the war. Being at Montpelier in 1861 as representative from Corinth, he was commissioned assistant surgeon of the 8th Vermont Volunteers, and entered upon the performance of his duties. Most of his army life was passed in the Louisiana campaigns, and he was mustered out at the close of the war as surgeon-in-chief of the second division of the sixth army corps. Returning to Thetford he settled down upon the paternal homestead, where, with his sister, he still resides. He has served his town two years as representative, was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1869, and since 1886 has served on the United States examining board for pensions.

      At Thetford Center there is now no physician, though there have at different times been a number located here in the practice of medicine, among whom were Dr. CLARK, Dr. TOBIN, who was killed in the army, Dr. HOWARD, an Englishman, who acquired wide notoriety by his daring experiments and many notable cures, and who left the town somewhat under a cloud, and Dr. GOODWIN.

      Union Village has not lacked for numbers in the profession, though but few remained any considerable length of time. Dr. William SWETT came from Salisbury, N. H., practiced about forty years, and died here. Dr. TYLER, a graduate of the Vermont Medical college when at Woodstock, went to Vershire. Dr. Israel HINCKLEY, son of Joseph, graduated from Dartmouth college, and died in this town. Dr. SPENCER also practiced here. Dr. Cyrus Hamilton ALLEN left town as assistant surgeon of the 8th Vermont Volunteers, became assistant surgeon of the 5th Regiment, and now resides in California. Drs. GILLESPIE, BLANCHARD and WELCH each remained here for a brief period. Dr. William L. PAINE, the present physician, is a native of Randolph, and a graduate of the Medical department of the University of Vermont. He settled here in 1883.

      The first settlement in Thetford was made in May, 1764, by John CHAMBERLIN, who came from Hebron, Conn. CHAMBERLIN remained here alone until the next spring, when he was joined by Abner HOWARD, Benjamin BALDWIN, Joseph HOSFORD and Joseph DOWNER, from the same place. John CHAMBERLIN, by industry, soon arose to a kind of independence among his neighbors, who dubbed him "Quail John," which name adhered to him through, life. The following verse is credited to the muse of his fellow pioneer, Samuel OSBORN:

"Old Quail John was the first that come On, 
As poor as a calf in the spring;
But now he is rich as Governor FITCH, 
And lives like a lord or a king."

      Ebenezer CHAMBERLIN, son of John, was one of three or four Thetford men who served both in the Revolution and War of 1812, entering the army first when about sixteen years of age. He cleared a farm on the hill north of Thetford village, now included in the homestead of his grandson, Oramel F. His wife was a daughter of Noah SWETLAND, and their children were Hazen, Anson, Russell, Seaver, Beriah, Lucinda and Eliza. Hazen passed his life in Thetford, dying in December, 1867, aged seventy years. His first wife, Clarissa WOOD, bore him two sons, and by his second wife, Asenath DOWNER, he reared four, of whom Austin H., of Fairlee, married Sarah TIBBETTS, of Bradford; Harvey A. is deceased; Oramel F. married Olive M. BRADLEY, of Norwich; Wesley H. is a farmer in this town.

      Joseph CHAMBERLIN, son of John, served in the War of 1812. He married Electa SAYER, and their children were Mariah, who married John LADD, Mercy A. (Mrs. A. WILMOT), Jane F., Edson C., George C., Lucian C., Olive J., Marcus A., Sylvanus S., Solon, M., and Julia A. (Mrs. WALLACE). Edson C. was a physician and died in Connecticut; George C. is a farmer in Minnesota; Lucian C. is a farmer in Missouri; Marcus A. is a physician in Winthrop, Iowa; Sylvanus S., a farmer, died in Littleton, N. H.; Solon M. is a farmer in Northfield, Minn.

      Joseph DOWNER, from Hebron, Conn., came to Thetford the second year of its settlement. He settled where Henry DOWNER now lives, the first house being built upon the meadow near the river. He had two sons, Cushman and Gardner, and several daughters. Gardner married Mabel RANSTEAD, and to them were born two sons, Ranstead and H. Harrison, and five daughters. Sabrina, widow of T. J. COMBS, is the only one of these children now living. Henry, son of H. Harrison, occupies the farm on which Joseph settled in 1765.

      Joseph, Aaron, Elihu and Obadiah HOSFORD, from Hebron, Conn., were early settlers in this town. Joseph, the first here, came with his wife and infant daughter, March 3. 1766, and settled on the present A. B. WILCOX farm. He was born in Hebron, Conn, in 1743. His wife, Mary PETERS, was a descendant of Andrew PETERS, from Amsterdam, Holland, who located in Andover, Mass., in 1665. They had a stockade of posts surrounding their house, which was a haven of refuge in times of alarm during the Revolutionary war. Twelve children were born to them. Col. Heman HOSFORD, one of the sons, was a man of affairs, and excellent as a military officer. Aaron HOSFORD located here a short time after his brother, on the farm now owned by his grandson, Abner B. He was a blacksmith, the first in town, and married Lucy STRONG, by whom he had four children -- Aaron, Jr., Joseph, John, and Lucy. The mother of the pioneers Joseph, Aaron, Elihu and. Obadiah came to Thetford and passed her later years with her sons, dying at the house of Aaron. Clarence Kent HOSFORD, son of J. Tracy, is of the sixth generation who have occupied the same farm. Aaron, Jr., went to New York. John remained in town, but his sons removed to the West. Joseph married Abigail, daughter of Timothy BARTHOLOMEW, and reared twelve children. Their eldest son, Isaac, graduated from Dartmouth college and Andover Theological seminary, preached many years in Massachusetts, and in 1860 returned to his native town, where he died in 1883. He was a. man of great learning, benevolence and piety. Urial was a farmer and gave up his personal ambitions to provide means to educate his brothers and sisters. He married Martha KINSMAN and reared three sons and two daughters. Josiah was a mason and builder. Willard HOSFORD, M. D., graduated from Dartmouth, located in Orford, N. H., and practiced there over fifty years. Bradley resides in Springfield, Massachusetts, and is engaged in literary work. Abner B. HOSFORD has been a life-long farmer upon the old homestead. He married Eliza A. SAWYER, of Lyme, N. H., and they have one son, Joseph Tracy HOSFORD. Rev. Benjamin F. graduated from Dartmouth and was settled at Haverhill, Mass., where he died at the age of forty-six years. Of the daughters of Joseph and Abigail HOSFORD but one is now living -- Harriet M., widow of G. G. CUSHMAN. Elihu HOSFORD, the third of the four pioneers, located where C. N. BALCH now lives, previous to 1772. Deacon Jared, his son, was a town and church officer, and passed his life in Thetford. William removed to Ohio. His son Oramel is a professor in Olivet college, in Michigan. Obadiah HOSFORD, the fourth one of the brothers, located on Potato hill and reared eight children.

      Samuel GILLETT and wife, from Lebanon, Conn., were among the earliest settlers in Thetford, and located where E. P. DAY now lives. He was the first selectman of the board chosen at the organization of the town in 1768. He was a man of means, and brought with him two negro slaves, to whom he gave homes. He and his wife were among the founders of the Congregational church. They had two sons, Nijah and Simon, and eight daughters. Simon, who served in the Revolutionary war, married Mary, daughter of Joseph HOSFORD, and had born to him seven sons and eight daughters. His son Henry was orderly-sergeant of the East company in Thetford in 1814, when they started for the battle of Plattsburgh. He lived to the age of ninety-four, honored and respected, after serving his town in the highest offices. His wife, Hannah, was a daughter of Richard WALLACE. Dr. H. H. GILLETT and his sister are the only representatives of this family and name in Thetford.

      The name of HOWARD is represented in the first list of town officers by Abner, Zebedee, Edward and Elijah, and these names often recur in the early records. Zebedee came from Hebron, Conn., and located upon the present farm of C. S. SAYER, which he cleared. He married Rhoda MANN, and died in January, i800. Their only child, Mercy, married, in 1793, Sylvanus SAYER, who came from Southampton, L. I., in 1791, and they became the parents often children, of whom three died in childhood. Electa married Joseph CHAMBERLIN. Anna married Jeremiah CUMMINGS. Julia and Cynthia were first and second wives of Henry CURRIER. Zebedee Howard SAYER married. Lucy WARKS, of Springfield, Vt., reared five sons and one daughter, dying in 1880, aged seventy-five years. Sylvanus Howell SAYER married Abigail GRIFFIN, of Hanover, N. H. He served as deputy and high sheriff, and in various local offices, dying in 1882 at the age of seventy-two years. Francis Albert SAYER became a lawyer in New York.

      Israel SMITH, son of Benjamin and Hannah (BERBER) SMITH, of Colchester, Conn., was born in 1741, and was one of the few original grantees of Thetford who made a settlement here. He located where T. D. SANBORN now lives, previous to 1770. He was town clerk in 1770, served as selectman ten years, was representative to Cornish convention, secretary of the committee of safety, and judge of the county court. He died in Alstead, N. H in 1809. His wife was Jemima PAYNE, and they had two children, Israel Barber and Jemima. Israel Barber SMITH was born in June, 1771, and during his, life was a substantial farmer in his native town. About the year 1800 he made a clearing and built his cabin on the farm now owned by his grandson, Solon G., and since that time the place has never been owned outside the family. He married Anna DEWEY, was the father of three sons, and died at the age of seventy-one. His eldest son, Israel Harvey SMITH, born in 1795, was a teacher of vocal music, and for twenty years was chorister of the Congregational church at Thetford. In the militia he held the rank of colonel. For about ten years he was engaged in the manufacture of brass musical instruments at Winchester, N. H., but returned to Thetford, where he died in 1880. He married Margaret B. GRAVES, and their children are Solon G. and Anna D., the latter the wife of George LESLIE, cashier of the bank at Wells River. Oramel H. SMITH, son of Israel B., became a lawyer and practiced for fifty years at Montpelier. Royal Hammond SMITH, son of Israel B., was a manufacturer of musical instruments at Winchester, N. H., and at Thetford Center. Solon G. SMITH has devoted much of his life to the science of music, which he first taught in Thetford academy while a student there, and for eight years preceding the civil war in southern literary institutions, where his wife (Edna PENNOCK) taught drawing.

      Moses CADWELL settled where Galin TERRY now lives sometime previous to 1772. In 1779 he served as selectman. His son Moses was a farmer, and lived near the place now occupied by Carlos SLAFTER, and at one time also owned and operated a lead mine on Thetford hill. He married Sarah HOSFORD, and their eldest son, Moses H., married Elizabeth KINNEY. Harvey Hart CADWELL, son of Moses H., was born in 1831. He married Frances R. COBURN, of Newbury, is a farmer, and has four children now living.

      Timothy BARTHOLOMEW settled in Thetford about 1772. He married Esther GRANT, of Lyme, N. H., was a man of eminent piety and intellectual ability, often served his town in public office, and was commissioner of the state to sell the confiscated tory estates in Orange county in 1780. He was an accomplished surveyor, and as a trial justice was famed for his uprightness.