Holland lies in the northeastern corner of the County, in lat. 44º 58', and long. 4º 55', bounded north by the Canada line, east by Norton in Essex county, south by Morgan, and west by Derby. It contains an area  of 23,040 acres, granted by the State, March 8, 1787, and chartered October 26, 1789, to Timothy Andrus and associates. 

       The surface of the township is considerably uneven, as it lies on the slope of land on the east of Lake Memphremagog, the eastern boundary being properly the eastern ridge of the Green Mountains. Still there are no elevations prominent enough to be called mountains, except Mt.John, in the, southeastern part of the town. All of the elevations, except perhaps the one mentioned, however, are susceptible of cultivation to their very summits, and have a soil equal in richness to that of other parts of the territory, which is all of an excellent quality, producing excellent crops of grasses and grains. The principal stream is Barlow river; which flows a northwesterly course from Holland pond into Canada. Another stream of considerable importance rises near the central part of the town and flows northwesterly into Canada. Both of these streams afford some excellent mill-sites. There are also several other minor streams throughout the town. Several ponds also are found. A cluster of five are located in the northeastern corner, the largest of which is Holland pond. Another small pond lies in the southwestern corner. The rock of the territory are mostly granite and mica schist, cut by a small vein of hornblende schist. 

       In 1880, Holland had a population of 913, and in 1882, was divided into eight school districts and contained eight common schools, employing one male and ten female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $713.20. There were 365 pupils, attending common school, while the entire cost of the schools for the year, ending October 31st, was $940.67, with S. R. Fletcher, superintendent.

       Holland, a post village located in the central part of the town, contains one church (Methodist Episcopal), the town-house, a school-house, etc., and half a dozen dwellings. 

       West Holland (p. o.) is a hamlet located in the western part of the town. It consists of a store and postoffice, and a half dozen dwellings. 

       Russell A. Moulton's saw and shingle-mill, located on road 19, was built in 1878.     It has the capacity for cutting 8,000 feet of lumber and about 10,000 shingles per day. 

       Fitzgerald & Grindle's saw and shingle-mill, located on road 7, has the capacity for cutting 10,000 feet of lumber and 8,000 shingles per day. 

       Moulton & Washburn's carriage and repair shop is located in the northern part of the town. They carry on a general blacksmithing and repairing business. 

       G.B. Caswell's saw-mill, located on road 16, was built in 1850, by William Hacket, and rebuilt in 1867. It gives employment to twenty-five men and cuts about 2,000,000 feet of lumber per year. 

       G.H. Fitzgerald's saw-mill, located on the outlet of Holland pond, was built by James Boothman in 1880, and purchased by the present proprietor during the same year. It gives employment to twenty-five men and cuts 2,000,000 feet of lumber per year. 

       George H. Tice's saw and shingle-mill, located on road 13, was built by Huntoon & Hall in 1866, and came into the possession of the present proprietor in 1880. It employs twelve men and cuts 1,000,000 feet of lumber and 800,000 shingles per year. 

       Joseph A. Burbeck's carriage shop is located on road 16. He manufactures about ten wagons per year, and does a general repairing business. 

       The first meeting of the proprietors of which there is any record was held at Greensboro. June 8, 1795, at the house of Timothy Stanley. This meeting was adjourned to June 13th, and on the 13th the meeting adjourned to meet at Derby, June 29th, at the house of Isaac Hinman. A number of meetings were held at Derby, until, at a meeting held at the house of Eben Strong, it was voted that Col. Benjamin Hinman, Jonathan Gozley, Sheldon Leavitt, Timothy Andrus, William Sabin, Jr., Daniel Holbrook, and Eben Strong, be allowed to pick lots of land, on condition that they each clear off four acres each for five successive years—they giving a bond of  £100 each for the fulfillment of the condition—one fifth of the bond to be collected for each year of failure, and, the first year to end the first day of January, 1798, and etc. The lots picked according to this Vote Were Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the first range, by Col. Benjamin Hinman, Jonathan Gozley, and Sheldon Leavitt, respectively; lot No. 6, in the second range, by Eben Strong; lots No. 5 and 7, in the third range, by G.Andrus and W. Sabin; and lot No. 6, in the fifth range, by Daniel Holbrook. 

       The first settlement was commenced in 1800, by Edmund Elliot, from New Hampshire, and Joseph Cowell, from Connecticut, both locating in the southwestern part of the town. In 1802, several families came on, among whom, were Eber Robinson, from Connecticut, who took up the lot adjoining Mr. Elliott on the south, and Jesse Willey, who occupied the lot north of Mr. Elliott, and Mr. Goodenough, who settled on the lot north of Mr. Cowell, since known as the Ferrin place. During that summer Adam and Jason Hinman also took up lots in the southwestern part of the town, though they did not permanently reside here until two years later. From this time forward settlers came in more rapidly, so that the census reports of 1810, show the town to have had a population of 128. The town was organized and the first town meeting held March 14, 1805, with Timothy Hinman, moderator. Eber Robinson was chosen town clerk; Joseph Cowell, Jesse Willey, and Eber Robinson, selectmen; Jonas Smith, treasurer; Erastus Hatch, Asa Goodenough, and Freeman Vining, listers; and Erastus Hatch, grand juror. 

       The first justice of the peace was Eber Robinson, in 1815, and he was also the first representative, about 1806. The first birth was that of Royal, son of Joseph Cowell, probably in 1801. His death was also the first in town, caused by his drinking lye in mistake for maple sap, when he was about four years old. The first marriage was that of Jonathan P. Robinson and Hadros Spafford, by Eber Robinson, justice of, the peace.  The first saw-mill was built at West Holland. There was also a grist-mill and starch factory erected there, which were destroyed by fire. The first school was taught by a Mrs. Worth, in Edmund Elliott's barn. The first winter school was taught by Jason Hinman. 

       The first freemen's meeting was held on the first Tuesday in September, 1805, there being present, Eber Robinson, Parmenas Watson, Luther Wilcox, Freeman Vining, Jesse Willey, William Nelson, Asa Goodenough, and John Worth. At the freemens meeting in 1806 there were seventeen present. 

       Eber Robinson, the third settler in the town, was born in Windham, County, Conn., October 7, 1759. He served in the Revolutionary war, holding the office of quartermaster, was wounded and afterwards received a pension. In July 1802, he came to Holland with his family, and moved into the house with Edmund Elliott's family until he constructed a log house of his own. He soon cleared for himself a farm and became one of the leading men, of the town in politics and religion. He was the first town clerk, first justice, first representative, and delivered the first Fourth of July oration, about the year 1811. He died October 28, 1838, aged seventy-nine years. His son, Josiah C. Robinson, born here January 23, 1804, is now the oldest native resident of the town. He, too, has taken a leading part in public affairs, having been a justice of the peace nearly forty years, represented his townsmen in the legislature, and all the other town offices except clerk 

       Jason Hinman, one of the earliest settlers of the town, was born in Woodbury (now Southbury) Conn., in 1782. He was one of the eldest of a family of fifteen children—was fitted for college, but knowing it was the expectation of his friends that he should practice law, he declined entering college, leaving these advantages to his brothers, of whom several became distinguished barristers, and came on foot to Vermont and located upon the farm now owned by his son-in-law, J. H. Marsh, Mrs. Marsh  being the only one of his ten children now living in the town. He took the freeman's oath in 1806, was chosen town clerk in 1809, and held the office until 1824; was a member of the constitutional convention in 1836 and in 1850; represented the town in 1814, '23, '25, '36, '37, '38, and '43. He died in 1862, aged seventy-nine years. 

       William Moon came to Holland, from Barnet, Vt., about 1802, and located upon the farm now owned by Sanford G. Pinney. He was born at Haverhill, N.H. May 3, 1777, and in his twenty-fourth year married Abigail Wood, of Barnet, where he then resided, and brought his wife and two children to Holland in 1803. He died here July 18, 1859, in his eighty-eighth year, having reared five children. His son Hiram, born in 1804, was a justice of the peace a number of years, superintendent of schools, etc., and died in 1876, aged seventy-two years. 

       Elijah Allbee, from Rockingham, Vt., came to Holland in 1802, locating where David Brewer now resides. B. B. Allbee is a grandson of Elijah. 

       Joseph, Benjamin and Nathaniel Hall, brothers, came to Holland, from Bartlett, N.H., at an early day. Joseph located on road 29, upon the farm now owned by Oliver Kidder.  Benjamin located in the western part of the town, upon the farm now owned by Joseph Burbeck. His great-grandson, Daniel Hall, resides on road 24.  Nathan was a minister of the gospel and preached here a number of years. 

       Micah Ferrin was born in Grafton, N.H., March 22, 1787. At the age of twenty-one years he came to Holland and located upon the place now occupied by L. C. Heath. He married Rachel Wilcox, of this town, who survived her wedding only a year. In 1815, he married Lucinda Conant, of Westfield, Mass., and had born to him ten children, four of whom are now living, viz. Dr. C.M. Ferrin, of Essex, Vt.; Martin C., of this town; Mrs. William McRea, of Colchester, Vt.; and Mrs. John Tabor, residing in Colorado. Mr. Ferrin represented the town in the general assembly in 1847-'48, held most of the other town offices, and died in March, 1863. 

       Josiah Waterman, from Connecticut, came to Holland just after the close of the war of 1812, in which he served, and located on road 29, where M.C. Ferrin now resides. He had a family of eight children, only one of whom, Mrs. Sarah Newton, of Waterford, Vt., is living.  Two of his sons, Warren and Thomas, spent their lives here. Thomas had a family of three children, of whom Joshua F., of this town, and William, of Charleston, are living. 

       Henry Pinney came to Holland, from Barnstead, P. Q., about 1822, locating in the southern part of the town.  He afterwards removed to the place he now occupies. Mr. Pinney is a large land-owner and has held most of the town offices. His son, Eugene E., is the present representative. 

       Joseph Fletcher was born in Maine in 1803, and came to Holland in 1823. He has been town clerk a number of years, postmaster thirty years, and now at the age of seventy-nine years, resides with his son, S. R. Fletcher, who is one of the assistant Judges of the county. His wife, Lucinda Robinson, died in, 1878, aged seventy-nine years. 

       Gershom Fletcher was born in Westford. Mass. After some years spent in Maine, where he married Mary Danforth, he came to Holland about 1825, with his wife and seven children. Three of the children are now living two, Joseph, the eldest son, and Sarah (Fletcher) Mead, in this town. His grandson, Sidney Fletcher, the present town clerk, has held the office twenty-three years, and has also held most of the other town offices. 

       John Boynton, from Derby, came to Holland in 1835, and died herein 1867. His son, G.C. Boynton, is the present constable and collector of the town. 

       Cornelius D. Tabor, from Barton, came to this town in 1828, locating about a mile north of the village. About 1860, he removed to Kansas, where he now resides. His son, L.R. Tabor, came here with his father, and has been a resident since. He was a representative to the legislature in 1878, has been selectman four years, and a justice of the peace six years. 

       George H. Green was born at Danville, Vt., in 1820, and came to Holland in 1838. He represented the town in 1866-'67, and has held most of the other town offices. 

       George Bryant, a native of New Hampshire, came to Holland about 1845, married Sybil Pinney, and soon afterwards returned to New Hampshire. In 1854, he came back to Holland and located where Joseph Smith now resides, on road 18. 

       Charles Eastman came to this town, from Hartland, Vt., in 1847, locating where his son, Eugene W., now resides, and died here October 8, 1882. His wife, Lucy A., daughter of Thomas Wheeden, of Hartland, survives him. 

       Leander C. Heath was born in Stanstead, P.Q., in 1823, and came to this town in 1860. He has been a justice of the peace seventeen years, and town treasurer seven years. 

       Solomon Davis, born in Bolton, P. Q., in 1825, came to Holland in 1863. 

       Jabez S. Farr, whose father, William R. Farr, was an early settler in Derby, has been a resident of this town about eighteen years. 

     George C. Kimball was born in Stratford, N.H., his father, George, being an early settler in that town. In 1869, George C. married Sylvina Fletcher, daughter of Joseph Fletcher, and in 1882, came to this town and purchased the farm corner of roads 24 and 23. 

       Eli D. Rice came from Franklin county to Newport about 1853, removed to Holland in 1869, remained twelve years, and then went to Stanstead, P.Q., where he now resides. His son, W.H. Rice, resides on road 5. 

       Edward Burbeck, born in Newburyport, Mass., in 1788 removed to Campton, N.H., where he remained until twenty-one years of age, then went to Campton, P.Q., among the early settlers of that town. He was the father of eight children, five of whom are now living. James, the second son, came to Holland in 1869, and now resides on road 31. Through James's efforts the postoffice was established at West Holland, about four years ago. Joseph A., son of James, is located on road 16 corner 13, engaged in the manufacture of carriages. 

       Eber Robinson and Isaac Clements were both Revolutionary soldiers. There was also another lived here, by the name of Holt. He lived a sort of hermit's life in a little but by himself, and when he became so infirm he could not supply himself with food, the neighbors looked after him. He died at an advanced age. 

       The following were soldiers of the war of 1812: George Robinson, Benjamin Hall, Daniel Abbey, Peter Bailey, and Samuel Rogers. During the late civil war, Holland furnished fifty-three enlisted men, eleven of whom were killed or died from wounds or disease contracted while in the service. 

      The Methodist Episcopal church, located at Holland village, was organized in 1826. The church building was erected in 1844. It will accommodate 200 persons, cost $900.00, and is now valued, including grounds, at $3,000.00. The society has fifty-one members, with Rev. William S. Jenne, pastor. 

       The Congregational church, located in the western part of the town, was organized by its first pastor, Rev. Jabez T. Howard, November 30, 1842, with six members. The building was erected in 1844, a wood structure capable of seating 250 persons. The society now has forty-seven members, with Rev. John Fraser, pastor. 
 
 
 

(Source:  Gazetteer of Lamoille and Orleans Counties, VT.; 1883-1884, Compiled and Published by Hamilton Child; May 1887, Page  284 - 286)

This excerpt was provided by Tom Dunn.